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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Protect Your Identity. Be Alert to Fraud and Scams.

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Protect Your Identity. Be Alert to Fraud and Scams.

    Protect Your Identity. Be Alert to Fraud and Scams.

    BRISTOL, Va.— After a natural disaster, it is important to protect yourself against fraud and identity theft. In some cases, criminals may try to get information by pretending to be disaster workers. Scam artists may try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from people affected by the disaster.  

    Protect your identity and stay informed by doing these easy things:

    • Federal and local disaster workers do not solicit or accept money. Don’t trust anyone who offers financial help and then asks for money.
    • Do not disclose information to any unsolicited telephone calls and e-mails from individuals claiming to be FEMA or federal employees. FEMA will only contact you if you have called FEMA first or registered for assistance. If you receive suspicious emails or phone calls, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 to verify if a FEMA call or email is legitimate.
    • Always ask to see I.D. FEMA personnel will always have an official identification badge. A FEMA shirt or jacket is not proof of identity. 
    • Do not offer any personal information, including your Social Security number and bank information, unless you are speaking with a verified FEMA representative. 
    • Be on alert if someone asks for your 9-digit registration ID, which you receive when you apply for disaster assistance through FEMA. 
    • Stay tuned to trusted local media for updates from local officials on disaster fraud and scams.
    • After you apply for FEMA assistance, a home inspection may be necessary. FEMA inspectors will make an appointment before coming to your house. They may verify your identity using the last four digits of the 9-digit registration number but will not ask for all nine numbers. FEMA inspectors will also not ask you for your Social Security number. 
    • FEMA does not hire or endorse specific contractors to fix homes or recommend repairs. A FEMA inspector’s job is to verify damage.

    To report scams, fraud, and identity-theft contact:

    Residents of Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wythe counties and the city of Galax are eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA to help with costs from damage and losses caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

    You can register for FEMA assistance by visiting disasterassistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362.

    FEMA has set up a rumor response webpage to clarify our role in the Helene response. Visit Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response | FEMA.gov. 

    For more information on Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit vaemergency.gov,  the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Facebook page , fema.gov/disaster/4831 and facebook.com/FEMA.  

    ###

    FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow us on X at x.com/FEMAregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3.

    Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).

    erika.osullivan

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Statement by Minister Sajjan on Fire Prevention Week

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council of Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, issued the following statement:

    OTTAWA – October 6, 2024 – Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King’s Privy Council of Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, issued the following statement:

    “This year, Fire Prevention Week will take place from October 6 to 12 across Canada. Fires can spread in seconds and have devastating effects, including injuries, destruction of property and loss of life. The goal of this week is to raise awareness of the dangers of fire and to inform citizens about the protective measures they can take for themselves and their loved ones.

    People in Canada know all too well the impacts of fire. This year alone, wildfires have burned more than 5 million hectares across the country, uprooting families and destroying homes and communities. The impacts of climate change are significant and are expected to worsen in the coming years.

    This year, the National Fire Protection Association’s theme is “Smoke Alarms: Let Them Work for You.” This week is dedicated to the importance of properly functioning smoke alarms in homes and what to do when one goes off. Smoke alarms should be installed inside and outside every bedroom, as well as on every level of a home, including the basement. It’s also important to test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace them when they are 10 years old or stop responding when tested.

    In times of tragedy, we often witness remarkable acts of hope and bravery. As Fire Prevention Week marks, I want to thank firefighters, fire chiefs, first responders, emergency responders, volunteers and military personnel. They all work tirelessly to keep people and communities safe, prevent fires and minimize damage during a disaster. We salute their courage and skill.

    Fire Prevention Week brings communities together to raise awareness about fire safety and build a sense of preparedness. Each of us has a role to play in keeping our homes and communities safe. Together, we can significantly reduce the risk of fire, including many human-caused wildfires.

    This week, I encourage everyone to test their smoke alarms and replace them if they don’t work or are more than 10 years old. You can learn how to prepare for other emergencies and disasters by visiting http://www.GetPrepared.gc.ca. If you live in an area affected by wildfires, listen to local authorities, have a wildfire emergency plan in place, and clean up debris around your home, as recommended by the site. https://smartfirecanada.ca/. »

    Joanna KangaPress SecretaryOffice of the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of CanadaJoanna.Kanga@kpc.cpr.gc.ca

    Media RelationsPublic Safety Canada613 991-0657media@ps-sp.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: VATICAN – Pope announces a Consistory: 21 new Cardinals in December

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: The Holy See in Italian

    Sunday, October 6, 2024

    Vatican Media

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “I am pleased to announce that on December 8th I will hold a Consistory for the nomination of new Cardinals”. Surprisingly, as has often happened in these years of pontificate, Pope Francis, at the Angelus, announces the imposition of the red hat. In total, 21 monsignors will receive the purple: 10 are European, of which 4 are Italian; 6 are from the American continent, of which 5 are South American, 4 Asian, two African. Of these, only one, having reached the age limit, will not be an elector in a future conclave. Among them also Bishop Baldassarre Reina who from today, as specified by the Pontiff, will hold the role of new Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, thus succeeding Cardinal De Donatis, appointed Major Penitentiary last April. Here are the names of the new Cardinals: H.E. Monsignor Angelo Acerbi, Apostolic Nuncio; H.E. Monsignor Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio, Archbishop of Lima, Peru; H.E. Monsignor Vicente Bokalic Iglic, C.M., Archbishop of Santiago del Estero, Primate of Argentina; H.E. Mons. Cabrera Gerardo Cabrera Herrera, O.F.M., Archbishop of Guayaquil, Ecuador; H.E. Monsignor Natalio Chomalí Garib, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile, Chile; H.E. Mons. Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, S.V.D, Archbishop of Tokyo, Japan; H.E. Monsignor Pablo Virgilio Siongco David, Bishop of Kalookan, Philippines; H.E. Monsignor Ladislav Nemet, S.V.D., Archbishop of Beograd -Smederevo, Serbia;H.E. Mons. Jaime Spengler, O.F.M, Archbishop of Porto Alegre; H.E. Monsignor Ignace Bessi Dogbo, Archbishop of Abidjan, Ivory Coast; H.E. Monsignor Jean-Paul Vesco, O.P., Archbishop of Alger, Algeria; H.E. Mons. Paskalis Bruno Syukur, O.F.M, Bishop of Bogor, Indonesia; H.E. Mons. Joseph Mathieu, O.F.M. Conv., Archbishop of Tehran Ispahan, Iran; H.E. Monsignor Roberto Repole, Archbishop of Turin, Italy; H.E. Monsignor Baldassare Reina, from today Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome; H.E. Mons. Francis Leo, Archbishop of Toronto, Canada; H.E. Mons. Rolandas Makrickas, Coadjutor Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; H.E. Mons. Mykola Bychok, C.Ss.R., Eparch of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians; Rev. Father Timothy Peter Joseph Radcliffe, O.P, theologian; Rev. Father Fabio Baggio, C.S., Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development; Mons. George Jacob Koovakad, Official Secretary of State, responsible for Papal Trips. In total, in these almost twelve years of pontificate, Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals of which 113 electors. From Sunday 8 December 2024, the College of Cardinals will be enriched with new members and will therefore be composed of 256 members, of which 141 electors and 115 non-electors. The biographies of the new cardinalsS. E. Monsignor Tarcisio Isao KIKUCHI, S.V.D., Archbishop of Tokyo (Japan). He was born on 1 November 1958 in the prefecture of Iwate, diocese of Sendai. He studied in Japan. He made his perpetual profession in the Congregation of the Missionaries Verbiti in March 1985 and was ordained a priest in March 1986. He completed his studies at the “Spiritual Institute of Sacred Heart” in Melbourne (Australia). He was: 1986-1992: Missionary in the dioceses of Accra and Koforidua, in Ghana; 1993-1994: Trainer and vice-prefect of Verbiti postulants in Japan, and director for vocations of the Institute; 1994-1999: Provincial Councilor of the Verbiti. Since 1994: Teacher at Nanzan University, member of the “International Aid Committee” of the Episcopal Conference of Japan. Since 1996 he has been Coordinator of the “Justice and Peace” Office in the Asia and Pacific area of ​​the Verbiti. Since 1998: Member of Caritas Japan and representative of the Japanese Bishops for various international conferences and meetings. Since 1999: Provincial Superior of the Verbites in Japan (second mandate since 2002). Executive Director of Caritas Japan. Member of the committee for the ongoing formation of the clergy of the diocese of Nagoya. Prior to his installation as archbishop of Tokyo in 2017, he had served as bishop of Niigata since 2004, when he was first appointed as bishop.H.E. Monsignor Pablo Virgilio SIONGCO DAVID, Bishop of Kalookan (Filipinas) He was born in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga, in the archdiocese of San Fernando, on 2 March 1959. He was ordained a priest on 12 March 1983 for the archdiocese of San Fernando. After a year as assistant parish priest, he was Director of the Mother of God Counsel Seminary until 1986. From 1986 to 1991 he studied abroad, obtaining a licentiate and then a doctorate in Holy Theology at the Catholic University of Louvain, and attending courses at the Ecole Biblique de Jerusalem where he graduated. Upon returning to his homeland he held various management and teaching roles in the educational team of the archdiocesan seminary. In 2002 he became director of the seminary’s Theology Department, continuing to teach Sacred Scripture. In the same year he was elected Vice-President of the Association of Catholic Biblical Scholars of the Philippines and Vice-President of the Archidiocesan Media Apostolate Networks. He is the author, at both an academic and popular level, of several publications on Sacred Scripture. On 27 May 2006 he was appointed titular bishop of Guardialfiera and auxiliary of San Fernando by Benedict XVI, and was consecrated the following 10 July. On 14 October 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Kalookan (Philippines).H.E. Monsignor Paskalis Bruno SYUKUR, O.F.M., Bishop of Bogor (Indonesia) He was born on 17 May 1962 in Ranggu, in the diocese of Ruteng, on the Island of Flores (Indonesia). After primary school, he attended the Pius X minor seminary in Kisol. He completed his philosophical studies at the Faculty of Driyakara Philosophy in Jakarta, then continued his theological studies at the Faculty of Theology in Yogyakarta. He made his solemn profession with the Franciscans Minor on 22 January 1989. He was ordained a priest on 2 February 1991. He then held the following roles: 1991-1993: Ministry in the parish of Moanemani, diocese of Jayapura (West Papua); 1993-1996: Studies for the Licentiate in Spirituality at the Antonianum, in Rome; 1996-2001: Master of Novices at Depok; 1998-2001: Guardian of the O.F.M. Community in Depok and Member of the Provincial Council; 2001-2009: Provincial Minister in Indonesia; since 2009: General Definitor of the O.F.M. for Asia and Oceania in Rome. On 21 November 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of the diocese of Bogor (Indonesia).S. E. Mons. Dominique Joseph MATHIEU, O.F.M. Conv., Archbishop of Tehran Ispahan (Iran) He was born on 13 June 1963 in Arlon, Belgium. After his high school studies, he entered the Order of Friars Minor Conventual. He made his solemn profession in 1987 and was ordained a priest on 24 September 1989. Since 2013 he has been incardinated in the Provincial Custody of the East and of the Holy Land. Within his Order, he held various positions: Vocational Promoter, Secretary, Vicar and Provincial Minister of the Belgian Province of the Conventual Friars Minor, becoming General Delegate after unification with the Province of France; Rector of the National Sanctuary of Saint Anthony of Padua in Brussels and Director of the related Confraternity. He was also President of two different non-profit associations linked to the presence of the Conventual Friars Minor in Belgium, with roles of responsibility in the Catholic School of Landen. He was President of the Central European Federation of Conventual Friars Minor and a member of the International Commission for the Economy of his Order. Having moved to Lebanon in 2013, he was Custodial Secretary, Formator, Master of Novices and Rector of Postulants and Candidates in the Provincial Custody of the East and the Holy Land. Since 2019 he has been General Definitor and General Assistant for the Central European Federation of Conventual Friars Minor. On 8 January 2021, he was appointed Archbishop of Tehran Ispahan (Iran).H.E. Mons. Jean-Paul VESCO, O.P., Archbishop of Alger (Algeria) He was born in Lyon (France) on 10 March 1962. He obtained a degree in Law and practiced law in a lawyer’s office in Lyon, until the choice to enter the Order of Preacher Fathers. In 1995 he began his novitiate year and made his first religious profession on 14 September 1996. He was ordained a priest on 24 June 2001 in Lyon. He arrived in the diocese of Oran (Algeria) on 6 October 2002 at the convent of Tlemcen. In 2004 he was chosen as a delegate of the diocese for the preparation of the Interdiocesan Assembly of Algeria (AIDA). Since 2005 he has been Vicar General of the same diocese and since 2007 he has also assumed the office of diocesan bursar. On 16 October 2007 he was elected Superior of the Dominican Community of Tlemcen, a position he held until January 2011, when he was elected Provincial Superior of France. On 1 December 2012, he was appointed Bishop of Oran (Algeria), until 27 December 2022, when the Holy Father appointed him Metropolitan Archbishop Alger (Algeria).H.E. Mons. Ignace BESSI DOGBO, Archbishop of Abidjan (Ivory Coast) He was born on 17 August 1961 in Niangon-Adjamé, Diocese of Yopougon. He was ordained a priest on 2 August 1987. He has held the following positions: parish ministry (1987-1989); License in Exegesis from the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome; diocesan director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (1993-1995); Vicar General of Yopougon (1995-2004); parish priest of Yopougon Cathedral (1997-2004); Professor of Biblical Languages ​​in the Saint Paul Major Seminary of Abadjin Kouté; Diocesan Spiritual Assistant of the J.E.C. He was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Katiola on 19 March 2004 and received episcopal consecration on the following 4 July; President of the Episcopal Conference (2017-2023); since 2017, Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Korhogo; from 2021 to 2024, Metropolitan Archbishop of Korhogo. On 20 May 2024, he was appointed Archbishop of Abidjan (Ivory Coast).H.E. Mons. Carlos Gustavo CASTILLO MATTASOGLIO Archbishop of Lima (Peru) He was born in Lima on 28 February 1950. Having entered the Santo Toribio major seminary of Mogrovejo of the archdiocese of Lima, he was sent to Rome for his ecclesiastical studies where, in 1979, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and, in 1983, in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest, incardinating in the archdiocese of Lima on 15 July 1984. He obtained the licentiate in 1985 and, in 1987, the doctorate in dogmatic theology, again from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He has held the following positions: Professor of Theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (from 1987 to the present); Councilor of the National Union of Catholic Students (1987-1998); Parochial vicar in the parish of San Francisco de Asís (1987-1990); Parochial vicar of the parish of La Encarnación (1990-1991); Archdiocesan head of the University Pastoral of Lima and collaborator at the parish of San Juan Apóstol (1991-1999); Vicar for youth ministry of Lima, organizer of the vicar for youth and responsible for vocational ministry (1996-1999); National Councilor of the Episcopal Commission for Youth of the Peruvian Episcopal Conference (1990-2001); parochial vicar of the parish of San Juan Apóstol (1999-2001); National councilor for youth ministry (2000); parish priest of the parish of Virgen Medianera (2002-2009); Director of relations with the Church and member of the University Council of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (2003-2006); Parish priest of the parish of San Lázaro (2010-2015). On 25 January 2019 Pope Francis appointed him Metropolitan Archbishop of the archdiocese of Lima (Peru).H.E. Monsignor Vicente BOKALIC IGLIC C.M., Archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Primado de la Argentina). He was born on 11 June 1952 in Lanús (Buenos Aires). In 1970 he entered the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists). He studied philosophy at the Jesuit Maximo College in San Miguel, and theological studies at the Seminary of Buenos Aires. He took his perpetual vows on 5 June 1976. Ordained