Category: housing

MIL-OSI: Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MINNEAPOLIS, May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (“Tactile Medical”; the “Company”) (Nasdaq: TCMD), a medical technology company providing therapies for people with chronic disorders, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.

First Quarter 2025 Summary & Recent Business Highlights:

Total revenue increased 0.3% year-over-year to $61.3 million
Gross margin of 74% versus 71% in Q1 2024
Net loss of $3.0 million versus $2.2 million in Q1 2024
Adjusted EBITDA loss of $0.3 million versus positive Adjusted EBITDA of $1.0 million in Q1 2024
Repurchased $10.0 million of stock under the Company’s share repurchase program
Expanded launch of Nimbl to include patients with lower extremity conditions, the largest segment of the lymphedema market
Completed launch of a new customer relationship management (CRM) tool and previously announced optimization of sales organization

“Through the first quarter our team executed on several highly strategic, growth-oriented priorities. We launched Nimbl for lower extremity lymphedema, completed efforts to optimize our sales organization for scale and efficiency, and implemented a new CRM tool that equips our team with best-in-class resources to more efficiently reach lymphedema patients,” said Sheri Dodd, Chief Executive Officer of Tactile Medical.

“While these efforts have had a temporary impact on sales force productivity, we are thrilled with the progress made and firmly believe these transformational actions are essential to positioning Tactile for consistent, long-term growth. Our underlying business fundamentals remain firmly in place and we are meaningfully advancing each of our three 2025 strategic priorities to remain the competitive market share leader in medical device lymphatic therapy.”

First Quarter 2025 Financial Results

Total revenue in the first quarter of 2025 increased $180 thousand, or 0.3%, to $61.3 million, compared to $61.1 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase in total revenue was attributable to an increase of $1.9 million, or 22%, in sales of the airway clearance product line, offset by a decrease of $1.8 million, or 3%, in sales and rentals of the lymphedema product line in the quarter ended March 31, 2025, compared to the first quarter of 2024. The increase in airway clearance product line revenue was primarily attributable to increased placements of AffloVest among our durable medical equipment (DME) partners, while the decrease in lymphedema product line revenue was primarily attributable to a decrease in headcount of our field sales team.

Gross profit in the first quarter of 2025 increased $1.9 million, or 4%, to $45.3 million, compared to $43.4 million in the first quarter of 2024. Gross margin was 74% of revenue, compared to 71% of revenue in the first quarter of 2024. The increase in gross profit was primarily attributable to lower manufacturing and warranty costs.

Operating expenses in the first quarter of 2025 increased $3.5 million, or 8%, to $49.9 million, compared to $46.4 million in the first quarter of 2024. The increase in operating expenses was primarily attributable to planned strategic investments.

Operating loss was $4.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $3.0 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Other income was $0.5 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2024, and consisted primarily of interest income, net.

Income tax benefit was $1.1 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to $0.6 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Net loss in the first quarter of 2025 was $3.0 million, or $(0.13) per diluted share, compared to $2.2 million, or $(0.09) per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2024.

Weighted average shares used to compute diluted net loss per share were 23.7 million in each of the first quarters of 2025 and 2024.

Adjusted EBITDA loss was $0.3 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared to positive Adjusted EBITDA of $1.0 million in the first quarter of 2024.

Balance Sheet Summary

As of March 31, 2025, the Company had $83.6 million in cash and $25.5 million of outstanding borrowings under its credit agreement, compared to $94.4 million in cash and $26.3 million of outstanding borrowings under its credit agreement as of December 31, 2024. The Company repurchased $10.0 million of its stock during the first quarter under its repurchase program. As of March 31, 2025, $16.5 million remained available under the Company’s $30.0 million share repurchase program, which expires October 31, 2026.

2025 Financial Outlook

The Company is updating its 2025 financial outlook and now expects full year 2025 total revenue in the range of $309 million to $315 million, representing growth of approximately 5% to 8% year-over-year, compared to total revenue of $293.0 million in 2024. The Company’s prior 2025 guidance expectation was total revenue in the range of $316 million to $322 million, representing growth of approximately 8% to 10% year-over-year.

The Company now also expects full year 2025 adjusted EBITDA in the range of $32 million to $34 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA of $37.1 million in 2024. The Company’s prior 2025 guidance expectation was adjusted EBITDA in the range of $35 million to $37 million.

Conference Call

Management will host a conference call with a question-and-answer session at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 5, 2025, to discuss the results of the quarter. Those who would like to participate may dial 877-407-3088 (201-389-0927 for international callers) and provide access code 13752588. A live webcast of the call will also be provided on the investor relations section of the Company’s website at investors.tactilemedical.com.

For those unable to participate, a replay of the call will be available for two weeks at 877-660-6853 (201-612-7415 for international callers); access code 13752588. The webcast will be archived at investors.tactilemedical.com.

About Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (DBA Tactile Medical)

Tactile Medical is a leader in developing and marketing at-home therapies for people suffering from underserved, chronic conditions including lymphedema, lipedema, chronic venous insufficiency and chronic pulmonary disease by helping them live better and care for themselves at home. Tactile Medical collaborates with clinicians to expand clinical evidence, raise awareness, increase access to care, reduce overall healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for tens of thousands of patients each year.

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements, including guidance for the full year 2025. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by the use of words like “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “intend,” “continue,” “confident,” “outlook,” “guidance,” “project,” “goals,” “look forward,” “poised,” “designed,” “plan,” “return,” “focused,” “prospects” or “remain” or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties outside of the Company’s control that can make such statements untrue, including, but not limited to, the Company’s ability to obtain reimbursement from third-party payers for its products; adverse economic conditions, including inflation, rising interest rates or a recession; the adequacy of the Company’s liquidity to pursue its business objectives; price increases for supplies and components; wage and component price inflation; loss of a key supplier or other supply chain disruptions; entry of new competitors and/or competitive products; compliance with and changes in federal, state and local government regulation; technological obsolescence of, or quality issues with, the Company’s products; the Company’s ability to expand its business through strategic acquisitions; the Company’s ability to integrate acquisitions and related businesses; the effects of current and future U.S. and foreign trade policy and tariff actions; or the inability to carry out research, development and commercialization plans. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release includes the non-GAAP financial measure of Adjusted EBITDA, which differs from financial measures calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Adjusted EBITDA in this release represents net income (loss), plus interest expense, net, or less interest income, net, less income tax benefit or plus income tax expense, plus depreciation and amortization, plus stock-based compensation expense and plus executive transition costs. Reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure is included in this press release.

This non-GAAP financial measure is presented because the Company believes it is a useful indicator of its operating performance. Management uses this measure principally as a measure of the Company’s operating performance and for planning purposes, including the preparation of the Company’s annual operating plan and financial projections. The Company believes this measure is useful to investors as supplemental information and because it is frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in its industry. The Company also believes this non-GAAP financial measure is useful to its management and investors as a measure of comparative operating performance from period to period. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is used as a performance metric in the Company’s compensation program.

The non-GAAP financial measure presented in this release should not be considered as an alternative to, or superior to, its respective GAAP financial measure, as a measure of financial performance or cash flows from operations as a measure of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP, and it should not be construed to imply that the Company’s future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect certain cash requirements such as tax payments, debt service requirements, capital expenditures and certain other cash costs that may recur in the future. Adjusted EBITDA contains certain other limitations, including the failure to reflect our cash expenditures, cash requirements for working capital needs and cash costs to replace assets being depreciated and amortized. In evaluating non-GAAP financial measures, you should be aware that in the future the Company may incur expenses that are the same as or similar to some of the adjustments in this presentation. The Company’s presentation of non-GAAP financial measures should not be construed to imply that its future results will be unaffected by any such adjustments. Management compensates for these limitations by primarily relying on the Company’s GAAP results in addition to using non-GAAP financial measures on a supplemental basis. The Company’s definition of these non-GAAP financial measures is not necessarily comparable to other similarly titled captions of other companies due to different methods of calculation.


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited)
	March 31,		December 31,
(In thousands, except share and per share data)	2025		2024
*Assets*
Current assets
Cash	$	83,619	$	94,367
Accounts receivable, net		35,693		44,937
Net investment in leases		14,850		14,540
Inventories		18,867		18,666
Income taxes receivable		1,193		—
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		5,900		5,053
Total current assets		160,122		177,563
Non-current assets
Property and equipment, net		5,391		5,603
Right of use operating lease assets		16,174		16,633
Intangible assets, net		41,866		42,789
Goodwill		31,063		31,063
Deferred income taxes		18,059		18,311
Other non-current assets		7,567		5,962
Total non-current assets		120,120		120,361
Total assets	$	280,242	$	297,924
*Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity*
Current liabilities
Accounts payable	$	7,224	$	5,648
Note payable		2,956		2,956
Accrued payroll and related taxes		10,929		17,923
Accrued expenses		7,177		7,780
Income taxes payable		—		270
Operating lease liabilities		3,036		2,980
Other current liabilities		4,079		3,147
Total current liabilities		35,401		40,704
Non-current liabilities
Note payable, non-current		22,481		23,220
Accrued warranty reserve, non-current		1,201		1,209
Income taxes payable, non-current		355		239
Operating lease liabilities, non-current		15,173		15,955
Total non-current liabilities		39,210		40,623
Total liabilities		74,611		81,327

Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized; none issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024		—		—
Common stock, $0.001 par value, 300,000,000 shares authorized; 23,584,471 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2025; 23,883,475 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024		24		24
Additional paid-in capital		172,727		180,719
Retained earnings		32,880		35,854
Total stockholders’ equity		205,631		216,597
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	280,242	$	297,924


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
(Unaudited)


	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
(In thousands, except share and per share data)	2025			2024
Revenue
Sales revenue	$	52,469		$	53,307
Rental revenue		8,799			7,781
Total revenue		61,268			61,088
Cost of revenue
Cost of sales revenue		13,891			14,944
Cost of rental revenue		2,031			2,715
Total cost of revenue		15,922			17,659
Gross profit
Gross profit – sales revenue		38,578			38,363
Gross profit – rental revenue		6,768			5,066
Gross profit		45,346			43,429
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing		27,516			27,357
Research and development		1,741			2,143
Reimbursement, general and administrative		19,998			16,261
Intangible asset amortization and earn-out		633			632
Total operating expenses		49,888			46,393
Loss from operations		(4,542	)		(2,964	)
Interest income		895			713
Interest expense		(424	)		(567	)
Other income		—			9
Loss before income taxes		(4,071	)		(2,809	)
Income tax benefit		(1,097	)		(600	)
Net loss	$	(2,974	)	$	(2,209	)
Net loss per common share
Basic	$	(0.13	)	$	(0.09	)
Diluted	$	(0.13	)	$	(0.09	)
Weighted-average common shares used to compute net loss per common share
Basic		23,710,643			23,665,829
Diluted		23,710,643			23,665,829


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended March 31,
(In thousands)	2025			2024
Cash flows from operating activities
Net loss	$	(2,974	)	$	(2,209	)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		1,726			1,634
Deferred income taxes		252			84
Stock-based compensation expense		2,066			2,039
Loss on disposal of property and equipment and intangibles		5			—
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisition:
Accounts receivable, net		9,244			2,682
Net investment in leases		(310	)		(129	)
Inventories		(201	)		1,683
Income taxes		(1,347	)		(693	)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(2,452	)		(787	)
Right of use operating lease assets		(267	)		2
Accounts receivable, non-current		—			3,983
Accounts payable		1,387			(1,396	)
Accrued payroll and related taxes		(6,994	)		(5,766	)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities		282			(203	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		417			924
Cash flows from investing activities
Purchases of property and equipment		(379	)		(482	)
Intangible assets expenditures		(28	)		(20	)
Net cash used in investing activities		(407	)		(502	)
Cash flows from financing activities
Payments on note payable		(750	)		(750	)
Proceeds from exercise of common stock options		10			1
Payments for repurchases of common stock		(10,018	)		—
Net cash used in financing activities		(10,758	)		(749	)
Net decrease in cash		(10,748	)		(327	)
Cash – beginning of period		94,367			61,033
Cash – end of period	$	83,619		$	60,706

Supplemental cash flow disclosure
Cash paid for interest	$	444		$	583
Cash paid for taxes	$	15		$	54
Accrued excise tax on stock repurchases	$	50		$	—
Capital expenditures incurred but not yet paid	$	189		$	225

The following table summarizes revenue by product line for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024:


	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
(In thousands)	2025			2024
Revenue
Lymphedema products	$	50,554		$	52,313
Airway clearance products		10,714			8,775
Total	$	61,268		$	61,088

Percentage of total revenue
Lymphedema products		83	%		86	%
Airway clearance products		17	%		14	%
Total		100	%		100	%

The following table contains a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, as well as the dollar and percentage change between the comparable periods:


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Reconciliation of Net Loss to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA
(Unaudited)

	Three Months Ended						Increase
	March 31,						(Decrease)
(Dollars in thousands)	2025			2024			$			%
Net loss	$	(2,974	)	$	(2,209	)	$	(765	)	35	%
Interest (income) expense, net		(471	)		(146	)		(325	)	N.M.	%
Income tax benefit		(1,097	)		(600	)		(497	)	83	%
Depreciation and amortization		1,726			1,634			92		6	%
Stock-based compensation		2,066			2,039			27		1	%
Executive transition costs		491			315			176		56	%
Adjusted EBITDA	$	(259	)	$	1,033		$	(1,292	)	(125	)%

The following table contains a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2024:


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Reconciliation of Net income to Non-GAAP Adjusted EBITDA
(Unaudited)

	Year Ended
(Dollars in thousands)	December 31, 2024
Net income	$	16,960
Interest (income) expense, net		(1,299	)
Income tax expense		6,529
Depreciation and amortization		6,793
Stock-based compensation		7,819
Executive transition costs		248
Adjusted EBITDA	$	37,050

The following table contains a reconciliation of GAAP net income guidance range to the Adjusted EBITDA guidance range for the twelve months ended December 31, 2025:


Tactile Systems Technology, Inc.
Reconciliation of FY 2025 GAAP Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA Guidance
(Unaudited)

	Twelve Months Ended
	December 31, 2025
(Dollars in thousands)	Low			High
Net income	$	13,400		$	14,800
Interest income, net		(2,400	)		(2,400	)
Income tax expense		5,200			5,800
Depreciation and amortization		6,700			6,700
Stock-based compensation		8,600			8,600
Executive transition costs		500			500
Adjusted EBITDA	$	32,000		$	34,000

Investor Inquiries:
Sam Bentzinger
Gilmartin Group
investorrelations@tactilemedical.com

The MIL Network –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI: Palomar Holdings, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2025 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

LA JOLLA, Calif., May 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Palomar Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLMR) (“Palomar” or “Company”) reported net income of $42.9 million, or $1.57 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2025 compared to net income of $26.4 million, or $1.04 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024. Adjusted net income⁽¹⁾ was $51.3 million, or $1.87 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2025 as compared to $27.8 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, for the first quarter of 2024.

