NASA Stennis Teams Install New Production RS-25 Engine for Upcoming Hot Fire NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Exhaust for Safe Space Travel NASA in NOLA for Super Bowl
Welcome to March. It is the month that refuses to sit still. One day, the sun is shining, and the next day, the wind is howling through the trees, especially in the 125,000-acre buffer zone at NASA Stennis. The buffer zone and location of NASA Stennis helps provide the right conditions for around-the-clock propulsion test capabilities. March, like NASA Stennis, is full of possibilities. The month kicks off a season of new beginnings. It is a time when farmers begin to plant seeds. Did you know powering space dreams at NASA Stennis is a lot like farmers planting seeds? Planting a seed is simple, yet profound. It signals a fresh start no matter if you are an experienced planter or if it is your first time. Picking the right seed, carefully choosing the spot, and preparing the soil are ways to get going. Anticipation begins in March as planters set the stage for something that will happen over time. Similarly, NASA Stennis is the right place to pick for many aerospace companies large and small. It is where the road to launch begins. Whether the company is brand new to the field, like a first-time planter, or more experienced, the soil is right at NASA Stennis. South Mississippi is where a team of experts can help companies achieve a successful outcome. Ah yes, the month of March and NASA Stennis are indeed alike. They both can be a bridge between what was and what is to come – one, a time of year and the other, a place to shake off the winter slumber, take a deep breath, and step into something new. There is something magical about planting seeds, just like there is something magical about powering space dreams at NASA Stennis.
NASA Stennis Teams Install New Production RS-25 Engine for Upcoming Hot Fire NASA marked a key milestone Feb. 18 with installation of RS-25 engine No. E20001, the first new production engine to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon.
NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Exhaust for Safe Space Travel NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is widely known as the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site.
NASA in NOLA for Super Bowl
NASA Stennis Leaders Visit Kennedy Space Center
Leadership Class Visits NASA Stennis
Rocket Lab Leader Visits NASA Stennis
Jason Hopper’s journey to NASA started with assessing the risk of stepping into the unknown.
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail). The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin. To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, released the following statement on the Administration imposing tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico, and China.
“These across-the-board tariffs will make it harder for Americans to put food on the table and will squeeze farmers who will lose valuable export markets and see higher input costs. This will raise prices for the average family by more than $1,200 a year, raise gas prices by as much as 50 cents a gallon, and raise fertilizer costs for corn and soybean farmers. Already, we are seeing retail stores and refineries increase prices—and retaliation from other countries that will raise prices even more. Farmers have spent decades building export markets, only to have them ripped away overnight. While I support targeted tariffs, these sweeping, across-the-board tariffs will set our country back.”
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
March 04, 2025
Durbin: Instead of improving the lives of and lowering prices for Americans, President Trump is doing the very opposite
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. As of today, President Trump has instituted a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10 percent on goods from China, bringing the total to 20 percent tariffs on China. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as he promised during his campaign, but instead spike prices for Americans.
“Instead of improving the lives of or lowering prices for Americans, we are seeing policies of the Trump Administration do exactly the opposite. The President has spent his time trying to systematically dismantle the federal government, creating rifts with our closest allies, and now, imposing destructive tariffs on our biggest trading partners. The tariffs that he has unleashed… will hurt American consumers and supply chains and undermine American manufacturing.”
Durbin pointed to the harm that will come to Illinois’ economy as a result of the Trump tariffs, as Illinois relies on Canada and Mexico to purchase the state’s goods and agricultural products. In 2023, Illinois, which ranks first among the 50 states in imports from Canada, exported a total of $20.55 billion in products to Canada. Additionally, Illinois exports to Mexico in 2023 totaled $12.93 billion.
“Illinois is the fourth largest exporter in the nation… These tariffs will hurt Illinois’ farmers, workers, and manufacturers—not to mention consumers,” Durbin said. “Additional tariffs on our three biggest trading partners will add to the economic strain that is already beginning to show under the new Administration. A survey of consumer sentiment published last month recorded its largest monthly decline in four years, due in large part to concerns about trade and tariffs. Tariffs are taxes and they are taxes that the consumers of America will have to pay. These levels of concern have not been seen since the trade wars in President Trump’s first term.”
Durbin concluded, “While the President claims that foreign countries will pay for U.S. tariffs, that isn’t the truth and we know what the truth is—the burden of tariffs is carried by American companies and passed on to American customers. Indiscriminately slapping tariffs on the goods American consumers need will mean higher costs—higher costs on groceries, gas, and cars, while inspiring retaliatory tariffs, and even boycotts, on American-made products, further hurting our economy.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
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Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
March 04, 2025
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the bipartisan Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act, legislation that would prevent and reduce food waste across the country. Each year, the U.S. produces and imports 237 million tons of food annually, but 31 percent of this food is never sold or eaten, while millions of Americans experience food insecurity.
Specifically, the Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act would establish a “Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification,” and direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to create:
Criteria, which businesses and organizations would have to meet to receive the certification;
A verification process, to confirm that businesses and organizations have achieved the criteria; and
A label, which certified businesses and organizations would be authorized to use on their products, buildings, and websites.
“While millions of Americans face food insecurity, millions of tons of food waste end up in landfills every year and contribute to methane emissions that drive the climate crisis. We must address these crises for the sake of hungry families, our economy, and our environment,” said Durbin. “Today, I’m reintroducing the bipartisan Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act with Senator Grassley to move our country toward more conscious consumption and curbing food waste.”
“Too many families suffer from food insecurity. The Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa has demonstrated the economic and environmental benefits of reducing food waste, and Congress should act to build on their impactful work. Our legislation would recognize businesses for using excess food responsibly and incentivize others to improve their practices,” said Grassley.
“Food waste continues to be a national concern for our communities, especially here in Iowa where 22 percent of all waste going to our landfills is food. We look forward to working with Senators Durbin and Grassley to support the Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act through our continued initiatives at the Iowa Waste Reduction Center,” said Mark Nook, President of the University of Northern Iowa.
Food waste has significant economic, environmental, and social impacts. More than $440 billion is spent annually to produce and dispose of food that is never consumed or sold. Sending uneaten food to landfills or incinerators is responsible for the use of more than 20 trillion liters of water, which is equivalent to the annual water use of 50 million homes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additionally, just one-third of food waste, if saved from disposal, could feed the 47 million Americans, including 14 million children, who are suffering from food insecurity, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The “Food Loss and Waste Reduction Certification” would be similar to existing certifications, such as ENERGY STAR and the BioPreferred Program. The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act would direct USDA to promote the certification to ensure that consumers are informed about which businesses and organizations have received it.
The Reduce Food Loss and Waste Act has support from the Natural Resources Defense Council, Harvard Food Law and Policy Clinic, World Wildlife Fund, University of Northern Iowa, Too Good To Go, Kellanova, FMI – The Food Industry Association, National Restaurant Association, and Consumer Brands Association.
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The unfolding trade war between is expected to have far-reaching consequences for people and businesses on both sides of the border. How can Canadians navigate the trade war and minimize the financial strain of the tariffs?
As experts in supply chain management, we aim to break down the impact of these tariffs and offer practical strategies for Canadians to help navigate the economic turbulence ahead.
How consumers react to trade wars
When the news of a potential trade war is first publicized, consumers tend to react by monitoring the situation until further information is available.
With a trade war breaking out, both consumers and retailers will need to adapt.
Shortages are likely to occur as new importation procedures slow the time products take to cross the border. The ensuing delays, along with higher tariff rates, will push some retailers to raise prices to cover cost increases. Others may limit purchases to discourage hoarding behaviour.
Some firms may even take advantage of the situation by raising prices on products not covered by the tariffs to pad their profits — a practice known as “greedflation,” which happened during the pandemic. Another potential consequence is “shrinkflation,” where package sizes become smaller while prices remain unchanged.
As consumers adapt by changing their shopping habits or using their stockpiled reserves, some of the shortages may be eased. However, retailers may struggle to manage their inventories as demands fluctuate — a phenomena known as the “bullwhip effect.” Navigating these shifts will require careful planning.
Challenges of buying domestic
Trump’s trade war has intensified calls to “buy Canadian” as a way to support domestic products.
However, fully replacing imports with domestic goods presents significant challenges. Many Canadian farmers and manufacturers lack the capacity to quickly scale up production to meet demand, at least in the short run.
Production costs may also be significantly higher in Canada than abroad, which is a major reason for relying on imports in the first place. Apparel manufacturing is a good example. It has a high labour component — the reason that most of it has been moved to low-cost countries in Asia.
Furthermore, trade wars create uncertainty, making farmers and manufacturers hesitant to make large-scale investments that may not pay off once the trade conflict ends. While this approach foregoes potential short-term gains for long term stability, it also exacerbates shortages and price hikes during and after the trade war.
The new normal
Unlike one-off events like hurricanes, or fluctuating disruptions such as COVID-19, the outcome of a trade war is difficult to predict. This makes it difficult to forecast what the “new normal” will be.
Certainly, some consumers who substitute domestic products for imported products may continue to do so in the long run. However, others may switch back to imported products if the tariffs are lifted and prices are lowered.
Knowing that this might happen, domestic producers may not ramp up production during a tariff war. Those who do increase production may later find themselves with excess capacity and inventory surpluses after the conflict ends.
Consumer acceptance of the price increases, adjustments to new higher cost supply chain structures, or efforts to maintain profit margins, may potentially establish a higher baseline prices in the post-trade-war economy.
Navigating the trade war
How can Canada best shield itself from the effects of the trade war? The easy answer is to become more self-reliant, but this is a costly option that requires technology, skilled labour and capital investments.
As a result, this option should only be chosen for the most necessary and essential items, like certain pharmaceuticals and food staples. Other strategies must also be considered:
Engaging in honest communication: Governments and retailers should regularly update the public on negotiations, new tariff schedules and potential price changes, reducing the guesswork that fuels panic buying and stockpiling. Transparency allows individuals to make the best purchasing decisions.
Protecting low-income consumers: Retailers should limit sales quantities of staple products during disruptions to avoid hoarding behaviour. Governments should consider tax relief and subsidies aimed at budget-constrained individuals to relieve the burden of higher tariff-related costs.
Supply chain disruptions inevitably result in higher costs and product shortages, often impacting low-income households the hardest. Even after the trade war ends, higher prices may persist as the new norm. To minimize the impact of tariffs, governments and enterprises need to adopt policies that reduce economic strain and result in fairer outcomes for all.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy
Trials
United States v. Jason Lee Wagner
No. 3:22-CR-01754(Western District of Texas)
ECS Senior Litigation Counsel Todd Gleason
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Gary Donner
ECS Paralegal Chloe Harris
On February 7, 2025, a jury convicted Jason Lee Wagner of conspiracy and 12 smuggling violations (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 545, 2). Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.
Between March 2015 and December 2019, Wagner and others bought and sold endangered reptiles from individuals in Mexico. Wagner and other co-conspirator suppliers and middlemen used social media to offer reptiles for sale and to negotiate the terms of the sale and delivery with customers in the United States and Mexico. His co-conspirators also used international money transfers to provide for “crossing fees,” sales and purchases, and other expenses. They then packaged and re-packaged the reptiles for illegal crossings using USPS and other courier services to transport them between Mexico and the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Indictments
United States v. Roy Ladell Weaver, et al.
No. 1:25-CR-00048 (Middle District of Pennsylvania)
ECS Trial Attorney Ron Sarachan
AUSA David Williams
RCEC Patricia Miller
On February 19, 2025, a grand jury indicted Roy Ladell Weaver and his company, Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, with conspiring to impede the lawful functions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), and substantive CAA violations (18 U.S.C. § 371; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Pro Diesel Werks provided vehicle repair and maintenance and performance enhancement services, including services on diesel engines and vehicle emission systems. The indictment alleges that between 2013 and March 2024, Weaver and the company, along with co-conspirators, disabled the hardware emissions control systems on the diesel vehicles of Pro Diesel Werks’ customers (a practice referred to as a “delete” or “deleting”), defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter released to the atmosphere. The defendants are also alleged to have tampered with the monitoring device and method required under the CAA, that is they disabled the onboard diagnostic system on vehicles preventing the system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware deletes (a practice referred to as a “tune” or “tuning”).
The defendants charged customers between approximately $2,000 and $4,000 per vehicle to remove and disable the emission control systems on motor vehicles with diesel engines.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, Corey Potter pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally transporting crab from Alaska (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025. Kyle Potter, his son, was previously sentenced to pay a $20,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. A third defendant, Justin Welch, was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation.
