SEATTLE – Five small businesses in Washington state that lost phone and Internet services when their telecommunications provider, NorVergence, Inc., went bankrupt in 2004 will not have to pay the full amount due on their rental contracts, the Washington State Attorney General’s Office announced today.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with a former insurance agent accused of deceptively marketing in-home care services to senior citizens.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the promotion of Assistant Attorney General Paige Dietrich to division chief for the Labor and
Personnel Division of the Office of the Attorney General.

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that Rite Aid has entered into an agreement with 20 states, including Washington, to help reduce the sale of tobacco to minors.

SEATTLE – A California marketing firm today was ordered to pay $3 million in civil penalties and $375,000 restitution to the Seattle School District for sending junk e-mails. Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced the U.S. District Court order against AvTech Direct, which came as a result of Washington’s first lawsuit under the federal anti-spam act.

SEATTLE – The Washington State Attorney General’s Office announced a settlement today with Sammamish-based SoftwareOnline.com, Inc. Under the settlement filed today in King County Superior Court, the company will refund affected consumers and pay $190,000 to resolve allegations that it misrepresented the extent to which its software is necessary for security, bombarded potential customers with pop-up ads and used deceptive billing practices.

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Christine Gregoire announced today that Vibo Corporation of Miami, Florida has joined the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) and will pay Washington State $1.5 million immediately and approximately $35 million over the next ten years.

SEATTLE – The Public Counsel Section of the Washington State Attorney General’s Office today recommended the state Utilities and Transportation Commission reject a request by Avista to increase revenues by nearly $23 million by raising energy rates for its Eastern Washington customers.

SEATTLE --Attorney General Christine Gregoire said today Cyco.net, Inc., a New Mexico firm, has agreed to stop selling tobacco products in Washington.

OLYMPIA -- Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today that he is asking Hollywood's major motion picture studios to insert anti-smoking public service announcements in all DVDs and videos in which smoking is depicted.