a priest on 1 April 1978, he was in charge of the vocational and youth ministry of Buenos Aires and, since 1981, he has also exercised the office of Parish Vicar of Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa. From 1983 to 1986 he was a formator and bursar, and from 1987 to 1990 superior in the Seminary of the Congregation of the Mission. From 1991 to 1993 he worked again in the Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa Parish, from 1994 to 1997 he was a missionary in the Prelature of Deán Funes and, from 1997 to 2000, Superior of the Seminary of his Congregation in San Miguel. Missionary and parish priest in the diocese of Goya from 2000 to 2003, from December 2003 to December 2009 he exercised the office of Provincial Superior of the Congregation of the Mission. Then he was sent again to the Nuestra Señora de la Medalla Milagrosa Parish in Buenos Aires. On 15 March 2010 he was appointed titular bishop of Summa and auxiliary of Buenos Aires (Argentina). He received episcopal consecration on May 29 of the same year. On 23 December 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Santiago del Estero (Argentina). On 22 July 2024, the Holy Father elevated the Diocese of Santiago del Estero (Argentina) to the rank of Primatial Archdiocese of Argentina, and appointed him the first Archbishop of Santiago del Estero (Argentina).H.E. Mons. Luis Gerardo CABRERA HERRERA, O.F.M., Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador). He was born in Azogues on 11 October 1955. He attended the Franciscan minor seminary in Azogues and Quito, studied philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador and he obtained a Doctorate in philosophy from the Antonianum in Rome. He was ordained a priest on 3 September 1983. He held the following roles: assistant to the Master of Novices O.F.M. and then novitiate master of Riobamba; member of the Provincial Council of the Order, responsible for vocational pastoral care and the formation of aspirants of the Franciscan province; Director of the philosophical-theological institute “Card. B. Echeverría” of Quito; Secretary of the ecumenism sector of the Episcopal Commission of Magisterium and Doctrine of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference. In August 2000 he was elected Provincial Minister of the Franciscans of the Province of Ecuador and Vice President of the Conference of Religious. From 2003 until 2009 he was Definitor of the Franciscan Order and Delegate of the Minister General for the Franciscan Provinces of Latin America and the Caribbean. On 20 April 2009 he was appointed Archbishop of Cuenca, receiving episcopal consecration the following 4 July. In the period 2001-2014 he was Vice-President of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference. Since 24 September 2015 he has been Archbishop of Guayaquil (Ecuador).H.E. Monsignor Fernando Natalio CHOMALÍ GARIB Archbishop of Santiago de Chile (Chile) He was born on 10 March 1957 in Santiago de Chile. After graduating in Civil Engineering from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, he completed his philosophical and theological studies at the Pontifical Major Seminary of Santiago. He received priestly ordination on 6 April 1991 for the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. He held the following positions and carried out further studies: Licentiate in Moral Theology at the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome; Doctorate in Theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome; Master in Bioethics at the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences in Rome; Parish vicar; Episcopal Delegate for University Pastoral; Professor of Moral Theology and Bioethics in the Faculties of Theology and Medicine of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and in the Major Seminary; Parish Priest of Santa María de la Misericordia; Moderator of the Curia and President Delegate of the Economic Council of the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile; Member of the Pontifical Academy for Life (since 2001). On 6 April 2006 he was appointed titular bishop of Noba and auxiliary of Santiago de Chile, receiving episcopal consecration the following 3 June. On 20 April 2011 he was appointed Archbishop of Concepción and, on 25 October 2023, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile. He is currently Vice President of CECH.S.E. Mons. Jaime SPENGLER, O.F.M., Archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brasil) He was born on 6 September 1960, in Blumenau, in the State of Santa Catarina, in the diocese of the same name. He did his Franciscan postulancy in Guaratinguetá (1981) and his novitiate in Rodeio (1982); he made his perpetual profession in 1985 and was ordained a priest on 17 November 1990. He completed his studies in philosophy at the São Boaventura Philosophical Institute in Campo Largo and those in theology, first at the Franciscan Theological Institute in Petrópolis (1986- 1987) and then at the Theological Institute of Jerusalem (1987-1990), where he obtained a license in Sacred Scripture. Subsequently he obtained a degree in Philosophy in Rome, at the Pontifical Athenaeum Antonianum (1995-1998). He has held the following positions: Professor in the Franciscan Novitiate in Rodeio, Master of Postulants (1990); Professor in the Postulancy and Parish Vicar in Guaratinguetá (1991-1994); Professor and Vice-Rector of the São Boaventura Institute of Philosophy in Campo Largo (2000-2003); Religious Assistant of the Federação Brasileira das Irmãs Concepcionistas (2001-2002); local superior and parish vicar of the Senhor Bom Jesus Parish, in the archdiocese of Curitiba (2004-2006), Professor of Philosophy at the São Boaventura Faculty in Curitiba (2000-2003); Vice-president of the Franciscan Association of Ensino Senhor Bom Jesus in Campo Largo and Guardian of the Local Convent. On 10 November 2010 he was appointed titular bishop of Patara and auxiliary of Porto Alegre. He received episcopal ordination on 5 February 2011. On 18 September 2013, he was appointed Metropolitan Archbishop of Porto Alegre (Brazil).H.E. Mons. Francis LEO, Archbishop of Toronto (Canada) He was born on 30 June 1971 in Montreal (Canada). In 1990 he entered the Seminary obtaining the Baccalaureate in Philosophy (1992), the Licentiate and then the Doctorate in Theology (2005), with specialization in Marian Studies, obtained at the International Marian Research Institute (IMRI), University of Dayton (Ohio ). He was ordained a priest on December 14, 1996 for the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montreal. After his priestly ordination, he was Deputy Parish Priest of Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolata (1996-2001); Administrator of the Parish Saint-Joseph-de-Rivière-des-Prairies (2003-2005); Chaplain of the Roscelli School and religious teacher of the Collège Reine-Marie (2003-2005); Parish priest of Saint-Raymond-de-Peñafort (2005-2006). From 2006 to 2008 he was sent to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome. Having entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, he worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Australia (2008-2011) and then at the Study Mission of the Holy See in Hong Kong (2011-2012). Returning to Montreal in 2012, he was appointed Director and Professor of Dogmatics of the Major Seminary, Director of the Department of Canon Law of the IFTM and Vice President of the Diocesan Work for Vocations. From 2013 to 2015 he was a member of the Presbyteral Council. From 2015 to 2021 he was General Secretary of the Canadian Episcopal Conference. In 2021 he received the role of Vicar General and Moderator of the Archdiocesan Curia of Montreal. On 16 July 2022 he was appointed titular bishop of Tameda and auxiliary of Montreal, and was consecrated the following 12 September. On 11 February 2023 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Montreal.S.E. Monsignor Mykola BYCHOK, C.Ss.R., Bishop of the Eparchy Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians. He was born on 13 February 1980 in Ternopil in Ukraine. He entered the Redemptorist Order in July 1997, and trained in Ukraine and Poland, obtaining a license in Pastoral Theology. On 17 August 2003 he took his final vows, and on 3 May 2005 he was ordained a priest in Lviv. He has held the following positions: missionary in the Mother Church of Perpetual Help in Prokopyevsk in Russia, Superior of the Monastery of St. Joseph and Parish Priest of the Mother Parish of Perpetual Help in Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine, Bursar of the Redemptorist Province of Lviv and since 2015 Vicar of the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Newark, NJ, Archeparchy of Philadelphia of the Ukrainians. On 15 January 2020 he was appointed Bishop of the Eparchy Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainians. On 7 June 2020 he was consecrated bishop by His Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk in St. George’s Cathedral, Lviv. On 12 July 2021, the feast of Saints Peter and Paul in the Julian Calendar, he was enthroned as the third bishop of the Eparchy of Melbourne by His Grace Peter Comensoli, Archbishop of Melbourne, in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Melbourne.S. E. Monsignor Ladislav NEMET, S.V.D., Archbishop of Beograd – Smederevo, (Serbia) He was born on 7 September 1956 in Odžaci, in the Diocese of Subotica (Serbia). In 1977 he entered the Society of the Divine Word and was ordained a priest on 1 May 1983. He obtained a Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He held the following positions: Missionary in the Philippines; Teacher in Poland, Austria and Croatia; Collaborator of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN in Vienna; Provincial of the Hungarian Province of the Society of the Divine Word; General Secretary of the Hungarian Episcopal Conference. He was appointed Bishop of Zrenjanin on 23 April 2008. In 2021, he was re-elected for a second term as President of the International Episcopal Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius; furthermore, he is Vice President of the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE).H.E. Mons. Rolandas MAKRICKAS, Coadjutor Archpriest Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore He was born in Biržai, Lithuania, on 31 January 1972. Ordained a priest on 20 July 1996 for the Diocese of Panevėžys, from 1996 to 2001 he was under-secretary of the Lithuanian Episcopal Conference and head of the National Committee of the Great Jubilee of 2000. He obtained a Doctorate in Ecclesiastical History from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2004. Having entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 2006, he worked at the Pontifical Representations in Georgia, Sweden, the United States of America and Gabon, and at the General Affairs Section of the Secretariat of State. From 15 December 2021 to 19 March 2024 he was extraordinary commissioner for the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. On 11 February 2023 he was appointed titular Archbishop of Tolentino and on the following 15 April he received episcopal ordination, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness. On 19 March 2024 he was appointed by the Holy Father Coadjutor Archpriest with right of succession of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.H.E. Mons. Baldassare REINA, auxiliary bishop of Rome, former vice-gerent and, from today, Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome. He was born on 26 November 1970 in San Giovanni Gemini, in the province and Archdiocese of Agrigento. He entered the Archbishop’s Seminary in 1981. In 1995 he obtained a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology and in 1998 a Licentiate in Biblical Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome. He was ordained a priest on 8 September 1995. From 1998 to 2001 he was Diocesan Assistant of Catholic Action and Vice-Rector of the Archbishop’s Seminary of Agrigento. From 2001 to 2003 he was parish priest of the Blessed Mary Virgin of Itria in Favara. From 2003 to 2009 he was Prefect of studies of the San Gregorio Agrigentino Theological Study and from 2009 to 2013 Parish Priest of S. Leonead Agrigento. From 2013 to 2022 he was Rector of the Major Seminary of Agrigento. He also held the following roles in the Diocese: Teacher of Sacred Scripture at the Institute of Religious Sciences; Permanent teacher at the San Gregorio Agrigentino Theological Studio; Director of the Culture Office; Canon of the Cathedral Chapter; Member of the Presbyteral Council and of the College of Consultors. On 27 May 2022, he was appointed titular bishop of Acque di Mauritania and auxiliary of Rome. On 6 January 2023, the Holy Father appointed him Vicegerent of the Diocese of Rome.H.E. Mons. Roberto REPOLE, Archbishop of Turin (Italy) He was born in Turin on 29 January 1967. Having entered the Seminary at the age of eleven, he completed his high school studies at the Minor Seminary, obtaining his classical high school diploma at the Valsalice Salesian High School in Turin in 1986. He studied philosophy and theology at the archiepiscopal seminary of Turin and received presbyteral ordination on 13 June 1992. From 1992 to 1996 he was parochial vicar at the parish of Gesù Redentore and collaborator of the parish of Ss. Nome di Maria in Turin. He continued his studies in systematic theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, obtaining his licentiate in 1998 and his doctorate in 2001 with a thesis on the thought of Henri de Lubac in dialogue with Gabriel Marcel. Since 2001 he has taught systematic theology at the parallel Turin branch of the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy and the Higher Institute of Religious Sciences of the same city. Canon of the Royal Church of San Lorenzo in Turin since 2010, he was president of the Italian Theological Association from 2011 to 2019; dean of the Turin section of the Theological Faculty of Northern Italy and collaborator of the Santa Maria della Stella parish in Druento. On 19 February 2022, Pope Francis appointed him the 95th Metropolitan Archbishop of Turin and Bishop of Susa, thus uniting the two sees in person as bishops. On 7 May 2022 he received episcopal ordination. In September 2022, the Permanent Episcopal Council of the CEI appointed him as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Catholic Education, School and University. In October 2022 in Aosta the bishops of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta elected him vice president of the Episcopal Conference of Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta (CEP).R.P. Timothy Peter Joseph RADCLIFFE, OP, theologian Born in London in 1945, he joined the Dominican order in 1965. After completing his studies in Oxford and Paris, he began teaching sacred Scripture at the University of Oxford. Ordained a priest in 1971, actively involved in the peace movement, he also carried out pastoral ministry among AIDS sufferers. From 1982 to 1988 he was prior of the convent of Oxford, then provincial of England from 1988 to 1992, and finally master general of the order founded by Saint Dominic from 1992 to 2001. Orator, lecturer, preacher and writer of international fame, he is member of CAFOD (agency of the Catholic Church of England and Wales, involved in charitable support and development in overseas countries) and of the theological commission of international Caritas. He has received honorary degrees from Oxford University and other academic institutions in France, Italy and the United States. In 2007 he was awarded the Michael Ramsey Prize for theological writings.R. Fr Fabio BAGGIO, C.S., under secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. He was born in Bassano del Grappa in 1965 and, in 1976, entered the Scalabrini-Tirondola Seminary of the Missionaries of San Carlo, making his perpetual profession in 1991. The following year he was ordained a Priest. In 1998 he obtained a doctorate in Church History from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. From 1995 to 1997, in Santiago de Chile, in addition to exercising the pastoral ministry, he held the position of Advisor to the Episcopal Commission for Migration of Chile (INCAMI). Subsequently, until 2002, he was Director of the Department for Migration of the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, also covering, in 1999, the role of National Secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Pontifical Mission Societies Argentina. On 14 December 2016 he was appointed Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. On 23 April 2022, the Holy Father confirmed him as Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development also with responsibility for the Migrants and Refugees Section and Special Projects Mons. George Jacob KOOVAKAD, Official of the Secretary of State, responsible for Papal Trips. He was born in Chethipuzha (India) on 11 August 1973. He was ordained a Priest on 24 July 2004, incardinated in Changanacherry. Graduated in Canon Law. Having entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on 1 July 2006, he was assigned to the Apostolic Nunciature in Algeria, as Attache. On March 2, 2009, he was transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in Korea until February 2012, when he was transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in Iran. On February 16, 2015, he was transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in Costa Rica. Since July 10, 2020, he has worked in the Secretariat of State, General Affairs section. on 10 July 2020. From 2021, Pope Francis has entrusted him with the organization of papal trips.H.E. Mons. Angelo Acerbi, Apostolic Nuncio He was born on 23 September 1925 in Sesta Godano (Italy) and was ordained a priest on 27 March 1948 for the then Diocese of Pontremoli. Having entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1956, he served in the Papal Representations in Colombia, Brazil, France, Japan and Portugal, as well as in the Council for Public Affairs of the Church of the Secretariat of State. St. Paul VI, on June 22, 1974, appointed him an apostolic pro-nuncio in New Zealand and apostolic delegate in the Pacific Ocean, assigning him the headquarters of Zella and the personal title of Archbishop; The same Holy Pontiff, on the following 30 June, conferred him the episcopal ordination in the papal basilica of San Pietro in the Vatican. St. John Paul II, then, sent him as Nunzio to Colombia – where, together with other diplomats, he was hostage for six weeks by the guerrillas of the Movimiento 19 de Abril – and, subsequently, in Hungary and Moldova and in the Netherlands. From 2001 to 2015 he held the office of prelate of the Sovereign Military Hospital Order of San Giovanni di Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta.