Corey Potter owns two crab catching vessels; Kyle Potter and Welch worked as vessel captains. In February and March 2024, the vessels harvested more than 7,000 pounds of Tanner and Golden king crab in Southeast Alaska. Corey Potter directed Welch and Kyle Potter to land the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska. Neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska, and they never recorded the harvest on a fish ticket, as required under state law.
A large portion of the king crab that arrived in Seattle from Alaska had died and was unmarketable. Corey Potter knew that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease fatal to crustaceans. Officials were forced to destroy more than 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab due to the risk of BCS infection. If the defendants had properly landed the crab in Alaska, authorities could have inspected the harvest and removed the infected crab before leaving Alaska.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
United States v. Kendall Glenn Hacker
No. 5:25-CR-00002 (Eastern District of Kentucky)
AUSA Emily Greenfield
On February 7, 2025, Kendall Glenn Hacker pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the Animal Crush statute (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between November 2021 and June 2022, Hacker sent money through online payment applications, such as PayPal and Venmo, to Michael Macartney, an online chat group administrator. The members and participants of these groups funded, created, obtained, received, exchanged and/or distributed animal crush videos.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
United States v. Chamness Dirt Works, et al.
No. 3:24-CR-00430 (District of Oregon)
AUSA Bryan Chinwuba
RCEC Karla Perrin
On February 7, 2025, property management company Horseshoe Grove, LLC, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos work practice standards (42 U.S.C. §§ 7412(h),7413(c)(1)). Horseshoe Grove’s owner and operator Ryan Richter pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Construction and demolition company Chamness Dirt Works, Inc., pleaded guilty to violating the CAA NESHAP for asbestos, and company owner and president, Ronald Chamness, pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2025.
In November 2022, Horseshoe Grove acquired a property in The Dalles, Oregon, which included a mobile home park and two dilapidated apartment buildings. The previous owner provided the new buyers with an asbestos survey from December 2021, which identified more than 5,000 square feet of friable chrysotile asbestos within the two deteriorating buildings, with levels ranging from 2% to 25%. The survey also noted non-friable asbestos in various building materials, including siding and flooring, throughout the apartments. Despite these findings, Horseshoe Grove failed to implement the necessary precautions for asbestos removal.
In March 2023, Chamness Dirt Works began demolishing the two asbestos-laden structures without following proper removal procedures. Chamness did not engage a certified asbestos abatement contractor, did not wet the asbestos-containing debris, and dumped the material in a regular landfill.
Horseshoe Grove paid Chamness Dirt Works a total of $49,330 for the demolition, which did not meet the required safety standards.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Nos.4:25-CR-00018, 4:24-CR-00006, 00084 (District of Montana)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Patrick Duggan
ECS Trial Attorney Sarah Brown
AUSA Jeff Starnes
ECS Paralegal Tonia Sibblies
On February 10, 2025, Hollis G. Hale pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1538(a)(1)(G), 3372(d)(2), 3373(d)(3)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025.
Hale conspired with Jack Schubarth to create giant hybrid sheep for captive hunting. Schubarth smuggled Marco Polo argali sheep parts from Kyrgyzstan into the United States. This protected species of sheep, native to high elevations in the Pamir region of Central Asia, is deemed the largest in the world.
In 2013, Schubarth provided genetic material to a third-party cloning facility, and, in 2016, received successfully cloned pure Marco Polo argali embryos. Schubarth raised a pure male argali clone that he named “Montana Mountain King.” In 2018, Schubarth began breeding Montana Mountain King with other species and selling the offspring throughout the U.S. To evade detection, Schubarth falsely labeled the offspring on Certificates of Veterinary Inspection and other official forms.
In June and July 2020, Hale facilitated the purchase and interstate transport of twelve hybrid Marco Polo argali sheep from Schubarth and falsely identified 43 species of sheep on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Hale falsified these documents knowing these sheep are prohibited in Montana. Schubarth was sentenced in September 2024 to six months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation.
United States v. Zackery Brandon Barfield
No. 5:25-CR-00011 (Northern District of Florida)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Patrick Duggan
AUSA Joseph Ravelo
On February 12, 2025, Zachary Brandon Barfield pleaded guilty to three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1372(a)(2)(A), 1375(b); 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(2)(G), 136l(b)(2)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Barfield is a charter and commercial fishing captain operating out of Panama City, Florida. In the summer of 2022, Barfield became frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of charter fishing clients. Between June and August 2022, Barfield and others placed a commercial methomyl insecticide inside bait fish to feed to and poison the dolphins that surfaced near his boat.
While captaining another fishing trip in December 2022, Barfield saw dolphins eating snapper from fishing lines. This time, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot and kill a dolphin that surfaced near his vessel. In the summer of 2023, while on a charter fishing trip, Barfield used the same shotgun to shoot a dolphin that surfaced near the lines of clients.
The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
United States v. James H. Spencer
No. 23-CR-00015 (Western District of Virginia)
AUSA Michael Baudinet
On February 21, 2025, James Howard Spencer, the Mayor of Glen Lyn, Virginia, pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(2)(A)). Spencer admitted to directing employees of the Town of Glen Lyn to illegally discharge raw sewage and other pollutants into the East River, a tributary of the New River, on three occasions- in the summer of 2019, December 2020, and June 2021.
The discharges occurred at a pump station located behind the Glen Lyn Post Office, which was not an authorized discharge point of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the Glen Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The East River, a perennial stream and a tributary of the New River, is a protected waterway under the CWA.
Spencer knowingly violated multiple conditions of the NPDES permit, including discharges from unauthorized locations and failing to report the discharges to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Virginia State Police conducted the investigation.
United States v. Liza Hash
No. 1:25-CR-20007 (Southern District of Florida)
AUSA Tom Watts-FitzGerald
On February 25, 2025, Liza Hash pleaded guilty to discharging oil into United States and contiguous zone waters, violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1319(c)(2), 1321(b)(3)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Hash was the owner and operator of the S/V Juliet, a sailing vessel used for multi-day scuba diving trips between Miami and the Bahamas. Over the course of approximately six years, Hash’s vessel carried up to 12 passengers per trip, along with the crew, between the U.S. and the Bahamas.
On June 16, 2023, U.S. Coast Guard investigators boarded the Juliet following its return from the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination.
During the inspection, they noted oily water in the bilge, and a pump connected to the vessel’s grey water tank, to facilitate illegal overboard discharges. Hash had used the vessel’s grey water tank (which is intended to hold liquid waste from the boat’s washer, dryer, sinks, and showers) to store oil-contaminated bilge water and discharge overboard.
Investigators estimate that Hash discharged approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water during the five-year period.
The United States Coast Guard conducted the investigation.
United States v. Old Dutch Mustard Company, Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company, et al.
No. 1:25-CR-00002 (District of New Hampshire)
ECS Trial Attorney Ron Sarachan
AUSA Matthew Hunter
ECS Paralegal Tonia Sibblies
On February 24, 2025, The Old Dutch Mustard Company, d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company (Old Dutch), and company owner and president Charles Santich, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 1319(c)(2)(A)).
Old Dutch manufactured vinegar and mustard products, generating acidic wastewater during the process. Much of this wastewater consisted of spilled or leaked vinegar, or discarded vinegar that did not meet specifications. Old Dutch did not have a permit to discharge process wastewater. Instead, it stored the process wastewater in tanks and a trucking company hauled one or two truckloads of the wastewater off-site daily to the Rochester Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). Old Dutch paid the trucking company for transporting each load. A second wastewater stream consisted of stormwater that became acidic after flowing through areas of the facility (especially the tank farm) where vinegar spilled. Old Dutch also paid the trucking company to haul the acidic stormwater to the POTW.
Santich decided to reduce costs by ordering workers to discharge some of the wastewater to a manmade ditch formed by an abandoned railroad bed at the top of a hill behind the facility, from which the wastewater would flow into the Souhegan River. In May 2017, Santich hired an excavation company to extend an underground pipe to the top of the hill behind the facility. He then directed an employee to repeatedly pump wastewater through the underground pipe to the abandoned railroad bed. Once the process wastewater or contaminated stormwater discharged at the top of the hill, it flowed to the river. Old Dutch did not have an NPDES or any other permit to discharge pollutants into the river.
In March 2021, Santich directed the same excavation company to install a sump at the corner of the tank farm area to collect the acidic stormwater and pump it directly up the hill through the buried pipe. Similarly, during the Fall of 2022, Santich hired the excavation company to clean out the undergrowth in the manmade ditch at the top of the hill and line it with riprap to create a better drainage ditch and facilitate the flow of wastewater to the river.
On August 2, 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the Old Dutch facility and witnessed this illegal activity. Agents observed liquid that smelled like vinegar discharging from the end of the underground pipe into the riprap-lined ditch. The wastewater discharge had a pH of 3.6. The agents then conducted a dye test starting at the sump outside the corner of the tank farm area. The dye discharged from the underground pipe at the top of the hill and flowed along the riprap-lined drainage ditch and down to the river.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
On February 26, 2025, Fabcon Precast LLC (Fabcon) pleaded guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation (29 U.S.C. § 666(e)). The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.
Fabcon operates several facilities in the United States, including one in Grove City, Ohio, that manufactures precast concrete panels. At Fabcon, employees known as batch operators were responsible for the operation and cleaning of the facility’s only concrete mixer. Concrete was discharged from the bottom of the mixer through a pneumatic door. By design, the mixer had an exhaust valve that released the pneumatic energy powering the discharge door, rendering it inoperable. Some months prior to June 6, 2020, the handle that operated the valve broke off and was not replaced.
On June 6, 2020, Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator since January 2020, was on duty when the discharge door failed to close after releasing a batch of concrete. Because the valve was broken, Ledbetter could not perform the proper procedure to make the door safe to work around. When he attempted to free the door it closed on his head, trapping him. Eventually, Ledbetter was freed and transported to a hospital where he died five days later.
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
No. 3:24-CR-00618 (Southern District of California)
ECS Assistant Chief Stephen DaPonte
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Vyacheslav I. Piglitsin to time served and to pay $4,355 in restitution. On March 2, 2024, Piglitsin drove over the border from Mexico with Mexican pesticides that he failed to present for inspection (19 U.S.C. §§ 1433 and 1436). Inspectors found seventy-two 1-liter bottles of “Bovitraz” in his vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Sentencings
United States v. Michael Hart
No. 3:24-CR-00383 (Southern District of California)
ECS Assistant Chief Stephen DaPonte
Former AUSA Melanie Pierson
AUSA Mark Pletcher
On February 3, 2025, a court sentenced Michael Hart to time served followed by one year of supervised release. Hart also will pay $1,500 in restitution. Hart pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally import hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Mexico and sell them in violation of law (18 U.S.C. § 371). In addition, Hart admitted to conspiring to illegally import hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), namely HCFC 22, which is banned under the Clean Air Act.
Between June and December 2022, Hart purchased refrigerants in Mexico and smuggled them into the United States in his vehicle, concealed under a tarp and tools. Hart posted the refrigerants for sale on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and other sites, and sold them for a profit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
United States v. Thalia Zambrano
No. 3:24-CR-01552 (Southern District of California)
ECS Assistant Chief Stephen DaPonte
On February 6, 2025, a court sentenced Thalia Zambrano to time served, after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371).
On June 28, 2024, authorities apprehended Zambrano when she drove into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with 18 bottles of undeclared “Taktic” (Amitraz) concealed beneath a blanket on the back seat her car. Regulators in the United States canceled this pesticide due to the high concentration of amitraz.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
United States v. Andrew Laughlin
No. 2:24-CR-00104 (Eastern District of California)
AUSA Kathryn Lydon
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Andrew Laughlin to pay a $5,000 fine, complete a two-year term of probation, and pay $4,209 in restitution into the Lacey Act Reward Fund. Laughlin pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling reptiles into the United States (18 U.S.C. § 545).
In 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents identified Laughlin as part of a nationwide investigation into the smuggling of turtles from the United States to an individual in Hong Kong (Individual A). Individual A met and maintained contact with certain wildlife-smuggling associates via Facebook. Investigators identified Laughlin as a suspect in the wildlife smuggling ring from Individual A’s Facebook contacts and communications with covert agents. In addition to corresponding on Facebook, Laughlin also sent text messages to Individual A and co-conspirators.
Between March and April 2018, Laughlin acted as a “middleman” in an international amphibian smuggling ring. During a conversation with an undercover agent, Laughlin said that he participated in the ring in order to acquire hard-to-find newts. He shipped or received at least four packages of amphibians, including packages to or from individuals located in Hong Kong and Sweden. The packages were falsely labeled as items including a “toy car,” “rubber toys,” or “a ceramic art piece.” The boxes actually contained live animals, including eastern box turtles, spotted turtles, and a variety of newt species.
