Monthly Archives: <span>December 2006</span>

Arson convictions now being re-examined

A handful of arson convictions that relied largely on expert testimony are being re-examined because of changes in the scientific understanding of fire. Some are already in court, while in others, defense teams are putting together a case. Among the …

New fire science could overturn arson convictions across the nation

The clues were everywhere. A young woman lay dead in a burned cabin at a church camp in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, while her father survived. Most of the lessons taught to budding fire investigators stood out at the scene. The …

Insurance issues have been key in Southeast’s ongoing recovery

While Mother Nature was nicer to the Southeast and the insurance industry in 2006 than she was in 2005, her potential for destruction was never far from the minds of those living and rebuilding in the Southeast. Insurance remained a …

People and Places

Members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners elected 2007 officers during the group’s winter meeting in San Antonio. Alabama Insurance Commissioner Walter Bell was named president, Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger was chosen as president-elect, New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner …

W.Va. report on Sago Mine blast leaves many questions unasnwered

The families of the Sago Mine victims aren’t the only ones who want more answers from the state about what went wrong Jan. 2. The United Mine Workers says the state’s theory is “cockamamie” and begs either solid proof or …

Sen. Lott pushes law on storm-totaled vehicles

Congress should protect car buyers from unsafe vehicles that were once totaled in Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters, according to Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss. Lott, joined at a news conference by Reps. Cliff Sterns, R-Fla., and Charlie Melancon, D-La., …

Kentucky aids small businesses with insurance

Dan Hayes began working at Purcell’s Business Products, in Campbellsville, Ky., in the 1970s. By 1980, he owned the business selling office supplies and equipment with eight employees. A desire to “do good by our employees” led Hayes and his …

Declarations

Tort reform impact “It’s difficult to say whether tort reform measures have impacted this slow down in tort costs growth. We have yet to see what, if any, impact the class action reform legislation that was passed in February 2005 …

Miss. art museum relocation awaits FEMA, insurance monies

Leaders who run Biloxi’s Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art are reluctantly considering abandoning its incomplete and storm-damaged beachfront site designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry. They could end up moving the museum to downtown Biloxi, perhaps to the library building. No …

It Figures

55% The rate hike that Florida’s insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance Corp., decided to delay a vote on, following requests from lawmakers to wait until after the January special legislative session. 13,000 The number of free home inspections …