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  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Supports President Trump’s Action to End Woke Curriculum in Classrooms, Expand School Choice

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – During National School Choice Week, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) issued a statement in support of President Donald Trump’s latest executive orders prohibiting federal funds from going to any K-12 school that teaches critical race theory (CRT) or radical gender ideology and expanding school choice for students:
    “I fully support President Trump’s decision to prohibit federal funds from going to any K-12 school that teaches woke, anti-American ideologies. For four years, I have sounded the alarm about the Biden administration’s attempts to make our schools ground zero for Marxist, hateful indoctrination. Despite the fact that we spend the most money per student in the world, our education system has failed our kids. We need to be focused on helping kids learn to read, write, and do math—not on brainwashing them.
    I am also grateful for President Trump’s action to increase access to school choice. As a former coach and educator, I know how important it is to make sure every child gets the best possible education, regardless of their zip code. Every child’s educational journey looks different—and we have had tremendous success with magnet, charter, and technical schools in Alabama. This decision from President Trump comes during National School Choice Week and reaffirms the President’s commitment to empowering parents, not the government, to determine a child’s educational future. I’m grateful for President Trump’s leadership and unwavering commitment to helping every child succeed.”
    Sen. Tuberville also joined his colleagues Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) today to introduce the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), bicameral legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students. Specifically, it provides a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education. U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R-NE) introduced the companion legislation in the U.S House of Representatives. 
    BACKGROUND:
    As a former coach, mentor, and educator for more than 40 years, Senator Tuberville is committed to ensuring each child is given the tools to lead a successful life. During his time in the Senate, he has been proud to represent Alabama on the Senator Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee where he has been a tireless advocate for ending woke ideology in schools and boosting school choice programs.
    ENDING WOKENESS IN SCHOOLS
    Sen. Tuberville joined his colleagues in asking the U.S. Department of Education under President Biden to withdraw its plans to skew U.S. History and Civics towards an anti-American agenda.
    Sen. Tuberville reintroduced the Saving American History Act, legislation to prohibit the use of federal funds to teach the 1619 Project by K-12 schools or school districts. Under the bill, schools that teach the 1619 Project would also be ineligible for federal professional-development grants.
    Sen. Tuberville has repeatedly raised concerns about the Chinese Communist Party’s influence on American education. The CCP has made it clear their plan of action is to infiltrate the American education system and indoctrinate students. 
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored the Safeguarding American Education from Foreign Control Act. This bill would tighten the enforcement of rules surrounding foreign donations to higher education institutions and their contracts with foreign entities. 
    He specifically urged Troy University in Alabama to close its CCP-backed Confucius Institute, and hopes other universities will follow their lead. 
    INCREASING ACCESS TO SCHOOL CHOICE
    Sen. Tuberville joined his colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Education to reconsider proposed rules to redefine the Charter School Program (CSP) and strip parents of their ability to choose the best school for their child. 
    Sen. Tuberville advocated for school choice on the floor of the U.S. Senate and helped introduce a resolution for National School Choice Week. 
    Last year, Sen. Tuberville hosted a roundtable discussion during National School Choice Week with parents, students, teachers, and administrators about making sure that parents, not the federal government, are in charge of their kids’ education.
    Sen. Tuberville visited the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering (ASCTE) in Huntsville. ASCTE is America’s only high school primarily focused on the integration of cyber and engineering into all academic areas. This unique public school is equipping kids with the skills needed to enter the workforce and achieve the American dream. 
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Praises Alabama Students, Teachers for Leading the Nation in Math Education Improvement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    Alabama was only state with improvements in post-COVID math scores
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Alabama’s voice on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP), issued the following statement celebrating Alabama being the only state with improvements in post-COVID math scores among fourth graders:
    “Our children have suffered emotionally and cognitively because of Democrat lockdowns during the COVID pandemic. In many states, students were unnecessarily forced out of the classrooms to learn at home, where many of them didn’t have access to adequate technology and resources. While schools across the nation are still struggling to overcome this setback, Alabama is leading the way in math progress among fourth graders. This is a testament to Alabama’s dedicated educators who were unwavering in their dedication to equipping our students with the tools to succeed. I couldn’t be more proud of Alabama’s progress, and know that we will continue to lead the way in setting the gold standard for education.”
    The statement follows a disturbing report from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that shows students have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels of achievement, and in some cases have declined further. Alabama was the ONLY state that did not see a decline in post-COVID math scores among fourth graders.
    Senator Tuberville has been a strong advocate for returning students to the classroom, and continues to be a leader in the fight for school choice. 
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australian Deputy PM: Building the Northern Territory’s Future

    Source: Minister of Infrastructure

    The Albanese Government is building Australia’s future, investing more than $24 million for crucial infrastructure and community facilities across the Northern Territory.

    The Government is committed to delivering more homes and is investing $7 million to deliver enabling infrastructure to facilitate the construction of up to 730 homes, along with parklands, within the mixed-use Katherine East Neighbourhood Centre.

    The Ngurratjuta Service Hub will be expanded with a $4.8 million dollar grant from our Growing Regions Program.

    The investment will provide employment, education, and family support and services and a new climate-controlled facility to store and preserve its nationally significant art collection.

    We are investing $1.1 million for the Urapuntja Community Splash Park with splash pads and interactive features such as a bucket dumper, ground sprays and water cannons, and an eight-seater picnic shelter. 

    We are delivering $4 million from the regional Precincts and Partnerships program for a masterplan to upgrade infrastructure as part of the Nitmiluk Tourism Services Precinct within the Katherine region.

    The project is centred on Jawoyn history and culture, developing multipurpose and accessible infrastructure to contribute to social, cultural and economic outcomes.

    The Central Australian Regional Community Precincts including Ti Tree, Atitjere, Santa Teresa, Papunya, Yuendumu and Ntaria are receiving $4.7 million for planning and design.

    The Albanese Government is committed to delivering more homes and is investing $7 million to deliver enabling infrastructure to facilitate the construction of up to 730 homes, along with parklands, within the mixed-use Katherine East Neighbourhood Centre.

    The Albanese Government is also working to improve road and rail safety so people can get home following their journeys

    We are investing $1.9 million to upgrade sections of the Willowra main access road to improve road safety and accessibility, and $800,000 for important safety upgrades to the Gorrie Road railway level crossing near Mataranka including flashing lights and a new train detection system.

    These projects highlight the Government’s commitment to listening to local voices and funding priorities that directly benefit communities in the Northern Territory. 

    Quote attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “The Australian Government is investing in the Northern Territory supporting partnerships and projects that provide long-term benefits to communities.

    “We remain dedicated to working for all Australians by delivering infrastructure that increases community cohesion, liveability and accessibility.”

    Quote attributable to Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour: 

    “I remain committed to ensuring the future growth and sustainability of remote communities and regional centres across my electorate of Lingiari.  

    “I welcome the funding announced today for delivering safer roads, more homes and increasing the liveability of these communities through improved recreational and social infrastructure.

    “I am confident the development of a masterplan for the Nitmiluk Tourism Services Precinct will broaden the community’s understanding and appreciation of Jawoyn history and culture, and strengthen social, cultural and economic outcomes for this precinct”.

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Building the Northern Territory’s Future

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Albanese Government is building Australia’s future, investing more than $24 million for crucial infrastructure and community facilities across the Northern Territory.

    The Government is committed to delivering more homes and is investing $7 million to deliver enabling infrastructure to facilitate the construction of up to 730 homes, along with parklands, within the mixed-use Katherine East Neighbourhood Centre.

    The Ngurratjuta Service Hub will be expanded with a $4.8 million dollar grant from our Growing Regions Program.

    The investment will provide employment, education, and family support and services and a new climate-controlled facility to store and preserve its nationally significant art collection.

    We are investing $1.1 million for the Urapuntja Community Splash Park with splash pads and interactive features such as a bucket dumper, ground sprays and water cannons, and an eight-seater picnic shelter. 

    We are delivering $4 million from the regional Precincts and Partnerships program for a masterplan to upgrade infrastructure as part of the Nitmiluk Tourism Services Precinct within the Katherine region.

    The project is centred on Jawoyn history and culture, developing multipurpose and accessible infrastructure to contribute to social, cultural and economic outcomes.

    The Central Australian Regional Community Precincts including Ti Tree, Atitjere, Santa Teresa, Papunya, Yuendumu and Ntaria are receiving $4.7 million for planning and design.

    The Albanese Government is committed to delivering more homes and is investing $7 million to deliver enabling infrastructure to facilitate the construction of up to 730 homes, along with parklands, within the mixed-use Katherine East Neighbourhood Centre.

    The Albanese Government is also working to improve road and rail safety so people can get home following their journeys

    We are investing $1.9 million to upgrade sections of the Willowra main access road to improve road safety and accessibility, and $800,000 for important safety upgrades to the Gorrie Road railway level crossing near Mataranka including flashing lights and a new train detection system.

    These projects highlight the Government’s commitment to listening to local voices and funding priorities that directly benefit communities in the Northern Territory. 

    Quote attributable to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “The Australian Government is investing in the Northern Territory supporting partnerships and projects that provide long-term benefits to communities.

    “We remain dedicated to working for all Australians by delivering infrastructure that increases community cohesion, liveability and accessibility.”

    Quote attributable to Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour: 

    “I remain committed to ensuring the future growth and sustainability of remote communities and regional centres across my electorate of Lingiari.  

    “I welcome the funding announced today for delivering safer roads, more homes and increasing the liveability of these communities through improved recreational and social infrastructure.

    “I am confident the development of a masterplan for the Nitmiluk Tourism Services Precinct will broaden the community’s understanding and appreciation of Jawoyn history and culture, and strengthen social, cultural and economic outcomes for this precinct”.

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: HOGWASH ROAD, CADELL (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    CADELL

    Hogwash Bend Grass Fire

    Issued for Hogwash Bend Conservation Park near Cadell in the Riverland.

    Just after 9:00pm on Wednesday 29 January, approximately 26 CFS firefighters on 8 trucks supported by heavy machinery responded to a scrub fire which was burning in hard to access terrain.

    The fire was located 300m from the campgrounds, with wind pushing the fire in the opposite direction from campers limiting immediate risk. SA Police were on scene supporting with informing campers in the area.

    Crews remained on scene into the early hours of this morning and created a control line around the fire, which has now been extinguished. National Parks and Wildlife Services will be in attendance over the coming days to ensure the scene remains safe.

    The cause of the fire is yet to be determined and Fire Investigators will be attending.

    Roads are currently open around this incident however this may change at short notice. Continue to monitor road closures at: traffic.sa.gov.au. Emergency services may be working on and around roads in the area, and motorists are advised take care and drive to the local conditions.

    Message ID 0008064

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI: Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. Q4 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SFBC), the holding company for Sound Community Bank (the “Bank”), today reported net income of $1.9 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, or $0.74 diluted earnings per share, as compared to net income of $1.2 million, or $0.45 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and $1.2 million, or $0.47 diluted earnings per share, for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend on the Company’s common stock of $0.19 per share, payable on February 26, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 12, 2025.

    Comments from the President and Chief Executive Officer  
     
    “The Bank ended the year with many positives, including a 15-basis-point increase in net interest margin compared to the third quarter of 2024. This was largely due to our significant progress in reducing deposit costs, which fell by 16 basis points,” remarked Laurie Stewart, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Additionally, nonperforming loans decreased by 11.8% from the third quarter, and for the first time in more than a decade, we have no OREO,” concluded Ms. Stewart.

    “Notable progress was made in reducing funding costs during the quarter and in controlling expenses throughout the entire year. We hope to continue this momentum in 2025. Our staff across the company played an important role in these accomplishments by focusing on client relationships and increasing efficiencies through technological improvements,” explained Wes Ochs, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.

    Mr. Ochs continued, “We ended the year with the same balance sheet strategy that we used to close out 2023, which helped reduce the Bank’s asset size below $1 billion. This strategy is intended to provide the Bank with additional operational flexibility and continued cost savings in 2025.”

    Q4 2024 Financial Performance
    Total assets decreased $107.3 million or 9.7% to $993.6 million at December 31, 2024, from $1.10 billion at September 30, 2024, and decreased $1.6 million or 0.2% from $995.2 million at December 31, 2023.     Net interest income increased $347 thousand or 4.4% to $8.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, from $7.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $653 thousand or 8.6% from $7.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.
       