A search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence uncovered 80 live newts of various species. Some of them tested positive for a virulent fungus which originated in Asia and has spread throughout the illegal pet trade. The restitution covered expenses incurred to store and test the animals.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Photo of newts seized from Laughlin’s residence; photo included in case press release at time of guilty plea
Nos. 1:22-CR-00131, 00132 (Eastern District of California)
AUSA Karen Escobar
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez to 24 months incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Beltran-Chaidez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin in this multi-defendant case involving drugs and animal welfare violations (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)).
Between March and April 2021, Jorge Calderon-Campos (who calls himself “Americano”) supplied 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Mark Garcia and Alberto Gomez-Santiago, and an additional 60 pounds to Francisco Javier Torres Mora. Between January and April 2022, Calderon-Campos also possessed roosters he used to participate in an animal fighting venture.
During a search of his residence on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers found numerous hens and roosters, various cockfighting implements (including razors and spurs) and six cockfighting trophies, including several with plates inscribed with “Team Amkno” (shorthand for “Team Americano”). At Calderon-Campos’s “stash house,” law enforcement officers found 14 hens and 77 roosters, cockfighting leashes, a cockfighting trophy, and a variety of syringes and pill bottles containing substances related to cockfighting supplements.
Jorge Calderon-Campos was sentenced in November 2024 to eight years and one month of incarceration. Calderon-Campos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and to violating the Animal Welfare Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)); 7 U.S.C. § 2156(b); 18 U.S.C. § 49(a)).
On August 26, 2024, a court sentenced Antonio Beltran-Chaidez to 46 months’ incarceration, followed by 24 months’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)).
In January 2024, co-defendant Gomez-Santiago was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration, followed by 60 months supervised release. Mora was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration. Horacio Ortega-Martinez, another associate of Calderon-Campos, was sentenced in April 2023 to 18 months incarceration, followed by 36 months supervised release, after pleading guilty to possessing gamecocks for an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C § 2156 (b)).
Co-defendant Garcia pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 3, 2025, to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Byron Adilio Alfaro-Sandoval is scheduled for status conference June 18, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department.
On February 11, 2025, a court sentenced Christopher Lee Carroll to serve nine years of incarceration and to pay $3 million in restitution. A jury convicted Carroll in August 2024 of three counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), 13 violations of the CAA, and two counts of threatening a witness (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2, 1014, 1512 (b)(3), 1344; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, owned a time share exit company called Square One Group LLC. In April of 2020, they submitted a false and fraudulent application for a $1.2 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The loan application falsely stated that the spouses of Reed and Carroll owned the company to conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. Carroll also used his wife’s name to avoid any potential liability for the fraud.
The PPP loan was supposed to help save businesses and jobs, but Carroll did not use the money to pay dozens of employees who were out of work or keep paying for health insurance for 17 of those employees. Instead, he used it to start a trucking company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair LLC. Carroll and Reed then applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that they’d spent the money on payroll and other permitted expenses. Additionally, Reed and Carroll later sought a second loan of more than $1.6 million, taking a total of $660,000 in “owner draws” from the company after the loan was approved.
From May 2020 through December 2021, Carroll and Whiskey Dix violated the CAA by unlawfully removing the emissions control systems from more than 30 diesel-fueled trucks. In January 2022, Carroll tried to pressure two employees to take responsibility for the emissions tampering. When one of the employees said he was going to talk to federal investigators, Carroll threatened to stop paying for the employee’s attorney.
The court sentenced Whiskey Dix to complete a three-year term of probation after the jury convicted the company on 16 CAA violations. Reed pleaded guilty to bank fraud in September of 2022 and was sentenced January 23, 2025, to time served, and five years of supervised release. Reed was held jointly liable for $3 million in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
On February 13, 2025, a court sentenced Jeffrey Radtke to 21 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Radtke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos (18 U.S.C.§§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between June 2021 and August 2022, Radtke sent more than 40 payments (ranging from $1 through $300) he received from co-conspirators to pay videographers in Indonesia and other locations outside of the United States to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys.
During the execution of a search warrant in April 2023, law enforcement found more than 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing on Radtke’s computer.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
United States v. Jonathan Achtemeier
No. 3:24-CR-05072 (Western District of Washington)
AUSA Seth Wilkinson
AUSA Lauren Staniar
SAUSA Karla Perrin
On February 14, 2025, a court sentenced Jonathan Achtemeier to pay a $25,000 fine and serve four months’ incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release. Achtemeier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) for his role in tampering with required monitoring devices on diesel trucks (18 U.S.C. § 371).
Between 2019 and 2022, Achtemeier modified the software on hundreds of trucks nationwide to prevent the monitoring devices from detecting the removal of emissions controls. Achtemeier conspired with mechanics and truck fleet operators, instructing them on how to remove or disable anti-pollution hardware on diesel trucks, a process known as “deleting.” Achtemeier tampered with the monitoring device on his clients’ trucks by connecting laptops to the trucks’ onboard computers and remotely “tuning” the vehicles’ computers, which rendered required monitoring devices inaccurate. This allowed the trucks to run without functioning emissions control systems and resulted in the trucks emitting significantly more pollution than legally allowed.
Achtemeier charged as much at $4,500 per truck for work that often took him two hours or less. He advertised his services on social media nationwide, doing business as Voided Warranty Tuning or Optimized Ag. Between 2019 and 2022 his company took in more than $4.3 million in gross profits.
The Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Assistance from ECS Senior Counsel Elinor Colbourn
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Andres Alejandro Sanchez to complete a three-year term of probation to include six months’ home detention. Sanchez pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally importing a spider monkey into the United States (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), 3373(d)(2)).
On October 7, 2024, Sanchez travelled from Mexico to Laredo, Texas, and failed to declare a spider monkey he had in his vehicle to Customs and Border Protection officers as he attempted to cross the border.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Case photo of baby spider monkey rescued by authorities
United State v. Jose Carrillo
No. 8:23-CR-00222 (Middle District of Florida)
ECS Senior Trial Attorney Matt Morris
AUSA Erin Favorit
ECS Paralegal Jonah Fruchtman
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Carrillo to 84 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Carrillo pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and knowingly possessing a firearm after a felony conviction (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 922(g)(1) and 924(d)).
On June 7, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Carrillo’s residence, seizing a total of 10 pit bull-type dogs. Several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. Authorities also discovered a .22 caliber rifle, a bloodstained wooden dogfighting “pit,” syringes, veterinary medications, a skin stapler, break sticks used to separate fighting dogs, and other suspected dogfighting paraphernalia.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the following agencies: Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal Service; and the Pasco County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.
Photo of dogs from Carillo’s home included in press release, link below.
Nos. 2:23-CR-00600, 2:24-CR-00890 (District of Arizona)
AUSA Glenn McCormick
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Eric T. Scionti to 47 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Scionti pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and Animal Crushing in two separate cases (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), 48(a)(1)).
In December 2022, federal authorities received an anonymous tip that Scionti, a convicted felon, possessed a number of handguns, as well as grenades and bullet-proof body armor. On January 18, 2023, agents executed a search warrant, seizing six firearms and 1,826 rounds of ammunition from areas of a residence controlled by the defendant. Scionti has multiple Arizona state felony convictions and was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
While researching the defendant’s online activities, agents found video evidence depicting Scionti torturing pigeons. Agents executed a subsequent search warrant on September 29, 2023, for records and information associated with Scionti’s email account. During that search, agents seized approximately 168 videos and 89 digital photographs depicting Scionti torturing and mutilating live pigeons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in these cases.
On February 19, 2025, a court sentenced Manuel Domingos Pita to 48 months’ incarceration and to pay more than $55 million in restitution. Also, Pita will forfeit real estate and cash/bank accounts. Pita pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and a willful violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act for causing the death of an employee (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1343; 29 U.S.C. § 666(e)).
Pita created and operated several shell construction companies, including one named Domingos 54 Construction, Inc. Pita used Domingos 54 to provide workers, including undocumented aliens, with construction jobs. However, Pita failed to secure the required workers compensation insurance coverage for these employees by falsifying the number of workers for which he sought coverage in worker’s compensation insurance applications. In addition, Pita failed to pay any federal employment taxes on the wages that these workers earned during the course of the scheme between 2018 and 2022.
Pita failed to disclose the number of workers he had. Had he properly disclosed the number of workers, he would have paid an additional $22.7 million+ in premiums. Additionally, Pita failed to pay to the IRS over $33.7 million in federal employment taxes on those workers’ wages.
Between February and July 2019, investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued six citations to Domingos 54 for failure to provide fall protection to workers. Even after being cited for these violations, Pita continued to ignore OSHA requirements. In March 2020, Pita assigned a worker and three other carpenters to install sheeting on the roof of a residential home in windy conditions without providing the required fall-protection gear or ensuring its use. As a result, one of the workers was blown off the roof and died from his injuries.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Department of Financial Services’ Bureau of Insurance Fraud-Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Nos. 3:24-CR-00101, 00116 (Northern District of Florida)
ECS Deputy Chief Joe Poux
ECS Paralegal Jonah Fruchtman
On February 20, 2025, a court sentenced Fernando Cruz Rubio to time served. Rubio pleaded guilty to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) for failing to maintain an oil record book (ORB) (33 U.S.C. § 1908(a)).
Rubio worked as a chief engineer on the M/V Suhar, a Panamanian-flagged ocean-going bulk carrier that routinely hauled cement from Tampico, Mexico, to Pensacola, Florida. The ship was managed by Gremex Shipping S.A. de C.V., which was responsible for the ship’s day-to-day operations, including hiring all crew, and ensuring compliance with all environmental and international regulations.
The Coast Guard inspected the ship when it arrived in Pensacola on August 25, 2023. Inspectors determined that the vessel’s crew regularly discharged untreated oily bilge water overboard, bypassing onboard pollution control equipment, and falsified the ship’s ORB to conceal these discharges. On various trips, between March 2021 through August 25, 2023, Rubio, as the Suhar’s chief engineer, failed to accurately maintain the ORB and did not record overboard bilge water discharges.
Gremex was sentenced in October 2024 to pay a $1.75 million fine, serve a four-year term of probation, and implement an environmental compliance plan. The shipping corporation also pleaded guilty to violating APPS.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation.
United States v. Clancy Logistics, Inc., et al.
No. 3:24-CR-00344 (District of Oregon)
AUSA Andrew Ho
RCEC Gwendolyn Russell
On February 25, 2025, a court sentenced to Clancy Logistics, Inc., and owner Timothy C. Clancy, to each complete three-year terms of probation. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $101,510.00, jointly and severally. The defendants pleaded guilty to a felony count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Between October 2019 and July 2023, Timothy C. Clancy tampered with the onboard diagnostic systems (OBDs) and caused others to tamper with the OBDs, of at least 13 Class 8 diesel semi-trailer trucks owned or operated by his companies, Clancy Transport, Inc., and Clancy Logistics, Inc. The defendants’ actions prevented the OBDs from detecting malfunctions caused by the deletion of the vehicles’ emission control systems, in violation of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
As part of this process, Clancy directed his employees to disable and remove the emissions hardware from his companies’ vehicles. This involved removing exhaust systems and their corresponding emissions control components from the vehicles, hollowing out the functioning portion of the devices so that only the casing remained, and re-installing the casing to create the appearance that the emissions controls were intact. The vehicles’ OBDs were then tuned so that they could no longer detect the removal of the control equipment.
Clancy and his companies tampered with the OBDs on their diesel semi-trailer trucks so that they could operate the vehicles with real or perceived increased performance and fuel efficiency and reduce or eliminate the cost and burden associated with maintaining the vehicles. As a result, a greater volume of pollutants was emitted from the vehicles.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
No. 5:24-CR-00028 (Western District of North Carolina)
AUSA Katherine T. Armstrong
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Robert G. Gambill to pay a $9,500 fine and to forfeit a rifle, scope, and ammunition for killing a bald eagle in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668(a)). As required under provisions of the Act, $2,500 of the fine will be apportioned equally between two witnesses who reported the shooting.