First Quarter 2025 Highlights

Gross written premiums increased by 20.1% to $442.2 million compared to $368.1 million in the first quarter of 2024
Net income of $42.9 million compared to $26.4 million in the first quarter of 2024
Adjusted net income⁽¹⁾ increased 84.6% to $51.3 million compared to $27.8 million in the first quarter of 2024
Total loss ratio of 23.6% compared to 24.9% in the first quarter of 2024
Catastrophe loss ratio⁽¹⁾ of -0.3% compared to 3.1% in the first quarter of 2024
Combined ratio of 73.1% compared to 76.9% in the first quarter of 2024
Adjusted combined ratio⁽¹⁾ of 68.5% compared to 73.0%, in the first quarter of 2024
Adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses⁽¹⁾ of 68.9% compared to 69.8%, in the first quarter of 2024
Annualized return on equity of 22.6% compared to 21.7% in the first quarter of 2024
Annualized adjusted return on equity⁽¹⁾ of 27.0% compared to 22.9% in the first quarter of 2024

^{(1) See discussion of “Non-GAAP and Key Performance Indicators” below.}

Mac Armstrong, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “I am very pleased with our strong start to 2025, as our first quarter saw sustained gross written premium growth and record adjusted net income. The quarter featured 85% adjusted net income growth, a 69% adjusted combined ratio, and a 27% adjusted ROE. Our results demonstrate our continued execution of the Palomar 2X strategic imperative as well as concerted efforts to build a leading specialty insurance franchise with a resilient and diversified portfolio.  Our 20% gross written premium growth was driven by both new products like Crop and Casualty as well as our balanced mix of residential and commercial property products. Importantly, our same-store premium growth rate was 37%⁽²⁾, demonstrating the strong underlying momentum that exists across our portfolio of specialty products.”  

Mr. Armstrong continued, “Beyond our financial performance, we remain focused on executing all our 2025 strategic imperatives. We continue to make investments across our organization, including the successful acquisition of Advanced AgProtection. This acquisition enhances the talent and operational scale of our Crop franchise and is expected to strengthen the near-term and long-term prospects of Palomar.” 

^{(2) Excludes the impact of lines of business exited or discontinued since prior year.}

Underwriting Results

Gross written premiums increased 20.1% to $442.2 million compared to $368.1 million in the first quarter of 2024, while net earned premiums increased 52.1% compared to the prior year’s first quarter.

Losses and loss adjustment expenses for the first quarter were $38.7 million, comprised of $39.2 million of attritional losses, offset by $0.5 million of favorable development on prior year catastrophe events. The loss ratio for the quarter was 23.6%, comprised of an attritional loss ratio of 23.9% and a catastrophe loss ratio⁽¹⁾ of -0.3% compared to a loss ratio of 24.9% during the same period last year comprised of an attritional loss ratio of 21.8% and a catastrophe loss ratio⁽¹⁾ of 3.1%.

Underwriting income⁽¹⁾ for the first quarter was $44.1 million resulting in a combined ratio of 73.1% compared to underwriting income of $25.0 million resulting in a combined ratio of 76.9% during the same period last year. The Company’s adjusted underwriting income⁽¹⁾ was $51.6 million resulting in an adjusted combined ratio⁽¹⁾ of 68.5% in the first quarter compared to adjusted underwriting income⁽¹⁾ of $29.2 million and an adjusted combined ratio⁽¹⁾ of 73.0% during the same period last year. The Company’s adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses⁽¹⁾ was 68.9% compared to 69.8% during the same period last year.

Investment Results
Net investment income increased by 69.1% to $12.1 million compared to $7.1 million in the prior year’s first quarter. The increase was primarily due to higher yields on invested assets and a higher average balance of investments held during the three months ended March 31, 2025 due to cash generated from operations and proceeds from the August 2024 public offering. The weighted average duration of the fixed-maturity investment portfolio, including cash equivalents, was 4.09 years at March 31, 2025. Cash and invested assets totaled $1.2 billion at March 31, 2025. During the first quarter, the Company recorded $2.3 million net realized and unrealized losses related to its investment portfolio as compared to net realized and unrealized gains of $3.0 million during the same period last year.

Tax Rate
The effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2025 was 20.1% compared to 23.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2024. For the current quarter, the Company’s income tax rate differed from the statutory rate due primarily to the tax impact of the permanent component of employee stock options offset by non-deductible executive compensation expense.

Stockholders’ Equity and Returns
Stockholders’ equity was $790.4 million at March 31, 2025, compared to $501.7 million at March 31, 2024. For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company’s annualized return on equity was 22.6% compared to 21.7% for the same period in the prior year while adjusted return on equity⁽¹⁾ was 27.0% compared to 22.9% for the same period in the prior year.

Full Year 2025 Outlook
For the full year 2025, the Company expects to achieve adjusted net income of $186 million to $200 million, an increase from the Company’s initial outlook of adjusted net income of $180 million to $192 million. This range includes an estimate of $8 million to $12 million of catastrophe losses for the remainder of the year.

Conference Call
As previously announced, Palomar will host a conference call Tuesday, May 6, 2025, to discuss its first quarter 2025 results at 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The conference call can be accessed live by dialing 1-877-423-9813 or for international callers, 1-201-689-8573, and requesting to be joined to the Palomar First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call. A replay will be available starting at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on May 6, 2025, and can be accessed by dialing 1-844-512-2921, or for international callers, 1-412-317-6671. The passcode for the replay is 13752911. The replay will be available until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on May 13, 2025.

Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the investor relations section of the Company’s website at http://ir.palomarspecialty.com/. The online replay will remain available for a limited time beginning immediately following the call.

About Palomar Holdings, Inc.
Palomar Holdings, Inc. is the holding company of subsidiaries Palomar Specialty Insurance Company (“PSIC”), Palomar Specialty Reinsurance Company Bermuda Ltd. (“PSRE”), Palomar Insurance Agency, Inc., Palomar Excess and Surplus Insurance Company (“PESIC”), Palomar Underwriters Exchange Organization, Inc. (“PUEO”), First Indemnity of America Insurance Co. (“FIA”), and Palomar Crop Insurance Services, Inc. (“PCIS”). Palomar’s consolidated results also include Laulima Exchange (“Laulima”), a variable interest entity for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Palomar is an innovative specialty insurer serving residential and commercial clients in five product categories: Earthquake, Inland Marine and Other Property, Casualty, Fronting, and Crop. Palomar’s insurance subsidiaries, PSIC, PSRE, and PESIC, have a financial strength rating of “A” (Excellent) from A.M. Best. FIA carries an “A-” (Stable) rating from A.M. Best.

To learn more, visit PLMR.com.

Non-GAAP and Key Performance Indicators

Palomar discusses certain key performance indicators, described below, which provide useful information about the Company’s business and the operational factors underlying the Company’s financial performance.

Underwriting revenue is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as total revenue, excluding net investment income and net realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of total revenue calculated in accordance with GAAP to underwriting revenue.

Underwriting income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as income before income taxes excluding net investment income, net realized and unrealized gains and losses on investments, and interest expense. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of income before income taxes calculated in accordance with GAAP to underwriting income.

Adjusted net income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net income excluding the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook, net of tax impact. Palomar calculates the tax impact only on adjustments which would be included in calculating the Company’s income tax expense using the estimated tax rate at which the company received a deduction for these adjustments. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of net income calculated in accordance with GAAP to adjusted net income.

Annualized Return on equity is net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period.

Annualized adjusted return on equity is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as adjusted net income expressed on an annualized basis as a percentage of average beginning and ending stockholders’ equity during the period. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of return on equity calculated using unadjusted GAAP numbers to adjusted return on equity.

Loss ratio, expressed as a percentage, is the ratio of losses and loss adjustment expenses, to net earned premiums.

Expense ratio, expressed as a percentage, is the ratio of acquisition and other underwriting expenses, net of commission and other income to net earned premiums.

Combined ratio is defined as the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio. A combined ratio under 100% generally indicates an underwriting profit. A combined ratio over 100% generally indicates an underwriting loss.

Adjusted combined ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as the sum of the loss ratio and the expense ratio calculated excluding the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of combined ratio calculated using unadjusted GAAP numbers to adjusted combined ratio.

Diluted adjusted earnings per share is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as adjusted net income divided by the weighted-average common shares outstanding for the period, reflecting the dilution which could occur if equity-based awards are converted into common share equivalents as calculated using the treasury stock method. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of diluted earnings per share calculated in accordance with GAAP to diluted adjusted earnings per share.

Catastrophe loss ratio is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as the ratio of catastrophe losses to net earned premiums. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of loss ratio calculated using unadjusted GAAP numbers to catastrophe loss ratio.

Adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as adjusted combined ratio excluding the impact of catastrophe losses. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of combined ratio calculated using unadjusted GAAP numbers to adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses.

Adjusted underwriting income is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as underwriting income excluding the impact of certain items that may not be indicative of underlying business trends, operating results, or future outlook. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of income before income taxes calculated in accordance with GAAP to adjusted underwriting income.

Tangible stockholders’ equity is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as stockholders’ equity less goodwill and intangible assets. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a reconciliation of stockholders’ equity calculated in accordance with GAAP to tangible stockholders’ equity.

Safe Harbor Statement
Palomar cautions you that statements contained in this press release may regard matters that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on the company’s current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Palomar that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ from those set forth in this press release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business. The forward-looking statements are typically, but not always, identified through use of the words “believe,” “expect,” “enable,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “intends,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “predict,” “probable,” “potential,” “possible,” “should,” “continue,” and other words of similar meaning. Actual results could differ materially from the expectations contained in forward-looking statements as a result of several factors, including unexpected expenditures and costs, unexpected results or delays in development and regulatory review, regulatory approval requirements, the frequency and severity of adverse events and competitive conditions. These and other factors that may result in differences are discussed in greater detail in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, which is made under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Contact
Media Inquiries
Lindsay Conner
1-551-206-6217
lconner@plmr.com

Investor Relations
Jamie Lillis
1-203-428-3223
investors@plmr.com

Source: Palomar Holdings, Inc.