        Net interest margin (“NIM”), annualized, was 3.13% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to 2.98% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and 3.04% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.
    Loans held-for-portfolio decreased $1.6 million or 0.2% to $900.2 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $901.7 million at September 30, 2024, and increased $5.7 million or 0.6% from $894.5 million at December 31, 2023.    
        A $14 thousand provision for credit losses was recorded for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to an $8 thousand provision and a $27 thousand release of provision for credit losses for the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. At December 31, 2024, the allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans outstanding was 0.94%, compared to 0.95% at September 30, 2024 and 0.98% December 31, 2023.
    Total deposits decreased $92.4 million or 9.9% to $837.8 million at December 31, 2024, from $930.2 million at September 30, 2024, and increased $11.3 million or 1.4% from $826.5 million at December 31, 2023. Noninterest-bearing deposits increased $2.8 million or 2.2% to $132.5 million at December 31, 2024 compared to $129.7 million at September 30, 2024, and increased $5.8 million or 4.6% compared to $126.7 million at December 31, 2023.    
        Total noninterest income decreased $75 thousand or 6.1% to $1.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $94 thousand or 8.8% compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2023.
    The loans-to-deposits ratio was 108% at December 31, 2024, compared to 97% at September 30, 2024 and 108% at December 31, 2023.    
        Total noninterest expense decreased $621 thousand or 8.1% to $7.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and decreased $248 thousand or 3.4% compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2023.
    Total nonperforming loans decreased $998 thousand or 11.8% to $7.5 million at December 31, 2024, from $8.5 million at September 30, 2024, and increased $3.9 million or 110.7% from $3.6 million at December 31, 2023. Nonperforming loans to total loans was 0.83% and the allowance for credit losses on loans to total nonperforming loans was 113.46% at December 31, 2024.    
        The Bank continued to maintain capital levels in excess of regulatory requirements and was categorized as “well-capitalized” at December 31, 2024.
           

    Operating Results

    Net interest income increased $347 thousand, or 4.4%, to $8.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $7.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $653 thousand, or 8.6%, from $7.6 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.The increase from the prior quarter was primarily the result of lower funding costs and an increase in average yield on loans receivable and investments, partially offset by a decrease in the average balance and yield on interest-bearing cash. The increase in net interest income compared to the same quarter one year ago was primarily due to a higher average yield on interest-earning assets, particularly loans receivable and investments, and an increase in the average balances of both loans receivable and interest-bearing cash, partially offset by a lower average yield on interest-bearing cash and higher funding costs.

    Interest income decreased $102 thousand, or 0.7%, to $14.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $14.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $1.4 million, or 10.5%, from $13.3 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease from the prior quarter was primarily due to a lower average balance of interest-bearing cash, and a 59 basis point decline in the average yield on interest-bearing cash, offset by a seven basis point increase in the average loan yield and a 16 basis point increase in the average yield on investments. The increase in interest income compared to the same quarter last year was due primarily to higher average balances of loans and interest-bearing cash, a 37 basis point increase in the average yield on loans, and a 43 basis point increase in the average yield on investments, partially offset by a decline in the average balance of investments and a 59 basis point decline in the average yield on interest-bearing cash.

    Interest income on loans increased $194 thousand, or 1.5%, to $13.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $12.9 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $1.0 million, or 8.6%, from $12.0 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The average balance of total loans was $900.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, up from $898.6 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and $884.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The average yield on total loans was 5.77% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, up from 5.70% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and 5.40% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The increase in the average loan yield during the current quarter, compared to both the prior quarter and the fourth quarter of 2023, was primarily due to the origination of new loans at higher interest rates. Additionally, variable-rate loans resetting to higher rates contributed to the increase in average yield compared to the prior quarters. The increase in the average balance during the current quarter compared to the prior quarter was primarily due to growth in commercial and multifamily loans, manufactured housing loans and floating home loans. This was partially offset by a decline in construction and land loans and commercial business loans. The average balances for one-to-four family loans, home equity loans, and other consumer loans remained relatively flat from the third quarter of 2024. The increase in the average balance of loans during the current quarter compared to the fourth quarter of 2023 was primarily due to loan growth across all categories, except for one-to-four family loans, construction and land loans, commercial business loans, and other consumer loans, with the largest decrease being in construction and land loans.

    Interest income on investments was $132 thousand for both the quarters ended December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024, and $129 thousand for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. Interest income on interest-bearing cash decreased $296 thousand to $1.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to $1.8 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $359 thousand from $1.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease from the prior quarter was due to decreases in the average yield and average balance of interest-bearing cash. The increase from the same quarter in the prior year was a result of a higher average balance, partially offset by a lower average yield.

    Interest expense decreased $449 thousand, or 6.4%, to $6.5 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, from $7.0 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $746 thousand, or 12.9%, from $5.8 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease in interest expense during the current quarter from the prior quarter was primarily the result of average balance decreases of $3.8 million in demand and NOW accounts, $2.3 million in certificate accounts and $9.5 million in FHLB advances, as well as lower average rates paid on all categories of interest-bearing deposits, partially offset by a $10.2 million increase in the average balance of savings and money market accounts. The increase in interest expense during the current quarter from the same quarter a year ago was primarily the result of a $91.9 million increase in the average balance of savings and money market accounts and a $1.3 million increase in the average balance of certificate accounts, as well as higher average rates paid on savings and money market accounts. This was partially offset by a $25.3 million decrease in the average balance of demand and NOW accounts and a $9.6 million decrease in the average balance of FHLB advances. The average cost of deposits was 2.58% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, down from 2.74% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and up from 2.38% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The average cost of FHLB advances was 4.31% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, down from 4.32% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and up from 4.26% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023.

    NIM (annualized) was 3.13% for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, up from 2.98% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 and 3.04% for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The increase in NIM from the prior quarter was the result of lower cost of funding, partially offset by a decrease in interest income on interest-earning assets. The increase in NIM from the quarter one year ago was primarily due to an increase in interest income on interest-earning assets, driven by the higher average balance in loans and interest-bearing cash and a higher yield earned on loans and investments, partially offset by a higher average balance of and cost of savings and money market accounts.

    A provision for credit losses of $14 thousand was recorded for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, consisting of a release of provision for credit losses on loans of $73 thousand and a provision for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments of $87 thousand. This compared to a provision for credit losses of $8 thousand for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, consisting of a provision for credit losses on loans of $106 thousand and a release of provision for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments of $98 thousand, and a release of provision for credit losses of $27 thousand for the quarter ended December 31, 2023, consisting of a provision for credit losses on loans of $337 thousand and a release of the provision for credit losses on unfunded loan commitments of $364 thousand. The increase in the provision for credit losses for the quarter ended December 31, 2024 compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2024 resulted primarily from an additional qualitative adjustment related to our loan review, additional enhancements to the loss model related to how we adjust for the qualitative component, including the utilization of a scorecard to drive managements analysis, and growth in our unfunded construction loan portfolio, which has a higher loss rate than our other loan portfolios. These increases were offset by lower reserves in both our floating home sub-segment of other consumer loans within our quantitative analysis and in our qualitative analysis related to market conditions and value of underlying collateral, as economic conditions have improved. Expected loss estimates consider various factors, such as market conditions, borrower-specific information, projected delinquencies, and the impact of economic conditions on borrowers’ ability to repay.

    Noninterest income decreased $75 thousand, or 6.1%, to $1.2 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and increased $94 thousand, or 8.8%, compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease from the prior quarter was primarily related to a $24 thousand downward adjustment in fair value of mortgage servicing rights and a $59 thousand decrease in earnings from bank-owned life insurance (“BOLI”), both influenced by fluctuating market interest rates. These decreases were partially offset by an increase of $13 thousand in net gain on sale of loans due to higher sales volume in the fourth quarter of 2024, and a $7 thousand increase in gain on disposal of assets due to insurance claims exceeding the book value on the replacement of stolen laptops in the second quarter of 2024. The increase in noninterest income from the same quarter of 2023 was primarily due an $43 thousand increase in service charges and fee income primarily due to increases in late fees on loans, higher interchange income and income related to a new, multi-year agreement with our credit card provider that was effective in 2024, a late fee on one commercial loan and higher specialty deposit fees due to fewer reversals of fees in 2024, a $173 thousand increase in the fair value adjustment on mortgage servicing rights due to changes in prepayment speeds, servicing costs, and discount rate, and a $7 thousand increase in gain on disposal of assets as noted above. These increases were partially offset by a $95 thousand decrease in earnings on BOLI due to market rate fluctuations, and a $23 thousand decrease in net gain on sale of loans due to fewer loans sold, and an $11 thousand decrease in mortgage servicing income as a result of the portfolio paying down at a faster rate than we are replacing the loans. Loans sold during the quarter ended December 31, 2024, totaled $3.5 million, compared to $2.4 million and $4.5 million of loans sold during the quarters ended September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

    Noninterest expense decreased $621 thousand, or 8.1%, to $7.1 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, compared to the quarter ended September 30, 2024, and decreased $248 thousand, or 3.4%, from the quarter ended December 31, 2023. The decrease from the quarter ended September 30, 2024 was primarily a result of lower salaries and benefits and operations expenses, partially offset by higher data processing expense. Salaries and benefits decreased $549 thousand primarily due to lower incentive compensation, lower retirement plan expense due to fluctuating market rates, lower medical expense due to higher medical costs during the third quarter of 2024, and lower salaries expense, as well as higher deferred salaries due to higher loan production. Operations expense decreased $211 thousand primarily due to a reversal of state and local tax expense related to higher estimated tax payments made than actual tax due, and lower operational losses in the current quarter as the prior quarter included the charge-off of a fraudulently obtained loan. This was partially offset by an $165 thousand increase in data processing expenses, reflecting new technology implementation costs. Compared to same quarter in 2023, the decrease in noninterest expense was primarily due to lower operations expenses, occupancy expenses and data processing expenses, which were partially offset by a $118 thousand increase in salaries and benefits costs. Operations expenses decreased due to reduction in loan originations costs, office expenses, operational losses, charitable contributions and state and local taxes, partially offset by higher professional fees primarily related to costs for future FDIC Improvement Act implementation. Data processing expenses decreased due to lower costs related to our core processor, while occupancy expenses decreased primarily due to fully amortized leasehold improvements. The increase in salaries and benefits compared to the same quarter last year reflected higher incentive compensation, lower deferred salaries, higher medical expenses due primarily to a change in insurance providers, and a higher contribution to our employee stock ownership plan due to the increase in value of our stock in 2024. This was partially offset by lower retirement plan expenses due to fluctuating market rates and lower salaries from a restructuring of positions at the end of 2023.

    Balance Sheet Review, Capital Management and Credit Quality

    Assets at December 31, 2024 totaled $993.6 million, down from $1.10 billion at September 30, 2024 and $995.22 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease in total assets from September 30, 2024 was primarily due to decreases in cash and cash equivalents and loans held-for-portfolio. The decrease from one year ago was primarily a result of lower balances of cash and cash equivalents and investment securities, offset by an increase in loans held-for-portfolio.

    Cash and cash equivalents decreased $105.3 million, or 70.7%, to $43.6 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $148.9 million at September 30, 2024, and decreased $6.0 million, or 12.2%, from $49.7 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease from the prior quarter was primarily due to higher deposit withdrawals, as well as the strategic decision to sell reciprocal deposits at the end of the year. Cash and cash equivalents decreased from one year ago primarily due to the increase in loans held-for-portfolio and the payoff of one FHLB borrowing, partially offset by an increase in deposits.

    Investment securities decreased $251 thousand, or 2.5%, to $9.9 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $10.2 million at September 30, 2024, and decreased $533 thousand, or 5.1%, from $10.5 million at December 31, 2023. Held-to-maturity securities totaled $2.1 million at both December 31, 2024 and September 30, 2024, and totaled $2.2 million at December 31, 2023. Available-for-sale securities totaled $7.8 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $8.0 million at September 30, 2024 and $8.3 million at December 31, 2023.

