NewzIntel.com

Category: AM-NC

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Secures Agreement to Resolve Claims of Retaliation at State Farm Corporate Office in Texas

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm) resolving the department’s determination that one of State Farm’s corporate offices in Richardson, Texas, violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when it terminated a worker in retaliation for raising concerns about citizenship status discrimination.

    “Workers have the right to oppose perceived discrimination, without retaliation,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to ensuring workers are able to speak up about discrimination without fear of unlawful retaliation.”

    The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) determined that State Farm terminated a worker and placed her on a “do not hire” list because the worker opposed State Farm’s rejection of her valid documentation showing her permission to work. State Farm rejected the worker’s valid documentation, which included a Permanent Resident Card together with a notice from the Department of Homeland Security that extended the validity of the card past the expiration date listed on the card. The worker complained of discrimination and opposed the rejection of the documents. The department determined that State Farm retaliated against the worker when it terminated her employment and labeled her as “do not hire” for complaining about the discrimination.

    Under the terms of the settlement, the company will pay civil penalties to the United States and pay more than $30,000 in backpay to the affected worker who filed a complaint with IER. The agreement also requires State Farm to train its personnel on the INA’s anti-discrimination requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.

    IER is responsible for enforcing the antidiscrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; or retaliation and intimidation.

    Find more information on how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination and retaliation on IER’s website. Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email IER@usdoj.gov or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Sign up for email updates from IER.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Announces $49.7 Million to Upgrade WV’s Drinking Water, Wastewater Infrastructure

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $49.7 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure upgrades in West Virginia. This funding was made available through this year’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

    “A central aspect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is delivering the resources our states need to improve and expand their drinking water and wastewater systems, which was commissioned through diligent efforts at the Environment and Public Works Committee. Through that process, we made certain our states maintained the flexibility they need to address the issues most important to their residents, providing a significant boost to our communities and the services they rely on. I’m pleased to see these resources heading our way to further upgrade our local infrastructure and provide safe, clean water for West Virginians,” Ranking Member Capito said.

    BACKGROUND:

    From April 2021: EPW Committee Ranking Member Capito applauded passage of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA 2021), legislation she introduced and co-wrote along with Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), Chairman of the EPW Committee.

    The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA) makes significant investments in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) grant and loan programs, including the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, or SRFs, and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) that are vital to support our nation’s water infrastructure. The legislation was enacted as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sorensen Returns Over $3.2 Million to Illinois Neighbors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    ROCK ISLAND, IL – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) is announcing that his office has returned more than $3.2 million to his neighbors through federal casework services since he was sworn into Congress. 

    “My number one job as the representative for Central and Northwestern Illinois in Congress is to make sure the federal government is working on behalf of my neighbors,” said Sorensen. “I know how stressful it can be when you need help from the government and all you get is the runaround. That is where I can step in to get you the help you need. I am proud of the work we have done to put more than $3.2 million of my neighbor’s hard-earned cash back in their pockets. If you need any help dealing with a federal agency, know that I have your back.” 

    The more than $3,263,230 secured for his neighbors across Central and Northwestern Illinois comes as a result of Sorensen and his staff’s work to help constituents get the refunds and benefits they are owed from federal agencies, which include overdue tax returns and delayed Social Security, veterans, and worker’s compensation benefits.  

    Residents of Illinois’ 17th Congressional District who need help with a federal agency are encouraged to contact Sorensen’s office at (309) 786-3406 or fill out a casework request form on Sorensen’s official website. All submissions are reviewed by a member of Sorensen’s staff. 

    The following stories are from constituents that Sorensen’s office has helped: 

    Daniel from Peoria Heights reached out to get help with VA benefits: “I was having trouble having my VA benefits reinstated after they were mistakenly revoked after contacting Representative Sorensen’s office Hillary handle my case and my benefits were reinstated, and I had a check within 30 days.” 

    Holly from Morrison needed help getting issues resolved between her and the IRS: “I reached out in hopes to get help with repeated problems I have been having with the IRS. They were able to reach out on my behalf and figure the issue out. Within a very short timeframe my issues were all resolved.” 

    Deb from Freeport needed to get her families passports renewed quickly and called Sorensen’s office for help: “Staff helped us with the issue we were having trying to renew our passports. If she would not have kept pushing for a resolution, we would not have received them, as the only response we could get was the passport processing center lost them. We are so thankful for their continued excellent fast assistance to our needs.” 

    Katie from Monmouth lost her job and needed help getting her past wages: “Ever since I lost my job at WCCS Head Start, I have had help with gaining information on how to get my past wages that are due. Eric Sorensen’s office has helped me gain information about my situation and ways to improve the outcome.” 

    Bob from Peoria needed help getting Medicare Part B coverage: “I was having difficulty trying to get my Medicare Part B to begin on September 1st, 2023, with our local office of the Social Security Administration. After many failed attempts to get a certain individual to return my calls, as well as several conversations with the Chicago and Maryland offices with no results, I contacted your office. I spoke with staff in your office about my difficulties with this matter on August 31st, 2023, and within three days, our local office received a letter or document from your office, and they got me signed up for Part B on September 15th, 2023, to be effective on September 1st, 2023. Staff were caring and showed extraordinary expedience in helping me get this issue resolved.” 

    Melissa from Rock Island reached out to get help with a refugee family: “Staff assisted me in the process of rescheduling USCIS appointments for a refugee family in Moline. Her assistance has allowed a constituent and her family the opportunity to continue the immigration process more easily. Staff has been friendly, supportive, and knowledgeable every step of the process. We are so grateful for her help.” 

    Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito, Colleagues Announce Intent to Introduce Stand with Israel Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and more than half of the Senate Republican Conference announced their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act when the Senate and House reconvene in November.

    The legislation, which is led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho), would cut off U.S. funding to United Nations (UN) agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. This is companion legislation to bipartisan House bill HR 9394 led by Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).

    “The UN and its agencies have increasingly become a platform for anti-Israel forces to target the world’s only Jewish state. At the same time, countries like Iran and Russia have been free to maintain their status while launching ballistic missiles at their neighbors. If this ridiculous project to downgrade the membership of Israel—a free, democratic country and rightful member state—moves forward in the UN, the U.S. has no choice but to finally withdraw all support from a failed institution,” Senator Capito said.

    “Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic,” Ranking Member Risch said. “That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all we can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences.”

    BACKGROUND:

    • Reports indicate that the Palestinian Authority (PA) will attempt to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN.
    • The PA is able to do this after the UN General Assembly passed a biased resolution, which enhanced the PA’s status at the United Nations on May 10, 2024.
    • The Stand with Israel Act would cut off U.S. funding to UN agencies that expel, downgrade, suspend, or otherwise restrict the participation of the State of Israel. The bill is modeled after the current prohibition of funding to any UN entities that elevate the status of the PA to a member state.
    • Senator Capito has supported other efforts to hold the UN accountable for targeting the State of Israel, including a joint statement in response to anti-Israel efforts at the recent UN General Assembly.
    • Senator Capito also joined a December 2023 letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres after the UN’s failure to condemn and investigate Hamas’s acts of sexual violence on Oct. 7.