Summary of Operating Results:

The following tables summarize the Company’s results for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024:

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024			Change			% Change
	($ in thousands, except per share data)
Gross written premiums	$	442,163		$	368,078		$	74,085			20.1	%
Ceded written premiums		(230,745	)		(228,171	)		(2,574	)		1.1	%
Net written premiums		211,418			139,907			71,511			51.1	%
Net earned premiums		164,070			107,866			56,204			52.1	%
Commission and other income		830			528			302			57.2	%
Total underwriting revenue ⁽¹⁾		164,900			108,394			56,506			52.1	%
Losses and loss adjustment expenses		38,743			26,837			11,906			44.4	%
Acquisition expenses, net of ceding commissions and fronting fees		46,359			31,798			14,561			45.8	%
Other underwriting expenses		35,733			24,804			10,929			44.1	%
Underwriting income ⁽¹⁾		44,065			24,955			19,110			76.6	%
Interest expense		(85	)		(740	)		655			(88.5	)%
Net investment income		12,071			7,139			4,932			69.1	%
Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments		(2,338	)		3,002			(5,340	)		(177.9	)%
Income before income taxes		53,713			34,356			19,357			56.3	%
Income tax expense		10,791			7,974			2,817			35.3	%
Net income	$	42,922		$	26,382		$	16,540			62.7	%
Adjustments:
Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments		2,338			(3,002	)		5,340			(177.9	)%
Expenses associated with transactions		2,088			—			2,088			—	%
Stock-based compensation expense		4,745			3,820			925			24.2	%
Amortization of intangibles		707			390			317			81.3	%
Tax impact		(1,494	)		204			(1,698	)		NM
Adjusted net income ⁽¹⁾	$	51,306		$	27,794		$	23,512			84.6	%
Key Financial and Operating Metrics
Annualized return on equity		22.6	%		21.7	%
Annualized adjusted return on equity ⁽¹⁾		27.0	%		22.9	%
Loss ratio		23.6	%		24.9	%
Expense ratio		49.5	%		52.0	%
Combined ratio		73.1	%		76.9	%
Adjusted combined ratio ⁽¹⁾		68.5	%		73.0	%
Diluted earnings per share	$	1.57		$	1.04
Diluted adjusted earnings per share ⁽¹⁾	$	1.87		$	1.09
Catastrophe losses	$	(542	)	$	3,359
Catastrophe loss ratio ⁽¹⁾		(0.3	)%		3.1	%
Adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses ⁽¹⁾		68.9	%		69.8	%
Adjusted underwriting income ⁽¹⁾	$	51,605		$	29,165		$	22,440			76.9	%
NM – not meaningful

^{(1) Indicates Non-GAAP financial measure – see above for definition of Non-GAAP financial measures and see below for reconciliation of Non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.}

Condensed Consolidated Balance sheets

Palomar Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited)

(in thousands, except shares and par value data)

	March 31,			December 31,
	2025			2024
	(Unaudited)
Assets
Investments:
Fixed maturity securities available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost: $1,015,892 in 2025; $973,330 in 2024)	$	991,759		$	939,046
Equity securities, at fair value (cost: $44,462 in 2025; $32,987 in 2024)		44,367			40,529
Equity method investment		2,259			2,277
Other investments		11,031			5,863
Total investments		1,049,416			987,715
Cash and cash equivalents		119,312			80,438
Restricted cash		15			101
Accrued investment income		8,590			8,440
Premiums receivable		334,247			305,724
Deferred policy acquisition costs, net of ceding commissions and fronting fees		102,861			94,881
Reinsurance recoverable on paid losses and loss adjustment expenses		30,361			47,076
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses		361,227			348,083
Ceded unearned premiums		295,275			276,237
Prepaid expenses and other assets		92,292			91,086
Deferred tax assets, net		5,596			8,768
Property and equipment, net		2,393			429
Goodwill and intangible assets, net		24,925			13,242
Total assets	$	2,426,510		$	2,262,220
Liabilities and stockholders’ equity
Liabilities:
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	$	65,405		$	70,079
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses		543,889			503,382
Unearned premiums		813,462			741,692
Ceded premium payable		179,105			190,168
Funds held under reinsurance treaty		34,200			27,869
Total liabilities		1,636,061			1,533,190
Stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 5,000,000 shares authorized, 0 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024		—			—
Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 26,735,132 and 26,529,402 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively		3			3
Additional paid-in capital		501,950			493,656
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(16,642	)		(26,845	)
Retained earnings		305,138			262,216
Total stockholders’ equity		790,449			729,030
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity	$	2,426,510		$	2,262,220

Condensed Consolidated Income Statement

Palomar Holdings, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income (loss) (Unaudited)

(in thousands, except shares and per share data)

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
Revenues:
Gross written premiums	$	442,163		$	368,078
Ceded written premiums		(230,745	)		(228,171	)
Net written premiums		211,418			139,907
Change in unearned premiums		(47,348	)		(32,041	)
Net earned premiums		164,070			107,866
Net investment income		12,071			7,139
Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on investments		(2,338	)		3,002
Commission and other income		830			528
Total revenues		174,633			118,535
Expenses:
Losses and loss adjustment expenses		38,743			26,837
Acquisition expenses, net of ceding commissions and fronting fees		46,359			31,798
Other underwriting expenses		35,733			24,804
Interest expense		85			740
Total expenses		120,920			84,179
Income before income taxes		53,713			34,356
Income tax expense		10,791			7,974
Net income	$	42,922		$	26,382
Other comprehensive income, net:
Net unrealized gains (losses) on securities available for sale		10,203			(2,514	)
Net comprehensive income	$	53,125		$	23,868
Per Share Data:
Basic earnings per share	$	1.61		$	1.06
Diluted earnings per share	$	1.57		$	1.04

Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic		26,658,106			24,862,367
Diluted		27,399,997			25,468,564

Underwriting Segment Data

The Company has a single reportable segment and offers specialty insurance products. Gross written premiums (GWP) by product, location and company are presented below:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025					2024
	($ in thousands)
			% of					% of						%
	Amount		GWP			Amount		GWP			Change			Change
Product
Earthquake	$	130,245		29.5	%	$	105,729		28.7	%	$	24,516			23.2	%
Casualty		110,487		25.0	%		51,935		14.1	%		58,552			112.7	%
Inland Marine and Other Property		99,284		22.5	%		76,876		20.9	%		22,408			29.1	%
Fronting		53,927		12.2	%		94,831		25.8	%		(40,904	)		(43.1	)%
Crop		48,220		10.9	%		38,707		10.5	%		9,513			24.6	%
Total Gross Written Premiums	$	442,163		100.0	%	$	368,078		100.0	%	$	74,085			20.1	%

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025					2024
	($ in thousands)
			% of					% of
	Amount		GWP			Amount		GWP
State
California	$	139,723		31.6	%	$	157,217		42.7	%
Texas		44,991		10.2	%		40,795		11.1	%
Hawaii		20,358		4.6	%		12,516		3.4	%
Florida		18,641		4.2	%		13,924		3.8	%
Washington		15,669		3.5	%		12,002		3.3	%
New York		14,597		3.3	%		8,030		2.2	%
New Mexico		12,395		2.8	%		7,469		2.0	%
Colorado		12,168		2.8	%		9,605		2.6	%
Other		163,621		37.0	%		106,520		28.9	%
Total Gross Written Premiums	$	442,163		100.0	%	$	368,078		100.0	%

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025					2024
	($ in thousands)
			% of					% of
	Amount		GWP			Amount		GWP
Subsidiary
PSIC	$	230,917		52.2	%	$	222,657		60.5	%
PESIC		190,786		43.1	%		136,493		37.1	%
Laulima		16,037		3.7	%		8,928		2.4	%
FIA		4,423		1.0	%		—		—	%
Total Gross Written Premiums	$	442,163		100.0	%	$	368,078		100.0	%

Gross and net earned premiums

The table below shows the amount of premiums the Company earned on a gross and net basis and the Company’s net earned premiums as a percentage of gross earned premiums for each period presented:

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024			Change			% Change
	($ in thousands)
Gross earned premiums	$	375,776		$	302,872		$	72,904			24.1	%
Ceded earned premiums		(211,706	)		(195,006	)		(16,700	)		8.6	%
Net earned premiums	$	164,070		$	107,866		$	56,204			52.1	%

Net earned premium ratio		43.7	%		35.6	%

Loss detail

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024			Change			% Change
	($ in thousands)
Catastrophe losses	$	(542	)	$	3,359		$	(3,901	)		(116.1	)%
Non-catastrophe losses		39,285			23,478			15,807			67.3	%
Total losses and loss adjustment expenses	$	38,743		$	26,837		$	11,906			44.4	%

Catastrophe loss ratio		(0.3	)%		3.1	%
Non-catastrophe loss ratio		23.9	%		21.8	%
Total loss ratio		23.6	%		24.9	%

The following table represents a reconciliation of changes in the ending reserve balances for losses and loss adjustment expenses:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Reserve for losses and LAE net of reinsurance recoverables at beginning of period	$	155,299		$	97,653
Add: Balance acquired from FIA⁽¹⁾		6,788			—
Add: Incurred losses and LAE, net of reinsurance, related to:
Current year		43,059			26,333
Prior years		(4,316	)		504
Total incurred		38,743			26,837
Deduct: Loss and LAE payments, net of reinsurance, related to:
Current year		4,998			4,895
Prior years		13,170			9,432
Total payments		18,168			14,327
Reserve for losses and LAE net of reinsurance recoverables at end of period		182,662			110,163
Add: Reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses and LAE at end of period		361,227			292,024
Reserve for losses and LAE gross of reinsurance recoverables on unpaid losses and LAE at end of period	$	543,889		$	402,187

^{(1) Represents amounts recognized in Reserve for losses and LAE net of reinsurance recoverables upon acquisition of FIA on 1/1/2025, in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations.}

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

For the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, the Non-GAAP financial measures discussed above reconcile to their most comparable GAAP measures as follows:

Underwriting revenue

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Total revenue	$	174,633		$	118,535
Net investment income		(12,071	)		(7,139	)
Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments		2,338			(3,002	)
Underwriting revenue	$	164,900		$	108,394

Underwriting income and adjusted underwriting income

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Income before income taxes	$	53,713		$	34,356
Net investment income		(12,071	)		(7,139	)
Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments		2,338			(3,002	)
Interest expense		85			740
Underwriting income	$	44,065		$	24,955
Expenses associated with transactions		2,088			—
Stock-based compensation expense		4,745			3,820
Amortization of intangibles		707			390
Adjusted underwriting income	$	51,605		$	29,165

Adjusted net income

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Net income	$	42,922		$	26,382
Adjustments:
Net realized and unrealized losses (gains) on investments		2,338			(3,002	)
Expenses associated with transactions		2,088			—
Stock-based compensation expense		4,745			3,820
Amortization of intangibles		707			390
Tax impact		(1,494	)		204
Adjusted net income	$	51,306		$	27,794

Annualized adjusted return on equity

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)

Annualized adjusted net income	$	205,224		$	111,176
Average stockholders’ equity	$	759,739		$	486,455
Annualized adjusted return on equity		27.0	%		22.9	%

Adjusted combined ratio

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Numerator: Sum of losses and loss adjustment expenses, acquisition expenses, and other underwriting expenses, net of commission and other income	$	120,005		$	82,911
Denominator: Net earned premiums	$	164,070		$	107,866
Combined ratio		73.1	%		76.9	%
Adjustments to numerator:
Expenses associated with transactions	$	(2,088	)	$	—
Stock-based compensation expense		(4,745	)		(3,820	)
Amortization of intangibles		(707	)		(390	)
Adjusted combined ratio		68.5	%		73.0	%

Diluted adjusted earnings per share

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025		2024
	(in thousands, except per share data)

Adjusted net income	$	51,306	$	27,794
Weighted-average common shares outstanding, diluted		27,399,997		25,468,564
Diluted adjusted earnings per share	$	1.87	$	1.09

Catastrophe loss ratio

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Numerator: Losses and loss adjustment expenses	$	38,743		$	26,837
Denominator: Net earned premiums	$	164,070		$	107,866
Loss ratio		23.6	%		24.9	%

Numerator: Catastrophe losses	$	(542	)	$	3,359
Denominator: Net earned premiums	$	164,070		$	107,866
Catastrophe loss ratio		(0.3	)%		3.1	%

Adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Numerator: Sum of losses and loss adjustment expenses, acquisition expenses, and other underwriting expenses, net of commission and other income	$	120,005		$	82,911
Denominator: Net earned premiums	$	164,070		$	107,866
Combined ratio		73.1	%		76.9	%
Adjustments to numerator:
Expenses associated with transactions	$	(2,088	)	$	—
Stock-based compensation expense		(4,745	)		(3,820	)
Amortization of intangibles		(707	)		(390	)
Catastrophe losses		542			(3,359	)
Adjusted combined ratio excluding catastrophe losses		68.9	%		69.8	%

Tangible Stockholders’ equity

	March 31,			December 31,
	2025			2024
	(in thousands)
Stockholders’ equity	$	790,449		$	729,030
Goodwill and intangible assets		(24,925	)		(13,242	)
Tangible stockholders’ equity	$	765,524		$	715,788

The MIL Network –

May 6, 2025

MIL-Evening Report: Labor has the chance to do something big in its second term. What policy reforms should it take on?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yee-Fui Ng, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Monash University

Dan Breckwoldt/Shutterstock

Labor’s historic election victory means the Albanese government has a rare opportunity to pursue a big, bold reform agenda. The scale of the victory all but guarantees a third term in office after the next election in 2028, and entrenches Anthony Albanese’s authority as prime minister.

The government may opt to play it safe and limit its legislative agenda to the policies it took to the election. But if it was to chance its arm, which substantial changes should it pursue that could make a real difference to Australia’s long-term future?

We asked three experts to nominate the top policy priorities for a second Albanese government. Here are their responses.

Yee-Fui Ng

Associate Professor of Law, Monash University

Advancing Voice and Truth with Indigenous Australians should be a priority. This would build on the comprehensive rejection of the politics of division by the Australian people.

After the defeat of the Voice referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition, the Coalition reignited the culture wars by criticising “woke” schools and Peter Dutton’s attack on Indigenous welcome to country at Anzac Day ceremonies.

But that negative message did not resonate with modern multicultural Australia, with its diverse population and identities. Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong’s victory speeches on Saturday night emphasised a kinder and more inclusive politics, where all Australians are recognised and no one is left behind.

The Labor government now has a strong mandate to take more significant action on Indigenous issues. Aboriginal people experience higher rates of incarceration, and significant disparities in health, education and employment compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Reform measures could be introduced through legislation, rather than by trying to change the constitution.

Closing the gap and revisiting Voice and Truth should be a priority for the second Albanese government.
ChameleonsEye/Shutterstock

Another pressing reform is bolder action on climate change. There is a growing urgency to tackle the effects of global warming, with an increase in environmental degradation and natural disasters globally.

Peter Dutton’s proposal to build seven nuclear reactors on Australian soil was comprehensively repudiated at the election.

European countries have harnessed the potential of regenerative energies, with the proliferation of wind farms and electric cars. Australia needs to lift its game and be on the same path towards a more sustainable future.

We are custodians of the Earth for future generations. It is incumbent on the Labor government to put forward a stronger agenda for a cleaner, more liveable planet.

Helen Hodgson

Professor at Curtin Law School and Curtin Business School, Curtin University

Second terms are often regarded as the best time strategically for governments to legislate difficult, but necessary reforms. It will be no different for the re-elected Albanese government, which will command a large majority in the new parliament.

