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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Releases $30 Million for Infrastructure Improvements in 46 Small Towns

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is releasing $30 million in state grants to 46 small towns in Connecticut that will be used to complete a wide variety of infrastructure improvements, such as road safety reconstruction projects, emergency management upgrades, sidewalk and pedestrian safety enhancements, educational and recreational facility upgrades, and other kinds of capital improvement projects.

    The grants are being provided through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP), a state program managed by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) that delivers grants to small towns for economic development, community conservation, and quality-of-life capital projects. In addition to the grants from the state, each municipality is also contributing funds, bringing the total spent on the 48 projects to $43.4 million in a combination of state, local, and other funding sources.

    “Our small towns are an important part of what makes Connecticut such a special place to live and work,” Governor Lamont said. “By partnering with each town, we can help get these infrastructure projects completed so these towns can continue to thrive, remain competitive, attract businesses, and improve the quality of life for our residents.”

    Towns seeking funding under this current round of STEAP grants were required to submit applications to the state by February 20, 2025. Towns selected to receive grants will soon be contacted by OPM with an official award notification and further instructions. Funding to support these grants was recently approved by the State Bond Commission, a group that Governor Lamont leads as chairperson.

    The STEAP grants awarded in this round include:

    • Ashford: $400,000 in state funding is approved for the repaving of the Ashford Public Works Facility. This will be matched by $104,701 from the town.
    • Beacon Falls: $1 million in state funding is approved for Maple, Century, and Division Roadway rehabilitation and complete streets improvements. This will be matched by $927,150 from the town.
    • Berlin: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Berlin Peck Library reroofing and mechanical replacement project. This will be matched by $240,000 by the town.
    • Bolton: $427,863 in state funding is approved for Notch Road community event space. This will be matched by $89,250 from the town.
    • Branford: $1 million in state funding is approved for Town Center sidewalk improvements. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Brookfield: $545,000 in state funding is approved for Phase 1 of the Brookfield High School athletic fields renovations. This will be matched by $230,000 from the town.
    • Burlington: $255,664 in state funding is approved for the Town Hall Emergency Standby/Station 1 EMS Command Center. This will be matched by $63,916 from the town.
    • Canaan: $620,051 in state funding is approved for critical municipal infrastructure. This will be matched by $155,014 from the town.
    • Cheshire: $1 million in state funding is approved Phase II of Mixville Park improvements. This will be matched by $281,800 from the town.
    • Chester: $796,000 in state funding is approved for the infrastructure and repair of Three Local Bridges. This will be matched by $199,000 from the town.
    • Clinton: $543,600 in state funding is approved for the Clinton Public Works and Emergency Management Building. This will be matched by $135,900 from the town.
    • Colchester: $900,000 in state funding is approved for Lebanon Avenue Airline Trail Head and Mill Street streetscape improvements. This will be matched by $220,000 from the town.
    • Colebrook: $412,739.02 in state funding is approved for municipal roads and parking lot renovations. This will be matched by $103,184.76 from the town.
    • Durham: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Shady Lane reconstruction. This will be matched by $270,000 from the town.
    • Essex: $1 million in state funding is approved for Phase II of the Essex Public Works Campus Improvements. This will be matched by $1 million from the town.
    • Fairfield: $601,170 in state funding is approved for the repaving of Phase 2 of the Reef Road pedestrian improvements. This will be matched by $150,292 from the town.
    • Farmington: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Tunxis Mead Improvement Plan. This will be matched by $502,000 from the town.
    • Franklin: $100,000 in state funding is approved for the Franklin Elementary School/Emergency Shelter Generator Engineering and Acquisition. This will be matched by $20,000 from the town.
    • Granby: $579,825 in state funding is approved for the Salmon Brook Park Connector and Auxiliary Parking. This will be matched by $117,000 from the town.
    • Hampton: $500,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Windham Road. This will be matched by $220,000 from the town.
    • Ledyard: $892,888.10 in state funding is approved for the Town Playground Improvement Project. This will be matched by $179,000 from the town.
    • Litchfield: $500,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Wigwam Road. This will be matched by $873,190 from the town.
    • New Canaan: $300,000 in state funding is approved for Phase 2 improvements to Waveny Park Playground. This will be matched by $325,000 from the town, and $150,000 from the Friends of Waveny Playground.
    • Newington: $485,610.60 in state funding is approved for the Candlewyck Park Inclusive Playground. This will be matched by $121,365 from the town.
    • New Milford: $1 million in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of Merryall Road. This will be matched by $316,192 from the town.
    • Newtown: $600,000 in state funding is approved for the Newtown Community Center Splash Pad and Storage Facility. This will be matched by $573,000 from the town, and $48,000 from community donations.
    • North Branford: $1 million in state funding is approved Edward Smith Library HVAC Improvements. This will be matched by $850,000 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $76,800 in state funding is approved for Transfer Station Permanent Pads. This will be matched by $19,200 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $66,721.39 in state funding is approved for North Stonington Education Center Meeting Space Upgrade. This will be matched by $16,680.35 from the town.
    • North Stonington: $479,775 in state funding is approved for the improvement of Three Municipal Parking Lots and Culvert Pipe Replacement on Hangman Hill and Reutemann Road. This will be matched by $119,944 from the town.
    • Old Saybrook: $667,948 in state funding is approved for Ferry Road Soccer Field renovation. This will be matched by $222,649 from the town.
    • Orange: $600,000 in state funding is approved for parking lot paving and guardrail replacement. This will be matched by $150,000 from the town.
    • Plainville: $672,000 in state funding is approved for the reconstruction of recreational facilities at Charles H. Norton Park. This will be matched by $168,000 from the town.
    • Portland: $1 million in state funding is approved for Phase II of High Street Water Main Replacement and Road Reconstruction. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Preston: $450,000 in state funding is approved for Preston Community Park improvements. This will be matched by $100,000 from the town.
    • Putnam: $1 million in state funding is approved for Sports Complex improvements project. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Ridgefield: $280,640 in state funding is approved for concrete endwall replacement on Canterbury Lane. This will be matched by $102,160 from the town.
    • Roxbury: $1 million in state funding is approved for the Roxbury Volunteer Ambulance Building. This will be matched by $250,000 from the town.
    • Salem: $168,000 in state funding is approved for Salem Center Community Building upgrades. This will be matched by $34,000 from the town.
    • Salisbury: $328,000 in state funding is approved for Salisbury Recreational improvements. This will be matched by $82,000 from the town.
    • Scotland: $248,651 in state funding is approved for Municipal Safety Complex and Community Hall repairs and upgrades. This will be matched by $27,628 from the town.
    • Sharon: $1 million in state funding is approved for River Road pavement and embankment stabilization. This will be matched by $700,000 from the town.
    • Shelton: $1 million in state funding is approved for public facility and recreational enhancements. This will be matched by $200,000 from the town.
    • Sherman: $230,000 in state funding is approved to repair and renovate the Scouthouse. This will be matched by $46,000 from the town.
    • Somers: $191,224 in state funding is approved for the Connor’s Place Playground resurfacing. This will be matched by $47,806 from the town.
    • Union: $120,000 in state funding is approved for rehabilitation of Holland Road. This will be matched by $24,000 from the town.
    • Voluntown: $1 million in state funding is approved for Congdon Road Improvements. This will be matched by $250,000 from the town.
    • Westport: $1 million in state funding is approved for replacement of the Cross Highway Bridge over Deadman Brook. This will be matched by $1,130,154 from the town, and $619,846 from LoCIP funding.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Names New State Health Director

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Names New State Health Director

    NCDHHS Names New State Health Director
    jawerner

    Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, a distinguished physician, professor and public health champion, has been appointed as State Health Director and Chief Medical Officer for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and will begin his duties on Monday, June 2, 2025. He is widely recognized for his commitment to high-quality care for medically and socially complex patients, his leadership in medical education and his pioneering work to improve mental health and addiction services.

    “Dr. Greenblatt is an innovator and public health advocate with a long track record of increasing access to mental and physical health care in North Carolina,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “He has the vision and experience needed to lead our state’s public health efforts as we work to create a healthier North Carolina for all.”

    Dr. Greenblatt served for three decades as a general internist, educator and leader in Medicaid policy with Duke University Health System, earning recognition for his work to integrate behavioral health and addiction services into primary care.

    Since 2008, Dr. Greenblatt has led Duke’s Medicaid Network, first as Northern Piedmont Community Care, which was part of the statewide Community Care of North Carolina network. He continued as Medical Director of Duke’s Clinically Integrated Network under Medicaid transformation in 2021. This well-run network serves 100,000 Medicaid enrollees and supports dozens of practices.

    “I am honored to be chosen for this important role in improving the health and well-being of the more than 11 million North Carolinians that call this great state home,” said Dr. Greenblatt. “As a physician and educator, I know the value of making sure every person has access to mental and physical health care when they need it and in the setting that is most appropriate for them.”

    In 2012, he launched one of the nation’s first academic initiatives to promote safe opioid prescribing and expand treatment for opioid use disorder. He also served as Chair of the NC Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Secretary of the NC Medicaid Physician Advisory Group. As a long-time advocate for improved mental health care, Dr. Greenblatt has co-led the Durham Crisis Collaborative and actively contributed to local substance use and mental health planning efforts.

    El Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt, un distinguido médico, profesor y defensor de la salud pública, ha sido nombrado director de salud del estado y director médico del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte y comenzará sus funciones el lunes 2 de junio de 2025. Es ampliamente reconocido por su compromiso con la atención de alta calidad para pacientes médica y socialmente complejos, su liderazgo en educación médica y su trabajo pionero para mejorar los servicios de salud mental y adicción.

    “El Dr. Greenblatt es un innovador y defensor de la salud pública con un largo historial de aumentar el acceso a la atención de la salud mental y física en Carolina del Norte”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Tiene la visión y la experiencia necesarias para liderar los esfuerzos de salud pública de nuestro estado mientras trabajamos para crear una Carolina del Norte más saludable para todos”.

    El Dr. Greenblatt se desempeñó durante tres décadas como internista general, educador y líder en políticas de Medicaid con el Sistema de Salud de la Universidad de Duke, obteniendo reconocimiento por su trabajo para integrar los servicios de salud conductual y adicción en la atención primaria.

    Desde 2008, el Dr. Greenblatt ha dirigido la red de Medicaid de Duke, primero como Atención Comunitaria del Norte de Piedmont (Northern Piedmont Community Care), que formaba parte de la red estatal de Atención Comunitaria de Carolina del Norte (Community Care of North Carolina). Continuó como director médico de la Red Clínicamente Integrada de Duke bajo la transformación de Medicaid en 2021. Esta red bien administrada sirve a 100,000 miembros de Medicaid y apoya docenas de prácticas.

    “Me siento honrado de ser elegido para este importante papel en la mejora de la salud y el bienestar de los más de 11 millones de habitantes de Carolina del Norte que llaman hogar a este gran estado”, dijo el Dr. Greenblatt. “Como médico y educador, sé el valor de asegurarme de que cada persona tenga acceso a la atención de salud mental y física cuando la necesite y en el entorno que sea más apropiado para ellos”.

    En 2012, lanzó una de las primeras iniciativas académicas del país para promover la prescripción segura de opioides y ampliar el tratamiento para el trastorno por uso de opioides. También se desempeñó como presidente del Comité de Farmacia y Terapéutica de NC Medicaid y secretario del Grupo Asesor de Médicos de NC Medicaid. Como defensor desde hace mucho tiempo de una mejor atención de la salud mental, el Dr. Greenblatt ha codirigido la colaborativa de crisis de Durham (Durham Crisis Collaborative) y ha contribuido activamente a los esfuerzos locales de planificación del uso de sustancias y la salud mental.

    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina

    New Research Showing Critical Impact Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Have in Creating Healthier North Carolina
    jawerner

    Credentialed media are invited to a symposium highlighting the life-saving impact Medicaid expansion and the Healthy Opportunities Pilots are having on the health and well-being of North Carolinians on Friday, May 30 at 9 a.m. at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

    The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina will present new research about the programs, including rural health outcomes, economic impact and services people are receiving.

    Since Medicaid expansion began in 2023, more than 650,000 newly eligible North Carolinians have gained access to affordable health care through Medicaid expansion, including veterans and workers in child care, construction, hospitality, home health care and other industries essential to the state. Including those covered through Medicaid expansion, NC Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to more than 1 in 4 North Carolinians: more than 3 million children, older adults, people living with disabilities and other working adults.  

    Additionally, the innovative first of its kind Healthy Opportunities Pilots in North Carolina have been described as a “life changer” for thousands of North Carolina families. Healthy Opportunities addresses people’s social needs with services like food, housing, transportation and assistance related to interpersonal violence and toxic stress. The program proves the best way to lower health care costs and create healthier communities is to reduce the need for medical care in the first place. Additionally, the state is seeing $1,020 in annual health care costs savings per Healthy Opportunities enrollee, and stronger local economies that are supported by local businesses from family farms to home repair.

    The event will bring together community leaders, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers to explore the evolving landscape of Medicaid in North Carolina. 

    What: Medicaid Expansion and Healthy Opportunities Pilots Symposium

    Who: Dr. Dev Sangvai, Secretary, NCDHHS
                Jay Ludlam, Deputy Secretary for NC Medicaid, NCDHHS
                Mark Holmes, PhD, Director of the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC 
                Seth Berkowitz, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, UNC
                Sandra Greene, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC 
                Marisa Domino, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Health Information and Research, ASU
                Valerie Lewis, PhD, Professor of Health Policy and Management, UNC 
                Nancy Messonnier, MD, Dean of Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC
                Christopher Shea, PhD, Professor, Health Policy and Management, UNC

    When: Friday, May 30
                   9 – 11:45 a.m.
                   Presentations from 9 – 11:15 a.m.
                   Audience and Media Q&A from 11:15 – 11:45 a.m.  

    Where: NC Museum of Natural Sciences: Nature Research Center
                    121 W Jones St.
                    Raleigh, NC 27601

    Media: Credentialed media are invited. Please RSVP to news@dhhs.nc.gov if you are planning to attend.

    May 28, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Labrador Announces 25 Year Sentence for Burley Man in Child Pornography Case

    Source: US State of Idaho

    Home Newsroom AG Labrador Announces 25 Year Sentence for Burley Man in Child Pornography Case

    BOISE — Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that Tyrell Howell, 28, was convicted of two (2) counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Distributing Sexually Exploitative Material (Child Pornography). The Distribution of Sexually Exploitative Material is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Howell was sentenced on May 19, 2025, by Cassia County District Judge Blaine P. Cannon. “There is no place in Idaho for those who trade in the vile exploitation of children,” said Attorney General Labrador. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the commitment of my office to protect Idaho’s most vulnerable. I am grateful for the collaborative efforts of our Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and local law enforcement in bringing this predator to justice. We will continue to pursue those who prey on children with the full weight of the law.” In approximately September of 2024, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received a CyberTip that an online account, later identified as belonging to Howell, was being used on multiple occasions in June and July of 2024 to exchange Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), also known as Child Pornography, with other online users. Detective Sam Kuoha was able to obtain account information from the electronic service provider (ESP), which identified Howell as the account’s owner. Based on the information obtained from the ESP, Detective Kuoha was able to identify two (2) other CyberTips associated with Howell’s information from 2020 and 2022. After obtaining search warrants, officers searched Howell’s home and digital devices. Forensic examiners from the Office of the Attorney General were able to locate multiple files of CSAM and chat logs showing the exchange of CSAM with other individuals through online platforms. Many of these files depicted minor children, predominantly prepubescent females, as young as approximately two (2) years of age, and some of these files depicted children engaged in violent sex acts with adults. Judge Cannon sentenced Howell to a total of twenty-five (25) years in prison. Howell will be eligible for parole after five (5) years. Howell will have to register as a sex offender pursuant to Idaho law.  Detective Sam Kuoha with Rupert Police Department, who serves as an ICAC affiliate in the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit, led the investigation. Detective Kuoha and the Rupert Police Department were assisted by the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, the Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General James Haws.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Department of Justice Takes Action to Enforce Title IX in California to Protect Girls’ Sports

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RIVERSIDE, California – The Justice Department today sent letters of legal notice to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and the Jurupa Unified School District, that it is opening an investigation to determine whether Title IX, a landmark federal civil rights law, is being violated by AB 1266, a state law permitting males to participate on female sports teams at state schools.

    The investigation is to determine whether California, its senior legal, educational, and athletic organizations, and the school district are engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of sex.

    The letters of legal notice were sent at the time the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by and on behalf of girls’ athletes to advance the appropriate interpretation of Title IX to ensure equal educational opportunities and prevent discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools and athletic programs.

    The statement of interest is part of a national effort by the President, the Attorney General, and the Justice Department to oppose the deprivation of women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.

    “Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education.  It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “This Division will aggressively defend women’s hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities.”

    “The law is clear: Discrimination on the basis of sex is illegal and immoral,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “My office and the rest of the Department of Justice will work tirelessly to protect girls’ sports and stop anyone – public officials included – from violating women’s civil rights.” 

    According to the allegations in the lawsuit, Save Girls’ Sports, et al. v. Thurmond, et al., AB 1266 – passed by the California State Legislature and codified in the California Education Code – conflicts with Title IX. AB 1266 unlawfully permits males to participate on female sports teams and to use female spaces, resulting in unfair and unsafe environments for women and girls.

    The lawsuit alleges that this California statute “is harming hundreds – if not thousands – of female students by removing opportunities for female athletes to be champions in their own sports, robbing them of podium positions and awards, and creating unsafe and intimidating environments in their bathrooms and locker rooms.”

    The plaintiffs include K.S., a ninth-grade female cross-country athlete and T.S., an 11th-grade female cross-country athlete and team captain, both of whom attend Martin Luther King High School in Riverside. 

    T.S. was removed from her position of the girls’ varsity cross-country team to make room for a biological male athlete who did not consistently attend practices and failed to satisfy many of the team’s varsity eligibility requirements. As a result, T.S. missed the opportunity to compete at a high-profile meet, lost the right to compete on the varsity level, and missed the opportunity to compete with elite fellow athletes to be recruited by universities and receive other forms of recognition.

    The biological male who replaced T.S. on the girls’ varsity cross-country team recently had transferred from another local high school after breaking that school’s all-time cross-country record for the girls’ cross-country team.

    The lawsuit further alleges that the Riverside Unified School District, Martin Luther King High School’s principal, and its assistant principal and athletic director violated the constitutional rights of T.S. and K.S. when it ordered them to stop wearing t-shirts protesting T.S.’s removal from the team. 

    The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief related to the defendants’ speech policy and rules governing participating in girls’ sports.

    Assistant United States Attorney Richard Park of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section is handling this matter.

    To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov or call toll-free at (800) 253-3931. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Coach and Child Predator Sentenced for Sexual Crimes Against Three Minor Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Brandon Earl Presley, 30, of Bixby, for two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country,  and one count each of Production of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. Judge Hill ordered Presley to serve 264 months imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon his release, Presley will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    “Presley is a child predator who used his position as a coach to groom and seek out minor children through social media. His actions were undetected until someone had the courage to report him,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “I want to encourage parents and teens to learn about the dangers of social media.”

    Law enforcement began investigating a tip that Presley had sex with a 14-year-old on a college campus during a high school track meet. The tip included a photo of Presley from social media and described how Presley would often hang out in his car or help at high school track practice or meets.

    While investigating the tip, law enforcement discovered a photo Presley took while sexually abusing an unknown minor child. Law enforcement found the location of the minor child and discovered that the child was only 13 years old. Presley chatted with the minor child through social media. When the minor child was at home alone, Presley showed the minor child pornography for “education,” coerced the minor child to engage in sexual activity, and photographed it. Court records show that Presley admitted to sexually abusing the minor child, taking a photo of the sexual abuse, and keeping the photo.

    During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Presley had other minor victims.

    In the summer of 2022, Presley found another 13-year-old minor victim online through social media. He lied to the minor victim, stating he was 18 years old. Presley attempted to coerce the minor child to engage in sexually explicit activity. Court records show that Presley admitted to abusive sexual contact with the minor child. 

    Presley further admitted to abusive sexual contact and sexual abuse of a 15-year-old minor victim in 2019, which led to his termination as an assistant football coach. He approached the minor at school, groomed and coerced her using social media. When Presley convinced the minor child to meet, he showed her a video of himself engaging in sexual activity to “teach” the minor. He repeatedly told the minor not to tell anyone.

    Presley is a citizen of the Muscogee Creek Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    Homeland Security Investigations, the Bixby Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Norman Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Brandon, Alicia Hockenbury, and Elliot Anderson prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Ending U.S. Sanctions on Syria

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    The cessation of sanctions against Syria will advance our primary objective, the enduring defeat of ISIS, by giving the people of Syria a chance for a better future. – Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce on May 27, 2025

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olUj5WPXl5Q

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Whisky’s ‘water of life’: Scottish distiller turns to science amid historic dry spell Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Glenlivet landscape dams

    Whisky is ‘the water of life’ but in one of the driest starts to a year seen in Scotland, distillers are turning to researchers to improve access to the crucial water supplies for their unique products.
    Scientists from the University of Aberdeen are leading a project funded by Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and maker of Ballantine’s, The Glenlivet and Chivas Regal to develop innovative nature-based solutions that could help to mitigate water scarcity but also slow down water run-off following rapid downpours.
    The issue has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) issuing country-wide alerts for low water levels. The dry soil a long dry spell leaves in its wake can repel water rather than letting it soak in as damp soil would, meaning it is harder to hold water when and where it is most needed.
    In areas like Speyside – home to half Scotland’s malt distillers – ensuring a continuous water supply, both now and in the future, is essential as temporary closures can cost the industry millions of pounds.
    Chivas Brothers is funding new research led by the University of Aberdeen and working with the James Hutton Institute, following a successful project in 2022 which focused on The Glenlivet distillery.
    There the team demonstrated the benefits of a series of small leaky dams installed in channels to slow water flow by holding the water in that location in temporary mini reservoirs. This allows it to soak into the subsurface so that more water is available at times when it is needed.
    The new research will broaden the geographic scope of the project across Speyside and explore a wider range of possible nature-based solutions for water management.
    Project lead Dr Josie Geris, a lecturer in hydrology at the University of Aberdeen, said the techniques they are investigating, including soil and vegetation management, could bring benefits beyond the whisky industry as around three percent of people living in Scotland rely on vulnerable private water supplies.
    “First, we will take a comprehensive look at data gathered from across Speyside and carry out detailed monitoring at The Glenlivet and two other distillery sites to develop understanding of how surface water and groundwater are connected, and how this varies across the different locations.” she added.
    “This will help us to assess how resilient different water resources in Speyside are to drought and to understand what causes certain water resources to be more vulnerable whether it is driven by geology, land use or other issues.
    “We will then use modelling to help future planning and our understanding of which nature-based solutions might work best where to mitigate water scarcity across the region.”
    The research team, which also includes Dr Mark Wilkinson (James Hutton Institute), Dr Ronald Daalmans (Chivas Brothers) Dr Jean-Christophe Comte, and PhD student Jennifer Pirie (University of
    Aberdeen), will investigate a range of techniques at The Glenlivet, Glenburgie and Aberlour distilleries.
    PhD student Jennifer Pirie, from the University of Aberdeen, said: “The techniques used successfully at Glenlivet cannot be applied everywhere and so we are looking at a range of measures to improve water availability in different environments.
    “What works best where will depend on local site characteristics, like the geology and soil properties, and so it is vital we build this understanding and knowledge.”
    As well as drought conditions, the techniques the team will use could also help with flooding and are applicable to other environmental issues such as improvements to carbon storage, water quality and biodiversity.
    Dr Mark Wilkinson, from the James Hutton Institute, said: “There is significant interest from diverse stakeholders for these ‘green solutions’ to environmental problems and the project is designed to share insights and to develop a toolkit of options for different environments and users.”
    Ronald Daalmans, Sustainability Director at Chivas Brothers, said: “This important work will help inform the whisky sector on how it can adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change for this critical resource. It forms part of a wider programme, called The River Within, which aims to support river restoration and enhancement in North-East Scotland.”
    In addition to supporting research projects, Chivas Brothers’ The River Within, a long-term programme in partnership with three Scottish river trusts – the Deveron, Bogie and Isla Rivers Charitable Trust, Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Rivers Trust, and the Spey Catchment Initiative – aims to support the delivery of habitat restoration projects to ultimately preserve, protect and improve the health of Scotland’s rivers and waterways.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Houston deports convicted child predator who has illegally entered US 3 times

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HOUSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed Oscar Lopez Delira, a 47-year-old three-time removed criminal alien and convicted child predator, to his home country of Mexico May 27.

    ICE officers transported Lopez from the Montgomery Processing Center in Conroe to the Laredo Port of Entry and he was released into Mexico.

    While in the U.S. illegally, Lopez has been convicted of two counts of sexually exploiting a minor, March 20, 2017, and illegal reentry July 1, 2024.

    Lopez first illegally entered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location. On Jan. 2, 2001, he was arrested by ICE in Dallas and he was returned to Mexico that same day.

    Lopez illegally reentered the U.S. on an unknown date and at an unknown location and wasn’t encountered by ICE again until Aug. 25, 2015, when he was arrested for sexually exploiting a minor in Carrolton. On Aug. 23, 2019, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice transferred Lopez into ICE custody, and he was placed into immigration proceedings. An immigration judge from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review ordered Lopez removed to Mexico Sept. 10, 2019. ICE officers carried out that order Sept. 12, 2019, and deported him to Mexico through the Laredo Port of Entry.

    Lopez illegally entered the U.S. for a third time on Feb. 11, 2024, near Hidalgo, and was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and charged with illegal reentry. Lopez was convicted of illegal reentry July 1, 2024, and sentenced to 18 months in prison. On May 23, 2025, he was transferred into ICE custody from the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution, and he was removed to Mexico May 27.

    “For far too long, dangerous criminal aliens like this individual have been able to easily circumvent our nation’s laws to illegally enter the country only to go on and victimize innocent and law-abiding residents,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operation Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “In response, ICE is working daily with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to restore integrity to our nation’s laws and public safety to our communities.”

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas, follow us on X at @EROHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Avison Young practices what it preaches by backing Stoke-on-Trent regeneration project

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Global property advisor, Avison Young, has put its weight behind Capital&Centric’s Goods Yard in Stoke-on-Trent, taking the entire Pavilion building and relocating its East Midlands team.

    The news comes after Stoke-on-Trent was named by the Sunday Times as one of the best places to invest in the UK earlier this year.

    Both organisations champion the role of urban regeneration and placemaking in improving people’s lives and creating economic growth. Social impact developer, Capital&Centric spends £3m a week on regeneration in towns and cities across the UK, with Goods Yard already creating hundreds of jobs and boosting the local economy by £63m.

    Avison Young will bring further jobs, training and investment into the new neighbourhood when it relocates in the spring.

    It’s not the first time that the two organisations have teamed up, with Avison Young joining forces with Capital&Centric’s Regeneration Brainery, an immersive national programme that aims to get young people from diverse backgrounds fired up about a career in the industry.

    Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “There’s a massive buzz about Stoke-on-Trent, with Goods Yard right at the heart of this renaissance. It’s a real vote of confidence from Avison Young in not just the Goods Yard neighbourhood but also the city. What better way to support regeneration than putting your money where your mouth is and calling the place home. Our vision for Goods Yard has always been to create a collaborative mixing pot for like-minded businesses and we’ll be announcing more soon.”

    Nick Walkley, principal and UK president of Avison Young UK, said: “Our presence in Stoke has been long-standing, and moving to this outstanding space underlines our commitment to the city and the UK regions. This new office is going to be a vastly improved environment for our Avison Young colleagues in Stoke. We look forward to working closely with Stoke-on-Trent City Council and with Capital&Centric.”

    Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Capital & Centric to bring the Goods Yard to Stoke-on-Trent and make it a success. This long-awaited development will bring with it economic benefits and new opportunities for businesses, local residents and visitors.

    We are delighted that Avison Young have chosen to base themselves in Stoke-on-Trent and wish them the best of luck in their new home. It’s a remarkable vote of confidence in our city and our future. 

    “I know talks are ongoing with a number of other businesses who have also shown an interest in Goods Yard and we look forward to welcoming them too.”

    With a new direct link to the neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent main line rail station, the 174-home neighbourhood will feature a mix of spaces, with Capital&Centric assembling a complementary variety of businesses, bars, eateries, coffee shops and stores that want to be at the heart of the action when it opens in the spring.

    Goods Yard will also boast a new green space, about the size of a professional tennis court, and a footpath, which will wind through lush plants and shrubs, leading to the interior gardens, with hangout spaces, seating, over 70 trees and stacks of new plants.

    Avison Young is the first commercial business to take space at Goods Yard. Flexible spaces range from 1,200 sq ft to 14,000 sqft and include the Vaults Warehouse; the Victorian Signal Box on Glebe Street; the new build Pavilion workspaces; and the industrial style new build spaces on the ground floor of the apartment building.

    For more information visit www.capitalandcentric.com/goods-yard or email goodsyard@capitalandcentric.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spode Works gets the green light for game-changing regeneration

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 28th May 2025

    Capital&Centric and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have secured the go-ahead to transform the iconic Spode Works into a landmark destination, breathing new life into this historic pottery factory.

    Spode Works, covering around 10 acres in the heart of Stoke town centre, is a warren of buildings, kilns and workshops that tells the story of centuries of craftsmanship. The site includes multiple Grade II listed buildings – around 11 of them – that showcase classic industrial architecture and the evolution of the pottery works.

    The council’s cabinet has signed off on the partnership, setting the stage for a major overhaul that will blend these historic structures with bold new architecture. The plans will see Spode Works reimagined as a buzzing neighbourhood of homes, creative workspaces and vibrant public spaces, building on the site’s emerging CreaTech (creative technology) community.

    For over two centuries, Spode Works was at the heart of the UK’s ceramics industry. Its fine bone china and underglaze blue transfer printing put Stoke-on-Trent on the global map. Now, the ambition is to honour that legacy, repurposing the site’s heritage for the next generation of digital design, gaming, animation and other creative industries.

    Capital&Centric is already working on detailed plans and will be consulting with locals later this year.

    Tom Wilmot, Joint Managing Director of Capital&Centric, said: “Spode Works is a testament to Stoke-on-Trent’s proud industrial past and a huge opportunity to shape its future. We’re not just restoring bricks and mortar – we’re creating a landmark neighbourhood that taps into the city’s creative energy. This will be a catalyst for attracting new people, new ideas and new investment into the area.”

    Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, regeneration and infrastructure at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “The regeneration of the Spode site will provide the opportunity for businesses and organisations to operate from a unique location, in the heart of the city.

    “It will create employment and economic benefits, which will help to ensure the long-term survival of this site and bring with it the potential of attracting further external funding that otherwise would not have been possible.

    “Capital & Centric has a long track record of delivering regeneration projects and is already working closely with the council to deliver Goods Yard, next to the railway station. We are pleased that they are committed to working with us in the future to develop another important heritage site in the city.”

    The partnership builds on Capital&Centric’s track record of delivering award-winning regeneration of historic sites, including the soon-to-open Goods Yard neighbourhood in Stoke-on-Trent – a £63 million transformation of a derelict warehouse into 174 homes and community spaces.

    Currently investing £3 million a week across eight live construction sites, Capital&Centric is driving regeneration in towns and cities nationwide – from Wolverhampton to Gateshead and Sheffield. The developer recently announced its biggest project to date: creating a whole new town in Cambridgeshire plus 2,000 homes. The town is called Northstowe, the UK’s latest new town.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul at the Department of State, on May 28, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
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    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ZOF1oOQVM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yakama Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced, Joey Anthony Andy, age 44, to 63 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon. Judge Dimke also imposed 3 years of supervised release. Andy was convicted of this crime on May 15, 2024, following a jury trial.

    According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and at the sentencing hearing, on April 4, 2023, a victim, an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, was leaving Noah’s Ark Homeless shelter in Wapato, Washington. As the victim was walking away from the shelter, he was confronted by Andy. Andy was upset with the victim because Andy believed the victim had stolen his Bluetooth speaker. Andy then shoved the victim. After the victim stepped back, Andy pulled out a knife, lifted the sleeve on this hooded sweatshirt (presumably to ensure he did not get blood on his clothing), and lifted the knife, and then swung the knife at the victim’s head. As the victim attempted to dodge the blow, the knife hit the victim, leaving a four-inch laceration to the side of the victim’s head. The laceration cut down to the victim’s skull and required fourteen staples to close.

    The victim ran back to Noah’s Ark for help. There, employees rendered first aid and called police. Wapato Police later located Andy in the neighborhood near Noah’s Ark. Although Andy attempted to flee, officers took Andy into custody without incident after a short chase.

    At the sentencing hearing, MMIP AUSA Black Horse argued that a maximum guideline sentence was necessary to afford adequate deterrence and to protect the public from further crimes of the Defendant.  “This assault occurred outside the doors of Noah’s Ark Shelter, a low barrier shelter and service center for chronically homeless persons based in downtown Wapato. Noah’s Ark Shelter is the only low-barrier shelter and service center of its kind in the lower Yakima Valley, and Native American individuals comprise a significant portion of its clientele,” MMIP AUSA Black Horse told the court.  She further noted that “individuals who frequent Noah’s Ark Shelter are inherently at risk, experience marginalization, and a reduced sense of personal safety based on their unhoused status. The Defendant’s violent knife assault outside of Noah’s Ark Shelter only compounds these circumstances, and more importantly, may have a chilling effect on unhoused vulnerable persons seeking out the critical services provided by Noah’s Ark Shelter.”

    “Mr. Andy attacked his victim without provocation or justification,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “Because of the tremendous law enforcement response from our federal, state, local, and Tribal partners, the victim’s voice was heard and Mr. Andy will be held to account for this attack.”

    This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP and MMIP-related cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components.  Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bree R. Black Horse and Todd Swensen. 

    1:23-cr-02054-MKD

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sussex County Woman and Texas Man Admit to Exploiting a Child and Producing Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey woman and a Texas man admitted to exploiting a child and producing child pornography, as well as to other child pornography offenses, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

    Dominique Saczawa, 34, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Russell Lynn Davis, Jr., 47, of Heller, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court.  Saczawa pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.  Davis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and receipt of child pornography.

    According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:

    Saczawa admitted to sexually exploiting a then-four-year-old by engaging in sexual contact and then producing images and videos of that sexual contact.  Saczawa also admitted to sharing these videos and/or images with others, including Davis. Davis admitted to conspiring with Saczawa to sexually exploit the victim, including instructing Saczawa in a video message to perform oral sex on the victim.

    Saczawa also admitted to running a group chat within an online messaging application in which participants discussed and shared content and/or images of child pornography.  As an administrator of this group, Saczawa solicited participants to share such content.  The images Saczawa shared included images of toddlers potentially as young as one year old being sexually assaulted.

    Davis had previously been convicted in Texas of indecent contact with a child.

    “Protecting small children, the most vulnerable of our community, is among the most important work that we can do.  Every child deserves to be in a home free of sexual exploitation, and we will prosecute those that threaten this right.  When predators target children, we are committed to unmasking and holding them accountable.” 

    – U.S. Attorney Alina Habba 

    “There are truly no words to describe how grotesque the behavior in this case is. A woman admitting to using a prepubescent child to create child sexual assault material is beyond the bounds of any acceptable human behavior – and it always will be. Our FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, alongside our partner agencies, do the work of superheroes each and every day, saving children from monsters and preventing evil from harming more victims,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation.

    The charge of production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years and a maximum potential penalty of 50 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.  The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, or in the case of a defendant who has previously been convicted of a sex offense, a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.  The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.  The charge of advertisement of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.

    Saczawa and Davis are both scheduled for sentencing on September 22, 2025.

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

    The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.

                                                               ###

    Defense counsel for Saczawa: Stephen Natoli, Esq.

    Defense counsel for Davis: Anthony Iacullo, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Deputy Superintendent of the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office Arrested and Charged With Extortion

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – The former Deputy Superintendent at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged extortion scheme to force subordinate employees to perform free labor at his residence.

    Thomas Brady, 53, of Norwood, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts of extortion and three counts of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion.  Brady was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.

    According to the charging documents, from 2021 through May 2023, Brady served as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent (ADS) for Jail Operations at NCSO. Brady was promoted in May 2023 to Deputy Superintendent. It is alleged that, between December 2021 and mid-November 2022, Brady utilized his official position and authority as an ADS to order two NCSO maintenance officers (Maintenance Officers A and B), who were subordinate in position to Brady, to perform home repairs at his residence during and after work hours.  

    During the first instance, in late 2021, Brady allegedly ordered Maintenance Officer A to install a new showerhead at Brady’s residence. Because of Brady’s position and authority as an ADS at the NCSO, Maintenance Officer A feared that if they refused Brady’s request, Brady would use his official position and authority to negatively affect Maintenance Officer A’s job position at NCSO – including the possibility of causing Maintenance Officer A to lose their preferred shift schedule, position and/or employment at the NCSO.

    It is alleged that Maintenance Officer A complied with Brady’s order and Brady drove Maintenance Officer A to his residence to install the showerhead, during NCSO work hours. Brady then allegedly drove Maintenance Officer A back to NCSO to continue their workday.  

    During the second instance, on or about Feb. 13, 2022, which was a Sunday, Brady allegedly contacted Maintenance Officer A to fix his water heater. It is alleged that Maintenance Officer A was unavailable that day; however, the following morning, Maintenance Officer A allegedly drove to Brady’s residence, instead of going to work at NCSO, to fix Brady’s water heater. Specifically, after arriving at Brady’s residence, Maintenance Officer A allegedly disconnected the existing water heater in Brady’s basement, carried the water heater to their truck and drove the water heater and Brady to Home Depot. There, Brady allegedly purchased a new 50-gallon water heater, which Maintenance Officer A carried to their truck, drove back to Brady’s residence, carried the into Brady’s residence and connected. Afterwards, Maintenance Officer A allegedly drove to NCSO to finish their shift.  

    It is further alleged that, between October 2022 and mid-November 2022, Brady ordered Maintenance Officer B to his residence to fix the heating system. Because of Brady’s official position and authority as an ADS at the NCSO, Maintenance Officer B allegedly feared that if Maintenance Officer B refused Brady’s request to help fix the heating system, Brady would use his official position and authority to negatively affect Maintenance Officer B’s job position at NCSO – including the possibility of causing Maintenance Officer B to lose their preferred shift schedule, position and/or employment at the NCSO.  

    Maintenance Officer B allegedly complied with the order, and on or about Oct. 6, 2022, drove to Brady’s residence to troubleshoot his heating system during NCSO work hours.  

    It is alleged that, after Brady had subsequent problems with his heating system and contacted Maintenance Officer B to replace the circulator pump. On or about Oct. 15, 2022, Maintenance Officer C allegedly learned that Brady was looking for Maintenance Officer B and the two exchanged the following text messages:

    On two occasions between Nov. 1, 2022 and Nov. 2, 2022, Maintenance Officer B allegedly returned to Brady’s residence – with Maintenance Officer C assisting – where they drained the hot water system, removed the old circulator pump and installed the new circulator pump

    The charge of extortion provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Group Home for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Opens in Kerrobert

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 28, 2025

    Today, MLA for Kindersley-Biggar Kim Gartner, on behalf of Social Services Minister Terry Jenson, joined representatives from Prairie Branches Enterprises Inc. to celebrate the grand opening of a group home in Kerrobert. The Ministry of Social Services is providing approximately $500,000 in annual operating funding for the home. 

    “Fostering strong, inclusive communities for individuals with disabilities remains a priority for our government,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “We are proud to partner with Prairie Branches Enterprises to support the operation of this group home. Through collaboration and dedicated support, we aim to enhance the quality of life for individuals with disabilities and ensure they have access to the necessary resources to thrive in our communities.” 

    The group home will offer 24-hour supervision and assistance with daily living tasks to four residents and is designed to grow with the residents as their needs change over time. 

    “This house has become a home for several local individuals, and we are very proud to be able to provide supports so these folks can remain in their hometown, close to their family and friends,” Prairie Branches Enterprise Inc. Executive Director Marissa Merkel said. “We have worked alongside the Ministry of Social Services Community Living Service Delivery to ensure we are setting people up for success and appreciate their continued support of our agency on this new venture.” 

    Prairie Branches Enterprises Inc. is a community-based organization enriching the lives of individuals with intellectual disabilities. They provide opportunities for personal growth in social, vocational, residential, spiritual and recreational areas across Wilkie, Biggar, Unity and nearby communities. Currently, they support 38 individuals in eight group homes, 12 through a supportive living program, and 55 in day programs in Wilkie, Biggar, Kerrobert and Unity. 

    “As an agency, we are very excited about expanding our residential services into the community of Kerrobert. We have been operating a Vocational Program here since 2020 and have experienced a ton of positive support from the community,” Merkel said. “We are hopeful that the positive momentum will continue and are grateful to be a part of Kerrobert.”  

    For information on how to access supports for intellectual disabilities, please contact the Ministry of Social Services office nearest you, or email clsd.info@gov.sk.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Trump’s ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ promises up to $11,600 wage boost, new jobs

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    From The National Desk:
    “President Trump’s proposed tax cuts, encapsulated in the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill,’ aim to extend the pro-growth and pro-worker legacy of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), the White House told exclusively to The National News Desk.
    The TCJA previously cut taxes across the board for working families, allowing Americans to allocate more of their earnings toward family, community, and future investments.
    This initiative, along with business tax provisions, spurred a blue-collar boom characterized by record-high income gains, record-low poverty, and significant wage increases, particularly for low-wage workers, according to the White House. […]
    The ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill,’ according to the White House, seeks to further this growth by creating incentives to expand America’s domestic manufacturing base and providing targeted relief to workers affected by high inflation and sectoral declines.
    Some of the key provisions provided by the Trump administration include eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, saving workers approximately $1,675 and up to $1,750 per year.
    The bill also proposes temporary full expensing for new factories and lower tax rates on domestic manufacturing to enhance the industrial base and boost economic opportunities.
    According to the White House, Enhanced Opportunity Zone incentives are expected to drive over $100 billion in investment, create more than 1 million new jobs, and lead to the development of hundreds of thousands of new homes in distressed communities, particularly in rural areas.
    The Joint Committee on Taxation reported that the percentage decline in federal taxes is smaller for the top 1 percent under the bill, resulting in them taking on a greater share of total federal taxes.
    The White House says that if the bill fails to pass, it could result in a $4 trillion tax hike, potentially leading to recessionary challenges.”
    Click here to read the full story.
    Click here to read the report from the Council of Economic Advisers.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From soil to slugs to songbirds – how plastic is moving through ecosystems

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emily Thrift, PhD Candidate and Doctoral Tutor in Ecology, University of Sussex

    Philippe Clement / shutterstock

    For many people, “plastic pollution” calls to mind pictures of turtles and other marine life drowning in single-use plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets. My own research looks at how the same story is playing out on land.

    Plastics are increasingly found in small mammals, insects and the soil. But how it moves through these ecosystems – and the damage it might be doing – is still poorly understood.

    My own research into this started during my masters degree. I wanted to find out if plastic pollution was affecting UK mammals – and the results were startling.

    Colleagues and I first looked at the faeces of a range of small UK mammals. We then used a special machine that detects infrared light to identify different types of plastic.

    We found plastics in the faeces of European hedgehogs, wood mice, field vole, and brown rats. Of the 189 hedgehog samples, 19% contained plastics. In one sample alone I was shocked to find a total of 12 pink and clear fibres of polyester. This is the UK’s most popular wild mammal, and no one knew they were ingesting plastic.

    Where the microplastics came from

    As part of my ongoing PhD, the next step was figuring out how this plastic was getting into the hedgehogs in the first place. Hedgehogs feed on invertebrates like beetles, snails, slugs, earthworms, caterpillars and woodlice. We wanted to see if those creatures could themselves be contaminated by plastic.

    We collected over 2,000 invertebrates and soil samples from 51 sites in Sussex, England. The sites covered farmland, grassland and suburban areas.

    To trace how plastic might move through the food web, we sampled creatures at various different points in the food web (known as “trophic levels”). This meant plant-eaters, like peacock butterfly caterpillars, and earthworms and other animals that feed on dead plants. We sampled omnivores who will eat all sorts, like the red-footed soldier beetle, and carnivores like ladybirds and ground beetles, who eat other animals and are found higher up the food web.

    After we had grouped the invertebrates by both species and location, we had 530 samples to analyse. We recently published our results in the journal Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

    Overall, plastic showed up in 12% of the invertebrate samples. Earthworms had the highest rate at 29%, followed by snails & slugs at 24%. Interestingly, the types of plastic found in carnivores didn’t match those in herbivores and dead plant-eaters. That suggests the carnivores are not just getting it from eating contaminated prey – they might also be picking up plastic as they move through the soil or even from airborne particles that land on their next meal.

    Earthworms are particularly plastic pollution-prone.
    VaskePro / shutterstock

    We also found the first evidence of plastic in species of caterpillar like the peacock, powder blue and red admiral butterflies, and in beetles such as ladybirds.

    The most common plastic we found was polyester, probably from clothing and furniture. Other common plastics were those used in single-use packaging, agricultural materials (such as fleece, mulch film, greenhouse films and silage wrap), and even paint.

    So, does it matter if a few slugs or worms are ingesting plastic? Absolutely.

    Invertebrates play important roles within their ecosystems. Earthworms, for example, add air to the soil and help cycle nutrients. Therefore, when they consume plastic, it affects the animals that prey on them, the soil they live in, and even the food we grow.

    In fact, plants grown in plastic-contaminated soil have been shown to take microplastics into their cells. This can stunt their growth and limit the water they can retain, and ultimately reduce our ability to grow the food we need.

    Insect-eating birds like swifts,thrushes and blackbirds are also ingesting similar plastic, likely from their prey. This can stunt their growth, damage organs, and make them less fertile.

    It is too easy to place the responsibility solely on individuals to avoid single-use packaging, recycle more, and avoid synthetic materials. These things make a difference, of course, but big polluters must be held accountable. That means fast fashion companies, drinks giants, supermarket chains and the agriculture sector, which all produce a huge amount of plastic waste and have failed to take responsibility for the damage this causes.

    If we want to protect ecosystems from plastic – on land as well as at sea – we need more than personal action. We need serious accountability, better waste management, and real investment in truly sustainable alternatives.

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

    – ref. From soil to slugs to songbirds – how plastic is moving through ecosystems – https://theconversation.com/from-soil-to-slugs-to-songbirds-how-plastic-is-moving-through-ecosystems-257685

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What is AI slop? Why you are seeing more fake photos and videos in your social media feeds

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jon Roozenbeek, Lecturer in Psychology, University of Cambridge

    Pikselstock/Shutterstock

    In May 2025, a post asking “[Am I the asshole] for telling my husband’s affair partner’s fiancé about their relationship?” quickly received 6,200 upvotes and more than 900 comments on Reddit. This popularity earned the post a spot on Reddit’s front page of trending posts. The problem? It was (very likely) written by artificial intelligence (AI).

    The post contained some telltale signs of AI, such as using stock phrases (“[my husband’s] family is furious”) and excessive quotation marks, and sketching an unrealistic scenario designed to generate outrage rather than reflect a genuine dilemma.

    While this post has since been removed by the forum’s moderators, Reddit users have repeatedly expressed their frustration with the proliferation of this kind of content.

    High-engagement, AI-generated posts on Reddit are an example of what is known as “AI slop” – cheap, low-quality AI-generated content, created and shared by anyone from low-level influencers to coordinated political influence operations.

    Estimates suggest that over half of longer English-language posts on LinkedIn are written by AI. In response to that report, Adam Walkiewicz, a director of product at LinkedIn, told Wired it has “robust defenses in place to proactively identify low-quality and exact or near-exact duplicate content. When we detect such content, we take action to ensure it is not broadly promoted.”

    But AI-generated low-quality news sites are popping up all over the place, and AI images are also flooding social media platforms such as Facebook. You may have come across images like “shrimp Jesus” in your own feeds.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    AI-generated content is cheap. A report by the Nato StratCom Center of Excellence from 2023 found that for a mere €10 (about £8), you can buy tens of thousands of fake views and likes, and hundreds of AI-generated comments, on almost all major social media platforms.

    While much of it is seemingly innocent entertainment, one study from 2024 found that about a quarter of all internet traffic is made up of “bad bots”. These bots, which seek to spread disinformation, scalp event tickets or steal personal data, are also becoming much better at masking as humans.

    In short, the world is dealing with the “enshittification” of the web: online services have become gradually worse over time as tech companies prioritise profits over user experience. AI-generated content is just one aspect of this.

    From Reddit posts that enrage readers to tearjerking cat videos, this content is extremely attention-grabbing and thus lucrative for both slop-creators and platforms.

    This is known as engagement bait – a tactic to get people to like, comment and share, regardless of the quality of the post. And you don’t need to seek out the content to be exposed to it.

    AI-generated images like this one are designed to get as much engagement (likes, comments and shares) as possible.
    Microsoft Copilot, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

    One study explored how engagement bait, such as images of cute babies wrapped in cabbage, is recommended to social media users even when they do not follow any AI-slop pages or accounts. These pages, which often link to low-quality sources and promote real or made-up products, may be designed to boost their follower base in order to sell the account later for profit.

    Meta (Facebook’s parent company) said in April that it is cracking down on “spammy” content that tries to “game the Facebook algorithm to increase views”, but did not specify AI-generated content. Meta has used its own AI-generated profiles on Facebook, but has since removed some of these accounts.

    What the risks are

    This may all have serious consequences for democracy and political communication. AI can cheaply and efficiently create misinformation about elections that is indiscernible from human-generated content. Ahead of the 2024 US presidential elections, researchers identified a large influence campaign designed to advocate for Republican issues and attack political adversaries.

    And before you think it’s only Republicans doing it, think again: these bots are as biased as humans of all perspectives. A report by Rutgers University found that Americans on all sides of the political spectrum rely on bots to promote their preferred candidates.

    Researchers aren’t innocent either: scientists at the University of Zurich were recently caught using AI-powered bots to post on Reddit as part of a research project on whether inauthentic comments can change people’s minds. But they failed to disclose that these comments were fake to Reddit moderators.

    Reddit is now considering taking legal action against the university. The company’s chief legal officer said: “What this University of Zurich team did is deeply wrong on both a moral and legal level.”

    Political operatives, including from authoritarian countries such as Russia, China and Iran, invest considerable sums in AI-driven operations to influence elections around the democratic world.

    How effective these operations are is up for debate. One study found that Russia’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 US elections through social media were a dud, while another found it predicted polling figures for Trump. Regardless, these campaigns are becoming much more sophisticated and well-organised.

    And even seemingly apolitical AI-generated content can have consequences. The sheer volume of it makes accessing real news and human-generated content difficult.

    What’s to be done?

    Malign AI content is proving to be extremely hard to spot by humans and computers alike. Computer scientists recently identified a bot network of about 1,100 fake X accounts posting machine-generated content (mostly about cryptocurrency) and interacting with each other through likes and retweets. Problematically, the Botometer (a tool they developed to detect bots) failed to identify these accounts as fake.

    The use of AI is relatively easy to spot if you know what to look for, particularly when content is formulaic or unapologetically fake. But it’s much harder when it comes to short-form content (for example, Instagram comments) or high-quality fake images. And the technology used to create AI slop is quickly improving.

    One of these days, these bots are gonna walk all over you.
    Summit Art Creations/Shutterstock

    As close observers of AI trends and the spread of misinformation, we would love to end on a positive note and offer practical remedies to spot AI slop or reduce its potency. But in reality, many people are simply jumping ship.

    Dissatisfied with the amount of AI slop, social media users are escaping traditional platforms and joining invite-only online communities. This may lead to further fracturing of our public sphere and exacerbate polarisation, as the communities we seek out are often comprised of like-minded individuals.

    As this sorting intensifies, social media risks devolving into mindless entertainment, produced and consumed mostly by bots who interact with other bots while us humans spectate. Of course, platforms don’t want to lose users, but they might push as much AI slop as the public can tolerate.

    Some potential technical solutions include labelling AI-generated content through improved bot detection and disclosure regulation, although it’s unclear how well warnings like these work in practice.

