Declarations – Midwest

Defaming Pink Slime

“The lawsuit is without merit. We will contest it vigorously.”

—Jeffrey Schneider, senior vice president of ABC News, talking about a $1.2 billion defamation lawsuit against ABC by a South Dakota meat processor that accused it of misleading viewers into believing that a product that critics have dubbed “pink slime” was unsafe.

Rate Gains

“We continue to be successful in achieving rate gains.”

—Travelers Cos. CEO Jay Fishman, speaking at a Barclays financial services conference, said insurance rates rose the third quarter of 2012 for both businesses and individual customers. Business insurance rates are up an average of 7.7 percent so far in the third quarter. Homeowners and personal auto rates are also up, Fishman said.

A Bigger Problem

“I think it is a lot bigger problem than people realized. … I definitely think we could save some lives and property damage and injuries by making that illegal.”

—Pat Quinn, city councilman in Mission, Kan., comments on a proposed ordinance that would ban talking on hand-held cellphones while driving. The rule under consideration would allow people to talk on hands-free cellphones. So far, 10 states and the District of Columbia have banned talking on hand-held cellphones while driving.