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hurricane Helene update #9 from Congressman Edwards

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chuck Edwards (NC-11)

    Dear Friend,

    Happy Sunday. If you’ll give me a point of privilege, I’d like to skip the business talk today and share a bit of positivity. Regardless of your beliefs, Sundays are an opportunity to reflect and be grateful for the blessings in our lives.

    Today, I’m grateful that I get to represent such strong, resilient, salt-of-the-earth people who continue to show up for each other. I’m grateful for the thousands of people from across the country who have come to serve and help our mountains, and I’m grateful for the local leaders who are working day and night to help us recover and achieve a new normal.

    I’m curious, what are you grateful for today?

    Today’s update includes the longest list of food and water distribution sites yet. It also includes more information on county trash pickup/debris removal, plans to rebuild and reopen I-40 into Tennessee, and where to find free internet.

    Today is update number nine, with more information to follow in the coming days. Please make sure to read everything and share it with your friends and family.

    • Supplying drinkable water remains a top priority for emergency crews.
      • 93 water systems are on a boil advisory.
      • 37 treatment plants have reported having no power and 41 systems are out of water.
        • Water restoration trends continue to move in a positive direction.
    • Today, October 6, 12 combined teams from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be conducting infrastructure assessments on public water supplies in the following counties:
      • Buncombe
      • Henderson
      • McDowell
      • Polk
      • Rutherford
      • Yancey
        • The results of these assessments are expected on October 7 and will provide insight into the necessary steps to restore water services in each county.
    • The state of North Carolina is continuing to provide a minimum of 40 trailer loads of water and 20 trailer loads of food daily through at least October 6, per their promise to the people of Western North Carolina.
      • I’m in conversation with NC Emergency Management to negotiate a new commitment for the people of Western North Carolina since the state’s initial promise of 40 trailers of water and 20 trailers of food expires today.
    • The Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised 120 truckloads a day of food and water with no specified end date.
      • To date, FEMA has shipped 13 million meals and 13 million liters of water utilizing the $20 billion in funds that I helped to draft and pass for disaster relief just two days before Hurricane Helene hit.
    • Walmart is hosting activities at the following locations:
      • Hendersonville, NC Store 1242
        • 250 Highlands Square Dr., Hendersonville, NC 28792
          • Portable restrooms
          • Serving hot meals at 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily
      • Arden, NC Store 1179
        • 60 Airport Rd., Arden, NC 28704
          • Portable restrooms
          • Laundry
          • Showers
          • Wi-fi hotspot and charging stations
      • Resource pick-up locations are listed below by county. As I learn more, I will keep you posted:
        • Buncombe County
          • Buncombe County has begun water distribution at multiple sites. Each will be available daily from 1:00 -7:00 p.m.:
            • Pack Square Park – you MUST bring your own container for this site
              • 80 Court Plz., Asheville, NC 28801
            • William W. Estes Elementary School
              • 275 Overlook Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
            • Sand Hill-Venable Elementary
              • 154 Sand Hill School Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
            • North Windy Ridge Intermediate School
              • 20 Doan Rd., Weaverville, NC 28787
            • Fairview Elementary
              • 1355 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730
          • The following major feeding site is available in Buncombe County, where citizens can access food, water and other basic necessities:
            • Biltmore Baptist Church
              • 35 Clayton Rd., Arden, NC 28704
                • Distribution and bulk pickup for volunteers looking to take bulk loads of supplies to in-need community members
                  • Saturday hours: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
                • Community drive-thru for anyone in the community needing supplies
                  • Saturday hours: 3:00-6:00 p.m.
            • First Baptist Church – Weaverville
              • 63 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
                • Hot showers available from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
                • Unlimited clean drinking water is available, bring your own container.
                • Supplies and bottled water.
                • Hot lunch served at 1:30 p.m.
          • Food and drinking water are available from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily at the following locations:
            • Asheville Middle School
              • 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
            • Ingles
              • 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711
                • This location also has handwashing stations and portable restrooms
            • Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
              • 121 Shiloh Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
            • Lucy Herring Elementary
              • 98 Sulphur Springs Rd., Asheville, NC 28806
            • Oakley Elementary School
              • 753 Fairvew Rd., Asheville, NC 28803
        • Haywood County
          • The following locations are providing community members with essential resources such as but not limited to, food, water, cleaning products, baby formula, and pet food, Monday through Fridays:
            • Pigeon Community Center
              • 450 Pigeon St., Waynesville, NC 28786
                • Also offering hot meals every day at 2:00 p.m.
                • Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
            • Cruso Community Center
              • 13186 Cruso Rd., Canton, NC 28716
                • Daily Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
            • First United Methodist Church
              • 566 S. Haywood St., Waynesville, NC 28786
                • Includes shower access.
                • Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
            • Maggie Valley Pavilion
              • 3935 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
                • Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
            • Woodland Baptist Church
              • 545 Crabtree Rd., Waynesville, NC 28786
                • Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
            • Bethel Elementary School
              • 4700 Old River Rd., Canton, NC 28716
                • Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
            • Jonathan Valley Elementary School
              • 410 Hall Dr., Waynesville, NC 28786
                • Daily Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
                • Monday through Friday
          • The following location offers hot meals daily:
            • Maggie Valley Fire Department
              • 2901 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
          • The following location offers showers daily from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.:
            • Calvary Baptist Church
              • 2701 Soco Rd., Maggie Valley, NC 28751
        • Henderson County
          • Henderson County has stood up Resource Hub locations for water distribution and other supplies as they become available.
          • Distribution will be taking place daily from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 6 at the following locations:
            • Etowah Elementary: 320 Etowah School Rd., Etowah, NC 28729
            • Rugby Middle School: 3345 Haywood Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28791
            • East Henderson High School: 150 Eagle Pride Dr., East Flat Rock, NC 28726
            • North Henderson High School: 35 Fruitland Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
            • Mills River Town Hall: 124 Town Center Dr., Mills River, NC 28759
            • Fletcher Town Hall: 300 Old Cane Creek Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
          • Each family unit will be provided supplies for one day’s meal and water as available.
          • Individuals are asked to enter the drive-through and remain in your car unless otherwise instructed by volunteers to ensure an efficient process.
        • Jackson County
          • In partnership with the Red Cross, the following is available for citizens of Jackson County:
            • The Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau are providing shelf-stable meals at the following location:
              • 558 Frank Allen Rd., Cashiers, NC 28717
              • Hours of operation to come.
              • The Canada Fire Department is distributing emergency supplies at the following location:
                • 149 Charleys Creek Rd., Tuckasegee, NC 28783
                • Hours of operation to come.
        • Madison County
          • The following locations are offering food, water, and some supply distribution in Madison County:
            • Beech Glen Community Center
              • 2936 Beech Glen Rd., Mars Hill, 28754
              • Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time.
            • Center Community Center
              • 1300 Grapevine Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily hours: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
            • Ebbs Chapel Community Center
              • 281 Laurel Valley Rd., Mars Hill, NC 28754
              • Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
            • Enon Baptist Church
              • 174 Ammons Branch Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Open Sunday 12:00-4:00 p.m.
            • Freedom Christian Church
              • 7350 US 25/70 Bypass, Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
              • This location offers additional resources such as hygiene products, blankets, clothes, cleaning supplies, diapers, pet food, etc.
            • Laurel Community Center – also has supplies
              • 4100 NC 212 Hwy., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
            • Revere-Rice Community Center
              • 3980 Revere Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Mon-Sat)
            • Spring Creek Community Center
              • 13075 NC 209 Hwy., Hot Springs, NC 28743
              • Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
              • This location also has additional resources such as pet food, livestock feed and hay.
            • Walnut Community Center – also has supplies
              • 46 School Rd., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily hours: Unable to locate daily hours at this time.
            • N.C. Cooperative Extension – Madison County Center
              • 258 Carolina Ln., Marshall, NC 28753
              • Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
              • This location is offering drive-thru food distribution only.
        • McDowell County
          • McDowell County has established multiple points of distribution that are open daily from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 4:00-6:00 p.m., depending on supply levels.
          • Distribution takes place daily at the following locations:
            • Former TJ’s Discounts – North Cove
              • 8153 US 221 N., Marion, NC 28752
            • Old Fort Town Hall
              • 38 Catawba Ave., Old Fort, NC 28762
            • New Manna Baptist Church
              • 225 E. Court St., Marion, NC 28752
            • Solid Rock Free Will Baptist Church – Dysartsville 
              • 7860 NC 226 S., Nebo, NC 28761
            • Zion Hill Baptist Church
              • 1036 Zion Hill Rd., Marion, NC 28752
          • Hot meals are also being provided at the following location:
            • Grace Community Church
              • 5182 US 70 W., Marion, NC 28752
                • Lunch is served every day from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
                • Dinner is available from 4:00-5:30 p.m.
          • First Baptist Church of Marion is offering hot showers, air conditioning, and areas to charge devices.
            • Current hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 2:00-5:00 p.m., Monday-Saturday.
        • Polk County
          • The following locations are offering food and water distribution for residents in need from 1:00-5:00 p.m.:
            • Mill Spring/Green Creek Community
              • 25 International Blvd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
            • Columbus Community
              • 95 Walker St., Columbus, NC 28722
            • Saluda Community Bus Parking Lot
              • 214 E. Main St., Saluda, NC 28773
            • Tryon Community
              • 301 N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782
            • Sunny View
              • 86 Sunny View School Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
        • Rutherford County
          • The following locations are open from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. for citizens to get food and emergency supplies:
            • Thomas Jefferson High School
              • 2527 US-221A Hwy., Mooresboro, NC 28114
            • Florence Baptist Church
              • 201 S. Broadway St., Forest City, NC 28043
            • Rutherford County Health Department
              • 221 Callahan Koon Rd., Spindale, NC 28160
            • Gilkey Church of God
              • 255 Oak Springs Rd., Rutherfordton, NC 28139
            • Parks, Recreation, & Lake Office
              • 658 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746
            • Lake Lure Baptist Church
              • 6837 US-74 ALT, Lake Lure, NC 28746
            • Ingles at Lake Lure – meals only
              • 276 NC-9, Lake Lure, NC 28746
                • Offers hot meals at 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30-6:30 p.m.
                • Also offers showers, restrooms, a mobile health van, a tool trailer, a charging station (please bring your own charging cord), and wi-fi.
            • Father’s Vineyard – also has shower and charging stations
              • 724 Oakland Rd., Spindale, NC 28160
            • Spencer Baptist Church – water distribution only
              • 187 N Oak St., Spindale, NC 28160
            • United Way of Rutherford County – water distribution and charging stations only
              • 668 Withrow Rd., Forest City, NC 28043
            • The Church at Sapphire – through October 10
              • 620 Whitewater Rd., Sapphire, NC 28774
              • Daily hours: 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
            • Little River Baptist Church – through October 11
              • 51 Little River Church Rd., Penrose, NC 28766
              • Breakfast hours: 8:00-10:00 a.m.
              • Lunch hours: 12:30-2:00 p.m.
              • Dinner hours: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
            • Cedar Mountain Community CenterTransylvania County
              • 10635 Greenville Hwy., Cedar Mountain, NC 28718
              • Breakfast hours: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
              • Lunch hours: 12:00-2:00 p.m.
              • Dinner hours: 4:00-6:00 p.m.The following locations are providing hot meals to county residents:
            • Balsam Grove Community Center – daily until power is fully restored
              • 8732 Parkway Rd., Balsam Grove, NC 28708
              • Daily hours: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
          • Bottled water is available daily at local fire departments and 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Anchor Baptist Church located at:
            • 3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
          • Water filling stations can be found at the following locations:
            • City Sports Complex
              • 824 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712
              • Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
            • Cedar Mountain Outpost
              • 8431 Greenville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
              • No posted daily hours.
            • Territory Brevard
              • 43 S. Broad St, Brevard, NC 28712
              • No posted daily hours.
            • DD Bullwinkles
              • 60 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712
              • No posted daily hours.
            • First United Methodist Church
              • 325 N. Broad St., Brevard, NC 28712
              • Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
            • Pisgah Forest Baptist Church
              • 494 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
              • Daily hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
            • Newfound Artisan
              • 22 W. Jordan St., Brevard, NC 28712
              • Through today, October 6.
              • Hours: 12:00-5:00 p.m.
          • Food, water, and other supplies such as hygiene products are being distributed at the following locations:
            • Anchor Baptist Church
              • 3232 Hendersonville Hwy., Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
              • Daily hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
            • The Church at Sapphire
              • 620 Whitewater Rd., Sapphire, NC 28774
              • Through October 10.
              • Daily hours: 12:00-4:00 p.m.
        • Yancey County
          • Yancey County has transitioned to one centralized distribution site for water, food and ice located at the following address:
            • Altec
              • 150 Altec Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714
          • Mobile laundry facilities are available in the GO Grocery parking lot located at the following address:
            • 631 W Hwy. 19E Bypass, Burnsville, NC 28714

    • Additionally, the following counties have resources for where to take debris waste.
      • Buncombe
        • Curbside collection will begin Monday for City of Asheville sanitation customers.
          • There will be no recycling pick up until the recycling plant is operational.
          • Residents can use both recycling and trash carts for household waste.
            • The following materials cannot be collected at this time: Mud, construction debris, concrete and other bulky or hazardous items.
          • Debris collection is estimated to start in mid-October.
        • The Town of Black Mountain Public Works Department has secured four 15-yard dumpsters located in two sites for Black Mountain residents to throw away household trash ONLY:
          • Tractor Supply: 125 Old US Hwy. 70 E., Black Mountain, NC 28711
          • Ingles: 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, NC 28711
          • Please Note: Yard waste, bulk item, separate recycling and debris collection are not available at this time. 
      • Haywood
        • Household waste will be accepted at the Materials Recovery Facility at 247 Recycle Rd., Clyde and at Convenience Centers at Jonathan Creek, Beaverdam, Bethel, Hazelwood, Mauney Cove, Jones Cove and Highway 110.
        • White Oak Landfill has reopened.
      • Henderson
        • Henderson County Transfer Station is open and accepting storm debris with normal fees.
        • Henderson County has begun curbside storm debris removal to county residents as a free service.
          • The county will pick up storm debris for free if it is pushed to the right of way of a property.
        • Storm debris includes tree branches, leaves, logs, building materials, furniture, paint etc.
          • Please be patient.
          • The county will pick up storm debris for free as quickly as possible.
      • Madison
        • The Hot Springs collection center is operating on normal hours for household trash ONLY:
          • Monday: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
          • Wednesday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
          • Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
          • Saturday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
        • Hot Springs trash pickup is returning to Mondays like usual.
          • Please only use this pickup service if you cannot bring it to the collection center yourself.
          • The pickup service is being led by volunteers at this time.
      • Polk
        • The Polk County landfill is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
          • 322 Landfill Rd., Mill Spring, NC 28756
          • The service fee is waived through October 8.
          • Beginning on October 9, drop off of residential trash will be $10.
        • GFL trash services will continue on the regular schedule. However, certain areas may be inaccessible due to ongoing power outages from Hurricane Helene.
          • Two dumpsters are located on Gibson Street for immediate trash disposal due to road inaccessibility.
      • Transylvania
        • The City of Brevard has resumed regular trash pickup.
      • Yancey
        • The Riverside and East Yancey Recycling Centers were expected to resume operations by yesterday, October 5.
        • No update has been published, but I will keep you posted once I have received confirmation that the facilities have been reopened.

    • The North Carolina State Board of Elections has provided pertinent information and recommendations for voters in the Helene disaster area during the 2024 general election.
      • To review information on voting in the 2024 general election after Hurricane Helene, you can follow this link.
        • The site provides information on absentee voting, how to change your polling location, county board of elections, office closures and more.
        • For any additional questions on voting post-hurricane, please contact your county Board of Elections.
          • Please note: Your county Board of Elections is the best place to get any questions answered.
            • I have been permitted to share the above, nonpartisan information but am prohibited from answering any questions related to the 2024 general election.

    • USPS anticipates continued improvement of mail delivery operations with local recovery efforts, to include power, connectivity, and roads.
    • There are some facilities unable to provide full retail and mail delivery due to road closures and current conditions.
      • No drop shipments will be accepted at any of the locations listed below.
        • The following sites are closed:
          • Barnardsville – 28709
          • Cedar Mountain – 28718
          • Hot Springs – 28743
          • Rosman – 28772
          • Swannanoa – 28778
        • The following sites are closed with alternative facilities listed:
          • Alexander – 28701
          • Alternative location: 270 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
            • Daily hours M-F: 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
            • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Bat Cave – 28710
            • Alternative location: 1800 Four Season Blvd., Ste. 11, Hendersonville, NC 28739
              • Daily hours M-F: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Chimney Rock – 28720
            • Alternative location: 2432 Memorial Hwy., Lake Lure, NC 28746
            • Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., closed 12:00-1:00 p.m.
          • Edneyville – 28727
            • Alternative location: 1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Ste. 11, Hendersonville, NC 28739
              • Daily hours M-F: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Gerton – 28735
            • Alternative location: 1352 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, NC 28730
              • Daily Hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Green Mountain – 28740
            • Alternative location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
            • Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
            • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Marshall – 28753
            • Alternative Location: 270 N. Main St., Weaverville, NC 28787
              • Daily hours M-F: 8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Micaville – 28755
            • Alternative location: 670 W. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
              • Daily hours M-F: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
          • Montreat – 28757
            • Alternative location: 2 Tucker Rd., Ridgecrest, NC 28770
              • Daily hours M-F: 12:30-4:30 p.m.
          • Penland – 28765
            • Alternative location: 899 Oak Ave., Spruce Pine, NC 28777
              • Daily hours M-F: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
              • Open Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
        • The following sites are attempting delivery where safe to do so:
          • Arden – 28704
          • Asheville London Rd. – 28803
          • Asheville S&DC – 28810
          • Black Mountain – 28711
          • Brevard – 28712
          • Burnsville – 28714
          • Candler – 28715
          • Clyde – 28721
          • Columbus – 28722
          • East Flat Rock – 28726
          • Etowah – 28729
          • Fairview – 2873
          • Fletcher – 28732
          • Hendersonville Annex – 28792
          • Horse Shoe – 28742
          • Lake Toxaway (cash only/PO box) – 28747
          • Marion – 28752
          • Mars Hill – 28754
          • Old Fort – 28762
          • Rutherfordton – 28139
          • Saluda – 28773
          • Sapphire – 28774
          • Spruce Pine – 28777
          • Tryon – 28782
          • Weaverville – 28787
        • Due to internet outages and connectivity issues, the following sites are providing retail services with cash only, PO Box only:
          • Dana – 28724
          • Enka – 28728
          • Flat Rock – 28731
          • Hendersonville MPO – 28739
          • Lake Lure (OIC) – 28746
          • Little Switzerland – 28749
          • Mountain Home – 28758
          • Naples – 28760
          • Pisgah Forest – 28768
          • Ridgecrest – 28770
          • Skyland – 28776
          • Zirconia – 28790
          • Bostic – 28018
      • Multiple United Parcel Service (UPS) sites continue to be affected by power, flooding, and downed trees/power and lines/storm related obstacles.
        • The Hendersonville and Asheville UPS buildings in North Carolina are currently operational and are being powered by portable generators.
        • Delivery of packages in these areas is increasing as road conditions improve daily.

    • The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response under the Department of Health and Human Services has activated the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) for North Carolinians as of Friday, October 4.
      • The EPAP program helps uninsured residents replace prescription medication or certain medical equipment lost or damaged during Hurricane Helene.
      • Through the program, uninsured residents can:
        • Request a free 30-day supply of certain prescription medications at any EPAP-participating pharmacy which can be renewed every 30 days while the EPAP is active.
        • Replace certain medical equipment and supplies such as canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs, blood sugar meters and blood sugar test strips for diabetics.
          • Uninsured North Carolina residents affected by the recent hurricane can call the EPAP hotline, 855-793-7470, or visit the EPAP website to check their eligibility, determine if their medications or medical equipment are covered, or locate a participating pharmacy.
      • Prescription Pad is open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and filling prescriptions for Yancey County residents at the following location:
        • 730 E. Main St., Burnsville, NC 28714
    • For individuals able to safely travel to fill a prescription, CVS at the following locations are actively open as of October 2:
      • 324 Long Shoals Rd., Arden, NC 28704
      • 505 Smokey Park Hwy., Asheville, NC 28806
      • 371 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
      • 3450 Hendersonville Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
      • 1605 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
      • 2001 Spartanburg Hwy., Hendersonville, NC 28792
      • 111 S Main St., Rutherfordton, NC 28139
      • 773 Russ Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786
    • You can also use this link to locate non-CVS pharmacy locations open to the public by county.
    • How to Acquire a Prescription:
      • If a store is closed, you can still call the number and the pharmacy’s phone lines have been rerouted to a nearby CVS Pharmacy that is open to help patients access their prescriptions.
      • Patients can visit any CVS Pharmacy for assistance with immediate prescription needs.

    • There is a field hospital with physicians, nurses and paramedics who can treat patients at the Burnsville Fire Department. The address is as follows:
      • 305 Pineola St., Burnsville, NC 28714
    • The following urgent cares are open and accessible for community members with non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries:
      • Locations open between 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.:
        • Mercy Urgent Care Weaverville
          • 61 Weaver Blvd., Weaverville, NC 28787
        • Mercy Urgent Care West Asheville
          • 1201 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806
        • Mercy Urgent Care Waynesville
          • 120 Frazier St., Ste. 6, Waynesville, NC 28786
      • Locations open between 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.:
        • Mercy Urgent Care Brevard
          • 22 Trust Ln., Brevard, NC 28712
      • Locations open between 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.:
        • Mercy Urgent Care Columbus
          • 140 West Mills St., Columbus, NC 28722
      • Locations open between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.:
        • Mobile Urgent Care Clinic
          • 12 Florida Ave., Black Mountain, NC 28711
        • Mental Health & Basic Medical Support Center
          • 130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711
        • Pardee Urgent Care
          • 45 Hendersonville Hwy., Ste. A, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768
      • Locations open from 12:00-5:00 p.m.
        • Hot Springs Elementary School – Art Room (mental health services only)
        • 63 N. Serpentine Ave., Hot Springs, NC 28743

    • Legionnaires, Sons of the American Legion members and Legion Posts that have been displaced from their primary residence due to damage sustained during Hurricane Helene may be eligible for financial assistance through the American Legion.
      • Legionnaires and Sons of the American Legion members may be eligible for up to $3,000.
      • Legion Posts may be eligible for up to $10,000.
        • To learn more or to request assistance, please use this link.
        • Applications must be submitted within 90 days of the disaster: Dec. 26, 2024.
    • The Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville and Master Sergeant Jerry K. Crump VA Clinic in Forest City are open for essential and emergency services.
      • Veterans can:
        • Visit the Asheville VA Hospital pharmacy for medication refills or:
        • Call the Regional Clinical Contact Center at (855) 679-0074 and press 1 for pharmacy representatives.
      • Local pharmacies in the VA’s community care network will also fill written prescriptions, or prescriptions as they appear on an active VA prescription bottle that is not older than six months and has available refills, to provide a 30-day supply.
    • Hickory and Franklin outpatient VA clinics are now operating regularly.
      • Due to the damage and personal losses caused by Hurricane Helene to the staff of the VA, it will take some time to bring staffing to full capacity.
      • Please be patient as the VA works to rebuild their workforce.

    • The United States Department of Agriculture is beginning to put together a list of resources for farmers and other agricultural industry members.
      • If your agricultural operation has been impacted by Hurricane Helene, you can review this link, farmers.gov, for emergency and disaster assistance programs.
    • On Monday, October 7, at 11:00 a.m., USDA is hosting a virtual briefing to share information on disaster assistance programs.
      • You can join the event on Microsoft Teams using this link.
      • Add the event to your calendar: Google, iCal, or Outlook.