    Text of the Stand with Israel Act can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Ministry statement on lives lost to poisoned drugs in August and September

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Media Contacts

    Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions

    Media Relations
    778 587-3237

    https://news.gov.bc.ca/31759

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sedalia’s iconic Bothwell Lodge gets a makeover

    Source: US State of Missouri

    JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 24, 2024 – Visitors travelling through Pettis County along Highway 65 may notice a change to an imposing structure that has become an architectural landmark in Sedalia – the historic Bothwell Lodge.

    Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site will soon undergo some major changes, according to Missouri State Parks Director David Kelly. The changes, although visually noticeable, will bring the lodge’s roof back to what it originally looked like almost 100 years ago.

    “The lodge’s current roof needs replacement due to its age. While the change will seem dramatic, it will be bringing it back to what it looked like when it was originally built,” Kelly said.

    The new roof of the historic Bothwell Lodge will feature a red and gray diamond checkerboard pattern, which will likely draw a lot of attention from the public, Kelly said, as the roof’s current color has faded to a dull gray.

    The project, awarded to Missouri Builders Services of Jefferson City, includes removing the current asbestos shingles and replacing them in accordance with Missouri Department of Natural Resources Air Pollution Control Program requirements. The replacement shingles are a 50-year polymer-based shingle used to match the lodge’s historical look. In addition to the shingles, roof decking, fascia, copper flashing and ornamentation items that have exceeded their useful life also may need to be replaced or repaired.

    “Most people only remember the roof as it is now,” Kelly said. “We have done extensive research and used photos to match what will be the new color and pattern. While the change will be striking, it will actually look more like the original roof.”

    Work is scheduled to begin Nov. 4, and during the removal of the roofing, the part of the park north of the day-use area that includes the historic Bothwell Lodge, as well as the site office/visitor center, will be closed to the public. Lodge tours will not be offered and the site office/visitor center, along with the surrounding grounds, will remain closed to the public. Once the work is completed and the area is safe for visitors to return, that portion of the historic site will reopen to the public.

    Bothwell Lodge State Historic Site is located 19349 Bothwell State Park Road in Sedalia.

    For more information on Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites, visit the web at mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Stoneflies change colour in response to deforestation, suggesting humans can alter evolution – new research

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Waters, Professor of Zoology, University of Otago

    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    As we continue to change the planet, scientists are worried we might also be altering the evolutionary trajectories of the species that live alongside us, perhaps even including some irreversible shifts.

    Certainly, the evidence for change is everywhere. As the planet warms, species’ ranges are shifting and their life cycles are changing. As we harvest the largest fish in the ocean, the species affected are now maturing at smaller sizes.

    But are these shifts we observe in wild populations underpinned by genetic changes (mutations in the DNA) or are they simply flexible responses to environmental change? If the changes are genetic, how are they happening?

    So far, researchers have observed fewer clear-cut examples of human-induced evolution in the wild than one might imagine. But our new study may provide a new “textbook” case of human-driven evolution in wild insects.

    Our findings are centred on an intriguing case of “mimicry” from New Zealand, in which a harmless insect has evolved to mimic the warning colours of a highly toxic species.

    Forest removal drives colour shift

    Convincingly demonstrating “evolution in action” involves finding the agents of natural selection (environmental factors driving the change) and discovering the genetic mechanism.

    Until now, the peppered moth was the “classic” example of human-driven evolution. Dark-coloured specimens of the moth suddenly appeared during the 19th century. It was a likely response to industrial pollution which meant light-coloured individuals were no longer blending in to the increasingly sooty British environment. Despite its broad appeal, some aspects of even this famous case have been criticised as unclear and anecdotal.

    We worked on stoneflies and the impact of deforestation.

    The black stonefly Austroperla lives in forests. It produces cyanide to deter potential predators, and to advertise its toxicity this species has high-contrast black, white and yellow markings, reminiscent of wasp colouration.

    The non-toxic Zelandoperla stonefly has evolved astonishingly similar warning colouration, apparently to trick predators (forest birds) into assuming that it, too, is toxic. The intricate and unique ecological interactions between these insects and their predators have apparently evolved together over millions of years.

    Dark coloured Zelandoperla stoneflies (middle) mimic the poisonous Austroperla (top), which are abundant in forests. Recent forest clearance has eliminated Austroperla from many regions of New Zealand. In response, Zelandoperla populations have quickly evolved lighter colouration (bottom).
    Graham McCulloch, Jon Waters, CC BY-SA

    Where do humans come into this story? Aotearoa New Zealand was the last major landmass to be colonised by people. In many places the human impacts on its ecosystems have been devastating.

    In addition to species extinctions, New Zealand has lost much of its original native forest cover in just a few centuries. This deforestation has wiped out countless populations of forest birds, along with the poisonous, forest-dependent Austroperla.

    Our study reveals this widespread deforestation has also proven a game changer for the stonefly “mimic”. As its predators and the poisonous species it mimics have vanished from many regions, there is no longer much point in displaying warning colouration.

    In an astonishing about-turn, Zelandoperla populations from deforested habitats have quickly lost their spectacular “mimic” colouration. It turns out that the production of this intricate colouration was costly, and when no longer essential, evolution rapidly removed it – in a case of “use it or lose it”.

    Human-driven deforestation in New Zealand has altered species interactions in a mimicry system, leading to rapid evolution of insect colour.
    Graham McCulloch, Jon Waters, CC BY-SA

    Genetic change

    In our study, we compared insect populations across several parts of the South Island. We found a remarkably consistent picture. The removal of forest has driven similar colour shifts across different deforested regions.

    The finding that evolutionary change can be “predictable” offers hope that scientists can use evolutionary theory to predict future biodiversity shifts.

    Stonefly models helped to reveal the role of birds.
    Author provided, CC BY-SA

    How do we know birds have played a key role in this rapid colour change? By placing stonefly models of different colours in a variety of habitats, we were able to demonstrate that birds only avoid attacking stoneflies with the “warning” colouration when they are in forests.

    Another challenge was to show that this colour change represents evolution at the DNA level rather than a flexible response to environmental change. We looked at genetic variation across the Zelandoperla genome and found that just a single gene – ebony – is almost completely responsible for this colour evolution.

    Our study also reveals the pace of evolutionary change. By comparing regions deforested soon after human arrival (for example Central Otago, which was deforested around 600 to 700 years ago) with those cleared much more recently (Otago Peninsula, 150 years ago), we show that evolution has proceeded steadily yet inexorably over this human timeframe.