    Loans held-for-portfolio were $900.2 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $901.7 million at September 30, 2024 and $894.5 million at December 31, 2023.

    Nonperforming assets (“NPAs”), which are comprised of nonaccrual loans (including nonperforming modified loans), other real estate owned (“OREO”) and other repossessed assets, decreased $1.1 million, or 12.9%, to $7.5 million at December 31, 2024, from $8.6 million at September 30, 2024 and increased $3.4 million, or 81.3%, from $4.1 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease in NPAs from September 30, 2024 was primarily due to the payoff of seven loans totaling $1.2 million, one loan totaling $76 thousand returning to accrual status, and sale of one other real estate owned property for $115 thousand for a small net gain on sale, partially offset by the addition of seven loans totaling $326 thousand to nonaccrual. The increase in NPAs from one year ago was primarily due to the placement of an additional $9.3 million of loans on nonaccrual status, which included a $3.7 million matured commercial real estate loan where the borrower is in the process of securing financing from another lender, and a $2.4 million floating home loan, all of which are well secured. These additions were partially offset by payoffs totaling $4.2 million, the return of $784 thousand of loans to accrual status, charge-offs of $142 thousand, the sale of two other real estate owned properties for $685 thousand, and normal loan payments.

    NPAs to total assets were 0.75%, 0.78% and 0.42% at December 31, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. The allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans outstanding was 0.94% at December 31, 2024, compared to 0.95% at September 30, 2024 and 0.98% at December 31, 2023. Net loan charge-offs for the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled $13 thousand, compared to $14 thousand for the third quarter of 2024, and $15 thousand for the fourth quarter of 2023.

    The following table summarizes our NPAs at the dates indicated (dollars in thousands):

      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Nonperforming Loans:                  
    One-to-four family $ 537     $ 745     $ 822     $ 835     $ 1,108  
    Home equity loans   298       338       342       83       84  
    Commercial and multifamily   3,734       4,719       5,161       4,747        
    Construction and land   24       25       28       29        
    Manufactured homes   521       230       136       166       228  
    Floating homes   2,363       2,377       2,417       3,192        
    Commercial business   11       23                   2,135  
    Other consumer   3       32       3       1       1  
    Total nonperforming loans   7,491       8,489       8,909       9,053       3,556  
    OREO and Other Repossessed Assets:                  
    Commercial and multifamily                     575       575  
    Manufactured homes         115       115       115        
    Total OREO and repossessed assets         115       115       690       575  
    Total NPAs $ 7,491     $ 8,604     $ 9,024     $ 9,743     $ 4,131  
                       
    Percentage of Nonperforming Loans:                  
    One-to-four family   7.3 %     8.7 %     9.1 %     8.5 %     26.9 %
    Home equity loans   4.0       3.9       3.8       0.9       2.0  
    Commercial and multifamily   49.8       54.8       57.2       48.7        
    Construction and land   0.3       0.3       0.3       0.3        
    Manufactured homes   7.0       2.7       1.5       1.7       5.5  
    Floating homes   31.5       27.6       26.8       32.8        
    Commercial business   0.1       0.3                   51.7  
    Other consumer         0.4                    
    Total nonperforming loans   100.0       98.7       98.7       92.9       86.1  
    Percentage of OREO and Other Repossessed Assets:                  
    Commercial and multifamily                     5.9       13.9  
    Manufactured homes         1.3       1.3       1.2        
    Total OREO and repossessed assets         1.3       1.3       7.1       13.9  
    Total NPAs   100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %     100.0 %

    The following table summarizes the allowance for credit losses at the dates and for the periods indicated (dollars in thousands, unaudited):

      At or For the Quarter Ended:
      December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Allowance for Credit Losses on Loans                  
    Balance at beginning of period $ 8,585     $ 8,493     $ 8,598     $ 8,760     $ 8,438  
    (Release of) provision for credit losses during the period   (73 )     106       (88 )     (106 )     337  
    Net charge-offs during the period   (13 )     (14 )     (17 )     (56 )     (15 )
    Balance at end of period $ 8,499     $ 8,585     $ 8,493     $ 8,598     $ 8,760  
    Allowance for Credit Losses on Unfunded Loan Commitments                  
    Balance at beginning of period $ 147     $ 245     $ 266     $ 193     $ 557  
    Provision for (release of) provision for credit losses during the period   87       (98 )     (21 )     73       (364 )
    Balance at end of period   234       147       245       266       193  
    Allowance for Credit Losses $ 8,733     $ 8,732     $ 8,738     $ 8,864     $ 8,953  
    Allowance for credit losses on loans to total loans   0.94 %     0.95 %     0.96 %     0.96 %     0.98 %
    Allowance for credit losses to total loans   0.97 %     0.97 %     0.98 %     0.99 %     1.00 %
    Allowance for credit losses on loans to total nonperforming loans   113.46 %     101.13 %     95.33 %     94.97 %     246.34 %
    Allowance for credit losses to total nonperforming loans   116.58 %     102.86 %     98.08 %     97.91 %     251.77 %

    Total deposits decreased $92.4 million, or 9.9%, to $837.8 million at December 31, 2024, from $930.2 million at September 30, 2024 and increased $11.3 million, or 1.4%, from $826.5 million at December 31, 2023. The decrease in total deposits compared to the prior quarter-end was primarily a result of the movement of reciprocal deposits off balance sheet for strategic objectives at year-end, followed by the return of those deposits to our balance sheet in the first quarter of 2025, and a decrease in one high cost money market depositor relationship as part of our strategic decision to decrease our overall cost of funds. Noninterest-bearing deposits increased $2.8 million, or 2.2%, to $132.5 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $129.7 million at September 30, 2024 and increased $5.8 million, or 4.6%, from $126.7 million at December 31, 2023. Noninterest-bearing deposits represented 15.8%, 14.0% and 15.3% of total deposits at December 31, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

    FHLB advances totaled $25.0 million at December 31, 2024, compared to $40.0 million at both September 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023. The decrease from both prior dated was due to the repayment of a $15.0 million FHLB advance that matured in November 2024. FHLB advances are primarily used to support organic loan growth and to maintain liquidity ratios in line with our asset/liability objectives. FHLB advances outstanding at December 31, 2024 had maturities ranging from early 2026 through early 2028. Subordinated notes, net totaled $11.8 million at each of December 31, 2024, September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023.

    Stockholders’ equity totaled $103.7 million at December 31, 2024, an increase of $1.4 million, or 1.4%, from $102.2 million at September 30, 2024, and an increase of $3.0 million, or 3.0%, from $100.7 million at December 31, 2023. The increase in stockholders’ equity from September 30, 2024 was primarily the result of $1.9 million of net income earned during the current quarter, $98 thousand in share-based compensation, and $19 thousand in common stock options exercised, partially offset by a $122 thousand increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax and the payment of $486 thousand in cash dividends to the Company’s stockholders.

    Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company, is the parent company of Sound Community Bank, which is headquartered in Seattle, Washington and has full-service branches in Seattle, Tacoma, Mountlake Terrace, Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Ludlow and University Place. Sound Community Bank is a Fannie Mae Approved Lender and Seller/Servicer with one loan production office located in the Madison Park neighborhood of Seattle. For more information, please visit www.soundcb.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer

    When used in this press release and in documents filed or furnished by Sound Financial Bancorp, Inc. (the “Company”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in the Company’s other press releases or other public or stockholder communications, and in oral statements made with the approval of an authorized executive officer, the words or phrases “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project,” “intends” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, which are based on various underlying assumptions and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other unknown factors, may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events and may turn out to be wrong because of inaccurate assumptions we might make, because of the factors listed below or because of other factors that we cannot foresee that could cause our actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made.

    Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, include, but are not limited to:adverse impacts to economic conditions in the Company’s local market areas, other markets where the Company has lending relationships, or other aspects of the Company’s business operations or financial markets, including, without limitation, as a result of employment levels, labor shortages and the effects of inflation or deflation, a recession or slowed economic growth, as well as supply chain disruptions; changes in the interest rate environment, including increases and decreases in the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the Federal Reserve) benchmark rate and the duration at which such interest rate levels are maintained, which could adversely affect our revenues and expenses, the values of our assets and obligations, and the availability and cost of capital and liquidity; the impact of inflation and the current and future monetary policies of the Federal Reserve in response thereto; the effects of any federal government shutdown; the impact of bank failures or adverse developments at other banks and related negative press about the banking industry in general on investor and depositor sentiment; changes in consumer spending, borrowing and savings habits; fluctuations in interest rates; the risks of lending and investing activities, including changes in the level and direction of loan delinquencies and write-offs and changes in estimates of the adequacy of the allowance for credit losses; the Company’s ability to access cost-effective funding; fluctuations in real estate values and both residential and commercial real estate market conditions; demand for loans and deposits in the Company’s market area; secondary market conditions for loans;expectations regarding key growth initiatives and strategic priorities; environmental, social and governance goals and targets; results of examinations of the Company or the Bank by their regulators; increased competition; changes in management’s business strategies; legislative changes; changes in the regulatory and tax environments in which the Company operates; disruptions, security breaches, or other adverse events, failures or interruptions in, or attacks on, our information technology systems or on our third-party vendors; the potential imposition of new tariffs or changes to existing trade policies that could affect economic activity or specific industry sector; the effects of climate change, severe weather events, natural disasters, pandemics, epidemics and other public health crises, acts of war or terrorism, civil unrest and other external events on our business; and other factors described in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other documents filed with or furnished to the SEC, which are available at www.soundcb.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The risks inherent in these factors could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, the Company and could negatively affect the Company’s operating and stock performance.

    The Company does not undertake—and specifically disclaims any obligation—to revise any forward-looking statement to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

    CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)
        For the Quarter Ended
        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Interest income   $ 14,736     $ 14,838   $ 14,039     $ 13,760     $ 13,337  
    Interest expense     6,516       6,965     6,591       6,300       5,770  
    Net interest income     8,220       7,873     7,448       7,460       7,567  
    Provision for (release of) credit losses     14       8     (109 )     (33 )     (27 )
    Net interest income after provision for (release of) credit losses     8,206       7,865     7,557       7,493       7,594  
    Noninterest income:                    
    Service charges and fee income     619       628     761       612       576  
    Earnings on bank-owned life insurance     127       186     134       177       222  
    Mortgage servicing income     277       280     279       282       288  
    Fair value adjustment on mortgage servicing rights     77       101     (116 )     (65 )     (96 )
    Net gain on sale of loans     53       40     74       90       76  
    Other income     7           30              
    Total noninterest income     1,160       1,235     1,162       1,096       1,066  
    Noninterest expense:                    
    Salaries and benefits     3,920       4,469     4,658       4,543       3,802  
    Operations     1,329       1,540     1,569       1,457       1,537  
    Regulatory assessments     189       189     220       189       198  
    Occupancy     409       414     397       444       458  
    Data processing     1,232       1,067     910       1,017       1,311  
    Net (gain) loss on OREO and repossessed assets     (21 )         (17 )     6        
    Total noninterest expense     7,058       7,679     7,737       7,656       7,306  
    Income before provision for income taxes     2,308       1,421     982       933       1,354  
    Provision for income taxes     389       267     187       163       143  
    Net income   $ 1,919     $ 1,154   $ 795     $ 770     $ 1,211  
    CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENTS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)
         
        For theYear Ended December 31
          2024       2023  
    Interest income   $ 57,374     $ 50,609  
    Interest expense     26,372       16,759  
    Net interest income     31,002       33,850  
    (Release of) provision for credit losses     (120 )     (273 )
    Net interest income after (release of) provision for credit losses     31,122       34,123  
    Noninterest income:        
    Service charges and fee income     2,620       2,527  
    Earnings on bank-owned life insurance     625       1,179  
    Mortgage servicing income     1,118       1,179  
    Fair value adjustment on mortgage servicing rights     (4 )     (219 )
    Net gain on sale of loans     258       340  
    Other income     38        
    Total noninterest income     4,655       5,006  
    Noninterest expense:        
    Salaries and benefits     17,590       17,135  
    Operations     5,894       6,095  
    Regulatory assessments     787       688  
    Occupancy     1,665       1,810  
    Data processing     4,226       4,388  
    Net (gain) loss on OREO and repossessed assets     (31 )     13  
    Total noninterest expense     30,131       30,129  
    Income before provision for income taxes     5,646       9,000  
    Provision for income taxes     1,006       1,561  
    Net income   $ 4,640     $ 7,439  
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)




