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Sean Manaea is completely at a loss to explain his free fall.

California Insurance Regulators Say State Farm Mishandled Wildfire Claims

Authored by Dylan Morgan via The Epoch Times,

The California Department of Insurance announced on May 4 it filed an enforcement action against State Farm, alleging the company significantly mishandled claims from survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires.

“Wildfire survivors came to us for help, and we followed the facts,” Insurance Department Commissioner Ricardo Lara said.

“Our investigation found that State Farm delayed, underpaid, and buried policyholders in red tape at the worst moment of their lives. That is unacceptable, and we are taking decisive action to hold them accountable.”

The Palisades Fire and the nearby Eaton Fire, which ignited in Altadena, California, on Jan. 7, 2025, claimed around 30 lives and destroyed more than 12,000 structures.

The Insurance Department said that State Farm received approximately 11,300 of the nearly 39,000 claims related to the Los Angeles wildfires filed across all insurers, and that Lara launched an investigation into the insurance company in June 2025 after the department heard many complaints.

According to the department, it examined 220 of the claims filed with State Farm and found a total of 398 violations in 114 of those claims.

These violations consisted of “slow and inadequate investigation” through failing to meet deadlines in investigating claims, accepting or denying claims, and providing notice for additional time.

The Insurance Department also alleged that State Farm made unreasonably low settlement offers and underpaid claims.

This enforcement action seeks millions of dollars in penalties, which the department said is the largest amount pursued this century relating to a wildfire disaster.

The department also wants State Farm to speed up payments and settle outstanding claims.

The property lines of homes burned during the Palisades Fire are visible in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 9, 2025. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

State Farm denied any mishandling or intentional underpaying of wildfire claims and said the violations the Insurance Department identified require only about $40,000 in additional payments beyond the more than $5.7 billion it has paid to those affected by the fires.

“California’s homeowners insurance market is the most dysfunctional in the country ... the state is facing an availability and affordability crisis, and the California Department of Insurance should take responsibility for regulatory delays and uncertainty that have contributed to fewer choices and higher costs for consumers,” the company said in its statement.

State Farm said it strongly disagrees with the department’s characterization of the company, and that any prospect or threat to suspend its licensing over “primarily administrative and procedural errors” is a reckless and politically motivated attack.

“Using a thin sample of claims to justify sweeping allegations turns regulatory oversight into a political weapon, creating headlines instead of delivering facts and real consumer protection. [The department’s examination] was based on a sample of 220 files, and most of the issues cited were administrative or process-related,” State Farm said.

The insurance company said every issue identified has already been, or is being addressed through claim reviews, and that it will provide supplemental payments when appropriate.

The same day, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement warning insurance companies they may be subject to state enforcement actions if they unlawfully delay or deny claims from survivors of the Los Angeles fires.

In November 2025, Los Angeles County launched its own investigation into State Farm’s handling of insurance claims.

“The County has heard loud and clear from wildfire survivors that State Farm’s delays are standing in the way of rebuilding. Fair and timely insurance payments aren’t a privilege; they’re a right,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said.

On March 31, President Donald Trump also weighed in on the situation, saying State Farm and other insurers should “get their act together” after meeting with California politicians and hearing about the difficulties the wildfire victims faced in their insurance claims.

“It was brought to my attention that the Insurance Companies, in particular, State Farm, have been absolutely horrible to people that have been paying them large premiums for years, only to find that when tragedy struck, these horrendous Companies were not there to help!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/07/2026 - 20:55

The Vermont Avenue BRT corridor project is expected to decrease the existing end-to-end commute time along the corridor from 70 minutes to 53.

Last month, Wilson's private photos were leaked ahead of filming the Season 10 reunion of "Summer House."

Last month, Wilson's private photos were leaked ahead of filming the Season 10 reunion of "Summer House."

Co-host Joy Behar quipped that "PMS" was responsible for Porter's meltdowns, but Alyssa Farah Griffin pushed back, ripping her "volatility" and stressing it shouldn't be ignored.

The lawyer said that 30 former players -- including some that played in the NFL -- came forward with their allegations roughly eight years after the first lawsuit was filed.

If the Knicks don’t have him for Game 3, how does it affect their starting lineup and what are the ripple effects? Let’s break it down.

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Deborah Merritt, 59, registered a 0.147% BAC, roughly eight times the maximum amount of alcohol crew members are allowed to consume.

Hochul Targets NYC's Multimillion-Dollar Second Homes In $268 Billion Budget Framework

New York is taking direct aim at the city’s ultra-wealthy absentee owners. In a major policy shift announced Thursday, Governor Kathy Hochul and state legislative leaders reached a framework agreement on a $268 billion state budget that includes a new annual tax on multimillion-dollar second homes in New York City - a move designed to generate roughly $500 million a year to help close the city’s projected $5.4 billion budget deficit.

The proposal, often called a “pied-à-terre” tax (French for “foot on the ground”), would apply to luxury properties valued at $5 million or more that are owned by people whose primary residence is outside New York City. These high-end apartments and townhouses - frequently used only a few weeks a year by global elites, celebrities, and finance executives - have long been criticized as under-taxed symbols of inequality in one of the world’s most expensive housing markets.

“This is a tax on properties worth more than $5 million that are owned by people who do not reside in New York City - the super wealthy who can purchase properties and use them to store their wealth,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in support of the plan. “If you can afford a $5 million second home that sits empty most of the year, you can afford to contribute like every other New Yorker.”

Hochul’s Political Pivot

The tax represents a notable evolution for Governor Hochul. For years she resisted aggressive wealth taxes, warning they could drive businesses and high-net-worth residents out of the state. But after Zohran Mamdani - a 34-year-old democratic socialist and state assemblymember - won the New York City mayoral race in November 2025 in a stunning upset, the political math changed.

With Mamdani pushing an ambitious progressive agenda (including universal pre-K and 3-K) and with federal funding cuts looming under the Trump administration, Hochul agreed to the second-home surcharge as part of a broader budget deal. The revenue would flow directly to New York City, according to the NY Times. 

Hochul framed the tax as both fiscally necessary and morally fair:

“If you can afford a multi-million dollar second home in New York City, you can afford to pay your fair share.”

Details Still Being Finalized

While the framework has been agreed to in principle, key specifics remain under negotiation. Hochul said she would release more details “soon,” including exact rates, exemptions, and how many of the roughly 13,000 eligible properties would actually be taxed. Legislative leaders cautioned that the governor’s announcement was premature.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said Thursday that no final deal had been reached and that “there is no budget deal.” Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy described the agreement as covering only “big concepts.”

Carl Heastie, the Assembly speaker, cautioned that no deal had been finalized, calling the governor’s announcement premature.Credit...Cindy Schultz for The New York Times

Still, the direction is clear: New York is joining a growing number of jurisdictions (including parts of Europe and several U.S. cities) that are experimenting with higher taxes on non-primary residences to fund public services amid housing shortages and affordability crises.

The second-home tax is just one piece of a wide-ranging budget that also includes:

• $4.5 billion to expand child care statewide - a key priority for Mayor Mamdani.
• Delays to the state’s aggressive climate targets under the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (pushing full implementation to 2028 and adjusting methane calculations).
• New restrictions on federal immigration enforcement, including barring ICE agents from wearing masks and limiting cooperation between local police and federal agents.
• A cap on certain auto insurance payouts and speed-limiting devices for chronic “super-speeders” in New York City school zones.
• A state-level exemption on up to $25,000 in tips for many workers (mirroring federal changes) and $1 billion in utility bill rebates.

Political and Economic Stakes

Republicans immediately attacked the package. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Hochul’s likely Republican opponent in November’s gubernatorial race, called the budget a “triple threat to your wallet: more taxes, record spending, and a utility bill crisis.”

Environmental groups criticized the climate deadline extensions as a retreat, while trial lawyers and consumer advocates expressed concern that auto insurance changes could limit compensation for crash victims.

For Hochul - who is seeking re-election - the deal allows her to claim credit for delivering on affordability and child care while showing political flexibility in partnering with the city’s new progressive mayor. For Mamdani, it marks an early victory in his effort to make the ultra-wealthy “pay their fair share.”

The budget must still be finalized and passed by the Legislature. Details on the second-home tax rates and implementation are expected in the coming days.

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/07/2026 - 20:30

A final piece appears to have been locked into place for the USC men’s basketball team. The commitment of transfer Isaac Bruns, a 6-foot-5 guard from South Dakota, may have completed the Trojans’ roster for next season. Former South Dakota guard Isaac Bruns announced his commitment to USC basketball on Thursday. The Trojans have now...

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani is moving to weaponize of City Hall’s procurement power against ICE — that is, against city vendors who also do business with federal immigration authorities.

It doesn’t sound like Joel Embiid will get his wish.

What To Know About Trump's Presidential Fitness Test Award Revival

Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times,

In the coming academic year, old-fashioned calisthenics, timed runs, and the spirit of competition could return to many public schools.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Awards, which date to the mid-20th century but ended under President Barack Obama’s administration. The May 5 White House action is a follow-up to the July executive order re-establishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

This proclamation, which also recognizes May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, affirms the nation’s commitment to fitness and competition ahead of America’s 250th birthday and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is cohosting with Canada and Mexico.

“Working alongside world-class professional athletes, major league organizations, teams, schools, and communities across our country, we are ushering in a new Golden Age of physical fitness—expanding access to wellness for every American, promoting the many benefits of exercise and good nutrition, supporting youth sports, and celebrating a culture of strength, vitality, and excellence,” the proclamation reads.

“I call upon public officials, sports educators, athletes, and all the people of the United States to get involved in sports and physical activity, especially our nation’s youth.”

Here’s what to know.

Push-Ups and Pull-Ups

The Presidential Fitness program, which benefits students ages 10 to 17, has changed over the years. It has existed since 1956, beginning with President Dwight Eisenhower, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website.

The test has timed runs to measure endurance, the sit-and-reach challenge to measure lower body flexibility, push-ups and pull-ups or curl-ups to measure upper body strength, and a timed shuttle run challenge that assesses quickness and agility as the participant sprints and pivots in different directions to pick up cones.

The benchmarks vary based on age and sex.

In the past, and with this re-implementation, high performers could be recognized by school district, state, and nationally.

The format of the program changed in recent years to emphasize participation and downplay the competitive aspect, but the test component remained in several states, including New York, for the purpose of assessing whether seventh- and eighth graders were fit enough to safely compete in high school sports.

The benchmarks, along with an image of a certificate of excellence signed by Trump that would be awarded to high performers, were recently posted on the White House website.

A 6-year-old girl, for example, could earn that certificate by remaining in a plank position for 71 seconds, performing two pull-ups or nine push-ups, and running one mile in 11 minutes and 20 seconds.

A 17-year-old boy would need to hold the plank position for 156 seconds, perform 13 pull-ups or 53 push-ups, and run one mile in six minutes and six seconds, according to the chart.

Competition Debate

Obama ended the fitness test in 2012, replacing the competitive elements with a national curriculum for health and the benefits of physical activity. He also called for the inclusion of disabled students and nutrition education and renamed the program the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.

Trump did not restore the test during his first term.

Biden also did not make any changes to Obama’s initiative. His only noted activity for the program was a “One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration” at the National Mall to recognize the Native American roots of lacrosse. Professional players provided a skills clinic to youth participants, who also learned about Native American culture and “indigenous foods and ingredients,” according to the Health and Human Services website.

The program had enjoyed significant growth through the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

In 1985, President Ronald Regan initiated a data collection system to compare past results. Two decades later, President George W. Bush established the Fitness.gov website and launched the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, which also recognized sports participation and the health benefits of physical activity.

“I think it’s very unfortunate that President Obama and President Biden abandoned it,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during the May 5 signing ceremony in the Oval Office.

“He said competition is not good for kids, which is not true. If we’re going to be competitive internationally, we need to be competitive with each other. We need to teach people how to win and how to lose, and how to process victory and defeat.”

Added Trump: “We’re bringing it back. My administration is working very hard to defend America’s cherished athletic traditions and pass our values of excellence and competitiveness to the next generation.”

Michigan State University researchers criticized Trump’s initiative, calling the fitness test “demoralizing for many.”

“Kids don’t want to be embarrassed or have negative memories," Spyridoula Vazou, an associate professor in MSU’s kinesiology department, said in a January report on the school’s website. “They don’t want to feel that they’re the worst.”

Obesity in Children

More than 21 percent of American youngsters ages 2 to 19 are obese, a nearly 500 percent increase since the 1970s. Severe obesity rates, meanwhile, have increased sevenfold in the past half century, with 7 percent of children now falling in that category, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An April 28 report from that agency indicated that only five states have mandated federal recommendations for 150 minutes of weekly physical education for students in grades K-5, and 37 states require less than 60 minutes per week.

As for fitness testing, 24 states have no requirements. Eleven states recommend it, but only three require fitness tests annually. Only 16 states require some district oversight for fitness testing, but most don’t provide any enforcement measures, according to the report.

“For the Presidential Fitness Test to provide a meaningful lever for youth public health promotion and surveillance, systematic state policy reform and resulting school-level physical education infrastructure changes are necessary,” the report concludes.

What’s Next

U.S. public schools begin the 2026–2027 academic year in August or September.

Trump’s proclamation and prior executive order on the fitness test strongly encourage state and district participation but stop short of mandating it.

Many states and school districts are still awaiting federal guidance on implementation. Still, some leaders embraced the concept and took their own initiative to bolster fitness in schools.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, issued an Oct. 30 executive order re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test in schools ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year.

“Students across the country are spending far too much time sitting around looking at screens and eating too much highly processed junk food,” Reeves said in a news release. “We know that obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and poor nutrition lead to more negative health outcomes.

“If we want more healthy adults in our society, it’s important that we encourage students to be physically active and educate them on healthy eating habits. Mississippi will do its part to build a healthier America.”

The Tennessee Legislature and Gov. Bill Lee ratified a similar law earlier this spring. It supplements previous legislation that increased recess time from 15 minutes to 40 minutes per day. More physical activity in schools is needed, lawmakers said, considering that about 40 percent of children in the Volunteer State are overweight.

“Tennessee is setting the standard by helping students become healthier and more successful,” said Rep. Scott Cepicky, a Republican.

“This proposal is a critical component of our continued efforts to improve academic outcomes by promoting active lifestyles and a balanced diet.”

Tyler Durden Thu, 05/07/2026 - 20:05

“It’s a devastating thing, which I will have to live with the rest of my life,” the doctor said. “And I think about it every single day.”