    • 141,000 customers remain without power in Western North Carolina.
    • As work on substations conclude, Duke Energy is moving personnel to work on the power grid’s thousands of miles of lines and poles that serve individual homes and businesses.
      • This work can feel slower because the same amount of work restores fewer customers.
    • For more information on Duke Energy’s power restoration efforts, you can review the following links:

    • A “DO NOT DRIVE” message remains in place from the North Carolina Department of Transportation for most of Western North Carolina.
      • Unless it is an emergency, please do not travel to the hardest hit communities.
      • Cherokee, Graham, Clay and Swain counties ARE FULLY OPEN to people who can access them through safe routes.
        • Please DO NOT try to visit or travel through the areas hardest hit by the storm such as Henderson and Buncombe counties.
    • USDOT approved an initial $100 million in Emergency Repair funds to NCDOT.
      • Damage to our mountain roads exceeds $100 million but USDOT’s investment is a significant and most welcome start.
      • Since Friday, NCDOT has deployed an additional 450 employees to help respond to storm damage.
      • A total of 2,050 DOT employees are working to restore and repair road access in WNC.
      • NCDOT also has more than 50 personnel from neighboring states on the ground providing assistance.
    • There are currently about 650 road closures, 109 of which are to primary routes.
      • About 300 bridges have been identified for further investigation and at least one-third will need to be replaced.
    • NCDOT and Tennessee DOT are collaborating on a long-term plan for reconstruction of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge.
      • NCDOT is in the process of contracting a project to stabilize the westbound lanes of I-40 where the eastbound lanes no longer exist to mitigate the risk of further damage.
      • NCDOT is working to expedite these repairs to restore mobility to the area as soon as possible.
    • Air traffic has sustained at 300 percent above pre-hurricane levels in Western NC.
      • NCDOT’s aviation division continue to work to make sure flight operations are safe coming into and out of airports, including by:
        • Scheduling landing/unloading times and aircraft parking so aircraft are spaced out and to reduce the risk of incidents.
        • Establishing a first of its kind “corridors in the sky” to separate civilian and military aircraft in the air.
        • Having search and rescue partners use short, time and location specific restrictions on air operations to enhance safety when multiple helicopters are engaged in search and rescue efforts.
      • The state of North Carolina is NOT turning away civil aviation support so long as it has been coordinated through the proper channels with NC Emergency Management.
        • If you or someone you know is interested in providing civil aviation support and don’t know where to coordinate your efforts, please call my office and we will help you get in touch with the right folks.
    • NCDOT has launched a detour map to show motorists how to get around closures on I-26 and I-40 at the Tennessee border.
      • You can access the map here.

    • Internet providers are working with local energy and cell providers to restore service for customers across Western North Carolina.
    • To mitigate the lack of service, Optimum, formerly Altice USA, has set up an Optimum Wi-Fi Trailer that is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the following locations:
      • 717 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792
      • 1800 Four Seasons Blvd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
    • The following locations are offering free public wi-fi:
      • First Baptist Church – Weaverville
        • 63 N. Main St, Weaverville, NC 28787
      • Downtown Franklin
        • The Town of Franklin has free wi-fi on the town hill area in downtown.
      • Transylvania County Library – 24/7
        • 212 S. Gaston St., Brevard, NC 28712
      • Newfound Artison through today, October 6
        • High-speed internet and charging outlets
        • Available 12:00-5:00 p.m.
      • The Yard Brevard
        • 284 Railroad Ave., Brevard, NC 28712
      • Brevard Visitor Center
        • 175 E. Main St., Brevard, NC 28712
        • Available daily from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    • Verizon was able to restore service in the Waynesville area.
      • They will be moving the portable cell sites and satellite connections that were in Waynesville to Lake Junaluska, Iron Duff, and other areas north of Waynesville to provide service for the residents and first responders there.
    • Engineers have finally been able to clear access for equipment in Rutherford County near Chimney Rock and Lake Lure.
      • Providers are currently assessing the extent of the damage and starting repairs.
    • Even though you may have service again, you may notice it is different from your pre-storm service.
      • The temporary connection links put in place as a temporary fix while the fiber is being repaired can accommodate smaller amounts of traffic.
        • Network capacity on temporary connection links may be maxed out more frequently, so service providers are encouraging customers to use the network sparingly to maintain room for first responders and community members who still need to reach help or critical resources.
        • Support and recovery personnel are also encouraged to minimize cell usage.
      • Service providers are working to add additional capacity to cell sites and move mobile assets where needed to accommodate data increases, so I am requesting a little more patience on their behalf as providers work to fully restore our community’s network.
    • Cell service providers have implemented disaster roaming for any phone located in Western North Carolina to maximize phone service for all users.
      • Disaster roaming allows users to connect to any mobile network during a disaster when other networks are down.
        • This allows users to access emergency services, such as 911, even when their own network is out.
      • If you have service one moment, but experience a reduction in service the next, try restarting your phone to jumpstart disaster roaming again.
    • UpCycle Tech in Transylvania County is offering free computers and phones for use at the following location:
      • 470 Asheville Hwy., Brevard, NC 28712
    • AT&T has deployed its Mobile Connectivity Center to the following location:
      • Sam’s Club: 645 Patton Ave., Asheville, NC 28806
        • The Mobile Connectivity Center is an air-conditioned mobile unit open to the public, equipped with laptops, charging stations and wi-fi.
        • The public can use the center for various needs including contacting your insurance company, filling out paperwork or connecting with loved ones.
    • Verizon has deployed Wireless Emergency Communication Centers to help hurricane survivors stay connected to their friends, family and other important contacts.
      • Wireless Emergency Communication Centers are generator-powered mobile units that have device charging and computer workstations, along with wireless phones, tablets, and other devices available for use.
      • Verizon’s Wireless Emergency Communication Centers have been set up at the following locations:
        • A-B Technical Community College
          • 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
        • Asheville YMCA
          • 30 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801
        • Family Justice Center
          • 35 Woodfin St., Asheville, NC 28801
        • Groce United Methodist Church
          • 954 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC 28805
      • Verizon also has charging stations at the following locations:
        • YMCA of Western North Carolina
          • 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752
            • Two charging stations at this location
        • WNC Agricultural Center
          • 761 Boylston Hwy., Fletcher, NC 28732
            • Three charging stations at this location
        • A-B Technical Community College
          • 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
          • One charging station at this location
    • T-Mobile has set up satellite cellular on light trucks (SatCOLTs), providing cellular voice and data along with wi-fi and charging stations at the following locations:
      • Asheville Middle School
        • 211 S. French Broad Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
      • Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center
        • 285 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801
      • First Baptist Church
        • 130 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain, NC 28711
    • Additional T-Mobile satellite cell on trucks are located in Hendersonville and at a Tractor Supply Co. in Asheville, with others planned for Mission Hospital in Asheville, Cherokee County Emergency Operations Center in Murphy, and in Cherokee.

    • More than 1,500 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen have been deployed to provide support to Western North Carolina so far.
      • The total number of deployed guardsmen will continue to increase over the coming days.
    • The National Guard has deployed a military liaison officer to each of the affected counties to aid in communication and coordination with each county EMS.
    • Although airspace is limited due to ongoing missions by the National Guard and Department of Defense, a process has been established for private pilots seeking to fly in humanitarian relief to coordinate with local authorities.
      • If you are looking to fly in resources and don’t know where to turn, call my office and we will get you in contact with the right coordinators.
    • On October 2, the Secretary of Defense authorized the movement of up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers, including soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division from Ft. Liberty (formerly Ft. Bragg).
      • Many of these soldiers have arrived in Western North Carolina and are supporting the delivery of food, water and other critical aid to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene.
        • 400 soldiers have already been stationed in Western North Carolina.
        • Hundreds of others are positioned nearby, prepared to assume tasks and missions as they are requested by counties and assigned by NC Emergency Management.
      • The Department of Defense has also committed 22 helicopters to assist with search and rescue operations.
    • Here are a few key phone numbers from the NCNG:
      • HOTLINE: 888-892-1162
      • Emergency management watch: 919-733-3300
      • Donated goods: 919-825-2474
        • These lines have very high call volumes. If you do not get through the first try, keep calling.

    • Asheville Regional Airport closed mid-day on Friday, September 27, due to risk of flooding.
    • Commercial flights at Asheville Regional Airport have resumed.
    • If you parked your car in an Asheville Regional Airport lot and could not retrieve the vehicle due to the storm, great news – none of the airport’s lots flooded and all cars are fine.
      • Stay safe and pick up your car when you are able.
    • PLEASE NOTE:
      • No general aviation pilots are allowed to land at Asheville Regional Airport without prior clearance from FEMA to ensure the safety of aircraft and personnel.
        • Supply deliveries by civilian pilots ARE permitted to land at Asheville Regional Airport so long as they have prior clearance from FEMA.
        • FEMA is not turning away any pilot that has gone through the proper channels to coordinate delivery and ensure the safety of his fellow aircraft and personnel.

    Federal Nutrition Programs

      • SNAP
        • North Carolina was granted a waiver for the 10-day reporting requirement for the replacement of food purchased with SNAP benefits lost because of the hurricane.
        • This waiver provides additional time beyond the standard 10-day time frame for households to report food losses and receive replacement benefits for food that was destroyed and previously purchased with SNAP benefits.
      • Child Nutrition
        • The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction was approved for a waiver pertaining to the child nutrition programs.
          • Under the waiver approval, NCDPI’s local program operators may:
            • Serve meals in a non-congregate setting
            • Adjust the time of meal service
            • Allow parent pick-up
            • Allow service of meals at school sites
      • Food and Nutrition Services Program
        • People and families in North Carolina who are enrolled in the Food and Nutrition Services program can now use their EBT card to purchase hot food.
          • This flexibility will remain in effect until November 3.
      • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC)
        • Families participating in WIC who may have relocated to a new area can go to any NC WIC agency to:
          • Have a new eWIC card issued
          • Request replacement breastfeeding supplies or breast pumps
          • Request replacement food that was purchased with current WIC benefits and lost due to Hurricane Helene

    • If you own a medical practice in NC-11 and are experiencing financial hardship due to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Medical Society will be reactivating its Financial Recovery Program (FRP) to help you recover and open your doors again.
      • The FRP will be back online to provide much needed assistance soon.
      • More information to follow.
    • The Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made available:
      • Accelerated payments to Medicare Part A providers affected by Hurricane Helene
      • Advance payments to Medicare Part B suppliers affected by Hurricane Helene

    • For county leaders: This is a reminder to make sure your Emergency Operation Center has submitted the request for gasoline, food, water, cell service deployables, etc. with North Carolina Emergency Management to have your request processed and resources delivered.
      • My office stands ready to assist with checking the status of your request if the county or municipality has not heard back from NC Emergency Management within 24 hours.

    North Carolina received a Major Disaster Declaration for the following counties: Buncombe, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in one of the above-listed counties should apply for Individual Assistance through FEMA, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies.

    • Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.

    Individual Assistance provides financial aid and services to eligible individuals and households that have been affected by a disaster to assist with the recovery process. Individuals can officially begin applying for Individual Assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling the application phone number at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. EST.

    • To date, FEMA has paid out more than $26 million in housing and other types of assistance to more than 19,000 North Carolina households.

    • Residents trying to connect with family members may call NC 211 (or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state) to report missing loved ones or request a welfare check.
    • People in the impacted areas can indicate that they are safe by reporting themselves safe through Red Cross Reunification by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
      • Please only use 911 for life-threatening emergencies so the lines remain open for critical situations.
    • If you are still trying to locate a friend or family member, please complete this form to notify local officials of their missing status.
      • The form was created by Buncombe County but information is being shared amongst all counties.
      • Regardless of which county your loved one was last known to be in, you can still submit the form.
        • Buncombe County will share the information with the appropriate officials to initiate search and rescue efforts.
      • United Way is also fielding missing person/welfare check requests.
        • Text PERSON to 40403 to add a loved one to search and rescue efforts or fill out this form.

    For information on the status of utilities, debris sites, etc., we want to share the following resources. As communications are restored and more information becomes available, these sites will continue to be updated.

      • Filing FEMA claims and appeals (a process which can be overwhelmingly bureaucratic and burdensome)
      • Replacement of lost or destroyed legal and government documents, including driver’s licenses and identification cards
      • Medical and insurance claims
      • Home repair contracts
      • Utility disputes related to restoration of services
      • Consumer protection issues like construction fraud, price-gouging on repairs and identity theft
      • Housing issues such as unlawful eviction and foreclosures
      • Bankruptcy
      • Probate and clearing title for survivors living in generational homes without a clear title
      • Family law cases and children in need of services (unfortunately, domestic violence tends to rise following a natural disaster)
    • If you need civil legal assistance, please contact Legal Aid of North Carolina via the following toll-free hotline:
      • (866) 219-LANC or (866) 219-5262
        • The hotline is available from:
          • 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursdays.
        • Constituents can also apply online at legalaidnc.org/get-help/ between 1:00-4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday.

      • IRS has extended various filing deadlines for taxpayers in impacted areas, including 2024 individual/business returns, certain quarterly estimated income tax payments, and certain payroll/excise taxes.
      • Tax relief for qualified payments, disaster-related losses:
        • IRS released provided guidance to taxpayers on how to address disaster-related losses in their 2024 tax return, as well as providing guidance on how qualified disaster relief payments – like government assistance payments – are generally excluded from gross income.

    • For those unable to evacuate to a safe location or in need of a place to go, the following shelters are currently open and available as of October 5:
      • Buncombe
        • A-B Technical Community College
          • 340 Victoria Rd., Asheville, NC 28801
        • Gold’s Gym
          • 801 Fairview Rd, Asheville, NC 28803
        • WNC Agricultural Center
          • 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732
      • Haywood
        • Haywood County Government Armory
          • 285 Armory Dr., Clyde, NC 28781
      • Henderson
        • Edneyville Elementary School
          • 2875 Pace Rd., Hendersonville, NC 28792
        • Henderson County Recreation Center
          • 708 S. Grove St., Hendersonville, NC 28792
      • Madison
        • Madison Early College High School
          • 5374 US Hwy 25-70, Marshall, NC 28755
      •  McDowell
        • Glenwood Baptist Church
          • 1550 Glenwood Baptist Church Rd., Marion, NC 29640
        • YMCA of Western North Carolina
          • 348 Grace Corpening Dr., Marion, NC 28752
      • Polk
        • Polk County High School
          • 1681 NC 108 Hwy. E., Columbus, NC 28722
      • Rutherford
        • Rutherfordton/Spindale Central High School
          • 641 US 221 Hwy. N., Rutherfordton, NC 28139
      • Transylvania
        • Transylvania Parks & Rec
          • 1078 Ecusta Rd., Brevard, NC 28712
      • Yancey
        • Blue Ridge Elementary
          • 910 Cane River School Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714
        • Cane River Middle School
          • 1128 Cane River School Rd., Burnsville, NC 28714

    With my warmest regards,

    Chuck Edwards
    Member of Congress

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEMORANDUM: EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 24-215 (Emergency Management -Amending Executive Order 24-214 – Tropical Storm Milton)

    Source: US State of Florida

    TO:                Members of the Press

    FROM:          Bryan Griffin, Director of Communications, Governor Ron DeSantis

    DATE:           Sunday, October 6, 2024

    RE:                Executive Order Number 24-215 (Emergency Management -Amending

    Executive Order 24-214 – Tropical Storm Milton)

    Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order (EO) 24-215, Emergency Management – Amending Executive Order 24-214– Tropical Storm Milton, increasing the number of counties in the state of Florida under a state of emergency to 51 ahead of the storm.

    To read the full amended executive order, click here or read below:

    STATE OF FLORIDA
    OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
    EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 24-215
    (Emergency Management – Tropical Storm Milton)

         WHEREAS, on October 5, 2024, I issued Executive Order 24-214, declaring a state of emergency for thirty-five counties across the State of Florida due to the dangers presented by Tropical Storm Milton; and

         WHEREAS, on October 6, 2024, Tropical Storm Milton continues to strengthen, and is forecast to undergo significant to rapid intensification over the next seventy two hours as it moves eastward over the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico; and

         WHEREAS, the forecast indicates that Tropical Storm Milton will be at or near a
    catastrophic major hurricane upon landfall along the Florida West Coast, accompanied by lifethreatening storm surge and severe wind gusts for the Florida Gulf Coast; and

         WHEREAS, an amendment to Executive Order 24-214 is necessary because recovery efforts and those affected by this disaster require the continued support of the State of Florida; and

         WHEREAS, as Governor of Florida, I am responsible to meet the dangers presented to the State of Florida and its people by this emergency.

         NOW, THEREFORE, I, RON DESANTIS, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1 (a) of the Florida Constitution and by the Florida Emergency Management Act as amended, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:

    Section 1. Section 1 of Executive Order 24-214 is amended to read as follows:
    Because of the foregoing conditions, which are projected to constitute a major disaster, I declare that a state of emergency exists in Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie Sumter, Suwanee, Taylor, Union, and Volusia counties.

    Section 2. Except as amended herein, Executive Order 24-214 is ratified and reaffirmed.

    Section 3. This Executive Order is effective immediately and shall expire upon the expiration of Executive Order 24-214.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Survivors of Hurricane Helene can apply for assistance from FEMA

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    If you or a loved one needs assistance in recovering from Hurricane Helene, the Biden-Harris Administration is here to help.

    Request assistance from @fema at disasterassistance.gov, or through the other methods below:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC1hE2QrRCM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million as Biden-Harris Administration Continues Response and Recovery Efforts in Southeast and Closely Monitors Storm in the Gulf

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million as Biden-Harris Administration Continues Response and Recovery Efforts in Southeast and Closely Monitors Storm in the Gulf

    Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Survivors Surpasses $137 Million as Biden-Harris Administration Continues Response and Recovery Efforts in Southeast and Closely Monitors Storm in the Gulf

    WASHINGTON — FEMA continues its robust response and recovery efforts in the Southeast following the devastation caused by Helene. Federal assistance for survivors has now surpassed $137 million, with FEMA’s mission remaining steadfast in helping communities recover and rebuild. 

    FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is leading one of the largest mobilizations of federal personnel, partners and resources in recent history to heed the call of helping survivors and bolstering efforts across all levels of government. The agency is actively working alongside state, local and tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by the disaster. Nearly 7,000 personnel from across the federal workforce are deployed, including FEMA staff. To date, FEMA has shipped over 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, 157 generators and more than 505,000 tarps to the region. 

    As response and recovery efforts continue in the Southeast, FEMA is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton, which has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. FEMA has the resources and capacity to address multiple disasters simultaneously and is fully prepared to support affected communities wherever and whenever needed. Preparedness efforts are underway and FEMA stands ready to respond to any potential impacts on communities in the storm’s path while also prioritizing search and rescue, response and recovery efforts in in the affected areas. People in Milton’s path should take the storm seriously and prepare now.

    Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Helene.   

    There are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance:  

    Support for North Carolina

    Financial Support: FEMA has approved more than $30 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 27,000 households.

