Author: completebodyneeds

A California agency on Wednesday approved long-delayed regulations designed to protect homes from wildfire, but they’re less stringent than defenses recommended by scientists and firefighters. The new rules, which apply to about 2 million homes, were mandated by a 2020 state law requiring residents in high-risk wildfire areas to establish an ember-resistant perimeter by removing vegetation and other combustible material within five feet of a dwelling. Scientists say that space, known as Zone Zero, nearly doubles a home’s chance of survival. But after years of backlash from some homeowners over Zone Zero’s aesthetic and financial impact, the California Board of…

Flashes of yellow were all around the Texas Capitol grounds on Wednesday as legislators gathered to consider two of the most controversial issues in Texas politics: data centers and transmission lines. The color — displayed on bandanas, pins, shirts and dresses — has become the symbol of a grassroots movement dedicated to blocking the buildout of 765-kilovolt transmission lines across the state. A coalition of those groups gathered on the steps of the Capitol building in the morning as testimony got underway for the House Committee on State Affairs’ interim meeting dedicated to the backlash against the transmission lines and…

Romania scrambled F-16 fighter jets to destroy a marine drone spotted a few hundred meters from the Black Sea gas project Neptun Deep, Defence Minister Radu Miruta said on Thursday. The incident underscores the growing threat to critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea from drones and mines linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine, with Neptun Deep expected to make Romania the European Union’s largest gas producer when it comes onstream in 2027. NATO-member Romania shares a 614-km (382-mile) land border with Ukraine and has seen Russian drones breaching its airspace over the last four years and mines floating in…

Marco Capital, the property/casualty legacy consolidator and parent of insurance services group PoloWorks, has entered into an agreement to acquire Pro Global, subject to regulatory approval. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition represents a significant milestone in its strategy to build an integrated legacy insurance and market-leading insurance services group – with an expanded global client offering and truly diversified income stream, Marco Capital said in a statement. Following completion, PoloWorks and Pro Global (which is also an insurance services advisory) will combine to create one of the industry’s largest specialist insurance services businesses across Lloyd’s,…

One Florida insurance agent won the Republican nomination for his seat in the state House of Representatives but two other agents did not make the cut in Tuesday’s primary voting. Hodgers Incumbent state Rep. Brian Hodgers, R-Viera, won 58.5% of the vote in House District 32, on Florida’s east coast, defeating Mark Lightner, news sites reported. Hodgers will face Democrat Juan Hinojosa in the November general election. Hodgers, who owns Complete Choice Insurance agency in Melbourne, took office in June 2025. If re-elected, he will remain one of just two insurance agents in the Florida Legislature. In District 74, Jennifer…

Wisconsin car dealership Kenosha Nissan violated federal law when it retaliated against multiple employees for reporting racial harassment and fired one of them, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced. According to the suit, Kenosha Nissan management threatened several black employees who reported racial harassment in 2024. After learning of the reports, a manager warned employees that if they contacted HR again, the manager would “make [their] lives a living hell,” and told another employee who raised concerns about the harassment to “shut up.” Within days, management changed its office policies and work schedules in…

Jefferson, Louisiana Parish Council Chairwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken was honored at the Louisiana Department of Insurance Annual Conference for initiating a gap fund program that helps residents secure funding to pay for Fortified roof improvements. Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple presented Van Vrancken with the Leadership in Resilience Award at the conference on Wednesday. Jefferson Parish developed a Roof Enhancement Lottery Incentive Fund (RELIF) program that offers up to $5,000 in “gap funds” to recipients of Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) grants. LFHP grants provide $10,000 for Fortified roof replacements, but the full cost of installing a new roof can…

Lockton announced the launch of its U.S. Aviation Practice, a dedicated national platform designed to help aviation and aerospace organizations navigate increasingly complex operational, regulatory, geopolitical, and insurance market challenges. The practice strengthens coordination among Lockton’s aviation specialists and industry resources—including aligning with the firm’s global network—to deliver tailored risk advisory, insurance placement, and strategic risk management solutions for clients across the global aviation and aerospace ecosystem. As part of the launch, Lockton has appointed Taylor Anderson as U.S. Aviation Practice Leader. The U.S. Aviation Practice reflects Lockton’s continued investment in industry-focused capabilities that align technical expertise, enterprise collaboration, and…

A former Maryland police officer has been sentenced for his role in an auto-insurance fraud scheme that involved several other police officers over several years. Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., of Accokeek, a former Prince George’s County police officer, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, with the first six months served on home detention, for the falsification of records in connection with the scam. The judge also ordered Owen to pay $17,585 to the victim of one of his insurance fraud schemes. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland,…

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday sued the former CEO and two other top executives of Tricolor, the latest fallout after the collapse of the Texas-based used-car seller and subprime lender last year. The SEC charged former CEO Daniel Chu, Chief Financial Officer Jerome Kollar and Senior Finance Director Ameryn Seibold for their roles in an alleged multi-year scheme to defraud investors in Tricolor. The firm filed for bankruptcy in September 2025. “We allege that these defendants defrauded investors based on bogus collateral and violated the integrity of our private credit markets,” David Woodcock, SEC enforcement director, said…