West News

California Contractor Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud After Underreporting Nearly $1M in Payroll

Kent Bo Fridolfsson, 67, of Benicia, California, pleaded guilty to six charges of insurance fraud and grand theft after a joint investigation with the California Department of Insurance, Solano County District Attorney’s Office and the Employment Development Department reportedly revealed …

New Mexico Restaurant Settles Wage-Theft Complaint After Prolonged Legal Battle

New Mexico labor announced a legal settlement that resolves longstanding accusations of unpaid wages against a restaurant business in northwestern New Mexico. The Workforce Solutions Department said in a news release that 505 Burgers Farmington LLC has agreed to pay …

$24.5M Settlement in New Mexico over Natural Gas Flaring in Permian Basin

New Mexico has reached a record settlement with a company over air pollution violations at natural gas gathering sites in the Permian Basin. The $24.5 million agreement with Ameredev announced this week is the largest settlement the state Environment Department …

Study: California’s 2023 Snowy Rescue from Megadrought a Freak Event

Last year’s snow deluge in California, which quickly erased a two decade long megadrought, was essentially a once-in-a-lifetime rescue from above, a new study found. Don’t get used to it because with climate change the 2023 California snow bonanza —a …

People Moves: BenefitMall Appoints Patton Benefits Sales Executive for Colorado

BenefitMall named Sam Patton to its team as the new benefits sales executive for Colorado. Patton specializes in ancillary benefits such as life, disability insurance, and executive supplemental disability. Patton most recently served as an executive disability benefits consultant with …

Warren Buffett’s PacifiCorp Now Faces $30B Claim Demand in Oregon Wildfires

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s PacifiCorp now faces a demand for $30 billion from victims of Oregon’s 2020 Labor Day wildfires, an escalation of a legal onslaught on the largest grid operator in the western US. While the amount sought in an …

Inszone Acquires Van Oppen & Co. 2 in Wyoming

Inszone Insurance Services acquired Van Oppen & Co. 2 in Wyoming. Founded in 2008 by Rick van Oppen, the firm has specialized in serving the needs of the architectural, engineering and environmental sectors. Sacramento, California-based Inszone is an insurance brokerage …

Flow Specialty in California Emerges from Rebrand, Adds New Leadership

Capitola Insurance in California has completed its rebranding to Flow Specialty and the specialty wholesaler has added new leadership. David Derigiotis has been named president of brokerage and head of insurance. Derigiotis has 20 years of specialty insurance industry experience, …

Ring in California Paying $5.6M to Customers as Part of Privacy Settlement

The Federal Trade Commission is sending more than $5.6 million in refunds to consumers as part of a settlement with Amazon-owned Ring, which was charged with failing to protect private video footage from outside access. In a 2023 complaint, the …

Freight Train Derailment, Fire Forced Interstate 40 Closure Near Arizona-New Mexico Line

A freight train carrying fuel derailed and caught fire Friday near the Arizona-New Mexico state line, forcing the closure of an interstate highway that serves as a key trucking route. Initial passersby posted video and photos on social media of …

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