On June 5, 2024, Gambill set his firearm on a fencepost and targeted, shot, and killed a bald eagle that was perched in a tree near a bridge in Sparta, North Carolina. After killing the eagle, Gambill drove away from the scene, abandoning the carcass on the bank of the New River. Two witnesses recovered the carcass and turned it over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The U.S. FWS forensic laboratory determined that injuries suffered by the bald eagle were consistent with a gunshot wound from a high-powered rifle.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation, with assistance from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
On February 28, 2025, a court sentenced Willie Russell to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and exhibiting dogs in an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C. § 2156(a)(1); 18 U.S.C. § 371). Russell is the fourteenth and final defendant to plead guilty in this federal dog fighting case. The other co-defendants are: Tamichael Elijah; Marvin Pulley, III; Brandon Baker; Christopher Travis Beaumont; Herman Buggs, Jr.; Terrance Davis; Timothy Freeman; Terelle Ganzy; Gary Hopkins; Cornelious Johnson; Rodrecus Kimble; Donnametric Miller; Willie Russell; and, Fredricus White.
On April 24, 2022, the defendants converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. They brought a total of 24 pit bull-type dogs to fight in a series of matches over that weekend. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property.
The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already fought, as well as those awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Some dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued a total of 27 dogs, including a badly injured dog that later perished from its injuries. Dogs in the cars also bore recent injuries and scars.
All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Defendants Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting (i.e., handling) a dog in a dog fight. Defendants Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog for purposes of using the dog in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Defendants Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General; and the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office.
ADVISORY – DAUPHIN COUNTY – Governor Shapiro to Sign Executive Order to Open More Doors of Opportunity to Serve our Commonwealth and Move Pennsylvania Forward
Governor Josh Shapiro will sign an Executive Order during the Commonwealth Job Fair aimed at connecting more people with job opportunities to serve the Commonwealth, opening doors for those with experience in public service.
Last year at the inaugural Commonwealth Job Fair, Governor Shapiro signed the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Executive Order, expanding opportunities for Pennsylvanians seeking a career in public service and continuing to build a more competitive Commonwealth workforce.
WHO: Governor Josh Shapiro Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver Representative Dave Madsen Representative Carol Hill-Evans Commissioner Pam Iovino, State Civil Service Commission Jonathan Skripka, Commonwealth employee
WHEN: Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 10:00 AM
WHERE: Farm Show Complex and Expo Center Cameron Street Lobby 2301 N Cameron St Harrisburg, PA 17110
LIVE STREAM: pacast.com/live/gov governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP: Press who are interested in attending must RSVP to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.
Question for written answer E-000792/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Daniel Buda (PPE)
The EU is preparing the review of the Autonomous Trade Measures with Ukraine, as the current rules on the trade in agricultural products expire in June 2025. Trade relations should become more balanced from then on, drawing on the lessons learned. The negotiations have started at a technical level, with agriculture ministers expressing support for a more stable agreement.
How does the Commission plan to balance the interests of European farmers and Ukrainian producers in the new free trade agreement, in view of the introduction of quotas for agricultural products and the scaling-back of support measures for Ukraine?
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Catherine Waite, Research Associate, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge
A stonechat on the edge of a solar farm.Joshua Copping
The UK’s installed capacity of solar power expanded rapidly over the past decade to reach 17.2 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 – enough electricity to power roughly 4 million homes. The government aims to raise solar generation capacity to 70 GW by 2035. And by 2050, the government’s advisers estimate that as much as 90 GW of solar power may be needed to achieve net zero emissions.
Building solar farms – large-scale installations of solar panels on agricultural land – will have to be done carefully, to avoid exacerbating another environmental crisis: the dwindling variety of wildlife, or biodiversity.
However, surprisingly few studies have examined the impact of solar farms on biodiversity. Our new research is one of the first to study the impact of solar farms on birds in the UK. And, hectare-for-hectare, we found that solar farms in the farm-rich East Anglian countryside that were managed with biodiversity in mind contained a greater number of bird species, and more birds overall, than surrounding cropland.
During spring 2023, we used the breeding bird survey method to survey solar farms in the East Anglian fens that were under different management styles.
These sites ranged from intensively managed solar farms, in which the grass surrounding panels is cut or grazed short throughout the year, with no hedgerows or small trees, to mixed-habitat solar farms where infrequent cutting or grazing has allowed wildflowers, trees and hedgerows to grow along boundary fences. For comparison, we also surveyed the surrounding farmland.
Good habitats for birds
We found that the number of birds on the mixed-habitat solar farms was typically twice that of the intensively managed sites, and three times higher than adjacent high-yielding cropland. The number of species on mixed-habitat solar farms was 2.5 times higher than both of the alternatives.
Our study also showed that solar farms offer important habitat for a number of threatened bird species. In fact, birds such as yellowhammer, linnet, greenfinch and corn bunting, which are of particular concern to conservationists due to their declining national populations, were considerably more abundant on mixed-habitat solar farms.
Perhaps our results aren’t that surprising. After all, the mixed-habitat solar farms we surveyed contained many of the features birds prefer (similar to nature-friendly farms in less intensively farmed areas). These features include hedgerows, which can offer berries to eat and crevices to shelter in, particularly for birds adapted to woodland habitats. The tall and diverse vegetation around the solar panels contains a variety of habitats, with insect prey or seeds for food. The intensively managed cropland and solar farms had none of these features.
By providing the right habitat, birds have been naturally drawn to these solar farms in an area that sorely lacks it.
A golden opportunity
So, solar farms can benefit biodiversity in rural landscapes dominated by intensive agriculture in the UK. Especially when they are designed to allow plants to grow around the panels, and have hedgerows or trees in the margins. Prioritising the needs of wildlife when planning solar farms could help the UK meet its climate commitments while helping nature.
When grass was allowed to grow long on solar farms, it appeared to encourage birds. Joshua Copping
What’s more, our previous research has shown that the UK has enough land to deploy 90 GW of solar power – enough to meet suggested capacity by 2050 – without damaging bird populations at a national scale or affecting food production. Our new findings should allay public concerns about some of the risks of renewable energy to wildlife.
We have a golden opportunity for finding multiple functions for land: generating clean energy while restoring biodiversity at the same time.
Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Catherine Waite receives funding from The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Joshua Copping receives funding from The Natural Environment Resource Council (NERC) and is employed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
NEW YORK, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pacific General, a New York-based private investment firm, announced today that it has acquired a majority stake in Lenwich, the iconic premium sandwich brand that has been a staple in New York City since 1989. Lenwich’s Founder, Lenny Chu, will retain a significant equity interest in the company and continue to lead Lenwich as CEO. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The partnership between Pacific General and Lenwich aims to accelerate Lenwich’s expansion beyond its home market in New York City, extending across the East Coast and the broader United States. This growth will be driven by investments in technology, digital transformation, professional leadership, and franchise development. This strategic approach builds on Pacific General’s proven track record of scaling restaurant brands, as demonstrated by its successful investment and recent exit of Playa Bowls, the largest açai bowl franchise in the country. During its investment in Playa Bowls, Pacific General added over 170 locations nationwide in three years, investing in systems, processes and further professionalizing the leadership team while working closely with the company’s founders.
Founded in 1989 by Lenny Chu, an immigrant from South Korea, Lenwich began as a single deli on the Upper West Side of New York City and has since grown into an iconic sandwich brand, serving New Yorkers for over 30 years. Today, Lenwich operates 14 company-owned locations across the city and is widely recognized for its commitment to fresh, high-quality sandwiches, distinguished by meticulous attention to detail and made-to-order service.
“As a New York-based brand, Lenwich has received numerous unsolicited investment offers over the years. The Pacific General team stood out for their deep appreciation of our brand’s value and for their strategic vision around our company’s growth. I am confident Pacific General is the ideal partner to elevate Lenwich to the next level, and I look forward to collaborating with the Pacific General team in this exciting new chapter,” said Lenny Chu, Founder and CEO of Lenwich.
“Over the years of building our relationship with Lenny, my team and I continue to be impressed by Lenwich’s journey and strong market presence. With a loyal customer base, Lenwich has become a hallmark of New York’s sandwich scene, highlighted by its commitment to quality and taste. We are excited to support Lenwich in expanding into a nationwide brand, addressing the underserved customer demand for high-quality sandwiches and salads,” said Matthew Yoon, Managing Partner of Pacific General.
“With its strong foundation and decades of excellence proven in New York City, one of the country’s most competitive restaurant markets, Lenwich has significant untapped potential for growth. We look forward to bringing our network and expertise to unlock the company’s full potential,” said Dajeong Lee, Partner of Pacific General.
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP served as legal counsel to Pacific General and Pryor Cashman LLP acted as legal counsel to Lenwich. RSM provided financial and tax due diligence in connection with the transaction.
About Lenwich
Founded in 1989, Lenwich is a highly reputable, premium, New York-inspired sandwich concept with 14 corporate-owned stores across Manhattan. Lenwich serves fresh, made-to-order sandwiches, wraps and salads; best known for its Chicken Caesar Wrap and Lenwich sandwich (hot pastrami, corn beef and coleslaw).
About Pacific General
Pacific General is an investment firm focusing on private equity and alternative investments. The firm specializes in originating, structuring, and investing in businesses with growth potential in the consumer, industrials and business services sectors, and leverages its cross-border expertise and global network to create value. The firm operates through offices in New York and Seoul, South Korea and with a presence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe announced three appointments to various boards and filled two county office vacancies.
Scott Albers, of Country Club, was appointed to the Missouri Western State University Board of Governors.
Mr. Albers is the president of Public Refrigerated Warehousing at Nor-Am Cold Storage and has served in leadership roles at the company since 2009. Active in the community, he serves on the board of the Global Cold Chain Alliance and previously held roles with the Greater St. Joseph United Way and the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce. Albers earned a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Business.
Kathy Lambertz, of Harrisonville, was appointed as the Cass County Clerk.
Ms. Lambertz currently serves as the chief deputy clerk in the Cass County Clerk’s Office, a position she has held since 2019. She previously served as Cass County clerk from 1999 to 2012 and worked as a senior appraiser in the assessor’s office from 2012 to 2019. With more than 30 years of experience in county government, she is also active in civic organizations, serving on the University of Missouri Extension Board and as an active member of the Harrisonville Kiwanis Club.
William “Blaine” Luetkemeyer, of St. Elizabeth, was appointed to the University of Missouri Board of Curators.
A retired U.S. Congressman, Mr. Luetkemeyer represented Missouri’s 3rd Congressional District from 2013 to 2025 and the 9th Congressional District from 2009 to 2013. During his tenure in Congress, he played a key role on the House Financial Services Committee, chaired multiple subcommittees, and helped secure $20 million for the NextGen MU Research Reactor at the University of Missouri. Before serving in Congress, Luetkemeyer was a Missouri State Representative, and as the Director of the Missouri Division of Tourism. Mr. Luetkemeyer has decades of experience as a small businessman, having worked as a community banker and bank examiner. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from Lincoln University. In recognition of his contributions to higher education, Mr. Luetkemeyer received the Henry S. Geyer Award from the Mizzou Alumni Association in 2023.
Todd Michalski, of St. Joseph, was appointed to the Missouri Western State University Board of Governors.
Mr. Michalski is the senior vice president of sales and marketing at Gray Manufacturing Company, Inc. He serves as a board member for the Missouri Western State University Foundation and the Automotive Lift Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and minor in Marketing and Management from Missouri Western State University.
Dave Schatz, of Sullivan, was appointed as the Franklin County Presiding Commissioner.
Mr. Schatz is the vice president of Schatz Underground and the former president of Schatz Construction. He previously served as Missouri Senate President Pro Tem and was a State Senator from 2015 to 2022 and a State Representative from 2011 to 2014. A longtime business owner and community leader, Schatz remains active in local government, education initiatives, and community service throughout Franklin County.
Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ahead of President Donald Trump’s Joint Address to Congress tonight, Senate Democrats are launching a new social media video push highlighting President Trump’s broken promise to lower prices.
In August 2024 and numerous times on the campaign trail, President Trump promised to “immediately bring prices down, starting on day one” of his presidency. Instead, prices are up and American families are facing more rapidly rising costs: January’s Consumer Price Index report showed inflation accelerating to 3 percent on an annualized basis. Costs of everything are going up — food, fuel, housing, and other essentials. Egg prices have skyrocketed, if they’re even available.
“Every day, Americans are feeling the consequences of Trump’s empty promises to lower costs, because they feel the consequences of his inaction every day. Families know all too well that the prices of essentials like gas, groceries, and housing are going up, not down, and the problem is getting worse, not better,” said Senator Cory Booker, Chair of the Senate Democrats’ Strategic Communications Committee, which organized the action on social media.
“Donald Trump promised to ‘immediately bring prices down, starting on day one’ of his presidency. But he’s failed to do so, and has also failed to take meaningful action. Instead, he pardoned January 6th rioters, has let Elon Musk take a chainsaw to essential government programs and threaten Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and more, and is now working with Republicans in Congress to pave the way for tax cuts for billionaires. Trump is set to address Congress tonight, but Americans want actions that bring them relief, not more empty words.”
This morning, dozens of Senate Democrats simultaneously posted a video fact-checking Trump’s broken promise to lower prices “on day one” across their social media platforms. The video begins with footage of Trump at a press conference last year promising to “immediately bring prices down, starting on day one” of his presidency — a promise he echoed numerous times leading up to the November election. The video then cuts to Democratic Senators setting the record straight.
One example of the video can be viewed at the link below; followed by a transcript.
LINK TO BOOKER VIDEO
TRANSCRIPT OF BOOKER VIDEO:
Donald Trump: When I win, I will immediately bring prices down, starting on Day One.
Sen. Cory Booker: Shit that ain’t true, that’s what you just saw.
Since Day One of Donald Trump’s presidency, prices are up, not down.
Inflation is getting worse, not better.
Prices of groceries, gas, housing, rent, eggs– they’re all getting more expensive.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has done nothing to lower costs for you.
Instead, he’s done things like pardon violent criminals who beat police officers on January 6th.
He’s letting Elon Musk take a chainsaw to vital government programs for Americans and giving him access to Americans’ most sensitive data– social security numbers, tax returns, health care records and more.
In the most ham-handed fashion, he’s fired thousands of essential government workers. People literally who are working to make government more efficient and more accountable.
He’s frozen federal funding for vital programs, like cancer research, veteran services, education programs, payments to family farmers, and so much more.
Why?
Because Trump and Musk are cutting critical services for you in order to make room for more tax cuts for billionaires like them, while still leaving you to deal with rising costs, a housing crisis, and healthcare that’s getting more expensive and not less.
The Republican plan is simple: you lose, and billionaires win.
And that’s the truth.
In a series of meetings in Nairobi, Kenya, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed spearheaded discussions on fortifying global food systems and advancing sustainable development, setting the stage for the upcoming fourth UN Food Systems Summit.
Ms. Mohammed’ s high-level meetings, which took place between 22 and 25 February, aimed at addressing one of the most pressing issues of our time: the transformation of global food systems.
These discussions are a precursor to the much-anticipated UN Food Systems Summit +4 (UNFSS+4), scheduled for July 28-30, 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and co-hosted by the governments of Ethiopia and Italy.
Ms. Mohammed emphasized the critical need for a holistic approach to food systems. “Transforming our food systems is essential to driving progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and delivering for everyone, everywhere,” she stated.
Her words resonated deeply with the diverse group of stakeholders present, including government officials, private sector leaders, and representatives from civil society.
‘We need all hands on deck’
The meetings in Nairobi were not just about dialogue; they were a call to action. Ms. Mohammed highlighted the importance of public-private-community partnerships in achieving sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems. “We need all hands on deck to reach food systems transformations with the impact to advance on the 2030 Agenda,” she urged.
One of the key themes of the discussions was the urgent need to enhance financial mechanisms to support food systems transformation. The UN deputy chief underscored the significance of securing concessional finance, investments, budget support, and debt restructuring. She pointed to the proposed SDG Stimulus of $500 billion a year as a potential game-changer, offering fiscal space and resources to drive this transformation.
Ms. Mohammed also addressed the challenges posed by rising living costs, social inequalities, climate change, and geopolitical tensions. She stressed that these global issues require a coordinated and comprehensive response. “Our efforts must be integrated and inclusive, ensuring that no one is left behind,” she said.
During her visit, Ms. Mohammed engaged with member states, private sector leaders, and National Convenors of Food Systems Pathways from 27 countries, both in person and virtually. These sessions, held over two days, emphasized the urgency of collective action to transform food systems.
Food security and education for all
As part of her engagements in Nairobi, the Deputy Secretary-General visited Giga Kitchen, an initiative by Food4Education led by Wawira Njiru, the UN in Kenya Person of the Year in 2021.
Food4Education has demonstrated the power of innovation and collaboration in tackling food insecurity. In just two years, the organization has scaled up from feeding 10,000 children per day to 500,000, proving that community-driven initiatives, when supported by strategic partnerships, can achieve transformative impact at scale.
By leveraging technology, efficient supply chains, and innovative community engagement, Food4Education has not only expanded access to nutritious meals but also created a sustainable ecosystem that benefits both children and small-scale farmers. Through direct sourcing from smallholder farmers, the initiative has ensured a consistent market for local producers, strengthening food systems while promoting economic empowerment.
This model highlights how innovative, community-driven solutions can effectively and sustainably address food insecurity when integrated with government support and multi-stakeholder collaboration. By rethinking traditional approaches and embracing scalable, technology-driven solutions, initiatives like Food4Education set a precedent for sustainable development in food security and nutrition.
Looking ahead to the UNFSS+4, Ms. Mohammed expressed optimism about the potential for meaningful progress. “We have the opportunity to reshape the global narrative around food systems, making them a key lever to accelerate and reinforce SDG progress,” she remarked.
The summit, she noted, will build on the momentum generated by previous efforts and set the stage for a new era of food systems transformation.
In concluding her mission, the Deputy Secretary-General convened a kick-off meeting hosted at AGRA Headquarters in Nairobi to launch the preparatory process for the UNFSS+4.
AGRA, an agency driving a food system-inspired inclusive agricultural transformation across Africa, brought together the UN Food Systems Advisory Group, high-level experts, and thought leaders to define the vision, strategy, and roadmap for the Summit. National convenors in participation shared insights on breakthroughs, priority needs, and expectations, shaping the direction of the UNFSS+4 programme.
While still at AGRA, Ms. Mohammed engaged with more than 200 staff members, commending them for their commitment to transforming African agriculture. She acknowledged AGRA’s African-led approach, which has been instrumental in scaling agricultural innovations to improve the lives of smallholder farmers.
“AGRA stands as a beacon of innovation and resilience, offering uniquely African solutions to the challenges faced by smallholder farmers,” she remarked. “Your work is not just about increasing agricultural productivity – it is about empowering communities, ensuring food security, and building sustainable livelihoods.”
Reflecting on AGRA’s achievements since its inception in 2006, she noted that its proven solutions have played a pivotal role in strengthening African food systems, improving farmer incomes, and fostering economic growth. She urged continued innovation, investment, and collaboration to accelerate progress toward sustainable agriculture and food security across the continent.
As the world faces increasing challenges in food security, UNFSS+4 represents a critical opportunity to rally global action, foster innovation, and strengthen partnerships to create sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food systems for the future.
Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
WSJ: “Economists say American importers and businesses will likely pass along the cost of tariffs to consumers, meaning individuals are likely to see higher prices at grocery stores and car dealerships.”
POLITICO: “The agriculture industry will take a major hit from the new 25 percent duties on Mexico and Canada that went into effect at midnight.”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, issued the following statement on President Trump imposing sweeping tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China:
“President Trump’s reckless Trade War will lead to higher prices for New Mexicans on groceries, energy, cars, electronics, and more. Instead of strengthening our economy, he’s putting American jobs and businesses at risk while pushing the Tax Scam 2.0 for the wealthy and gutting essential programs. These tariffs could cost American families up to $2,000 a year in higher prices.
“We’ve seen this before. During his first term, President Trump’s tariffs cost the agriculture industry billions of dollars. Now, our farmers and ranchers are once again paying the price. Despite President Trump’s claims, it’s American families and businesses who will bear the brunt of these tariffs.
“President Trump is doing nothing to lower costs for hardworking Americans.”
Fact sheets on New Mexico trade with Canada, Mexico, and China are available HERE.
Greenpeace Aotearoa says Fonterra’s entire supply chain is tainted with illegal palm products after all of the major importers of palm kernel into New Zealand have been found to be illegally operating palm plantations in Indonesia.
A decree from the Indonesian Minister of Forestry released a list of 436 companies operating palm plantations without proper permits in Indonesian forest areas. New Zealand’s main importers of palm kernel – Wilmar International, Viterra, GAR, Musim Mas and Apical – are all implicated in this list of illegal operators.
Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Over the last 20 years, nearly 10 million hectares of primary forest have been destroyed in Indonesia, and palm plantations have been the leading driver of that deforestation. It is shameful that New Zealand’s dairy industry, led by Fonterra, continues to contribute to this destruction through its reliance on palm kernel.”
New Zealand is the world’s biggest importer of palm kernel, importing nearly 2 million tonnes annually from Southeast Asia. Palm kernel is used as a supplementary feed for dairy cows, particularly during dry summer months when there isn’t enough grass to feed the dairy herd. The main importer of palm kernel to New Zealand is Wilmar International, the parent company of Agrifeeds, which sells its palm kernel exclusively through Fonterra’s Farm Source stores.
“This new evidence indicates that Fonterra and Agrifeeds are both complicit in deforestation and the destruction of rare wildlife habitat in Southeast Asia,” says Deighton-O’Flynn.
“When Fonterra uses deforestation-linked palm kernel, it becomes embedded in its dairy products, tainting its entire supply chain. This means products like Kit Kat, Snickers bars and Milo, which are made with Fonterra’s dairy, are linked to deforestation too.”
Ananalysispublished by Greenpeace Indonesia indicated that as of 2019, illegal oil palm plantings in Indonesia’s forest estate occupied 183,687 hectares of land previously mapped as orangutan habitat and 148,839 hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat. Both species are critically endangered.
In Decree 36/2025, Indonesia’s Minister of Forestry revealed that over 1 million hectares of forest are being used for palm plantations illegally, with 790,474 hectares in the process of settlement, while 317,253 hectares have been rejected for settlement.
Deighton-O’Flynn says, “Fonterra made a commitment to zero deforestation in its supply chains by 2025, and its biggest customers like Nestlé, MARS and Danone all have Zero Deforestation policies. However, this Indonesian Government decree implicates all of these companies in illegal operations and associated historic deforestation in Indonesia.”
Wilmar International, and many of the other companies listed hold Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certifications. A Greenpeacereportfrom 2021, found that certifications like RSPO are weak tools to protect rainforests and peatlands from deforestation.
“Fonterra must ban the use of rainforest-destroying palm kernel on all of its farms across the country in light of these new developments. The company cannot continue to claim to be deforestation-free while relying on this destructive feed.”
In late 2024, Greenpeace announced it was suing Fonterra for false claims on its Anchor Butter packaging. The packaging bore a label reading ‘100% New Zealand grass-fed’, despite Fonterra’s own policy allowing for up to 20% of a cow’s diet to be palm kernel. Since the lawsuit was announced on September 30th, the dairy giant has changed the logo on the packaging – but the grass-fed claim remains.
Deighton O’Flynn says, “Fonterra must phase out the use of palm kernel, instead of relying on greenwash tactics, like misleading logos, weak sustainability certifications and a deforestation policy that ignores rainforest destroying palm kernel.
“As Fonterra looks to sell its consumer brands, we’re issuing a warning to potential buyers. Fonterra’s grass is not as green as they claim it is – in fact, in some cases, it isn’t grass at all.”
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), March 4, 2025/APO Group/ —
Talks held by the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) in the Republic of Congo from 24 – 28 February 2025 marked a significant step forward in strengthening the strategic partnership between the Bank and the Central African country.
Led by Solomane Koné, Acting Director General for Central Africa, the discussions reinforced cooperation to accelerate national development priorities.
They also coincided with the signing of two grant agreements (apo-opa.co/41HG8HS) totalling $1.5 million to address Congo’s energy challenges:
A $585,000 grant from the Middle Income Country Technical Assistance Fund to fund feasibility studies for hydroelectric infrastructure on the Congo River.
A $995,000 grant from the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund (KOAFEC) to enhance the electrical transmission line between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville.
“The projects funded by these agreements will help us to open up power pools with neighbouring countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. The African Development Bank will again play an essential role, since it is a stakeholder in numerous initiatives, including the new Mission 300 (apo-opa.co/41qMj1F), which our country welcomes,” commented the Congolese Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, Ludovic Ngatsé, who is also the Bank Group’s governor for his country.
“This financial support illustrates the Bank’s willingness to support Congo in modernizing its energy infrastructure, which is essential for diversifying its economy,” added Koné.
In the digital sector, a visit to the Data Center (https://apo-opa.co/3XrGmjT), currently being built in Congo as part of the Central African Backbone fibre optic project, highlighted the country’s technological advances. This strategic centre will help improve national and regional connectivity, while supporting the emergence of an inclusive digital economy and sovereignty.
Strategic discussions for stronger cooperation
The Bank Group’s mission was also punctuated by high-level meetings, including with the Prime Minister, Anatole Collinet Makosso, and the Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Integration, Ludovic Ngatsé, and other members of the Congolese government. The talks were an opportunity to reiterate the Bank’s commitment to supporting the structural reforms and implementation of Congo’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2022-2026.
The Bank Group’s mission encouraged the government to pursue the satisfactory implementation of major reforms, particularly in terms of debt management, to allow the Bank to provide funding, from 2025 onwards, for core projects that have already been planned or are in preparation, particularly in the energy sector.
“You can be reassured by the fact that we are going to keep our commitments and will continue to count on the Bank’s valuable support,” stated the Congolese Prime Minister.
The Bank’s representatives were welcomed by the Ministers of Agriculture, Livestock Farming and Fishing; Technical and Vocational Education; Finance, the Budget and Public Holdings; and Energy and Water, among others. The talks with ministers helped consolidate the strategic dialogue on key questions, review the progress of current projects – some of which are approaching completion, with tangible results – monitor commitments and discuss the prospects of the partnership between the African Development Bank Group and the Republic of Congo.
A meeting with United Nations representatives also provided an opportunity to explore synergies with the Bank to maximize the impact of interventions, particularly in energy. The working meeting with the Central Africa Power Pool highlighted the importance of regional integration in this sector to respond to the country’s energy security and access challenges.
Outlook for positive cooperation
The Bank Group’s mission to Congo also opened prospects for mobilizing new funding to support strategic sectors, especially energy, digital infrastructure and roads.
The Bank Group’s mission to Congo explored new funding opportunities for key sectors, including energy, digital infrastructure, and roads.
The Bank plans to provide technical assistance to help Congo reassess its GDP, incorporating natural capital—a key step in unlocking climate funding.
Congo has also expressed interest in joining the second cohort of Energy Compacts under Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/41qs981), a joint initiative by the African Development Bank and World Bank.
Lastly, discussions covered Congo’s hosting of the Bank’s 2026 Annual Meetings, with the Prime Minister reaffirming the country’s readiness to ensure a successful event.
The Bank is planning to provide technical assistance to support Congo in “reassessing” its gross domestic product to take account of its natural capital, creating a genuine opportunity to mobilize climate funding.
Moreover, Congo has expressed its interest in being part of the second cohort of countries committed to Energy Compacts in the context of Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/3Xvrd15), an unprecedented initiative by the African Development Bank and World Bank. Finally, the mission discussed the organization by Congo of the Bank Group’s 2026 Annual Meetings. The Congolese Prime Minister offered reassurance as to his country’s preparedness and promised a successful outcome.
“The relationship between the African Development Bank and the Republic of the Congo is excellent. The Bank has always been at our side, providing various forms of support, both operationally and in terms of strategic advice. It exerts its influence to back initiatives to support Congo, and it has my sincere thanks for that,” concluded Anatole Collinet Makosso.
Cooperation between the African Development Bank and the Republic of the Congo is based on the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) 2023-2028 (https://apo-opa.co/41EiyMo), which focuses on two priority areas: the development of sustainable infrastructure to strengthen value chains with high growth potential, and improving human capital and economic governance to support social inclusion.
San Francisco, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LambdaTest, a leading cloud-based unified testing platform has announced a strategic partnership with KineticSkunk™, a pioneer in DevOps, DevSecOps, and Observability solutions. This collaboration is set to enhance software testing capabilities, improve product quality, and streamline digital transformation processes for businesses globally.
By combining LambdaTest’s cutting-edge cloud testing infrastructure with KineticSkunk™’s expertise in DevOps and DevSecOps, the partnership will empower organizations with advanced, efficient, and scalable testing solutions. The alliance also underscores a shared commitment to innovation and social responsibility, ensuring that businesses not only achieve operational excellence but also contribute to a more inclusive digital future.
“At LambdaTest, we believe that great software is built on a foundation of seamless testing and continuous innovation. Partnering with KineticSkunk™ allows us to bring that vision to life by combining our strengths in cloud testing with their deep expertise in DevOps and security. Together, we’re not just optimizing testing—we’re helping businesses ship quality software faster, smarter, and with confidence,” said Mohit Juneja, VP Strategic Sales and Partnerships, LambdaTest.
Echoing this sentiment, Donovan Mulder, Chief Executive Officer, KineticSkunk™, stated, “At KineticSkunk™, we are committed to driving innovation in DevOps, DevSecOps, and Observability to help businesses achieve seamless digital transformation. Partnering with LambdaTest allows us to extend our expertise and deliver cutting-edge testing solutions that enhance software quality, security, and speed to market. Together, we are not just shaping the future of testing—we are enabling organizations to build resilient, high-performing software ecosystems with confidence.”
As part of this strategic collaboration, LambdaTest and KineticSkunk™ hosted an exclusive round-table event in Cape Town, bringing together industry leaders to discuss key trends and challenges in software testing, automation, and DevSecOps. The event provided valuable insights into how organizations can future-proof their software development and testing strategies.
Customers and affiliates of both companies will benefit from a seamless integration of advanced testing frameworks and DevSecOps solutions, ensuring faster release cycles, enhanced security, and improved software reliability. By leveraging each other’s strengths, LambdaTest and KineticSkunk are poised to set new benchmarks in software testing and development.
About LambdaTest LambdaTest is an AI-native, omnichannel software quality platform that empowers businesses to accelerate time to market through intelligent, cloud-based test authoring, orchestration, and execution. With over 15,000 customers and 2.3 million+ users across 130+ countries, LambdaTest is the trusted choice for modern software testing.
Browser & App Testing Cloud: Enables manual and automated testing of web and mobile apps across 5,000+ browsers, real devices, and OS environments, ensuring cross-platform consistency.
HyperExecute: An AI-native test execution and orchestration cloud that runs tests up to 70% faster than traditional grids, offering smart test distribution, automatic retries, real-time logs, and seamless CI/CD integration.
KaneAI: The world’s first GenAI-native testing agent, leveraging LLMs for effortless test creation, intelligent automation, and self-evolving test execution. It integrates directly with Jira, Slack, GitHub, and other DevOps tools.
About KineticSkunk™ KineticSkunk™ is a leader in DevOps, DevSecOps, and Observability, offering tailor-made solutions for business efficiency and security. With a strong commitment to social responsibility, KineticSkunk™ develops talent from disadvantaged backgrounds into top professionals while delivering cutting-edge technology solutions that drive business success.
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Syncfusion®, Inc., the enterprise technology provider of choice, today announced its sponsorship of the .NET Foundation, furthering its support of open-source development and the global .NET community.
“We are thrilled to support the .NET Foundation and its mission to foster a strong and open .NET ecosystem,” said Daniel Jebaraj, CEO of Syncfusion. “We believe in the power of open-source software to drive innovation, build community, and enable developers to build exceptional applications. This sponsorship aligns with what our mission has been since the beginning: to equip developers with the best tools and resources available.”
The .NET Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that champions an innovative, commercially friendly, open-source ecosystem around the .NET platform. By supporting open-source projects with free administrative services, networking events, and educational resources, the .NET Foundation fosters sustainability, development, and collaboration within the .NET community. As a sponsor, Syncfusion will actively contribute to the foundation’s initiatives to enhance the open-source ecosystem millions of developers rely on daily.
“Syncfusion has been a key player in the .NET development space for over two decades,” said Mitchel Sellers, vice president of the .NET Foundation. “It’s contributions from sponsorship organizations like Syncfusion that help the .NET Foundation build the programs that enable our open-source project communities to grow and thrive.”
Syncfusion provides a robust suite of UI controls, data visualization tools, and enterprise-grade solutions that help developers accelerate their projects. Recently, the company announced the release of twosets of open-source .NET MAUI controls to enhance cross-platform development, with more planned for the future. The Syncfusion Toolkit for .NET MAUI, available for free in NuGet and GitHub repositories, provides developers with 19 controls to build beautiful, responsive, feature-rich applications quickly and easily. Syncfusion engineers have already strengthened the .NET MAUI platform, having resolved dozens of issues and accounted for over half of all community contributions in the first three months of their involvement.
For more information about Syncfusion and its developer tools, visit www.syncfusion.com.
About Syncfusion, Inc. Headquartered in the technology hub of Research Triangle Park, N.C., Syncfusion®, Inc. delivers an award-winning ecosystem of developer control suites, embeddable BI platforms, and business software. Syncfusion was founded in 2001 with a single software component and a mission to support businesses of all sizes—from individual developers and start-ups to Fortune 500 enterprises. Though its pilot product, the Essential Studio® suite, has grown to over 1,900 developer controls, its mission remains the same. With offices in the U.S., India, and East Africa, Syncfusion prioritizes the customer experience by providing feature-rich solutions to help developers and enterprises solve complex problems, save money, and build high-performance, robust applications.
MIAMI, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kandji, the Apple endpoint security platform, today announced the opening of its new East Coast headquarters to further the company’s global scaling efforts, attract world-class talent, and support rapid customer growth. In addition to the East Coast headquarters in Miami, Kandji has offices in California, London, Sydney, and Japan.
Located at The Plaza Coral Gables, 2811 Ponce de Leon in Coral Gables, Fla., Kandji’s East Coast headquarters boasts nearly 30,000 square feet to accommodate the company’s sizable recruiting efforts. More than 100 new openings are available to support Kandji’s mission of empowering secure and productive global work.
“Miami is fueling the next frontier for technology advancement,” said Adam Pettit, co-founder and CEO of Kandji. “We’re thrilled to immerse ourselves in this dynamic community and look forward to welcoming its world-class talent to our expanding team. Our East Coast headquarters will not only allow us to contribute to the local economy, but will provide the space, talent, and resources to accommodate Kandji’s growth and ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions that enable our customers to manage and secure their Apple device fleets at scale.”
Kandji’s dedication to supporting local talent development in Miami-Dade County is evident through its alignment with organizations such as: The Beacon Council, Creative Hub, Miami Tech Works, eMerge, Opportunity Miami, Miami Dade College, and more. Through these partnerships, Kandji has participated in community events, workforce development programs, and initiatives that drive local innovation.
“Miami-Dade County is redefining what it means to be a global tech hub, and Kandji’s decision to open their East Coast headquarters in Miami-Dade is proof of that transformation,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Our strategic location, diverse talent pool and pro-business environment make Miami-Dade a natural home for innovators. Collaboration with companies like Kandji drive our county’s continued growth and continue to strengthen our competitive edge as a premier tech hub.”
The opening of the East Coast headquarters follows continued company momentum for Kandji. In July 2024, the company raised $100 million in capital from General Catalyst – with $50 million allocated to equity financing for its Series D, and $50 million for go-to-market investment – bringing its total funding to over $280 million and its valuation to $850 million. Kandji has over 4,500 customers across 40+ industries, with 1,300 new customers signed in 2024. Notable customers include Canva, Deel, Twilio, Notion, and Wiz, and the company has partnerships with such industry giants as ServiceNow, AWS, and Okta. In addition, Kandji was recognized today on Forbes’ America’s Best Startup Employers 2025 list, which identified the top performing startups in the United States based on employer reputation, employee satisfaction and company growth.
Along with corporate and customer growth, Kandji continues to bring new solutions to the market to further its mission of creating an integrated platform for enterprise Apple device management and security. Most recently, Kandji announced Vulnerability Management, a new security product that helps organizations identify and remediate security vulnerabilities due to out of date software on their Mac computers, Kai, a first-of-its-kind AI device management assistant for Apple devices, and Device Management for Apple Vision Pro, a groundbreaking solution that revolutionizes how businesses deploy and manage Apple Vision Pro devices at scale.
“Kandji’s decision to establish its East Coast headquarters in Greater Miami is a testament to our region’s dynamic tech evolution,” said Rodrick T. Miller, President & CEO, Miami-Dade Beacon Council. “As one of the fastest-growing tech hubs in the country, Miami continues to attract top investors, startups, and global leaders like Apple and Kandji who are fueling this momentum. By creating 200 high-value jobs and investing in our innovation ecosystem, Kandji is further strengthening Miami’s reputation as a pro-business community where talent and companies thrive. We look forward to continuing to partner on their growth as they make themselves at home in South Florida.”
Kandji is actively recruiting for a variety of roles across engineering, product, and go-to-market. To learn more about employment opportunities at Kandji, visit https://www.kandji.io/company/careers/#open-roles.
