Monthly Archives: <span>May 2015</span>

What States Are Doing to Battle Bird Flu Threat

Indiana is training 300 prisoners to kill infected chickens and banning bird shows at county fairs. Mississippi is considering road barricades and planning biosecurity measures. Iowa is trying to figure out how to deal with a mountain of dead – …

Google Drone Prototype Crashes

A prototype of the massive solar-powered drone Google Inc. plans to build as a platform for delivering Internet service from the sky was destroyed in a crash at a New Mexico test site. The unmanned Solara 50 fell to the …

FEMA: Nearly 1,000 Sandy Claimants Signed Up for Claims Review So Far

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) last week sent out its first round of letters to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders who filed Superstorm Sandy-related claims, offering them a chance to have their claims reviewed — and FEMA …

The Rock Won’t Save You From Earthquakes; Retrofitting Might

It has been a big week for earthquake news in California. Hollywood gave us “San Andreas,” a thrill a minute dystopian drama starring Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) as a heroic flying firefighter and Paul Giamatti as a jittery professor-like creature. …

Oklahoma Governor Seeks to Expedite Repair of Roads, Bridges

With widespread damage to roads and bridges as a result of recent flooding, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is seeking expedited bidding for county infrastructure projects. Fallin said the full extent of the county-level flooding damage is still unknown since many …

Man Pleads Guilty to Chicago Air-Traffic Facility Fire

A suburban Chicago contractor pleaded guilty to setting a fire at a radar facility in Aurora that forced the cancellation of thousands of flights and disrupted travel nationwide in September 2014. Prosecutors told a federal judge that Brian Howard, 37, …

South Dakota Requests Disaster Declaration for Delmont Tornado

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has requested a presidential disaster declaration to help South Dakotans whose homes and businesses were damaged by the severe storm and tornado May 10 in Douglas and Charles Mix counties. The tornado damaged or destroyed 84 structures …

Texas Open Carry Handgun Bill Stalled by Police Opposition

Fierce opposition from police across the state derailed efforts to pass a bill that allows open carry of handguns on the streets of Texas. The bill appeared ready to pass the House and be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott to …

Death Toll Climbs to 21 as South Central Flood Clean Up Begins

Homeowners dragged soggy carpet to the curb and mopped up coffee-colored muck on May 27 after a barrage of storms and floods in Texas and Oklahoma left at least 21 people dead and 11 others missing. More rain fell on …

ACE Expands Specialty Insurance Offerings for Small Businesses

ACE Commercial Risk Services, the small commercial specialty lines business of ACE Group, has expanded its specialty commercial products for small businesses, available on a business owners policy (BOP). This new product suite offering, available through ACE Solutions Fast Track, …