Genuine tax reform should be a priority for Labor over the next three years, starting with a reduction in the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount and taxing superannuation withdrawals on high balance accounts.

While many people consider negative gearing to be the main concern in relation to investment in housing, reforming the CGT discount would be a more effective way to address increases in housing prices.

Negative gearing is only effective as a wealth-building strategy if there is a payoff at the end through the concessional taxation on the capital gain. Reducing the CGT discount would limit the appeal of negative gearing.

It would also flow through to other forms of investment that might not be delivering productivity gains, including some investments within family trusts.

Reforming CGT would revisit a contentious Labor policy that was roundly rejected at the 2019 election. But the housing crisis has deepened since then and many voters would now see an overhaul as necessary and timely.

The second recommendation I would make would be to address the inequalities that arise from tax exempt superannuation. Prior to 2007, withdrawals from super funds were taxed concessionally, but were not fully exempt.

In the retirement phase, members are required to withdraw a minimum amount from their superannuation accounts. But these days they do it totally tax-free.

The government should consider taxing these withdrawals, subject to a tax credit that reflects the tax paid by the fund prior to retirement phase. It would also be subject to the existing Seniors and Pensioners Tax Offset, which can reduce the amount of tax paid.

The rates of these credits could be tweaked to ensure that only those in the wealthiest 20% are affected. This would level the playing field so the tax payable by most retirees with modest superannuation balances would fall within these two concessions.

These two reforms would help reduce wealth inequality in Australia and raise funds for social spending, including increases in the JobSeeker payment.

Intifar Chowdhury

Lecturer in Government, Flinders University

Despite being one of the most pressing concerns for young Australians, mental health did not get much airtime during the election campaign.

This is striking given the evidence. According to the 2024 Australian Youth Barometer, 98% of young people aged 18–24 report feelings of anxiety or depression, and nearly 40% experience a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. These aren’t fringe numbers, they are endemic.

Labor has pledged $1 billion to expand access to free public mental health care, with a welcome focus on young people. But funding more services is only part of the solution.

Experts argue that simply increasing the number of people given access to treatment and support won’t go far enough if those people only receive short term or fragmented care. A more meaningful step would be to double the number of free sessions available to people suffering complex mental health needs. Good care takes time, trust and continuity.

More fundamentally, the current policy focus remains too clinical. By contrast, the most effective models for youth care are more holistic. Many young people grappling with mental illness are also dealing with unstable housing, drug use, educational disruption, or loneliness.

Psychosocial supports such as social workers, peer mentors and housing liaisons, are essential to wraparound care. Yet, they remain underfunded.

The new Medicare Mental Health Centres and Youth Specialist Care Centres, which were promised by Labor during the campaign, should not just offer more of the same. Policymakers must rethink the model entirely: multidisciplinary, community-driven, culturally safe, and youth-informed.

They must also address why young men, who make up a majority of suicide deaths, are the least likely to seek help.

Mental health policy should be local, flexible, and expansive. Right now, it still feels centralised, cautious, and underdone.

Improving the mental health and wellbeing of all Australians, especially young people, would be a valuable way of ensuring the government doesn’t squander the time and space its been given by voters to do something truly valuable and reformative.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Labor has the chance to do something big in its second term. What policy reforms should it take on? – https://theconversation.com/labor-has-the-chance-to-do-something-big-in-its-second-term-what-policy-reforms-should-it-take-on-255849

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Charged in Second Superseding Indictment for Robbery, Kidnapping, and Shooting Death in Queens

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

Defendant Jalon Lenny Garrett is One of Six Defendants Arrested in Connection with the July 25, 2024 Crime Spree

Earlier today, a seven-count second superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jalon Lenny Garrett, also known as “Lips,” Marcus Pittman, also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese,” Delonta Pittman, also known as “D Lo,” and Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome,” for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of marijuana dealers on July 25, 2024. Garrett was arrested this morning in Baltimore, Maryland, and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Marcus Pittman is also newly charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition for his role in the fatal shooting. The remaining defendants are already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date.

John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants took part in an interstate armed robbery and kidnapping scheme that resulted in the brutal murder of a targeted victim. This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “This Office is committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring justice for every victim.”

“These four defendants allegedly traveled across the northeast to brutally kidnap and rob two unsuspecting individuals, ultimately murdering one of the victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Raia. “This alleged fatal robbery highlights the volatile and random violence that the illicit drug trade can fuel. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to dismantle any organization implementing lethal tactics to bolster their criminal lifestyles and jeopardize the safety of our city.”

“These individuals came to New York City armed with guns and zip ties — ready to rob, kidnap, and kill,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “It was a deliberate, brutal attack meant to terrorize our communities. They thought they could hit and run. They were wrong — and anyone else thinking the same should take note. I’m grateful to our partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods for their shared commitment to protecting New Yorkers.”

According to the superseding indictment and other public court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the evening of July 24,2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators executed a violent armed robbery and kidnapping plot that resulted in John Doe #1’s death. As described below, Garrett robbed and kidnapped John Doe #2 at gunpoint, and Marcus Pittman shot and killed John Doe #1.

Specifically, the defendants drove from Maryland to New York for the purpose of robbing two drug dealers, John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Once in New York, defendants Jerome Waters and William Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens, New York, under the guise of purchasing marijuana.

At the stash house, Waters and Barnett pulled out their weapons and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at gunpoint. Next, they let their co-defendants into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van, which were driven by Barnett and Israel. At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.

The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Garrett held a gun to John Doe #2 as he was being driven through Queens. Marcus Pittman shot John Doe #1 to death in the back of the U-Haul van. When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland.

If convicted, defendants Marcus Pittman, Delonta Pittman, and Waters each face mandatory minimum sentences of life imprisonment, and Garrett faces a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti.

New Defendant:

JALON LENNY GARRETT
Age: 20
Maryland

Previously Charged Defendants:

MARCUS PITTMAN (also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese”)
Age: 30
Maryland

DELONTA PITTMAN (also known as “D Lo”)
Age: 31
Maryland

JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome”)
Age: 23
Maryland

CALVIN ISRAEL
Age: 23
Maryland

WILLIAM BARNETT
Age: 27
Maryland

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (S-2) (KAM)

MIL Security OSI –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Joseph Nocella, Jr. Appointed Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District Of New York

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Joseph Nocella, Jr. has begun serving as Interim United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York as per the authority of United States Attorney Pamela Bondi. Judge Nocella was sworn in on Monday, May 5, 2025 by United States Chief District Judge Margo K. Brodie. He will serve as Interim United States Attorney for a period of 120 days or until a Presidential nominee has been confirmed by the Senate.

Judge Nocella stated: “I am deeply honored that President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi have appointed me United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. It is especially gratifying to return to the very District where I began my prosecutorial career. Together with the exemplary staff that has made the Eastern District renown for its excellence, and the dedicated law enforcement agencies that work with the District, I look forward to prosecuting zealously the narcotics-traffickers, gang members, terrorists, human-traffickers and other criminals who have plagued the people of Nassau, Suffolk, Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties. I would also like to thank Acting United States Attorney John J. Durham for his service and leadership.”

Immediately before his appointment, Judge Nocella, 60, was serving as a Nassau County Family Court Judge, following several years of service as a Nassau County District Judge. Judge Nocella began his career in public service as the first law clerk to the Honorable Lawrence M. McKenna, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. Judge Nocella continued his career in public service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Eastern District of New York, where he served from 1991 to 1995, prosecuting cases involving narcotics-trafficking, organized crime, money laundering and fraud, among others. Judge Nocella was in private practice in New York and Los Angeles from 1989 to 1990, and from 1995 to 2010. He also held various public service roles in government on Long Island, including Hempstead Town Attorney, Oyster Bay Town Attorney, Managing Attorney of the Nassau County Attorney’s Office and Counsel to the Nassau County Executive and Legislative Offices. Judge Nocella graduated from Chaminade High School in 1982, received his bachelor’s degree from Fordham University in 1986 and graduated from Columbia University School of Law in 1989.

MIL Security OSI –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Clinic Owner Agrees to Settle Allegations of Medicaid Fraud

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Steven Osbey, of Kernersville, N.C., has agreed to entry of a consent judgment against him in the amount of $4,711,159.00 in favor of the United States and State of North Carolina (the Governments), subject to a separate agreement regarding his participation in the Governments’ ability to pay process. The judgment represents repayment to the government for allegations that Reign & Inspirations, LLC (R&I), a clinic co-owned by Osbey and Aljihad Shabazz, charged Medicaid for physician home visits that never occurred.

More specifically, the Governments alleged Osbey and Shabazz conspired to carry out an extensive health care fraud scheme wherein they submitted or caused to be submitted claims to NC Medicaid for in-home physician visits with patients that simply never occurred—in all, billing more than 30,000 hours of these purported physician visits and sometimes billing as if the physician provided over 100 in-home visits in a single day, purportedly lasting an hour each (an obvious physical impossibility).

This investigation was conducted in parallel between the civil and criminal divisions of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Shabazz pleaded guilty to criminal healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering charges and was sentenced to 52 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

The civil settlement obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Department of Justice and the FBI field offices in Charlotte, with assistance from the Medicaid Investigations Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, and the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. AUSAs Caroline McLean and Seth Johnson were responsible for the civil investigation.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

MIL Security OSI –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Reintroduction of Historic Equality Act to Ban Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
May 01, 2025
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39) for the bicameral reintroduction of the Equality Act in an effort to push back against escalated attacks from the Trump Administration, MAGA Republicans, and state legislatures on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide.
“It is absolutely unacceptable that someone can be fired from their job, evicted from their home and experience discrimination just because of who they are or who they love,” said Duckworth. “As Trump continues his dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ attacks and we see a growing wave of legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community across the country, we must protect their rights at the federal level. I’m proud to join Senator Durbin and my colleagues in re-introducing the Equality Act to finally enshrine critical civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans in federal law.”
“No one should be treated as less than equal because of who they love or who they are. While we’ve taken big steps in the fight for equality for the LGBTQ+ community, Republican-led state legislatures and the Trump Administration are relentlessly attacking the rights and humanity of LGBTQ+ Americans. We must act,” said Durbin. “I’m joining my colleagues in introducing the Equality Act to ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans are fully and explicitly protected under our nation’s civil rights laws.”
In states across the country, over 850 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed so far this year—the most in U.S. history. The Equality Act is historic, comprehensive legislation to enshrine civil rights protections for our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors in federal law.
The Equality Act amends landmark federal anti-discrimination laws to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to longstanding bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding, and more. It would also add protections against sex discrimination in parts of anti-discrimination laws where these protections had not been included previously, such as public accommodations and federal funding.
Despite major advances in equality for LGBTQ+ Americans in recent years, including codifying federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages, the majority of states still do not have explicit LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protection laws. The Equality Act would finally enshrine protections into federal law under all areas of potential discrimination, protecting the rights and freedoms of all LGBTQ+ Americans for generations to come.
The Equality Act is supported by 47 U.S. Senators and 214 U.S. Representatives. A full list of the over 600 organizations endorsing the Equality Act can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.
Full text of the Equality Act as introduced in the Senate and as introduced in the House can also be found on Senator Duckworth’s website as well as a summary of the bill.
-30-

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Obernolte introduces legislation to bolster U.S. critical mineral supply chain

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-Hesperia)

WASHINGTON, DC–U.S. Representative Jay Obernolte (CA-23) has introducedlegislation to reduce the United States’ reliance on China and other foreign nations forcritical minerals. Critical minerals and rare earth metals are used to manufactureconsumer electronics, military equipment, electric vehicle batteries, and other advancedtechnologies vital to America’s homeland security and economic competitiveness. Chinais currently the largest source for more than half of the critical minerals on the U.S.Geological Survey’s 2022 list. The Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Actwould address this concern by identifying opportunities to increase the domesticproduction and recycling of critical minerals.“Critical minerals are essential to our economy, our national security, and thedevelopment of our country’s energy grid,” saidRep. Jay Obernolte.“TheIntergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force will bring stakeholders together toidentify how we canenhance our supply chains and shore up production of criticalminerals here at home.”“Access to critical minerals is essential for our national security and energy grid. Ourbipartisan bill will identify new ways to reduce our dependency on foreign nations likeChina for critical minerals,” saidCongresswoman Susie Lee (NV-3). “We can’t affordany disruptions to our critical mineral supply chain.”This legislation requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director toappoint representatives from federal agencies to consult with state, local, and tribalgovernments. The Task Force will work to determine how to address national securityrisks associated with America’s critical mineral supply chains and identify new domesticopportunities for mining,processing, refinement, reuse, and recycling of critical minerals. Thebillalso requiresthe Task Force to send a report to Congress and publishfindings, guidelines, and recommendationson reducingthe United States’ reliance onChina and other foreign nations for critical minerals.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Huffman, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bills to Strengthen Protections for Migratory Birds
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

May 05, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, in honor of Migratory Bird Day on May 10th, U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (CA-02) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced two bills to strengthen conservation efforts for protected species of birds across the country. These bills – the Migratory Bird Protection Act and the Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act – will give the United States the tools to build upon existing efforts to protect migratory birds and the most threatened species of seabirds.

“As the world faces an escalating biodiversity crisis, now is a critical moment to establish strong, clear, and lasting protections for migratory bird species,” said Rep. Huffman. “By codifying the ACAP agreement, the United States can reaffirm its leadership in conservation and encourage other nations to implement robust standards to protect endangered seabirds around the globe. By formalizing the process and providing more tools, our bills will strengthen longstanding protections and help commercial and business interests comply – marking a big step forward in conservation efforts both at home and across the globe.”

