NewzIntel.com

    • Checkout Page
    • Contact Us
    • Default Redirect Page
    • Frontpage
    • Home-2
    • Home-3
    • Lost Password
    • Member Login
    • Member LogOut
    • Member TOS Page
    • My Account
    • NewzIntel Alert Control-Panel
    • NewzIntel Latest Reports
    • Post Views Counter
    • Privacy Policy
    • Public Individual Page
    • Register
    • Subscription Plan
    • Thank You Page

Category: Finance

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fresno County Podiatrist and Sales Representative Indicted for Conspiracy to Submit Millions of Dollars in False Claims Related to Skin Grafts

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Felipe Ruiz, 51, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 52, of Clovis, charging them with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist at West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties.

    Aguirre was a sales representative for several companies that sold skin grafts. Aguirre used his name, his wife’s name, and the name of a corporation registered to his wife to sell the skin grafts.

    Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre, who was not a licensed health care provider, to apply the skin grafts to Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries without Ruiz being present. Ruiz and Aguirre also allowed beneficiaries to refer to Aguirre as “Dr. Gabe,” though he was not a doctor.

    Ruiz and Aguirre subsequently submitted claims to Medicare and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz had applied the skin grafts to the beneficiaries, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services. As a result, Medicare and Medi-Cal paid Ruiz millions of dollars for the false claims. Ruiz then made payments to Aguirre. Ruiz and Aguirre used the money for their own benefit and for personal expenditures.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter is prosecuting the case.

    If convicted, Ruiz and Aguirre face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Albion man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Norman Kelly, 68, of Albion, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeve E. Huggins, who is handling the case, stated that between March 12 and September 20, 2023, Kelly used his laptop computer to entice minors to engage in sexually explicit behavior for the purpose of producing images, which he would receive via the internet. On March 12, 2023, Kelly received a sexually explicit image of a female child, approximately 10-12 years old. On July 20, 2023, he received a sexually explicit video file of an infant female, approximately 1.5 to three years old. Kelly possessed approximately 475 image files and 377 video files of child sexual abuse material. Some of the images included depictions of violence against children.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit, Michigan.

    Sentencing is scheduled for August 18, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Science Secretary hails Wrightbus as company pledges £25 million to bolster UK’s green transport revolution and drive growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Science Secretary hails Wrightbus as company pledges £25 million to bolster UK’s green transport revolution and drive growth

    Northern Ireland based bus manufacturer pledges £25 million to expand its R&D capabilities

    Wrightbus pledges £25 million for R&D into green transport revolution

    • Northern Ireland based firm Wrightbus to invest £25 million for cutting-edge research to develop next-generation electric and hydrogen vehicles
    • Investment to be transformative in cutting emissions and creating skilled local jobs to grow our economy, supporting the government’s Plan for Change
    • The success of Wrightbus shows how bold investment in Research and Development pays off – with the Science Secretary calling it a prime example of the benefits innovation can bring to businesses and the wider economy

    Millions of pounds in investment by Wrightbus to develop the next generation of green buses has been welcomed today by Science Secretary Peter Kyle, highlighting it as a key driver of economic growth under the Plan for Change.

    As the UK’s fastest-growing zero-emission bus manufacturer and a major employer in Northern Ireland and the wider UK, Wrightbus’ new funding will accelerate the next generation of electric and hydrogen-powered buses, potentially creating dozens of new jobs, slashing emissions, and supporting the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

    During his visit to the company’s Northern Ireland headquarters, Science Secretary Peter Kyle praised Wrightbus as a standout example of how investing in R&D fuels business development, job creation and regional economic growth. Studies show that for every £1 a business invests in R&D, it can generate a return of 20% for the firm – with similar, additional gains spilling over into the wider British economy (1) – evidence of a dynamic economy rooted in enterprise. He called on more businesses to follow suit, emphasising that such investments are crucial for maintaining the UK’s competitive edge in science and technology and that government alone cannot deliver this growth.

    Wrightbus is part of a growing network of high-tech businesses and innovators driving growth in Northern Ireland. The region boasts a thriving advanced manufacturing sector and a rapidly expanding tech scene. One such example is Belfast-based Ionic Technologies, which is developing new ways to recycle rare materials needed for electric vehicles and wind turbines, helping to make green technologies more sustainable and less reliant on overseas supply chains.

    The government’s upcoming Industrial Strategy, set to be published this summer, will build on success stories like Wrightbus and make Britain the best country to do business – helping more firms lead the way in future industries like advanced manufacturing, clean transport, and clean energy.

    This investment follows government action to increase demand for electric vehicles, with £2.3 billion investment already boosting British manufacturing and improving charging infrastructure.

    Since July, the government has seen £34.8 billion of private investment announced into UK’s clean energy industries. The UK was the largest electric vehicle market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 75,000 public charge points in the UK – with one added every 29 minutes – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket.

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

    Investing in innovation is central to our Plan for Change, but public investment alone is not enough to ensure British businesses remain at the cutting edge of global industries.

    Wrightbus is proof that businesses backing R&D deliver real-world impact – for both the company themselves and the local region – creating new high-quality jobs, strengthening supply chains across sectors and delivering the new industries of the future.

    Wrightbus’ investment will not only boost growth in Northern Ireland. It will help to accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero and our mission to become a clean energy superpower while keeping our economy competitive on the global stage.

    The £25 million investment announced today will be used to develop groundbreaking zero-emission vehicles, support UK businesses that provide the parts and technology needed to build them and enhance advanced testing capabilities. Funding includes:

    • £10 million to develop the world’s most efficient double-deck and single-deck electric bus, the Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliner. Designed for extended range and rapid charging times, it can travel up to 200 miles on a single charge and recharge in just 2.5 hours, cutting energy costs and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
    • £5 million to develop the UK’s first hydrogen-powered coach due for release within 18 months. Capable of travelling up to 1,000km on a single refuel, it will rival diesel coaches in range and efficiency and make long-distance travel greener without compromising on performance or convenience.
    • £5 million for product validation using the UK’s most advanced proving grounds – ensuring Wrightbus vehicles are rigorously tested for durability, efficiency, and safety so that UK-manufactured buses set new global standards for reliability and performance.
    • £5 million for a world-class telematics system – an advanced vehicle monitoring system that collects real-time performance data to operators. The telematics system is improving efficiency, lowering costs, helping fleet operators optimise routes, extending vehicle lifespans and driving down operating expenses using predictive maintenance based on AI algorithms.

    Last week, Wrightbus buses passed 50 million zero-emission miles – preventing over 85,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions compared to diesel alternatives. The company’s rapid growth underscores the UK’s strength in high-tech manufacturing and the economic benefits of investing in green innovation. Wrightbus is also a potential customer of the Bradford Low Carbon Project, which received funding from the government’s flagship hydrogen programme.

    The Ballymena-based company had a record-breaking year of orders in 2024 which it is on track to exceed this year, increasing production from 1,016 to 1,200 with plans to reach 1,400 by 2026. Its supply chain supports businesses in 47 counties, from suppliers of heating systems to software developers across the UK and in key European markets, including France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

    It builds on its landmark £500 million deal with Go-Ahead in 2023 which secured over 1,000 zero-emission bus orders, creating 500 new jobs in Ballymena and supporting 7,500 jobs across the UK – strengthening the UK’s position as among the best places in the world to invest in R&D with businesses like Wrightbus leading the way in green transport innovation.

    Wrightbus CEO, Jean-Marc Gales said:

    It was a pleasure to showcase our R&D progress to the Secretary of State. This investment represents our largest amount ever into research and development and it underlines our ambition to continue be one of the very best zero-emission manufacturers in the UK and Europe.

    Innovation has played a key part in the rapid growth of Wrightbus and is one of the major things that has allowed us to switch from having a 95% diesel bus output to a 95% zero emission bus output in less than 5 years.

    The research projects we’re currently funding, including the development of our hydrogen coach, the further enhancement of the world-leading Electroliner bus, and our telematics system, will allow us to continue to push zero-emission transport boundaries and represents a huge boost for manufacturing in Northern Ireland and the wider UK.

    Notes to editors

    • www.frontier-economics.com

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 3000

    Share this page

    The following links open in a new tab

    • Share on Facebook (opens in new tab)
    • Share on Twitter (opens in new tab)

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Founder and Top Executive for Fresno-Based Business American Labor Alliance Receive Multi-Year Prison Sentences Following Fraud Trial

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fresno residents Marcus Asay, 69, and Antonio Gastelum, 53, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years in prison and two years in prison, respectively, for committing a long-running pension fraud scheme through their company, Agricultural Contracting Services Association dba American Labor Alliance (ALA), Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. 

    ALA also received a corporate fine of $2.5 million. Asay and ALA were each ordered to pay $69,250 in restitution.

    On June 18, 2024, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA were convicted of the pension fraud scheme following a five-week jury trial. Asay and ALA were also convicted of committing a worker’s compensation fraud scheme, a hardship exemption fraud scheme, and money laundering. The hardship exemption fraud scheme involved a supposed exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that people obtain health insurance or pay a significant shared responsibility payment when they file their taxes.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Asay was the founder and chairman of ALA, and Gastelum was the company’s Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Compliance Officer. From 2011 through 2019, the defendants offered three sham products: retirement plan, worker’s compensation coverage, and hardship exemption.

    Pension Fraud Scheme

    For the pension fraud scheme, Asay, Gastelum, and ALA falsely represented to more than 3,000 people that they would protect and invest their retirement money through a 401(k) Plan when, in fact, they used the money for improper business and personal expenses. The improper expenses included restaurants, travel, credit cards, rare coins, transfers to Asay’s personal retirement account, online companion websites, and rent for Asay’s lakefront mansion in Fresno. Asay, Gastelum, and ALA then covered up the fact that the retirement money was gone by taking money the company received from the worker’s compensation fraud scheme and holding those funds out as pension funds. The loss caused by the pension fraud scheme was more than $620,000.

