West News

Washington Storage Tank Company Fined After Explosions Burn Two Workers

Two explosions occurring two hours apart sent two workers of a storage tank sales and servicing company to the hospital, one with serious burns, prompting the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries to fining the Des Moines, Wash. business …

People Moves: Venbrook Names Myers President of New Practice; Yuen Appointed Vice President, West Region Distribution Leader at Vantage

Venbrook Group launched a new corporate benefits and specialty health division and named Alison Myers its president. The division is an expansion of the firm’s employee benefits practice. Myers was most recently executive vice president of the employee benefits practice. …

MarshBerry’s FirstChoice Expands to Minnesota and Arizona

MarshBerry announced that FirstChoice, a MarshBerry Company (FirstChoice), has expanded into Minnesota and Arizona. This strategic move provides independent insurance agency owners in these states with the opportunity to join FirstChoice’s thriving network and access to unparalleled resources and support. …

Southern California Edison Lays Out $925M Plan to Rebuild After LA Wildfires

Southern California Edison (SCE), a subsidiary of utility Edison International, said on Friday it had submitted an initial plan to rebuild the areas within its service territory that were devastated by the Los Angeles wildfires in January. The preliminary plan …

Five Charged in Multi-Million-Dollar Insurance Fraud Case

Five people have been charged in a large-scale insurance fraud scheme involving misrepresented life insurance policies that resulted in fraudulent commissions totaling over $1.4 million. The five, which include a former insurance agent, reportedly fraudulently obtained more than $1.4 million …

Could Utility Gear Set Your Neighborhood on Fire? California Risk Maps Are 8 Years Old

Weeks after deadly fires swept through Los Angeles County, the state regulator in charge of overseeing utility companies declined a request that would have required California’s largest utilities to update maps showing high fire threat areas. Consumer advocates argued for …

Idaho Bail Agent Convicted of Insurance Fraud for Mishandling Funds

An Idaho man pleaded guilty to one count of felony insurance fraud for diverting fiduciary funds for personal use. Johnny Mateo Robles, Jr. of Twin Falls, pleaded guilty to one count of felony insurance fraud for diverting fiduciary funds that …

Hawaii Lawmakers Wrangle Bills to Rescue Utility Hit by Wildfire Suits

Hawaiian Electric Co. is making a final legislative push this month, asking lawmakers to help shore up its financial foundation, which crumbled after the 2023 Maui wildfire that killed 102 people and destroyed much of Lahaina. HECO and its parent …

Bill That Tries to Address Wildfires in West Has Bipartisan Support

A bipartisan group of senators is supporting a bill designed to reduce wildfire risks and increase firefighting cooperation across state lines in the U.S. Western region. The Fix Our Forests Act is backed by senators from Utah, California, Montana and …

People Moves: California Workers’ Compensation Institute Elects 2025 Board

Eric M. Hansen, senior vice president – underwriting at Preferred Employers, has been re-elected as chair of the California Workers’ Compensation Institute board of directors for 2025. Hansen was first elected to CWCI’s Board in 2014, has been a member …

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