“Bucks and Montgomery Counties are home to some of the most ecologically rich bird habitats in America, supporting hundreds of diverse and migratory species,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “But many of these birds are now facing extinction-level threats. As Co-Chair the Animal Protection Caucus, I’m committed to advancing concrete, science-based solutions to protect these vulnerable species, strengthen habitat conservation, and ensure long-term ecological resilience. This bipartisan legislation is a critical step toward that mission.”

The Migratory Bird Protection Act will safeguard and strengthen longstanding protections for millions of North America’s migratory birds by providing clarity on how the United States implements the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This legislation directs the Department of Interior to provide regulatory certainty on “incidental take” – killing or injuring birds by otherwise legal activities – by commercial activity. The bill will help ensure the United States meets the conservation goals of the MBTA, which has formed the backbone of our nation’s migratory bird conservation efforts for over 100 years.

The Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act will help implement the International Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) – which protects some of the world’s most endangered seabirds from international fishing threats. Every year, thousands of albatrosses and petrels die from encountering longline fishing equipment during their migration to nest and find food. Although the United States has attended and contributed to ACAP meetings regularly since the Agreement’s signing in 2001, it has not yet joined the 13 member countries that have signed as parties.

Today’s bills will build upon existing efforts to protect migratory bird species by codifying and clarifying crucial conservation standards.

“Together the Migratory Bird Protection Act and the Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act strengthen bird conservation,” said Steve Holmer, Vice President of Policy at American Bird Conservancy. “By respectively encouraging industries to adopt best mitigation practices and advancing international collaboration these bills prevent bird mortality. Thank you to Representatives Huffman and Fitzpatrick for their steadfast leadership.”

“The Migratory Bird Protection Act and the Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act are critical steps for reversing the alarming decline in bird populations, which has seen the loss of over 3 billion birds since 1970. These bills will enhance vital protections and foster international cooperation to help ensure the survival of migratory birds and seabird species. Thank you, Representatives Huffman (D-CA) and Fitzpatrick (R-PA), for introducing these important bills that will help preserve America’s birds for current and future generations,” said Jesse Walls, Senior Director of Government Affairs at National Audubon Society.

“Bird watching in America is more popular than ever, and yet our backyards and skies are graced with a decreasing number of our feathered friends,” said Steve Blackledge, Senior Director of Conservation Campaigns at Environment America. “We’re grateful to Representatives Jared Huffman and Brian Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan bill, which will protect long-distance flyers and make sure the Migratory Bird Treaty Act is enforced.”

“Now more than ever, Congressional action is needed to conserve our country’s migratory birds,” said Ed Arnett, CEO of The Wildlife Society. “Thanks to the leadership of Representative Huffman, the Migratory Bird Protection Act will implement a streamlined permitting approach that provides greater certainty for project stakeholders as well as long-term benefits for migratory bird species. Given that more than three billion birds have been lost in the past half century, we encourage Congress to swiftly pass this commonsense bill.”

“Defenders of Wildlife applauds Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) for introducing this critical bill at a time when North American birds are increasingly under threat,” said Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations at Defenders of Wildlife. “Migratory birds, ranging from greater flamingos and American white pelicans to red-winged blackbirds and bald eagles, represent some of our most iconic species, but damage from industrial waste, overdevelopment and climate change has led to an estimated loss of 2.9 billion North American birds since 1970. This bill counters the ongoing and politically motivated attacks on the Migratory Bird Treaty Act by ensuring that migratory birds unintentionally killed or harmed by industrialization, development and other human activities are protected under the Act. We urge all those in Congress to support what has historically been a bipartisan endeavor to protect North American birds.”

“With three-quarters of North America’s birds in decline it’s now more important than ever to step up and provide strong protections for them. It’s crucial for the federal government to adhere to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and I encourage Congress to pass this commonsense legislation and give birds a fighting chance at survival,” said Tara Zuardo, Senior Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity.

“America’s bird populations are under unprecedented threat from a variety of hazards,” said Abby Tinsley, Vice President for Conservation Policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “The bipartisan Migratory Bird Protection Act would help address these challenges by clarifying protections passed more than a century ago while encouraging measures that will limit unnecessary deaths. Congress should act swiftly to pass this commonsense bill.”

The Migratory Bird Protection Act is endorsed by Defenders of Wildlife, Audubon, Center for Biological Diversity, American Bird Conservancy, The Wildlife Society, The National Wildlife Federation, National Resource Defense Council, and Environment America.

The Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act is endorsed by Audubon Society and the American Bird Conservancy.

Migratory Bird Protection Act:
- Text of the bill can be found here.
- A one-pager of the bill can be found here.
Albatross and Petrel Conservation Act:
- Text of the bill can be found here.
- A one-pager of the bill can be found here.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Kwa-Ximba package plant to boost water supply to local communities

Source: South Africa News Agency

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, has officially handed over a newly completed four-kilometre pipeline from the upgraded Kwa-Ximba Package Plant, aimed at ensuring a reliable and sustainable water supply to various sections of Ward 1 in Kwa-Ximba.

Joined by Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo, uMngeni-uThukela Water Board Chairperson Advocate Vusi Khuzwayo, Inkosi Mlaba of Kwa-Ximba, and eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba, Majodina visited the plant on Friday, to assess progress on the broader reticulation project, which includes a 7.4-kilometre pipeline transporting potable water to two key command reservoirs — DV 1822 and DV 1818.

The handing over of a plant follows Majodina’s recent oversight visit of the R378 million, two-phase package plant project, marking the conclusion of National Water Month and Human Rights Month.

The package plant project includes the completed first phase of a portable water treatment plant, which supplies 2 megalitres per day (ml/d), and a second one that was upgraded to supply 7 ml/d.

However, some villages had experienced inconsistent water access due to insufficient capacity at the command reservoirs.

Majodina made a commitment to return to Kwa-Ximba to assess progress made to maintain the pipeline which will feed the reservoirs.

The eThekwini Municipality has addressed several pipeline issues, including water leaks, to help ensure that the reservoirs are sustainably filled with water.

Once fully operational, the two reservoirs will supply clean water to 18 villages in and around Kwa-Ximba, including Mvini, Bhobhonono, Nkandla, Nonoti, Msunduze, Mhali, Esiweni, Livapo, Nconcosi, Ntukusweni, Zwelisha, Kajabula, Othweba, Kwanyoni, Skhoxe, Kwadenge, and Emngacwini.

Previously, the area of Kwa-Ximba relied on Cato Ridge reservoir, which received water from the Midmar Water Treatment Works through the Western Aqueduct.

However, due to population growth, Cato Ridge reservoir could no longer provide reliable water supply to communities due to its reservoir not receiving sufficient volumes to be able to cater all the areas, including the villages.

The commissioning of the new package plants will improve water supply to the communities and improve service delivery.

Addressing the community of Kwa-Ximba at the local school hall, Majodina expressed her satisfaction with the progress registered to address challenges with the pipeline and urged the communities to protect the infrastructure.

“This an indication of government’s commitment to prioritise issues of water and sanitation in eThekwini Municipality and to the country as whole. We are confident that this project will guarantee uninterrupted water supply and bring much-needed relief to Kwa-Ximba and surrounding villages. We appeal to members of the community to protect this infrastructure,” Majodina said.

The Kwa-Ximba Package Plant, commissioned last year, remains under the custodianship of uMngeni-uThukela Water.

Meanwhile, in a separate event, Majodina, together with Deputy Ministers Mahlobo and Seitlholo, visited Oakford Ward 60, near Verulam, where she handed over three newly built houses to families relocated for the construction project of raising Hazelmere Dam.

During construction, 13 families were moved to temporary accommodation, with three additional families also needed to be relocated from the High Flood Line.

To date, nine permanent houses have been handed over, with four more still to be completed and handed over. – SAnews.gov.za

MIL OSI Africa –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Rallies Support for Senior Tax Relief

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

(STATEN ISLAND, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis was joined by Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP New York, Marie Santangelo, leader of all Staten Island AARP Chapters, and local senior citizens at the New Dorp Beach Friendship Club to rally support for her effort to reduce taxes on Social Security income for seniors. As a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, Malliotakis has played a key role in negotiations and is working to build momentum in Washington to pass this big, beautiful bill as part of the upcoming budget reconciliation tax package.

As tax package negotiations continue, Malliotakis is working to include key provisions of her legislation in the upcoming reconciliation bill including:

H.R. 1130, The Bonus Tax Relief for America’s Seniors Act, and would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to increase the additional bonus deduction for seniors age 65 and over from $1,950 to $5,000 for single filers, and from $3,100 to $10,000 for married couples. On average, this bipartisan legislation would reduce federal taxes by $2,100 for married couples filing jointly earning $85,000 per year.

Increasing the SALT Cap, the current $10,000 cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions has disproportionately impacted seniors and middle-class families in high-tax states like New York. Malliotakis is fighting to increase the deduction to provide meaningful relief to hardworking taxpayers burdened by high city & state taxes, and to ensure the Alternative Minimum Tax does not return.

“As we work to finalize the details of our tax relief package, I remain hopeful that key provisions of my legislation will be included in our one big, beautiful bill to reduce the tax burden on our seniors and muddle-class families in our community,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis. “Too many seniors are being forced to stretch their retirement savings further than ever before. After a lifetime of hard work and paying taxes, they deserve to keep more of their Social Security and retirement income without Uncle Sam reaching into their pockets again.”

“This bill is a clear recognition of both the financial pressures facing older Americans and the additional cost of the taxation of Social Security benefits, the largest source of income for most seniors. It also reflects a bipartisan understanding that our tax code should better support those who have worked hard, earned benefits, and contributed to our economy throughout their lives. By allowing more older taxpayers to keep more of their income, this legislation would improve retirement security and support independence and dignity in aging,” said Nancy A. LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer.

Malliotakis is also sponsoring other measures to ease the burden on seniors, including:

H.R. 1129, The Tax Relief Unleashed for Seniors by Trump (TRUST) Act, would increase the amount of income that is tax exempt and index the threshold to inflation, allowing seniors to keep more of their benefits. Malliotakis’ legislation would double current exempt income from $25,000 to $50,000 for single filers and from $32,000 to $64,000 for married couples age 65 and older.

H.R. 2266, The Reducing Excessive Taxation and Inefficiencies by Reforming Elder Exemptions to Support Fairness, Inflation Relief, and Simpler Taxes Act (RETIREES FIRST Act) aimed at modernizing outdated Social Security tax thresholds to deliver tax relief to middle-class retirees.

Today, nearly 56% of retirees pay taxes on their Social Security benefits, compared to less than 10% in 1984 when the Social Security exemptions were first established. As this figure is projected to rise further, Malliotakis is taking action having introduced legislation to raise the provisional income thresholds to $34,000 for single filers and $68,000 for married filers—up from the current levels of $25,000 and $32,000, respectively. The legislation would exempt most middle-class retirees from paying taxes on their Social Security benefits by reducing their tax burden.

The income thresholds for taxation of benefits have remained unchanged since first established by Congress in 1984. At the time, less than 10 percent of beneficiaries paid federal income tax on their benefits, but because wages have increased, the proportion of beneficiaries who must pay federal income tax on benefits has risen over time.

LINKS TO LEGISLATIVE TEXTS

H.R. 1130 HERE

H.R. 1129 HERE

H.R. 2266 HERE

In addition to reducing the tax burden on America’s seniors, Malliotakis as a member of the House Committee on Ways & Means and is acutely focused on increasing the State and Local Tax Deduction (SALT), and increasing domestic production by incentivizing companies to bring their manufacturing facilities and supply chains home.

Watch The Press Conference HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Receives Shocking Migrant Crime Data, Slams NYC For FOIL Delay

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

(NEW YORK, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis released the following statement regarding the City of New York’s response to her Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request.

“After 1.5 years and multiple broken promises and delays, I finally received a response to my Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the City of New York for migrant crime data and the results are deeply disturbing. It turns out NYC taxpayers paid to house 3,219 arrestees between January 2023 and October 2024 in shelters and luxury hotel rooms at billions of dollars in taxpayer expense.

It is obvious why the city stonewalled and delayed response not once, not twice but three times after my initial request by letter in October 2023 and by FOIL in January 2024. Of the more than 16,000 crimes that occurred in or near migrant shelters, more than 11,000 of them were for one of the seven major felony offenses including murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, or grand larceny of an automobile. Simply put, Democrats from Joe Biden to Governor Hochul to Mayor Adams made New Yorkers less safe and forced taxpayers to foot the bill for increased crime and deteriorated quality of life after repeatedly telling us these criminal migrants were innocent asylum seekers who were all vetted.”

READ NYC’S RESPONSE TO THE FOIL REQUEST HERE

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Africa: Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister to Present Energy Investment Outlook at Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

PARIS, France, May 5, 2025/APO Group/ —

Mthuli Ncube, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, will address global investors at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2025 Forum in Paris next week. As a keynote speaker, Minister Ncube will present Zimbabwe’s energy investment outlook, economic reform agenda and efforts to mobilize private capital across the power, hydrocarbons and renewable energy value chains.

Zimbabwe is targeting rapid energy sector expansion to meet rising industrial and consumer demand, reduce reliance on electricity imports and support long-term economic transformation. Key investment opportunities span power generation, transmission infrastructure, oil and gas exploration and the deployment of renewable energy – with a particular emphasis on solar and hydroelectric resources. The country is estimated to have a $4.8-billion funding gap for large-scale solar projects and is actively working to expand the pool of available capital. Efforts are also underway to enhance financial inclusion and secure more favorable terms for foreign investors in energy infrastructure.

