Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

The Reynolds Center for Business Journalism at ASU @businessjournalism.org · 9d

Gold (Regional/Local) goes to @sfchronicle.com for highlighting the systemic use of a flawed insurance estimator tool

From the judges: “5 states announced an unprecedented probe into underinsurance following wildfires – a direct result of this stellar reporting”

www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Anthony Edwards @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · 20d

apnews.com/article/muds... trap drivers, bury roads and damage homes in Southern California

Mudslides trap drivers, bury roads and damage homes in Southern California

Flooding and mudslides have buried roads, damaged homes and trapped drivers in several Southern California communities.

apnews.com

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle.com · Sep 9

The requirement, which went into effect this summer, is meant to push homeowners to make their properties more fire-resistant.

California adds new disclosure rules for people selling homes in fire-prone areas

The requirement, which went into effect this summer, is meant to push homeowners to make their properties more fire-resistant.

bit.ly

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · Aug 28

In a pre-print study, air quality researchers found the carcinogen hexavalent chromium in the air near wildfire debris sites, possibly from fire suppressant.

They're cautioning residents to use PPE until further testing confirms whether levels have gone down.
www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

‘Erin Brockovich’ made this cancer-causing compound famous. Now it’s been found in L.A. fire debris

Hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen made famous by the film “Erin Brockovich,” is being found in the air near L.A. wildfire debris sites, researchers say.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · Jul 10

For the first time ever, the California FAIR Plan is disclosing how much homeowners in every ZIP code pay to be insured by the state's insurer of last resort.

@sfchronicle.com has it mapped here:

www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Map: Here’s how much the California FAIR Plan costs in every ZIP code

New data shows just how much Californians in every ZIP code are paying to be insured by the FAIR Plan, the state’s insurer of last resort.

www.sfchronicle.com

Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · Jul 3

So glad to hear your home is safe! Experts said normal outdoors cleaning will work, just make sure none of the dust is able to get recirculated/that you wear protective gear if you're cleaning yourself. Wishing you all the best on your road to recovery, thank you for reading our work!

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · Jul 3

Hi Susan, here is a gift link to get past the paywall, please feel free to share this link with anyone else who may be affected by these findings!
www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Toxic metal found in L.A. air after fires. No one knows where it’s coming from

A little-known and highly dangerous earth metal used to craft spaceships has been found in wildfire-ravaged homes and in the air in Los Angeles. Experts are shocked — and alarmed.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Tara Duggan @taraduggan.bsky.social · Jul 2

Over a year after I published an investigation into employee concerns about animal welfare and worker safety at SF Zoo, the director has given notice.
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/z...

San Francisco Zoo CEO resigns after months of controversy, and nudge from Lurie

Tanya Peterson, the San Francisco Zoo’s longtime CEO, has resigned following controversies that raised questions about her leadership. She faced pressure from Mayor Daniel Lurie and others.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · Jul 2

Beryllium has been used to craft nuclear weapons and shield astronauts from the heat of reentry. It's also known to cause cancer or chronic respiratory disease.

This is the first time anyone's ever found it in a home after a wildfire.

W/ @susien.bsky.social!

www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Toxic metal found in L.A. air after fires. No one knows where it’s coming from

A little-known and highly dangerous earth metal used to craft spaceships has been found in wildfire-ravaged homes and in the air in Los Angeles. Experts are shocked — and alarmed.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Oliver Milman @olliemilman.bsky.social · Jun 30

Ticks that cause a bizarre allergy to meat in people are advancing across a warming US, experts warn.

Lone star ticks are aggressive, too. “They will hunt you, they are like a cross between a lentil and a velociraptor,” one alpha gal sufferer told me.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

‘Explosive increase’ of ticks that cause meat allergy in US due to climate crisis

Unusually aggressive lone star ticks, common in the south-east, are spreading to areas previously too cold for them

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle.com · Jun 19

As summer approaches and Napa Valley’s vineyards grow lush, the specter of wildfire looms. So the community, particularly its vintners, have taken matters into their own hands.

They can’t get fire insurance. So California wineries are seeking out fire trucks and military tech

As summer approaches and Napa Valley’s vineyards grow lush, the specter of wildfire looms. So the community, particularly its vintners, have taken matters into their own hands.

bit.ly

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle.com · Jun 1

California’s Zone Zero regulations are expected to ban grass and wood fencing within 5 feet of homes. Here's what else is included and excluded in the rules.

California homeowners will need to change how they landscape their homes. Here's what will be allowed

California’s Zone Zero regulations are expected to ban grass and wood fencing within 5 feet of homes. Here's what else is included and excluded in the rules.

bit.ly

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 28

The CA Board of Equalization's two hour hearing into the role of algorithms in underinsuring wildfire victims, inspired by a Chronicle investigation, is about to kick off.