    Staffing: As response efforts continue in North Carolina, more than 700 FEMA staff are on the ground, with more arriving daily. Over 1,200 Urban Search and Rescue personnel remain in the field helping people. These teamshave rescued or supported over 3,200 survivors to date. Dozens of Disaster Survivor Assistance staff are on the ground in affected areas to help survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connect them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources. Over 1,000 National Guard Bureau troops have deployed to North Carolina to support response and recovery efforts. To date, troops have delivered nearly one million pounds of food, water and other supplies. Experienced FEMA leaders from around the country are in the field to bolster response efforts. 

    Sheltering: Over 800 people who cannot return home are staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Transitional Sheltering Assistance is available for North Carolinians displaced by Helene. Residents in declared counties who have applied for disaster assistance may be eligible to stay temporarily in a hotel or motel paid for by FEMA while they work on their long-term housing plan. People do not need to request this assistance. FEMA will notify them of their eligibility through an automated phone call, text message and/or email, depending upon the method of communication they selected at the time of application for disaster assistance. 

    Shelter numbers continue to decline, with 22 shelters housing just under 1,000 occupants. Mobile feeding operations continue to help survivors in heavily impacted areas, including three mass feeding sites in Buncombe, McDowell and Watauga counties.  

    Power and Cellular Restoration: As of today, more than 86% of originally reported power outages have been restored. Cellular restoration continues to improve, with less than 20% of cellular sites down. FEMA is boosting response coordination by providing Starlink units to ensure first responders can communicate with each other. 

    Commodities: Commodity distribution, mass feeding and hydration operations are underway in areas of western North Carolina. FEMA commodity shipments are enroute to support operations. The agency is on track to meet requested delivery timelines for meals and water. Voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. The Salvation Army has nine mobile feeding units supporting the massive operation and has provided emotional and spiritual care to more than 900 people. To date, The Salvation Army has served over 12,600 meals, 9,600 drinks and 5,600 snacks. The American Red Cross is engaging in targeted distribution of emergency supplies in low-income communities with high levels of minor or affected residential damage. 

    Resources

    • Residents can visit: ncdps.gov/helene to get information and additional assistance.  
    • Residents can get in touch with loved ones by calling 2-1-1 or visiting unitedwaync.org to add them to search and rescue efforts.  

    Support for Florida  

    As recovery efforts continue in Florida, FEMA has approved more than $71 million for over 11,000 households. FEMA specialists are canvassing Florida communities affected by Helene to help survivors apply for assistance. Additionally, FEMA inspectors are visiting applicants’ homes to verify disaster-caused damage.

    Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.  

    Support for South Carolina 

    As recovery efforts continue in South Carolina, FEMA has approved over $5.7 million for more than 5,500 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties continuing to help survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connect them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.  

    Residents with questions on Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133. 

    Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information. 

    Support for Georgia 

    FEMA has approved over $30 million for more than 38,000 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources. 

    Resources: Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene. 

    Support for Virginia  

    To date, FEMA has approved more than $330,000 for over 60 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.

    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at: Recover – Hurricane Helene | VDEM (vaemergency.gov)

    Support for Tennessee 

    FEMA has approved more than $175,000 for disaster assistance. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.

    • Residents can call 1-800-824-3463 to report a missing person. Callers should be prepared to provide as much information as possible including names, phone numbers, vehicle identification and last known whereabouts. 

    Counties have started establishing donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website. 

    Voluntary Organizations

    Voluntary organizations are also providing personnel and resources to the hardest hit areas. The American Red Cross has hundreds of trained disaster workers providing comfort and operating shelters. Additionally, they are helping find loved ones through their helpline 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by the Red Cross Hurricane Helene Reunification page where people can enter pertinent information about the person they’re  looking for. If someone is missing a child related to this disaster or any other incident, they need to call 9-1-1 and then 1-800-THE-LOST to receive assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 

    People can receive free services like cutting fallen trees, tarping roofs and mold mitigation with the help of Crisis Cleanup by calling 844-965-1386. The hotline is open through October 11 and can connect people with volunteers from local relief organizations, community groups and the faith-based community who may be able to assist.  

    amy.ashbridge

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 403rd Army Field Support Brigade Unit Spotlight: Logistics Readiness Center-Honshu

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    CAMP ZAMA, Japan  –  

    Located near the cities of Zama and Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, Camp Zama is about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo on the main island of Honshu.

    Camp Zama is home to U.S. Army Japan, I Corps (Forward), U.S. Army Aviation Battalion Japan, 311th Military Intelligence Battalion, 78th Signal Battalion, 765th Terminal Transportation Battalion, Japan Engineer District (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), and the Bilateral Coordination Department and 4th Engineer Group of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

    USARJ facilitates multilateral cooperation with regional partners and allies through engagements, training, and exercises; partnering with the JGSDF to enhance interoperability, capability and capacity while coordinating through United States Forces Japan for forces, footprints and agreements between the U.S. Government and the Government of Japan to set conditions for successful deterrence and execution of contingency operations.

    USARJ is not structured as a conventional command, as it is resourced as an economy of force operation, forward positioned in Japan for contingency purposes should circumstances require a larger U.S. Army presence within the region.

    Under the Status of Forces Agreement, the Government of Japan contributes a portion of the resources necessary for the sustainment of U.S. Forces within Japan in the form of facilities, personnel, and utilities. U.S. Army Sustainment Command benefits from this agreement in the form of significantly reduced operating costs. LRC-Honshu’s workforce primarily consists of host nation Master Labor Contract employees fully funded by the Government of Japan.

    LRC-Honshu provides maintenance, supply, transportation, and logistical support to USARJ, I Corps (Forward), U.S. Army Garrison-Japan, installation partner units, and Department of Defense activities within its area of responsibility to ensure mission readiness and quality of life for Soldiers, civilians, and families within mainland Japan.

    LRC-Honshu reports to the 403d Army Field Support Brigade, headquartered at Camp Henry, South Korea, which is a subordinate unit of ASC whose higher headquarters is the U.S. Army Materiel Command.

    The LRC-Honshu, Transportation Division, Area Transportation Office in Kure, near Hiroshima, Japan, 485 miles away from Camp Zama, provides area specific installation transportation through the utilization of non-tactical vehicles in several different fleet configurations coordinated by the Fleet Management Operations Office, including traffic management, general freight, oversized freight, intra-depot ammunition movement, and retail fuel points for Kure Ammunition Depot, an AMC special installation. On average, ATO Kure supports more than 220 intra-depot ammunition movements and 140 general cargo shipments per year.

    Prior to August 2024, LRC-Honshu experienced challenges in executing its Installation Logistics Base Line Services in support of USAG-Japan at Kure Ammunition Depot. The Maintenance Division provides base operations maintenance support to Army-owned NTVs, tactical vehicles and non-standard equipment in support of installation services, as well as organic maintenance capability for units’ tactical equipment lacking organic authorizations.

    The 10th Support Group performed these duties in Kure by overseeing 14 authorized host nation employees assigned to the 10th SG AD Equipment Branch but authorized on the Host Nation Table of Distribution and Allowances, facilities, and maintenance management functions for its assigned vehicles and equipment, as well as equipment for USAG-Japan and LRC-Honshu at Kure’s Akizuki, Kawakami, and Hiro Ammunition Depots.

    Over the past two years, LRC-Honshu worked closely with 10th SG and USARJ G4, while keeping 403d AFSB staff informed, to initiate efforts to appropriately restructure maintenance support operations under LRC-Honshu in Kure in alignment with Army Regulation 750-1 and the ILBLS program guidance. LRC-Honshu coordinated with 10th SG to establish a series of working groups, developed and provided a final decision brief to the 403rd AFSB and 10th SG commanders, and conducted an on-site visit to Kure AD involving all stakeholders, culminating in in a briefing to the USARJ Steering Committee.

    “Taking full responsibility for maintenance in Kure will greatly enhance our oversight of maintenance operations, ensuring that we can effectively meet the needs of USAG-Japan while enabling our partners to focus on their primary mission,” said Michael J. Moore, Maintenance Division Chief.

    On Aug. 1, 2024, LRC-Honshu assumed overall responsibility of maintenance operations in Kure following the transfer of 14 authorized host nation positions from 10th SG to LRC-Honshu to and meet 403rd AFSB’s requirement of maintaining USAG-Japan and LRC-Honshu vehicles and equipment.

    In September 2024, LRC-Honshu leadership from Camp Zama visited Kure to speak to the new employees, conduct a joint inventory of all associated tools and equipment, and coordinated with the USAG-Japan Department of Public Works to assign three major facilities and several sub-facilities used by mechanics in Kure’s Akizuki, Kawakami, and Hiro Ammunition Depots. By October 2024, LRC-Honshu will successfully achieve full operational capability of maintenance operations in Kure.

    “By assuming full responsibility of maintenance operations in Kure, LRC-Honshu will improve oversight of maintenance procedures, increase overall equipment readiness rates, and streamline processes to better support USAG Japan,” said Sean B. Mager, director, LRC-Honshu. “This transition will allow the 10th Support Group to focus on their core mission, enhancing overall operational effectiveness in the region.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Government of Canada announces support for Indigenous-led climate solutions in remote Indigenous communities

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    Press release

    October 6, 2024 Thunder Bay, Ontario Natural Resources Canada

    First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada are at the forefront of efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its environmental and economic impacts. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting self-determined action on Indigenous climate priorities to create a healthy and resilient future for all.

    The Government of Canada is pleased to announce today the second phase of the Indigenous Initiative to Reduce Dependence on Diesel (IARDD) – Cohort 2. During this phase, the ten Energy Champion teams listed below, who are from remote Indigenous Nations and communities, will receive up to $500,000 to engage in community engagement, complete the training program, and develop their community energy plan.

    Xeni Gwet’in First Nation Government, British Columbia Tahltan Band Council, British Columbia Uchucklesaht Tribe Government, British Columbia Ḵwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Ha̱xwa’mis First Nation, British Columbia Hamlet of Paulatuk, Northwest Territories Fort Chipewyan, Alberta Mountain Cree Camp, Alberta Pangnirtung, Nunavut Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek – Gull Bay First Nation, Ontario Kangirsuk, Nunavik, Quebec

    Comprised of clean energy leaders, the ten teams completed the 20/20 Catalysts program delivered by the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise (ICE SE), the federal government’s implementing partner for the Initiative. Each team pairs an energy champion with mentors and receives tailored support in areas such as technical knowledge, community engagement and project management.

    Once Phase 2 is completed, all ten teams may be eligible for additional funding to advance the design and development of their project based on their community energy plan in Phase 3, scheduled for 2025.

    Quotes

    “Indigenous peoples are facing unprecedented and severe climate challenges that threaten their lives, livelihoods, cultures and knowledge systems. In the face of these threats, Indigenous communities across the country are taking remarkable action to combat climate change and adapt to its impacts. Indigenous-led climate solutions are more resilient, deliver better outcomes and better integrate expert input as we move together toward a clean and prosperous future. I am thrilled to see these ten projects enter a new phase and look forward to seeing what innovations come next.”

    The Honourable Jonathan WilkinsonMinister of Energy and Natural Resources

    “Indigenous peoples are on the front lines of climate change in Canada and, as the original stewards of our lands and waters, are uniquely positioned to find solutions that will ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come. Clean energy projects in Indigenous communities are a constant source of inspiration for me, and I congratulate the Energy Champions on this exciting new phase of community engagement, training and planning to create a more resilient future where everyone can benefit from a strong and sustainable economy.”

    The Honourable Patty HajduMinister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

    “As climate change continues to challenge the way of life of Indigenous communities, particularly in the North and Arctic, it is more important than ever that Indigenous peoples play a leading role in how we adapt to these changes. The launch of Phase 2 of this clean energy initiative demonstrates our shared commitment to reconciliation and the importance of building meaningful relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis to determine how we can meaningfully adapt our actions to build a cleaner future for the next seven generations.”

    The Honourable Dan VandalMinister of Northern Affairs

    “The transition to clean energy remains important to Indigenous communities and the Government of Canada in our shared efforts to advance reconciliation. The projects announced today under the Indigenous Initiative to Reduce Dependence on Diesel are a great example of how we can advance self-determined priorities by helping communities take greater control of their energy futures and well-being.”

    Michael V. McLeod Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories

    Quick Facts

    The second cohort of IARDD is part of the $300 million envelope announced in Canada’s strengthened climate plan for clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural and remote communities.

    IARDD is a clean energy training and financing program that supports Indigenous-led climate solutions in Indigenous communities that rely on diesel or other fossil fuels for heating and electricity generation.

    Launched in 2019, the IARDD is the result of 18 months of consultations with Indigenous communities, rights holders and organizations. It is administered in collaboration with ICE SE and the Government of Canada.

    Applicants who were not selected for the second cohort of IARDD were invited to meet with a member of the federal Wah-ila-toos team and the ICE SE team to discuss their priorities and other possible funding options. They were also invited to join the networkICE Networkand to participate in future activities of this network, which is an online collaboration space open to anyone working on indigenous clean energy projects.

    The IARDD is delivered through Wah-ila-toos – a single window for Indigenous, rural and remote communities to access funding and resources from the Government of Canada for clean energy projects. Through this window, the Government of Canada will continue to foster constructive relationships with Indigenous communities to promote reconciliation and self-determination, advance clean energy projects, and help unlock new economic opportunities through strong Indigenous climate leadership.

    The Wah-ila-toos platform is administered by Natural Resources Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Infrastructure Canada. Its name, given to it by three grandmothers who were Elders, embodies the idea that everything is connected and that it is our responsibility to maintain good relationships with all.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    Media RelationsNatural Resources Canada Ottawa 343-292-6100 nrcan.media.rncan@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy CaturaoPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Energy and Natural ResourcesCindy.Caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Follow us on LinkedIn  

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada Announces Support for Indigenous-led Climate Solutions in Remote Indigenous Communities

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 6, 2024            Thunder Bay, Ontario                 Natural Resources Canada 

     First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada are at the forefront of efforts to address climate change and adapt to the environmental and economic impacts of our changing climate. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting self-determined action in addressing Indigenous Peoples’ climate priorities to create a healthy and resilient future for all.

    Today, the Government of Canada is pleased to announce Phase 2 of the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IODI) Cohort 2. During this phase, the following 10 Energy Champion teams from remote Indigenous communities and Nations will receive up to $500,000 to conduct community engagement, complete training and develop their Community Energy Plan.

    •  Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government, British Columbia 
    • Tahltan Band Council, British Columbia 
    • Uchucklesaht Tribe Government, British Columbia 
    • Ḵwiḵwa̱sut’inux̱w Ha̱xwa’mis First Nation, British Columbia 
    • Hamlet of Paulatuk, Northwest Territories 
    • Fort Chipewyan, Alberta 
    • Mountain Cree Camp, Alberta 
    • Pangnirtung, Nunavut 
    • Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek – Gull Bay First Nation, Ontario 
    • Kangirsuk, Nunavik, Quebec 

    Comprising clean energy leaders, the 10 Energy Champion teams completed the 20/20 Catalysts program delivered by the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise, the federal government’s delivery partner on the Initiative. An Energy Champion from each team has also been paired with mentors to receive tailored support in areas including technical knowledge, community engagement and project management.

    Following the successful completion of Phase 2, these 10 Energy Champion teams may be eligible to receive additional funding to advance project design and development, guided by their Community Energy Plan, as part of Phase 3 in 2025.

    Quotes

    “Indigenous Peoples face significant and unique climate challenges that threaten livelihoods, cultures, knowledge systems and lives. In the face of these threats, Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast are taking remarkable action to fight climate change and adapt to its impacts. Indigenous-led climate solutions offer better resiliency, better outcomes and more space for expert voices as we move together along the path to a clean and prosperous future. I am pleased to see these 10 projects enter a new phase and look forward to seeing the innovations to come.” 

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    “Indigenous Peoples are on the front lines of climate change in Canada, and as the original stewards of our lands and waters, they are uniquely positioned to lead solutions to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come. I am consistently inspired by the clean energy projects carried out in Indigenous communities, and I applaud the Energy Champions for entering this exciting new phase of community engagement, training and planning for a more resilient future where all can benefit from a sustainable and strong economy.”

    The Honourable Patty Hajdu 
    Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister Responsible for the
    Federal Economic Development Agency of Northern Ontario

    “As the way of life of Indigenous communities continues to be impacted due to our changing climate, especially in the North and Arctic, it is more important than ever that they be a driving force in how we adapt to these changes. Starting Phase 2 of this clean-energy initiative is a testament to our shared commitment to reconciliation and the power of meaningful relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities in tackling how we can actively adjust our actions to support a cleaner future for the next seven generations.” 

    The Honourable Dan Vandal
    Minister of Northern Affairs

    “The transition to clean energy continues to be important to Indigenous communities and the Government of Canada as we work together toward reconciliation. The Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative projects announced today are a great example of the way we can encourage self-determined priorities by supporting communities in increasing their control over their energy future and well-being.” 

    Michael V. McLeod
    Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories

    Quick facts

    • Cohort 2 of the Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative (IODI) is part of the $300 million announced in Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan to support clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural and remote communities.

    • IODI is a clean energy training and funding program that supports Indigenous-led climate solutions in remote Indigenous communities that currently use diesel or fossil fuels for heat and power. 

    • IODI was first launched in 2019 and was designed based on 18 months of engagement with Indigenous communities, rights holders and organizations. It is delivered in collaboration with the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise (ICE SE) and the Government of Canada. 

    • Applicants who were not selected to participate in Cohort 2 of IODI were invited to meet directly with a member of the Wah-ila-toos federal team and the team at the Indigenous Clean Energy Social Enterprise to discuss their priorities and other possible funding options. They were also invited to join the ICE Network, an online collaborative space for everyone working on Indigenous Clean Energy projects, and to attend future ICE Network events. 

    • The IODI is delivered through Wah-ila-toos, a single-window access point for Indigenous, rural and remote communities to obtain Government of Canada funding and resources for clean energy initiatives. The Government of Canada will continue to develop meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities to advance reconciliation and self-determination, advance clean energy projects and help ensure new economic opportunities through strong Indigenous climate leadership.

    • Wah-ila-toos is administered by Natural Resources Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Indigenous Services Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Infrastructure Canada. The name Wah-ila-toos was gifted by three Grandmothers and Elders. It represents kinship with all and our duty to be in good relations with all.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Media Relations 
    Natural Resources Canada 
    Ottawa 
    343-292-6100 
    nrcan.media.rncan@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca   

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    Cindy.Caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Follow us on LinkedIn  

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Sparing No Resource to Support Communities Impacted by Hurricane  Helene

    Source: The White House

    President Biden ordered 500 additional active-duty troops to support on-the-ground efforts; 1,500 troops now mobilized to assist National Guard and Federal personnel

    Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s direction, the Administration continues to mobilize a robust, intensive, and whole-of-government response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. As life-saving response efforts continue in heavily impacted areas, the Administration is also working to ensure communities across the Southeast have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.

    Today, in response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, President Biden ordered that another 500 active-duty troops move into Western North Carolina. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – the Biden-Harris Administration is mobilizing all relevant resources to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.

    The Administration has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in Federal assistance – with more to come. Over the last several days, the Administration has contacted nearly 450 state, city, and county officials in impacted states to ensure they have the support and resources they need. 

    The Administration is committed to ensuring that all communities receive accurate information that is essential to their recovery. The Administration, including FEMA, has been tracking and combatting the significant amount of false information circulating online related to the Federal response – which can discourage people from seeking critical and life-saving assistance. The Administration is actively working to identify and combat this misinformation and disinformation and support survivors in every possible way. 

    President Biden and Vice President Harris have traveled throughout the Southeast this week to meet with impacted communities and, during their travels, have reaffirmed that the Administration will be with impacted communities every step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to ensure they have the support and resources they need to recover and rebuild. While there is a long way to go on the road to full recovery and rebuilding, Republican and Democratic leaders from across the country have praised the Administration’s well-coordinated response and surge of resources in the aftermath of Helene’s landfall – including South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer.

    Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton in the Gulf of Mexico, which has the potential to have significant impacts along the West coast of the Florida Peninsula by mid-next week. Residents in Florida should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

    Additional updates on the Federal response include: 

    Active-Duty Service Members Delivering Life-Saving Supplies to North Carolinians

    In response to North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s request for additional support, today President Biden directed another 500 troops move into Western North Carolina. These troops have advanced technological assets to provide greater situational awareness on the ground and will assist with future resource planning across the region. These additional 500 troops supplement the nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky, who have already been mobilized through the Department of Defense and in coordination with FEMA to support the residents and affected counties in Western North Carolina.

    In support of the state and North Carolina National Guard, these active-duty troops are focusing their efforts on moving valuable commodities—like food and water—to distribution sites, getting those commodities to survivors in areas that are hard to reach. They are also working on road stabilization and route clearance activities. 

    In addition, the Department of Defense is providing rotary wing assets from the Army and Navy for personnel movement and commodity distribution across the affected region. Fixed and rotary wing assets from the Air Force are conducting search and rescue activities.  

    The US Army Corps of Engineers has established 12 Emergency Operations Centers across the southeast, with three in North Carolina. The Army Corps of Engineers also has emergency power teams conducting assessments in North Carolina and Georgia as well as water/wastewater assessments, bridge and road inspections, and debris removal efforts in North Carolina and Florida.

    Over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 18 States are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.  

    Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts

    The Biden-Harris Administration is actively working alongside state, local and Tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by the disaster. 

    The Federal government has already helped thousands of Hurricane Helene survivors jumpstart their recoveries with more than $137 million in federal assistance. More than 7,000 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed, including U.S. Forest Service Saw Teams to help clear debris in remote areas. To date, FEMA has shipped over 14.9 million meals, more than 13.9 million liters of water, more than 505,000 tarps to the region, and installed 157 generators at critical facilities such as hospitals and water treatment plants.

    President Biden has approved 100 percent Federal cost share for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. This means that the Federal government will cover 100 percent of the costs associated with things like debris removal, first responders, search and rescue, shelters, and mass feeding.

    Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.   


    Repairing Roads and Re-Establishing Critical Routes 

    The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced the immediate availability of $100 million in Emergency Relief funds for the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help pay for the costs of immediate emergency work resulting from Hurricane Helene flood damage. The Department also announced $32 million for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. This is in addition to the $2 million announced for use by the South Carolina Department of Transportation.

    These funds will allow the states to act more quickly to fund eligible repairs to their damaged facilities. FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events. These Emergency Relief funds, provided through the “quick release” process, are an initial installment of funds toward restoring this essential transportation link. Additional funds needed to repair damage will be supported by the Emergency Relief program through nationwide funding allocations.

    Restoring Power and Critical Communications 

    As of this morning, approximately 384,000 customers are without power, down more than 91 percent from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27. At least 50,000 personnel from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada are responding to power outages in the Southeast and Appalachia.

    Additionally, FirstNet, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration, has been instrumental in providing critical communication support during Hurricane Helene. The FirstNet Response Operations Group deployed 19 SatCOLTs (light trucks with mounted cellular towers) and numerous portable cellular sites to the hardest-hit areas, including North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. So far, FirstNet has provided cell service and internet access to over 75,000 first responders and survivors affected by the storm, while power and connectivity is being restored.

    Calling on Congress to Provide More Disaster Assistance to Communities 

    President Biden wrote a letter to Congressional leaders calling on them to provide more funding for disaster relief efforts. President Biden warned that most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene. Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times. In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds. Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses. President Biden urged the Congress to restore this funding immediately. SBA is already receiving over 3,000 loan applications a day from people affected by Hurricane Helene.

    The President also warned that, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year. Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs. He called on the Congress to provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

    Administration’s Ongoing Response Efforts Supplement Significant Pre-Landfall Preparations

    The Biden-Harris Administration took significant steps and made extensive preparations prior to Helene making landfall. Two days in advance of Helene making landfall on September 26, the Administration began preparations in coordination with State and local partners. 

    On September 24, FEMA stood up their National Response Coordination Center (NRCC) at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., charged with monitoring the storm’s track and coordinating national-level emergency response teams. FEMA Region V also activated its Regional Response Coordination Center in Atlanta on September 24, gathering personnel to monitor the storm on the ground close to the anticipated impact and begin planning a response and deployed Incident Management Teams to state Emergency Operations Centers in the storm’s path to coordinate and speed Federal support to response operations.

    At the President’s direction, 1,500 Federal personnel were deployed to the region, including 14 Urban Search and Rescue teams (940 personnel) to potentially affected states, including eight teams to Florida; two teams to Georgia; and four teams to North Carolina and FEMA setup up an incident support base in coordination with the 42d Air Base Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 

    The Federal government pre-staged in the region:

    • More than 2.7 million meals, 1.6 million liters of water, 50,000 tarps, 10,000 cots, and 20,000 blankets to support sheltering needs in impacted communities;
    • Tanker trucks with 70,000 gallons of diesel fuel and 40,000 gallons of gasoline to surge to impacted communities once the storm passed to help alleviate any fuel shortages; and;
    • Hundreds of ambulances to assist with the movement of any patients out of impacted hospitals or other facilities.

    In advance of landfall, President Biden approved five Governors’ Emergency Declaration requests for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina prior to Helene’s landfall. He also immediately approved Emergency Declaration requests that the Governors of Tennessee and Virginia submitted shortly after landfall. These declarations authorized FEMA to reimburse State and local jurisdictions for costs incurred for pre-storm emergency measures including: evacuating and sheltering residents, search and rescue operations, sandbagging, covering costs associated with Emergency Operation Centers, and first responder activation.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Statement from President Joe  Biden on Hurricane Helene  Response

    Source: The White House

    Since before Hurricane Helene made landfall, my Administration has mobilized an intensive Federal response to ensure impacted communities have the resources and support they need. As part of that ongoing commitment, and in response to Governor Cooper’s request for additional support, today I ordered another 500 active-duty troops with advanced technological assets to move into Western North Carolina and assist with the response and recovery efforts. With a total of 1,500 troops now supplementing a robust on-the-ground effort – including more than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 Federal personnel – my Administration is sparing no resource to support families as they begin their road to rebuilding.
     
    Additionally, I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my Administration is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed.
     
    As these communities brace for potentially yet another catastrophic storm, and as part of my Administration’s solemn obligation to stand with impacted communities as they rebuild their lives, we will continue working hand-in-hand with local and state leaders – regardless of political party and no matter how long it takes.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Echoes of the past: U.S. and Korea commemorate POW/MIA Recognition Day

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    SEOUL, South Korea  –  

    The candle flickered briefly at the solemn table that, despite being set, remained empty. A red rose stood alone in a vase with a yellow ribbon tied firmly. Service members are all too familiar with the “missing man table,” in which each element carries meaning, but none so prevalent as the empty chair, the absence of someone not present, held as prisoner of war or missing in action.

    While the Eighth Army Band played, the crowd of nearly 300 Korean citizens, U.S. service members, and veterans stood vigil for the first Republic of Korea-U.S. POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the War Memorial of Korea on Sept. 21, 2024. Meanwhile, the lone table was next to the podium, serving as a reminder of those not in attendance.

    Each element of the table holds significance, as explained by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which were echoed during the event.
    – The table is round, to show everlasting concern.
    – The tablecloth is white to symbolize the purity of the missing and their motives.
    – The glass is inverted to symbolize their inability to share in today’s toast.
    – The candle symbolizes everlasting hope.
    – The single red rose as a reminder of their families and loved ones.
    – The slice of lemon as a reminder of their bitter fate.
    – The salt symbolizes the tears of their families.
    – The chair is empty … they are missing.

    More than 81,000 service members remain missing. However, in the last decade, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has identified remains of more than 1,500 U.S. service members, including more than 300 from the Korean War.

    “Events like this and the support that you bring to the recovery mission in general will move the mission forward and help find the answer we all hope for,” wrote Richard Downes, president and executive director of the Coalition of Families of Korean and Cold War POW/MIAs, in a letter read aloud during the ceremony. “Thank you again for what each of you are doing to bring closure to many families who have waited so long.”

    Although there were many agencies involved, the U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Religious Support Office helped put the event together.

    “All Americans should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation’s call to serve the cause of freedom,” said Chaplain Chan Ham, deputy garrison chaplain, USAG Humphreys, who was the principal narrator during the event. “Our motto is no man left behind, which is core to our principles and values.”

    Many of the U.S. Soldiers who attended the event also serve as chaplains assistants across Camp Humphreys.

    “Not all of our brothers and sisters get to come home,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Mateo D. Boldt, chaplain assistant with the 8th Army Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion. “By participating in this event, we can ensure their legacy is not forgotten.”

    Boldt’s words are echoed on the POW/MIA flags that waved in the wind, “You are not forgotten.”

    The ceremony included a reading of each of the names of the missing, which echoed through the exterior of the memorial. Once complete, the bugle played Taps.

    Afterward, guests placed flowers at the foot of the exterior wall, which has the words inscribed, “Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met.” Those same words are at the Korean War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

    Service members saluted their missing comrades, while civilians bowed in recognition as if in silent promise to never forget.

    POW/MIA Recognition Day, established in 1979, serves as a solemn reminder of the thousands of service members who remain unaccounted for. It is observed annually on the third Friday in September.

    “During National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we recognize the absolute bravery of our nation’s service members who are missing and unaccounted for, and we recommit to bringing them home,” U.S. President Joe Biden said in a White House proclamation. “We offer our gratitude and steadfast support for their families, who have given so much to our Nation.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Gen Z knowledge about the Holocaust matters for ongoing reconciliation with a troubled history

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Regan Lipes, Extended Sessional Instructor, English and Comparative Literature, MacEwan University

    Since last Oct. 7, the world has seen mass death catalyzed by terrorist attacks in Israel, Israel’s mission to recover hostages still being detained and retaliation in Gaza — and now a long-dreaded war erupting through the Middle East.

    As a scholar of Jewish and Holocaust literature, in the past year following Oct. 7, I have been aware that how students engage with the history of the Holocaust has been impacted.

    Eighty thousand Israelis remain displaced from their homes in the north. Over 40,000 Palestinians have now been killed in Gaza, and and following a United Nations expert accusing Israel of acts of genocide, UN delegates have amplified calls for an immediate ceasefire.

    Others assert Israel’s actions are a defensive response. While all Israeli citizens have been affected by violence in Israel, Israel is a Jewish state, and the kind of violence and hate directed at Israel is being felt by Jews globally. For many Jews the Oct. 7 attacks themselves resonated hauntingly of Kristallnacht, with the Jewish people again put in a position of needing to defend their right to exist.



    Read more:
    Holocaust comparisons are overused — but in the case of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel they may reflect more than just the emotional response of a traumatized people

    The definition of genocide acknowledged in the international Genocide Convention drew on the term coined by Polish-born lawyer Raphael Lemkin who fled persecution of the meticulously orchestrated genocide against European Jewry during the Second World War.

    Globally, we are seeing a time of re-aligning geopolitics, including both the Global South and West becoming increasingly aware of pro-Palestinian perspectives. Many Gen Zs have been quick to rally against Zionism.

    At the same time, Holocaust denialism, antisemitic hate acts and terrorist threats have accompanied a rise in anti-Israel sentiment — with frightening effects on Jews globally, sometimes fanned by propagandists seeking to exploit and augment conflict and polarization.

    Even before events of the past year, as the 1940s recede in time, fewer and fewer Gen Zs have identified themselves as feeling knowledgeable about the Holocaust. The way knowledge is transmitted must adapt with the times.

    Memory through time

    In 2019 I was the faculty fellow for a partnership between the Auschwitz Jewish Center and the Museum of Jewish Heritage (MJH). As a scholar I have had the benefit of meeting with Holocaust survivors to learn about their experiences.

    During my fellowship, the ongoing question rattling in my brain was how to safeguard the lived testimonies of survivors as their numbers dwindle.

    When I teach literature of the Holocaust and second-generation efforts to preserve memory, I have noticed students’ limited knowledge of the Holocaust when I do an informal poll of what they know already. Many students admit an awareness limited exclusively to Hollywood films.

    Six-part documentary

    Director Joe Berlinger’s recent documentary Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial is conscious of deficits in Gen Z education and seeks to remedy this.

    ‘Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial,’ documentary by Joe Berlinger.

    Berlinger’s six-part Netflix documentary takes a unique approach to examining and exploring Hitler’s rise to power and the lasting global impact.

    He frames this analysis by using the writings and broadcasts of journalist and foreign corespondent William L. Shirer, who authored the iconic The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (1960), in concert with narration from Shirer’s granddaughter, Deirdre van Dyk.

    Within the context of her grandfather’s historically significant coverage of the European political landscape throughout the 1930s and 40s, van Dyk is able to offer insights regarding how Shirer spoke about this period going beyond his public writings.

    Preserving history

    On an online discussion panel organized by the MJH in July 2024, Berlinger acknowledged the plethora of documentaries examining the Second World War, but explained that this work is a targeted effort to preserve history while connecting and resonating with Gen Z viewers.

    Van Dyk’s participation plays a key role in bridging the present with the lived experience of Shirer, a witness of Nazi corruption and totalitarianism.

    Similarly second- and third-generation Holocaust survivors are instrumental in ensuring that their parents and grandparents’ suffering and trauma can be used to caution current learners who will be the politicians, jurists and educators of the future about dangers of antisemitism.

    Online discussion with director Joe Berlinger with Museum of Jewish Heritage.

    Alberta initiative

    An initiative in Alberta, the Second Voices Project is working to help Gen Z students understand the Holocaust in a way that feels authentic and less like distant history.

    The initiative, with the support of the Government of Alberta, uses video testimony given by survivors, and pairs this with discussion, commentary and observations provided by their children and grandchildren.

    Robert Jackson, chief counsel of the International Military Tribunal (IMT) at Nuremberg, noted in his opening statement at the Nuremberg Trial in 1945:

    “The wrongs which we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant and so devastating that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored because it cannot survive their being repeated.”

    Jackson’s remarks now seem prophetic as society reexamines how best to impart this vital knowledge.

    Increased consciousness

    When the Second Voices Project travels to secondary and post-secondary institutions it is with the hope that seeds for increased tolerance and social consciousness be planted.

    ‘The Pages In Between’ by Erin Einhorn.
    (Simon and Schuster)

    During the winter 2024 semester, in a Jewish literature course I taught, I saw the Second Voices Project in action. The course sees students examine the search for resolution in untenable situations, with reporter Erin Einhorn’s The Pages In Between.

    They grapple with depictions of trauma and extreme loss in Cynthia Ozick’s short story The Shawl and examine how American-born Jews negotiated feelings of misplaced guilt following learning about the extent of the Holocaust.

    Accompanied by a Holocaust education specialist from the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, my students met second-generation survivor and retired physician Dr. Francie Cyngiser.

    Cyngiser’s parents survived the Nazi concentration camps, and she brought her father, Sidney Cyngiser’s, recorded Shoah Foundation testimony, narrated by her son and nephew, to my class.

    Sidney Cyngiser was dedicated to combating Holocaust denial by sharing his story. Instead of simply watching a video of Cyngiser testifying, the documentary was contextualized for students by inter-generational survivors not much younger than their parents.

    Addressing trauma fatigue

    Although Berlinger’s viewers cannot speak directly with van Dyk the way my students did with Dr. Cyngiser, his documentary is an important innovation to engage Gen Z learners.

    To appeal to this targeted viewership, the Shirer family consented to use AI voice approximations of William Shirer’s writings to help narrate Berlinger’s documentary. Although original recordings from his news broadcasts also feature prominently, many of his diaries, smuggled out of Nazi Germany at great risk, needed vocalization for the film.

    By adapting, Holocaust educators can also combat trauma fatigue which can impair capacity for awareness, recognition and response. In Germany, where Holocaust education is mandatory, feelings of frustration over inherited guilt for the Holocaust can breed apathy and resentment.

    Both pro-Zionist and Zionist-critical Jews have highlighted that such sentiments are dangerous in the current global climate.

    Apathy fails to serve any humanitarian function and dangerously anaesthetises all sides to the pain of others.



    Read more:
    Middle East student dialogue: As an expert in deep conflict, what I’ve learned about making conversation possible

    The German term Vergangenheitsbewältigung describes the process of ongoing reconciliation with a troubled history. The past is a reality that humanity as whole must contend with, but a lack of understanding is fertile ground for denial, revisionism and antisemitism.

    I cannot help but wonder if greater awareness of Holocaust history, and political and cultural histories of how to safeguard human rights, would promote more tolerance and compassion universally.

    Regan Lipes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Gen Z knowledge about the Holocaust matters for ongoing reconciliation with a troubled history – https://theconversation.com/gen-z-knowledge-about-the-holocaust-matters-for-ongoing-reconciliation-with-a-troubled-history-235296

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Our Administration is doing whatever it takes to support those affected by Hurricane Helene.