IAE 2025 (http://apo-opa.co/3GH3mpN) is an exclusive forum designed to facilitate investment between African energy markets and global investors. Taking place May 13-14, 2025 in Paris, the event offers delegates two days of intensive engagement with industry experts, project developers, investors and policymakers. For more information, please visit www.Invest-Africa-Energy.com. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@energycapitalpower.com.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe is home to the Muzarabani Prospect in the north, currently being explored by Australian-listed Invictus Energy. The company has identified eight high-potential gas and condensate prospects in the eastern portion of its Cabora Bassa Basin project, with the Musuma prospect emerging as a key target for exploration drilling in 2025. Recent survey results revealed significant prospectivity in the eastern basin, estimating approximately 2.9 trillion cubic feet of gas and 184 million barrels of condensate across the eight prospects on a gross mean unrisked basis.

Minister Ncube’s participation signals Zimbabwe’s commitment to fostering an enabling investment environment and positioning energy as a central pillar of national development. The country’s strategic location, resource potential and improving macroeconomic stability make it a compelling destination for long-term infrastructure and energy investment.

“Minister Ncube’s keynote will offer investors direct insight into the policy direction and financing mechanisms shaping Zimbabwe’s energy future. His presence at IAE 2025 underscores the country’s strong push to deepen international investment partnerships in support of energy access and industrialization,” says Sandra Jeque, Events & Project Director at Energy Capital & Power.

MIL OSI Africa –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Equality Act to Ban Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce the Equality Act to ban discrimination against LGBTQ+ Americans. This legislation would amend landmark federal anti-discrimination laws to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to long-standing bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding, and more. It would also add protections against sex discrimination in parts of anti-discrimination laws where these protections had not been included previously, such as public accommodations and federal funding.
“No one should ever be discriminated against for who they are or who they love,” said Senator Rosen. “It’s heartbreaking that, after years of progress, extreme Republicans are attacking and discriminating against the LGBTQ+ community and attempting to roll back the clock. That’s why I’m proud to help introduce this landmark legislation to make sure every person, regardless of who they are or who they love, is treated fairly with dignity and respect.”
Senator Rosen has been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, working to fight discrimination and bigotry. In late 2022, Senator Rosen helped pass the historic, bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, which requires states to recognize all marriages legally performed in other states, including same-sex marriages, and provides expanded legal protections at the federal level for marriage equality.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Colleagues Demand DOJ Reverse Cancellation of Hundreds of Public Safety Grants

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and 28 of his Senate colleagues wrote to the Department of Justice (DOJ) urging U.S. Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi and Deputy Assistant AG Maureen Henneberg to reverse the abrupt cancellation of hundreds of public safety grants that serve crime victims and improve public safety in communities across the nation. In the letter, the senators demanded that the DOJ provide reasoning and background information regarding the decision to cancel the grants and called for the immediate restoration of the funding.
“On April 22, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP) notified hundreds of grant recipients across the country, without warning, that their funding had been terminated, effective immediately. Many of these grants are authorized by Congress and support programs that have enhanced public safety in communities rural and urban, affluent and poor, Democratic and Republican. While this Administration continues to market itself as the administration of law and order and public safety, DOJ has decided to defund programs that prosecutors, police and sheriff’s departments, judges, mental health service providers, academics, and more depend on to advance the Department’s longstanding ‘core mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously enforcing the law,’” the senators wrote.
The senators continued, “Based on public reporting, outreach from grantees, and a DOJ Justice Management Division (JMD) spreadsheet (Encl. 1), it appears that the Department defunded at least 365 public safety grants on April 22, 2025. A review of this information reveals that these grants provide support for victims of crime and resources for communities to ensure public safety.”
“The magnitude of these defunding measures, Congress’ role in authorizing and appropriating grant funds, and the negative impacts that the sudden termination of funding will have on public safety in communities across the country, requires the immediate review of the processes and decisions that led to the cancellation of these critical grants,” the senators wrote.
In addition to calling for the restoration of all canceled grants, the senators posed the following questions:
A DOJ JMD spreadsheet (Encl. 1) lists 365 grants that were terminated on April 22.
Does this spreadsheet represent the entire universe of grants that were terminated?
Are there grants that were terminated that are not reflected on the list? If so, provide the information in every column for these grants.

Which grants that were terminated on April 22 have since been restored? For each grant restored, please provide the reason for its restoration.
How were the grants that were terminated chosen? What were the factors considered in making the determination to terminate? Where the affected grantees were state or local jurisdictions, did the political party of state or local officials in those jurisdictions influence the determination to terminate?
Were there entire categories of grants that were terminated? If so, provide the categories.
What is the legal basis for terminating grant funds that are statutorily required?
Has DOJ reallocated the funds it rescinded on April 22? Provide any specific programs or purposes to which these funds will be reallocated.
Will DOJ terminate any more grants, from any of its funding components, that have been obligated or are in cycle? If so, provide the grant-making component and the grants that will be terminated or are under consideration to be terminated.
Was former Tesla employee turned-DOGE staffer Tarak Makecha solely responsible for selecting which grants to terminate? Provide the names of all individuals within DOJ who reviewed or approved the cancellation of the grants.
Did any White House officials review the grants to be terminated or otherwise have any involvement in the decision to terminate the grants? Provide their names.
The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
Full text of the letter can be found here.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: In Yemen, Trump risks falling into an ‘airpower trap’ that has drawn past US presidents into costly wars

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Charles Walldorf, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Wake Forest University

A Yemeni soldier inspects the damage reportedly caused by U.S. airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, on April 27, 2025. AP Photo/Osamah Abdulrahman

In the first 100 days of his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump has shown a willingness to lean on airpower when his administration decides that military force is necessary abroad.

So far, the second Trump administration has launched limited airstrikes in Somalia and carried out a weekslong air campaign against the Iranian-aligned Houthis who rule most of Yemen. The president has also threatened direct strikes against Iran itself should talks on a new nuclear deal collapse.

This turn to airpower for Trump makes sense to me. Airpower is cheap when compared with ground wars, and it usually comes with fewer casualties for those conducting the strikes. This helps explain why U.S. leaders, including Trump as a self-proclaimed “anti-war president,” typically find it attractive.

But if the Trump administration is not careful, it could fall into what military strategists informally call the “airpower trap.” This happens when the stated objectives of military force are too big for airpower alone to achieve, potentially leading to a face-saving escalation of conflict that could – if history is a guide – draw in ground forces from the U.S. or their local allies.

U.S. presidents such as Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama all fell into this trap. In Vietnam, the Balkans and Syria, respectively, all ended up with far bigger wars than they bargained for, with consequences for civilian casualties, international peace and damage to America’s reputation abroad.

As an expert on U.S. national security policy and the Middle East region, I believe the Trump administration is in danger of falling into the airpower trap in Yemen and could potentially do the same in Iran should it elect to use direct force against Tehran. Recognizing this military and historical risk, and opting for some kind of off ramp from continued airstrikes, might be the best hope the U.S. government has to avoid a further escalation into full-scale war.

The limits of air bombardment

Research shows airpower is most effective when it’s used for limited objectives – things like taking out leaders of terrorist groups or degrading rival capabilities – or in support of ground operations for more ambitious ends, like bolstering or overturning governments.

Given the sophistication of U.S. airpower, a common fallacy among American strategists in particular is to think big strategic gains can be achieved solely by dropping bombs from above.

But when airpower alone fails, leaders can feel the pressure to expand the scope of conflict and end up with bigger military commitments than expected.

Johnson’s initial airpower-only strategy for attempting to stop communism in South Vietnam failed miserably, leading to his decision to commit half a million U.S. troops into war. That expanded conflict presaged years of war, with massive humanitarian and political consequences for people in Southeast Asia and America, as well as lasting reputational damage to the U.S.

Yemenis carry the coffins of civilians killed in U.S. airstrikes while participating in their funeral procession on May 1, 2025, in Sanaa, Yemen.
Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images

Worried about U.S. and NATO credibility, Clinton escalated airstrikes – nearly to the point of introducing ground troops – for the ambitious end of stopping genocide in the Balkans during the early 1990s. Likewise, Obama’s initial airpower-only strategy to “degrade and destroy” the Islamic State group quickly faltered, leading Obama, under intense pressure at home and abroad, to introduce thousands of ground troops to combat the group’s territorial gains across Syria and Iraq.

In each case, relying on airpower alone ultimately failed to meet their objectives.

The airpower trap in Yemen

There are reasons to believe that conditions in Yemen mean that Trump, too, could be falling into a similar trap.

Trump has adopted an airpower-only strategy to “completely annihilate” the Houthis, a powerful rebel movement that all but won the recent Yemeni civil war. The proximate cause of the air campaign, a policy inaugurated by the Biden administration and expanded dramatically by Trump, is to restore the free flow of shipping in the Red Sea that the Houthis have disrupted by force to protest Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.

The early signs are that this air campaign isn’t going well.

Despite the U.S. burning through finite munitions supplies at a cost of US$1 billion to bomb at least 800 sites since March 15, the Houthis are undeterred and the volume of Red Sea shipping remains as depressed as ever. Houthi attacks on U.S. ships and Israel continue. A Houthi missile narrowly missed Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport on May 4.

In fact, the direct attacks on the Houthis and the rapidly growing casualty count among Yemeni civilians from the Trump administration’s bombing campaign appear to be strengthening the Houthis’ political position in Yemen. In a particularly shocking case, U.S. bombs reportedly hit an African migrant camp, killing and injuring dozens of people.

The humanitarian crisis from the brutal bombing campaign by the Saudi-led coalition against the Houthis in the late 2010s had a similar effect.

Airpower played a big part then, too. The Saudi coalition, supported by the U.S., engaged in some 25,000 air raids against the Houthis, killing or maiming approximately 19,000 civilians. Yet despite such overwhelming force, the Houthis kept seizing territory and eventually won the civil war, according to experts.

They have been the country’s de facto rulers ever since.

Now, Trump is exploring options to further escalate to defeat the Houthis. Reports indicate his administration is considering arming, training and enabling anti-Houthi resistance fighters who are loosely affiliated with Yemen’s government in exile to launch ground operations.

Between diplomacy and quagmire

Proxies are a common tool U.S. leaders turn to when caught in the airpower trap. Sometimes those proxies fulfill American policy objectives, such as the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which helped the U.S. defeat the Islamic state caliphate in 2019.

A U.S. Air Force F-5 Skoshi Tiger drops three general purpose bombs on Vietnam on Feb. 28, 1966.
Photo by Underwood Archives/Getty Images

Often, U.S. proxies fail on both strategic and humanitarian terms, leading to further escalation, strategic quagmires for the U.S., and loss of life and political sovereignty for the people under attack. South Vietnam was an instructive example.

Riven by corruption, poor governance, weakness and political infighting, the South Vietnamese army and government proved so ineffective at fighting the North Vietnamese that Johnson decided to launch a ground war once U.S. airpower failed.

Today, the anti-Houthi resistance in Yemen looks a lot more like the South Vietnamese government than the Kurdish YPG. According to a 2025 report from the Soufan Center, a security think tank, the anti-Houthi forces are poorly trained and considered incapable of pulling off victories over the Houthis without major U.S. support.

Meanwhile, the anti-Houthi resistance consists of an estimated 85,000 fighters, compared with some 350,000 for the Houthis.

Absent continuing the air war or escalating it into a more all-encompassing conflict, U.S. officials can still pursue diplomacy in order to try to find a political solution to the Yemen conflict.

Despite the Trump’s administration public threats, the U.S. is already negotiating with the Houthis’ main sponsor, Iran.

For their part, the Houthis continue to insist that they will stop attacking ships in the Red Sea if the U.S.-backed Israeli war in Gaza halts, something that happened during the recent Gaza ceasefire.

The Trump administration might consider seeking alternatives, such as direct or indirect talks, if it wants to avoid getting stuck in a widening conflict in Yemen. History is full of examples of what happens when airpower takes on a logic of its own.

Charles Walldorf is a Senior Fellow at the think tank Defense Priorities.

– ref. In Yemen, Trump risks falling into an ‘airpower trap’ that has drawn past US presidents into costly wars – https://theconversation.com/in-yemen-trump-risks-falling-into-an-airpower-trap-that-has-drawn-past-us-presidents-into-costly-wars-255651

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ezell, Carbajal Introduce Bipartisan FEMA Reform Bill
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)

Today, Congressmen Mike Ezell (D-MS-04) and Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) introduced H.R. 3177, the Keep It In The State (KITS) Act to ensure that projects under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act are handled by professionals who are licensed in the states where disaster recovery projects take place. The bill seeks to improve the accuracy, safety, and efficiency of federally funded disaster recovery efforts by requiring that cost estimates, material acquisition, and other project-related activities be carried out by state-licensed professionals.

“When disaster strikes, our communities rely on FEMA to help rebuild stronger and safer,” Ezell said. “But that only happens when the work is done right. By ensuring FEMA projects are overseen by professionals licensed in our home state, we’re making sure local standards, materials, and practices are respected throughout the process. The KITS Act will help prevent government bureaucrats from states away from overruling local experts. We want to rebuild smarter, not just faster—and that starts with using qualified professionals who understand our terrain, our codes, and our people.”

“Post-disaster rebuilding should be led by local experts who deeply understand the affected region,” Carbajal said. “This legislation will go a long way toward empowering communities to accelerate their region’s recovery efforts.”

As a coastal city that understands firsthand the urgency of disaster recovery, we strongly support Congressman Ezell’s Keep it in the State (K.I.T.S.) Act. Ensuring FEMA projects are managed by licensed professionals within the state not only respects local knowledge but also enhances the quality and speed of our recovery efforts. Local experts are more familiar with our building codes, environmental conditions, and infrastructure systems, which leads to better-informed decisions and more resilient outcomes. This legislation is a practical step forward in empowering communities like Gautier to rebuild stronger and smarter after disaster strikes,” Mayor Casey Vaughan, City of Gautier said.

“As Mayor of Biloxi, we have been impacted by several major hurricanes. Our City works with FEMA everyday. We are grateful for Representative Ezell’s leadership and efforts to streamline the regulatory process and ensure that future rebuilding efforts are under the control of our state and local officials. Requiring state-licensed professionals makes good common sense, and we fully support this legislation,” Mayor Andrew “Fo Fo” Gilich, City of Biloxi said.

“Here in Pascagoula, we know how important it is to rebuild our community the right way after a disaster. Making sure that rebuilding is done by licensed professionals from our own state means safer homes, stronger infrastructure and a faster return to normal for our families and businesses. I’m grateful for Congressman Ezell’s leadership for pushing forward this effort that will strengthen recovery operations by putting the work in the hands of those who know our state best. It’s a common-sense step that will make a real difference for communities like ours along the coast,” Mayor Jay Willis, City of Pascagoula said.

“This certainly makes sense for the protection of a City and or County, to secure the services of a professional in determining the extent of storm damage, development of the scope of work necessary to restore to pre-storm conditions or, should an improvement be considered for mitigation and for the development of project plans and specification which would ensure appropriate materials and work methods adhere to specific engineering standards,” D’Iberville City Manager, Bobby Weaver said.

“The City of Moss Point certainly supports Congressman Ezell’s effort to ensure quality and efficiency in disaster rebuilding. Recognizing the importance of local perspective and expertise can go a long way in speeding up recovery processes,” Moss Point Mayor Billy Knight, Sr. said. “We appreciate the congressman’s focus on disaster-related issues, as South Mississippi sits in a disaster-prone zone.”

The legislation responds to long-standing concerns from local leaders and industry professionals who have raised issues with out-of-state or unlicensed individuals making critical decisions in the wake of disasters. These decisions often lead to delays, unnecessary costs, or construction that fails to meet state and local requirements.

Under the KITS Act, FEMA will be required to:
- Use professionals who are licensed in the relevant state for cost estimating, procurement, and other major project tasks.
- Prioritize the use of local expertise to improve accountability and ensure compliance with state and local codes.
- Work more closely with state agencies and stakeholders during disaster response and recovery.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
May 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: School Bus Driver Appreciation Day: Minister Nicolaides

Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

“School bus drivers play an integral role in our education system, safely and efficiently transporting more than 335,000 Alberta students to and from school every day. In recognition of these everyday heroes, I am pleased to proclaim the first Monday of May as School Bus Driver Appreciation Day in Alberta, every year.

“Alberta’s school bus drivers are responsible for more than just transportation – they are the first friendly face a student sees each morning and the steady hand that brings them home each afternoon.

“School Bus Driver Appreciation Day is an opportunity for all Albertans to recognize the hard work, professionalism and care with which drivers do their job.

“Thank you to Alberta’s school bus drivers for everything you do.”

MIL OSI Canada News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Reconciliation Recommendations of the House Committee on Armed Services

Source: US Congressional Budget Office

Legislation Summary

H. Con. Res. 14, the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2025, instructed the House Committee on Armed Services to recommend legislative changes that would increase deficits up to a specified amount over the 2025-2034 period. As part of the reconciliation process, the House Committee on Armed Services approved legislation on April 29, 2025, that would increase deficits.

Estimated Federal Cost

In CBO’s estimation, the reconciliation recommendations of the House Committee on Armed Services would increase deficits by $144.0 billion over the 2025-2034 period. The estimated budgetary effects of the legislation are shown in Table 1. The costs of the legislation fall within budget functions 050 (national defense) and 700 (veterans benefits and services).

Table 1. Estimated Budgetary Effects of Reconciliation Recommendations Title ll, House Committee on Armed Services, as Ordered Reported on April 29, 2025
	By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars
	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2025-2029	2025-2034
	Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending
Budget Authority	150,273	125	-2,290	-708	180	0	0	0	0	0	147,580	147,580
Estimated Outlays	1,957	40,299	42,019	23,548	16,779	9,367	4,878	2,889	1,514	742	124,602	143,992

Basis of Estimate

For this estimate, CBO assumes that the legislation will be enacted in summer 2025. CBO’s estimates are relative to its January 2025 baseline and cover the period from 2025 through 2034. Outlays of appropriated amounts were estimated using historical obligation and spending rates for similar programs.

Direct Spending

Enacting this legislation would increase direct spending by $144.0 billion over the 2025‑2034 period. (see Table 2). Almost all of that amount would result from specified direct appropriations for defense activities ($142.8 billion in outlays), with additional estimated amounts related to changes to military housing privatization authorities
($1.2 billion in outlays).

Appropriated Amounts

The legislation would appropriate $150.3 billion for 2025. Of that amount, almost all would be for the Department of Defense (DoD), with the remainder for nuclear weapons activities of the Department of Energy ($3.2 billion) and the Armed Forces Retirement Home ($6 million). CBO expects that amounts appropriated by this legislation would be subject to sequestration under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. CBO estimates that a portion of any unobligated balances from those appropriations would be canceled in 2027, 2028, and 2029, which would reduce the budget authority provided by this legislation. After adjusting for the effects of sequestration, CBO estimates that, on net, specified budget authority would total about $146.3 billion and outlays from that budget authority would total $142.8 billion over the 2025-2034 period. The following sections would appropriate specific amounts for the following purposes:

Section 20002 would appropriate $33.8 billion for shipbuilding programs, increasing outlays by $31.8 billion;
Section 20003 would appropriate $24.7 billion for air and missile defense activities, increasing outlays by $23.5 billion;
Section 20004 would provide $20.7 billion for the acquisition of munitions and sustainment of the defense industrial base, increasing outlays by $19.5 billion;
Section 20005 would appropriate $13.5 billion to expedite the delivery of low-cost weapons and capabilities, increasing outlays by $13.0 billion;
Section 20006 would appropriate $0.4 billion to improve the audit readiness of DoD’s financial statements and for cybersecurity programs, increasing outlays by $0.4 billion;
Section 20007 would provide $7.3 billion for air superiority programs, increasing outlays by $6.8 billion;
Section 20008 would provide $12.9 billion for improvements to nuclear forces (of which $3.2 billion would be for the Department of Energy), increasing outlays by $12.6 billion;
Section 20009 would appropriate $11.1 billion to improve the capabilities of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, increasing outlays by $10.5 billion;
Section 20010 would appropriate $11.5 billion to improve military readiness, increasing outlays by $10.9 billion;
Section 20011 would appropriate $5.0 billion for border security activities, increasing outlays by $4.9 billion;
Section 20012 would appropriate $2.0 billion for military intelligence programs, increasing outlays by $1.9 billion;
Section 20013 would appropriate $10 million for oversight activities by the DoD Inspector General, increasing outlays by $9 million; and
Section 20001 would increase budget authority by $8.5 billion. Of that amount, $7.3 billion would be specifically appropriated for efforts to improve the quality of life for members of the armed forces, increasing outlays by $6.9 billion.[1] The remaining budget authority and outlays in section 20001 would arise from changes to housing privatization authorities, described in the next section.

Estimated Amounts

Section 20001 would modify authorities related to the privatization of military housing that CBO estimates would increase direct spending by $1.2 billion over the 2025-2034 period.

To finance housing privatization projects, DoD typically enters into long-term contracts with private-sector developers to renovate, construct, operate, and maintain military housing. Those developers leverage DoD contributions, along with expected future Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) payments for military personnel, to borrow additional capital to complete the projects.

CBO considers acquiring housing for military personnel in that manner to be a governmental activity, and that amounts expended by such public-private ventures should be recorded in the federal budget as outlays at the time they occur. When proposed legislation would affect transactions involving third-party financing of governmental activities, CBO’s cost estimate for the legislation shows budget authority for the full cost of the project at the time the project is initiated. Outlays are shown over the construction period for each project. In cost estimates, CBO classifies those cash flows as direct spending.

Subsection 20001(b) would increase, through 2029, the limit on the amount of funding that DoD can contribute to privatization projects. Measured by the total capital costs of a project, the section would raise DoD’s authorized contribution threshold from 33.3 percent to 60 percent. CBO expects that providing additional funding would facilitate DoD privatization projects that are not financially viable under current law.

CBO estimates that extra funding would allow DoD to initiate one additional privatized housing project by 2029. Based on the cost of previous projects, CBO estimates that the new project would cost $500 million. To account for the uncertainty regarding the timing of that project, CBO evenly distributed the estimated budget authority over the 2026‑2029 period. Thus, after accounting for the time needed to complete the construction of the project, CBO estimates that increasing the funding limit would increase direct spending by $450 million over the 2025-2034 period.

Subsection 20001(c) would authorize DoD to pay higher rates of BAH through 2029 to unaccompanied service members living in military housing (such as barracks) provided under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative. CBO expects that the increased payments would facilitate DoD privatization projects that are not financially viable under the current amounts for that allowance.

CBO estimates that in each year from 2027 through 2029, DoD would initiate one project for unaccompanied housing as a result of the higher rates. Based on the cost of previous projects and adjusting for inflation, CBO estimates that, on average, projects would cost $270 million each. Accounting for the time necessary to complete each project, CBO estimates that enacting the higher BAH would increase direct spending by $780 million over the 2025‑2034 period.

Uncertainty

Unobligated balances of appropriations provided by this legislation would be subject to sequestration procedures. The amount sequestered would depend on how quickly the agencies can obligate the provided amounts. If obligation rates differ from CBO’s estimates, the amount of balances canceled through sequestration could be greater or less than estimated here.

In addition, the cost and number of the military housing privatization projects arising from the temporary authorities in section 20001 could differ from CBO’s estimates.

Pay-As-You-Go Considerations

The Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 establishes budget-reporting and enforcement procedures for legislation affecting direct spending or revenues. The net changes in outlays that are subject to those pay-as-you-go procedures are shown in Table 1.

Increase in Long-Term Net Direct Spending and Deficits

CBO estimates that enacting the legislation would not increase net direct spending or on‑budget deficits in any of the four consecutive 10-year periods beginning in 2035.

Mandates

The legislation contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act.

Mandates: Brandon Lever

Estimate Reviewed By

David Newman
Chief, Defense, International Affairs, and Veterans’ Affairs Cost Estimates Unit

Kathleen FitzGerald
Chief, Public and Private Mandates Unit

Christina Hawley Anthony
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

H. Samuel Papenfuss
Deputy Director of Budget Analysis

Chad Chirico
Director of Budget Analysis

Phillip L. Swagel

Director, Congressional Budget Office

[Table 2 begins on the next page.]

Estimated Changes in Direct Spending Under Reconciliation Recommendations
Title ll, House Committee on Armed Services, as Ordered Reported on April 29, 2025

(Continued)

By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

2031

2032

2033

2034

2025-2029

2025-2034

Increases or Decreases (-) in Direct Spending

Sec. 20011, Border Security

Budget Authority

5,000

-21

-12

-4

4,963

Estimated Outlays

151

3,569

958

113

4,832

4,861

Sec. 20012, Intelligence Programs

Budget Authority

2,000

-13

-8

-3

1,976

Estimated Outlays

1,006

573

178

1,880

1,932

Sec. 20013, Inspector General

Budget Authority

-1

Estimated Outlays

Sec. 20001, Quality of Life^a

Budget Authority

7,315

125

243

381

400

8,464

Estimated Outlays

463

4,218

2,010

257

308

350

275

164

7,256

8,145

Total Changes

Budget Authority

150,273

125

-2,290

-708

180

147,580

Estimated Outlays

1,957

40,299

42,019

23,548

16,779

9,367

4,878

2,889

1,514

742

124,602

143,992

Memorandums:

Military Housing Privatization^a

Estimated Budget Authority

125

395

405

1,320

Estimated Outlays

130

240

310

260

160

400

1,230

Sequestration^b

Estimated Budget Authority

-2,685

-1,103

-225

-4,013

Estimated Outlays

-2,685

-1,103

-225

-4,013

a.In addition to the amounts specifically appropriated, section 20001 would modify military housing privatization authorities, which CBO estimates would increase direct spending by $1.2 billion over the 2025-2034 period. Those amounts are included in the $8.5 billion in budget authority and $8.1 billion in outlays for section 20001. The amounts shown here are included in the estimate for section 20001.

b.In total, this legislation would specifically appropriate $150.3 billion. Unobligated balances from those amounts would be subject to sequestration under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. CBO estimates that a portion of any unobligated balances from those appropriations would be canceled in 2027, 2028, and 2029, which could reduce the budget authority provided in this legislation. The estimated reductions in budget authority and outlays from the sequestration of unobligated balances are included in each section for which CBO estimates there would be unobligated balances and in the Total Changes above.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Press Release: Governor McKee, Congressional Delegation, RIDOT and QDC Break Ground on Route 4 ‘Missing Move’ Project

Source: US State of Rhode Island

Governor Dan McKee, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) Director Peter Alviti, Jr., and Quonset Development Corporation (QDC) Managing Director Steven King today joined with state and local officials to break ground on one of RIDOT’s newest projects, the I-95 “Missing Move” and Quonset Ramps Construction Project.