    On the positive side, the finding that at least some of our native species can adapt in the face of rapid environmental change suggests ongoing resilience of our native biodiversity. However, our results also highlight how quickly the intricate interactions that have evolved among native species over millennia can be lost from disturbed ecosystems.

    These new findings raise tantalising questions about the potential to reverse the negative impacts of deforestation on our native biodiversity. In particular, our increasing focus on reforestation and ecological restoration provides hope for restoring the complex ecosystems we have inherited.

    Jonathan Waters receives funding from the RSNZ Marsden Fund.

    Graham McCulloch receives funding from the RSNZ Marsden Fund

    – ref. Stoneflies change colour in response to deforestation, suggesting humans can alter evolution – new research – https://theconversation.com/stoneflies-change-colour-in-response-to-deforestation-suggesting-humans-can-alter-evolution-new-research-242008

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Speaking notes for the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship: Government of Canada reduces immigration

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Speech

    Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.

    Speech was delivered on October 24, 2024 in Ottawa, Ontario.

    Bonjour tout le monde. Good morning. Thank you for being here today.

    I’ll begin by acknowledging that we are gathering on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People.

    I’d like to acknowledge the Prime Minister, and my colleagues for being here today.

    Immigration is essential for our country’s economy and accounts for almost 100% of Canada’s labour force growth. In response to the global pandemic and labour shortages, we brought in temporary measures to attract some of the world’s best and brightest to study and work in Canada, which supported the urgent needs of businesses.

    The plan worked by helping our economy navigate a challenging period and recover more quickly.

    Since then, our economy and the world have changed. While we see signs of improvement, families and communities across the country continue to face challenges.

    The pressures on housing and social services require a more sustainable approach to welcoming newcomers. It is also clear that Canadians want the federal government to better manage the immigration system.

    For the first time, the Immigration Levels Plan includes targets for temporary residents, such as international students and temporary foreign workers, as well as for permanent residents. This more comprehensive approach to welcoming newcomers will help preserve the integrity of our immigration system, respond to the needs and challenges of communities, and set up newcomers for success by having adequate resources to support them.

    Temporary Resident Programs

    Over the last two years, 60% of all newcomers were temporary residents, including international students, temporary workers, and some arriving through humanitarian programs.

    This fast growth resulted in Canadians and newcomers facing challenges and integrity issues that we have already begun to address.

    Today’s plan fulfills the commitment I made earlier this year: to reduce volumes of temporary residents coming and staying in Canada.

    This brings temporary resident planning in line with permanent resident programs, providing greater predictability and transparency to our immigration system.

    For international students, we worked with partners to

    • implement a cap on international students
    • tighten controls on study permits, including the requirement for provincial attestation letters
    • limit access to work permits for graduates – including private-public partnerships that were driving up program admissions

    The changes have worked: in the first nine months of the year, we had fewer international students coming to Canada – down 43% compared to 2023. The result is that local communities face lower rental prices in parts of the country that saw large numbers of students in recent years, and international students are receiving better services and support. For example, in Vancouver, one- and two-bedroom apartment rental prices are down more than 10%, and Toronto over 8%.

    With my colleague, Minister Boissonnault, the government ended temporary pandemic measures regarding the Temporary Foreign Worker Program by bringing in restrictions and controls to limit access for companies employing low-wage workers.

    These changes will help our partners, including provinces, territories and municipalities, align their capacities and allow populations to grow at a more sustainable pace as we encourage institutions to do their part in better welcoming newcomers.

    Our plan reaffirms the government’s commitment to reduce non‑permanent resident volumes to 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2026.

    With these reduction measures, Canada’s temporary population will decrease over the next few years as significantly more temporary residents will transition to permanent residents or leave Canada compared to new ones arriving. Specifically, compared to each previous year, we will see Canada’s temporary population decline by

    • 445,901 in 2025
    • 445,662 in 2026
    • a modest increase of 17,439 in 2027

    Our actions to-date and levels plan for 2025 will mean that the number of newcomers will decrease over the next few years because significantly more temporary residents will leave Canada compared to those new arrivals.

    Permanent Resident Programs

    It’s clear that our country still needs newcomers to help grow our economy, fill skills and labour gaps, and address challenges like building new homes and providing quality health care.

    With our aging population and people living longer, we need more workers to support important social programs like health care, public pensions and infrastructure.

    But we see the pressures facing our country and are adapting our policies so that Canadians and newcomers alike have access to the quality jobs, homes, and support they need to thrive.

    We have listened to Canadians. That is why we are adjusting the plan and reducing our permanent resident targets. The plan focuses on attracting skilled workers, helping reunite families, and resettling refugees.

    Canada will reduce its permanent immigration targets to align with our economic needs

    • from 500,000 down to 395,000 in 2025;
    • from 500,000 to 380,000 in 2026; and
    • setting a target of 365,000 in 2027.

    These lower permanent resident targets are expected to reduce the housing supply gap by about 670,000 units by the end of 2027.

    We will prioritize permanent resident spots for temporary residents like international students or temporary workers who are already in Canada, by facilitating their transition.

    This means over 40% of permanent residents will come from temporary residents that are already in Canada. These skilled, educated newcomers can continue to support the workforce and economy, without placing additional demands on our social services. Newcomers with experience in Canada show greater long-term success.

    Adjustments will be made to our economic immigration streams to prioritize the transition of workers already here to permanent residence and to be responsive to labour market needs – our In‑Canada Focus. We will put emphasis on our federal economic priorities in programs including provincial nominee programs, the Canadian Experience Class, and regional immigration programs to attract the workers we need such as those in health care and trades occupations.

    Canadians are proud of our country’s reputation as a leader in refugee resettlement. While our refugee resettlement targets are reduced as a result of overall reductions, our commitment to some of the world’s most vulnerable people remains.

    We also understand the importance of reuniting families and loved ones, including spouses, children, parents, and grandparents. That’s why we are continuing to allocate almost 24% of our overall permanent resident admissions to family immigration in 2025.

    And we continue to strengthen Francophone communities outside Quebec. We will target nearly 30,000 French-speaking newcomers in 2025, representing over 8.5% of total admissions, rising to 9.5% in 2026, and 10% of newcomers in 2027.

    This means that despite the decrease in overall PR targets, the number of Francophone newcomers that we hope to settle outside Quebec will continue to increase year over year. This will help support our plan to restore the demographic weight of Francophone communities outside of Quebec.

    Regularization

    Regarding undocumented individuals in Canada, we have been clear that a broad program would not be pursued. However, we will set a small number of admissions for individuals that would be regularized through an initiative focused on those that worked in essential service industries.

    Conclusion

    I want Canadians to know we are listening. We’re aware of our country’s current challenges and are stepping up to address Canada’s evolving needs.

    Our immigration plan will support our economy while responding to the pressures that families and communities are facing today.

