Patricia Wells

Texas businesses involved in trade with Mexico and other countries are bracing for a sharp increase in tariffs that could start as soon as Monday. The potential 30% tariff hike threatens to hit industries that rely heavily on imports and exports, especially the produce sector, which depends on close ties with Mexico. Since early this … Read more

A tobacco warehouse manager from Danville, Kentucky, has admitted to playing a key role in a years-long crop insurance fraud scheme. Thomas Kirkpatrick pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Between 2014 and 2020, Kirkpatrick provided fake paperwork to farmers claiming they bought tobacco from his warehouse. In truth, he reimbursed them … Read more

Five years after a major bribery scandal rocked Ohio, many say there hasn’t been enough change to stop similar corruption from happening again. The scandal involved FirstEnergy Corp. and a $60 million bribery scheme that cost consumers over $2 billion. It all came to light in July 2020 with the arrest of former Ohio House … Read more

Big tech companies are clashing over who should be responsible for keeping kids safe online, as states introduce new laws requiring age verification for users. Meta, Apple, and Google are all scrambling to influence legislation, with billions of dollars and reputations at stake. This year, Utah, Texas, and Louisiana have passed laws mandating that tech … Read more

Eagle Ship Management LLC, based in Stamford, Connecticut, has admitted to illegally dumping oily waste into U.S. waters near New Orleans. The company’s foreign-flagged bulk carrier, the M/V Gannet Bulker, was involved in the discharge of about 10,300 gallons of oil-contaminated bilge waste without using the necessary pollution controls or proper records. This misconduct came … Read more

The White House has put forward new guidelines that could ease pressure on Microsoft in an ongoing Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigation focused on the company’s use of artificial intelligence. The rules encourage the FTC to be more cautious in its probes related to AI and to avoid actions that might slow down innovation in … Read more

Allianz Commercial and Canopius Group have announced a series of important leadership changes that will shape their businesses in the coming months. Starting in August 2025, Doan Nguyen-Huu will take the helm as the global head of Portfolio Solutions at Allianz Commercial. She will succeed Claudia Valencia Lascar, who plans to leave the company at … Read more

Shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners took a sharp hit following news that it will merge with Synovus Financial Corp. in a deal valued at $8.6 billion. This marks the biggest drop for Pinnacle’s stock in over five years. The two banks, both worth roughly $8 billion and serving the southeastern U.S., plan to combine in … Read more

Jeff Pannell, the longtime leader of Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee, will step down as CEO at the end of this year. After nearly four decades with the company, Pannell shared the news during the company’s annual agents’ conference. Pannell said he is retiring to spend time with a new grandchild, who is expected soon. … Read more

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services has suspended two title insurance agents for mishandling customers’ escrow funds. The move comes after an investigation revealed that customers who had paid taxes, utilities, and liens through escrow accounts managed by the agents were notified those payments were not made. The agents in question are Tobby … Read more