West News

Tougher Drunk Driving Laws on Way in Colorado

Colorado drunk driving laws are about to get tougher in 2014. Starting on Jan. 1, any Colorado driver who refuses a sobriety test will be branded a persistent drunk driver. If they want their driver’s license back under a one-year …

Utah, Chevron Agree On $5.35M Fuel Spill Settlement

Utah officials say they’ve come to a tentative $5.35 million settlement with Chevron after a pipeline leaked about 20,000 gallons of diesel fuel in northern Utah earlier this year. Chevron officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Tuesday. …

Rate Hikes in California Workers’ Comp: SNL Financial

AmTrust Financial Services Inc. hiked rates by 15 percent on its California workers’ compensation business in 2013, and it is not alone. SNL data shows multiple companies took rate during the first half of 2013. The rates used in this …

Paint Manufacturers Held Liable for $1.1 Billion in California Lead Paint Case

Sherwin-Williams Co., NL Industries Inc. and ConAgra Grocery Products LLC were ordered by a judge to pay $1.1 billion to replace or contain lead paint in millions of homes after losing a public-nuisance lawsuit brought by 10 California cities and …

‘Crouching Tiger’ Actress Settles Website Claim in Southern California Court

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” star Zhang Ziyi settled a lawsuit for libel against a U.S.-based Chinese news website, which today apologized for false reports that she had sex with Chinese officials including ousted Politburo member Bo Xilai. The case is …

California Tops ‘Judicial Hellhole’ List

California isn’t just a warm place to live, which is often the case even in winter, but it turns out the state is considered a “judicial hellhole.” The American Tort Reform Foundation issued its annual “Judicial Hellholes” report on Tuesday, …

Universal, Fireman’s Fund Seek ‘Fast and Furious’ Solution

When “Fast And Furious” star Paul Walker died and left the seventh film in the franchise hanging in the balance, it wasn’t the first time a studio and its insurer faced such a situation, but the point at which production …

California School District Faces $17 Million In Claims

The San Juan Unified School District in California faces $17 million in claims over harassment allegations, with ten lawsuits alleging that Superintendent Glynn Thompson created a hostile workplace. The Sacramento Bee reported 10 women, past and present employees, have sued …

PG&E Worker In California Wins $1 Million In Lawsuit

A former power line worker for Pacific Gas & Electric has been awarded more than $1 million in a wrongful termination suit that claimed he was fired after making safety complaints. The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported 44-year-old Matthew Niswonger filed …

Chevron Refinery Fire Blamed by Agency on Ignored Warnings

The fire at Chevron Corp.’s refinery in Richmond, Calif., last year that sickened thousands was caused by the company ignoring a decade’s worth of calls for inspections and upgrades of piping that eventually corroded and failed, a federal safety report …

West News Archives by Month