    Canada’s immigration plan for the next three years will pause our population growth in the short term to maintain well‑managed and sustainable growth for the long term.

    Our changes over the last year are working. Today’s plan will build on our support for communities and employers while upholding our humanitarian commitments and Canadian values.

    We will pause growth from immigration for two years. It will allow us to get back on pre-pandemic population growth trajectory by 2027 so that over the long term we can continue to grow our economic and social prosperity through immigration.

    We are making immigration work and leveraging our existing programs so that everyone has access to the quality jobs, homes, and supports they need. We are supporting newcomers’ integration and giving them a fair shot in Canada.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 1206 2CC Breakfast with Stephen Cenatiempo

    Source: Australia Government Ministerial Statements

    STEPHEN CENATIEMPO: All right. I want to talk federal politics a little bit further. We’re joined by Kristy McBain, the Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government and the Member for Eden-Monaro. Kristy, good morning. 

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Good morning Stephen. 

    CENATIEMPO: Now I’m going to leave you out of the energy debate for the moment because it’s not your portfolio, but something in the time that you and I have been talking, you’ve been very critical of the previous government and what the current government likes to call rorts, whether it’s sports rorts, car park rorts, all of this. Well, it now turns out you guys are just as bad because the Housing Support Program is pouring money into Labor electorates and marginal electorates that you’re trying to pick up. Pot calling the kettle black, much? 

    MCBAIN: Our Housing Support Program Stream One has been announced, which is for a range of assistance to councils to help them with planning. Stream Two is not yet announced, which is the enabling infrastructure that will help build the water and sewer connections, the roads, kerbs and guttering to get more housing underway. It’s really important that enabling infrastructure is taken off councils that may have to do it themselves if they own the land. Developers are saying, if we did all of that, the blocks become too expensive and nothing will get built. We’re contributing in a number of ways to make sure that housing is more affordable for Australians out there, whether it’s through enabling infrastructure, whether it’s through the Housing Australia Future Fund.

    CENATIEMPO: Kristy, that’s not the argument here. The argument is that it’s going into like key Labor electorates, and Coalition seats that you’re targeting, exactly like car park and sports rorts. 

    MCBAIN: I haven’t seen any of those reports. The decisions have been made by the department, not by Ministers. It is important that we deal with what’s in front of us, and that’s transparency. If it’s been made by the department, it’s been made by the department. We’ve gone through round one of the Growing Regions Fund, which was audited in real time. Those projects were found to stack up to the guidelines. They were across a range of electorates. We’ve been walking the talk and saying, this is what we’re going to be, as transparent as possible as the decisions are made by the department. That’s what they are.

    CENATIEMPO: Except for the Housing Support Fund. All right, let’s talk housing while we’re at it. You’ve hit out a Bridget McKenzie for saying the Commonwealth shouldn’t fund housing. Well, the reality is, the Commonwealth’s not going to fund housing. You’re funding around the edges, which is exactly what the Opposition is saying we should do with their $5 billion package. 

    MCBAIN: What I found quite extraordinary about Bridget McKenzie’s comments was that she said we shouldn’t fund housing in regional areas. That we need to get out of the way and let developers get on with the job. If Bridget paid any attention to the debate that was happening in the Senate, she would know that’s exactly what we’re doing. The Commonwealth Government doesn’t have a construction arm. What we’re doing is making sure we make it easier for people to get on with developments. They say imitation is the best form of flattery. It’s nice to see the Coalition get on now and say we’re actually going to contribute to the housing debate and copy our Housing Support Program.

    CENATIEMPO: Well, it’s not copying. Let’s be fair dinkum about it, it’s not copying.

    MCBAIN: It is. It’s funding enabling infrastructure, which is exactly what we’re doing. I think that’s fantastic. It’s really important that we’ve got major parties interested in housing, and that’s a big change from the ten years that they were in government. What we would like them to do is not only talk with us about enabling infrastructure, but also talk with us about the Help to Buy program, or the Build to Rent program. We know we need to start helping in all different facets of home ownership, whether that’s renting, whether that’s buying, whether that’s trying to enable more blocks to get out on the market. It’s really important that we’re making a difference. The three levels of government need to be working together on this. That’s been the change over the last couple of years. There is a real focus now on housing from three levels of government. 

    CENATIEMPO: Now, I don’t think we’ve seen any results of that yet. Let’s talk about things closer to home in Bungendore. A flood mitigation program. Tell us about this?

    MCBAIN: Right across the country we saw some catastrophic flooding in 2022. We provided $40 million towards the New South Wales Flood Recovery and Resilience Grant program. Under round two of this, more than $4.6 million is being invested across New South Wales, to deal with flood mitigation projects. $2.2 million is going to Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council to construct an overflow channel over Turallo Creek in Bungendore. It will allow the flood waters to bypass Tarago Road bridge instead of crossing that and flooding it, during times of heavy rain. I’m really proud to be able to deliver this, because the community has long called for this. We know we need to do more in making our communities more resilient come those heavy weather events. This is just another way that we’re helping New South Wales deliver those resilient programs. It builds on last year’s allocation of over $20 million, which went to 19 projects across New South Wales. Really proud that the community is finally getting a long called for a piece of infrastructure, that will allow them to still cross the road during heavy weather. 

    CENATIEMPO: Now local communities are going to be asked to help identify potential locations for the next round of the Mobile Black Spots Program. Why do we need to do this? Why aren’t local Members already aware of where their black spots are? 

    MCBAIN: We do this all the time with communities. Councils call for community input for black spots all the time, and are constantly updating the telcos with these. I ran a survey last time, which identified a range of different black spots, and we contribute to it as well as community members. It’s really important, particularly as we see the development of more housing blocks, that we make sure that connectivity is still front of mind, particularly when we’re developing more rural areas. It is really important that we continue to update that as we head towards round eight of the Mobile Black Spot Program, which will close later this year. It’s just another way you integrate with your community and understand what’s happening. 

    CENATIEMPO: All right. Again, I think if a local Member is doing their job well enough, they should know where the black spots are in their electorates. But Kristy, always good to talk to you. We’ll catch up in a couple of weeks’ time. 

    MCBAIN: Sounds great. Thanks.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Admits Role in Smuggling and Labor Trafficking Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARIA DEL CARMEN SANCHEZ POTRERO, also known as Maria Carmela Sanchez, 73, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a charge stemming from her involvement in a scheme to smuggle aliens into the U.S., harbor them at Hartford area residences, force them to work, and threaten to harm them in various ways if they failed to pay exorbitant fees, interest, and other living expenses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in September 2022, the FBI and Hartford Police interviewed several Mexican nationals who disclosed that they were smuggled from Mexico into the U.S. and transported to Hartford.  The investigation revealed that victims typically arranged with Sanchez, her co-conspirators in Connecticut, and associates in Mexico to cross the border into the U.S. in exchange for a fee of between $15,000 and $20,000 that each would need to pay once they were in the U.S.  In most cases, the victims were required to turn over a property deed as collateral before leaving Mexico.  They were then smuggled across the border and transported to Hartford area residences, including Sanchez’s residence on Madison Street in Hartford, often at a substantial risk of bodily injury or death.