    Asay’s money laundering conviction resulted from this scheme because he moved pension funds through multiple bank accounts to conceal the source of the funds before using them for improper expenses.

    Workers’ Compensation Fraud Scheme

    For the worker’s compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that national insurers backed the worker’s compensation coverage that the company offered in several states, including California. Asay and ALA did so by listing the national insurers on the certificates of insurance and policy declarations that the company issued to customers. The accuracy of the certificates of insurance and policy declarations was important to the customers because they needed to present these items to their own customers and regulators as proof of having worker’s compensation coverage in order to continue doing business. When government authorities began investigating the workers’ compensation fraud scheme, Asay and ALA sent letters to customers telling them not to cooperate. The worker’s compensation fraud scheme generated $2.25 million in premiums.

    Hardship Exemption Fraud Scheme

    For the hardship exemption fraud scheme, Asay and ALA falsely represented that for a few hundred dollars they could provide people with an exemption that would protect them from the Affordable Care Act’s shared responsibility payment for not having health insurance when, in fact, only government agencies could issue such exemptions. Moreover, the exemptions were free to those who qualified.

    Asay and Gastelum received enhanced sentences because they both testified in their own defense at trial and were found to have perjured themselves.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration and Office of Labor-Management Standards, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Tierney, Joseph Barton, and Stephanie Stokman prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: HSI ARRESTS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED, VIOLENT FELON FUGITIVE WANTED FOR HOMICIDE IN MEXICO

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Bonifacio Renteria-Cruz, 48, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested on Illegal Re-Entry charges on Tuesday during a Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) operation led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Madison Sheahan. Renteria-Cruz was charged by Criminal Complaint for violation of Title 8, U.S.C. 1326(a) and (b)(1).

    On October 11, 2006, Renteria-Cruz, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the United States, was convicted of Aggravated Assault, a class 3 felony, in the Maricopa County Superior Court and sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Renteria-Cruz was deported to Mexico on April 8, 2008.

    After his deportation, Mexican authorities charged Renteria-Cruz with homicide for events that occurred on July 20, 2009, in Mexico. Since that time, he has been a fugitive.

    Pursuant to a tip in January 2025, HSI learned that Renteria-Cruz had illegally returned to the United States. Agents were able to locate and identify Renteria-Cruz, and on April 8, 2025, Renteria-Cruz was arrested during an Immigration Operation.

    This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Homeland Security Investigations in Phoenix, Arizona conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Addison Owen, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-3128MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-052_Renteria-Cruz

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Stilwell Resident Of Voluntary Manslaughter

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Mose Adam Smith, age 43, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was found guilty by a federal jury of Voluntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.00.

    The jury trial began with testimony on April 7, 2025, and concluded on April 10, 2025, with the guilty verdict.

    During the trial, the United States presented evidence that on or about July 17, 2023, Smith unlawfully killed an individual during an altercation at the victim’s Sallisaw, Oklahoma residence.  The Government presented evidence that during the altercation, Smith inflicted blunt-force trauma on the victim, and that Smith caused extensive injuries resulting in the death of the victim.  Smith attempted to conceal the victim’s death and fled the state.  The crime occurred in Sequoyah County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation of Oklahoma, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    On March 19, 2025, Co-defendant Kimberly Dawn Ball-Gilbert, age 42, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to an Information of one count of Voluntary Manslaughter.  At the plea hearing, Ball-Gilbert admitted to aiding and abetting Smith’s actions in causing the victim’s death.

    The guilty verdict was the result of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, the Grant County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory.

    The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the trial and ordered the completion of a presentence report.  The sentencings for Smith and Ball-Gilbert will be scheduled following completion of the presentence reports. The Court will sentence the defendants after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Smith and Ball-Gilbert will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals until sentencing.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Flanigan and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Currency Exchange International, Corp. Announces Referral Agreement with Continental Currency Exchange

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Exchange Bank of Canada (“EBC” or the “Bank”) is to refer its wholesale business-to-business (B2B) banknote customers in Canada to Continental Currency Exchange, Ltd. (“CCE”), a wholly owned subsidiary of DUCA Financial Services Credit Union Ltd. (“DUCA”)

    TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Currency Exchange International, Corp. (“CXI” or the “Company”) (TSX:CXI) (OTC:CURN), today announced a referral agreement has been entered into with CCE, one of Canada’s leading retailers of foreign exchange services. CCE operates 19 branch locations across Ontario and offers digital products, foreign exchange conversion services, pre-authorized debit and deposit transactions, foreign cheques and drafts, money transfers and wire payments in over 120 currencies. CCE is a wholly owned subsidiary of DUCA, which was formed in 1954 and has grown from a single branch credit union in Toronto to 19 branches across the GTA and Central Ontario with over 93,000 Members and over $8.3 Billion in total assets including assets under management.

    EBC will be referring its wholesale banknote customers in Canada, including financial institutions, to CCE. The referral of EBC’s banknote customers to CCE, an Ontario-based foreign exchange service provider, will mutually benefit all parties and stakeholders.

    “We are pleased and confident that the referral agreement with CCE for EBC’s banknote customers is the best outcome for EBC’s stakeholders as well as CXI shareholders,” said Randolph Pinna, CEO of CXI and EBC.

    “CCE is pleased to implement this Referral Agreement. We welcome the opportunity to build new relationships and grow our business with new B2B wholesale banknote customers that will add to our growing retail foreign exchange services business,” said Tom Robertson, CEO of CCE.

    CXI’s long-term outlook remains positive due to the Company’s focus on its growing businesses in the U.S. in conjunction with expected cost savings and anticipated additional new product growth in the U.S. market. The Company will provide further updates as the Canadian business operations are being discontinued as originally announced on February 18, 2025. During this process, EBC is committed to ensuring minimal disruption to all its stakeholders. 

    CXI is grateful to all of EBC’s team members for their contributions over the years and is committed to providing support and guidance to all employees during this transition to ensure a smooth and respectful process.  

    INFOR Financial Inc. acted as financial advisor to CXI in connection with the referral agreement with Continental Currency Exchange.

    About Currency Exchange International, Corp.

    Currency Exchange International is in the business of providing comprehensive foreign exchange technology and processing services for banks, credit unions, businesses, and consumers in the United States and select clients globally. Primary products and services include the exchange of foreign currencies, wire transfer payments, Global EFTs, and foreign cheque clearing. Wholesale customers are served through its proprietary FX software applications delivered on its web-based interface, www.cxifx.com (“CXIFX”), its related APIs with core banking platforms, and through personal relationship managers. Consumers are served through Company-owned retail branches, agent retail branches, and its e-commerce platform, order.ceifx.com.

    The Group’s wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, Exchange Bank of Canada, based in Toronto, Canada, is currently in the process of discontinuing its operations in Canada.

    About Continental Currency Exchange, Ltd.

    Continental Currency Exchange, Ltd. is one of Canada’s leading retailers of foreign exchange services, with 19 branch locations across Ontario. The company offers foreign exchange conversion services, including international bill payments, online ordering, pre-authorized debit and deposit transactions, foreign cheques and drafts, money transfers and wire payments in approximately 100 currencies, in addition to a growing suite of digital products. The company’s Privilege Program offers clients no service fees on all cash transactions, premium discounted exchange rates, and lower prices on services including money transfers and wires. For more information, visit www.continentalcurrency.ca.  

    Contact Information

    For further information please contact:
    Bill Mitoulas
    Investor Relations
    (416) 479-9547
    Email: bill.mitoulas@cxifx.com
    Website: www.cxifx.com

    CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

    This press release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This forward-looking information includes, or may be based upon, estimates, forecasts, and statements as to management’s expectations with respect to, among other things, the merits of a referral agreement for customers and selected employees, the management of employee and customer transitions, the voluntary cessation of operations and discontinuance of Exchange Bank of Canada (EBC), financial performance in fiscal 2025 and 2026, and the associated costs and outcomes of the cessation and discontinuance period in general. Forward-looking statements are identified by the use of terms and phrases such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “predict,” “preliminary,” “project,” “will,” “would,” and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. 

    Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date such information is provided and on information available to management at such time. Forward-looking information involves significant risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in such forward-looking information. Actual results may differ materially from results indicated in forward-looking information due to a number of factors including, without limitation, an inability to implement the referral agreement for customers and selected employees on a basis which is beneficial to stakeholders, the inability of the Company to complete the cessation of EBC and discontinuance in accordance with applicable regulatory and legal requirements on a basis which is cost effective and protects the goodwill of the Company, an inability to establish direct correspondent banking relationships to support its U.S. payments business on terms which are economic or at all, the impact of delays or challenges in obtaining regulatory approvals, an inability to manage one-time wind-down costs and severance obligations on cost-effective basis, potential disruptions to operations during the transition period. the risk of reduced liquidity during the transition periods and, generally, the potential for unforeseen liabilities arising during or after the cessation of operations and discontinuance of EBC. 

    Additional risks include the ability of the Company to comply with regulatory requirements in general, the competitive nature of the foreign exchange industry, the impact of geo political changes, and trade wars on factors relevant to the Company’s business, currency exchange risks, the need for the Company to manage its planned growth, the effects of product development and the need for continued technological change, protection of the Company’s proprietary rights, the effect of government regulation and compliance on the Company and the industry in which it operates, network security risks, the ability of the Company to maintain properly working systems, theft and risk of physical harm to personnel, reliance on key management personnel, unexpected losses or challenges associated with customer attrition during the discontinuance, global economic deterioration negatively impacting tourism, volatile securities markets impacting security pricing in a manner unrelated to operating performance and impeding access to capital or increasing the cost of capital, as well as the factors identified throughout this press release and in the section entitled “Financial Risk Factors” of the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the twelve months ended October 31, 2024. 

    The forward-looking information contained in this press release represents management’s expectations as of the date hereof (or as of the date such information is otherwise stated to be presented) and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws. 

    The Toronto Stock Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No stock exchange, securities commission, or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this press release. 

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Gillibrand, Wyden Lead A Group Of 21 Senators In Demanding That The Trump Administration Stop Their Attacks On Social Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand

    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Ron Wyden, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, led a group of 21 senators in a letter calling on the Trump administration and the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to stop their attacks on Social Security.

    This letter comes in the wake of the administration’s repeated actions to weaken the Social Security Administration (SSA), which include staffing cuts, plans for indiscriminate closures of field offices around the nation, and limits to phone services. These cuts are upending the lives of older adults and people with disabilities who rely on the Social Security benefits that they have earned to pay their rent, purchase groceries, and afford medical bills.

    “The changes undertaken by SSA leadership and the DOGE disregard the reality of daily life for those millions of Americans,” wrote the senators. “They are spearheaded by the out-of-touch, unelected leadership of the DOGE. They hurt our nation’s older adults and people with disabilities—our grandparents, our friends, and our neighbors. And they risk debilitating the Social Security System and denying Americans the money they are owed.”

    In addition to Gillibrand and Wyden, the letter to Acting SSA Commissioner Leland Dudek was signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Edward Markey (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jack Reed (D-RI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    The full text of the senators’ letter is available here or below:

    Dear Acting Commissioner Dudek:

    We write to denounce the incessant havoc sparked by the Trump Administration’s continual cuts to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Changes implemented by SSA leadership and the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) include heinous staffing cuts, plans for indiscriminate closures of field offices around the nation, and limits to phone services. It is difficult to see how DOGE’s attacks on the SSA, and the complicity shown by SSA leadership, will improve efficiency when we are already hearing stories upon stories of how SSA’s changes have damaged the system responsible for ensuring timely, accurate payments—upending the lives of older adults and people with disabilities who rely on Social Security benefits that they earned to pay their rent, groceries, and medical bills.

    Social Security lifts 22 million Americans, including 16 million older adults, out of poverty. Many older adults rely on Social Security for life-saving sustenance—to ensure they have food to eat, a roof over their heads, and money to pay for medications. In fact, 40 percent of older Americans rely on Social Security as their only source of retirement income. Over seven million veterans received a Social Security benefit in 2024, while SSDI and Supplemental Security Income serve millions of workers with disabilities and their children. DOGE’s attacks on the SSA will break down access to services, affect timely and accurate payment of benefits,6 and have disastrous consequences for Americans everywhere.

    It is precisely because older adults, people with disabilities, and other deserving Americans count on Social Security that we are deeply concerned with efforts by DOGE and SSA leadership to impede access to SSA services. SSA has announced plans to slash at least 12 percent of its workforce, and offered a buyout incentives to staff, at a time when SSA staffing is at a 50-year low. SSA has also announced plans to close six of its ten regional offices, which coordinate and support the efforts of SSA employees. DOGE, meanwhile, has placed dozens of SSA offices across the country on the chopping block. At the same time, SSA has decided to limit the services it makes available over-the-phone, after backing down from broader restrictions following an outcry by older adults and people with disabilities. SSA’s new limits on over-the[1]phone services are still unacceptable, and the process used by SSA—swift revisions after public outcry—suggest the agency is not talking to the Americans who rely on Social Security the most before it makes its decisions. Instead, it appears that SSA leadership is pushing out half-baked ideas that lead to public confusion and panic.

    SSA leadership should strive to serve the public, not Elon Musk and his cronies with the DOGE. We are already witnessing the consequences of SSA’s complicity in DOGE’s irresponsible actions and cruel intentions. Scammers have taken advantage of the confusion surrounding SSA changes to defraud older adults. The SSA website crashed 4 times in 10 days because servers were overloaded; phone wait time and foot traffic to field offices have skyrocketed. This chaos does not create “efficiency.” It harms older adults and people with disabilities while undermining a program that is already efficient: Even as Social Security uplifts millions of older adults and people with disabilities, less than one percent of Social Security payments are improper—a percentage that includes underpayments as well as overpayments.

    We are pleased that Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is skilled with technology, lives his life with unfettered access to services, and has not experienced what it is like to live with a severe disability or financial hardship. We are also pleased that the Trump Administration’s supposed “leadership” is comfortable enough to believe older adults will not mind a missed Social Security payment. However, their experiences do not reflect the experiences of millions of Americans who rely on Social Security. The changes undertaken by SSA leadership and the DOGE disregard the reality of daily life for those millions of Americans. They are spearheaded by the out-of-touch, unelected leadership of the DOGE. They hurt our nation’s older adults and people with disabilities—our grandparents, our friends, and our neighbors. And they risk debilitating the Social Security System and denying Americans the money they are owed.

    In light of our concerns, we ask that you answer the following questions:

    1. Reports indicate that an internal memo proposing changes to the Social Security claims process was circulated within SSA on March 13, 2025. The memo also reportedly details how the changes could significantly impact the ability of Social Security recipients to access their benefits, including through “longer wait times and processing time” and “increased challenges for vulnerable populations.” Please provide:
    1. An unredacted copy of the March 13, 2025 memo, which was sent from Acting Deputy Commissioner Doris Diaz to Acting Commissioner Leland Dudek;
    1. Copies of any other written communications that are related to the March 13, 2025 memo, including e-mail, texts, letters, memorandums, or other documents; and
    1. Copies of any written communications, including e-mail, texts, letters, memorandums, or other documents, related to SSA’s decision to revise its changes to phone services, as announced on March 26, 2025.
    1. SSA’s new limitations on over-the-phone services are likely to increase the number of visitors per-week to SSA field offices, a potential impact reportedly detailed by SSA leadership in its March 13, 2025 memo. The DOGE website lists numerous SSA offices throughout the United States that will have their lease terminated, and one analysis suggests that 47 SSA offices are slated for closure.

    Please answer the following questions about potential SSA field office closures:

    1. SSA claims in a press release on March 27th that the SSA “has not permanently closed or announced permanent closure of any local field office.” Public reporting shows that multiple SSA field offices across the country were publicly slated for lease termination, many of which were taken off DOGE’s website prior to the press release.
    1. Explain the reason for the removal of the field offices previously listed for lease termination on the DOGE website.
    1. Explain why the SSA did not issue a public correction of the information provided on SSA lease termination after its removal off the DOGE website.
    1. Provide detailed information on each location on the DOGE and GSA lease termination lists that include an SSA office, including any locations that include an SSA field office but are leased by other federal departments, such as the General Services Administration. Please include the following information for each location:
    1. What SSA functions operate out of the location, whether the location is open to the public, what services the location provides to the public, and how many members of the public visit the location each day.
    1. How the SSA office will be impacted by the lease termination listed on the DOGE website, including which services at the SSA office will cease to be offered to the public and whether the SSA office will be closed entirely.
    1. Which field offices is SSA planning to close, or considering for closure, through December 31, 2026, regardless of whether the location appears on the DOGE lease termination list? Please provide a detailed list that includes the name, city, and state of each field office.
    1. How will SSA analyze the impact of potential field office closures on people who use SSA services in light of SSA’s new limitations on over-the-phone services? If SSA does not plan to include the new limitations on over-the-phone services when analyzing potential field office closures, please explain why.
    1. SSA’s new limitations on over-the-phone services are likely to drive more people to use the SSA website, including “my Social Security” accounts, when filing for benefits or making changes to their payments. Past oversight conducted by the Senate Aging Committee demonstrated that federal departments and agencies often fail to make their websites fully accessible for people with disabilities, as required by law. Further, the unelected billionaire running DOGE demonstrated his callous disregard for people with disabilities when he decimated Twitter’s accessibility team after taking over the company.
    1. How many staff held a role in ensuring SSA website accessibility for people with disabilities on January 20, 2025?
    1. How many staff held a role in ensuring SSA website accessibility for people with disabilities on April 8, 2025?
    1. How many staff with a role in ensuring SSA website accessibility for people with disabilities were fired or accepted a buyout between January 20, 2025 and April 8, 2025?
    1. How many contracts related to ensuring SSA website accessibility for people with disabilities have been delayed or cancelled since January 20, 2025? Please describe each delayed or cancelled contract and provide a justification for each delay or cancellation.
    1. How many tests to evaluate SSA websites for accessibility for people with disabilities have been delayed or cancelled since January 20, 2025? Please provide a justification for each delayed or cancelled accessibility test.
    1. Please describe how SSA consulted with older adults and people with disabilities before making the initial decision, announced on March 18, 2025, to implement new limits to over-the-phone services. Please include the names of groups representing older adults and people with disabilities that were contacted for feedback. If SSA did not conduct this outreach, please explain why.
    1. Please describe how SSA will collect feedback from older adults and people with disabilities on the impact of its limits to over-the-phone services once those limits have been implemented, including:
    1. The groups representing older adults and people with disabilities that SSA will work with to collect feedback; and
    1. The number of in-person meetings, virtual meetings, and town-hall style meetings related to the limits on over-the-phone services that SSA will conduct through December 31, 2026, the planned locations of those events, and plans by SSA leadership to participate in those events and answer questions.

    If SSA does not plan to collect feedback from older adults and people with disabilities in this fashion, please explain why.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please respond by April 22, 2025.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Let’s Talk Disclosure: Division of Corporation Finance’s Statement on Offerings and Registration of Securities in the Crypto Asset Markets

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Today, in furtherance of our investor protection mission, the Division of Corporation Finance clarified how the federal securities laws apply to certain offerings and registrations of securities in the crypto asset markets.[1] The Division’s statement does not address whether something is or is not a security but provides guidance for issuers of securities. Offerings and registrations for which this statement may be relevant involve equity or debt securities of issuers whose operations relate to networks, applications, or crypto assets. Other offerings and registrations for which this statement may be relevant involve crypto assets offered as part of or subject to an investment contract. Registration or qualification is not required in connection with an offering of a crypto asset if the crypto asset is not a security and not part of or subject to an investment contract. The statement reflects the Division’s observations regarding disclosures provided in response to existing requirements and takes into account crypto-related disclosure questions the Division has received.

