West News

Maui Fire Survivors Face Power Cuts and Poor Cell Service as Teams Work to ID the Dead

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — Survivors of deadly wildfires on Maui contended with intermittent power and unreliable cell service as they sought help rebuilding their lives. Teams of people, meanwhile, labored to find the dead and identify them. With the death …

Criminal Case Against Tesla Driver Ends But Legal Questions on Autopilot Remain

A criminal prosecution against a Tesla driver in Los Angeles County will end on Tuesday, the final step of a case believed to be the first time in the U.S. prosecutors brought felony charges against a motorist who was using …

Estimates of Deaths, Insured Losses, Economic Damage From Hawaii Wildfires Rising

Two firms have released early estimates of losses and damage from the devastating wildfires across Hawaii’s Maui island and the historic town of Lahaina. Catastrophe modeler Karen Clark & Company issued new estimates showing the insured property losses from the …

Maui Officials and Scientists Warn Toxic Particles Could Complicate Recovery

When flames swept through western Maui, engulfing the town of Lahaina, residents saw toxic fumes spewing into the air as burning homes, pipes and cars combusted, transforming rubber, metal and plastic into poisonous, particulate matter-filled smoke. Retired mailman and Vietnam …

Hawaiian Electric Faces Scrutiny, Lawsuits Over Deadly Maui Wildfire

Hawaiian Electric Industries’ shares plunged nearly 40% to a 13-year low in early trading on Monday amid growing scrutiny over whether the utility company’s equipment played any role in the deadly wildfires that burnt through the coastal Maui town of …

Montana Judge Hands Historic Win to Young Plaintiffs in Climate Change Case

Montana is violating the rights of young people with policies that prohibit the state from considering climate change effects when it reviews coal mining, natural gas extraction and other fossil fuel projects, a state judge said Monday. The decision by …

As Death Toll from Maui Wildfire Reaches 93, Effort to Find and Identify the Dead is Just Beginning

LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) — As the death toll from a wildfire that razed a historic Maui town climbed to 93, authorities warned that the effort to find and identify the dead was still in its early stages. The blaze is …

Hawaii’s Biggest Disaster Kills 55 With 1,000 Still Missing

Rescue and clean-up crews are now pouring into the historic Hawaiian town of Lahaina, which has been leveled to ash and rubble in what the governor describes as the state’s largest-ever natural disaster. Fast-moving wildfires killed at least 55, and …

Montana Clinic Files for Bankruptcy Following $6 Million Judgment over False Asbestos Claims

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A health clinic in a Montana town plagued by deadly asbestos contamination has filed for bankruptcy protection after a judge ordered it to pay the government almost $6 million in penalties and damages for submitting false …

People in Maui Flee into Ocean to Escape Wildfires that are Burning a Popular Tourist Town

HONOLULU (AP) — Wind-whipped wildfires raced through parts of Hawaii on Wednesday, killing 36 people while burning down businesses in a historic town on the island of Maui, forcing evacuations and leading some to flee to the relative safety of …

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