    After the victims arrived in Connecticut, they were told that they would have to pay $30,000, with interest, and that they would have to pay Sanchez and her co-coconspirators for rent, food, gas and utilities.  Sanchez and her co-conspirators created false documents for the victims, including Permanent Residence cards and Social Security cards, and helped the victims find employment in the Hartford area.  In addition to their own jobs, some victims were required to perform housework and yardwork without compensation and without having their debt reduced.

    Victims were rarely provided with an accounting of their debt.  If victims failed to make regular payments, or in amounts that Sanchez and her co-conspirators expected, they were sometimes threatened, including with threats to harm family members in Mexico, to take property in Mexico that had been secured as collateral, to reveal victims’ immigration status to U.S. authorities, and to raise their interest payments.

    To date, investigators have identified 18 victims of this scheme.

    Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to encourage and induce, bring in, transport, and harbor aliens, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for January 16, 2025.

    As part of her plea agreement, Sanchez has agreed to a restitution order of $494,608.

    Sanchez has been detained since her arrest on March 1, 2023.

    This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hartford Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angel Krull and Shan Patel.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: City Man Sentenced to 12½ Years in Prison for 2022 Armed Robbery of Northeast Philadelphia Store

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

    PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Nafec Pressley, 28, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Kai N. Scott to 150 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the armed robbery of a store in the city’s Northeast in late 2022.

    Pressley was indicted in March 2023 on one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty to those charges this July.

    On November 20, 2022, at approximately 4:15 p.m., a male employee was waiting on several customers inside a dollar store on the 6900 block of Bustleton Avenue. After the last customer left, Pressley approached the counter and engaged in small talk with the employee. The defendant suddenly walked around the counter, brandished a black semiautomatic pistol, and demanded money from him. The victim opened the cash register and invited Pressley to take the money inside, which amounted to over $300. Pressley pocketed the cash, then demanded that the victim take him upstairs to get more money.

    The victim pleaded with Pressley to leave, finding some more cash by the counter, which he gave to Pressley. When the victim’s wife began to come down the steps from the second floor, Pressley aimed his gun at her, and then back at the male victim. Pressley told the man that he had five seconds to go upstairs and get more money and began to count backwards from five.

    The victim then grabbed his own firearm from behind the counter and he and Pressley exchanged gunfire. Pressley was shot numerous times throughout his body, knocking him backwards and onto the floor. The defendant discharged his pistol multiple times as he fell but did not strike the victim. Pressley ran to the back of the store, then made a dash for the front door. As he fled, he turned and fired at the victim, again missing him.

    A short time later, Pressley was dropped off at an area hospital where he was treated for gunshot wounds. Philadelphia police officers who responded to the hospital seized Pressley’s clothing, finding approximately $371 in cash in his pants pocket.

    “Nafec Pressley nearly got himself killed because he’d rather steal money than work for it,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “He’s extremely fortunate he didn’t kill anyone else when he opened fire in that store. My office and our partners at ATF and the Philadelphia Police Department are committed to protecting the public from these violent criminals who prey on others. With Mr. Pressley behind bars for the next decade-plus, our stores, streets, and city are safer.”

    “We will not let violent criminals like Nafec Pressley terrorize Philadelphia’s businesses and communities,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “In this robbery turned shootout it was only by good fortune no one was killed. ATF Philadelphia Field Division has a long history of partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we will continue to work tirelessly together to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.”

    The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Zaleski.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Spartanburg Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second Federal Cocaine Trafficking Conviction

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

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. —Maurice Suber, 39, of Spartanburg was sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that since at least 2022, Suber was distributing drugs in the Highlands area of Spartanburg. On Nov. 15, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Suber’s home and multiple firearms and cash were located. Suber had previously been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine in the same federal courthouse.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Suber to 141 months in federal prison, followed by a court ordered term of supervision. The court also entered an order of forfeiture for $3.8 million dollars. 

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Border Enforcement Security Task Force – Upstate South Carolina, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

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

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tristian Gerrell-Robert Murphy, 35, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2024, Murphy possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380-caliber pistol, found under the driver seat of a vehicle he operated, and a Taurus 9mm pistol found in the trunk in St. Albans. Both firearms were loaded.

    Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Murphy knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on October 21, 2021.

    Murphy is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case.

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

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-101.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 256 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) lost the connection to its only remaining 330 kilovolt (kV) back-up power line for a second time this month, once again leaving the facility dependent on one single source of the external electricity it needs for reactor cooling and other key nuclear safety and security functions, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

    The IAEA team stationed at the plant was informed that the power line was disconnected for more than 26 hours between Monday and Tuesday this week due to unspecified damage on the other side of the Dnipro River. It took place three weeks after another disconnection of the same line. In both instances, the ZNPP continued to receive electricity from its sole 750 kV line. Before the military conflict, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) had four 750 kV and six 330 kV lines available.

    “What once would have been unthinkable – a major nuclear power plant suffering repeated off-site power cuts – has become a frequent occurrence during this devastating war. The situation is clearly not getting any better in this regard. The nuclear safety and security situation at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant remains highly precarious,” Director General Grossi said.

    Underlining the persistent risks, the IAEA team has continued to hear explosions every day over the past week, although no damage to the ZNPP was reported.

    The IAEA team members conducted walkdowns across the site as part of their activities to assess nuclear safety and security at the plant, including observing the testing of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) of reactor unit 4. In meetings with plant staff, they discussed other important topics, such as the modernization of control systems for the site’s EDGs as well as updated procedures related to the ZNPP’s radiation protection programme.

    As a follow up to their visit last week to the cooling tower damaged by a major fire in August, the team members also discussed with the ZNPP how it will assess the extent of the damage, including the selection of an external contractor to carry out this work.

    The IAEA teams present at the Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs and the Chornobyl site reported that nuclear safety and security is being maintained despite the effects of the ongoing conflict, including air raid alarms for several days over the past week.

    At the South Ukraine NPP, the IAEA team was informed that reactor unit 1 was disconnected from the grid for about four hours on Tuesday evening due to a spurious signal to the unit’s protection systems without the reactor safety systems being activated. The root cause of the event is being investigated. The reactor – one of three at the plant – is again generating power for the grid.

    At the request of Ukraine, an IAEA team is visiting six electrical substations in Ukraine this week, as part of the Agency’s work to assess the status of the electrical grid infrastructure essential to nuclear safety that began in September. During the visits, the team reviews the operational consequences of actual and potential damage to substations which supply off-site power to the country’s NPPs.  