Tune in:
youtu.be/sApQ5mANgBU

Public comment:
www.boe.ca.gov/app/public-c...

May 28, 2025 BOE Board Meeting

YouTube video by BoardOfEqualization

youtu.be

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Matthias Gafni @mgafni.bsky.social · May 20

Fought for months to get this footage of Palisades Fire.

Exclusive for @sfchronicle.com

www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 20

Another entry in the breaking State Farm saga:

A new filing submitted this afternoon reveals State Farm is pursuing its original 30% rate hike request at the full rate hearing slated for this fall. That would cumulatively be an 11% increase on top of the emergency 17% they were granted last week.

State Farm asks for another double-digit California home insurance rate hike

Under State Farm’s new request, its condo rates in California would soar, and homeowners rates would jump an additional 11%.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 15

Some of the most wildfire-prone parts of California will no longer have 24/7 eyes on them headed into traditional wildfire season because of NWS staffing shortages:

Anthony Edwards @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · May 15

NEW: Two California weather service offices will no longer operate 24/7, curtailing the output of an agency that issues warnings for more than 7 million people in the Central Valley. #CAwx

A spokesperson for NOAA confirmed to @sfchronicle.com that the offices were not operating around-the-clock.

‘This is a big problem’: Two California weather offices no longer provide 24/7 warnings

Collectively, the Central Valley offices issue forecasts and warnings from Redding to Bakersfield, including Lassen, Yosemite, Kings and Sequoia National Parks.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 13

Update: Commissioner Lara announced just now he's adopted the judge's decision. But he reiterates he expects State Farm to pay wildfire survivors fairly: "nothing is off the table.”

A full and final rate hearing will happen sometime this fall.

Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 13

Breaking: Judge has approved State Farm's emergency rate hike request for 17% for homeowners, 15% for condos + renters, 38% for rental dwellings starting June 1.

The final word goes to Commissioner Lara and is expected later today.
www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

State Farm can hike California home insurance rates, judge rules

State Farm can raise home insurance rates in California by 17% next month, a judge ruled Tuesday, but the state insurance commissioner has the final word.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 13

Breaking: Judge has approved State Farm's emergency rate hike request for 17% for homeowners, 15% for condos + renters, 38% for rental dwellings starting June 1.

The final word goes to Commissioner Lara and is expected later today.
www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

State Farm can hike California home insurance rates, judge rules

State Farm can raise home insurance rates in California by 17% next month, a judge ruled Tuesday, but the state insurance commissioner has the final word.

www.sfchronicle.com

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 11

It's been a month since the hearing into State Farm's emergency rate hike request wrapped up, but Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara says a judge still hasn't made a decision about whether to approve the request:
www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

Insurance commissioner: State Farm investigation ‘not off the table’ following L.A. wildfires

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said it was possible that officials would probe how State Farm handled claims from the L.A. wildfires.

www.sfchronicle.com

Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Anthony Edwards @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social · May 8

A critical U.S. database that tracks extreme weather damage no longer exists.

"In alignment with evolving priorities, statutory mandates, and staffing changes, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information will no longer be updating the Billion Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters product."

Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

Summary of U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate related disaster research, methodology, and data sources

www.ncei.noaa.gov

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 6

Now that they've started updating their data quarterly, the FAIR Plan is ironically (given their reluctance to release anything in the past) the only good data reflecting the unavailability of insurance that doesn't suffer from a 1-2 year lag!

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 6

That's just the 96161 ZIP code, but the FAIR Plan also breaks out data by county -- for Nevada Co., it reports 19,795 residential/commercial/business policies and $21B in total exposure, but CDI doesn't have a commercial policy dataset to tell the overall % of the county the FAIR Plan insures :/

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Megan Fan Munce @meganmunce.bsky.social · May 6

Looks like they stopped mapping it, but as of March 2025 the 96161 ZIP code over Truckee is up to $7.7B in FAIR Plan exposure over 5,332 homes. Based on CDI's policy data from 2023, that's about 63% of all insured homes in the ZIP 😬
www.cfpnet.com/key-statisti...

www.cfpnet.com

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Susie Neilson @susien.bsky.social · May 5

Deeply grateful for the recognition from the @pulitzerprizes.bsky.social for @jennifergollan.bsky.social's and my investigation into deadly, reckless police pursuits. And especially grateful to the families who shared their stories w/ us.

Two reporters hug after learning they are finalists for the Pulitzer

The finalists for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting

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Reposted by Megan Fan Munce

Jay Feinman @jayfeinman.bsky.social · Apr 3

ANd even those with replacement cost ...
www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...

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