Patricia Wells

New York State has expanded its drought watch to cover 50 counties as dry conditions continue to affect large parts of the state. The Department of Environmental Conservation announced the increase after consulting with state and federal experts. This includes areas in the Catskills, Susquehanna, Mohawk/Upper Hudson, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier regions. Governor Kathy … Read more

California lawmakers have come to an initial deal to boost the state’s wildfire utility fund by about $18 billion. This plan is expected to be formally introduced in legislation soon, after negotiators pushed back a Tuesday deadline to iron out the details. The extra funds will be split evenly between utility ratepayers and utility shareholders. … Read more

East Jordan Plastics, a company that makes plastic containers for plants, has agreed to pay $460,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The case involved female workers at the company’s factory in Beaverton, Michigan, who reported inappropriate behavior from a male coworker. The lawsuit revealed that … Read more

Early Tuesday morning, over 60 shipping containers fell off a cargo ship docked at the Port of Long Beach, ending up floating in the water nearby. The vessel, named Mississippi, lost about 67 containers shortly before 9 a.m., officials confirmed. Fortunately, no one was hurt during the incident. Long Beach is a major gateway for … Read more

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is preparing to issue an executive order to regulate THC products and set a minimum purchase age of 21. This move comes after the state Legislature ended its second special session without reaching an agreement on THC laws. While Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pushed for a complete ban, Abbott supports a … Read more

BCU Risk Advisors, a Chicago-based personal insurance consulting firm that focuses on high-net-worth individuals and families, has introduced a new service tailored for family offices. With almost 20 years of experience serving affluent clients, the firm is now launching a dedicated family office practice to better meet their unique needs. This new practice aims to … Read more

In August 2023, a steering problem on the multi-purpose carrier BBC Africa caused it to crash into a bulk carrier in the Houston Ship Channel, leading to over $1 million in damage. The BBC Africa lost steering while leaving the channel on August 25 and struck the moored bulk carrier Common Faith. Fortunately, there were … Read more

Lockton has announced some new leadership moves in its U.S. casualty team. Peter Rapciewicz is stepping in as the leader for the entire U.S. casualty business, while Jessica Cullen will take charge of excess casualty and operations. Rapciewicz will lead the way in shaping and growing Lockton’s casualty services across the country. He reports directly … Read more

Santa Monica city officials are considering a resolution that would declare the city in fiscal distress as it wrestles with rising costs from sexual abuse settlements that have shaken its budget. This move reflects a growing financial strain seen in other local governments facing similar settlement payouts. The trouble stems from settlements exceeding $229 million … Read more

About 15 years ago, Dave Jones was one of the few voices urging the insurance industry to take climate change seriously. Back then, most insurers shrugged off the issue, seeing climate risks as distant concerns and not connecting them to their business. Today, the picture looks very different. Insurers across the U.S. and the world … Read more