    Reliable access to off-site power is one of the Seven Indispensable Pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict outlined by Director General Grossi two and a half years ago. The safety of operating NPPs is dependent on a stable grid connection, but the situation in this regard has become increasingly precarious in recent months.

    The IAEA already has teams of staff stationed at all of Ukraine’s NPPs who contribute to maintaining nuclear safety and security during the military conflict.

    The IAEA is continuing to implement its comprehensive programme of assistance in support of nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, including by delivering requested equipment. This week, two spectrometry systems enhancing the analytical capabilities of the hydrometeorological organizations of the Ukraine’s State Emergency Service were procured and delivered, funded by Switzerland. It was the 71st equipment delivery to Ukraine, totaling over 12.1 million euro since the start of the armed conflict.

    In addition, the Agency has coordinated the delivery of the two static test benches from the Rivne NPP to the supplier for repair during an outage of reactor unit 2. The repair was funded by Norway. The repair should be completed by the end of April next year, when the repaired test benches will be returned to the plant to enable the unit’s restart. The equipment is used in the nuclear and other industries to stress test components, including hydraulic shock absorbers.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4667, Risky Research Review Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4667 would establish the Life Sciences Research Security Board as an independent executive branch agency to review and approve federal funding requests for what is termed high-risk life sciences research, which involves pathogens that are particularly dangerous to humans. The board’s members would be appointed by the President and subject to Senate confirmation.

    S. 4667 would require the board to receive funding proposals from federal agencies for projects or grant programs at least 30 days before a project or program is funded. Within 120 days, board members would be required to determine whether a proposal involves high‑risk life sciences research and, if so, whether the project requires biosafety controls to proceed. The board also could review and audit research projects using federal funds awarded before the bill’s enactment and could direct such funding to be suspended. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Intersection of Legislative Drafting and Federal Budgeting

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    This presentation provides an overview of major legislative developments that have affected the federal budget process. Also discussed are scorekeeping (the process for developing and recording measures of the budgetary effects of proposed and enacted legislation) and some of the principles that guide the scorekeeping process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4656, a bill to amend title 5, United State Code, concerning restrictions on the participation of certain Federal employees in partisan political activity, and for other purposes

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4656 would amend the Hatch Act, which limits certain political activities of federal employees. Under current law, most employees of the executive branch (referred to as “less restricted employees”) are allowed to participate in political management and campaign activities while off duty, as long as they are outside of federal facilities and do not use federal property. The bill would add employees of any Office of Inspector General or Office of Special Inspector General to the list of federal employees prohibited from participating in political management or campaigns (referred to as “further restricted employees”). Such prohibited activities include running for office, volunteering in any campaign, fundraising, or registering voters for a political party.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 6826, a bill to designate the visitor and education center at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H. R. 6826 would designate the visitor and education center at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, as the “Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center.” Based on the cost of similar activities, CBO estimates that updating maps, informational material, and signage would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 4651, SAFE Supply Chains Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 4651 would stipulate that federal agencies can only procure and use information and communication technology from original manufacturers or authorized resellers. Under the bill, agencies would need to develop guidance to help entities that would otherwise be ineligible become authorized resellers. The bill would allow the Office of Management and Budget to waive that procurement requirement but would require it to report annually to the Congress on any waivers granted.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shapiro Administration Recognizes Winners of Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest, Driving Competition

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 23, 2024 – Harrisburg, PA

    Shapiro Administration Recognizes Winners of Pennsylvania School Bus Safety Poster Contest, Driving Competition

    During a ceremony at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania State Police, along with school bus safety advocates, honored ten students in kindergarten through eight grade for their school bus safety posters and three school bus drivers for their superior driving skills. The theme for this year’s contest was “Driving Safety into the Future.

    The ceremony highlighted the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to enhance Pennsylvanians’ safety, including a proclamation by Governor Shapiro naming Oct. 21-25 School Bus Safety Week in Pennsylvania in conjunction with the federal observance. The week focuses on saving young lives by raising awareness of the daily challenges faced by students being transported throughout the commonwealth.

    “The opening of school for another year means the return of school buses to our roads, and the Shapiro Administration is focused on everyone getting to school and back home safely,” said PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services Deputy Secretary Kara Templeton. “School Bus Safety Week gives everyone a reason to pause and realize just how much our own actions behind the wheel can affect innocent young lives.”

    Speakers in Order:
    Kara Templeton – Deputy Secretary for Driver and Vehicle Services, PennDOT
    Corporal Zeina Black – School Bus Safety Division Supervisor for the Commercial Vehicle Safety Division, Bureau of Patrol, PSP
    Aaron Sepkowski – President, Pennsylvania Bus Association

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlights $10 Million in Funding to Help Keep Nonprofit Facilities Safe and Secure

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 23, 2024 – Harrisburg, PA

    Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlights $10 Million in Funding to Help Keep Nonprofit Facilities Safe and Secure

    Lt. Gov. Austin Davis visited the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania to highlight $10 million in grants that have been awarded to more than 200 nonprofit organizations – including the LGBT Center – to enhance the safety and security of their facilities.

    “Every Pennsylvanian should have the freedom to love who they love, pray how they want to pray and be their authentic selves – free from threats of violence and harassment,” said Davis, who also serves as chair of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). “That’s why the Shapiro-Davis Administration advocated for an increase in funding for nonprofit security grants in this year’s bipartisan state budget. By doubling this grant program, we’ve been able to fund more than 200 organizations in 31 counties, including more than 100 organizations that had never received a grant before, so they can keep their facilities safe and secure and protect the communities they serve.”

    PCCD administers the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, which has provided $25 million in funding to more than 580 organizations since its inception. On top of that, this latest, seventh round of grants will go to 208 nonprofit organizations, including 102 organizations that had never before received funding through this program.

    Speakers Include:
    Executive Director Amber Roadcap, LGBT Center of Central PA
    Lt. Gov. Austin Davis
    Rep. Patty Kim

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shapiro Administration, PA Office of Attorney General Encourage Participation in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day This Weekend

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 23, 2024 – Harrisburg, PA

    Shapiro Administration, PA Office of Attorney General Encourage Participation in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day This Weekend

    The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP), Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), and Department of Aging (PDA) joined officials from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General to encourage Pennsylvanians to take part in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day initiative this Saturday, October 26.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Shapiro Announces $3 Million Investment in Erie County Organic Potato Company to Create Local Jobs and Grow Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Sector

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 23, 2024 – Waterford, PA

    Governor Shapiro Announces $3 Million Investment in Erie County Organic Potato Company to Create Local Jobs and Grow Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Sector

    Governor Josh Shapiro visited start-up company Folkland Foods, located in Waterford, Erie County, to announce a $3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) investment in the company. This funding will support a significant capital expansion that will enable Folkland’s parent company Troyer, Inc. – the only organic potato supplier on the East Coast – to expand its operations, transition more acreage to organic farming, and begin producing a range of potato products, creating up to 50 new local jobs in the region over the first three years.

