The electrical change that can affect a future home insurance renewal

The electrical change that can affect a future home insurance renewal

Insurers are scrutinizing your home’s electrical system more closely than at any point in recent memory, and a single change in wiring or panels can now determine whether your policy renews smoothly or stalls. As carriers react to rising fire losses and tighter reinsurance markets, they are tying coverage decisions directly to how safely your…

Supreme Court lets California use a Democrat-friendly map — and the redistricting arms race just got louder

Supreme Court lets California use a Democrat-friendly map — and the redistricting arms race just got louder

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed California to use a new congressional map designed to give Democrats a better shot at flipping five Republican-held seats, a decision that ramps up the national mid-decade redistricting fight as both parties maneuver for control of the House ahead of November’s midterm elections. The court denied a…

The attic wiring shortcut that becomes a big deal during a claim

The attic wiring shortcut that becomes a big deal during a claim

In many homes, the most expensive electrical problem is not the one that trips a breaker today, but the shortcut buried in the attic that only surfaces when you file a fire claim. What looks like a harmless cable draped across insulation or a quick splice outside a box can become the detail an adjuster…

Lawmakers promise “never again” after the Potomac mid-air disaster — and a new safety bill is being fast-tracked

Lawmakers promise “never again” after the Potomac mid-air disaster — and a new safety bill is being fast-tracked

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bloc of House lawmakers says it is moving “expeditiously” toward legislation intended to prevent a repeat of the January 2025 mid-air collision that killed 67 people when an American Airlines passenger jet and an Army helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since November 2001….

The recessed-light install detail that causes rework later

The recessed-light install detail that causes rework later

The most expensive part of recessed lighting is rarely the fixture in your hand, it is the ceiling you have to fix when something was installed the wrong way. A single sloppy detail in how you cut, place, or support a can light can ripple into sagging trim, flickering LEDs, and messy drywall patches that…

‘Dawson’s Creek’ star James Van Der Beek dies at 48 after cancer battle

‘Dawson’s Creek’ star James Van Der Beek dies at 48 after cancer battle

NEW YORK — Actor James Van Der Beek, who rose to fame as the face of “Dawson’s Creek” and later leaned into self-parody as he got older, has died at 48, according to a statement cited by The Associated Press. AP reported that Van Der Beek revealed in 2024 that he was being treated for…

The wrong way to extend a circuit that inspectors flag immediately

The wrong way to extend a circuit that inspectors flag immediately

Home inspectors do not need long to spot a bad circuit extension. The wrong fix leaves a visual trail of extension cords, overstuffed boxes, and improvised splices that signal both code violations and real fire risk. If you are tempted to stretch one more outlet or light off an existing run, the way you do…

New poll shows voters souring on Trump’s immigration crackdown — and most say ICE has “gone too far”

New poll shows voters souring on Trump’s immigration crackdown — and most say ICE has “gone too far”

WASHINGTON — A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows President Donald Trump’s approval on immigration has dropped to its lowest level since he returned to office, with a majority of Americans saying Immigration and Customs Enforcement has gone too far in its crackdown. The poll found 39% of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of immigration while 53%…