    This guidance might be helpful for a company that is:

    • developing a blockchain and issuing debt or equity;
    • registering the offering of an investment contract in connection with an initial coin offering;
    • issuing a crypto asset that itself is a security because, for example, it provides a revenue stream based on the issuer’s performance; or
    • integrates non-fungible tokens into video games and is issuing debt or equity.

    The Division’s statement is not a definitive how-to guide for the come-in-and-register invitation that befuddled so many in recent years.[2] Rather, it is a small step in identifying relevant disclosures so that investors have material information about the projects and businesses in which they are investing. The Division highlights, for example, disclosures about the development timeline of a crypto network or application, its functions and processes, and a clear explanation of the rights of holders of the relevant security, such as dividends, profit-sharing, or voting rights. The statement reflects the fact that a token that is not a security can be sold in a securities offering, but also allows for the possibility that a centralized crypto company might issue equity or debt securities or a crypto asset that is itself a security.

    People with additional questions about how the existing disclosure requirements apply in the context of crypto assets may reach out to the Division with these questions. Several ways to contact the Division are available at https://www.sec.gov/about/divisions-offices/division-corporation-finance/division-corporation-finance-contact-us. The Crypto Task Force also welcomes inquiries and feedback on this statement through crypto@sec.gov.

    I would like to thank Cicely LaMothe, Acting Director of the Division of Corporation Finance, and her staff for their diligent work to provide clear statements about the applicability of securities regulations to crypto assets.


    [1] https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/cf-crypto-securities-041025

    [2] The Crypto Task Force and other Commission staff are working on providing guidance about when and whether crypto asset issuers have to “come in and register” and what registration would entail.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Shapiro-Davis Administration and Statewide Advocates Highlight Victims’ Rights Week, Governor Shapiro’s Proposed $9 Million Investment in Victim Compensation

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    April 10, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    Shapiro-Davis Administration and Statewide Advocates Highlight Victims’ Rights Week, Governor Shapiro’s Proposed $9 Million Investment in Victim Compensation

    In honor of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) and Office of Victim Advocate, teamed up with statewide victim advocacy organizations to highlight the importance of supporting survivors, raising awareness of their rights, and Governor Shapiro’s proposed $9 million investment in the Victims Compensation Assistance Program (VCAP) in the 2025-26 state budget.

    National Crime Victims’ Rights Week highlights the importance of ensuring that victims of crime receive the support, protection, and justice they deserve. Last year, over 323,000 Pennsylvanians were victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, gun violence, assault, human trafficking, homicide, and other crimes.

    “Ensuring that victims are informed, respected, and supported throughout their healing journey is our top priority. No crime victim should have to worry about paying for medical care, no family should face the stress of funeral costs, and no survivor of sexual assault should have to choose between healing and financial hardship,” said Kathy Buckley, Director of PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services. “This week is about making sure victims know their rights-including their right to financial support to help through some of their most difficult times.”

    Speakers Include:
    Kathy Buckley, Director of the Office of Victims’ Services, PCCD
    Suzanne Estrella, Pennsylvania Victim Advocate
    Rebecca Buckham, Communications Manager, Children’s Advocacy Centers of PA (PennCAC)
    Gabriella Romeo, Public Policy Director, PA Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR)
    Jenna Mehnert Baker, Policy Director, PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV)

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Conspired to Traffic Child From Behind Bars Sentenced to More Than 15 Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A Dallas man who coordinated the trafficking of a 17-year-old girl was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

    Christopher Jabar Jenkins, 33, was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.  He was sentenced Wednesday to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer, to be followed by 35 years of supervised release.  Jenkins was also ordered to pay $82,300 in restitution to the victim.  

    According to plea papers, Jenkins admitted that between July 2022 and November 2022, he advertised the 17-year-old victim’s sexual services on commercial sex websites.  He also rented hotel rooms for commercial sex dates and negotiated with patrons.

    In an interview with the child, it was revealed that Jenkins physically assaulted her, threatened her at gunpoint, forced her to “brand” herself with a tattoo to indicate his ownership of her, and kept her identification as a way to ensure that she could not leave him.

    At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors described how the child was forced to work seven days a week, up to fourteen-hour days, and Jenkins took all of the resulting proceeds for himself.

    According to court documents, when Jenkins was arrested in September 2022 for unrelated charges, he passed the victim off to another trafficker.  Jenkins continued to traffic the victim while in jail.  During the recorded calls, Jenkins instructed the victim to continue participating in commercial sex acts.  He also coordinated with other coconspirators regarding the pricing, advertisements, work hours, travel, and other logistics to ensure the success of the criminal enterprise.  Jenkins specifically instructed a coconspirator to collect all of the money that the minor victim earned and to set it aside for him or add funds to his jail commissary account.  Records confirmed that an individual deposited money to Jenkins’ jail commissary account no less than seven times from September 13 to September 29, 2022.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation, with invaluable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Winters prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: NewHold Investment Corp III Announces the Separate Trading of its Ordinary Shares and Warrants Commencing April 17, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, New York, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NewHold Investment Corp III (the “Company”) announced today that, commencing April 17, 2025, holders of the units sold in the Company’s initial public offering completed on March 3, 2025 may elect to separately trade the Class A ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”) of the Company and the warrants included in such units on The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”).

    The Ordinary Shares and warrants that are separated will trade on Nasdaq under the symbols “NHIC” and “NHICW,” respectively. Those units not separated will continue to trade on Nasdaq under the symbol “NHICU.” Holders of units will need to have their brokers contact Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company’s transfer agent, in order to separate the units into Ordinary Shares and warrants.

    The units were initially offered by the Company in an underwritten offering. BTIG, LLC acted as sole book-running manager of the offering.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About NewHold Investment Corp III

    NewHold Investment Corp III is a blank check company, also commonly referred to as a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue a business combination in any sector, the Company will primarily focus on growing industrial and business services companies. The Company is led by an experienced management team with Kevin Charlton as Chief Executive Officer, Samy Hammad as President and Chief Operating Officer and Polly Schneck as Chief Financial Officer. For more information visit https://nhicspac.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements,” including with respect to the separation of the units. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of NewHold Investment Corp III, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of NewHold Investment Corp III’s registration statement and prospectus for the Company’s initial public offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. NewHold Investment Corp III undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.

    Contacts:

    Polly Schneck
    Chief Financial Officer
    pschneck@newholdllc.com

    Investor & Media Contact:
    Amanda Tarplin
    amanda@tarplinconsulting.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Hut 8 Schedules First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MIAMI, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hut 8 Corp. (Nasdaq | TSX: HUT) (“Hut 8” or the “Company”), an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-performance computing, today announced it will release financial results for the first quarter of 2025 before the market opens on May 8, 2025. The Company will host a conference call and webcast to review the results on the same day at 8:30 a.m. ET.

    Conference Call and Webcast Details

    Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025
    Time: 8:30 a.m. ET

    Investors can join the live webcast here. Analysts can register here.

    Supplemental Materials and Upcoming Communications

    The Company expects to make available on its website materials designed to accompany the discussion of its results, along with certain supplemental financial information and other data. For important news and information regarding the Company, including investor presentations and timing of future investor conferences, visit the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, https://hut8.com/investors, and its social media accounts, including on X and LinkedIn. The Company uses its website and social media accounts as primary channels for disclosing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information.

    About Hut 8

    Hut 8 Corp. is an energy infrastructure platform integrating power, digital infrastructure, and compute at scale to fuel next-generation, energy-intensive use cases such as Bitcoin mining and high-potential computing. We take a power-first, innovation-driven approach to developing, commercializing, and operating the critical infrastructure that underpins the breakthrough technologies of today and tomorrow. Our platform spans 1,020 megawatts of energy capacity under management across 15 sites in the United States and Canada: five ASIC Colocation and Managed Services sites in Alberta, New York, and Texas, five high performance computing data centers in British Columbia and Ontario, four power generation assets in Ontario, and one non-operational site in Alberta. For more information, visit www.hut8.com and follow us on X at @Hut8Corp.

    Hut 8 Corp. Investor Relations
    Sue Ennis
    ir@hut8.com

    Hut 8 Corp. Public Relations
    Gautier Lemyze-Young
    gautier.young@hut8.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at Nominations Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider the nominations of William Kimmitt to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade and Kenneth Kies to serve as the Assistant Treasury Secretary for Tax Policy.
    As prepared for delivery:
    “This meeting will come to order.  Thank you to our nominees, Mr. Kimmitt and Mr. Kies, for being here today.  Congratulations on your nominations and thank you both for your willingness to serve.
    “Today, we will first hear from William Kimmitt, who is nominated to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade.
    “If confirmed, Mr. Kimmitt will oversee the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration—or ITA.  Importantly, the ITA promotes market access and redresses unfair trade practices.  Both functions are critical to American prosperity.
    “In terms of market access, American farmers and manufacturers win when they have a chance to compete.  ITA helps to facilitate those opportunities. 
    “Our manufacturing and agricultural industries are second to none and we need to make sure they have opportunities to fairly compete at home and abroad.   
    “Mr. Kimmitt, given your background, I am confident that you will make important contributions to trade.  I look forward to working with you, if confirmed.
    “Moving to the other nominee before us today, Kenneth Kies, who is nominated to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy at the Treasury Department.
    “The Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy is the senior advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury for analyzing, developing and implementing federal tax policies and programs.  Mr. Kies, if confirmed, will be a vital partner in Congress’ efforts to enact pro-growth tax policy and ensure it is properly implemented.
    “My Republican colleagues and I are committed to preventing a $4 trillion-plus tax hike on American families and businesses, and to delivering additional tax relief for middle-class workers and families who have struggled to keep up due to historic inflation over the last four years. 
    “We are also committed to making permanent the proven tax policy of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).  Making this tax policy permanent will provide the certainty that businesses need to make long-term investments that drive growth, and will also provide the stability that families need as they save and plan for the future.
    “Fear-mongering and mischaracterization aside, the generational reforms we made in 2017 strengthened investment, boosted economic growth, increased take-home pay and reduced poverty.
    “The TCJA made the tax code more progressive, helped all Americans keep more of their hard-earned money, and fostered a growing economy that powered median household income to an all-time high. 
    “Permanently extending and building upon our current tax framework is the best way to restore economic prosperity and opportunity for working families.
    “Mr. Kies’ wealth of experience in the world of tax policy makes him eminently qualified to assist us in this effort.  
    “Mr. Kies spent a total of 47 years as a tax attorney.  His experience covers every aspect of the Internal Revenue Code and, since 1981, he has been involved in every significant piece of federal tax legislation.  He also has a first-hand understanding of the legislative process, having served as Chief Tax Counsel on the House Ways and Means Committee and as Chief of Staff on the Joint Committee on Taxation.
    “Mr. Kies, if confirmed, I look forward to working with you to deliver on President Trump’s economic agenda.
    “Thank you again, Mr. Kimmitt and Mr. Kies, for your time today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Two New Orleans Men Indicted for Bank Robbery and Possession of Stolen Vehicle

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – KAILUS JAMES (“JAMES”), age29, and CEDRIC MAY (“MAY”), age 31, were charged on April 4, 2025, in a three-count indictment, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. Count 1 charged them with conspiracy to commit bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. Count 2 charged them with bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2113(a) and (d), and 2. Count 3 charged them with possession of a stolen vehicle, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2313 and 2.

    According to the indictment, on or about March 15, 2025, JAMES and MAY stole approximately $98,320.00 of United States currency, belonging to and in the care, custody, control, management, and possession of a JP Morgan Chase Bank, in New Orleans.

    If convicted, JAMES and MAY face a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release, for Count 1; up to 25 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release for Count 2; and up to 20 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release for Count 3.  JAMES and MAY also face a payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee as to all three counts.

    Acting United States Attorney Simpson reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crimes Unit.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the April Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Jesus Sebastian Herrera Chavez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country. Chavez, 21, a Mexican National, is charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was an alien illegally in the United States. Further, Chavez intentionally assaulted someone with a firearm. The ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-125

    Jimmie Leroy Cox, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession of a Machinegun in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Cox, 63, of Fairland, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Cox is also charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and maintaining a residence to distribute methamphetamine. Additionally, Cox knowingly possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-110

    Victor Hubert Dominguez-Castro. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Dominguez-Castro, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-116

    Leonard Ray Ellis. Robbery in Indian Country; First Degree Burglary. Ellis, 40, of Inola and a member of the Osage Nation, is charged with taking property of value by force and violence. He is further charged with breaking into an occupied home intending to commit a crime. The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-111

    Ryan Leon French; Lexie Renee French. Production of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography. Ryan French, 46, and Lexie French, 42, of Tulsa, are charged with coercing a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of child sexual abuse material. Ryan French is further charged with possessing videos depicting child sexual abuse material. The FBI, the Tulsa Police Department, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-117

    Maria Gabriela Labrada Rico. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rico, 39, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2018. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-118

    Robert Nicholas Long. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor;Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography; Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender. Long, 36, of Tulsa, is charged with attempting to coerce and entice a minor child to engage in sexual activity and knowingly receiving and distributing visual images and videos that depict the sexual abuse of children. He is further charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children under 12 years old. As a registered sex offender, Long committed a felony involving a minor child. The Homeland Security Investigations and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shakema Onias is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-132

    Pablo Lopez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Lopez-Ramirez, 44, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2013. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-119

    Joshua Clay Murphy. Threatening to Assault and Murder a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of a Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer with Intent to Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate; Threatening to Assault and Murder Immediate Family Members of Federal Law Enforcement Officers with Intent to Impede, Intimidate, Interfere, and Retaliate. Murphy, 47, of Milfay, is charged with retaliating against a former federal law enforcement officer by threatening to assault and murder the former officer and their family. Further, Murphy knowingly threatened to assault and murder federal law enforcement officers and their families with intent to impede or interfere with the officers’ duties. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-131

    Oscar Najera-De La Cruz. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Najera-De La Cruz, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Mar. 2014. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-120

    Jose Ramon Portillo-Chavez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Portillo-Chavez, 47, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2010. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-121

    Nick Lee Ramirez; Destiny Rayleen Steward. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Ramirez, 39, and Steward, 25, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. They knowingly possessed methamphetamine and more than 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute and maintained a residence for the purpose of drug distribution. Additionally, they both possessed a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Steward possessed a firearm, knowing she was previously convicted of felonies. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam McConney is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-122

    Raciel Ramirez-Vasquez Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Ramirez-Vasquez, 31, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in May 2016. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-124

    Dominic Rocky Torres. Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery; Hobbs Act Robbery; Aiding and Abetting Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Torres, 22, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with conspiring with others and aiding and abetting others to obstruct commerce by robbery. Further, he knowingly aided and abetted in brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Todd and Jessica Wright are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-112

    Jose Pedro Zelaya-Figueroa. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Zelaya-Figueroa, 53, a Honduran national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2011. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Buscemi is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-123

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma City Trio Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Child Sex Trafficking and Witness Tampering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTWON MONTRELL JACKSON, 43, and SARAH LARAYNA HOLLAND, 39, both of Oklahoma City, have pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit child sex trafficking, and SHANIKKA NICOLE JACKSON, 46, of Las Vegas, Nevada, has pleaded guilty to witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 20, 2025, a federal Grand Jury charged Antwon Jackson and Holland by Second Superseding Indictment with conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking and child sex trafficking. According to the public record, in July 2024, Antwon Jackson was Holland’s pimp, and the two worked together to set up commercial sex acts for both Holland and a minor female, using online advertisements to attract customers. Between July 20, 2024, and July 25, 2024, Holland and the minor engaged in commercial sex dates in multiple cities in the Western District of Oklahoma. Customers would pay for the sex act utilizing CashApp, and the majority of the money went to Antwon Jackson.

    On April 4, 2025, Shanikka Jackson, Antwon Jackson’s sister, was charged by Superseding Information with witness tampering. According to public record, between September 17, 2024, and December 5, 2024, Shanikka Jackson attempted to influence the minor to prevent her from testifying in the pending federal trial of Antwon Jackson.

    Last week, Antwon Jackson and Holland pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the Second Superseding Indictment, and admitted they conspired to sex traffic a minor, set up commercial sex dates for the minor, benefited financially from those dates, and that they knew when they trafficked the minor, she was under 18 years old. Holland admitted she posted the online ads and transported the minor to commercial sex dates. Antwon Jackson admitted he directed Holland to post the ads and communicated with potential customers who had responded to the ads for the minor in an effort to set up dates. 

    Today, Shanikka Jackson pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted she attempted to pass a message from Antwon Jackson to the victim, to try and influence the victim not to testify against her brother.

    At sentencing, both Antwon Jackson and Holland face up to life in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 each. Shanikka Jackson faces up to three years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Warr Acres Police Department, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Elizabeth Joynes are prosecuting the case.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: Expatriate Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Kill U.S. Senator and Staff

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    WILMINGTON, N.C. – An American citizen living in Thailand pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening to kill United States Senator Thom Tillis and his staff.  Eric Charles Welton, 53, pled guilty to one count of threatening a federal official on account of his duties.

    According to court documents and information presented in court, Welton made multiple harassing and intimidating calls to the offices of Republican elected officials and GOP organizations in the United States. Welton claimed he made the threatening calls because he was angry about the large number of unsolicited political emails he received.  In September of 2021, Welton spoke with a staff member at the Senator’s Raleigh office and threatened to show up and “put a bullet through each of [their] heads.” Welton also threatened to come to North Carolina and “mow…down” the “whole [expletive] state,” and find the person who emailed him and cut off his hands.

    “Threatening to kill a public official and his staff is not only despicable, but also an affront to our democratic system of government,” Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today.  “Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute threats or intimidation against public officials, so they can properly carry out their important duties.”

    “It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone. But when threats are directed at elected officials, it can impact their ability to effectively serve their constituents and their country. The FBI will not tolerate this type of intimidation for any reason especially when it comes to those who help run our democracy,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI in North Carolina.

    Welton pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison when sentenced in July.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-192-M-RN.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI Security: State Senate Campaign Treasurer Admits Lying to Federal Grand Jury

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESSICA MARTINEZ, 43, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to making a false declaration before a federal grand jury.

    As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Martinez was the Treasurer for the campaign of Dennis A. Bradley, who was running for a Connecticut State Senate seat in 2018.  The Citizens’ Election Program (“CEP”) is a voluntary public election-financing program under which candidates for Connecticut state offices can apply to the State Elections Enforcement Commission (“SEEC”) for grants to fund their primary and general election campaigns.  On March 15, 2018, the Bradley campaign held an event at Dolphin’s Cove restaurant in Bridgeport.  Although CEP rules imposed a $2,000 limit on a State Senate candidate’s expenditure of personal funds, Bradley used personal funds to pay Dolphin’s Cove $5,597.31 for the campaign event, used personal funds for additional campaign expenditures related to the event, and received campaign contributions from several contributors at the event.  In subsequent filings with SEEC, the campaign omitted the Dolphin’s Cove event and that Bradley had incurred more than $6,000 in expenses related to it, and misrepresented the dates of contributions the campaign had received on March 15, 2018.  In July 2018, SEEC issued the campaign $84,140 in public funds.

    On September 23, 2020, Martinez appeared as a witness under oath before a federal grand jury in New Haven.  When asked about the Dolphin’s Cove event, Martinez falsely stated, “Dolphin’s Cove had zero to do with me and the campaign.  Dolphin’s Cove was a BDK event, (Bradley’s) law firm’s event, thanking the community, in which I knew State Senator Bradley was going to announce his run for state senate.” Martinez further stated, “There was no fundraising there.  There was no fundraising there.  But at any rate, I was not the treasurer yet.  The campaign did not begin. That was a BDK event.”

    The charge of making a false statement before the grand jury carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

    Martinez was arrested on May 25, 2021.  She is released on a $250,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

    Bradley is awaiting trial in this matter.  Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: HUMBL, Inc. Announces Unwinding of Share Exchange Agreement with NUBURU, Inc.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    San Diego, CA, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HUMBL, Inc. (OTC: HMBL), a U.S.-based holding company with a focus on technology, today announced the mutual unwinding of its previously announced $2 million Share Exchange Agreement and Master Distribution Agreement with NUBURU, Inc., effective immediately.

    The decision was driven by HUMBL, Inc.’s strategic focus on enhancing shareholder value and limiting further dilution in non-core segments of its business. The company is now fully directing its efforts toward expanding its newly announced joint venture with MultiCortex, LLC, a U.S. and Brazilian-based artificial intelligence company focused on high-performance computing and advanced inference systems.

    “We appreciated the early opportunities presented through the NUBURU initiative, but ultimately, our strategic roadmap is best served by focusing on long-term, high-value ventures like our joint venture with MultiCortex AI,” said Thiago Moura, CEO of HUMBL. “The MultiCortex AI joint venture has the potential to position HUMBL, Inc. at the intersection of AI growth between the U.S. and Latin America.”

    The MultiCortex AI collaboration marks the latest addition to HUMBL, Inc.’s portfolio, aimed at creating more connected technology sales and development between the U.S. and Latin America.

    About HUMBL, Inc.

    HUMBL, Inc. is shifting toward a strategic holding company model under the leadership of CEO Thiago Moura, Principal of Ybyra Capital — a Brazilian holding company with diversified investments, such as commodities and mining.

    The company’s unique structure enables it to create two-way distribution pipelines throughout the United States and Latin America, leveraging Ybyra Capital’s established regional presence to offer strategic partners immediate access to high-growth markets.

    The company most recently announced a joint venture with a U.S. and Brazilian-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) company. MULTICORTEX | HPC FOR AI

    HUMBL, Inc. (OTC: HMBL)

    Investor Relations: IR@humbl.com
    Media Contact: Media@humbl.com

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact included herein are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “may,” “will,” “could,” and similar expressions. All forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with the ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the joint venture, competitive conditions, and general market dynamics. HUMBL, Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law.

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Targa Resources Corp. Declares Increase to Quarterly Common Dividend and Announces Timing of First Quarter 2025 Earnings Webcast

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP) (“Targa” or the “Company”) announced today that its board of directors has declared an increase to its quarterly cash dividend to $1.00 per common share, or $4.00 per common share on an annualized basis, for the first quarter of 2025, consistent with previously disclosed expectations. This dividend represents a 33 percent increase over the common dividend declared with respect to the first quarter of 2024. This cash dividend will be paid May 15, 2025 on all outstanding common shares to holders of record as of the close of business on April 30, 2025.

    The Company will report its first quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens for trading on Thursday, May 1, 2025, and will host a live webcast over the internet at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (10:00 a.m. Central Time) to discuss its 2025 first quarter financial results.

    Event Information
    Event: Targa Resources Corp. First Quarter 2025 Earnings Webcast and Presentation
    Date: Thursday, May 1, 2025
    Time: 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time
    Webcast: https://www.targaresources.com/investors/events or directly at https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/waa5bt3q

    Replay Information 
    A webcast replay will be available at the link above approximately two hours after the conclusion of the event. A quarterly earnings supplement presentation and updated investor presentation will also be available at https://www.targaresources.com/investors/events.

    About Targa Resources Corp.

    Targa Resources Corp. is a leading provider of midstream services and is one of the largest independent infrastructure companies in North America. The Company owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of complementary domestic midstream infrastructure assets and its operations are critical to the efficient, safe and reliable delivery of energy across the United States and increasingly to the world. The Company’s assets connect natural gas and NGLs to domestic and international markets with growing demand for cleaner fuels and feedstocks. The Company is primarily engaged in the business of: gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, and purchasing and selling natural gas; transporting, storing, fractionating, treating, and purchasing and selling NGLs and NGL products, including services to LPG exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling, and purchasing and selling crude oil.

    Targa is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in the S&P 500.

    For more information, please visit the Company’s website at www.targaresources.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements in this release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our projected financial performance, capital spending and payment of future dividends. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties, factors and risks, many of which are outside the Company’s control, which could cause results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Company. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, actions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) and non-OPEC oil producing countries, weather, political, economic and market conditions, including a decline in the price and market demand for natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil, the timing and success of our completion of capital projects and business development efforts, the expected growth of volumes on our systems, the impact of significant public health crises, commodity price volatility due to ongoing or new global conflicts, the impact of disruptions in the bank and capital markets, including those resulting from lack of access to liquidity for banking and financial services firms, and other uncertainties. These and other applicable uncertainties, factors and risks are described more fully in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Targa Investor Relations
    InvestorRelations@targaresources.com
    (713) 584-1133

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Clairvest Partners with NCS Engineers

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clairvest Group Inc. (TSX: CVG) (“CVG”) today announced that it, together with Clairvest Equity Partners VII (“CEP VII”, collectively “Clairvest”), has made a minority equity investment in NCS Engineers (“NCS” or the “Company”) to support the Company’s growth, employee development and customer delivery. The transaction is part of Clairvest’s multi-year focus on the environmental consulting & engineering domain and represents our first partnership in this sector.

    Founded in 1998 by CEO Ramesh (“Ram”) Narasimham, NCS provides turn-key water and wastewater engineering solutions across the U.S., with a focus on Arizona, Nevada, California, Texas, Maryland, and Virginia. The Company provides mission-critical engineering services for water infrastructure projects including water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, and water storage.

    “U.S. water and wastewater systems face critical issues, which in turn are creating opportunities for engineering firms to offer solutions which tackle challenges ranging from aging infrastructure, water scarcity, climate resiliency, and emerging contaminants. We are excited to partner with Ram and the management team at NCS Engineers as we support their vision of leveraging their strong reputation with clients to grow across the U.S.,” said Michael Castellarin, Managing Director of Clairvest.

    “Partnering with Clairvest positions us to create new and exciting opportunities for our employees and will allow us to better serve our clients. This new partnership will advance our growth ambitions and fuel investment in innovation and acquisitions. With a shared vision, Clairvest’s expertise in helping its management partners scale their business makes them the ideal partner as we take our company to the next level,” said Ram Narasimham, Founder and CEO of NCS.

    The NCS Engineers investment is Clairvest’s 68th platform investment and the second investment of CEP VII, a US$1.2 billion investment pool, US$300M of which is from CVG.

    About Clairvest
    Clairvest’s mission is to partner with entrepreneurs to help them build strategically significant businesses. Founded in 1987 by a group of successful Canadian entrepreneurs, Clairvest is a top performing private equity management firm with CAD $4.6 billion of capital under management. Clairvest invests its own capital and that of third parties through the Clairvest Equity Partners limited partnerships in owner-led businesses. Under the current management team, Clairvest has initiated investments in 68 different platform companies and generated top quartile performance over an extended period.

    Contact Information
    Stephanie Lo
    Director of Investor Relations and Marketing
    Clairvest Group Inc.
    Tel: (416) 925-9270
    stephaniel@clairvest.com

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: TC Energy to issue first quarter 2025 results on May 1 and hold annual meeting of common shareholders on May 8

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — News Release – TC Energy Corporation (TSX, NYSE: TRP) (TC Energy or the Company) will release its first quarter 2025 financial results on Thursday, May 1 at 6:30 a.m. MDT / 8:30 a.m. EDT and hold its 2025 annual meeting of common shareholders on Thursday, May 8, at 10 a.m. MDT / 12 p.m. EDT.

    First quarter 2025 financial results
    François Poirier, TC Energy President and Chief Executive Officer, Sean O’Donnell, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the executive leadership team will discuss the financial results and Company developments on Thursday, May 1 at 6:30 a.m. MDT / 8:30 a.m. EDT.

    Members of the investment community and other interested parties are invited to participate by calling 1-833-752-3826 (Canada/U.S. toll free) or 1-647-846-8864 (International toll). No passcode is required. Please dial in 15 minutes prior to the start of the call. Alternatively, participants may pre-register for the call here.

    Upon registering, you will receive a calendar booking by email with dial in details and a unique PIN. This process will bypass the operator and avoid the queue. Registration will remain open until the end of the conference call.

    A live webcast of the teleconference will be available on TC Energy’s website at TC Energy – Events and presentations or via the following URL: https://www.gowebcasting.com/13942. The webcast will be available for replay following the meeting.

    A replay of the teleconference will be available two hours after the conclusion of the call until midnight EDT on May 8, 2025. Please call 1-855-669-9658 (Canada/U.S. toll free) or 1-412-317-0088 (International toll) and enter passcode 6585702.

    2025 annual meeting
    TC Energy is also pleased to announce that it has filed its 2025 Management Information Circular, along with the related meeting and proxy materials, for its annual meeting of common shareholders (the Meeting) to be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 10 a.m. MDT / 12 p.m. EDT. The Meeting will be held in a virtual-only format via live video webcast. The webcast, including the live question and answer session, will be recorded and archived for replay following the Meeting.

    The 2025 Management Information Circular, including information on the business of the Meeting, is available on our website at www.tcenergy.com and under TC Energy’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

    For more information on participating in the live virtual meeting, please visit the annual meeting page on our website at 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

    About TC Energy
    We’re a team of 6,500+ energy problem solvers connecting the world to the energy it needs. Our extensive network of natural gas infrastructure assets is one-of-a-kind. We seamlessly move, generate and store energy and deliver it to where it is needed most, to homes and businesses in North America and across the globe through LNG exports. Our natural gas assets are complemented by our strategic ownership and low-risk investments in power generation.

    TC Energy’s common shares trade on the Toronto (TSX) and New York (NYSE) stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. To learn more, visit us at TCEnergy.com.

    FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
    This release contains certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe”, “may”, “will”, “should”, “estimate”, “intend” or other similar words). Forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide TC Energy security holders and potential investors with information regarding TC Energy and its subsidiaries, including management’s assessment of TC Energy’s and its subsidiaries’ future plans and financial outlook. All forward-looking statements reflect TC Energy’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made and as such are not guarantees of future performance. As actual results could vary significantly from the forward-looking information, you should not put undue reliance on forward-looking information and should not use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. We do not update our forward-looking information due to new information or future events, unless we are required to by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to the most recent Quarterly Report to Shareholders and Annual Report filed under TC Energy’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.

    -30-

    Media Inquiries:
    Media Relations
    media@tcenergy.com
    403-920-7859 or 800-608-7859

    Investor & Analyst Inquiries:
    Gavin Wylie / Hunter Mau
    investor_relations@tcenergy.com
    403-920-7911 or 800-361-6522

    PDF available: http://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/0c6d0642-71b0-458e-815f-875a1bcf958b

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Mattr Announces Protocol for Its Annual Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mattr Corp. (“Mattr” or the “Company”) (TSX: MATR) announced today in connection with the filing of its Management Proxy Circular (the “Circular”), that it will be hosting its Annual Meeting (“Meeting”) on May 15, 2025 at 2:00pm EDT. The Company will be conducting an administrative-only Meeting, held in a hybrid meeting format which can be accessed via live webcast at: https://meetings.lumiconnect.com/400-728-282-283 or in person in the Rouge Room at the Marriott Markham, 170 Enterprise Blvd., Markham, Ontario. Registered shareholders will have the opportunity to attend, ask questions and vote at the Meeting in real time through the live webcast or in person. Shareholders are encouraged to vote prior to the meeting using one of the methods described in the Circular, the form of proxy or other materials provided by an intermediary. Registered shareholders may also submit questions in advance of the meeting to meghan.maceachern@mattr.com.

    Non-registered holders who have not duly appointed themselves as proxy may attend as guests but will not be able to vote. If you are a non-registered holder and wish to attend and participate in the Meeting either in person or via webcast, you should carefully follow the instructions set out on your voting information form and in the Circular relating to the Meeting, in order to appoint and register yourself as proxy, otherwise you will be required to login to the webcast as a guest.

    Mattr has elected to use the “notice-and-access” provisions under NI 54-101 for the Meeting in respect of the mailing of the Meeting materials to registered and beneficial shareholders other than those who have explicitly rejected delivery by electronic means. The notice-and-access provisions are a set of rules developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that reduce the volume of materials required to be physically mailed to shareholders by allowing a reporting issuer to post its proxy-related Meeting materials online.

    Additional information on the Meeting, including with respect to the business to be covered, can be found in the Circular and the other Meeting materials as filed on www.SEDARplus.com and on the Company’s website at Proxy Materials & Annual Financials | Mattr. For a more detailed business update, the Company encourages shareholders to listen to the Q1 2025 earnings call webcast which will take place earlier in the day, at 9:00am EDT, and can be accessed via the Company’s website.

    About Mattr

    Mattr is a growth-oriented, global materials technology company broadly serving critical infrastructure markets, including transportation, communication, water management, energy and electrification. Its two business segments, Composite Technologies and Connection Technologies, enable responsible renewal and enhancement of critical infrastructure.

    For further information, please contact

    Meghan MacEachern
    VP, Investor Relations & External Communications
    Telephone: 437.341.1848
    Email: meghan.maceachern@mattr.com
    Website: www.mattr.com

    Source: Mattr Corp.

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Peters, Walberg Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Bridge Digital Divide

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)

    Washington, DC – Today, Congressmen Scott Peters (D-CA) and Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced the Proper Leadership to Align Networks (PLAN) for Broadband Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would require the Administration to develop and implement a national strategy to close the digital divide. 

    The PLAN for Broadband Act is based on a Government Accountability Office report that found federal broadband efforts are fragmented and overlapping. The report recommended that a national broadband strategy is needed to avoid duplication and ensure funds are reaching the truly unserved and underserved.

    “We allocated historic funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to ensure every American – no matter where you live – has access to high-speed internet and the vast opportunities that reliable broadband coverage provides in today’s digital world,” said Rep. Peters. “But it won’t help anyone if the money just sits in the bank or is spent inefficiently. The PLAN for Broadband Act would establish a much-needed coordinated national strategy across the over 100 existing federal programs to close the digital divide. Our bipartisan legislation will streamline the deployment of these funds so we can deliver high-speed broadband at a rate that meets the urgency of this moment.

    “In today’s digital age, having access to reliable broadband service is integral to our economy, education, and most aspects of our daily lives,” said Rep. Walberg. “Experts have testified that while we have enough funding to close the digital divide, we don’t have the coordination necessary to effectively allocate these resources to the communities that need it most. We must develop a roadmap to improve the efficiency and coordination of federal broadband programs so that we can streamline efforts and accelerate the deployment of broadband. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues to ensure that more Americans gain access to the high-speed broadband they need to thrive.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Montauk Renewables, Inc. and American Environmental Landfill, Inc. Break Ground on Tulsa RNG Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PITTSBURGH, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Montauk Renewables, Inc. (“Montauk” or “the Company”) (NASDAQ: MNTK) announces that its subsidiary, Tulsa LFG, LLC broke ground on a Renewable Natural Gas (“RNG”) landfill gas project at the American Environmental Landfill, Inc. (“AEL”) in Tulsa, Oklahoma in a ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 (the “Project”).

    The Project is accompanied by an extension of its existing gas rights and lease agreement with the landfill host, American Environmental Landfill, Inc. (“AEL”). With a variable inlet capacity design, the new RNG facility is anticipated to have a production nameplate capacity averaging approximately 1,500 MMBtu per day, capable of beneficially processing all of the available inlet gas feedstock from its host landfill, which has been meaningfully increasing through Montauk’s wellfield investment over the past year.

    “Montauk is excited to announce the development of our new RNG facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in continued support of AEL, one of our most prized relationships in our portfolio,” said Sean McClain, Montauk Renewables CEO. “We believe this project is indicative of our core growth strategy, to align ourselves with exemplary host businesses, and synchronize their growth needs with our development initiatives. The strong historical and continued growth of available feedstock at this project location is a great example of how successful these partnerships can be.”

    Montauk expects its project capital investment to range between $25 million to $35 million and has a targeted commissioning date in the first quarter of 2027. 

    About Montauk Renewables, Inc.

    Montauk Renewables, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNTK) is a renewable energy company specializing in the management, recovery and conversion of biogas into RNG. The Company captures methane, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere, and converts it into either RNG or electrical power for the electrical grid (“Renewable Electricity”). The Company, headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has more than 30 years of experience in the development, operation and management of landfill methane-fueled renewable energy projects. The Company has operations at 13 projects and ongoing development projects located in California, Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. The Company sells RNG and Renewable Electricity, taking advantage of Environmental Attribute premiums available under federal and state policies that incentivize their use. For more information, visit. https://ir.montaukrenewables.com

    Company Contact:

    John Ciroli
    Chief Legal Officer (CLO) & Secretary
    investors@montaukrenewables.com
    (412) 747-8700

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Georg Venturatos
    Gateway Group
    MNTK@Gateway-grp.com
    (949) 574-3860

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3114c2cb-3a43-49a0-aa37-af485d21db34

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/103e7888-8ca6-4d25-9cf3-c45659f3f484

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4577cfec-6301-4426-af59-ef56ad861f8c

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. Announces Rights Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CLM) (CUSIP: 21924B302) (the “Fund”) announced today that, contingent upon final approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), it has set the close of business on April 21, 2025 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for determination of stockholders entitled to participate in the Fund’s 1-for-3 rights offering. The Fund is issuing to its stockholders non-transferable rights entitling the holders to subscribe for an aggregate of 84,252,329 shares of common stock. Each stockholder will receive one non-transferable right for each share of the Fund held as of the Record Date.  Fractional shares will not be issued upon the exercise of the rights. Accordingly, the number of rights to be issued to a stockholder on the Record Date will be rounded up to the nearest whole number of rights evenly divisible by three. For every three rights a stockholder receives, he or she will be entitled (but not required) to purchase one new share of the Fund at a subscription price equal to the greater of (i) 112% of net asset value per share as calculated at the close of trading on the expiration date of the offering or (ii) 80% of the market price per share at such time.  Fractional shares will not be issued.  In addition to the shares offered in the primary subscription, the Fund may offer a 100% over-allotment to oversubscribing stockholders.  Stockholders who fully subscribe in the primary offering will have the option to oversubscribe for additional shares, to the extent available.

    The subscription period will commence shortly after the Record Date, and will expire at 5:00 p.m., EDT, on Friday, May 16, 2025, (the “Expiration Date”) unless extended. The actual subscription price per share will be determined on the Expiration Date.

    Shares will be issued within the 15-day period immediately following the record date of the Fund’s May 2025 monthly distribution to stockholders. Stockholders exercising their rights to purchase shares pursuant to the offering will not be entitled to receive such distribution with respect to the shares issued pursuant to such exercise.

    This press release is not intended to and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to subscribe for or buy or an invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The offering is subject to an effective registration statement covering the rights and shares to be issued and to other customary regulatory filings and approvals.  Any rights offering conducted by the Fund will be made only by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. is a closed-end, diversified management investment company and is registered with the SEC under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

    Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. is traded on the NYSE American LLC under the trading symbol “CLM”. The Fund’s investment adviser is Cornerstone Advisors, LLC, which also serves as the investment adviser to another closed-end fund, Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (NYSE American: CRF). For more information regarding Cornerstone Strategic Investment Fund, Inc. or Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. please visit www.cornerstonestrategicinvestmentfund.com, and www.cornerstonetotalreturnfund.com.

    Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. An investment in the Fund is subject to certain risks, including market risk. In general, shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from their net asset value and at the time of sale may be trading on the exchange at a price which is more or less than the original purchase price or the net asset value. An investor should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objective, risks, charges and expenses. Please read the Fund’s disclosure documents before investing.

    In addition to historical information, this release contains forward-looking statements, which may concern, among other things, domestic and foreign markets, industry and economic trends and developments and government regulation and their potential impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the factors set forth in the Fund’s disclosure documents, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and actual trends, developments and regulations in the future, and their impact on the Fund could be materially different from those projected, anticipated or implied. The Fund has no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Dime Continues to Execute Growth Plan With Hire of Deposit-Focused Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCOM) (the “Company” or “Dime”), the parent company of Dime Community Bank (the “Bank”) announced that it has hired a deposit-focused Group that will cover the Queens market. The Group will be led by George Taitt and Amy Grandy. The Group was previously employed with the former Signature Bank and its successor, Flagstar Bank.

    Stuart H. Lubow, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dime said, “We are excited to announce the addition of another talented deposit-focused Group. George and Amy are highly respected bankers with a long and successful track record. We continue to capitalize on the disruption in our marketplace and remain focused on executing our growth plan in a thoughtful and targeted manner.”

    “We were attracted by Dime’s strong track record of bringing on new teams seamlessly, its bank-wide culture and belief in teamwork that leads to an exceptional client experience, and the Bank’s robust treasury management and technology capabilities. Both Amy and I are excited to be part of Dime’s growth plans,” said George Taitt.

    ABOUT DIME COMMUNITY BANCSHARES, INC.

    Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. is the holding company for Dime Community Bank, a New York State-chartered trust company with over $14 billion in assets and the number one deposit market share among community banks on Greater Long Island (1).

    Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.
    Investor Relations Contact:
    Avinash Reddy
    Senior Executive Vice President – Chief Financial Officer
    Phone: 718-782-6200; Ext. 5909
    Email: avinash.reddy@dime.com

    ¹ Aggregate deposit market share for Kings, Queens, Nassau & Suffolk counties for community banks with less than $20 billion in assets.

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI: Transocean Ltd. Announces First Quarter 2025 Earnings Release Date

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STEINHAUSEN, Switzerland, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) announced today that it will report earnings for the first quarter 2025 on Monday, April 28, 2025.

    The company will conduct a teleconference to discuss the results starting at 9 a.m. EDT, 3 p.m. CEST, on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Individuals who wish to participate should dial +1 785-424-1619 approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and refer to conference code 119877.

    The teleconference will be simulcast in a listen-only mode at: www.deepwater.com, by selecting Investors, News, and Webcasts. A replay of the conference call will be available after 12 p.m. EDT, 6 p.m. CEST, on April 29, 2025. The replay, which will be archived for approximately 30 days, can be accessed at +1 402-220-7202, passcode 119877. The replay also will be available on the company’s website.

    About Transocean

    Transocean is a leading international provider of offshore contract drilling services for oil and gas wells. The company specializes in technically demanding sectors of the global offshore drilling business with a particular focus on ultra-deepwater and harsh environment drilling services and operates the highest specification floating offshore drilling fleet in the world.

    Transocean owns or has partial ownership interests in and operates a fleet of 34 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting of 26 ultra-deepwater floaters and eight harsh environment floaters.

    For more information about Transocean, please visit: www.deepwater.com.

    Analyst Contact:
    Alison Johnson
    +1 713-232-7214

    Media Contact:
    Pam Easton
    +1 713-232-7647

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025
  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed & Young Introduce Bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – The latest results for U.S. adults on the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) are sobering.  Between  2017 and 2023 literacy and numeracy skills sank, with the percentage of adults at the lowest performance levels increasing from 19 to 28 percent in literacy and from 29 to 34 percent in numeracy. And, at current funding levels, adult education programs reach only an estimated 1.1 million people across the nation.
    In an effort to connect more Americans to adult education opportunities and boost our economy, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Todd Young (R-IN) today reintroduced the Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act (the Adult Education WORKS Act), to reauthorize adult education programs and expand upon the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). Congresswoman Lucy McBath (D-GA-6) is leading introduction of companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    A study commissioned by the Barbara Bush Foundation estimates that getting all American adults to the equivalent of a sixth-grade reading level would add $2.2 trillion to the country’s annual income. Without the opportunities provided by adult education programs — like numeracy, literacy, digital literacy, English language skills, soft skills, work readiness, high school equivalency, and other wraparound services — many adults will be left on the sidelines of an economy that needs more qualified workers in order to grow.
    The Adult Education WORKS Act provides a roadmap for addressing this crisis by updating WIOA and by strengthening and expanding access to adult education services. Specifically, the legislation calls for nearly doubling the authorized funding for adult education by 2030 to $1.35 billion while making significant changes to the adult education system. Critical for achieving success in modern workplaces and for navigating everyday life, the bill calls for a new emphasis on digital and information literacy. Furthermore, the legislation will help to enhance the role of adult education providers by ensuring representation in the workforce planning process, with a focus on college and career navigators in public libraries and community-based organizations.
    The Adult Education WORKS Act invests in the professionalization of the adult education field, strengthening state certification policies, encouraging full-time staffing models, and expanding professional development opportunities and career pathways for adult educators. Investments will enhance innovation and provide increased accountability through pilot projects that test new approaches to measuring program performance and outcomes for adult learners.
    “Strengthening adult education programs is essential to growing our economy and ensuring business owners have enough qualified workers. Adult education is the ticket to a more prosperous and successful life,” said Senator Reed.  “The Adult Education WORKS Act will help ensure that more Americans can access educational programs that will equip them with in-demand skills to take the opportunities that are available to them.” 
    “It’s critical that all Hoosiers have the tools necessary to succeed in the modern economy – and that starts with strengthening adult education,” said Senator Young. “Our bipartisan bill would bolster critical services for adult learners, while also making important updates that ensure participants are prepared for the 21st century workforce.”
    “With so many adults at low literacy and numeracy rates, it is crucial that we provide them an option to gain the skills they need to succeed,” said Rep. McBath. “No adult or family should be left on the sidelines, and the expertise available through these programs often mean the difference between a job that supports a family and struggling to make ends meet. The Adult Education WORKS Act will ensure that essential skills will be taught to adult learners nationwide. I thank my colleagues for their support on this bipartisan bill.”
    The Adult Education WORKS Act would amend Title I and reauthorize Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), which was signed into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA was designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Congress passed the Act with a wide bipartisan majority and it was the first legislative reform of the public workforce system since 1998.
    The legislation is supported by the Coalition for Adult Basic Education (COABE), American Library Association (ALA), National Coalition for Literacy (NCL), National Skills Coalition, ProLiteracy, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), TESOL International Association, and the Urban Libraries Council.
    “Through investment and innovation, adult education is the solution to bridging the widening skills gap and ensuring American employers can fill open roles with qualified individuals. The bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act would strengthen adult education and help equip millions of American adults with the literacy, numeracy, and digital and information literacy skills needed to secure in-demand jobs that provide family-sustaining wages. COABE is grateful for Senator Reed and Senator Young’s engagement with the adult education field to develop this bill and applauds them and Representative McBath for sponsoring it in the Senate and House of Representatives. COABE is proud to give its full support to the bipartisan Adult Education WORKS Act.” said Sharon Bonney, CEO of COABE.
    “Adult learners and programs would greatly benefit from the changes proposed to WIOA in the Adult Education WORKS Act. This bipartisan bill acknowledges the need for increased investment in adult education and includes key provisions to enhance professional development for educators, promote integrated education and training concurrently with other adult education activities and services, ensure adults learners gain critical digital and information literacy skills, and foster stronger coordination between workforce and adult education programs. By addressing these barriers within the WIOA system, the Adult Education WORKS Act ensures adults have access to the skills and guidance needed to move on to college or a career pathway.” said Shaketta Thomas, President of COABE.
    “Every day, library patrons turn to their local library for employment services and to make themselves more competitive in today’s job market. Librarians provide resources to the unemployed and underemployed to help their career goals become a reality” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “The bipartisan Adult Education Workforce Opportunity and Reskilling for Knowledge and Success Act (Adult Education WORKS Act) will address workforce challenges by updating the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to strengthen and expand access to adult education services. ALA strongly endorses the Adult Education WORKS Act.”
    “Adult Education is an essential lifeline for adults in the U.S. who lack sufficient foundational skills and are struggling to find meaningful employment and live productive, happy lives.  The Adult Education WORKS Act will improve the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) by:   promoting better coordination between the adult education and workforce development systems, increasing access to enhanced adult education services, and getting more of our lowest-skilled adults into education and training pathways.  Simply put, the Adult Education WORKS Act will provide the necessary skills, expand the employment opportunities and improve the lives of millions of adults in the U.S., which will result in a more skilled workforce, a stronger economy and healthier communities across America,” said Jeffrey A. Fantine, Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Coalition for Literacy.
    “TESOL International Association, on behalf of its members who proudly serve the English Language Teaching (ELT) profession, supports Senators Reed and Young’s Adult Education WORKS Act, as it strengthens and expands access to adult education services through WIOA for all adult learners, more than half of whom are multilingual learners of English seeking to better themselves, their communities, and their nation,” said Jeff Hutcheson, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy for TESOL.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
←Previous Page
1 … 521 522 523 524 525 … 1,007
Next Page→
NewzIntel.com

NewzIntel.com

MIL Open Source Intelligence

  • Blog
  • About
  • FAQs
  • Authors
  • Events
  • Shop
  • Patterns
  • Themes

Twenty Twenty-Five

Designed with WordPress