    Owned and operated by the Troyer family, who have been a mainstay in northwestern Pennsylvania’s potato farming industry for three generations, Folkland Foods is poised to build on its legacy of agricultural success and pioneering role in organic farming.

    “I’m excited to announce this $3 million investment in Folkland Foods, a company that is leading the way in organic farming and sustainable practices, built on hard work and know-how developed right here in Pennsylvania. This expansion will create 50 new, good-paying jobs and significantly boost the local economy in Erie County, all while reinforcing Pennsylvania’s reputation as a leader in agriculture and food production,” said Governor Shapiro. “My Administration is committed to making targeted investments like this one that benefit our farmers, strengthen rural economies, and ensure Pennsylvania remains at the forefront of agricultural innovation and production for generations to come.”

    List of Speakers:
    Zack Troyer, co-founder of Folkland Foods
    Governor Shapiro
    Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding
    Brian Garlick, Folkland’s Chief Operating Officer

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pennsylvania Gets it Done: Governor Shapiro, GSK Leadership Announce the GlobalBiopharma Company’s Investment of up to $800 Million in Pennsylvania, Expanding itsOperations and Creating Jobs in the Commonwealth

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 24, 2024 – Marietta, PA

    Pennsylvania Gets it Done: Governor Shapiro, GSK Leadership Announce the Global
    Biopharma Company’s Investment of up to $800 Million in Pennsylvania, Expanding its
    Operations and Creating Jobs in the Commonwealth

    Governor Josh Shapiro and GSK leadership announced the global biopharma company’s major investment of up to $800 million in Pennsylvania that will increase its research and development (R&D) and manufacturing footprint at its existing facility in Lancaster County. The Commonwealth is supporting this expansion with a $21 million investment, which will create at least 200 new, high-paying jobs. This is the largest Commonwealth-supported economic development project in Lancaster County history.

    GSK will expand its existing facility at 325 North Bridge Street in Marietta with new facilities to manufacture vaccines and medicines. Currently, one in four Americans are administered a vaccine supplied from the company’s Marietta location. This expansion will double the size and capacity of the site.

    “Pennsylvania is a leader in life sciences – and GSK’s decision to make its largest single investment ever in manufacturing in the United States right here in the Commonwealth is further proof that we are the best state in the nation for business growth and economic development,” said Governor Shapiro. “Our Commonwealth offers the skilled workforce, market access, and innovation infrastructure that biotech and life sciences companies need to thrive. Pennsylvania is getting things done, and my Administration will continue to work with companies like GSK to drive innovation forward and create jobs – and economic opportunity – for people across the Commonwealth.”

    List of Speakers:
    Matteo Leardini
    Governor Shapiro
    Maya Martinez-Davis, President, U.S. GSK
    Secretary Rick Siger

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Moosomin First Nation — Battlefords RCMP seek public assistance locating missing 13-year-old female

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 23, 2024 at approximately 11:20 p.m., Battlefords RCMP received a report of a missing 13-year-old female, Nicole Katcheech.

    Nicole was last seen on October 23, 2024 at approximately 8:00 a.m. on Moosomin First Nation.

    Nicole is described as approximately 5’6″ tall and 170 lbs. She has brown eyes and dark brown – almost black – hair. Nicole was last seen wearing a black zip up sweater with silver details on it, light grey sweatpants, and a black and brown backpack. She also has a scar on her collarbone. A photo of her is attached.

    If you have seen Nicole or know where she is, contact Battlefords RCMP at 310-RCMP (7267). Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2024 (2018-base)

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2024 (2018-base) – Information release – 25 October 2024.

    Subnational population estimates give the best available measure of the population, by age and sex, usually living in New Zealand’s 16 regions, 67 territorial authority areas, 21 Auckland local board areas, and other areas.

    Key facts
    In the year ended June 2024, provisional estimates of the population usually living in each area indicate:

    • many areas had slower population growth than in the year ended June 2023, with national population growth at 1.8 percent in 2024, down from 2.5 percent in 2023
    • nationally, net migration (73,300) contributed to population growth more than natural increase (20,300).

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this information release:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from President Joe  Biden on World Polio  Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The United States is proudly a leader and core strategic partner in the world’s quest to eradicate polio and because of our efforts, the world has a historic window of opportunity to end polio for good. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to secure a polio-free future.
    Through our leadership in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, our sustained commitment to ending polio has resulted in 20 million people walking today who otherwise could have been paralyzed. We have reduced the number of children paralyzed by 99.9 percent and vaccinated over 3 billion children against polio. However, polio persists in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
    If high vaccination rates against polio are not achieved and maintained, including amidst instability, conflict, and misinformation mounting around the world, the risk of polio outbreaks will rise even in places long considered polio-free, like we’ve recently seen in New York, London, and Ukraine as well as in Gaza, where all parties must ensure the safe and effective implementation of the polio vaccination campaign that is urgently needed throughout Gaza.
    In order to achieve the goal of eradicating polio, the world must rally together. Delivering a polio-free world with stronger health systems and communities is not only the right thing to do for humanity, but a smart investment in the health of future generations and our collective global health security. Together, we can make it a reality.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Statement On Cooper’s Mishandling of Disaster Recovery Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis responded to Governor Roy Cooper’s request for the N.C. General Assembly to cover a $175 million shortfall in the budget of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) on recovery efforts for Hurricane Matthew (2016) and Hurricane Florence (2018). These funds were originally provided to the State of North Carolina by the federal government as part of disaster assistance packages funded and passed by Congress. 

    For the last six years, Tillis has pressed the Cooper Administration on the slow pace of spending on recovery and rebuilding efforts for Matthew and Florence. As recently as May of this year, Senator Tillis once again pressed NCORR Director Laura Hogshead for answers on the rebuilding process. 

    Nowhere in Hogshead’s response from June 2024 did she indicate that NCORR was facing such a massive shortfall of the funding originally allocated by Congress. Instead, she stated: “NCORR stands prepared to complete the homes of its current applicants and to respond quickly to any future disasters.”

    In 2022, the Office of Inspector General released a report finding that NCORR could not provide reasonable assurance that $2.5 million of the $5.4 million of federal assistance reviewed by the Inspector General was spent properly.   

    In response to the NCORR’s fiscal mismanagement, Senator Thom Tillis issued the following statement: 

    “For the last six years, I have been warning that Governor Cooper and NCORR were dropping the ball on distributing disaster relief to victims. NCORR’s last-second announcement of a staggering $175 million shortfall for Matthew and Florence recovery confirms those concerns were justified. It is scandalous that the Cooper Administration has failed thousands of North Carolina families, many of whom are still living in hotel rooms and still have no relief from storms that hit our state as long as eight years ago. Instead of working to actually fix this problem, it seems the Governor’s office has always been more focused on attacking anyone who drops a hint of criticism over their failure to get assistance to disaster victims. 

    “All this makes it much more difficult for North Carolina’s Congressional leaders to secure needed federal assistance for Helene victims when our colleagues look at the Cooper Administration’s failure to get federal assistance in the hands of Matthew and Florence victims. 

    “The next Governor must turn the page on the systemic incompetence and mismanagement of North Carolina’s disaster rebuilding efforts: the thousands of families who lost their homes to Helene certainly deserve better. While the NCGA is right to provide NCORR with some funding to keep operations running, state and federal leaders need to hear directly from Director Hogshead and Governor Cooper on how this appalling failure occurred on their watch, and there must be serious systematic changes to ensure North Carolina has a disaster office that is able to properly take care of disaster victims.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Sanders, Peters, Stabenow and 18 Fellow Senators in Demanding Stellantis Keep Its Promises to Autoworkers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    October 24, 2024

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – In a letter sent yesterday to the automotive giant responsible for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and more, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and 18 of their colleagues in urging Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares to honor the collective bargaining agreement signed last year with the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the promises the company made to strengthen and expand good-paying union jobs in America. The Senators also reinforced the importance of re-opening the idled Stellantis plant in Belvidere.

    “We are writing to express our growing concerns about the failure of Stellantis, under your leadership, to honor the commitments it made to the United Auto Workers (UAW) in last year’s collective bargaining agreement…” wrote the Senators. “We urge Stellantis not to renege on the promises it made to American autoworkers and to provide details on the timelines for these investments.”

    In the contract ratified last year, Stellantis committed to:

    • Make nearly $19 billion in new investments and product commitments in the U.S.;
    • Re-open the plant in Belvidere, Illinois that was “indefinitely idled” last year;
    • Establish a parts and customer care Mega Hub in Belvidere;
    • Continue to manufacture the Dodge Durango in Detroit through 2025; and
    • Manufacture the next generation Dodge Durango in Detroit starting in 2026.

    Instead, Stellantis has taken actions that undermine the commitments made to the UAW and leave “behind thousands of American workers who built the company into the auto giant it is today,” wrote the Senators. These actions may include moving the next generation Dodge Durango out of the U.S. and into “low-cost” countries like Mexico, as well as delaying planned investments to reopen and expand the Belvidere assembly plant.

    This year, Stellantis has spent over $8 billion on stock buybacks and dividends to benefit its wealthy executives and stockholders. During the first six months of this year, Stellantis has generated over $6 billion in profits, making it one of the most profitable auto companies in the world. The company has also benefited from billions of dollars in financial assistance from American taxpayers and the federal government. In July, the Department of Energy announced Stellantis would receive nearly $335 million in federal dollars to support Belvidere Assembly Plant’s conversion to electric vehicle production.

    “Last year, while blue collar auto workers in Belvidere were being laid off indefinitely, you were able to receive a 56 percent pay raise, boosting your total compensation to $39.5 million, which made you the highest paid executive among traditional auto companies,” wrote the Senators. “We believe that if Stellantis can afford to spend over $8 billion this year on stock buybacks and dividends, it can live up to the contractual commitments it made to the UAW. This is especially true given the billions of dollars in financial assistance American taxpayers have spent to support your company and the enormous sacrifices autoworkers have been forced to make over many decades.”

    Joining Duckworth, Durbin, Sanders, Peters and Stabenow on the letter are U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

    The full letter is available here and below.

    Dear Mr. Tavares:

    We are writing to express our growing concerns about the failure of Stellantis, under your leadership, to honor the commitments it made to the United Auto Workers (UAW) in last year’s collective bargaining agreement.

    In that contract, ratified by UAW members, Stellantis committed to “establish long-term stability and job security” for its workforce. The agreement includes nearly $19 billion in new investment and product commitments in the United States, including promises to:

    • Re-open the plant in Belvidere, Illinois that was “indefinitely idled” last year;
    • Establish a parts and customer care Mega Hub in Belvidere;
    • Continue to manufacture the Dodge Durango in Detroit through 2025;
    • and Manufacture the next generation Dodge Durango in Detroit starting in 2026.

    We are deeply concerned that Stellantis is not keeping the promises it made to strengthen and expand good-paying union jobs in America.

    Specifically, Stellantis is now delaying planned investments to reopen and expand the Belvidere assembly plant, leaving behind thousands of American workers who built the company into the auto giant it is today. We are also concerned with reporting that Stellantis is planning to move production of the next generation Dodge Durango out of the United States, after previously announcing layoffs that threaten the economic security and well-being of thousands of autoworkers. Moreover, Stellantis has stated publicly that it plans to source 80 percent of supply from “low-cost countries” like Mexico. By your own admission, Stellantis’s growth plan hinges on shifting “industrial production into cost competitive countries” like Mexico, where workers are making substandard wages. These actions violate the obligations Stellantis made to the UAW. We urge Stellantis not to renege on the promises it made to American autoworkers and to provide details on the timelines for these investments.

    This year, Stellantis has spent over $8 billion on stock buybacks and dividends to benefit its wealthy executives and stockholders. Last year, while blue collar auto workers in Belvidere were being laid off indefinitely, you were able to receive a 56 percent pay raise boosting your total compensation to $39.5 million, which made you the highest paid executive among traditional auto companies. During the first six months of this year, Stellantis has generated over $6 billion in profits, making it one of the most profitable auto companies in the world.

    We believe that if Stellantis can afford to spend over $8 billion this year on stock buybacks and dividends, it can live up to the contractual commitments it made to the UAW. This is especially true given the billions of dollars in financial assistance American taxpayers have spent to support your company and the enormous sacrifices autoworkers have been forced to make over many decades.

    For example, the Department of Energy announced in July that nearly $335 million in federal dollars would be going to supporting Belvidere Assembly Plant’s conversion to electric vehicle production. With hundreds of millions of dollars of federal support going towards ensuring strong union jobs stay in the U.S., Stellantis must honor the promises it made to UAW workers and the Belvidere community.

    We urge you to deliver on the commitments you made to the UAW in your 2023 national agreement without further delay.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2024 (2018-base)

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2024 (2018-base) – Information release – 25 October 2024.

    Subnational population estimates give the best available measure of the population, by age and sex, usually living in New Zealand’s 16 regions, 67 territorial authority areas, 21 Auckland local board areas, and other areas.

    Key facts
    In the year ended June 2024, provisional estimates of the population usually living in each area indicate:

    • many areas had slower population growth than in the year ended June 2023, with national population growth at 1.8 percent in 2024, down from 2.5 percent in 2023
    • nationally, net migration (73,300) contributed to population growth more than natural increase (20,300).

    Visit our website to read this information release:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –