State and Regional News

Court Hears Michigan Wal-Mart Medical Marijuana Firing Case

A federal judge on Friday heard arguments in the case of a medical marijuana user claiming a Michigan Wal-Mart store wrongfully fired him after testing positive for the drug. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker in Grand Rapids said he will …

Nashville’s Music Industry Getting Back on Track After Flood

In a white clapboard house on a quiet street in Berry Hill, a six-month marathon effort to save dozens of flood-damaged musical instruments remains a daily labor of love with the goal of salvaging Nashville’s best-known industry from near disaster. …

North Carolina Agent Accused of Filing False House Fire Claim

Frances Moore, of Moravian Falls,. N.C., an insurance agent and owner and operator of Fran Moore Allstate Agency, has been charged with 14 counts of insurance fraud, according to officials. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and his criminal investigators allege that …

$12 Million Recovered for Colorado Insurance Consumers, State Claims

Colorado insurance regulators fielded more than 25,500 inquiries from consumers in the past year, resulting in a total of nearly 5,000 formal grievances. During this period, the investigation of these grievances amounted to more than $12 million being recovered for …

Mississippi Football Player’s Pink Cleats Lead to Lawsuit

Attorneys for a Mississippi high school football player have sued the player’s school district claiming the athlete was kicked off the team for wearing pink cleats to practice. Deputy Superintendent Tom Duncan told The Clarion-Ledger that the problem wasn’t the …

Texas Work Comp October Enforcement Actions Include Hefty Fines

Final disciplinary actions taken by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (TDI-DWC) in October include fines of up to $153,000, the department announced. Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation Rod Bordelon’s orders are subject to appeal to state district …

Report Confirms Florida Sinkhole Insurance Woes are Deep, Spreading

A new state report confirms sinkhole insurance claims are rising in Florida, costing insurers millions of dollars in payouts and expenses, cropping up in counties where they have not been a problem in the past, and showing no signs of …

Ex-New Jersey School Superintendent Enters Not Guilty Plea

The former superintendent of New Jersey’s fourth-largest school district has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges. Michael Ritacco entered his plea Wednesday during a brief hearing in U.S. District Court in Trenton. He retired last month after he was arrested …

Missouri AG, Insurance Chief Target Auto Warranty Firms

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster said he is amending his lawsuits against three companies that sold bogus auto warranty products by including the allegation that the companies have been selling insurance without a state license through the sale of additive …

California City Settles Sexual Harassment Claim Against Cop

The city of Concord, Calif. has agreed to pay $750,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former police officer. The City Council voted to pay $250,000 to Lisa Capocci and $500,000 to her attorney, Stan Casper. City …