Moab, Utah, KTVX, June 11, 2026: Woman identified after 40-foot fall to her death from tree in Moab
A woman who fell 40 feet from a tree to her death in Moab has been identified. On Monday, emergency crews responded to calls of a woman who had appeared to have fallen to her death from a large tree in a park. The woman has been identified as Megan Frost, 35. Just after 6:15 a.m., a Moab resident was on a walk near the southwest part of Swanny Park when they noticed a medium-sized tree branch under the largest tree from that side of the park. When they got closer, they noticed someone was underneath the branch. They ran to the Aquatic Center to call for help. First responders from Moab Fire, EMS, Moab Police Department, and the Grand County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene where they observed the woman under the branch (later identified as Frost) was beyond help…
Portland, Oregon, The Oregonian, June 11, 2026: Asking Eric: I just know neighbor’s mango tree is going to make a mess. Do I report her to HOA?
Dear Eric: I’m navigating a tricky neighborly issue and could use your insights. A few years ago, my neighbor planted a mango tree on our property line, which directly violates our HOA’s strict two-foot setback rule for fruit trees. Now that the tree is growing rapidly, I’m concerned the future fruit will attract pests and create a nuisance. I plan to speak with her soon about the situation, potentially regarding the tree’s removal. What’s your advice on handling this? – Tree
Dear Tree: It seems unlikely that your neighbor shares your concern about pests and nuisances, since she planted the tree. So, I doubt she’d be inclined to remove it, especially without evidence of a problem. Right now, the only evidence of a problem is the tree’s location itself, since it violates the HOA’s rules…
Southern Pines, North Carolina, Pilot, June 11, 2026: Southern Pines Codifies Tree Preservation
The longleaf pine is a sturdy tree, anchored by a deep tap root to withstand the strongest of storms. Like the tree, the Southern Pines community has also stood firm when faced with new development blowing into the area, with a focus on protecting the local landscape. That’s why scattered applause broke out on Tuesday evening after the Southern Pines Town Council approved code changes to help retain natural areas with new and re-development. “Southern Pines — we are named for our forest,” said resident Ray Owen, a life-long resident of Southern Pines and a self-described tree-hugger, during the public hearing. “These trees are our identity. A cultural landscape shaped over generations.” In short, the code changes encourage tree retention on sites through clarifying and prioritizing how required open space within a development is designed. The changes focus on preserving natural features, including wetlands and patches of mature longleaf pines…
Framingham, Massachusetts, The MetroWest Daily News, June 11, 2026: OSHA probing accident involving tree worker in Southborough MA
A federal agency is investigating an incident on Wednesday, June 10, that left a tree worker with serious injuries who was trapped more than 100 feet off the ground in Southborough. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the incident, which occurred about 8:20 a.m. on Pinecone Lane, according to Southborough Fire Chief Andrew Puntini. OSHA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Labor, investigates workplace injuries. It also sets workplace standards, conducts safety inspections and issues penalties for violations. On Wednesday, the tree worker was working about 100 feet off the ground when he became stuck and injured, Puntini said…
If a neighbor’s tree falls on your home, or if fallen branches make a dent in your property, you will likely wonder who is responsible for cleanup and damages. And while you may hope someone else’s insurance will pay for what could turn into costly repairs, that is usually not the case. “Generally, the responsibility for covering the damages from a fallen tree or branch goes to the insurance policy covering the damaged property, regardless of whether the tree was located on the property or not,” a spokesperson with the Kansas Department of Insurance told The Wichita Eagle. Several popular insurance providers also say tree damage to houses and structures is typically covered by the property owner’s homeowners insurance, including Allstate, Farmers Insurance, Geico, Progressive and State Farm. “When a neighbor’s tree damages your property, or your tree damages theirs, coverage usually doesn’t depend on who owns the tree,” Geico says. “In most cases, the affected homeowner’s policy will handle the damage…”
A tree-care insurer is fighting to walk away from a fallen worker’s injury claim – and it’s pointing straight at the fine print. West Bend Insurance Company has asked a federal court to declare it owes nothing to one of its own policyholders. On June 9, 2026, the insurer filed a complaint for declaratory judgment – a request for a judge to settle the parties’ rights before anyone pays out – in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The policyholder is Trees R Us, Inc., a tree-removal company. According to the complaint, West Bend issued Trees a commercial lines policy, number A091082 08, running from November 15, 2022, to November 15, 2023. The dispute starts with an injured worker. The filing says Michael Ray O’Dell sued Trees and two of its officers, Jenni Willis and Nick Willis, in Sarasota County, Florida. The complaint states O’Dell alleges he “was injured when he fell while performing tree removal work for Trees on a storm-related job in Florida” on January 14, 2023…