        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    ASSETS                    
    Cash and cash equivalents   $ 43,641     $ 148,930     $ 135,111     $ 137,977     $ 49,690  
    Available-for-sale securities, at fair value     7,790       8,032       7,996       8,115       8,287  
    Held-to-maturity securities, at amortized cost     2,130       2,139       2,147       2,157       2,166  
    Loans held-for-sale     487       65       257       351       603  
    Loans held-for-portfolio     900,171       901,733       889,274       897,877       894,478  
    Allowance for credit losses – loans     (8,499 )     (8,585 )     (8,493 )     (8,598 )     (8,760 )
    Total loans held-for-portfolio, net     891,672       893,148       880,781       889,279       885,718  
    Accrued interest receivable     3,471       3,705       3,413       3,617       3,452  
    Bank-owned life insurance, net     22,490       22,363       22,172       22,037       21,860  
    Other real estate owned (“OREO”) and other repossessed assets, net           115       115       690       575  
    Mortgage servicing rights, at fair value     4,769       4,665       4,540       4,612       4,632  
    Federal Home Loan Bank (“FHLB”) stock, at cost     1,730       2,405       2,406       2,406       2,396  
    Premises and equipment, net     4,697       4,807       4,906       6,685       5,240  
    Right-of-use assets     3,725       3,779       4,020       4,259       4,496  
    Other assets     7,031       6,777       6,995       4,500       6,106  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 993,633     $ 1,100,930     $ 1,074,859     $ 1,086,685     $ 995,221  
    LIABILITIES                    
    Interest-bearing deposits   $ 705,267     $ 800,480     $ 781,854     $ 788,217     $ 699,813  
    Noninterest-bearing deposits     132,532       129,717       124,915       128,666       126,726  
    Total deposits     837,799       930,197       906,769       916,883       826,539  
    Borrowings     25,000       40,000       40,000       40,000       40,000  
    Accrued interest payable     765       908       760       719       817  
    Lease liabilities     4,013       4,079       4,328       4,576       4,821  
    Other liabilities     9,371       9,711       9,105       9,578       9,563  
    Advance payments from borrowers for taxes and insurance     1,260       2,047       812       2,209       1,110  
    Subordinated notes, net     11,759       11,749       11,738       11,728       11,717  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     889,967       998,691       973,512       985,693       894,567  
    STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:                    
    Common stock     25       25       25       25       25  
    Additional paid-in capital     28,413       28,296       28,198       28,110       27,990  
    Retained earnings     76,272       74,840       74,173       73,907       73,627  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax     (1,044 )     (922 )     (1,049 )     (1,050 )     (988 )
    TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY     103,666       102,239       101,347       100,992       100,654  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY   $ 993,633     $ 1,100,930     $ 1,074,859     $ 1,086,685     $ 995,221  
    KEY FINANCIAL RATIOS
    (unaudited)
        For the Quarter Ended
        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Annualized return on average assets   0.70 %   0.42 %   0.30 %   0.29 %   0.46 %
    Annualized return on average equity   7.40 %   4.50 %   3.17 %   3.06 %   4.78 %
    Annualized net interest margin(1)   3.13 %   2.98 %   2.92 %   2.95 %   3.04 %
    Annualized efficiency ratio(2)   75.25 %   84.31 %   89.86 %   89.48 %   84.63 %

    (1)   Net interest income divided by average interest earning assets.
    (2)   Noninterest expense divided by total revenue (net interest income and noninterest income).

    PER COMMON SHARE DATA
    (unaudited)
        At or For the Quarter Ended
        December 31, 2024   September 30, 2024   June 30, 2024   March 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Basic earnings per share   $ 0.75   $ 0.45   $ 0.31   $ 0.30   $ 0.47
    Diluted earnings per share   $ 0.74   $ 0.45   $ 0.31   $ 0.30   $ 0.47
    Weighted-average basic shares outstanding     2,547,210     2,544,233     2,540,538     2,539,213     2,542,175
    Weighted-average diluted shares outstanding     2,578,771     2,569,368     2,559,015     2,556,958     2,560,656
    Common shares outstanding at period-end     2,564,907     2,564,095     2,557,284     2,558,546     2,549,427
    Book value per share   $ 40.42   $ 39.87   $ 39.63   $ 39.47   $ 39.48

    AVERAGE BALANCE, AVERAGE YIELD EARNED, AND AVERAGE RATE PAID
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)

    The following tables present, for the periods indicated, the total dollar amount of interest income from average interest-earning assets and the resultant yields, as well as the interest expense on average interest-bearing liabilities, expressed both in dollars and rates. Income and yields on tax-exempt obligations have not been computed on a tax equivalent basis. All average balances are daily average balances. Nonaccrual loans have been included in the table as loans carrying a zero yield for the period they have been on nonaccrual (dollars in thousands).

      Three Months Ended
      December 31, 2024   September 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest Earned/
    Paid
      Yield/
    Rate
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest Earned/
    Paid
      Yield/
    Rate
      Average Outstanding Balance   Interest Earned/
    Paid
      Yield/
    Rate
    Interest-Earning Assets:                                  
    Loans receivable $ 900,832     $ 13,070   5.77 %   $ 898,570     $ 12,876   5.70 %   $ 884,677     $ 12,033   5.40 %
    Interest-earning cash   130,412       1,534   4.68 %     138,240       1,830   5.27 %     88,401       1,175   5.27 %
    Investments   13,263       132   3.96 %     13,806       132   3.80 %     14,479       129   3.53 %
    Total interest-earning assets $ 1,044,507       14,736   5.61 %     1,050,616     $ 14,838   5.62 %   $ 987,557       13,337   5.36 %
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities:                                  
    Savings and money market accounts $ 350,495       2,476   2.81 %   $ 340,281       2,688   3.14 %   $ 258,583       1,586   2.43 %
    Demand and NOW accounts   144,470       128   0.35 %     148,252       151   0.41 %     169,816       149   0.35 %
    Certificate accounts   301,293       3,413   4.51 %     303,632       3,524   4.62 %     300,042       3,436   4.54 %
    Subordinated notes   11,756       168   5.69 %     11,745       168   5.69 %     11,714       168   5.69 %
    Borrowings   30,546       331   4.31 %     40,000       434   4.32 %     40,109       431   4.26 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities $ 838,560       6,516   3.09 %   $ 843,910       6,965   3.28 %   $ 780,264       5,770   2.93 %
    Net interest income/spread     $ 8,220   2.52 %       $ 7,873   2.34 %       $ 7,567   2.42 %
    Net interest margin         3.13 %           2.98 %           3.04 %
                                       
    Ratio of interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities   125 %             124 %             127 %        
    Noninterest-bearing deposits $ 130,476             $ 132,762             $ 134,857          
    Total deposits   926,734     $ 6,017   2.58 %     924,927     $ 6,363   2.74 %     863,298     $ 5,171   2.38 %
    Total funding(1)   969,036       6,516   2.68 %     976,672       6,965   2.84 %     915,121       5,770   2.50 %

    (1)   Total funding is the sum of average interest-bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits. The cost of total funding is calculated as annualized total interest expense divided by average total funding.

      Year Ended
      December 31, 2024   December 31, 2023
      Average
    Outstanding Balance
      Interest Earned/Paid   Yield/Rate   Average
    Outstanding Balance
      Interest Earned/Paid   Yield/Rate
    Interest-Earning Assets:                      
    Loans receivable $ 896,690     $ 50,499   5.63 %   $ 870,227     $ 46,470   5.34 %
    Interest-earning cash   124,259       6,367   5.12 %     74,708       3,621   4.85 %
    Investments   12,468       508   4.07 %     13,661       518   3.79 %
    Total interest-earning assets $ 1,033,417       57,374   5.55 %   $ 958,596       50,609   5.28 %
    Interest-Bearing Liabilities:                      
    Savings and money market accounts $ 319,314       9,145   2.86 %   $ 194,810       2,783   1.43 %
    Demand and NOW accounts   151,528       568   0.37 %     204,922       736   0.36 %
    Certificate accounts   309,441       14,363   4.64 %     280,238       10,617   3.79 %
    Subordinated notes   11,740       672   5.72 %     11,698       672   5.74 %
    Borrowings   37,623       1,624   4.32 %     43,977       1,951   4.44 %
    Total interest-bearing liabilities $ 829,646       26,372   3.18 %   $ 735,645       16,759   2.28 %
    Net interest income/spread     $ 31,002   2.37 %       $ 33,850   3.00 %
    Net interest margin         3.00 %           3.53 %
                           
    Ratio of interest-earning assets to interest-bearing liabilities   125 %             130 %        
    Noninterest-bearing deposits $ 131,141             $ 154,448          
    Total deposits   911,424     $ 24,076   2.64 %     834,418     $ 14,136   1.69 %
    Total funding(1)   960,787       26,372   2.74 %     890,093       16,759   1.88 %

    (1)   Total funding is the sum of average interest-bearing liabilities and average noninterest-bearing deposits. The cost of total funding is calculated as annualized total interest expense divided by average total funding.

    LOANS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)



        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Real estate loans:                    
    One-to-four family   $ 269,684     $ 271,702     $ 268,488     $ 279,213     $ 279,448  
    Home equity     26,686       25,199       26,185       24,380       23,073  
    Commercial and multifamily     371,516       358,587       342,632       324,483       315,280  
    Construction and land     73,077       85,724       96,962       111,726       126,758  
    Total real estate loans     740,963       741,212       734,267       739,802       744,559  
    Consumer Loans:                    
    Manufactured homes     41,128       40,371       38,953       37,583       36,193  
    Floating homes     86,411       86,155       81,622       84,237       75,108  
    Other consumer     17,720       18,266       18,422       18,847       19,612  
    Total consumer loans     145,259       144,792       138,997       140,667       130,913  
    Commercial business loans     15,605       17,481       17,860       19,075       20,688  
    Total loans     901,827       903,485       891,124       899,544       896,160  
    Less:                    
    Premiums     718       736       754       808       829  
    Deferred fees, net     (2,374 )     (2,488 )     (2,604 )     (2,475 )     (2,511 )
    Allowance for credit losses – loans     (8,499 )     (8,585 )     (8,493 )     (8,598 )     (8,760 )
    Total loans held-for-portfolio, net   $ 891,672     $ 893,148     $ 880,781     $ 889,279     $ 885,718  
    DEPOSITS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)



        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Noninterest-bearing demand   $ 132,532   $ 129,717   $ 124,915   $ 128,666   $ 126,726
    Interest-bearing demand     142,126     148,740     152,829     159,178     168,346
    Savings     61,252     61,455     63,368     65,723     69,461
    Money market(1)     206,067     285,655     253,873     241,976     154,044
    Certificates     295,822     304,630     311,784     321,340     307,962
    Total deposits   $ 837,799   $ 930,197   $ 906,769   $ 916,883   $ 826,539

    (1)   Includes $5.0 million of brokered deposits at December 31, 2023. 

    CREDIT QUALITY DATA
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)
        At or For the Quarter Ended
        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
    Total nonperforming loans   $ 7,491     $ 8,489     $ 8,909     $ 9,053     $ 3,556  
    OREO and other repossessed assets           115       115       690       575  
    Total nonperforming assets   $ 7,491     $ 8,604     $ 9,024     $ 9,743     $ 4,131  
    Net charge-offs during the quarter   $ (13 )   $ (14 )   $ (17 )   $ (56 )   $ (15 )
    Provision for (release of) credit losses during the quarter     14       8       (109 )     (33 )     (27 )
    Allowance for credit losses – loans     8,499       8,585       8,493       8,598       8,760  
    Allowance for credit losses – loans to total loans     0.94 %     0.95 %     0.96 %     0.96 %     0.98 %
    Allowance for credit losses – loans to total nonperforming loans     113.46 %     101.13 %     95.33 %     94.97 %     246.34 %
    Nonperforming loans to total loans     0.83 %     0.94 %     1.00 %     1.01 %     0.40 %
    Nonperforming assets to total assets     0.75 %     0.78 %     0.84 %     0.90 %     0.42 %
    OTHER STATISTICS
    (Dollars in thousands, unaudited)
        At or For the Quarter Ended
        December 31,
    2024
      September 30,
    2024
      June 30,
    2024
      March 31,
    2024
      December 31,
    2023
                         
    Total loans to total deposits     107.64 %     97.13 %     98.27 %     98.11 %     108.42 %
    Noninterest-bearing deposits to total deposits     15.82 %     13.95 %     13.78 %     14.03 %     15.33 %
                         
    Average total assets for the quarter   $ 1,089,067     $ 1,095,404     $ 1,070,579     $ 1,062,036     $ 1,033,985  
    Average total equity for the quarter   $ 103,181     $ 102,059     $ 100,961     $ 101,292     $ 100,612  

    Contact

    Financial:    
    Wes Ochs      
    Executive Vice President/CFO    
    (206) 436-8587      
           
    Media:    
    Laurie Stewart      
    President/CEO    
    (206) 436-1495      
           

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Security: Union County Man Sentenced To 57 Months In Prison For Stolen Vehicles Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to receive, retitle, and “re-VIN” stolen vehicles, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Nathaniel Bell, 27, of Linden, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to a seven-count information charging him with one count of conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles, five counts of altering or removing motor vehicle identification numbers (VINs) and one count of transportation of stolen vehicles.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Bell was the leader of a criminal conspiracy that obtained stolen vehicles from New Jersey, New York, Florida, and other states, obtained fraudulent titles for the stolen vehicles, and altered vehicle identification numbers to conceal the fact that the vehicles were stolen. Bell and his co-conspirators then sold the stolen cars to dealerships or individual purchasers so they could make a profit. In at least two instances, the co-conspirators sold a stolen car to an individual purchaser and then stole it back so they could sell it again. Bell also knowingly altered or removed the VIN numbers on five vehicles and knowingly transported a stolen vehicle between New York and New Jersey.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Bell to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution.

    Bell’s co-conspirators, Johnathan Tanksley, 31, of Orange; L’Hubermane Felix, 25, of Miami, Florida; and Dayanna Sarango-Hidalgo, 29, of Newark, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen vehicles. Felix was previously sentenced to 24 months in prison. Tanksley and Sarango-Hidalgo await sentencing.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation that led to the sentencing. He also thanked the New Jersey State Police Auto Theft Task Force; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission; the Union County Prosecutor’s Office; the National Insurance Crime Bureau; the Jersey City Police Department; the Belleville Police Department; the Rahway Police Department; the Linden Police Department; the Roselle Police Department; the Eatontown Police Department; the Freehold Police Department; the Elizabeth Police Department; the Miami Police Department (Florida); the Florida Highway Patrol; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission; the Howard County Police Department (Maryland); the New York Police Department; the Nassau County Police Department (New York); the Georgia Department of Revenue; the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; the Deputy Attorney General’s Office; the FBI Miami Office; the FBI Cleveland Office; and the FBI Milwaukee Office

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kober of the Organized Crimes/Gangs Unit in Newark.

                                                                 ###

    Defense counsel: Jason F. Orlando 

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty for His Role in $250 Million Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A Rochester man pleaded guilty for his role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally-funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, from approximately October 2020 through January 2022, Sharmake Jama, 37, knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud a federal child nutrition program designed to provide free meals to children in need. Rather than feed children, the defendants took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic—and the resulting program changes—to enrich themselves by fraudulently misappropriating millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds.

    According to court documents, in September 2020, Jama and Aimee Bock applied for Jama’s Brava Restaurant to be enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Bock’s non-profit, Feeding Our Future. Jama enrolled in the Federal Child Nutrition Program after he first prepared application paperwork at the direction of Salim Said, the co-owner of Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, which was another business involved in the scheme to defraud the food program.

    From late 2020 through 2021, Jama and other conspirators claimed Brava Restaurant was serving approximately 2,000 to 3,000 daily breakfasts and lunches to children, for which they fraudulently claimed and received millions of dollars in federal child nutrition program funds. To accomplish his scheme, Jama and his co-conspirators submitted fake attendance rosters purporting to list the names of children who purportedly received their food at sites. These rosters were fraudulent in that the names on them were fake or did not correctly reflect the number of children that were fed.

    According to his plea agreement entered today, Jama claimed Brava Restaurant had served more than 1.7 million meals in Rochester as part of the Federal Child Nutrition Program in a little over one year, a number substantially higher than the actual number of meals served. Based on these fraudulent claims, Feeding Our Future paid out over $5.3 million in federal child nutrition program reimbursements for meals purportedly served to children by the defendant and his co-conspirators. Jama knew his receipt of such funds was fraudulent because he and other conspirators intentionally submitted inflated meal counts. Jama’s Brava Restaurant ultimately received $4.3 million directly from Feeding Our Future and over $900,000 from Safari Restaurant, co-owned by Salim Said.

    As part of their scheme, Jama and his conspirators coordinated the establishment of shell companies through which they received and dispersed funds from the federal child nutrition program. Specifically, on January 7, 2021, Salim Said paid to register six different shell companies with the state of Minnesota for Jama and others. Salim Said paid to register Mumu LLC for Jama. In 2021, Jama deposited at least $872,230—almost all of which was misappropriated Federal Child Nutrition Program funds—into his Mumu LLC bank accounts.

    Jama used federal child nutrition funds to pay for personal expenditures unrelated to feeding children, including at least $88,000 for a 2021 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali 4WD Crew Cab truck and over $500,000 toward real estate in Rochester, Minnesota, and Rosemount, Minnesota.

    Jama pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court before Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. His sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.

    The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew S. Ebert, Joseph H. Thompson, and Harry M. Jacobs are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mescalero Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teen 20 years his junior.

    According to court documents, Thomas Lee Chaffins, 35, an enrolled member of Mescalero Apache Tribe, admitted to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on September 27, 2024, in Otero County, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation.

    Chaffins will remain detained pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Chaffins faces up to 15 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Matilda McCarthy Villalobos and Alyson Hehr are prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Immigration Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joseph Sanchez, 33, of Fairbury, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to participating in an immigration marriage fraud conspiracy.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in or around August 2021, Sanchez was living in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. A foreign national who worked at a convenience store near Sanchez’s residence offered to pay Sanchez if he found a woman willing to marry the foreign national so he could obtain lawful permanent resident status, commonly known as a Green Card. Sanchez ultimately agreed to the request in exchange for $10,000 in cash. The understanding was that $5,000 would be paid upon the marriage being final, and another $5,000 would be paid once the foreign national received his Green Card.

    Sanchez arranged to have his sister-in-law marry the foreign national. Sanchez told his sister-in-law about the purpose of the arrangement and the financial benefits associated with it. The sister-in-law had only occasionally interacted with the foreign national, as a customer at his convenience store. The sister-in-law and Sanchez had no social connections to the foreign national beyond frequenting the convenience store.

    In September 2021, Sanchez’s sister-in-law and the foreign national were married in White Sulphur Springs. In March 2023, Sanchez traveled with the sister-in-law and the foreign national to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The purpose of the trip was for the sister-in-law and the foreign national to attend an interview with U.S. immigration officials to trick those officials into believing the marriage was entered into in good faith and that the relationship between the sister-in-law and the foreign national was genuine. The scheme was unsuccessful, and the foreign national’s application was denied.

    Sanchez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-198.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Sentences for Two Santa Fe Men for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Two Santa Fe men were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking operation that utilized social media to advertise and distribute drugs.

    According to court documents, the Santa Fe Police Department (SFPD) and the FBI began investigating a fentanyl-based drug-trafficking organization in the fall of 2020. During the investigation, officers uncovered the defendants, Mario Guizar-Anchondo and Werni Lopez-Perez, social media activity advertising the sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

    In December 2021, SFPD officers encountered Guizar-Anchondo and Lopez-Perez twice.

    • December 4, 2021: SFPD responded to a report of suspected drug activity involving Lopez-Perez in a white Ford F-150 truck. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a loaded firearm, over $18,000 in cash, 635 grams of methamphetamine, 40 grams of fentanyl pills, and drug paraphernalia.
    • December 30, 2021: SFPD officers stopped the same Ford F-150 truck, this time driven by Guizar-Anchondo with Lopez-Perez as the passenger. A search of the vehicle, authorized by federal and state warrants, revealed approximately 1,730 grams of methamphetamine, 32,000 fentanyl pills, five loaded firearms, and additional drug paraphernalia.

    Despite the ongoing investigation, Guizar-Anchondo and Lopez-Perez continued to advertise fentanyl pills for sale on social media platforms. These posts depicted baggies of fentanyl pills similar to those recovered from the vehicle.

    Lopez-Perez and Guizar-Anchondo both pled guilty to one count each of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lopez-Perez was sentenced to 80 months in prison, while Guizar-Anchondo was sentenced to 108 months.

    Upon their release from prison, Lopez-Perez and Guizar-Anchondo will be subject to 3 years of supervised release.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Santa Fe Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Trenton Alan Cremeans, 24, of Seth, was sentenced today to three years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for possession of prepubescent child pornography. Cremeans must also register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 17, 2024, Cremeans possessed child pornography on his cell phone. When combined with child pornography also possessed in his Snapchat accounts, Cremeans possessed a total of approximately 373 images and 31 videos of child pornography. These images and videos included depictions of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and some of the images depicted sadistic and masochistic abuse. Cremeans further admitted that he downloaded these images and videos online, and used his cell phone to search online for child pornography and related information by using specific search terms, including terms that specifically sought child pornography depicting infants and toddlers.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

    Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald prosecuted the case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-41.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Helena man admits conspiracy to distribute large quantities of meth, fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A Helena man accused of trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl he received from suppliers in California and Oregon admitted to a conspiracy charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Charles Clifford Hamlin, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Hamlin faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for June 5. Hamlin was detained pending further proceedings.

    In a plea agreement filed in the case, the parties agreed that Hamlin would serve a sentence within a stipulated range of 15 years to 20 years in prison.

    In court documents, the government alleged that the Missouri River Drug Task Force and United States Postal Service began investigating Hamlin after they intercepted a package intended for Hamlin in August 2021. The package contained approximately three pounds of meth. Over the next several years, investigators spoke with numerous sources who identified Hamlin as a large-scale narcotics distributor. Two sources worked with Hamlin to bring meth from California to Montana, and one source went to Oregon to obtain meth for Hamlin to distribute. The sources stated the deliveries to Hamlin ranged from between one pound to three pounds.

    Another source told investigators about receiving ounces of meth and “rolls” of fentanyl pills regularly from Hamlin. Hamlin received deliveries every two and one-half weeks from a source in Oregon. Each delivery was approximately seven pounds of meth, 4,000 to 7,000 fentanyl pills, two ounces of cocaine and two ounces of heroin.

    In December 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Hamlin and his truck was searched based on a suspected probation violation. Officers located approximately 18 grams of meth in his gas tank flap. Investigators also made controlled buys of meth and fentanyl pills from Hamlin. In February 2024, law enforcement stopped an individual in Powell County, and the person had nine pounds of meth and 6,200 fentanyl pills. Approximately six pounds of the meth was destined for Hamlin.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Missouri River Drug Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Helena Police Department, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Montana Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fayette County Woman Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Crime

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BECKLEY, W.Va. – Kayla Nicole Dent, 34, of Mount Hope, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2024, Dent sold approximately 1.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in exchange for $140 at Dent’s residence. Dent admitted to the transaction and to arranging it with the confidential informant beforehand.

    Dent is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which  consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, and the Beckley Police Department.

    United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys  Brian D. Parsons and Alexander A. Redmon are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-140.

    ###

     

     

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    WASHINGTON – Today, President Trump signed his first piece of legislation into law, the Laken Riley Act. This law mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury.  

    A statement from Secretary Noem on the signing of the bill is below:  

    “Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. This law restores commonsense to our broken immigration system. Under President Trump, violent criminals and vicious gang members will no longer be released into American communities.” 

