Monthly Archives: <span>August 2011</span>

Judge: Gulf Oil Spill Victims Can Seek Punitive Damage

A federal judge has ruled that plaintiffs can seek punitive damages in some claims related to the 2010 Gulf oil spill. U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier’s ruling came in mass litigation related to thousands of claims over economic damages. The …

Injured Lawyer Sues South by Southwest Festival in Texas

An Austin attorney has filed a lawsuit claiming he’s had to end his law practice because of an injury he suffered while attending a concert at the South by Southwest festival earlier this year. The Austin American-Statesman reports that attorney …

Florida’s Hurricane Hunter Program Could Face Budget Cuts

A Florida congresswoman says Hurricane Irene should be a wake-up call to reverse proposed funding cuts to the hurricane hunter program. Though not final, a budget proposal that has passed the House Appropriations Committee would reduce funding for the flights …

Sheriff: Ohio Men Wrapped Sign, Caused Fatal Crash

Police say two central Ohio men playing a prank are being charged with causing a fatal traffic crash by concealing a stop sign with several layers of plastic wrap and petroleum jelly. Pickaway County Sheriff Dwight Radcliff said 19-year-old Seth …

Calif. Municipal Bus Agency Considers Changes After Fatal Crash

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is considering policy changes in the wake of a pedestrian fatality involving one of the agency’s buses. Muni officials tell the San Francisco Chronicle they may require all drivers to get a specific route …

FDA Warns of Strangulation with Massage Machine

Doctors often recommend massage to relieve stress and anxiety. But federal regulators are warning the public that the massages delivered by the ShoulderFlex Massager device could be fatal. The Food and Drug Administration issued an alert Friday saying one death …

Dish TV to Pay Vermont $125K to Settle Letter Wording

The state of Vermont says DISH Network is going to pay $125,000 to resolve a complaint about a letter to some subscribers that including wording the state considered unfair and deceptive. The state says that in July 2010, the satellite …

Woman Charged with Vehicle Break-Ins Near Georgia Jail

A 21-year-old woman is being held at the Douglas County jail after being charged with trying to break into vehicles near the jail shortly after she’d bonded out on another charge. Chief Deputy Stan Copeland with the Douglas County Sheriff’s …

At DC Zoo, Animals Acted Strangely Before Quake

Her name is Iris, and with her straight, elegant, red-orange hair she is beyond dispute the prettiest orangutan at the National Zoo. She’s calm, quiet, unflappable. “Iris lives the life of a queen,” says great-ape keeper Amanda Bania. On Tuesday …

Rapper DMX Arrested for Speeding in Arizona Suburb

The rapper known as DMX has been arrested for speeding in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Carrick Cook told The Associated Press that the 40-year-old rapper was arrested Wednesday night and bonded out of jail …