Patricia Wells

The new city of Starbase, built by SpaceX employees near the company’s launch site in South Texas, is set to take over responsibility for part of Boca Chica Beach. Cameron County commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a deal that gives Starbase control over cleaning, maintenance, and setting rules for construction and events on the beach. … Read more

A shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Dallas on Wednesday morning left one detainee dead and two others seriously wounded. Officials called the attack a “targeted” act against the agency. The gunman also died from a self-inflicted wound, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The Dallas Police Department said officers … Read more

PG&E Corp. has earned an upgrade to investment grade from Fitch Ratings, marking a significant step in the utility’s recovery from its bankruptcy and wildfire-related troubles. The upgrade follows the California legislature’s decision to expand a wildfire insurance fund by an additional $18 billion to help utilities cover costs from fire damages. Fitch highlighted the … Read more

Minnesota’s cannabis laws are facing growing confusion as cities take different approaches in applying the rules, leading to disputes that may need court or legislative intervention to settle. Local governments in Minnesota have the right to limit the number of cannabis retailers, decide where they can operate, and set business hours. However, some cities are … Read more

The European Commission is preparing to fine Google for the first time under the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), according to people familiar with the matter. The decision is expected in the coming months and follows complaints that Google has given unfair preference to its own vertical search services like Google Shopping, Google Flights, … Read more

ZestyAI’s water risk model, Z-WATER, has just been approved for use in Wisconsin, marking a big step forward for insurers in the state. This new tool helps insurance companies better understand and price the specific water-related risks for individual properties, without relying on weather data. Insurance providers in Wisconsin can now use Z-WATER to set … Read more

The property and casualty insurance industry is facing a big moment of change. Customers now expect the same smooth and easy digital experiences they get from companies like Amazon and Apple. This has insurance companies rushing to make claims simpler and more digital. While most focus on adding new tech like cloud services and AI, … Read more

Ryan Specialty has launched a new managing general underwriter called Clach Casualty Underwriting Managers. This new team focuses on casualty insurance for tricky construction and habitational real estate risks. Clach Casualty began its operations in September 2025 and works exclusively through U.S. wholesale brokers. Clach Casualty is part of Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers, the specialty … Read more

The Justice Department has reached an agreement with Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC) to protect the rights of Major Stephen W. Terry of the Kansas Army National Guard under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). This settlement comes after Major Terry claimed that KCKCC broke the law by firing … Read more

Companies in Europe’s four biggest economies—France, Germany, Italy, and Spain—have faced heavy losses from cyberattacks over the past five years, with the total cost topping €300 billion (around $405 billion), a recent survey by insurance broker Howden shows. Nearly half of the companies surveyed said they experienced at least one cyberattack between 2020 and 2025, … Read more