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    With thousands of federal personnel on the ground, millions of meals distributed, and more than $137 million in Individual Assistance delivered, the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to doing whatever it takes to support those affected by Hurricane Helene.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbf2MKEJU2U

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHILADELPHIA – Governor Shapiro to Visit the Weitzman Museum’s Exhibition Memorializing the October 7 Anniversary

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 07, 2024 – Philadelphia, PA

    ADVISORY – PHILADELPHIA – Governor Shapiro to Visit the Weitzman Museum’s Exhibition Memorializing the October 7 Anniversary

    Governor Josh Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, and Senator Bob Casey will visit the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to privately tour the Nova Exhibition – which the Governor worked with the museum to bring to Philadelphia in recognition of the first anniversary of the October 7th massacre.

    The week-long interior and exterior pop-up exhibition will be open to the public and free of charge as the Weitzman Museum works to share these stories with communities across our Commonwealth.

    After the Governor privately tours the exhibition alongside business leaders, elected officials, and leaders from various faith communities, he will hold a media availability at the Weitzman Museum.

    WHO:
    Governor Josh Shapiro
    Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis
    Senator Bob Casey

    WHEN:
    Monday, October 7, 2024 at 10:00AM

    WHERE:
    Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History
    101 S Independence Mall E
    Philadelphia, PA

    LIVE STREAM:
    pacast.com/live/gov
    governor.pa.gov/live/

    RSVP:
    Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 10/4/2024 Blackburn on McGhee Tyson ANG Base’s Advancement in Competition to Become Main Operating Base for KC-46 Aircraft

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the 134th Air Refueling Wing at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard (ANG) Base outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, was selected for the final phase of competition to house the U.S. Department of the Air Force’s next generation of air refueling aircraft, the KC-46 Pegasus:

    “With decades of proven experience and service, McGhee Tyson ANG Base would be the perfect fit to receive and employ the KC-46, and I applaud the Air Force’s decision to keep Tennessee in the running,” said Senator Blackburn.

    Earlier this year, Senator Blackburn led the entire Tennessee congressional delegation in sending a letter urging U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III to make McGhee Tyson ANG Base the seventh main operating base for the KC-46. Senator Blackburn recently spoke with Air Force officials, who informed her of the Department’s decision to keep Tennessee in the running between seven possible locations. 

     

    Click here to download this photo of Senator Blackburn with Airmen of Tennessee’s 134th Air Refueling Wing. 

    BACKGROUND:
    • McGhee Tyson ANG Base boasts over 68 years of volunteer excellence and service to the Air Force. The unit has received a remarkable 16 Air Force Outstanding Unit awards and is one of the most decorated air refueling units in Air Force history. 
    • KC-46 acquisition is the Tennessee Air National Guard’s number one short-term priority. Securing KC-46 aircraft for McGhee Tyson ANG Base will preserve over 1,500 jobs and $203 million annually for decades to come. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why heart patients have trouble sticking to a healthy diet, and 3 things that help them eat better

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Gabriela Ghisi, Affiliate Scientist, KITE Research Institute, Adjunct Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Toronto

    Following nutritional recommendations is vital for managing cardiovascular disease, but it’s not always easy, especially for those with limited resources. (Shutterstock)

    Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death worldwide, and managing it effectively requires more than just medical intervention: what you eat plays a crucial role in your heart’s health.

    For cardiac patients, following nutritional recommendations isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a lifeline. A heart-healthy diet can help control risk factors like high blood pressure, cholesterol levels and obesity, all of which are key contributors to heart disease.

    For cardiac patients, following nutritional recommendations isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a lifeline.
    (Shutterstock)

    A healthy diet will help you prevent new heart problems, which is called secondary prevention, and it will help improve functional capacity and quality of life, giving you more independence for daily activities. But for many patients, adhering to these dietary guidelines can be a significant challenge even while they are in a cardiac rehabilitation program. This is especially challenging for those who live in low-resourced settings (areas or communities with few resources and little support for health and wellness).



    Read more:
    Cardiac rehab is a proven but underused therapy in women, but tailored resources aim to change that

    Cardiac rehab is an interdisciplinary approach focused on interventions for secondary prevention and improving cardiovascular prognosis, to reduce the global impact of cardiovascular disease. We recently conducted a study aimed at understanding the barriers and facilitators that low-resourced patients face when trying to follow nutritional recommendations in cardiac rehab.

    The findings underscore how critical, yet complex, it is for patients to maintain a heart-healthy diet. The results of this study are not just informative — they are a call to action for health-care providers, policymakers and communities alike.

    The cost of healthy eating

    Many heart-healthy foods — like fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins — can be expensive, especially for individuals or families living on a tight budget.
    (Shutterstock)

    One of the primary barriers we identified is the cost of healthy foods. Many heart-healthy foods — like fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins — can be expensive, especially for individuals or families living on a tight budget. In low-income areas, access to these foods is often limited, with more affordable but less healthy options readily available.



    Read more:
    Why are grocery bills so high? A new study looks at the science behind food price reporting

    This economic reality makes it difficult for patients to consistently choose foods that support their heart health. In the last few years the cost of healthy food in Canada, a high-income setting, has been rising due to high food inflation. Despite that, the current Canada’s Food Guide is less expensive for adults to follow compared to the previous ones.

    Another significant barrier is the complexity of nutritional information. Patients are often bombarded with a wealth of dietary guidelines, which can be confusing and overwhelming. Without proper guidance, including education and individualization, it’s easy for someone to feel lost or discouraged, particularly if they lack basic nutritional knowledge. This can lead to frustration and, ultimately, poor adherence to dietary recommendations.

    Cultural factors also play a role. In many cases, traditional diets may not align with the standard dietary guidelines recommended for heart health. Patients may find it challenging to adapt their eating habits without feeling like they are losing an important part of their cultural identity. This disconnect can make it even harder for patients to stick to a heart-healthy diet.

    Empowering patients to eat better

    Despite these challenges, our study also highlighted several facilitators that can make a significant difference. One of the most effective is community support. Programs that provide affordable access to healthy foods, like food banks or community gardens, can help alleviate some of the financial pressures.

    Additionally, accessible information sources that break down complex nutritional advice into simple, actionable steps can empower patients to make healthier choices.

    Programs that provide affordable access to healthy foods, like food banks or community gardens, can help alleviate some of the financial pressures of healthy eating.
    (Shutterstock)

    Importantly, incorporating culturally relevant foods into dietary plans can make the transition to a heart-healthy diet more manageable and acceptable. When patients see that their traditional foods can be part of their diet, they are more likely to embrace and maintain the recommended changes.

    Our findings emphasize the importance of a tailored approach to nutritional guidance in cardiac rehab, especially for low-resourced patients. It’s not enough to simply tell patients what to eat — health-care providers need to listen and understand the unique challenges patients face and provide practical, sustainable solutions. This means working closely with patients, offering personalized advice that considers their financial situation, providing access to resources and considering cultural preferences.

    Making heart-healthy diets accessible

    The implications of our research extend beyond individual patient care. They highlight the need for systemic changes that make healthy eating more accessible for everyone. This could include policies that subsidize healthy foods, increase the availability of fresh produce in underserved areas or create educational programs that are accessible to all.

    Following nutritional recommendations is vital for managing cardiovascular disease, but it’s not always easy, especially for those with limited resources. Identifying and addressing the specific barriers these patients face can help them make lasting, positive changes to their diet and, ultimately, their heart health.

    This research underscores the need for a more equitable approach to health care, one that ensures all patients have the support they need to live healthier, longer lives.

    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.

    – ref. Why heart patients have trouble sticking to a healthy diet, and 3 things that help them eat better – https://theconversation.com/why-heart-patients-have-trouble-sticking-to-a-healthy-diet-and-3-things-that-help-them-eat-better-239172

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The chemistry behind beer brewing is still shrouded in mystery, but tiny microfluidic chips could change that

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Katherine Elvira, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria

    As the brewing industry expands and new beer styles, such as hazy pale ales, emerge, brewers are constantly looking for new ways to analyze the composition of their beers to preserve the carefully crafted sensory quality of their products.

    However, analyzing how the molecules in beer affect its flavour is challenging because of the sheer amount of different types of molecules present in the beverage. To address this issue, our research team at the University of Victoria has developed a user-friendly lab-on-a-chip device to investigate how we can add more hop flavours to beer by making oil-in-beer emulsions.

    Lab-on-a-chip, or microfluidic, technologies are tiny devices usually made from a transparent, rubbery material that can be used to transport and analyze liquids in pipes the size of a human hair.

    While these technologies are not commonly used in the food sciences, they are perfectly suited for the creation of emulsions, which are widely used in the food industry. Emulsions are formed by creating tiny drops of one liquid in another immiscible liquid.



    Read more:
    Microfluidics: The tiny, beautiful tech hidden all around you

    For example, salad dressing is usually made by mixing oil and vinegar, a water-like liquid. Oil and water do not mix, so to create an oil-in-vinegar emulsion, a stabilizer like mustard or egg is added. This allows tiny oil drops to be suspended in the vinegar, giving a pleasant texture to the salad dressing.

    Similarly, in beer, hop oils (essential oils from hops) are stabilized in the water-like beer. Understanding the type of molecule responsible for this stabilization could help brewers create more highly hop-flavoured beers.

    Katherine Elvira explains how her lab makes and uses microfluidic devices. Video by Julian Sketchley.

    Creating a new method

    Brewing beer requires a precise understanding of four main ingredients: malted barley, hops, water and yeast. Each of these ingredients contains a complex mixture of components, and their interactions, while used by humans for thousands of years, are still not well-understood chemically.

    The wealth of ingredients in beer makes it hard to tease out the behaviour and interactions of specific molecules, and how these relate to the flavour and composition of the beverage. Each ingredient interacts with others in complex ways, influencing the brewing process and the final product.



    Read more:
    Brewing Mesopotamian beer brings a sip of this vibrant ancient drinking culture back to life

    This is where our lab-on-a-chip device comes in. Our research, conducted in lead author Katherine Elvira’s laboratory at the University of Victoria’s Department of Chemistry, was done in collaboration with local microbrewery Phillips Brewing and Malting Co.

    The new method for making oil-in-beer emulsions was developed by undergraduate students Danielle Hanke, Jaling Kersen, Alexandra Schauman, Caitland Stagg and Nicole York, and graduate students Alex McDonald, Jaime Korner and Kaitlyn Ramsay.

    Together, they created a simple microfluidic platform designed to be usable by non-experts in the academic and industrial sectors, making it a valuable tool for advancing the science of brewing.

    Unlocking new possibilities

    Our research explored the role of gluten, a protein present in beer, in stablizing hop oil emulsions. By gaining a better understanding of this, brewers can fine-tune the composition of their ingredients to influence the final visual and sensory quality of beer.

    We tested two different hop oils, alpha-terpene and linalool, that are commonly present in hoppy beers. The two hop oils differed in droplet stability with protein and enzyme treatment, suggesting this effect may also be dependent on the type of hop oils present.

    This research could help brewers decide which types of grains and hops to include in their hazy beers — a style characterized by their cloudy appearance and strong hop flavour — to create the most shelf-stable and flavoursome beers.

    The future of brewing

    Our beer-on-a-chip platform can be used to generate experimental conditions that reflect full-scale brewing operations on a smaller, more manageable scale. By doing this, we can gain better insight into the brewing process, which still contains many chemical mysteries.

    Traditionally, these technologies have not been widely used in the brewing industry, but our research shows how microfluidic platforms can be more widely used in the food sciences to study emulsions.

    Whether it’s developing new beer styles, improving the shelf life of existing ones or enhancing flavour profiles, this technology could become an invaluable tool for brewers worldwide. Future work on microfluidic brewing may yet reveal more interesting and delicious insights into brewing.

    Alex McDonald, a graduate of the Master of Science in Chemistry program from the University of Victoria, co-authored this story.

    Katherine Elvira received funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Engage program to fund this research.

    – ref. The chemistry behind beer brewing is still shrouded in mystery, but tiny microfluidic chips could change that – https://theconversation.com/the-chemistry-behind-beer-brewing-is-still-shrouded-in-mystery-but-tiny-microfluidic-chips-could-change-that-238182

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: YORK – Commission on Crime and Delinquency Joins Victim Service Agencies to Highlight Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and 2024-25 Shapiro-Davis Budget Investment for Victims Compensation

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 07, 2024 – York, PA

    ADVISORY – YORK – Commission on Crime and Delinquency Joins Victim Service Agencies to Highlight Support for Survivors of Domestic Violence and 2024-25 Shapiro-Davis Budget Investment for Victims Compensation

    In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will visit the York County Victim/Witness Unit to highlight the support and services offered to survivors of domestic violence and importance of the $5 million investment in the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) in the Shapiro-Davis 2024-25 state budget.

    WHO:
    Kathy Buckley, Director of Victims’ Services, PCCD
    Faith I. Uhler-Myers, Deputy Administrator, York County DA’s Office Victim/Witness Unit
    Paula Copeland, Chief Services Officer, YWCA York
    Sarah Harvey, Director, YWCA Hanover Safe Home

    WHEN:
    October 7, 2024 at 1:30 PM.

    WHERE:
    York County Administrative Center
    28 E Market Street
    Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 2nd floor
    York, PA 17401

    RSVP: Please email algantz@pa.gov to share the reporter’s name and media outlet who wishes to attend.

    Photos and video will be available on

      • Full Advisory

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada has always had a ‘tap on, tap off’ immigration policy aimed primarily at filling jobs

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Thomas Klassen, Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, York University, Canada

    The federal government will soon announce its immigration plan and immigration levels for the next three years. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have already signalled, however, that the number of immigrants will decline from the levels of the past several years.

    The government has been under fire for its immigration policy and must move carefully with a federal election likely next year. The increase in housing costs is cited by critics as consequence of too many immigrants arriving in Canada over a short period of time.



    Read more:
    What’s behind the dramatic shift in Canadian public opinion about immigration levels?

    Sharp increases and decreases in the number of immigrants are nothing new in Canada’s history. Historically, immigration policy has been “tap on, tap off,” with immigration levels increased when the unemployment rate falls and reduced when unemployment rises. Immigration has always been thinly veiled labour market policy; that is, a way to fill jobs.

    Influx of immigrants

    In 1913, an estimated 400,900 immigrants arrived in Canada, accounting for five per cent of the country’s population. At that time, the government sought farmers to settle the Prairies and allow the western expansion of Canada.

    It took more than a century — until 2021 under Trudeau — before a larger number of immigrants was accepted in a single year; 406,000 were admitted.

    But those who came in 2021 accounted for only one per cent of the nation’s much larger population, rather than five per cent in 1913.

    When the Liberals came to power in late 2015, the national unemployment rate was seven per cent and dropping. By 2019, it was under six per cent, a level not experienced for nearly half a century.

    The economy was humming with low unemployment and inflation, allowing the immigration tap to be turned on. From 2017-19, 300,000 immigrants were accepted each year, but from 2021 to 2023, that increased to a record high of about 430,000 annually.

    In the past decade, employers have benefited from high levels of immigration and voiced few complaints. Businesses know that labour costs are kept low when immigrants flood into the job market.

    International students

    What has made the nation’s immigration policy distinct under Trudeau is that the tap has also been turned on for international students. These students are not immigrants, but rather are allowed to enter Canada and, initially, remain only during the time they are studying.

    In the past several decades Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have become extraordinarily attractive for college and university students.

    Middle-class families in China, India, Brazil and other countries are willing to spend what is required to send their children to study abroad.

    Universities and colleges covet international students as a source of income since they pay twice or more what local students pay in tuition.

    The additional income earned by post-secondary institutions from international students has allowed provincial governments to limit tuition fee increases for Canadian students. For example, the Ontario government reduced tuition fees by 10 per cent in 2019 and has kept tuition frozen for local students ever since.

    Permanent citizenship pathways

    When the Liberals came to power, there were about 300,000 international students in Canada. Last year, that number reached one million. Immigration rules were tweaked in the past decade to open paths to permanent citizenship for some international students and their families.

    Some believe the combination of high immigration rates and a large number of international students has created an unsustainable situation as housing costs in many parts of Canada increase significantly over the past several years.



    Read more:
    International students are not to blame for Canada’s housing crisis

    Suddenly, earlier this year, the federal government placed limits on the number of student visas it would issue annually to reduce the flow of students coming from abroad. Provinces and educational institutions were furious, especially by the lack of advance notice and the loss of expected revenues.

    However, rapid swings in immigration policy are a feature of Canada’s history. After welcoming 400,000 immigrants in 1913, only 10 per cent of that number were granted entry five years later.

    Sharp U-turns

    The causes that necessitated the recent sharp U-turn in the number of international student visas — and limiting the pathways to students and their dependants to become immigrants — are instructive.

    The federal government ignored the fact that colleges and universities were not equipped for the massive ramp-up of foreign student enrolment. Some post-secondary institutions, particularly those operated for profit, took advantage of incoming students by providing sub-standard education.

    A closer monitoring of the impact of high numbers of international students would have allowed the federal government to more gradually adjust the visa tap. More consultation between all levels of government would have permitted problems to quickly reach the appropriate decision-makers.

    Moving forward, the federal government would do well to better monitor the impacts of immigration levels. More consultation with other levels of government, employers and stakeholders will result in more gradual adjustments to the number of newcomers who are — and always have been — critical to Canada’s economic and cultural successes.

    Thomas Klassen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Canada has always had a ‘tap on, tap off’ immigration policy aimed primarily at filling jobs – https://theconversation.com/canada-has-always-had-a-tap-on-tap-off-immigration-policy-aimed-primarily-at-filling-jobs-239896

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McLean on Sisters in Spirit Vigil and National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ People

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean has issued the following statement:

    “Today, I ask all Yukoners to join me in recognizing the Sisters in Spirit Vigil and the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ People.

    • Read more about Statement from Minister McLean on Sisters in Spirit Vigil and National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit+ People
    • Add new comment

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McLean on World Teachers’ Day

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Minister of Education Jeanie McLean has issued the following statement:

    “We celebrate the work of educators every day, but especially today on World Teachers’ Day.

    “October 5 marks the anniversary of the Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This recommendation sets essential standards for teachers’ rights, responsibilities and professional development.

    • Read more about Statement from Minister McLean on World Teachers’ Day
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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rescue Teams Continue to Locate Survivors as Communications Improve and More Military Assets Join Storm Response Efforts

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Rescue Teams Continue to Locate Survivors as Communications Improve and More Military Assets Join Storm Response Efforts

    Rescue Teams Continue to Locate Survivors as Communications Improve and More Military Assets Join Storm Response Efforts
    mseets

    Air search and rescue teams flew 48 additional missions on Saturday, locating 39 survivors stranded in Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to the region. So far 6,586 people and counting have been rescued, evacuated or assisted by search and rescue teams since the storm hit.

