West News

Crews Battling ‘Fire Whirls’ in California’s Mojave Desert

Crews battled “fire whirls” in California’s Mojave National Preserve as a massive wildfire crossed into Nevada amid dangerously high temperatures and raging winds. The York Fire was mapped at roughly 120 square miles on Monday night, with no containment. The …

California Workers’ Comp Independent Medical Review Volume Rose in First Half of 2023

A review of the Independent Medical Review process used to resolve California workers’ compensation medical disputes shows the number of IMR decision letters rose 4.1% in the first six months of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022 after …

Three Killed When Small Plane Hits Hangar at California Airport

A pilot and two passengers were killed Sunday when a single-engine plane crashed into a hangar and burst into flames at a Southern California airport, authorities said. The Beechcraft P35 with three people on board crashed during departure around 6: …

Ex-Oregon Prison Nurse Sexually Assaulted Nine Women

A federal jury found a former nurse at Oregon’s women’s prison guilty of sexually abusing nine women while they were in custody. The jury reached its verdict in the case against 38-year-old Tony Klein last week after nearly two days …

Winds Challenge Firefighters Battling Two California Blazes

A massive wildfire burning out of control in California’s Mojave National Preserve was spreading rapidly amid erratic winds, while firefighters reported progress against another major blaze to the southwest that prompted evacuations. The York Fire that erupted Friday near the …

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit in Death of New Mexico Officer

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit alleging the Department of Homeland Security was negligent in a drug bust that resulted in the first New Mexico State Police officer killed in the line of duty in over three decades. U.S. District …

Las Vegas Casino Mogul Fined $10M to End Fight Over Claims of Workplace Sexual Misconduct

Casino mogul Steve Wynn has ended a yearslong legal fight with Nevada gambling regulators that started with claims of workplace sexual misconduct, agreeing to pay a $10 million fine and cut ties to the industry he helped shape in Las …

Mother Punched While She Held Her Baby Sues Los Angeles Sheriff`s Department

A woman who was punched in the face by a deputy as she held her baby sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff`s Department, alleging excessive force and wrongful arrest. Yeayo Russell filed a federal lawsuit last week against the department …

Michael Jackson’s Employees Were Not Legally Obligated to Prevent Sex Abuse, Lawyer Argues in Court

Workers for corporations owned by Michael Jackson had no legal obligation to protect children from the pop star, an attorney told an appeals court. Jackson estate lawyer Jonathan Steinsapir pushed back against a tentative decision by California’s 2nd District Court …

Cigna Health Giant Accused of Improper Violation of California Law

A federal lawsuit alleges that health insurance giant Cigna used a computer algorithm to automatically reject hundreds of thousands of patient claims without examining them individually as required by California law. The class-action lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in …

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