Monthly Archives: <span>January 2021</span>

FEMA: NW Arkansas Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps Ready to View

FEMA has made available for review Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for certain municipalities and unincorporated areas in northwest Arkansas. The maps cover Elm Springs, Elkins, Farmington, Fayetteville, Greenland, Johnson, Springdale, West Fork, Tontitown, Winslow, Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Goshen; …

Delivery Driver Killed in Drywall Accident at Florida Home Depot

A delivery driver was killed Sunday night when a load of construction materials fell on him at a Home Depot store in Florida, police said. News outlets report that a load of drywall struck 47-year-old Cyrenus Leroy Amon around 7:30 …

‘Zombie Law’ Cited in Court Fight Over Mississippi Marijuana

Attorneys trying to block a Mississippi medical marijuana program say the state is using a “zombie law” about old congressional districts to defend how an initiative landed on the ballot. Voters in November approved Initiative 65, which requires the state …

Fitch: Florida Homeowners’ Insurers Performance Deterioration Continues

Florida homeowners’ insurance specialists are reporting continued performance deterioration and a decline in capitalization levels, despite the most severe losses from the record 2020 hurricane season occurring outside of the Florida market, Fitch Ratings said in a recent report. According …

Hickman Joins AUI’s Brokerage Division, Energy Practice in Dallas

Appalachian Underwriters Inc. (AUI) has added Dustin Hickman to its brokerage department as a casualty broker in Dallas. Hickman joins the AUI organization as part of the Energy Practice Group, specializing in heavy casualty accounts including the oil and gas …

Howden Group Invests $84M to Support Its Treaty Reinsurance MGA, Tamesis DUAL

Howden Group Holdings announced an investment of $84 million in support of Tamesis DUAL Ltd., the reinsurance division of DUAL Group, the world’s largest international MGA. This additional capacity has been in place since Jan. 1, 2021 and the capital …

Study: Masks, Distancing, Testing Shown As Effective As Vaccines on College Campuses

The combined effectiveness of three COVID-prevention strategies on college campuses—mask-wearing, social distancing, and routine testing—are as effective in preventing coronavirus infections as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), according to a new …

Former Washington Police Chief Getting $125K Settlement

A former Washington state police chief who was fired last year is expected to collect a $125,000 settlement. Michael Campos was fired in May as Wapato police chief with cause after an internal investigation found evidence to support allegations he …

Washington Atmospheric River Brings Threat of Floods, Landslides

The Pacific Northwest is bracing for flooding and landslides, while the mountains will see heavy snow and possible avalanches on Wednesday as an atmospheric river collides with Washington and Oregon. The Snoqualmie River near Carnation, Washington, is expected to produce …

U.S. Automated Vehicles Testing Program Expands to 52 Participants

The federal government’s program working with states and developers of automated vehicles has grown from a pilot operation to one with 52 participants. Participants in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s AV TEST program use an online tracking tool to …