Monthly Archives: <span>December 2021</span>

SC Island Property Owners Ask State to Keep Sandbag Wall

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)–A politically appointed board will hear an appeal from property owners who want to bury sandbags along a South Carolina beach to fight erosion, despite concerns that sandbag walls are likely to make the beach wash away faster. …

Florida Claims Adjuster Gets 3 Years For Ghost Vendor Check-Writing Scheme

A Florida claims adjuster that authorities called the mastermind behind an extensive property insurance fraud scheme has been sentenced to three years in prison. Walter Malet, 32, of Orlando, was convicted of pilfering more than $262,559 from Security First Insurance …

Las Vegas Police Paying $525K to Man Shot While Running Away

LAS VEGAS (AP)–A man who dropped a gun and ran naked from police before being shot by an officer outside a church in 2017 has accepted a $525,000 settlement to end a federal lawsuit against the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police …

Series of Small Quakes Shake Near South Carolina Capital

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)–A series of mild earthquakes rumbled across central South Carolina on Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, rattling windowpanes and disrupting wildlife but causing no apparent injuries or major damage. It was one of about two dozen …

Nail Salon Pays $1.75M to Woman Who Lost Leg After Pedicure

TAMPA, Fla. (AP)–A Florida woman whose leg had to be amputated because of an infection after a pedicure has reached a $1.75 million settlement with the nail salon, her attorney said. An employee at Tammy’s Nails 2 in Tampa cut …

Calif. Supreme Court Affirms Strict Liability Standard For Wildfire Suppression Costs

The California Supreme Court refused to loosen the state’s strict liability standards for wildfires, ruling on Monday that a religious retreat may be held liable for the negligence of an employee. In a unanimous decision, the high court affirmed rulings …

Expect More Shipping Chaos as Omicron Forces Transport Workers to Quit

From seafarers refusing to get back on ships to truck drivers whose concern over Covid-related border closures trumps the lure of higher pay, the transport industry is bracing for another roller coaster year of supply-chain disruptions. As omicron infections surge …

Flooding Projected to Cost Businesses $13.5B Next Year

A new report estimates that U.S. businesses could spend about $13.5 billion in 2022 to repair or replace flood-damaged commercial buildings. The same report finds that businesses could lose more than 3.1 million days of operation from flooding next year …

Federal Judge Dismisses Claims That Linkedin Overcharged Advertisers

A US judge dismissed a lawsuit accusing Microsoft Corp’s LinkedIn of inflating the number of people who watched video ads so the networking platform could overcharge hundreds of thousands of advertisers. In a decision on Monday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan …

US Steps Up Probe Into Hyundai-Kia Engine Failures and Fires

DETROIT (AP)–U.S. auto safety regulators have stepped up a series of investigations into engine fires that have plagued Hyundai and Kia vehicles for more than six years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says a new engineering analysis investigation covers …