A woman injured when a large tree fell during a block party in downtown St. Paul says she continues to face physical and cognitive challenges a week and a half after the incident. Veronica Kingbird-Bratvold was walking through Mears Park with her niece, Dana King-Neadeau, on May 29, when a 30- to 35-foot tree suddenly came crashing down. “We were just getting to the park and walking down the pathway, and I just heard people yelling,” King-Neadeau said. Kingbird-Bratvold said she remembers hearing the tree crack before losing consciousness after being struck in the back. “Hearing the screams, the loud noise of the tree crack, and then next thing I know, I’m looking up a little bit, opening my eyes, and it’s really dark,” she said. Bystanders and first responders rushed to help. Kingbird-Bratvold recalled one man who comforted her as she went into shock and an officer who helped stabilize her…
Martha Stewart, June 10, 2026: 7 Places to Never Plant a Tree, According to Gardening Experts
Whether you want to grow a lush evergreen hedge or a dramatic willow, trees are a beautiful way to add height and color to the landscape. Many trees are relatively hands-off once they get established, but young trees need the proper growing conditions to ensure they thrive and reach maturity. To set your trees up for success, it’s important to take time to consider where to plant them. Research their sun and soil requirements, as well as how tall and wide they are expected to get. To help you select the optimal planting location, we’re sharing the places experts say you should never plant trees. Most trees need at least six hours of full sun per day to thrive. Insufficient sunlight can lead to slow growth, fungal diseases, pest infestations, and other issues. That said, some trees are understory trees and can tolerate shade. “Research the tree you want to plant and make sure that its sunlight requirements meet the conditions of the spot you intend to plant it in,” says Edwin Dysinger, expert gardener and co-founder of Seedtime…
A recent trial in Shorewood, Wis., had all the trappings of a minor legal dispute. A disgruntled neighbor. A defendant representing himself who called his own father as a character witness. A $313 fine. But if academic and devoted dog walker Paul Florsheim gets his way, the case will go all the way up to the Wisconsin Supreme Court and reshape the contours of shoreline access to one of the Great Lakes. It started when Florsheim started walking his two dogs past the Lake Michigan property of dentist Daniel Domagala, known locally for the time he spends in a Tiki-style boathouse and deck that doubles as a surveillance post. From there, Domagala monitors traffic and sets off alarms to scare walkers, swimmers and kayakers away. Florsheim repeatedly ignored signs outside the dentist’s house that said “PRIVATE PROPERTY BEYOND THIS SIGN” and “ONLY WATER ACCESS BEYOND THIS POINT.” Domagala kept calling the cops, and the village eventually issued a trespassing citation. Rather than pay the fine and walk away, Florsheim dug in…
Crozet, Virginia, Gazette, June 7, 2026: Emerging Threats to Our Beech Trees and Boxwoods
Most of our yard is a lush green right now, despite those weeks with little rain and the April frost that knocked back some of our trees and shrubs. But it wasn’t long ago when we were grateful for any color that offered a respite from the bleak midwinter. On one side, we could see flecks of gold when the sun caught the leaves that cling to our American beech trees through the cold months, a trait known as marcescence. On the other side, our old boxwoods, planted decades before we moved to our house near Crozet, provided a punch of green even when everything was covered with ice. Now both of these features of our landscape are facing new threats: Beech Leaf Disease and the Box Tree Moth. First detected in northeast Ohio in 2012, Beech Leaf Disease gradually spread to New England and the mid-Atlantic states, reaching Northern Virginia (Prince William County) in 2021. It was confirmed in Albemarle County just last summer, after a hiker reported symptomatic trees in Preddy Creek Park—a great example of how an informed, sharp-eyed citizen can help monitor a threat to our natural resources…
When entire communities face evacuation or emergency warnings, we tend to ask whether our infrastructure failed. After last month’s Kona low storms, that reality is unavoidable across Oʻahu and Maui County. A more important question is this: what kind of infrastructure did we build in the first place, and what did we leave out? As communities recover, the scale of disruption is clear: evacuations and flooding across Oʻahu and Maui, from Haleʻiwa and Waialua to Lahaina, Kīhei, ʻĪao Valley and East Molokaʻi. What these storms revealed, once again, is that many of our communities are not designed to absorb water. Instead, our landscapes have been built to move water as quickly as possible off roofs, across roads and into drainage systems that are increasingly pushed beyond their limits. When those systems fail, they fail all at once because they are designed to move water away, not absorb it…
Tree and Neighbor Law For Homeowners and Professionals 