    The Laken Riley Act is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan alien who was previously arrested and paroled into the U.S. under the previous administration.  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: First of 3 new Coast Guard cutters arrives to homeport in Kodiak, Alaska

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    News Release

     

    U.S. Coast Guard 17th District Alaska
    Contact: 17th District Public Affairs
    Office: (907) 463-2065
    After Hours: (907) 463-2065
    17th District online newsroom

     

    01/29/2025 06:05 PM EST

    KODIAK, Alaska — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter John Witherspoon (WPC 1158) arrived at the cutter’s new homeport in Kodiak, Tuesday.  The cutter is scheduled to be commissioned during a ceremony in April.  The Witherspoon is the first of three Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) scheduled to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak and is now the fourth FRC currently based in Alaska. While these ships will be homeported in Kodiak, they will operate throughout the 17th Coast Guard District to include the U.S. Arctic, Gulf of Alaska, and Bering Sea.   The crew of the Witherspoon will carry out integral Coast Guard missions such as maritime law enforcement and security, living marine resources, and search and rescue. They will provide security for Alaskan coastal communities as they continue to utilize the ocean for their livelihoods while preserving Alaska’s living marine resources in conjunction with our partner agencies.   “The crew is humbled to be associated to a namesake honoring Capt. John G. Witherspoon, a trailblazer who found enjoyment and purpose in leading and mentoring others,” said Lt. Cmdr. Adam Young, commanding officer of the Witherspoon. “It is fitting that the cutter’s first sail was no tall order, stretching more than 7,000 nautical miles from Key West to Kodiak. Throughout the last five months, the crew displayed remarkable teamwork and resilience, a true testament to the core values Capt. Witherspoon epitomized throughout his illustrious career. I couldn’t be prouder of the team we have onboard, and I look forward to experiencing the beauty of Alaska once again.”  The new FRCs arriving in Alaska are designed to replace the service’s fleet of 110-foot cutters that are projected to be decommissioned this year. The Coast Guard is currently scheduled to have six FRCs operating throughout Alaska by the end of 2025 to reinforce our maritime boundaries and shorten on-scene response times to support search and rescue efforts and better serve the people of Alaska.  FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment as well as over-the-horizon response boat deployment capability and improved habitability for the crew. The ships can reach speeds of 28 knots and are equipped to coordinate operations with partner agencies and long-range Coast Guard assets such as the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutters.  FRCs are 154-foot multi-mission ships designed to conduct drug and migrant interdictions; ports, waterways and coastal security operations; fisheries and environmental protection patrols; national defense missions; and search and rescue. Each cutter is designed for a crew of 24, has a range of 2,500 miles and is equipped for patrols up to five days. The FRCs are part of the Coast Guard’s overall fleet modernization initiative. 

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: DRC: MSF appeals for humanitarian access in Goma as casualties seek medical care.

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    30 January, 2025: Goma/Kinshasa- An influx of wounded people is arriving at Kyeshero hospital in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams in the hospital are treating people through the armed clashes and insecurity that have hit the city in recent days. We have been affected by several incidents since the beginning of the week, some of which have limited our ability to provide people with the medical care they need. We are now preparing to send new teams to Goma and need guaranteed humanitarian access from the involved parties.

    Fighting between M23, the Congolese army, and their respective allies reached Goma’s city centre earlier this week, causing panic and impacting residents. Goma, the capital city of North Kivu province, has been cut off from the rest of the world for several days, and victims of the fighting are arriving at medical facilities whenever they can.

    Humanitarian and medical facilities have not been spared during the violence.

    “At Kyeshero hospital, a bullet pierced the roof of the operating theatre during an operation,” says Virginie Napolitano, MSF’s emergency coordinator in North Kivu, speaking from Goma. “Some of our stock of equipment and medicines has been looted, jeopardising our medical assistance inside and outside Goma. Armed looting has also affected our colleagues in Goma. One of them was wounded by gunshot in his home during an attack. Other organisations and medical facilities have also come under fire. This is totally unacceptable.”

    Despite the situation, an MSF team continues to provide care for wounded patients at Kyeshero hospital, in support of Ndosho hospital, where the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is receiving an even greater influx of wounded.

    Since Thursday, 142 wounded patients have been treated at Kyeshero. On Tuesday alone, MSF received 37 injured people, half of them civilians and the majority of whom are women. Most of the injuries were caused by shrapnel, while other patients suffered gunshot wounds.

    Since Friday, people have had to cope with continuous water and electricity cuts. The supply of meals that MSF provides to patients and their families is in jeopardy, as insecurity, the risk of looting, and the closure of roads are preventing us from replenishing food stocks, which only last two to three days.

    The worsening insecurity and intense fighting have forced MSF to temporarily reduce the number of active teams in Goma and in the camps for internally displaced people on the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, medical and humanitarian needs in and around Goma will only grow. In recent weeks, tens of thousands of people have joined the 650,000 people who had already been living in camps around Goma for more than two years. Fighting has also reached areas around camps, sending people fleeing once again.

    “The impact of this fighting on the civilian population is enormous. In addition to the wounded and dead, we are receiving devastating reports from internally displaced people camps where our teams can no longer go,” says Stephan Goetghebuer, MSF’s head of programmes in North Kivu. “In the Kanyaruchinya displaced people’s site, the health centre we support continues to operate, but the team has seen two children die this week because they could not be transferred to any hospital.”

    MSF is preparing to send teams back into Goma to assess what response can be provided, and how best we could scale up, following the looting of the past few days. We would like to replenish our stocks and scale up emergency care as soon as possible. One possible way to move new teams and equipment into Goma would be through the Great Barrier, which separates DRC from Rwanda. This requires facilitation and guarantees from the involved parties.

    As the situation continues to deteriorate, MSF urges the warring parties to do more to protect civilians. They must also respect the most basic rules of international humanitarian law and guarantee humanitarian access, so that essential medical assistance can be provided to people.

    MSF teams are still present in other conflict-affected areas of both North and South Kivu provinces.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  
     

    MIL OSI – Submitted News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Call to End Prescribing Puberty Blockers In NZ

    Source: Family First

    MEDIA RELEASE

    30 January 2025

    Family First is calling for an immediate end to new prescribing of puberty blockers due to the clear lack of quality probative evidence of efficacy and safety.

    It comes at the same time as more than 100 doctors, academics, lawyers, politicians and “detransitioners” are calling for the Albanese government in Australia to launch an immediate inquiry into youth gender medicine and to pause the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapies for children in Australia.

    Family First and its legal representatives met with the Puberty Blocker Consultation Team from the Ministry of Health in January.

    Family First has subsequently written to both the PBC Team and Health NZ to reiterate the following points regarding the safety and efficacy requirements under the Medicines Act 1981 (the Medicines Act) and Family First’s concerns about inconsistent standards, stating the following:

    “We are aware that these provisions do not apply directly to off-label use of puberty blockers under section 25 of the Medicines Act, but we have been advised that the Medicines Act generally requires proof of safety and efficacy before allowing the sale and supply of new medications for specific indications in New Zealand.

    “Throughout the Medicines Act, there are strict conditions relating to safety and efficacy both for a medicine to first obtain consent to be used in New Zealand and secondly for it to be removed from the market if concerns arise about its safety and efficacy, including the following:

    1. Applications for the Minister’s consent under section 20 of the Medicines Act require evidence to be provided, under section 21(2), of both the safety and efficacy of the medicine.
    2. Section 35 enables the Minister to revoke or suspend a consent under sections 20 or 23 if he is of the opinion that either the medicine can no longer be administered or used safely or that the efficacy of the medicine can no longer be regarded as satisfactory.
    3. Section 36 enables the Director-General to give notice and require an importer or manufacturer to satisfy him of the “safety or efficacy of that medicine” if he “has reason to believe that any medicine, not being a new medicine, may be unsafe or ineffective for the therapeutic purpose for which is it sold”. This process can also then lead to a notice from the Minister prohibiting the sale or supply of the medicine under section 36(3)(a).
    4. Even a change in an existing approved medicine can be referred to the Minister for consideration, under section 24(5), if the Director-General considers that despite the evidence supplied he is insufficiently informed of the safety or efficacy of the medicine after that change.

    “As discussed, we are concerned about the ability of patients to give their informed consent for puberty blockers for Gender Dysmorphia prescribed under section 25 when they have not been proven to be safe, efficacious or reversible for the purposes they are currently being prescribed and used for in New Zealand.

    “This is based on the Ministry of Health’s own Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care dated 21 November, 2024, following the release of an evidence brief which examined the safety and long-term impacts of puberty blockers when used in the context of gender-affirming care. [View the Impact of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Dysphoric Adolescents: An evidence brief.]

    Family First’s position remains that there should be an immediate end to new prescribing of puberty blockers due to the clear lack of quality probative evidence of efficacy and safety. Existing users need to be transitioned from Puberty Blockers in a medically appropriate way or at the very least, have the lack of quality evidence on safety, efficacy and reversibility explained to them with a view to confirming they and their parents or guardians do provide informed consent.  This in turn also means the Ministry’s Position Statement must be updated immediately to remove the factually incorrect statements regarding efficacy, safety, and future risks, including any references to the PATHA Guidelines.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Protest – Protest calls for answers on company chosen to supply vape kits

    Source: Health Coalition Aotearoa

    Public Health experts are questioning a decision by the Government to purchase $575,000 worth of vaping products from a company accused of allegedly bribing the New Zealand Government.
    They will be meeting today at 12.30pm today on Parliament’s forecourt to raise their concerns and call for a public inquiry into the influence of the tobacco and vape industry on the Government’s Smokefree policy.
    The company chosen to supply vaping kits to Government funded stop smoking services is Chinese based vaping giant RELX.
    Reporting by The Straits Times in Singapore obtained leaked call recordings where employees of RELX can be heard discussing bribing the New Zealand Government.
    RELX employees can be heard saying: “we don’t do that visibly in Australia and New Zealand. But government payments are not a problem for us because, because these are extremely… how do I put it… subtle.”
    “It’s just like how the Big Tobacco does it, right, they go through multiple shell companies and associations and consultants and agencies and whatnot. And it’s almost… you need to have a very persistent investigative journalist to find out…”
    Additional reporting by 60 Minutes in Australia confirmed the company at the centre of these allegations is RELX.
    Thousands of RELX vaping products distributed to stop smoking services in early January were purchased by Te Whatu Ora. There doesn’t appear to be a formal tender process that took place to choose a vaping supplier and funding came out of the Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 Innovation fund.
    With serious accusations of bribery surfacing the Associate Minister of Health Casey Costello needs to front up and explain why no tender process was followed and why the Government chose vaping company RELX to supply $575k worth of vaping products.
    We are now over a year into our Government appearing to have been influenced by the tobacco and vape industry in their decision making and now there are accusations of bribery taking place.
    RELX has a questionable history of following relevant New Zealand legislation and regulations here and overseas. RELX continued to publish prohibited advertising including using Instagram influencers following new laws to crack down on vape advertising in late 2020.
    The Straits Times stories:
    60 Minutes story:
    The Age/Sydney Morning Herald version (also attached) of the 60 Minutes piece:
    RELX ownership
    Mission Holdings Limited is an umbrella company for Mission Retail Limited, Mission Distribution Limited and Mission Brands.
    The shareholders/directors are Jing Zhang and Jingrui Liu (the companies office address listed for both is: 4 Magee Place, East Tamaki Heights, Auckland, 2016) and Haodong (Sky) Deng and Dan Shan (Both share the same address: 9 Gilford Place, East Tamaki Heights, Auckland, 2016).
    Jing Zhang worked for British American Tobacco for 3 years 6 months from July 2007, then for Philip Morris International for 8 years and 3 months from Jan 2011 until March 2019, and founded Mission Brands in April of 2019.
    Haodong (Sky) Deng worked for Philip Morris from November 2014 until March 2019 before also co-founding Mission Brands in April 2019.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence – MacDonnell Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force have arrested a 35-year-old man in relation to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Amoonguna this morning.

    Around 5:30am, police received reports that a 36-year-old woman had been stabbed by her partner within the community.

    Police and St John Ambulance attended the scene and the woman was conveyed to Alice Springs Hospital in a stable condition with a laceration to her head.

    The 35-year-old man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody, expected to be charged later today.

