By Michael Hiltzik, LOS ANGELES TIMES

August 29, 2019

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-28/hiltzik-california-fi…

Steve Nielsen would not normally have considered himself a resident of California’s wildfire zone. But that ended in October 2017, when a fire swept through Coffey Park, his suburban Santa Rosa neighborhood, destroying his home and those of about 1,200 neighbors.

It’s finally being counted, but things are complicated.

By Jill Cowan, THE NEW YORK TIMES

August 28, 2019

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/28/us/wildfires-insurance.html

A little while ago, we asked about whether wildfires were affecting your ability to get or keep homeowners insurance. The answer was, in a word, yes.

By Katie Pyzyk, WASTE DIVE

August 28, 2019

https://www.wastedive.com/news/whats-next-for-california-container-recy…

The recent announcement that California’s largest operator of beverage container redemption centers was immediately shutting down all locations has left many wondering what happens next with recycling in the state.

Op-Ed Commentary by Harvey Rosenfield, CALMATTERS

August 28, 2019

https://calmatters.org/commentary/elected-insurance-commission/

The state's Insurance Commissioner is being accused of not using his full powers to help people losing home insurance.

By Becca Habegger, KXTV ABC TV-10 NEWS, Sacramento, CA

August 28, 2019

https://www.abc10.com/article/news/everythings-on-the-table-insurance-c…

Ricardo Lara’s campaign contributions, questionable meeting, legislation raise concerns about consumer commitment

By MERCURY NEWS & EAST BAY TIMES EDITORIAL BOARDS

August 23, 2019

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/23/editorial-californias-insurance-…

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has some explaining to do.

Ricardo Lara’s campaign contributions, questionable meeting, legislation raise concerns about consumer commitment

By MERCURY NEWS & EAST BAY TIMES EDITORIAL BOARDS

August 23, 2019

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/08/23/editorial-californias-insurance-…

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has some explaining to do.

By Ryan Daws, IoT NEWS

August 23, 2019

https://www.iottechnews.com/news/2019/aug/23/senators-connected-car-kil…

US Senators Richard Blumenthal and Ed Markey have penned a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asking whether vehicle manufacturers have disclosed vulnerabilities with their cars.

By Bryan Jonston, AUTO CONNECTED CAR NEWS

August 22, 2019

https://www.autoconnectedcar.com/2019/08/senator-call-for-kill-switch-f…

By Derek Catron, CAPITOL WEEKLY

August 21, 2019

https://capitolweekly.net/kern-spill-renews-oil-production-controversy/

California has long been a top producer of oil. But that may change.

The California Supreme Court's decision upholds a historic $27.6 million fine against Mercury for illegal practices.

By Heather Turner, NU PROPERTY CASUALTY 360

August 19, 2019

https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2019/08/19/calif-doi-wins-20-year-c…

rePlanet shuts down all California locations 

By Keldine Hull, SANTA MONICA MIRROR

August 18, 2019

https://smmirror.com/2019/08/californias-largest-recycling-center-close…

By Timothy Darragh, BESTWIRE

August 16, 2019

http://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?altsrc=108&refnum=219515

SACRAMENTO, CA - The California Supreme Court has denied a petition by Mercury Insurance Co., letting stand a record $27.6 million fine the state Department of Insurance levied on the company for illegally charging broker fees on its automobile policies.

By Chase Difeliciantonio, NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL

August 16, 2019

https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/northbay/sonomacounty/9906981-1…

If you are in the grocery business, guess what? You might also soon be in the recycling business.

By Michael Finney and Simone Chavoor, KGO ABC TV-7, San Francisco, CA

August 16, 2019

https://abc7news.com/shopping/consumer-catch-up-mercury-ordered-to-pay-…

By Howard Fine, LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL

August 16, 2019

https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2019/aug/16/mercury-loses-bid-overtu…

Mid-Wilshire-based Mercury General Corp. lost its bid to overturn a $27.6 million state fine over auto insurance surcharges as the state Supreme Court declined to review the case, the state Department of Insurance announced Aug. 15.

By Charlie Wood, REINSURANCE NEWS

August 16, 2019

https://www.reinsurancene.ws/department-finance-halts-california-disast…

By Staff Writers, INSURANCE JOURNAL

August 16, 2019

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2019/08/16/536518.htm

California regulators say a ruling by the state’s highest court means a $27.6 million fine imposed against Mercury Insurance Co. for improperly tacking fees onto auto insurance policies will stand.

By Nicole Hayden, THE PALM SPRING DESERT SUN

August 15, 2019

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/2019/08/15/closure-recycling-cente…

Starr Thornton was tired from the heat. She felt sticky with summer sweat. She apologized for the needs she wished she didn’t have. She had tried to collect more bottles to return, but her body hurt.

By Steve Evans, ARTEMIS

August 15, 2019

https://www.artemis.bm/news/california-disaster-risk-transfer-bill-stal…

The passage of California legislation calling for approval for the state to purchase insurance, reinsurance, insurance-linked securities (ILS), or other alternative risk transfer (ART) structures as financial protection against disasters has stalled.

By Alex Wigglesworth, LOS ANGELES TIMES

August 14, 2019

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-13/recycling-crisis-bo…

Editorial by The Editorial Board of THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

August 14, 2019

https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Editorial-Califo…

By Margie Murphy, THE TELEGRAPH UK

August 14, 2019

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2019/08/14/hackers-could-hurt-ca…

It may seem like something straight out of a thriller: a terrorist hacking into a home, taking over household electronic devices to torture those inside. But, according to some experts, this may not be too far from reality. 

By Tim Sandle, DIGITAL JOURNAL

August 13, 2019

http://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-and-science/technology/hacking-of-co…

Connected vehicles will need better security feature to avoid cyber-attack. A new report finds that connected cars are open to being hacked and this stands as a major security threat.

By David Lazarus, LOS ANGELES TIMES

August 13, 2019

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2019-08-12/toll-road-agencies-pr…

Transit authorities statewide have been targeted with lawsuits alleging that, among other privacy violations, information from toll-road transponders — think FasTrak — is being used to illegally market to drivers.

The state is sitting on a $340 million surplus in recycling funds.

By Kevin Smith, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS

August 13, 2019

https://www.dailynews.com/2019/08/13/watchdog-group-seeks-overhaul-of-c…

By Alexei Koseff, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE 

August 13, 2019

https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-officials-warn-…

By Keith Laing, THE DETROIT NEWS

August 12, 2019

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/mobility/2019/08/12/se…

Motorists may have to rely on automakers to keep them safe in self-driving cars in the absence of clear direction from Washington. 

By Andrew Sheeler, SAN LUIS OBISPO TRIBUNE

August 12, 2019

https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/state/california/article233714092.ht…

The leadership of CalRecycle must drastically change or else be sacked and replaced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to a letter written to the governor from the head of a consumer advocacy group, just days after the largest recycling chain in California shuttered all remaining locations.

By Scott Ikeda, CPO MAGAZINE

August 12, 2019

https://www.cpomagazine.com/cyber-security/connected-cars-a-new-and-dan…

By Jaclyn Cosgrove, LOS ANGELES TIMES

August 9, 2019

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-08-09/woolsey-fire-mayor-…

On a November afternoon, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti texted the city’s fire chief to ask how much destruction the Woolsey fire had caused in a wealthy gated Ventura County neighborhood.

By Theodore F. Claypool, NATIONAL LAW REVIEW

August 9, 2019

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/heavy-metal-murder-machines-and-pe…

What is the heaviest computer you own?  Chances are, you are driving it.

Editorial by Editor James Folmer, REDLANDS COMMUNITY NEWS

August 9, 2019

https://www.redlandscommunitynews.com/opinion/columns/can-recycling-be-…

Recycling your cans, bottles, plastic, paper and other disposables through routes that avoid landfills is virtuous, especially for those of us who believe climate change is real and care about sea creatures.

By Don Jergler, INSURANCE JOURNAL

August 7, 2019

https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2019/08/07/535203.htm

A pair of companies has filed to overturn decisions by California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara in cases involving workers’ comp provider Applied Underwriters, alleging the decisions by Lara were swayed by contributions to his campaign from people affiliated with Applied.

State’s largest company announces closure, shutters 11 local sites

By Adam Brinklow, SF CURBED

August 7, 2019

https://sf.curbed.com/2019/8/7/20759332/recycling-centers-replanet-out-…

By Sophia Kunthara & Elena Shao, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

August 7, 2019

https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Huge-recycler-s-closure-le…

By Staff Reporters, THE HI-DESERT STAR

August 7, 2019

http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_9cccac16-b975-11e9-880b-8f20c3…

TWENTYNINE PALMS — Declines in state fees and the recycling market will leave residents here with one less place to take their recycling.

Comments follow word NHTSA ordered Tesla to cease-and-desist questionable safety claims.

By Paul A. Eisenstein, THE DETROIT BUREAU

August 7, 2019

https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2019/08/former-nyse-chief-warns-of-fal…

By Lloyd Alter, TREEHUGGER

August 7, 2019

https://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/recycling-broken-califo…

We have long called for deposits on everything, California shows that even that is not enough.

By I-Chun Chen, LA BIZ

August 6, 2019

https://www.bizjournals.com/losangeles/news/2019/08/06/californias-larg…

Citing the increased costs of processing recycled items, RePlanet, California's largest operator of recycling redemption centers has closed, leaving 750 employees out of jobs.

The popular recycling center closed its remaining 284 centers on Monday.

By Kevin Smith, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

August 6, 2019

https://www.ocregister.com/2019/08/06/replanet-closes-all-recycling-cen…

By Tammy Murga, SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SIGNAL

August 6, 2019

https://signalscv.com/2019/08/recycling-center-chain-replanet-closes-al…

California’s largest bottle and can recycling center chain, rePlanet, shut its doors Monday, including both locations in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

By Austin Schoonmaker, SAN DIEGO ENTERTAINER MAGAZINE

August 6, 2019

https://www.sdentertainer.com/news/californias-largest-recycling-center…

California’s largest operator of recycling redemption centers has shut its doors to all 248 of its locations leaving 750 employees without jobs. Thousands will no longer be able to rely on the supplemental income provided by recycling cans and bottles through its services. 

By Jennifer Hermes, ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER

August 6, 2019

https://www.environmentalleader.com/2019/08/180487/

By Wu Qin, XINHUA NEWS CHINA

August 6, 2019

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-08/06/c_138287902.htm

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- California's largest recycling center has terminated operations for good after 50 years in business with 750 of its employees left jobless.

Nearly 300 locations where people could redeem bottles and cans for money closed this week, and S.F. isn’t prepared to fill the gap.

By Nuala Sawyer, SF WEEKLY

August 6, 2019

http://www.sfweekly.com/news/major-bay-area-recycling-company-closes/

By Staff Reporters, PACKAGING GATEWAY

August 6, 2019

https://www.packaging-gateway.com/news/consumer-watchdog-california-rec…

California’s Consumer Watchdog has asked Governor Gavin Newsom to prioritise recycling reform in the coming months as the state’s largest bottle redemption centre operator rePlanet closes its doors.

The company closed all its sites in California, but other recycling options exist for locals to redeem cans and bottles.

By Renee Schiavone, TEMECULA PATCH

August 6, 2019

https://patch.com/california/temecula/replanet-buyback-recycling-center…

The company closes its remaining 284 recycling centers and processing facilities and lays off employees as it files for liquidation.

By DeAnne Toto, RECYCLING TODAY

August 6, 2019

https://www.recyclingtoday.com/article/replanet-closes-california-crv-r…

By Colin Staub, RESOURCE RECYCLING

August 6, 2019

https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2019/08/06/california-firm-clo…

RePlanet, once the largest operator of facilities redeeming containers covered by the California Redemption Value (CRV) program, has shuttered. The move will significantly reduce consumer recycling access.