SEATTLE – Consumers who purchased additional tire warranties within the past two years from a Firestone Tire & Service Center in Washington may be eligible for a refund. Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with Firestone Tire & Service Centers, resolving allegations that the company sold road hazard warranties with its tires without informing consumers that the warranties were optional.

SEATTLE - A $1.52 billion multi-state settlement with Enron became official today when attorneys on both sides signed the agreement. Attorney General Rob McKenna first announced the settlement last month. It resolves some of the claims of market manipulation and price gouging stemming from the energy shortage of 2000-2001.

The states of Washington, California and Oregon, as well as some California utilities and other organizations, are parties to the settlement. The agreement must be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Enron bankruptcy court.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced a settlement with Eagle Healthcare, resolving allegations that the company failed to provide timely refunds to former residents and families of deceased patients. The Bothell-based company operates long-term care facilities throughout Washington.

“This agreement serves as a reminder that state law requires long-term care facilities to promptly refund deposits and advance payments when a resident is discharged or passes away,” McKenna said.

SEATTLE – Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced that up to $14.9 million is available to fund programs that educate the public about drug marketing techniques. The grant money is part of a multi-state settlement with the makers of Neurontin, a prescription epilepsy drug.

OLYMPIA – After several weeks of intensive review, Attorney General Rob McKenna today announced his draft model rules for public disclosure are now available for public comment.

SEATTLE -- Billing complaints for on-line advertising that was never ordered have flooded the Seattle Consumer Resource Center (CRC) of the Washington Attorney General’s office in the last two weeks.

Attorney General Rob McKenna is cautioning consumers about receiving bills for on-line advertising that they may not have affirmatively ordered. Complainants said they received a bill for $399 from a business they had never heard of, for a service they had never purchased. As of Feb 14th, the CRC had received nearly 50 complaints.

SEATTLE -- Millions of dollars are still available to consumers who used the cancer drug Taxol or its generic equivalent, paclitaxel from January 1, 1999 through February 28, 2003.

While $12.5 million was awarded nationally to consumers who paid too much for the drug, only a handful have filed claims to get their money. In Washington, the state Attorney General's Office reports 125 people have filed claims since March, 2003. There are an estimated 3,000 consumers here eligible to receive money.

SEATTLE -- The Washington Attorney General's office has settled with the operators of Alyon Technologies, a New Jersey-based Internet billing service which allegedly charged consumers for adult web material they never intended to purchase. Parties to the settlement also include the company's president, Stephane Touboul, and its Georgia affiliate, Telcollect.

SEATTLE – Thousands of consumers from Washington and 49 other states who used the antidepressant drug Remeron may be entitled to reimbursements from drug maker Organon USA Inc. and its parent company Akzo Nobel N.V., Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today.

OLYMPIA – Attorney General Rob McKenna today called the Legislature’s support of his requests to strengthen the Public Disclosure Act, curb methamphetamine production and improve consumer protection “three big wins for the citizens of Washington.”

The Public Disclosure Act bill passed into law last week was McKenna’s first proposal to the Legislature. The new law makes it easier for citizens to obtain public records by requiring state and local agencies to improve access to records, and increasing penalties for agencies that do not comply with the law.