News

Recent wildfires in California have resulted in a financial catastrophe that U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke estimated will cost billions of dollars. Now a lawsuit suggests that one of the state’s largest utilities may be responsible for starting the Camp Fire that killed 86 and displaced 50,000 from their homes in November because of a poorly…

A bell tower clock face undergoing maintenance at Purdue University crashed to the ground last week, nearly hitting two workers on a cherry picker lift. Incredibly, no one was injured in the incident, which was captured on a video that went viral over the weekend. The contractor hired to perform the maintenance, Verdin Company, is…

When the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a stark warning just before Thanksgiving about E. coli and romaine lettuce, restaurants and grocers across the country amended menus and pulled the produce from shelves. In the days since that warning, the CDC has said the lettuce is likely safe to eat, as long as it…

With Thanksgiving this week, it’s time to talk turkey. Frying a turkey, that is. Colonists and Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving with a turkey dinner for centuries, but the practice of frying a turkey for dinner is a recent one. “There’s not a juicier, more flavorful turkey anywhere,” said Bill Gatewood, Corporate Vice President and…

Security threats to your personal information or corporate systems are everywhere – even from your smart speaker, fitness tracking bracelet or video game console. Any tech device connected to the internet or an external system could be an entryway for hackers. Many of these devices can also record private conversations that could be revealed in…

When thieves stole 7,000 rare insects, snakes and reptiles from a Philadelphia museum in August, they forced the closure of two entire floors of the museum while it tried to replenish its $40,000 collection. Museum officials called the theft of zebra tarantulas, rhinoceros roaches and other exotic creatures the “largest living insect heist” in history….

Aston Martin recently announced it would make 25 continuation versions of the DB5 that appeared in the 1964 James Bond film “Goldfinger.” They will be priced at $3.1 million each with deliveries beginning in 2020. Porsche’s Project Gold 993 recently sold for $3.1 million at auction, making it the most expensive 993 Turbo ever. These…

With U.S. spending on Halloween candy projected to reach $2.6 billion this year, and Canada expected to surpass $1 billion, 2018 will likely be a record season for trick-or-treaters across the country. A Confectionery Indemnification Policy (CIP) can help protect that bumper crop of candy. This new policy is available for kids ages 5 to 12, with consent…

The $2.2 billion Transbay Transit Center construction project in downtown San Francisco is under intense public scrutiny for cracked support beams that closed the centerpiece of city infrastructure just weeks after it opened. An investigation will determine if the cracks are related to fabrication, installation or design, and if one or more specific parties are…

Between the national legalization of recreational marijuana use in Canada effective October 17 and the ongoing state ballot proposals related to public consumption in the U.S., cannabis remains one of the most debated topics for consumers and business owners today. Many Canadian businesses have already begun to make edible cannabis products even before those types…

A 90-year-old mother tragically passed away in the days following Hurricane Irma’s landfall in Florida last summer. According to a wrongful death lawsuit filed against an assisted living facility last week, her son states the facility failed to provide a safe and comfortable living environment—claiming its air conditioning and other mechanical systems failed after the…

Amazon has been using software applications to follow and understand its customers for a decade. It has been using its virtual assistant, Alexa, to listen to its customers for the past two years. And now, through its AmazonGo stores, it will use a network of sensors and cameras to watch its customers. Last week, Bloomberg…

In Pennsylvania last month, an employee filed a lawsuit against Home Depot and her supervisors alleging the defendants failed to maintain a safe work environment after she was bit by a dog brought in by a customer. Earlier this month, a toddler in North Carolina was hospitalized after he was bit by a dog. Another…

More than 1 million Americans have been directed to evacuate their homes and businesses along the East Coast this week as Hurricane Florence moves toward the Carolinas. Thousands of businesses may not be operating for an extended period of time depending on the extent of damage from the storm. When a major hurricane such as…

Renting out your swimming pool can provide additional income given the opportunities provided by today’s sharing economy.

A California man who owns a luxury car dealership remains missing after he was abducted by three men in July near Los Angeles, California, according to authorities. His captors have demanded $2 million in ransom. The kidnappers reportedly contacted missing entrepreneur Ruochen “Tony” Liao’s family in China to demand the ransom. The captors did not…

August 18 marked the peak of wedding season in the U.S. with more than 28,000 expected to have been married that day, a sought-after date given 8-18-18 is a palindrome. More marriages are coming soon: September and October are the most popular months for weddings. More than $1 billion overall was spent for August 18…

Inclement weather can destroy a dealership’s inventory. It happened last week in New Jersey when the Route 46 Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership saw a flash flood send 42 vehicles down the Peckman River. It happened in July 2017 in Chicago when flooding reached more than 100 cars and caused between $4 million and $5 million…