Monthly Archives: <span>March 2013</span>

Insurance Expected to Cover School Relocation Due to Sinkhole

Unicoi County Schools Director Denise Brown says she’s confident the cost of relocating a Tennessee elementary school threatened by a sinkhole is covered by insurance. Brown told the Johnson City Press the contract through Risk Management Trust specifies the carrier …

Mississippi School District Tornado Damage $5M-$6M

Estimates are in on the dollar amount of the damage done to Hattiesburg Public School District property by the Feb. 10 tornado. Willie Burton, the district’s director of buildings and grounds, tells the Hattiesburg American it’s between $5 million to …

Oklahoma Workers’ Comp Reform to Go Before Committee

A Republican proposal to shift Oklahoma’s workers’ compensation system from a court system to an administrative system is scheduled to be heard in a House committee. The bill sponsored by Republican House Speaker T.W. Shannon and GOP Senate President Pro …

Parnell Declares This Tsunami Preparedness Week

Gov. Sean Parnell has declared this Tsunami Preparedness Week in Alaska. Parnell, in his proclamation, says Alaska’s vast coastline is home to many communities that are vulnerable to tsunamis. He says the state also falls within one of the most …

Oregon Bike Advocates Oppose Helmet Law

An Oregon lawmaker is proposing legislation to raise the age requirement for helmets on young bicyclists, but the bill is drawing opposition from bike advocates who say that instead of protecting young cyclists it would discourage people from riding. The …

Texas Wind Insurance Association Seeks Settlement Talks

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association board of directors voted on Monday to delay deciding whether the company that provides severe weather coverage to homeowners and businesses along the coast should go into receivership. The association best known as TWIA has …

Montana City’s Fire Tower in Violation of Fire Codes

Helena’s fire tower is in violation of fire codes after city officials renovated the Montana city’s landmark with wooden roofing shingles. The city created a wildland-urban interface district in 2008 with rules that forbid use of the shingles when more …

Earthquake Shakes Mexico City

Earthquakes shook Mexico City on Tuesday, causing buildings to sway in the capital and sending thousands fleeing into the streets as an earthquake alarm sounded. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries. Mexico Seismology Service said the quake …

Report Says Montana Agency Dysfunctional, Divisive

The Montana agency that responds to natural disasters and emergencies is a dysfunctional, divisive workplace with a climate of fear and the perception of bullying by some managers, according to an internal report conducted last year. The three-page report by …

Maine Gets Disaster Declaration for February Storm

Maine will be eligible for federal help to cover the costs of a blizzard that hit in early February. President Barack Obama on Monday approved Gov. Paul LePage’s request for a disaster declaration. The declaration means Androscoggin, Cumberland, Knox, and …