West News

Nevada Drivers Can Now Add Symbol Identifying Certain Medical Conditions on License

Nevada drivers can now add a symbol that identifies certain medical conditions on their driver licenses, in an effort to improve safety on the roads, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles announced this month. The “Star of Life” symbol has …

Lithium-Ion Battery Fire Extinguished on Ship off Alaska After Several Days of Burning

After lithium-ion batteries burned in a large cargo ship`s hold for a number of days, the U.S. Coast Guard said the fire was out and directed the ship to anchor near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. The 19 crew members of the …

Washington State’s New Safety Management Rules for Petroleum Workers

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries filed a formal update to workplace safety rules designed to prevent catastrophic events the Tesoro explosion that killed seven workers in 2010 and the Equilon incident in 1998 that killed six. The …

People Moves: Aspire in California Names Alam and Newgarden to New Roles

Aspire General Insurance Company, headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., named Bilal Alam actuary and chief data officer and Tom Newgarden as an Aspire board member. Alam previously served as vice president and head of reinsurance at National General Insurance Company …

2024 Oregon Consumer Laws Include Protections for Homeowners Dealing with Wildfire

Consumer protections for homeowners dealing with wildfire-related issues, property contents coverage, personal data protection and prescription drugs are set to go into effect in 2024. The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation, part of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business …

Top West Insurance Journal Stories of 2023

Insurers pulling back from an increasingly risky California market grabbed the attention of Insurance Journal readers this year. This was the subject of the top four most popular stories in Insurance Journal’s West region in 2023. Eight articles on this …

Hawaii Fire Shows Wildfires Pose Particular Threat to Elderly and Other Vulnerable Individuals

Sharlene Rabang and her calico cat fled the wildfire that destroyed her town on Maui and arrived at a family home on another Hawaii island after a 24-hour odyssey that included sleeping in a car. Dazed, coughing and weak, the …

Five Died in Four Vegas Area Crashes Over 12-Hour Holiday Period

Two people died in separate vehicle crashes in the early hours of Christmas morning on Monday in the Las Vegas valley, bringing the total number of vehicle-related deaths in the area to five over a 12-hour stretch from Sunday afternoon …

Covered California Enrollment Rose 18% as Deadline Approaches

With a key deadline coming up on Dec. 31, Covered California announced that 161,670 people have signed up for 2024 coverage as of Dec. 23 during this open enrollment. That marks an 18% increase over the same period last year …

Avalanche Closed Alaska Highway, Cutting off Access

A large avalanche and blizzard conditions in southern Alaska cut off road access to much of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage. The avalanche hit the Seward Highway near the intersection of the Sterling Highway around 8 a.m. Sunday. The …

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