West News

AM Best Downgrades Ratings of Mercury in California, Wildfires a Factor

AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to A (Excellent) from A+ (Superior) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Ratings (Long-Term ICR) to “a+” from “aa-” for the members of Los Angeles, Calif.-based Mercury Casualty Group. The record wildfires …

PG&E Gives Details on Tower Damage at Heart of California Fire Probe

PG&E Corp. revealed that on the day California’s deadliest and most destructive wildfire started, its workers saw damage and a fire near one of its transmission towers, which are the focus of investigations and a lawsuit as a possible ignition …

2 Small Earthquakes Strike Western Colorado

Two mild earthquakes struck western Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. The quakes hit early Tuesday but likely weren’t strong enough to cause any damage. The quakes were both just north of Glenwood Springs. The USGS says a 3.4 quake …

Firms to Pay $9M to Settle Suit Over Damages in 2012 California Wildfire

Officials say a construction company and a logging firm have collectively agreed to pay $9 million for damages resulting from a 2012 wildfire that burned more than 1,600 acres of national forest land in Northern California. The U.S. Attorney’s office …

Utilities to Cover Power Lines, Expand Weather Monitoring in High Risk Areas

California utilities plan to insulate power lines, increase inspections and build new weather stations in areas at high risk for wildfires in an effort to combat increasingly destructive blazes. Southern California Edison told legislative employees this week it wants to …

PG&E Sued for Ad Spending Instead of on Preventing Events Like the California Wildfire

PG&E Corp. was accused of putting its “reputation above public safety” in a lawsuit alleging that the power company spends too much on advertising and not enough on preventing devastating Northern California wildfires like the one that destroyed the town …

Online Sleuthing Skills Help in Wake of California Wildfire

They have become known as the Angels of Paradise. But there is nothing ethereal about them. They are online sleuths who know how to find people, and they have been putting their skills to use in the aftermath of California’s …

No Delay for Honolulu Condo Owners to Perform Fire Safety Evaluations

A measure that would have given condominium owners two extra years to comply with a Honolulu fire safety law has been deemed lost. The Honolulu City Council failed this week to acquire enough votes to override Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s veto …

Attorneys for Wrong-Way Arizona Driver Blame Agency for Crash, Injuries

Attorneys for a wrong-way driver say an Arizona Department of Public Safety sergeant is responsible for a crash that injured the driver and the sergeant. Patricia Carvalho is facing charges of attempted homicide, aggravated DUI and endangerment. The Los Ranchos, …

Low Earthquake Insurance Take-up in Alaska Due to High Cost?

With Alaska’s history of earthquakes, you might assume most homeowners have earthquake insurance. That’s not the case, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Only about 15 percent of Alaska homeowners buy earthquake insurance, according to an estimate provided by Lori Wing-Heier, …

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