    Almost 50 search and rescue teams have deployed more than 1,600 responders to the region over the past 10 days. Local and state emergency responders now have the assistance of approximately 1,700 North Carolina National Guard and 1,000 active-duty military personnel.

    “Continuing search and rescue missions in rough terrain, better communications and more resources on the ground are helping as we race to find missing people, reunite families and coordinate the delivery of supplies,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “The people of Western North Carolina are strong, and they deserve every bit of help we can get them. I’m so grateful for everyone stepping up to help as we dig out from this unprecedented storm.”

    At Gov. Cooper’s request, nearly 1,000 soldiers from Fort Liberty and Fort Campbell have been mobilized to assist with search and rescue and coordination of air traffic to ensure the safety of relief missions. They are partnering with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help speed the clearing of roads, and with county emergency managers to distribute commodities including food and water. An additional 500 active-duty soldiers will join those already deployed.

    Communications in the region are improving rapidly, making it easier to identify help needed by communities and people. Cellphone providers reported significant gains in service coverage Sunday, with an estimated 80% of access to cell service in the region restored. Federal Emergency Management Agency teams will install a fiber optic cable to support telecom partners in restoring communications to the remaining inaccessible areas. An additional 30 Starlink satellite systems have arrived and will support search and rescue efforts underway at the North Carolina Emergency Response Center and at mobile locations.

    People and crews in hard hit areas are urged to be careful when removing debris, to ensure they do not disrupt fiber optic cables or cell tower infrastructure critical to keeping communications open. People in the area should restart their cell phones periodically to allow the devices to reconnect to repaired infrastructure.

    North Carolina National Guard and Military Response

    Gov. Cooper activated more than 1,700 North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen who are conducting ongoing search and rescue operations and delivering critical supplies. Active-duty military personnel and equipment requested by the Governor are now also part of response efforts.

    National Guard and military personnel from NC and other states are operating more than 50 helicopters and more than 716 specialized vehicles in Western North Carolina to facilitate these missions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping to assess water and wastewater plants and dams. Residents can track the status of the public water supply in their area through a website launched on Saturday.

    FEMA Assistance

    More than $30.2 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western NC disaster survivors and more than 96,747 people have registered for Individual Assistance. Nearly 1,700 people are now housed in hotels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. Federal partners have delivered more than 6.1 million liters of water and more than 4.1 individual meals in North Carolina to support both responders and people living in the affected communities.

    More than 700 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they are meeting with disaster survivors in shelters and neighborhoods to provide rapid access to relief resources. They can be identified by their FEMA logo apparel and federal government identification.

    The Major Disaster Declaration requested by Governor Cooper and granted by President Biden now includes 27 North Carolina counties (Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey) and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    North Carolinians can apply for Individual Assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7am to 11pm daily or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, or by downloading the FEMA app. FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs.

    Help from Other States

    More than 1,600 responders from 35 state and local agencies have performed 102 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, teams with search dogs and more.

    Beware of Misinformation

    North Carolina Emergency Management and local officials are cautioning the public about false Helene reports and misinformation being shared on social media. NCEM has launched a fact versus rumor response webpage to provide factual information in the wake of this storm. FEMA also has a rumor response webpage.

    Food, Water and Commodity Points of Distribution

    Efforts continue to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents in affected communities, using both ground resources and air drops from the NC National Guard. More than 20,000 hot meals a day are being prepared and served by mobile kitchens. Food, water and commodity points of distribution are open throughout western North Carolina. For information on these sites in your community, visit your local emergency management and local government social media and websites or visit ncdps.gov/Helene.

    Missing Persons

    To report a missing person or request non-emergency support, please call NC 211 or 1-888-892-1162 if calling from out-of-state. NC 211 also has a registry page for missing persons and welfare check requests.

    Shelters

    A total of 22 shelters are open in Western North Carolina and Saturday night served more than 825 people and 94 pets.

    Storm Damage Cleanup

    If your home has damages and you need assistance with clean up, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386.

    Power Outages

    Across Western North Carolina, approximately 142,000 customers remained without power at 12:30 p.m., down from a peak of more than 1 million. Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate up and down as power crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

    Road Closures

    Travel remains dangerous, with approximately 650 roads closed as of Sunday morning. More than 100 of those roads are primary routes connecting the region. As connectivity and reporting measures improve, these number may increase.

    NCDOT is asking people to avoid unnecessary travel to or in Western North Carolina. NCDOT has posted at ncdot.gov an interstate detour map for travelers to avoid western N.C. NCDOT currently has more than 2,050 employees and 1,100 pieces of equipment working on more than 3,200 damaged road sites.

    Fatalities

    Seventy-seven storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. We expect that this number will continue to rise over the coming days. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will continue to confirm numbers twice daily. If you have an emergency or believe that someone is in danger, please call 911. To report that you have been unable to reach a person in Western North Carolina, please call 211.

    Volunteers and Donations

    Due to dangerous road conditions and the need to maintain open routes for emergency operations, travel to Western North Carolina is strongly discouraged. Instead, consider the following options for donations and volunteer opportunities:

    • If you would like to donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate. Donations will help to support local nonprofits working on the ground.
    • For information on volunteer opportunities, please visit nc.gov/volunteernc

    Additional Assistance

    There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

    If you are seeking a representative from the North Carolina Joint Information Center, please email ncempio@ncdps.gov or call 919-825-2599.

    For general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene.

    If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    ###

    Oct 6, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donalds Condemns The Iranian Regime’s Ballistic Missile Attack On The State Of Israel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    Donalds Condemns The Iranian Regime’s Ballistic Missile Attack On The State Of Israel

    Naples, Fla., October 1, 2024

    NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Congressman Donalds issued the following statement condemning the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile attack on the State of Israel:

    “Just four years ago, the regime of Iran and its terrorist apparatus were broke and incapacitated due to a coordinated campaign of Trump ‘Maximum Pressure.’ Over the past four years, Biden-Harris appeasement has emboldened our adversaries and terrorists across the globe. Appeasement does not work; appeasement has never worked; and appeasement must end. Today, the terrorist regime of Iran targeted 10 million innocent Israeli civilians with nearly 200 ballistic missiles. This brazen escalation is unacceptable. Israel should do everything in its power to ensure national security and I stand with Israel in this mission.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Rubio Remembers October 7, 2023 Terrorist Attacks

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Video: Rubio Remembers October 7, 2023 Terrorist Attacks

    Oct 6, 2024 | Press Releases

    This year marks the first anniversary of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks against Israel. 32 Americans died in those attacks, and four of the Americans taken hostage that day remain in captivity.

    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a video remembering the attacks and supporting Israel’s effort to defeat the terrorist organizations responsible.

    A transcript of the video is below.

    One year ago, a terrorist group named Hamas launched a barbaric and unprovoked assault against Israel. The attack resulted in over 1,000 deaths. 

    Hamas’s campaign of violence involved the mass rape of young women, the mutilation of tiny babies and children, and the slaughtering of countless families. They used innocent Israelis and Palestinians as human shields. And when the loved ones of the dead begged for the bodies to be returned home, Hamas refused. 

    This group is deprived of any moral conscience. They are driven by one goal: the destruction of Israel. And for their backers in Iran, this destruction is only the first step in a multi-stage plan to dominate the Middle East and to destabilize the West. 

    October 7th, 2023 was the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust. But one thing needs to be made clear: the United States will always stand with Israel. We should not just support their right to defend themselves. We must support their right to destroy Hamas, and we must support their right to fight back against the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. 

    Israel is our strongest ally in the Middle East, and their enemies are our enemies. We must provide them with whatever it takes to defeat Hamas, and to demonstrate strength and clarity against those who threaten Israel and threaten America. Because if we don’t stand by our friends, then we are standing by our enemies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donalds Releases Statement On The 2024 Rosh Hashanah Holiday

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    Donalds Releases Statement On The 2024 Rosh Hashanah Holiday

    Naples, Fla., October 2, 2024

    NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Congressman Donalds issued the following statement in celebration of the 2024 Rosh Hashanah holiday:

    “The Jewish High Holiday of Rosh Hashanah begins tonight at sundown and lasts through Friday night. To all who are celebrating in our Southwest Florida community, throughout our nation, and around the world, I wish you a happy, healthy, and sweet new year. L’Shana Tova.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donalds Stands With The Victims Of Hurricane Helene

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)

    Donalds Stands With The Victims Of Hurricane Helene

    Naples, Fla., September 28, 2024

    NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Congressman Donalds issued the following statement regarding the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene:

    “On Thursday, Hurricane Helene slammed ashore in the Sunshine State with devastating impacts felt deep into our nation’s interior. We pray for the victims who have lost everything; we pray for the families who have tragically lost loved-ones; and we stand with our neighbors throughout the Southeast as recovery efforts begin. The American people are resilient, and together, I have no doubt that we will prevail through this adversity.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ron DeSantis Issues Updates on State Preparedness Efforts for Tropical Storm Milton

    Source: US State of Florida

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie at the State Emergency Operations Center to provide updates on preparedness efforts for Tropical Storm Milton.

    As of 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Milton is located about 860 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, with maximum sustained wind gusts near 60 mph. Milton is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico and approach the west coast of Florida by midweek.

    Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-215, amending EO 24-214 and declaring a state of emergency for 51 counties.

    To learn more about navigating hurricane season, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For updates on county resources available visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties for a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts.

    State Preparedness Efforts

    • The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 since Tuesday, September 24, for Hurricane Helene, and is at a Level 1 for Tropical Storm Milton as of today, October 6, leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team.
    • The Florida Department of Veteran’s Affairs (FDVA) storm preparations are underway at all State Veterans’ Nursing Homes in anticipation of Tropical Storm Milton’s landfall.
    • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is performing maintenance on all equipment deployed during Hurricane Helene to ensure it is ready for use in Tropical Storm Milton.
    • FDLE Regional Operations Centers in Tampa and Fort Myers are establishing their Regional Law Enforcement Coordination Teams (RLECT).
    • FDLE agents working Operation Blue Ridge are demobilizing to respond to Tropical Storm Milton. Maintenance is being conducted on equipment returning from North Carolina.
    • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has readied high-water vehicles and all other storm response resources statewide so they may be rapidly deployed to assist Floridians in need in the event of damage or flooding. Contingency plans based on forecasted landfall locations have been developed and remain flexible based on the storm’s projected path.
    • FWC officers are ready to deploy and respond with a variety of specialized equipment as necessary, such as:
      • Airboats
      • Shallow draft boats
      • ATVs/Side-by-sides
      • Larger platform vessels
      • Four-wheel vehicles
    • FWC Special Operations Group (SOG) teams will serve as reconnaissance units for the state and report on damage after the storm has made landfall.
    • FWC Aviation Section has been placed on standby and has readied all appropriate aircraft for potential deployment for aerial assistance, reconnaissance, and post-storm damage assessments when needed.

    Health and Human Services

    • The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) deployed over 200 emergency response vehicles on the I4 Corridor in preparation for the storm.
    • The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has initiated an event in the Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS). Health care providers in the have been requested to provide information on census, available beds, evacuation status, accepting evacuees and generator needs from counties declared under EO-24-114. This information allows AHCA to assist healthcare providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power.
    • The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) is contacting all our Area Agencies on Aging partners to receive updates on their ongoing preparation efforts and gather the status of any unmet needs.
    • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) will continue to host calls with APD leadership, regional and facilities to brief them on Tropical Storm Milton and provide updates on protective actions, the status of clients and residents, and anticipated unmet needs in potentially affected areas.

    Infrastructure, Roads and State Closures

    • The Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT) Tropical Storm Milton statewide preparedness efforts include clearing shoulders in preparation for potential Emergency Should Use (ESU):
      • Currently analyzing flooding vulnerabilities for major roadways and bridges.
      • Inspecting and clearing drainage systems, monitoring flood-prone and currently saturated areas, and pre-positioning pumps as appropriate.
      • Securing high mast lighting, maintenance yards, active construction projects, rest areas/welcome centers, service plazas, and weigh stations that had returned to normal since Hurricane Helene.
      • Replenishing fuel reserves, checking generator readiness, and pre-positioning assets as appropriate.
      • Completing repairs on malfunctioning vehicles and equipment in preparation for deployment.
      • Initiated communication with modal partners – seaports, airports, railroads, transit, and spaceports. All partners are currently in monitoring posture.
      • Staging ITS trailers, as well as drone teams and equipment are being prepped and ready to deploy as needed.
    • FDOT has removed over 53,339 cubic yards of debris to date.
    • FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for road/bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated. Remember to always follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency personnel.
    • FDOT is supporting our local communities with supplemental sand and debris removal from local roads on the barrier islands in Pinellas and Manatee counties.
    • At the direction of Gov. DeSantis, FDOT is coordinating debris removal assignments for the Florida National Guard, Florida State Guard, Florida Highway Patrol, amongst others, who have activated available state personnel and resources to clear and haul remaining debris.
    • In preparation for Tropical Storm Milton, FDOT’s out-of-state deployed resources have begun to transition back to Florida operations.
    • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is coordinating with EPA’s Landfill Strike Teams to provide technical support and assistance for these sites. For counties and local governments in need of additional debris disposal locations, especially ahead of this new storm, DEP has approved all DDMS site requests.
    • Currently, 186 Disaster Debris Management Sites (DDMS) have been authorized to operate for Hurricane Helene.
    • Hurricane Helene kicked up significant amounts of sediment and sand along the coastlines in and along its path. DEP is working with local governments to manage the excess sand and continue removal efforts.
    • For sand that has accumulated on private properties, residents should return it to the beach if it appears clean, smells fresh and is free of debris. If the sand contains debris, residents should contact their local government to find the nearest disposal site. DEP has worked with counties to establish temporary staging areas to properly screen the sand before it is returned to the beach.
    • DEP is working with Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN), the Florida Rural Water Association and other response agencies to ensure preparations are underway to support drinking and wastewater facilities ahead of the anticipated heavy rains.
    • Florida’s water management districts are engaging local governments and drainage operators throughout the state and are available to provide technical and other support, including deploying temporary pumps to alleviate localized flooding. As part of standard operations, DEP and Florida’s water management districts continue to monitor water systems and river levels as the storm develops.
    • Currently, no Florida State Parks are closed because of this anticipated storm. For updates on state parks affected by Hurricane Helene or Tropical Storm Milton, please visit: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates.
    • The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is staging high-water rescue vehicles in preparation for landfall.
    • FHP is prepared to deploy up to 120 Quick Response Force (QRF) Troopers to affected areas.
    • FHP is assisting with traffic control in St. Petersburg.
    • FHP air support and drone assets are staged and prepared to deploy when needed.
    • The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is actively monitoring Tropical Storm Milton and is working with school districts as they begin preparation efforts. The Department is also in close contact with districts that have been impacted by Hurricane Helene and will assist them with addressing critical needs ahead of the storm. Updates on school closures can be found at FLDOE.org/storminfo.

    Resources for Employees, Businesses and Consumers

    • The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) is staging assets and personnel across 13 offices statewide and is prepared to surge resources to areas impacted by Hurricane Helene that receive a second impact from Tropical Storm Milton.
    • Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz.
    • FloridaCommerce activated the private sector hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
    • FloridaCommerce is hosting daily private sector coordination calls. Briefings will be provided by Emergency Support Functions and private sector partners. For call information email ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
    • VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com will remain available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
    • The Florida Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) has pulled their Helene Mobile Assistance Centers from the field and will redeploy once storm conditions have passed.Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Tropical Storm Milton.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco’s Trip to the G7 Interior Minister’s Meeting in Italy

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Deputy Attorney General (Deputy AG) Lisa Monaco traveled to Mirabella Eclano, Italy, on Oct. 3-4 for the G7 Interior Ministers Meeting, where she highlighted the importance of international partnerships in supporting the rule of law and protecting against persistent global threats.

    The Deputy AG described the current threat environment to her G7 colleagues as a time where the threats have never been more diverse — from more aggressive actors — and all fueled by international conflicts and emerging, disruptive technologies — especially cyber and AI. She urged the ministers to stay united against threats posed by autocratic nations like Russia, Iran, and China looking to project power at home and abroad through transnational repression, malicious cyber activity, the abuse of emerging technologies, such as AI and cryptocurrencies, and malign foreign influence — especially in a global election year.

    The Deputy AG joined her colleagues in committing to deepening international collaboration against these threats, as well as against terrorism, malign cyber actors, and synthetic drugs such as fentanyl. She shared how the Justice Department is targeting the broader ecosystem that allows cyber criminals and malign nation state actors to flourish — by prioritizing disruptions and placing victims first — and also highlighted how the Department is tackling all aspects of the deadly fentanyl supply chain, in every part of the globe, to protect innocent lives.

    Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Hamas’s brutal October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, the Deputy AG and Ministers unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms, both online and offline. They pledged to continue the information sharing and law enforcement partnerships that are integral to thwarting acts of terror around the world. 

    The Deputy AG and ministers also met virtually with Ukrainian Interior Minister, Ihor Klymenko, and reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine and their resolve to hold Russia accountable for the war crimes and atrocities it is perpetrating in its war of aggression. She reiterated the need for sustained coordination in these efforts and underscored the Justice Department’s continued efforts to deprive the Russian war machine of funding and supplies. She joined the other ministers in announcing new efforts to help Ukraine build the rule of law and fight corruption, including through a new G7 Anti-Corruption Task Force.

    As part of their efforts to build cooperation and coordination among the G7 to promote the rule of law around the world, the Deputy AG and Ministers discussed common frameworks to harness the promise of AI while also protecting against the perils of its abuse. The Deputy AG cautioned that AI is changing how crimes are committed, from intensifying cyberattacks, to making fraud scams more believable, to creating child exploitative material, to supercharging malign foreign influence in elections.

    On the margins of the G7 Ministerial, the Deputy AG held several bilateral meetings, including with United Kingdom Home Secretary Yvette Cooper; Canadian Minister of Public Safety Dominic Leblanc; German Minister of Interior Nancy Faeser; and European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson. The Deputy AG also met with the G7 host, Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi, to thank him for his leadership of the G7 and his hospitality. In all these discussions, the Deputy AG reinforced the steadfast commitment of the Justice Department to partnerships that uphold the rule of law and strengthen democracies around the world. 

    Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi welcoming Deputy AG Monaco to the G7 Ministerial. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior. 
    Deputy AG Monaco with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Photo credit: UK Home Office. 
    Deputy AG Monaco with G7 leaders. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior.
    Deputy AG Monaco meeting with Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi. Photo credit: Italian Ministry of the Interior.

    MIL OSI USA News –