    Some research also shows promise in helping people to better identify deepfakes, but research is in its early stages.

    Overall, we are just starting to realise the scale of the problem. Soberingly, if humans drown in AI slop, so does AI: AI models trained on the “enshittified” internet are likely to produce garbage.

    Jon Roozenbeek has received funding from the UK Cabinet Office, the US State Department, the ESRC, Google, the American Psychological Association, the US Centers for Disease Control, EU Horizon 2020, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, and the Alfred Landecker Foundation.

    Sander van der Linden has received funding from the UK Cabinet Office, Google, the American Psychological Association, the US Centers for Disease Control, EU Horizon 2020, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, and the Alfred Landecker Foundation.

    Yara Kyrychenko receives funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is supported by the Alan Turing Institute’s Enrichment Scheme.

    – ref. What is AI slop? Why you are seeing more fake photos and videos in your social media feeds – https://theconversation.com/what-is-ai-slop-why-you-are-seeing-more-fake-photos-and-videos-in-your-social-media-feeds-255538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: NEC X Opens Applications for Elev X! Ignite, Batch 14, Offering Startups $250k and a Path to Global Scale

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NEC X, the Silicon Valley venture studio backed by NEC’s advanced technologies and global businesses, is now accepting applications for Batch 14 of its flagship startup program, Elev X! Ignite. Designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into seed-ready startups, Elev X! Ignite offers access to expert mentorship, tech R&D support, startup-building resources and up to $250K in equity funding.

    The program’s accelerating growth, including a 35% increase in applications from Batch 12 to Batch 13 and over 20% from Batch 11 to Batch 12, underscores the increasing demand for NEC X’s unique value proposition: direct collaboration with NEC’s world-class innovation network, access to unparalleled resources and a clear pathway to global markets.

    Startups have until June 30, 2025, to apply for the upcoming cohort, with the first phase of the program beginning in August 2025, following a multi-phase selection process.

    “The rapid growth of Elev X! proves that visionary founders need more than just capital,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. “With Batch 14, we’re not just continuing a trajectory; we’re amplifying our commitment to provide unparalleled access to both NEC’s R&D and business prowess and growing global ecosystem, empowering innovators to build truly transformative and scalable enterprises.”

    Why Join Elev X! Ignite

    Unlike traditional venture studios and accelerators, Elev X! Ignite is a hands-on twelve-month venture studio program tailored for entrepreneurs in the problem discovery and validation phase. Startups work closely with NEC X’s multidisciplinary team including engineers, researchers, business coaches and advisors to accelerate product development, validate market fit and prepare for seed-stage investment.

    NEC is a global AI leader in visual recognition, generative tech and real-world applications such as security, agriculture, logistics and public services. Ideal candidates are building B2B software and SaaS businesses that enhance business processes, decision-making or operational efficiency.

    NEC X is especially interested in startups leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as Generative AI, Computer Vision and Predictive Analytics. While NEC X has deep experience in sectors like climate research, AgTech, digital health and public safety, it remains sector-agnostic—as long as participants’ innovations align with NEC X’s mission to create meaningful social impact through technology, particularly in areas connected to NEC’s proprietary capabilities.

    Startup Success Stories

    More than 150 startups have launched or grown through NEC X’s Elev X! venture programs. These alumni illustrate the program’s impact:

    • SeafoodAI, featured in Business Insider, uses AI biometrics to promote seafood sustainability via its CrabScan360 technology.
      “NEC X’s expertise in image recognition and AI was instrumental in accelerating our core technology,” noted Rob Terry, CEO of SeafoodAI. “Their backing has been invaluable to our growth and success.“
    • Qualitative Intelligence (QI), utilizes NEC’s Semantic Model Technology to transform advertising with predictive analytics for real-time message testing.
      “Elev X! has been the most transformative experience in our startup journey,” said JD Rico, CEO of QI. “The level of resources, insights and hands-on support simply cannot be found elsewhere.“
    • LandWise Analytica uses AI and sustainability maps to drive smarter land use in agriculture and has seen considerable interest from real estate groups, farmers, crop insurance companies, agricultural mortgage providers and land investors.
      “With the help of NEC X, we’ve been able to accelerate the launch of our pilot program and streamline the process of identifying and acquiring new users,” said Patrick McMillan, Co-founder of LandWise Analytica. “Their capabilities and results have been beyond our expectations.“

    Selection Process
    Approximately 30 startups will be invited to participate in the initial “Business Model Design” phase—a no-cost, equity-free pre-program of workshops and mentorship. A select group of ten teams will then advance to the full Elev X! Ignite program.

    Program Highlights:

    • Up to $250K in equity funding
    • Access to NEC’s global R&D ecosystem and business units
    • Strategic partnerships and customer development
    • Proven track record: over 150 startups participated since 2018

    For application information, materials and deadlines, click here.

    All essential details needed to successfully apply for the program will be covered in upcoming webinars scheduled for June 11, June 18 and June 25.

    For more information about Elev X!, please visit: https://elev-x.com. 

    About NEC X 
    NEC X is an innovation powerhouse and curator of disruptive startups backed by the global technology leadership of NEC. Leveraging 125 years of IT and network technologies expertise, NEC X’s startup-focused approach transforms visionary ideas into commercial successes that revolutionize how we work and live. Since its inception in 2018, NEC X has helped launch and grow more than 150 startups. 

    Their Silicon Valley programs – Elev X! Ignite and Elev X! Boost – equip early-stage startup founders with the tools to fast-track their tech development and adoption. Elev X! fuels startup success from inception to launch, connecting innovators with NEC’s 45,000 patents; global network of partners, mentors and advisors; reach into 55+ international markets; and $8 billion R&D ecosystem.

    For more information, visit https://nec-x.com and https://www.elev-x.com. 

    About NEC Corporation
    NEC Corporation has established itself as a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies while promoting the brand statement of “Orchestrating a brighter world.” NEC enables businesses and communities to adapt to rapid changes taking place in both society and the market as it provides for the social values of safety, security, fairness and efficiency to promote a more sustainable world where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential.

    For more information, visit NEC at https://www.nec.com.

    NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. ©2025 NEC Corporation.

    Media Contact:

    Robert Brownlie
    Bob Gold & Associates
    310-320-2010
    necx@bobgoldpr.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1bcdd827-4e5f-46fb-a325-5dbd3dba186b

    A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b898e8f1-a430-4252-a3d3-8304ac2b3e01

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: From Red Tape to Green Waste: Saskatchewan Introduces Flexible Rules for Municipal Composting Facilities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 28, 2025

    Municipalities and private companies now have more flexibility when establishing compost facilities under a new Compost Facility Chapter of the Saskatchewan Environmental Code. This chapter will help increase composting efficiency in the province by reducing the administrative burden for smaller facilities. 

    “We want to make it easier for municipalities to compost their waste,” Environment Minister Travis Keisig said. “This change strikes a balance between environmental protection and practicality, benefitting both communities and the environment.” 

    Currently, compost facilities are regulated through landfill permits. With the new chapter, owners will not need to apply for permits. Facilities have two options: 

    • Standard method: Provides specific instructions for siting, constructing and closing the facility. This method does not require approval.
    • Alternative solution: Offers more flexibility in the siting and design of compost facilities while ensuring environmental protection. It requires an approved environmental protection plan.

    Higher-risk facilities handling more than 15,000 tonnes of organic material annually – such as Regina and Saskatoon – will be required to follow the alternative solution. This approach ensures the ministry is engaged in the project while still allowing flexibility and innovation.

    Smaller facilities like community gardens or residential backyard composting are not regulated under the chapter. 

    Municipalities and private companies must follow the chapter’s requirements and notify the ministry of activities like construction and closures. The Ministry of Environment will continue to inspect compost facilities and review environmental monitoring reports to ensure compliance. 

    Existing facilities are exempt from certain siting, design and construction requirements unless they undergo expansion.

    The new compost facility chapter fulfills a commitment in the province’s Solid Waste Management Strategy, which aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. 

    For more information about composting facilities and the new chapter, please visit Composting Facilities | Solid Waste Management Facilities | Government of Saskatchewan.

    For more information about composting at home, in your community or industrially, visit Compost | Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (saskwastereduction.ca).

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Most South African farmers are black: why Trump got it so wrong

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Johann Kirsten, Director of the Bureau for Economic Research, Stellenbosch University

    When world leaders engage, the assumption is always that they engage on issues based on verified facts, which their administrative staff are supposed to prepare. Under this assumption, we thought the meeting at the White House on 21 May between South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and US president Donald Trump would follow this pattern.

    Disappointingly, the televised meeting was horrifying to watch as it was based on misrepresenting the reality of life in South Africa.

    Issues of agriculture, farming and land (and rural crime) were central to the discussions. What is clear to us as agricultural economists is that the skewed views expressed by Trump about these issues originate in South Africa. This includes Trump’s statement: “But Blacks are not farmers.”

    In our work as agricultural economists, we have, in many pieces and books (our latest titled The Uncomfortable Truth about South Africa’s Agriculture), tried to present South Africans with the real facts about the political economy policy reforms and structural dimensions of South African agriculture.

    Writing on these matters was necessary given that official data – agricultural census 2017, as well as the official land audit of 2017 – all provide an incomplete picture of the real state and structure of South African agriculture. The reason is that the agricultural census, which is supposed to provide a comprehensive and inclusive assessment of the size and structure of the primary agricultural sector, and the land audit, which was supposed to record the ownership of all land in South Africa, are incomplete in their coverage.

    The incomplete and inaccurate official data provides fertile ground for radical statements by the left and the right – and novices on social media. This is why South Africa has to deal with falsehoods coming from the US. These include Trump’s statement that black people are not farmers in South Africa.

    South Africa is to blame for providing inaccurate data to feed these false narratives.

    The facts presented here should allow a more nuanced interpretation of South Africa’s farm structure. Firstly, there are more black farmers in South Africa than white farmers. And not all white commercial farm operations are “large-scale”, and not all black farmers are “small-scale”, “subsistence” or “emerging”. Most farm operations can be classified as micro, or small in scale.

    This is important so that one doesn’t view South Africa’s agriculture as mainly white farmers. Indeed, we are a country of two agricultures with black farmers mainly at small scale and accounting for roughly 10% of the commercial agricultural output. Still, this doesn’t mean they are not active in the sector. They mainly still require support to expand and increase output, but they are active.

    The facts

    In the wake of the circus in the Oval Office, we were amazed by the total silence of the many farmers’ organisations in South Africa. We have not seen one coming out to reject all of Trump’s claims. The only thing we can deduce from this is that these falsehoods suit the political position of some farmer organisations. But at what cost? Will many of their members be harmed by trade sanctions or tariffs against South Africa? The US is an important market for South Africa’s agriculture, accounting for 4% of the US$13.7 billion exports in 2024.

    When Ramaphosa highlighted the fact that crime, and rural crime in particular, has an impact on all South Africans and that more black people than white people are being killed, Trump’s response was disturbing, to say the least: “But Blacks are not farmers”. This requires an immediate fact check.

    We returned to the text from our chapter in the Handbook on the South African Economy we jointly prepared in 2021. In the extract below, we discuss the real numbers of farmers in South Africa and try to provide a sensible racial classification of farmers to denounce Trump’s silly statement.

    As highlighted earlier, the two latest agricultural censuses (2007 and 2017) are incomplete as they restricted the sample frame to farm businesses registered to pay value added tax. Only firms with a turnover of one million rands (US$55,500) qualify for VAT registration.

    We were able to expand the findings from the censuses with numbers from the 2011 population census and the 2016 community survey to better understand the total number of commercial farming units in South Africa. The Community Survey 2016 is a large-scale survey that happened between Censuses 2011 and 2021. The main objective was to provide population and household statistics at municipal level to government and the private sector, to support planning and decision-making.

    Data from the 2011 population census (extracted from three agricultural questions included in the census) shows that 2,879,638 households out of South Africa’s total population, or 19.9% of all households, were active in agriculture for subsistence or commercial purposes.

    Only 2% of these active households reported an annual income derived from agriculture above R307,000 (US$17,000). This translates into 57,592 households that can be considered commercial farmers, with agriculture as the main or only source of household income. This corresponds in some way with the 40,122 farming businesses that are registered for VAT as noted in the 2017 agricultural census report.

    If we use the numbers from the agricultural census it is evident almost 90% of all VAT-registered commercial farming businesses could be classified as micro or small-scale enterprises. If the farm businesses excluded from the census are accounted for under the assumption that they are too small for VAT registration, then the fact still stands that the vast majority of all farm enterprises in South Africa are small family farms.

    There are, however, 2,610 large farms (with turnover exceeding R22.5 million (US$1.2 million per annum) which are responsible for 67% of farm income and employed more than half the agricultural labour force of 757,000 farm workers in 2017.

    Another way to get to farm numbers is to use the 2016 Community Survey. Using the shares as shown in Table 2, we estimate there are 242,221 commercial farming households in South Africa, of which only 43,891 (18%) are white commercial farmers. (This is very much in line with the VAT registered farmers but also acknowledging the fact that many white farm businesses are not necessarily registered for VAT.)

    Let’s consider only the agricultural households with agriculture as their main source of income, surveyed in the 2016 community survey. We end up with a total of 132,700 households, of whom 93,000 (70%) are black farmers. This reality is something that policy makers and farm organisations find very difficult to deal with and it seems that Trump also found this too good to be true.

    We have tried here in a long winded way to deal with farm numbers and how to get to a race classification of farmers in South Africa. In the end we trust that we have managed to show that there are more black farmers in South Africa than white farmers. Their share in total output is smaller than that of their white counterparts. The National Agricultural Marketing Council puts black farmers’ share of agricultural production as roughly 10%. But these numbers are also incomplete and largely an undercount.

    It will always be challenging to get to the real number of black farmers’ share of agricultural output as nobody would ever know whether the potato or the cabbage on the shelf came from a farm owned by a black farmer or a white person but operated by a black farmer, for example. As South Africans know, the labour on farms, in pack houses, distribution systems and retail are all black. So, the sweat and hard work of black South African workers are integral to the food supply chain in South Africa.

    Let’s get these facts straight and promote them honestly.

    – Most South African farmers are black: why Trump got it so wrong
    – https://theconversation.com/most-south-african-farmers-are-black-why-trump-got-it-so-wrong-257668

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minimum wage increases to $17.85 on June 1

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Employers and workers are reminded that on Sunday, June 1, 2025, B.C.’s general minimum wage increases from $17.40 to $17.85 an hour.

    The 2.6% increase on June 1 also applies to minimum-wage rates for resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, live-in camp leaders and app-based delivery and ride-hail services workers.

    The minimum agricultural piece rates for hand harvesters will increase by 2.6% on Dec. 31, 2025. The Dec. 31 annual increase to the minimum piece rates ensures crop producers will not need to adjust wages in the middle of the harvesting season.

    Government has made regular, gradual increases to the minimum wage to provide certainty for workers and predictability for businesses. This is the fourth year of the government’s ongoing commitment to tie annual minimum-wage increases to inflation.

    In February 2024, government amended the Employment Standards Act so annual increases to minimum rates happen automatically, based on the previous year’s average inflation rate for B.C.

    In 2024, approximately 130,000 employees in B.C. earned minimum wage or less, according to labour-force data from Statistics Canada. 

    Learn More:

    To read the news release on this year’s minimum wage increase, visit:
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025LBR0001-000113

    For more information about B.C.’s minimum wages, visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/employment-standards-advice/employment-standards/wages/minimum-wage

    For more information about TogetherBC, B.C.’s poverty reduction strategy, visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/poverty-reduction-strategy/togetherbc.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI From the Albany Herald: Dougherty County, Rural Georgia Would be Hard-hit by SNAP Cuts in Proposed Budget

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    ICYMI From the Albany Herald: Dougherty County, Rural Georgia Would be Hard-hit by SNAP Cuts in Proposed Budget

    Senator Reverend Warnock spoke to the Albany Herald about the social and economic impact that GOP cuts to federal nutrition programs would have on rural Georgians as a result of their new spending bill

    The SNAP program helps millions of working families across the country with their grocery bill each month. Every dollar in federal investment generates $1.79 in economic activity. In 2023, stores and retailers in Georgia saw revenues of over $3.6 billion from SNAP benefits

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “It makes no sense to take the food out of the mouths of poor, rural children to give tax cuts to rich folks. It’s people in the middle…it’s hard-working people who will feel the impact”

    Washington, D.C. – In an interview with the Albany Herald, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) warned rural Georgians that the elderly, people with disabilities, children, farmers, and small business owners will be those most impacted by cuts to key nutrition programs in Washington Republicans’ new spending bill. Senator Warnock stressed that cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps millions of working families afford groceries, would hit rural Georgians hardest because the majority of Georgia counties with the highest rates of families who rely on SNAP are rural. As a result, rural economies receive a larger lift from the program than many of their counterparts in metro-Atlanta. 

    “There are people who work every single day and are still food-insecure,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Poor people don’t have lobbyists. Billionaires and corporations do. You are seeing in this request the outsize impact of money and power in our politics.”

    On May 22, 2025, Senator Warnock published a white paper exposing the hidden harm of Washington Republicans’ plan to pay for their tax cut to billionaires by shifting the cost of nutrition assistance to the states, ultimately making it harder for Georgia families to cover their grocery bill. The report finds that Georgia families would suffer the most under the GOP spending bill with a projected loss of over $860 million, disproportionately affecting Georgia’s rural communities.

    SNAP helps vulnerable families supplement their budget by just $6.16 per day and lifts millions of Americans out of poverty each year. In 2023, stores and retailers in Georgia saw over $3.6 billion in revenue thanks to SNAP, helping local grocery stores keep their doors open.

    “The thing I want to emphasize is it will be rural Georgians impacted,” said Sen. Warnock. “What we will see is huge cuts in benefits. Small communities will be particularly hard hit. In Dougherty County, more than a third (of residents) are on SNAP. It will be a great impact to the local economy.”

    Hours after Senator Warnock published his report, Washington Republicans passed their $4.5 trillion spending bill through the House of Representatives. According to the House Republicans’ bill provisions advanced by the House Agriculture Committee on May 14, 2025, beginning in 2028, Washington Republicans would require all states to pay a 5% cost-share, shifting the burden from the federal government to the states. However, most states have higher payment error rates, like Georgia, and would have to pay even more.

    Georgia could be on the hook for $867 million in new costs on the state budget, leaving children, seniors, and disabled people more likely to be unable to afford groceries.

    The full article can be found HERE and below:

    ALBANY – Georgia’s elderly, disabled and children, as well as farmers, would be the casualties of a congressional spending bill that made its way through the House early Thursday morning.

    That’s the assessment of U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock concerning the “big beautiful bill” backed by President Trump that will now advance to the Senate. Georgia’s potential loss would be $860 million in food assistance.

    “Small communities will be particularly hard hit,” Georgia’s junior senator said of the legislation, which also contains reductions in Medicaid spending. “It’s an unfunded mandate that shifts the cut to the state. What we will see is huge cuts in benefits.”

    On Thursday, the senator released an analysis of the potential impact on residents of the Peach State. Among his takeaways are that 1.4 million Georgians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), with more than 69% of participants in 694,000 households being families with children. More than 28% of SNAP recipients were in households with family members who are elderly or disabled.

    In addition, state residents in rural areas are disproportionately likely to benefit from SNAP, with more than 77% of counties with the highest SNAP participation being rural. Between 2015 and 2019 SNAP lifted 250,000 Georgians, including 112,000 children, out of poverty each year, according to Warnock’s analysis.

    “The thing I want to emphasize is it will be rural Georgians impacted,” he said. “In Dougherty County, more than a third (of residents) are on SNAP. It will be a great impact to the local economy.”

    Nationally in 2024, of the 42 million Americans who received SNAP benefits, two out of three were either a child, senior citizen or adult with a disability, according to Warnock, and 96% of households of two or more contained at least one child, senior citizen or person with a disability.

    In addition to the moral argument, there is also an economic one in that each federal dollar spent on the SNAP program generated $1.79 in economic activity in 2023, accounting for $3.6 billion in revenue at Georgia businesses, according to the senator’s analysis.

    “Poor people don’t have lobbyists,” Warnock said. “Billionaires and corporations do. You are seeing in this request the outsize impact of money and power in our politics.

    “It makes no sense to take the food out of the mouths of poor, rural children to give tax cuts to rich folks. It’s people in the middle … it’s hard-working people who will feel the impact. There are people who work every single day and are still food-insecure. As a pastor, I will continue to make the moral argument.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s West Point speech brought partisanship to the home of the US military − 2 essential reads

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeff Inglis, Environment + Energy Editor, The Conversation US

    President Donald Trump delivers the commencement address at West Point on May 24, 2025. AP Photo/Adam Gray

    President Donald Trump’s speech at the graduation of the class of 2025 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point included segments that were clearly scripted and portions that were obviously not.

    During the unscripted portions, Trump, who wore a bright red “Make America Great Again” campaign hat during his entire appearance on May 24, 2025, delivered remarks that hit many of his frequent partisan political talking points. That included attacking presidential predecessors Barack Obama and Joe Biden, describing immigrants to the U.S. as “criminals” and trumpeting other policy accomplishments in his first and second terms.

    That level of partisanship in a military setting – on the campus of the nation’s first military academy, and before an audience of cadets and their families, many of whom are veterans – is unusual in the United States.

    The Conversation U.S. has published several articles discussing the importance to democracy of keeping the military and partisan politics separate. Here are two highlights from that coverage.

    1. Cadets focus on the Constitution

    During the West Point ceremony, the graduates themselves took an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” And all of them had studied the significance of that oath, including in classes like those taught by Joseph G. Amoroso and Lee Robinson, active-duty Army officers who graduated from West Point and later served as professors there.

    As Amoroso and Robinson wrote, those classes teach cadets that, like all military personnel, they serve the Constitution and the American people, not a particular person or political party:

    “(O)ur oath forms the basis of a nonpartisan ethic. In the U.S., unlike in many other countries, the oath implies military leaders should be trusted for their expertise and judgment, not for their loyalty to an individual or political party. We emphasize to cadets the rules and professional expectations associated with this profound responsibility.”



    Read more:
    Military personnel swear allegiance to the Constitution and serve the American people – not one leader or party

    2. A tradition of nonpartisanship

    Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Samuel C. Mahaney, who teaches history, national security and constitutional law at Missouri University of Science and Technology, observed:

    “(S)ince the days of George Washington, the military has been dedicated to serving the nation, not a specific person or political agenda. … (N)onpartisanship is central to the military’s primary mission of defending the country.”

    Mahaney wrote that if Trump’s actions during his second term meant a change from the centuries of precedent, “military personnel at all levels would face a crucial question: Would they stand up for the military’s independent role in maintaining the integrity and stability of American democracy or follow the president’s orders – even if those orders crossed a line that made them illegal or unconstitutional?”

    Presenting a key question for military personnel.



    Read more:
    Trump’s firings of military leaders pose a crucial question to service members of all ranks

    This story was updated to highlight two articles from The Conversation’s archives.

    – ref. Trump’s West Point speech brought partisanship to the home of the US military − 2 essential reads – https://theconversation.com/trumps-west-point-speech-brought-partisanship-to-the-home-of-the-us-military-2-essential-reads-257673

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Reserve Board issues Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024 report

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

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    The Federal Reserve Board on Wednesday issued its Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2024 report, which examines the financial circumstances of U.S. adults and their families. Overall, the report shows that financial well-being was similar to the previous two years as concerns about prices persisted and labor market conditions remained solid.
    The report draws from the Board’s annual Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED), which was fielded in October 2024. It analyzes a wide variety of topics including financial well-being, handling expenses, employment, and gig work.
    This year’s report finds that 73 percent of adults reported either doing okay or living comfortably financially, similar to recent years but lower than a high of 78 percent in 2021. The share who would cover a $400 emergency expense using cash or its equivalent was also nearly unchanged from recent years at 63 percent.
    Inflation and prices continued to be the top financial concern. A majority of adults said that changes in the prices they paid over the prior year had made their finances worse, but the share saying so declined from 2023. In response to higher prices, most people reported taking actions such as adjusting their spending.
    Responses indicated that the labor market remained solid. Similar shares of people started new jobs in 2024 compared with 2023. Additionally, the shares of people who were laid off or voluntarily left a job were each unchanged from the prior year. Yet, the survey also found that job changes were less likely to lead to better jobs. In 2024, 62 percent of people who had a different job than a year earlier said that their new job was better overall, which was down from a peak of 72 percent in 2022 and 67 percent in 2023. When asked about specific job characteristics, job changers were less likely to say that pay and benefits, opportunities for advancement, interest in the work, and work-life balance were better in their new job.
    “The financial well-being of American households and businesses is essential to our nation’s overall economic vitality,” said Federal Reserve Board Governor Michael S. Barr. “It is critical for the Federal Reserve to understand the challenges households and businesses face as we work to promote a healthy economy and strong financial system.”
    Survey results also highlighted the risk of financial fraud facing consumers. Twenty-one percent of adults experienced financial fraud in 2024, with credit card fraud as the most common type. The 8 percent of adults who experienced fraud not related to their credit card incurred an estimated $63 billion in total unrecovered losses.
    The report, fact sheet, downloadable data, data visualizations, and a video summarizing the report’s findings are available here.
    For media inquiries, please email [email protected] or call (202) 452-2955.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Owner of Local Real Estate Investment Company Pleads Guilty to Role in Fraud Conspiracy

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—The owner of a local real estate investment company pleaded guilty today for his role in an $18 million fraud scheme, joining his business partner and co-owner of the company who pleaded guilty in March 2025.

    Robert D. Christensen, 55, of Sherwood, Oregon, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

    Previously, on March 11, 2025, Christensen’s partner and co-owner of the investment company, Anthony M. Matic, 55, of Damascus, Oregon, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

    According to court documents, from approximately January 2019 through June 2023, Christensen and Matic devised and carried out a scheme wherein they convinced individual investors to fund the purchase and renovation of undervalued residential real estate properties. After renovating the properties, Christensen and Matic claimed they would rent the properties to generate income and then refinance them to extract their increased value from the renovations. The pair further misled investors into believing they would be repaid their full principal investment along with interest as high as eight to fifteen percent and a large lump sum payout, all within periods as short as 30 to 90 days.

    Christensen and Matic’s scheme failed to generate the promised returns almost immediately and they began using new investments to repay earlier investors to keep their business afloat. When they were unable to raise enough money from new investors, Christensen and Matic devised a separate scheme to defraud commercial lenders. By December 2020, the pair began submitting loan applications with false financial information to different commercial lenders and, based on their misrepresentations, received millions of dollars in loans.

    In total, Christensen and Matic’s two schemes defrauded individual investors out of more than $11 million and commercial lenders out of more than $7 million.

    Conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Money laundering in punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Both charges may also result in fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense.

    Christensen and Matic will both be sentenced on October 14, 2025.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Portland Gang Leader Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Possessing a Weapon in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    PORTLAND, Ore.—A known leader of Portland’s 18th Street Gang was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison Friday for his leadership role in a local drug trafficking conspiracy and for possessing a weapon while in federal prison.

    Noah Herrera, 26, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

    According to court documents, Herrera was a second-in-command leader of the 18th Street Gang in Portland, working regularly with the gang’s local leader, Gustavo Torres-Mendez, who was sentenced in May 2024 to 164 months in federal prison. Together, the two men led various gang-driven activities including trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl in the Portland area. During this time, the 18th Street Gang was heavily armed and sold drugs acquired near the Mexico border in California to local buyers in and around Portland.

    The government’s investigation exposed several major episodes in the gang’s activities. In August 2022, agents seized nearly nine pounds of methamphetamine after Herrera organized a transaction in Portland. Only weeks later, in early September 2022, federal agents monitoring the two leaders’ activities learned they and subordinate 18th Street Gang members had collected over $126,000 in cash after which Herrera and Torres-Mendez dispatched two members to California to purchase and pick up drugs. Agents monitored the return of the load vehicle, which was stopped near Grants Pass, Oregon, and over 104 pounds of methamphetamine and a smaller quantity of cocaine were seized. The methamphetamine was packaged in 56 separate plastic food containers.

    On November 17, 2022, agents arrested Herrera and executed a search warrant at his Vancouver, Washington, home, where they found two loaded Glock pistols, ammunition, additional quantities of drugs, two scales with drug residue, a drug ledger, over $5000 in cash and several cell phones.

    Agents also executed a search warrant at a residence in North Portland which had been used by the 18th Street Gang throughout the investigation as a meeting place and stash house. There, agents found and seized ten handguns in locations throughout the main rooms, a short-barreled shotgun, extended magazines, ammunition, body armor as well as additional drug evidence, packaging equipment and scales.

    On September 25, 2023, while housed at FCI Sheridan pending trial, prison guards found Herrera in possession of a shiv (a six-inch sharpened piece of metal) prohibited by federal law.

    On January 10, 2025, Herrera pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and possessing a dangerous weapon in a federal facility.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Thomas H. Edmonds and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit www.justice.gov/ocdetf.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wounded Knee Man Found Guilty by Federal Court Jury of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Anfernee Rondeau, age 28, of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 22, 2025.

    The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a minimum of 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024.

    Evidence at the three-day jury trial established on the evening of April 4, 2024, Rondeau, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter returned home after an evening of drinking. Both adults were intoxicated. Rondeau and his girlfriend and the child went into a bedroom. A short while later, a 13-year old witness heard the child crying. When the 13-year old went to check on the child, she observed Rondeau on top of the child. Rondeau’s pants were partially unzipped and pulled down. The child’s pants and underwear were pulled down. The 13-year old witness acted heroically and pushed Rondeau off of the child. The 13-year-old wrapped the child in a blanket and carried her to another family member inside the house. Rondeau was arrested the next day by tribal authorities.

    This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

    A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Claremore Man Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Minor and Abusive Sexual Contact of Two Minors

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – A federal jury yesterday convicted Ryan Duke Haight, 45, of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country and two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    At trial, the jury heard the testimony of the two minor victims, who were 14 and 15 years old at the time of the offenses, as well as other individuals. According to evidence presented at trial, Haight began making sexual comments to the 14-year-old victim in the summer of 2023. Haight also began touching the minor victim on the buttocks, claiming it was an accident, and played with the seam of her panties. He even told the victim that he preferred “butts” over “boobs,” which was why he liked the victim. In the spring of 2024, Haight’s physical contact escalated. On multiple occasions, while driving the victim home, Haight rested his hand on the victim’s leg and touched her underneath her clothing. Then in July 2024, Haight told the victim he wanted to give her a massage as his “prize” for winning a bet. While massaging the victim, Haight sexually abused her.

    Also in July 2024, Haight sought out the second victim at a Fourth of July party at his home. The second victim was 15 years old. During the party, Haight reached under the victim’s clothing to touch her bra strap and purposefully touched the minor’s buttocks. He later called her a “vagina” for being scared of a spider. When Haight testified, he admitted that he called the second victim a “gina,” and claimed that the term was a “buzz word the teens were saying,” that meant vagina, and he was trying to fit in with the teenagers. Haight also told the second victim that she “owed him” because he removed the spider for her.

    While awaiting trial, Haight was allowed to remain on bond. After the guilty verdict was returned, Haight was taken into custody, where he will await sentencing, which will be scheduled for a later date.

    The FBI and the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Scaife and Kate Brandon prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –