Texas / South Central News

TxDOT: Traffic Fatalities Increased in Energy Producing Regions

Booming energy production has brought jobs and economic gains to communities throughout Texas, but also an unintended consequence with a rise in traffic fatalities and injuries, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reports. In 2017, more than 194,000 crashes — …

Louisiana Officials Warn of Goods Stolen from Storage Units, Sheds

Authorities are telling residents in one part of Louisiana to check sheds, patios and self-storage units to see whether anything’s missing, even a kitchen sink. They’re also telling self-storage business owners to check for signs of tampering, and for locked …

Arkansas Panel Approves Rules for Use of Previously Banned Herbicide

An Arkansas panel has adopted a plan to allow restricted use of an herbicide banned in the wake of complaints that it drifted onto crops and caused damage. The Arkansas Plant Board voted after a 91/2-hour public hearing on Feb. …

Houston Insurance Broker Launches Online Tool to Connect Agents, Customers

Houston-based insurance broker, Frank Medina, has launched Insurance Agent Near Me, an online tool that connects customers with reputable insurance agents in their vicinity. Insurance Agent Near Me lists all the major insurance products that are being searched online daily …

Officials: Up to 100 Pedicabs Destroyed in Austin Warehouse Fire

A fire at an Austin warehouse wiped out one-fifth of the city’s pedicabs just weeks before the annual South by Southwest festival, one of the busiest times for bicycle rickshaw operators, city officials said. Two companies, Metrocycle Pedicabs and Pedicab …

Shipping Company Fined $2M for Dumping Oily Waste into Gulf

A federal judge ordered a shipping company to pay $2 million in fines after one of its tankers illegally dumped oily waste into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana. Interorient Marine Services Limited was fined Feb. 13 …

Palmer Joins EPIC’s Energy, Marine Practice in Houston

EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants has added Jose Palmer as a principal in the energy and marine practice within its property/and casualty operations. He is based in Houston and reports to Southwest Region Managing Principal and Director KJ Wagner. Palmer …

Louisiana Flood Victims Still Waiting for Federal Recovery Grants

The month-long partial federal government shutdown likely further delayed aid grants to homeowners still trying to recover from the 2016 flooding, Louisiana’s top disaster recovery official said. As many as 6,000 Louisiana residents who took out loans from the U.S. …

Texas Woman Sentenced for $46K Workers’ Comp Fraud

A Texas woman owes just over $46,000 to the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurance carrier after being sentenced for workers’ compensation fraud in a Travis County district court. According to Texas Mutual Insurance Co., Shannon Drew of Aubrey, Texas, reported …

Round 12: Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Shedding More Policies

Louisiana’s property insurer of last resort has completed another round of policy depopulation — its 12th, the state insurance department announced. Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. (Citizens) offers property insurance to any home or business owner that cannot otherwise obtain …

Texas / South Central News Archives by Month