    Investigations are ongoing and police urge anyone with information to call police on 131 444 and quote reference P25029595 . Anonymous reports can also be made through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

    Support services for those affected by domestic or family violence are available, including 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline (13 11 14).

    MIL OSI News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Parrish Man Arrested For Trafficking Firearms To Convicted Felon

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Frank Jude Petrone, Sr. (55, Parrish) with trafficking firearms to a convicted felon. If convicted, Petrone faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

    According to the complaint, on October 2, 2024, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office notified the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Petrone was selling firearms to an individual he knew to be a convicted felon. Petrone sells firearms for a licensed gun dealer. On three separate occasions between October 2024 and January 2025, Petrone sold the convicted felon, acting as a confidential source, three firearms and 117 rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits selling firearms to a convicted felon and a convicted felon cannot pass the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

    On the evening of October 17, 2024, Petrone sold a .357 Taurus International 605 Poly Protector revolver and 10 rounds of .357 ammunition to the confidential source. On November 8, 2024, Petrone sold a 9mm Sig Sauer M18 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. And on January 2, 2025, Petrone sold a .45 ISAS 1911A1 semi-automatic pistol to the confidential source. During that transaction, Petrone also offered to sell a machinegun with an obliterated serial number.

    A complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.         

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven to Serve as Chairman of Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    01.29.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he will again serve as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee. Hoeven has served as the lead Republican on the committee since 2017, having previously fulfilled the role of chairman in the 115th and 116th Congresses.
    “The hard work of our farmers and ranchers provides a solid foundation for North Dakota’s economy, while ensuring Americans continue to benefit from the lowest-cost, highest-quality food supply in the world,” said Hoeven. “My role on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee has been a tremendous opportunity to address the needs of our producers, agri-businesses and rural communities. I look forward to serving as chairman once again, where I will continue working to provide the tools and resources needed to support a strong ag economy, while advancing new innovations and market access to give our producers a competitive edge in the global economy.”
              As chairman, Hoeven will continue his efforts to advance critical priorities for farmers, ranchers and rural America through annual funding legislation. This includes:
    Advancing implementation of the $33.5 billion in disaster assistance that he worked to secure for producers in the year-end legislation.
    Securing strong support for agriculture research, including:
    The precision agriculture work being undertaken by Grand Farm, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and their partners.
    The agriculture policy research center the senator is working to stand up at NDSU.

    Ensuring access to credit for producers to better enable them to manage their operations, cover their costs and weather challenges.
    Improving access to foreign markets for producers and agri-businesses.
    Supporting greater transparency and competition in cattle markets, including through his Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program.
    Providing regulatory relief to reduce costs for producers and making sure programs are voluntary and farmer-friendly.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Israel’s new laws banning UNRWA already taking effect

    Source: United Nations 4

    Peace and Security

    Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is due to enter into force in the coming hours, bringing fundamental changes to its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the agency and Palestinians they serve in Gaza who spoke with UN News on Wednesday.

    Soundcloud

    If implemented, the two new laws passed in October will simultaneously prohibit Israeli authorities from contacting UNRWA and ban the agency from operating in war-ravaged Gaza and East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler.

    As such, poised to change are Israel’s role as the occupying power and the work of the UN General Assembly-mandated agency known since 1949 as the backbone of humanitarian aid assisting nearly six million Palestine refugees today.

    Check out UN Photo’s essay What UNRWA Built here.

    © UNRWA

    The war in Gaza has seen an unprecedented number of attacks on UN premises and staff. (file)

    Evacuation and relocation

    Israel as the occupying power is responsible for issuing visas to international staff from humanitarian organizations like UNRWA, whose headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem comprise a compound protected by the 1946 Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

    © UNRWA

    UNRWA has been called the backbone of humanitarian assistance in war-ravaged Gaza.

    The Knesset legislation has yet to come into force but is already impacting UN operations in the region.

    Israel has shortened all visas for UNRWA’s international staff to expire on Wednesday, which “is tantamount to being evicted” or declared persona non grata, Mr. Fowler said.

    As such, UNRWA’s international staff at the East Jerusalem office had to evacuate and relocate to Amman, Jordan earlier in the day. Office equipment and vehicles have been moved out, and efforts are continuing to digitise its archives.

    National staff will remain in East Jerusalem, but they face risks, including upcoming demonstrations by Israeli protestors, Mr. Fowler said. During the Gaza war, the compound had faced security issues, including arson attacks and violent protests.

    UNRWA had to comply with Israeli orders due to visa requirements despite East Jerusalem being recognised as occupied territory under international law, he added.

    Will UNRWA shut down completely?

    UNRWA’s mandate has remained the same for decades and it will not be ceasing all operations, said Mr. Fowler. It is unique as a working model that has provided core services such as healthcare and education to refugees and their descendants in line with its General Assembly-approved mandate.

    The agency also provides services to Palestinians in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

    UNRWA remains absolutely committed to stay and deliver,” Mr. Fowler said.

    “We will not stop. We’re not bowing down to this. But, we do know that the practical impacts, the uncertainty mean that our operations could be substantially affected.”

    © UNRWA

    UNRWA and partners begin the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza in 2024. (file)

    Backbone of aid in Gaza

    Up to the current fragile ceasefire, Israeli forces killed more than 47,000 Palestinians – according to local health authorities – and 270 UNRWA staff members in Gaza. Yet, despite challenges, agency staff in Gaza continue to operate, providing essential humanitarian aid, Mr. Fowler said.

    Over the first three days of the 19 January ceasefire, UNRWA provided food for one million people and one million blankets.

    Indeed, the UN agency is responsible for over half of deliveries inside the Gaza Strip and over half the aid coming in.

    The ceasefire has allowed UNRWA to scale up aid, but the situation remains precarious, he stressed.

    © UNRWA

    Aid is delivered to Gaza as Palestinians return to their homes during the ceasefire.

    Impact on services

    The Israeli laws could halt all UNRWA operations in Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank, affecting schools, healthcare centres and other services, Mr. Fowler explained.

    Some Palestinians in Gaza are worried at the prospect of losing UNRWA, including Iman Hillis, who is currently staying in an UNRWA school with her family.

    “We will have nothing to eat or drink, and this will affect us greatly,” she told UN News. “All the people will be destroyed and will not have food, water or flour.”

    International response amid ‘biggest fears’

    UNRWA supporters, UN Member States and UN officials have pressed Israel to reverse course up to the last minute. However, there is concern about the precedent this situation could set for other UN operations worldwide, Mr. Fowler said.

    The current situation is as unique as the agency itself. Israel’s ban is unprecedented. Never before has a UN Member State tried to undo the mandate of a UN organization.

    ‘We’re at the 11th hour’

    We face the risk of this becoming an example, which would then eventually morph into some kind of new normal,” Mr. Fowler said.

    In other places around the world, that “new normal” is a “very, very nightmarish scenario”, he warned.

    The multilateral system is not perfect, but it’s the system that we have, and this is a unilateral blow against multilateralism,” he said.

    “We’re at the 11th hour. We all have to continue efforts to convince Israeli authorities to at least freeze this decision or void the laws completely. Our biggest fear is there is no Plan B.”

    Why can’t other aid agencies just take over?

    Uniquely, the UN General Assembly makes the decisions on UNRWA and how and where it operates.

    No other agency has the scale and depth to do what we do,” Mr. Fowler said.

    However, under international humanitarian law, the occupying power is responsible to assure the wellbeing of the population under occupation, he added.

    By voiding our mandate, the Israeli officials who have promoted this need to think hard about the fact that if there’s any Plan B, it’s on them,” he said.

    Soundcloud

    How will Israel’s role change?

    As the occupying power, Israel is and has been responsible for all services to the populations living in Occupied Palestinian Territory since it seized the areas in 1967.

    An agreement in 1967 between Israel and UNRWA recognised the UN Palestine relief agency and its General Assembly-mandated tasks serving Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

    With the new legislation that, in effect, cancels that agreement, Israel continues to be responsible as the occupying power, including for all public services.

    As such, Israel will need to absorb the cost. UNRWA’s annual budget runs at about $1 billion every year.

    UN News

    Over 20,000 displaced Palestinians are taking shelter in a UNRWA school in Gaza.

    What is UNRWA?

    Since 1950, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has contributed to the welfare and human development of Palestine refugees, defined as “persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 war”.

    © UNRWA

    Humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza.

    • The agency operates in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Established by a UN General Assembly resolution, UNRWA is funded almost entirely through voluntary contributions from UN Member States.
    • UNRWA has long faced misinformation and disinformation, including about its staff and operations. This has intensified since the war in Gaza began on 7 October 2023.
    • An example is the claim that the UN agencies that deliver humanitarian assistance in crisis zones across the globe would be better placed to do the work currently carried out by UNRWA.
    • In fact, UNRWA’s established infrastructure – the agency directly manages critical public-like services (schools, health centres, social protection), relying on 30,000 staff members, most of them Palestine refugees – and its cost-effectiveness have no equivalent elsewhere in the UN.
    • Find out more about the work UNRWA does here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – NZ climate target under international scrutiny as trading partners raise concerns

    Source: Greenpeace

    Ahead of the Government’s NDC climate target announcement today, Greenpeace Aotearoa has revealed that New Zealand’s trading partners are asking yet more questions about our climate credibility.
    In a written question to the European Commission lodged in December 2024, Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Saskia Bricmont asked: “What actions is the Commission taking to ensure that NZ does not backtrack on its climate ambitions when it comes to methane reduction?”
    It follows similar questions raised in the UK Parliament and during the EU Trade Commissioner hearings last year about whether breaches of environmental clauses in trade agreements with New Zealand would face consequences.
    Greenpeace spokesperson Amanda Larsson says, “Since taking office, Luxon has worked to roll back virtually every policy that cuts pollution. That includes giving our highest-emitting industry – dairying – a free pass to keep polluting.”
    In her question about methane, MEP Bricmont was referring to the Government’s review of methane targets in line with no additional warming – a controversial way to measure methane that effectively writes off current high levels of pollution.
    Larsson says no additional warming lacks scientific credibility.
    “It is a metric being pushed heavily by the livestock industry as a way to get out of jail free for their huge contribution to climate change. By effectively using an accounting trick, the industry wants us to greenlight pollution as usual,” says Larsson.
    “The livestock industry’s push to change how methane is measured threatens all New Zealand industries that benefit from our trade agreements with the EU and UK, including kiwifruit and wine.”
    New Zealand’s free trade agreements with both the EU and the UK include clauses that require no weakening of environmental and climate protections by either party. Bricmont went on to ask whether the Commission was “prepared to use all means at its disposal to enforce the FTA if NZ indeed decides to weaken its national methane reduction targets.”
    Larsson says that many people will be watching closely to see if today’s climate target announcement will further weaken climate ambition, including by weakening the methane target in line with no additional warming.
    “The Government must seize the opportunity to pull the climate emergency brake and set a stronger target to reduce methane emissions. Our children and grandchildren’s futures are on the line.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Lifestyle – Kickstart 2025 with Exercise New Zealand: We Are Here For You!

    Source: Exercise NZ

    As January unfolds and the new year gains momentum, it’s the perfect opportunity to set intentions, embrace change, and prioritise what truly matters. ExerciseNZ is encouraging all Kiwis to kickstart 2025 by making movement an essential part of their daily lives. 

    With summer in full swing, Aotearoa provides the perfect backdrop to establish new habits. Whether it’s an early-morning beach walk, backyard games with family, joining a local exercise class, or tackling that daunting pre-season training, committing to regular physical activity now can set the tone for a healthier and more fulfilling year ahead.

    At ExerciseNZ, we are committed to supporting Kiwis in creating a lifestyle fuelled by physical activity and exercise. As the National Association for the Exercise Industry, we work to empower individuals and communities by providing the tools, resources, and guidance needed to make physical activity a sustainable part of everyday life. Partnering with gyms, exercise facilities, and professionals across the country, 

    ExerciseNZ ensures access to high-quality, safe, and inclusive movement experiences for everyone in Aotearoa. To begin our year together, we’d like to highlight some of the work we do to help Kiwis flourish through movement and exercise.

    Connecting Kiwis with Local Facilities and Experts: ExerciseNZ supports over 500 gyms and exercise facilities nationwide, ensuring Kiwis can easily find the right space to begin or continue their exercise journey. Whether you’re looking for group exercise classes, personal trainers, or specialised programs, ExerciseNZ can help connect you with the right professionals.

    Education and Professional Development: ExerciseNZ provides registration for exercise professionals (REPs), ensuring the industry remains at the forefront of innovation, safety, and inclusivity. This guarantees that all members of the community receive safe and effective guidance tailored to their individual needs when training with a REPS registered individual or facility. .

    Advocating for Exercise and Well-being: ExerciseNZ actively works to promote the importance of physical activity at a national level, advocating for policies and initiatives that make exercise accessible to all. This includes working with workplaces, government, and various community groups to encourage physical activity as a part of everyday life.

    Cultural Capability and Inclusivity: Recognising the diverse needs of Aotearoa, ExerciseNZ is committed to building cultural capability within the exercise industry. This includes fostering environments that are welcoming and inclusive for the diverse cultural population here in Aotearoa.

    Supporting Mental Well-being Through Movement: ExerciseNZ highlights the mental health benefits of physical activity, working to normalise conversations about how exercise can reduce stress, improve mood, and support overall mental well-being.

    No matter your activity level or where you are on your journey, Exercise New Zealand is here to support you. Visit ExerciseNZ’s website to explore exercise facilities near you, find expert advice, or discover programs that can help you stay motivated and inspired throughout the year.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act into Law

    A statement from Secretary Noem on the signing of the bill is below:  

    “Thank you, President Trump, for signing the Laken Riley Act. This law restores commonsense to our broken immigration system. Under President Trump, violent criminals and vicious gang members will no longer be released into American communities.” 

    The Laken Riley Act is named after a Georgia nursing student who was killed by a Venezuelan alien who was previously arrested and paroled into the U.S. under the previous administration.  

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth, possessing gun on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A federal judge today sentenced a Billings man who admitted to armed trafficking of methamphetamine and other substances on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, David Victor Fast Horse, 36, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

    In court documents, the government alleged that on Aug. 30, 2022, tribal law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a pickup truck on Upper Road on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation because officers believed the driver had a tribal warrant for her arrest. A man jumped out of the front passenger seat and began running. A Rocky Boy’s police officer caught up with the man, later identified as Fast Horse, and found him retreating around a shed. Officers retraced Fast Horse’s path and located a green pistol and black case hidden near a woodpile where he had emerged. Fast Horse said he was given the gun and case and told to run. Officers opened the case and found 18 blue pills, which tested for a mixture of substances, two small baggies with a small amount of meth, a digital scale and a car key. Fast Horse later admitted he sold meth, but not fentanyl, and that he had come to Rocky Boy’s to buy drugs from his friend. Fast Horse is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior federal felony conviction for burglary.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Rocky Boy’s Police Department, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: 30 January 2025 Kāinga Ora invites wool sector to submit proposals for carpet supply Kāinga Ora is now offering both wool and nylon carpet providers the opportunity to tender for the supply of carpet and underlay in its homes.

    Source: New Zealand Government Kainga Ora

    Having used nylon carpet for more than a decade, the agency is opening up its recent Request for Proposal (RFP) to wool carpet suppliers also, allowing a direct price and offering comparison.

    Chief Executive Matt Crockett says Kāinga Ora has traditionally used solution dyed nylon carpet due to its durability and price.

    “Kāinga Ora owns and maintains more than 75,000 homes throughout New Zealand. Over the two years to 30 June 2026, we are adding a further 2,650 new homes to our portfolio and will be significantly renovating or replacing another 3,000 existing homes.

    “It’s important the products and materials used in these properties are fit for purpose, durable and cost-effective to ensure value for money. These will continue to be our key assessment criteria when we compare supplier proposals.

    “This RFP is an opportunity for us to retest market pricing for both wool and nylon carpet offerings, as part of a robust procurement process. This approach gives all suppliers the fair chance to put their best proposals forward, and we look forward to seeing what they can offer.”

    Kāinga Ora has informed suppliers that it is closing its current procurement process and will be reissuing a new RFP inviting submissions from both wool and nylon carpet suppliers.

    The new RFP will be released to the market via the Government Electronic Tender Service.

    Page updated: 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Cowsert Column: Week Two Under the Gold Dome

    Source: US State of Georgia

    By: Sen. Bill Cowsert (R–Athens)

    The second week of the legislative session is commonly referred to as “Budget Week” at the State Capitol. The budget process begins with Gov. Brian Kemp presenting a proposed budget for consideration by the General Assembly. This year’s budget proposal is presented in a printed report of 390 pages, which is just the increases to the 2025 budget. Various agencies present budget requests during joint Senate and House Appropriations Committee meetings. The House then passes an appropriations bill setting forth governmental spending for the upcoming year. Finally, the Senate makes its changes and the differences are worked out by a joint conference committee and the final version is sent to the Governor for his signature. The General Assembly’s most important endeavor is passing a balanced, commonsense budget, addressing the needs of Georgia citizens each year. In fact, the only bill which the General Assembly is required to pass each year is the annual appropriations bill.

    Over the past 15 years, Georgia’s state budget has experienced steady growth, reflecting the state’s expanding economy and increasing demands for public services. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, Georgia’s budget was approximately $17.4 billion during the heart of the Great Recession. Fast forward to FY 2026, and that figure has more than doubled to $37.71 billion. In addition, approximately $22.46 billion in federal funds are included in Georgia’s 2026 budget.

    Without going into extensive detail, the Governor proposes spending 20.33 billion (53.9%) on education, 8.76 billion (23.2%) on healthcare, 3.05 billion (8.1%) on public safety and 2.78 billion (7.4%) on transportation. This leaves only $2.79 billion (7.4%) for all other areas of government spending.

    A key factor in Georgia’s economic stability is our unwavering commitment to maintaining a balanced budget. Unlike the federal government, which has spent both recklessly and unapologetically, Georgia is constitutionally required to balance its budget every year. This requirement ensures that the state lives within its means, preventing excessive debt accumulation and promoting long-term financial health for all citizens. Maintaining a balanced budget encourages responsible spending, requiring lawmakers to prioritize essential services and eliminate wasteful expenditures. It also enhances Georgia’s credit rating, allowing us to finance large-scale projects at lower interest rates, saving taxpayers money in the long run. Perhaps most importantly, a balanced budget fosters public confidence in our state’s financial management, reinforcing Georgia’s reputation as a great place to live, work and raise a family. By adhering to a balanced budget and prioritizing critical investments, we continue to build a prosperous future for all Georgians.

    Thanks to our responsible fiscal management, Georgia has built a robust Revenue Shortfall Reserve (RSR), commonly known as the “rainy day fund.” The reserve was depleted to less than $50 million during the great recession, however, By FY 2023, the reserve had reached its statutory cap of 15% of the prior year’s revenue, totaling $5.4 billion. This financial cushion allows the state to weather economic downturns without resorting to drastic spending cuts or tax increases, ensuring continuity in essential public services. In addition, Georgia has over $11 billion in additional undesignated reserves over and above the funds held in the rainy day fund. There is really no authority for the State to accumulate taxpayer funds above the amounts needed to fund basic state needs. Fortunately, Gov. Kemp and the legislature have refunded at least $1 billion per year to taxpayers and significantly reduced taxes in response to our financial good fortune.

    It’s important to highlight the stark contrast in spending at the federal level due to the Biden administration’s recent mismanagement of funds. Unfortunately, both political parties are guilty of irresponsible budgeting at the federal level. In fact, the last time that the federal budget was balanced was in the early 1990s when Bill Clinton was President and John Kasich was Chairman of the Appropriations Committee in the United States House. As of 2024, our national debt exceeded $35 trillion, with annual budget deficits contributing over $1 trillion annually to this growing burden. Persistent federal deficits pose risks such as higher interest rates, reduced national savings and potential economic uncertainty for future generations. These misguided spending practices have led our country down a dangerous path. Calls are growing for a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to pass a balanced budget just like Georgia and almost all other states must do.

    It is a privilege and an honor to serve the people of the 46th Senate District. As always, don’t hesitate to contact my office with any legislative concerns. I hope to see you under the Gold Dome soon.

    # # # #

    Sen. Bill Cowsert serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities. He represents the 46th Senate District which includes portions of Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Oconee and Walton Counties. He may be reached at (404) 463-1366 or via email at bill.cowsert@senate.ga.gov

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: North American Construction Group Ltd. Announces Early Redemption of 5.5% Debentures Due June 30, 2028

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ACHESON, Alberta, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — North American Construction Group Ltd. (“NACG” or “the Company”) (TSX:NOA/NYSE:NOA) announced today that it has delivered notice to the holders of the Company’s outstanding 5.5% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures due June 30, 2028 (the “Debentures”) that pursuant to Section 4.3 of the trust indenture governing the Debentures dated June 1, 2021 (the “Trust Indenture”), the Company will, effective February 28, 2025 (the “Redemption Date”), redeem all issued and outstanding Debentures, plus accrued interest thereon.

    In accordance with the Trust Indenture, holders of these Debentures may convert the outstanding Debentures into common shares of the Company at a price of $24.23 per share, which is at a discount to the closing price of NACG’s common shares of $28.45 per share on January 29, 2025, the date of this press release.

    The Company encourages individual holders of Debentures (“Debentureholders”) to review redemption instructions from their financial institution to ensure a request for conversion is submitted in advance of the cutoff time set by the Debentureholder’s financial institution. This can be several days in advance of the Redemption Date and is not controlled by the Company.

    As of the date hereof, there was $74,106,000 ($1,000 per Debenture) aggregate principal amount of Debentures issued and outstanding. Accordingly, on the Redemption Date, subject to compliance with the Trust Indenture, the holder of each Debenture (unless converted prior to the Redemption Date in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture) will receive a total payment of $1,008.86111 (the “Redemption Price”), comprised of a principal repayment of $1,000.00 and all accrued and unpaid interest thereon from the interest payment date of December 31, 2024 of $8.86111 until the Redemption Date. All interest on the Debentures shall cease from and after the Redemption Date.

    The Company intends to pay the Redemption Price in cash. Subject to regulatory approval, the Company intends to have the Debentures de-listed from the Toronto Stock Exchange following their redemption.

    About the Company

    NACG is one of Canada and Australia’s largest providers of heavy construction and mining services. For more than 70 years, NACG has provided services to the mining, resource, and infrastructure construction markets. For more information about North American Construction Group Ltd., visit www.nacg.ca.

    For further information contact:
    Jason Veenstra, CPA, CA
    Chief Financial Officer
    North American Construction Group Ltd.
    (780) 948-2009
    jveenstra@nacg.ca
    www.nacg.ca

    Forward-Looking Information

    The information provided in this release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements preceded by, followed by or that include the words “will”, “intends”, “may”, “could” or similar expressions. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the redemption of the Debentures, the issuance of Common Shares as payment of the Redemption Price, the payment of cash in respect of interest and fractional shares and the anticipated de-listing of the Debentures. These forward-looking statements are being made by NACG based on certain assumptions that NACG has made in respect thereof as at the date of this news release, regarding, among other things that all required regulatory approvals will be obtained on the necessary terms in a timely manner; and that NACG will, on the Redemption Date, meet all of the required terms and conditions of the Debentures (including those set forth in the applicable debenture indentures) in order to effect the redemption on the terms currently contemplated (which includes assumptions respecting trading prices of the Common Shares). These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to: the risk that regulatory approvals will not be obtained in the timelines or on the terms required thereby delaying the redemption or causing it to not occur at all; the risk that NACG will not be able to meet the requirements for redemption on the Redemption Date, including with respect to the price of its Common Shares, which ability may be impacted by a number of risk factors. The material factors or assumptions used to develop the above forward-looking statements and the risks and uncertainties to which such forward-looking statements are subject are highlighted in the Company’s MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023 and quarter ending September 30, 2024. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements because of any number of factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond NACG’s control. For more complete information about NACG, please read our disclosure documents filed with the SEC and the CSA. These free documents can be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov or on the CSA website at www.sedarplus.com.

    The MIL Network