Helpful Links
About Kandji Kandji is the Apple endpoint security platform. Kandji empowers companies to manage and secure Apple devices in the enterprise and at scale. By centrally securing and managing your Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV devices, IT and InfoSec teams can save countless hours of manual, repetitive work with features like one-click compliance templates and more than 150 pre-built automations, apps, and workflows. Learn more at http://www.kandji.io.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and 13 of their Democratic colleagues in pressing the Trump Administration for assurances that assistance for economic challenges in 2024 and natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 will be honored for all farmers—including row crop and specialty crop farmers—and distributed as quickly as possible. The Senators emphasized the need for farmers to receive this aid as they make decisions for spring planting season.
In the letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Senators wrote: “Farmers are making decisions right now about fertilizer usage and their crop mix and are working with their bankers to figure out if they can secure the financing they need to continue farming this year. Without the timely delivery of economic and disaster assistance, farmers face the prospect of reducing plantings or liquidating assets to remain in business as they head into another potentially difficult growing season.”
In 2023, major weather disasters caused over $21 billion in crop losses, with extreme weather causing $69 million in Vermont’s food and agricultural sector. In Vermont, floods in July 2023 and July 2024 impacted nearly 31,000 acres of farmland across the state and resulted in at least $50 million in agricultural losses and damages. As a result of a growing gap in disaster aid relief funding, many Vermont farmers are increasingly operating in the red or losing their livelihoods altogether. In the absence of immediate federal assistance, damage caused by past natural disasters will continue to impact Vermont farmers’ future growing seasons.
In addition to Senators Welch and Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Sens. Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).
Read the full letter here.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), insecurity and horrific sexual violence have left tens of thousands fleeing across borders with no sign of the exodus stopping, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR)saidon Tuesday.
“Near the frontlines, sexual violence and human rights abuses remain rampant, as is the looting and destruction of civilian homes and businesses,” said Patrick Eba, Deputy Director of UNHCR’s Division of International Protection.
Speaking in Geneva, Mr. Eba told journalists that that North and South Kivu provinces remain unstable, with “hundreds of thousands of people on the move”.
Close to 80,000 people have fled armed clashes between Congolese Government forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels into neighbouring countries and some 61,000 have arrived in Burundi since January, Mr. Eba stressed.
60 rape victims a day
A staggering 895 cases of rape were reported to humanitarian actors in the last two weeks of February alone, the UN refugee agency official continued – an average of more than 60 a day.
The UNHCR official highlighted other risks faced by civilians, including the dangers posed by explosive remnants of war to children and farmers trying to tend their fields. On Monday, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) reported that armed men had raided at least two hospitals in North Kivu’s capital Goma, abducting dozens of patients.
The fighting has also impeded humanitarian access to people on the move. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has had to pause its aid operations in conflict-affected areas but was resuming emergency food assistance “in some parts of North Kivu” according to a post on social media platform X on Tuesday morning, aiming to reach over 210,000 people.
M23 forced evictions
Inside North and South Kivu, “significant” population movements have continued, in line with reported M23 orders issued to internally displaced people (IDPs) to leave the camps around Goma, UNHCR’s Mr. Eba said.
“Today, only around 17,000 people are left residing in IDP sites, schools and churches around Goma, while an estimated 414,000 of their neighbours have been on the move for the past four weeks, encouraged by the de facto authorities to return to their villages of origin,” he explained.
Given the widespread insecurity in eastern DRC, “many more” people may need to cross borders in search of safety, Mr. Eba warned.
UNHCR’s position regarding returns to the area is that “Congolese nationals fleeing the conflict, as well as those who are outside the country, who originate from the areas affected by the conflict, may need refugee protection under international and regional legal frameworks,” he said.
The UNHCR official emphasized the importance of “informed decision-making” for any voluntary returns to conflict-affected areas.
Exempt from funding freeze
Asked about the impact of the United States’ humanitarian funding freeze on operations in the country, UNHCR spokesperson Eujin Byun confirmed that the agency had received a waiver lifting the 90-day suspension for “a few emergency countries, including DRC”.
Assistance for the current crisis that was spawned by a decades-long conflict in the mineral-rich region had “always been underfunded”, she said, expressing hope that UNHCR will be able to “continue to support this emergency”.
There are over one million Congolese refugees across Africa, mainly in neighbouring countries. Uganda hosts more than half of that total, while Burundi has seen most new arrivals since January’s flash M23 offensive. Prior to the current crisis, some 6.7 million people were internally displaced within the DRC.
PEKIN, Ill., March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO), leading producer and distributor of specialty alcohols, renewable fuels and essential ingredients, announced that management plans to participate at the 37th Annual Roth Conference on March 16th-18th. The conference is being held at The Laguna Cliffs Marriott in Dana Point, CA
Management will conduct one-on-one meetings on March 17th. Interested investors should contact their ROTH representative or Kirsten Chapman of Alliance Advisors Investor Relations at Investorrelations@altoingredients.com
About Alto Ingredients, Inc. Alto Ingredients, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTO) is a leading producer and distributor of specialty alcohols, renewable fuels and essential ingredients. Leveraging the unique qualities of its facilities, the company serves customers in a wide range of consumer and commercial products in the Health, Home & Beauty; Food & Beverage; Industry & Agriculture; Essential Ingredients; and Renewable Fuels markets. For more information, please visit www.altoingredients.com.
Social care inspector Chanel Bryant visited Upper Pendeford Farm, which provides short breaks for up to 6 young people at a time, earlier this year and found it to be ‘warmly decorated and homely’.
Leaders and staff are ‘committed to children having the best educational outcomes’. They ensure that children coming to stay at Upper Pendeford Farm are suitably matched, while staff have a good understanding of children’s health needs which ensures they are ‘well met’.
Leaders have a good understanding of children’s progress in the home, while staff speak highly of support from managers. Staff are well trained and enthusiastic about learning key areas relevant to their role to deliver a good level of care.
Staff support children in understanding how to keep themselves safe and help them develop their independence skills, for instance supporting children to cook meals in preparation for adulthood or providing step by step plans for travelling on public transport. As a result, parents praise staff for developing their children’s independence skills.
Staff form good relationships with children and ‘create positive experiences’, providing them trips, including bowling and cinema visits. They also ‘advocate well’ for children with other professionals and support them to voice their own opinions, which has ‘led to their views being listened to and positive changes taking place for children’.
Ofsted concluded that the overall experiences and progress of children and young people, how well children and young people are helped and protected, and the effectiveness of leaders and managers, are all Good.
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “This is a very positive report which demonstrates the good quality service provided by our short breaks service.
“Upper Pendeford Farm offers a home away from home for children and young people who may have experienced childhood adversity that has led to emotional and behavioural difficulties. I am pleased that not only Ofsted, but also the children and young people and their families, speak so highly of the important support it provides.”
The National University of Samoa (NUS) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), effective February 2025, to establish a collaborative framework for advancing Samoa’s agriculture and fisheries sectors.
This landmark agreement aims to promote research, development and training initiatives to improve food security, promote sustainable resource management and boost income-generating opportunities.
The MOU outlines a comprehensive scope of activities, including the exchange of researchers and students, joint research projects, technical assistance, and the co-sponsorship of seminars.
Both MAF and NUS will share capacity-building opportunities and collaborate on projects focusing on key areas such as crops, food security, climate change and fisheries. The agreement also ensures a collaborative approach to knowledge sharing and innovation.
This strategic partnership highlights a commitment to promoting a resilient agriculture and fisheries sector through enhanced collaboration between governmental and academic entities. It represents a significant step toward strengthening Samoa’s capacity to address challenges in food production, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Both partners anticipate that this MOU will catalyze impactful projects that will benefit the Samoan community and contribute to the nation’s sustainable growth.
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
On the weekend of March 8 and 9, at the Moskino Cinema Park you can learn how to do makeup like movie heroines, make unique jewelry, create flower arrangements, and learn bachata or zumba moves. Participation is free with purchase complex ticket to the cinema park.
Create a luxurious look and receive a gift from your knight
On March 8 and 9, makeup artists Svetlana Shevtsova and stylist Irina Konovalova will hold master classes at the educational center of the cinema park. They will share secrets of professional makeup, including for filming, and will also teach how to do fashionable hairstyles. Start at 13:00 and 16:30.
At the “Cathedral Square of Moscow” site, beautiful ladies will have a retro-style photo shoot. Participants will try on atmospheric gloves and pose with fans and in elegant hats. You can take a photo against the backdrop of a flower arrangement in the “Center of Moscow” decorations. And aspiring actresses and actors will be able to record a video greeting – administrators will help with this.
Men who want to please their companions will be able to take part in the knightly quest “That very flower”. The heroes will have to overcome obstacles to make a gift to their beloved.
Make jewelry, learn to dance and draw a portrait
In the glass building near the Cowboy Town site, creative workshops will be held for young participants and their parents. Guests are invited to create unique jewelry (at 13:00 and 16:00), decorate velvet headbands (at 12:00 and 15:00) and make a gift in a modern style (at 11:00 and 14:00).
In the “Center of Moscow” decorations, fashionable dance lessons will be held. Everyone will be able to master elements of bachata, salsa and zumba. Sessions – from 11:00 to 17:00.
On March 8, the Gonzaga Theatre will host piano concerts from 1:00 PM to 4:35 PM, and on March 9, at 5:00 PM, the stage will show a one-man show called “Like a Cat and a Dog” with actor Mikhail Policemako. The educational centre has prepared master classes on how to design a clapperboard, a movie plate and a heart-shaped plaster box.
On the playground near the natural chromakey, children will be offered games with animators and creative exercises. For example, children will be offered to dance on a colored banner, while managing to take the designated place, as well as draw a portrait of a beautiful lady, collect pleasant phrases for girls using cards and select words-associations to the names of flowers.
Play Martha and see spy stories on screen
In the interior decorations of the “Pitersky Bar”, guests of the cinema park will be treated to staged filming based on the film “The Same Munchausen” and themed photo sessions in historical costumes. Ladies will dress up in luxurious dresses in the spirit of Martha and Jacobina, the heroines of the film, and gentlemen will imagine themselves as barons, burgomasters and dukes. In the “County Town” decorations, you can dress up in sheepskin coats and woolen scarves and recall the funniest phrases of the characters of the famous Soviet comedy “Love and Doves”.
On March 8 and 9, the Moskino Kinopark cinema will host special screenings of Russian film premieres. The program includes the inspiring biographical drama Rodnina, which tells the story of the famous athlete, a figure skating legend. Visitors with children will certainly enjoy new family-friendly films: The Frog Princess (a funny tale about a frog who dreamed of becoming a princess) and Captain Hook (a comedy about a former hockey player who becomes a mentor for a teenage team). Fans of action films will enjoy the exciting Russian-Chinese detective Red Silk, which tells the story of a dangerous game between intelligence agents, the outcome of which will largely determine relations between the USSR and China. Tickets and schedule — on the website.
The film park’s decorations will be open from 11:00 to 18:00, and until 20:00 guests will be able to spend time in the central square, fairy tale park and educational center.
The Moskino Cinema Park is part of Sergei Sobyanin’s Moscow — City of Cinema project and an object of the Moscow film cluster. The first stage of development has already been completed: 18 natural sites, four pavilions and six infrastructure facilities have been built, including the sets of Moscow Center, Moscow of the 1940s, Vitebsk Station, Yurovo Airport, Moscow Cathedral Square, Deaf Village, Partisan Village, County Town, Cowboy Town, St. Petersburg Bar and other sites.
The Moscow Film Cluster is an infrastructure facility, services and facilities for filmmakers, which are being developed by the Moscow Government within the framework of the Moscow — City of Cinema project. Its structure includes the Moskino cinema park, Gorky Film Studio (sites on Sergei Eisenstein Street and Valdaisky Proezd), Moskino film factory, Moskino cinema chain, Moskino film commission and film platform.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today, the White House issued a statement in support of U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville’s (R-AL) Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act to make President Trump’s recent “Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports” Executive Order permanent:
“The Administration strongly supports passage of S. 9, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025. Through an amendment to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, this bill would expressly recognize what is already federal law—that it is an illegal act of discrimination for a man to participate in a federally funded athletic program or activity designated for women or girls. This bill also recognizes that “sex,” as used in the statutory scheme, is based solely on reproductive biology and genetics. Men participating in women’s sports not only is demeaning and dangerous to women and girls, but it erodes the integrity of our Nation’s civil rights laws. Congress’s affirmative vote on this bill would complement both federal court rulings and President Trump’s February 5, 2025, Executive Order, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.’”
Senator Tuberville’s legislation will get a vote in the Senate this evening.
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.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) and ten of their Senate colleagues in cosponsoring the Protecting Investors’ Personally Identifiable Information Act, which would prohibit the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requiring brokers to submit investors’ identifiable information to its data tracking system, the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), in the wake of recent cyber-attacks and ongoing vulnerabilities.
Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress.
“Americans should be able to invest in the stock market without fear that their private information is up for grabs. This unlawful practice by the SEC is a useless system that enables our adversaries rather than protecting Americans. Far too often, we let cyber-attacks slip under the rug. This legislation safeguards our citizens and strengthens our cyber capabilities. I hope my colleagues join us in this commonsense legislation,” said Sen. Tuberville.
“Americans assume their private information is secure when they invest money in the U.S. stock market. However, the SEC’s unlawful Consolidated Audit Trail could put their data in jeopardy. My bill would protect American investors from foreign enemies and bad actors by preventing the SEC from collecting personal information it doesn’t need and storing in on a dangerous database,” said Sen. Kennedy.
Senators Tuberville and Kennedy were joined by U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Steve Daines (R-MT), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Rick Scott (R-FL) in cosponsoring the legislation.
U.S. Congressman Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11) led the effort in the U.S House of Representatives.
The American Securities Association endorsed the legislation.
Read full text of the legislation here.
BACKGROUND:
The Protecting Investors’ Personally Identifiable Information Act would:
Prohibit the SEC from requiring brokers to submit investors’ personally identifiable information to the CAT, with the exception that the SEC can obtain personally identifiable information related to investors only by requesting it on a case-by-case; and
Require the SEC to delete personally identifiable information once the agency resolves any investigations or issue that required that information.
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.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
“This is not a Democrat or Republican issue.”
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined “America Reports” on Fox to discuss tonight’s Senate vote on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, his legislation to permanently codify Title IX protections.
The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed Senator Tuberville’s legislation on a 218-206 bipartisan vote.
Excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s interview can be found below, and the full interview can be found on YouTube or Rumble.
ROBERTS: “The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act gets a vote on the Senate floor later on today. This bill would set a stronger precedent to keep trans athletes out of women’s sports, and states who don’t comply would face consequences. At least seven Democrats will need to get on board for it to pass a filibuster. Let’s bring in Senator Tommy Tuberville, the Alabama senator who introduced the bill. So do you have seven Democrats out there who care enough about protecting women in sports to join with Republicans?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well John, I would hope so, but it’s a heavy lift. This is the third time—third time I’ve had it on the floor. I’ve gotten one Democrat vote—that was Joe Manchin—obviously, he’s gone, but we’re getting to a point now where women and girls’ sports are getting ready to be extinct. […] Hopefully, we can get something done today, but President Trump’s Executive Order is only going to last John, four years. After that, it’ll probably go the other way. ”
ROBERTS: “Yep. So, here’s where the American people stand on this issue according to a recent New York Times/ Ipsos poll. Seventy-nine percent of all Americans believe that transgender athletes should not be allowed in women’s sports. Ninety-four percent of Republicans believe that, 67 percent of Democrats. So, the tide would seem to be in your favor.”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, you’d think so, but when you have the Democratic party believe that men can get pregnant, you know you’ve got problems. And it’s such a gender—attack on gender up here, John. […]”
ROBERTS: “Yeah, so Riley Gaines really illuminated what’s going on here with her support for the bill. She said, ‘With the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act now being heard on the Senate floor, we’re one step closer to ensuring that women no longer lose trophies, roster spots, playing time, scholarships, or fair competition to men in their own sport.’ This really is a one-way street. We don’t hear a lot about biological women going into men’s sports and blowing away the competition. This is all about biological men going into women’s sports, taking spots from women, taking championships from women, and not allowing women who have spent their entire lives trying to compete for these top prizes to really do what they’re trained to do.”
TUBERVILLE: “And I talk to Democrats, John, and I say, ‘What do you not understand here?’ and they say, ‘Well, it’s gotta be fair.’ Wait a minute—fair? You’re gonna do away with women’s sports is what you’re going to do. […] President Trump did this Executive Order and people are defying it already. NCAA says, ‘We’re not going to let them compete, but we’re gonna let them practice, in dressing rooms, and shower with girls. NCAA has lost their damn mind. We have to get back to common sense in this country, especially when it comes to something like this because this will grow year, and year, and year out, and we have to do something for the women and girls in sports, and give them a chance to learn leadership and time restraint, work ethic and all those things. […]”
ROBERTS: “Yeah, so we talked about the tide being with you in terms of where the American public opinion is. Janet Mills, who is the Maine governor, continues to swim against that tide. She had the dust-up with the President last week. Here’s what she said, she’s fundraising off of her spat with the President, saying, ‘I want to make one thing clear: Maine will not be intimidated by the president’s threats. The work to push back against Trump and his agenda begins at the state level. Can you donate $10 to the Maine democratic Party to make sure they have the resources to fight for our state?’ This is a state that had a biological boy who was a mediocre athlete go into a women’s division and blow away the competition, so what is she defending?”
TUBERVILLE: “Well, first of all, this is not a Democrat or Republic issue. This is an American and equal rights issue. And again, this governor has no right to defy Number One, President Trump, but Number Two take away the right of young girls to work hard to take that opportunity that this country gives to do the best you can in sports…I coached 40 years. You learn work ethic, you learn time, you learn how to work with other people, you learn how to win, you learn how to lose. You learn how to do all those things together, but again, they want to do away with women’s sports for some reason.”
ROBERTS: “Senator, we’ll be watching later today to see if it can break the filibuster and how many Democrats come over. We thank you for your time, Coach.”
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you.”
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.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, March 4 — Recent years have witnessed record-breaking heatwaves worldwide, making it clear that global warming is not merely a distant warning but a harsh reality.
Meanwhile, China, with its steadfast commitment and remarkable progress in green development, has emerged as a champion in the global transition to renewable energy, serving as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change.
What has China achieved so far? What does it mean to the world? Here is what to know.
A GREENER CHINA
China has been making concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.
China’s carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP decreased by 50.9 percent in 2021 compared to 2005, the base year for the country’s climate contributions, according to recent reports submitted by China to the secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The country has been growing literally greener. China’s forest coverage rate reached 25 percent by 2023, with forest stock exceeding 20 billion cubic meters. The annual carbon-sink capacity of China’s forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first in the world.
Meanwhile, renewable energy expansion in China continues to set new records, with over 200 million kilowatts of newly installed capacity for renewable energy power generation in the first three quarters of 2024, accounting for more than 80 percent of total new installed capacity. In 2023, China accounted for 60 percent of the new renewable capacity added worldwide, according to World Energy Outlook 2024.
Electricity generated from clean energy accounted for 39.7 percent of the country’s total power generation in 2023, up by around 15 percentage points from 2013, according to a white paper titled China’s Energy Transition issued in 2024.
China is also a top player in reducing energy intensity, with 26 percent down since 2012. Its production and sales of new energy vehicles have topped the world for 10 consecutive years.
China’s achievements in green development reflect its strong commitment to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability, said Naing Swe Oo, a senior advisory board member of Myanmar Institute of Strategic and International Studies.
“Through the ambitious carbon neutrality goals, energy structure adjustments and industrial decarbonization efforts, China has made significant progress in the transition to a more sustainable economy,” he said.
THE GREEN GROWTH
Bearing fruitful achievements domestically, China has been assisting other countries in achieving green growth and strengthening their adaptation capacity for climate change.
For years, China has aided the construction of clean energy and environmental protection projects in developing countries.
For instance, under the China-Ethiopia-Sri Lanka Renewable Energy Technology Transfer Project, 11 green energy solutions have been installed covering 12 small and medium-sized demonstration sites and benefiting more than 50,000 people across five provinces in Sri Lanka and four regions in Ethiopia. They are expected to generate at least 70,000 kWh of energy — saving approximately 157,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
Moreover, clean energy stations with Chinese investments have taken off in both Kazakhstan and Mali. The Zhanatas Wind Farm in Kazakhstan generates 350 million kWh of clean electricity annually, equivalent to saving 109,500 tons of standard coal and cutting carbon emissions by 289,000 tons every year.
The Gouina Hydropower Station in Mali has transformed West Africa’s energy landscape since its 2022 launch. Generating 687 million kWh annually, the hydropower plant provides enough power for 1 million residents across Mali, Senegal and Mauritania, replacing 240,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions by 630,000 tons yearly.
Kenya economist James Shikwati noted that China’s experience in green and sustainable development provides valuable inspirations for Kenya and other African countries. “If China can produce more green products within Africa, it would be a significant benefit for the continent,” he said.
Boasting the world’s largest and most complete new-energy industrial chain, China is home to 70 percent of the photovoltaic components and 60 percent of wind power equipment worldwide. In 2023 alone, the country’s export of wind and photovoltaic products helped reduce carbon emissions by 810 million tons in recipient countries.
“Solving China’s problems also helps solve problems for many other countries,” said Hoe Ee Khor, chief economist of the ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office.
“If a country has effective and low-cost green technologies, is committed to a global ecological civilization, practices free trade, and is willing to share its green technologies, then it can play a key role in shaping a postmodern, ecological global civilization,” said Philip Clayton, president of the U.S. Institute for Ecological Civilization. “China can play and is playing this crucial role.”
A GREEN FUTURE
No matter how the international landscape evolves, China’s determination and action for proactive climate response never changes.
It is one of the initial parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and among the first signatories and ratifiers of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
From 2016 to 2023, China supported other developing countries with roughly 24.5 billion U.S. dollars in total climate-related funding.
Over the years, China has been active in promoting a fair and more equitable global climate governance system. Within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UN Environment Programme on building a green Belt and Road for 2017-2022, launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development together with 31 countries, and formed the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition with more than 150 partners from more than 40 countries.
“Through such initiatives as the BRI, China is helping other developing countries deploy green technologies, such as solar farms and wind power infrastructure. This not only promotes China’s influence, but also accelerates the global green transformation,” said Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank.
By October 2024, China, an active participant in South-South cooperation, had signed 53 MoUs on South-South cooperation addressing climate change with 42 developing countries, and had implemented nearly 100 projects focused on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Additionally, China had rolled out over 300 capacity-building programs in climate-related fields and provided training opportunities for over 10,000 participants from more than 120 developing countries.
With climate change and green development listed among its eight key areas, the Global Development Initiative proposed by China has won the support of an increasing number of countries and regions around the world. It has established more than 30 cooperation platforms, with over 1,100 projects launched, covering all 17 of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
“There’s no doubt that China’s commitment to green development has positioned itself as a leader in the global fight against climate change, which is critical to global decarbonization efforts,” said Malindog-Uy. “China’s continued leadership in this field is likely to shape the future of the global energy markets and climate policy.”
Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
02.28.25
Senator Highlights Efforts to Quickly Deliver Disaster Assistance, CCC Role in Addressing Avian Influenza Outbreak
WASHINGTON – At a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee this week, Senator John Hoeven outlined the importance of maintaining flexibility at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for addressing emergent needs in farm country, like avian flu. To this end, the senator highlighted the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) as an important priority for the new farm bill, as it provides a flexible source of emergency funding to help farmers and ranchers weather a variety of challenges. Hoeven further pointed to examples of how Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee disaster assistance and provision of CCC resources are currently being utilized to the benefit of American agriculture producers, including:
The $33.5 billion in disaster assistance that he worked to secure for producers in the year-end funding legislation.
Hoeven has been working with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to ensure USDA implements and quickly delivers the assistance to producers.
The senator discussed with the hearing witnesses how the disaster assistance serves as a bridge to help farmers and ranchers recover while he and his colleagues work to secure key priorities in the new farm bill.
Hoeven stressed how improved crop insurance affordability, updated reference prices and stronger livestock disaster programs will help mitigate the need for future ad hoc disaster assistance.
Addressing the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak impacting the poultry industry.
This week, Secretary Rollins announced a $1 billion, 5-point plan to improve biosecurity, help affected producers recover and bring down prices for consumers.
Hoeven is working with Rollins to implement the plan and discussed with the hearing witnesses on how to address the current outbreak and prevent future losses.
The details of Secretary Rollins’ plan can be found here.
“The CCC is an incredibly important tool that provides flexibility to Congress and the administration to be responsive to needs in farm country and deal with issues promptly,” said Hoeven “Just this week, the CCC is being utilized to fund our response to avian influenza. I commend Secretary Rollins for acting quickly to respond to this outbreak, and I look forward to working with her and stakeholders to help producers recover, prevent future incidents and bring down egg prices for consumers. At the same time, this hearing offered another important opportunity to receive feedback directly from ag producers across the country, as they continue to face challenges and we work to pass an updated, strong farm bill that supports our farmers and ranchers and keeps the farm in the farm bill.”