This $144 million project has been in discussion for decades. It includes construction of two critical ramps that were never built when Route 4 was constructed in the 1960s and will afford direct highway connections between I-95 North and Route 4 South, and Route 4 North and I-95 South. The project also will make numerous improvements at and near the Quonset Business Park, the state’s largest industrial park.

RIDOT was able to move forward with this project after receiving an $81 million federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA).

“This project has been talked about for decades, and today, we’re finally turning words into action,” said Governor Dan McKee. “This crucial infrastructure investment will improve traffic flow and unlock economic potential at Quonset�one of our state’s major job creators. I want to thank Rhode Island’s congressional delegation and all of our partners for helping us move this project forward.”

“This is a big win for drivers because it will improve efficiency, shorten commutes, and reduce congestion while also improving access for truck and freight operators approaching Quonset Business Park,” said Senator Reed. “This was a collaborative effort that builds upon decades of federal investment into Quonset. I was pleased to help lay the groundwork for this project by securing a $4-million planning grant in 2020.”

“The INFRA Program I championed through the Environment and Public Works Committee and into law is supporting a slew of major infrastructure projects across Rhode Island,” said Senator Whitehouse, who worked to create the INFRA Program to help meet Rhode Island’s need for large-scale infrastructure investments. “Today’s INFRA Grant-funded groundbreaking will support continued economic growth at Quonset and finally add the missing move to go between Route 4 and I-95.”

“By finally connecting Route 4 North to I-95 South, we will reduce congestion, improve safety, and make daily travel easier for tens of thousands of people every day,” said Congressman Magaziner. “I am pleased that we are able to deliver this meaningful federal funding for a local project like this and I am committed to continuing to fight for every federal dollar we can secure for Rhode Island.”

“Today’s announcement will improve our transportation system to benefit Ocean State residents, businesses, and visitors alike. I’m proud to have worked with our delegation to secure $81 million in federal funding to support the “Missing Move” and Quonset Ramps Construction Project,” said Congressman Amo. “This investment in Rhode Island’s infrastructure will make life easier and safer for all those who travel through I-95 and Route 4.”

“Once again our Congressional delegation put their shoulders into the federal grants process and helped Rhode Island get this funding so we can finally build these missing ramps,” Director Alviti said. “Their construction will reduce travel times, provide more efficient movement of freight traffic and alleviate congestion and delays, especially at the Division Street/South County Trail intersection which is overloaded with traffic that has had no choice but to use local roads to make certain connections between I-95 and Route 4.”

“Quonset Business Park is known for its convenient network of land, sea, air and rail infrastructure. By better connecting Route 403 to the West Davisville portion of the Business Park, getting to and moving throughout Quonset will be easier than it has ever been before,” said QDC Managing Director King. “I offer my sincere thanks to our federal delegation for delivering the funding to alleviate local traffic and create a more convenient commuting experience for the nearly 15,000 people who come to work at the Business Park each day.”

The project is divided into two main components. The first portion to be constructed includes three ramps on Route 403 in North Kingstown to connect the Quonset Business Park’s west Davisville district. The project also includes a new roundabout south of Route 403 at Compass Circle. The improvements will provide improved connectivity to all parts of the Business Park and add in ramps that were not included in the Route 403 reconstruction project in the late 2000s. These will be complete in summer 2026.

The second component, which will begin construction in early 2026, includes the missing moves at the I-95/Route 4 interchange in Warwick. RIDOT will build a new flyover bridge to link Route 4 North to I-95 South. The ramp will use an existing right-of-way for an at-grade link between I-95 North and Route 4 South. The missing moves are expected to be done in summer 2027.

To compensate for the missing ramps, RIDOT has made numerous adjustments to the traffic signals on Division Street and at its intersection with South County Trail (Route 2). As the area has continued to be developed, especially the growth at the nearby New England Institute of Technology campus, traffic and congestion has steadily increased. The Division Street/South County Trail intersection alone is the site of 60 crashes per year.

RIDOT also will make safety improvements on I-95 South at the Route 2 interchange on the Warwick/West Warwick line. RIDOT will rebuild the entrance to the Route 2 South to I-95 South ramp so those traveling on Route 2 North can use it. With that ramp accommodating both northbound and southbound traffic on Route 2, RIDOT will permanently close the Route 2 North to I-95 South ramp, removing a weaving conflict on I-95 South.

All these new ramps will give passenger vehicles, heavy trucks and other freight traffic freeway access without using local roads while reducing emissions from idling vehicles. The improved access also will make the Business Park more attractive to companies who wish to locate there.

All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather. Final completion of the entire project is expected in spring 2028.

The Missing Move project is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island’s infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Westerville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Aiding & Abetting Aggravated Postal Robberies, Firearms Crime

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cameron D. Newton, 21, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months and one day in prison for his roles in four armed robberies against postal carriers.

According to court documents, between December 2022 and May 2023, Newton aided and abetted the aggravated robberies of mail and the use of a firearm during the crimes of violence.

Newton, who was on probation and consequently wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time, recruited two juveniles to assist with an armed robbery in German Village on Dec. 22, 2022. Newton also arranged for the use of the handgun that his co-conspirator used during the crime.

On Jan. 23, 2023, Newton provided surveillance for an armed postal robbery on East Columbus Street. Newton was in his vehicle nearby, using the cover of making DoorDash deliveries to evade his home confinement.

Later that same day, Newton provided surveillance again for a third postal robbery and worked to arrange buyers for the stolen postal keys.

Newton also obtained a firearm for a co-conspirator to use in the May 11, 2023, robbery of an elderly female postal worker. He picked up accomplices near Goodale Park following the robbery. Newton then paid the robbers several hundred dollars via CashApp.

On May 18, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence and discovered $22,000 in cash, hundreds of washed and altered checks and money orders totaling more than $590,000, two Postal keys and hundreds of pieces of stolen mail.

A total of six defendants have been charged in connection with six separate armed robberies of postal carriers in central Ohio.

“Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Through the hard work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local police, and the FBI, we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.”

Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the sentence imposed this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in these cases.

# # #

MIL Security OSI –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Governor Calls on NHL to Bring Major Event to UBS Arena

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today sent a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman expressing her disappointment in the League’s decision to cancel the 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena. In the letter, Governor Hochul urged the NHL to commit to bringing a major NHL event of equal or greater value to Long Island.

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Commissioner Bettman:

I am writing to express my disappointment regarding the NHL’s decision to cancel the 2026 All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena and replace it with a Winter Olympics kick-off event. This decision was made without consultation with the State of New York, which has been a critical partner in supporting this facility and the NHL’s presence on Long Island as well as the entire State.

Through a public-private partnership with New York Arena Partners, New York State invested more than $100 million to build the first new LIRR station in nearly 50 years, supporting UBS Arena as a world-class venue. We made this investment not only for the local community and the New York Islanders but also in support of the league itself. We acted in good faith based on commitments that were publicly celebrated and on the belief that this was a true public-private partnership.

The cancellation of the 2026 All-Star Weekend, an event expected to bring millions in economic activity to the region, is deeply disappointing. While we understand the significance of the Winter Olympics, the conflict was foreseeable and could have been addressed through early coordination. This decision overlooks the efforts by New York State and sends the wrong message to every public entity that has supported the NHL.

Therefore, we request that the NHL revisit this matter immediately. Given that Long Island’s 2026 NHL All-Star Weekend has been canceled, the NHL should bring a hockey event with equal or greater economic activity and cultural value to the region in 2027.

New York, home of three NHL franchises and the league’s headquarters, has always been and will continue to be a proud hockey state, and mutual respect is essential in any partnership. We are prepared to be constructive, but we also expect the NHL to honor its commitments to the people of New York.

Sincerely,

Governor Kathy Hochul

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson announces Camden woman charged with stealing more than $10,000 from nursing center residentRead More

Source: US State of South Carolina

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that his office’s Vulnerable Adults and Medicaid Provider Fraud unit (VAMPF) has arrested Shanna V. Brown, 43 years old, of Camden, S.C., for Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult {43-35-0085 (D)} and Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent, value $10,000 or more {16-13-0230(A)}. Brown was booked into the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on May 5, 2025.

A VAMPF investigation found that between May 19, 2023, and October 21, 2024, Brown allegedly misused the funds and assets of a vulnerable adult with fraudulent intent. As the victim’s power of attorney, Brown is accused of unlawfully converting over $10,000 of the victim’s assets for her own personal use. The victim, a vulnerable adult under South Carolina law, resided at White Oak Manor in Columbia, S.C., at the time of the alleged misconduct.

White Oak Manor referred this case to VAMPF and cooperated fully with investigators. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Breach of Trust, value $10,000 or more, is a felony and, upon conviction, has a penalty of up to 10 years in prison or a fine at the discretion of the court.

Pursuant to federal regulations, VAMPF has authority over Medicaid provider fraud; abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries in any setting; and the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of individuals residing in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

The South Carolina Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, dba VAMPF, receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $2,889,252 for federal fiscal year 2025. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $963,084 for FFY 2025, is funded by South Carolina.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Multi-Year $1.1M Retail Fraud Scheme

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Daniel Cavey, 51, of Jacksonville Beach, Florida, has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in a multi-year wire fraud scheme to defraud a chain of home improvement stores.

Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Daniel Cavey, along with his conspirators, were involved in an extensive, multi-state scheme to defraud a chain of home improvement stores. Cavey, and others, would gain access to corporate accounts and then create fraudulent forms of identification for authorized users on the corporate account. Once at the home improvement store, Cavey would shop and charge the purchases to the various corporate accounts. Once the merchandise had been fraudulently obtained, Cavey would sell it for a profit.

“Defrauding businesses in this manner not only causes financial harm to the business but also drives up prices for consumers,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding individuals accountable for complex financial crimes and protecting our business community from such elaborate schemes.”

“The success of this investigation is a testament to the strong partnerships between the U.S. Secret Service, local law enforcement and the private sector,” said Ben Stafford, Resident Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Charleston Resident Office. “This sentencing reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and sends a message that defrauding businesses and individuals in our state will not be tolerated. I appreciate the hard work and commitment of our South Carolina partners, especially the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and Synchrony Bank’s Special Investigations Team.”

United States District David C. Norton sentenced Cavey to 108 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. The sentence was broken down as follows: 84-months for counts 1 and 2 and 24 months for count 8, which charged Cavey with aggravated identity theft. There is no parole in the federal system. Cavey was also ordered to pay $1,126,686.29 in restitution.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the City of Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Global: Mark Carney heads to Washington: His visit with Trump kicks off high-wire politics in Canada

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

Prime Minister Mark Carney is headed to Washington, D.C., for a high-stakes meeting with Donald Trump as the American president continues his trade war and annexation threats against Canada.

“We are meeting as heads of our government,” Carney said at a news conference late last week. “I am not pretending those discussions will be easy.”

The White House visit comes just a week after Carney led the Liberals to their fourth consecutive election victory.

It was a result that, at first blush, allowed each party to claim that it won, or at least that it did not totally lose. That sets up a Parliamentary session that will feature several interesting dynamics.

The Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre won several more seats than in 2021 and their highest share of the national vote in decades, though Poilievre himself lost his seat.

The NDP under an outgoing Jagmeet Singh managed to hold onto the balance of power in the upcoming minority Parliament for a third consecutive time. Elizabeth May continues to represent the Green Party in the House of Commons. Yves-François Blanchet kept the Bloc Québécois relevant for voters in Québec.

Even Justin Trudeau, no longer in politics, won — his legacy is not in the gutter due to a predicted Conservative majority win that never materialized once Carney replaced him.

But in the coming weeks and months, the leaders and their parties face difficult circumstances that could turn them into losers — most importantly, how Carney manages the relationship with Trump.

The role of Trump

Carney and the Liberals capitalized on exceptional
circumstances driven by Donald Trump’s trade war and threats to make Canada the 51st state. Winning four consecutive elections is a rare feat for any political party in Canada.
But Carney cannot count on fortune continuing to smile upon him. He must now manage a party within which he has little history and few favours to call in — a party that he has dragged from centre-left under Trudeau to centre-right.

The new prime minister will have to rely on aides and advisers to a much greater extent than all former office-holders who had years or decades of experience in the political area, including the House of Commons. At the same time, he will have to demonstrate to Canadians that he is in charge and makes the final decisions.

Invariably, there will be Liberal missteps in the weeks ahead: ethical lapses for some MPs, ministerial appointments that go awry and disappointment among those not appointed to cabinet. Because Carney has been prime minister for less than two months, the upcoming Speech from the Throne on May 27 — to be delivered by King Charles — that sets the government’s goals is shrouded in mystery.

Beyond Ottawa, premiers from several different political parties — each with their own agenda — await Carney. South of the border, the unpredictable Trump, with his infuriating rhetoric and disruptive actions, is in office for another three-and-half-years.

As a newcomer to politics elected on his first attempt to the country’s highest political office, Carney could have at least have one topic of conversation in common with Trump when they meet on Tuesday. Trump too was a political outsider who catapulted into office on his first attempt. The two may find some bond in their shared experience.

The greatest danger for Carney is not from Trump’s rhetoric but from broader economic conditions. He ran for office on the promise of being able to manage economic turmoil. But politicians of any stripe have little control in a global economic slump or an all-out tariff war. If unemployment, inflation or the cost-of-living tick upward, Carney will quickly lose his lustre among many Canadians.

The new Parliament

For the Conservatives, Poilievre’s leadership will continue to weigh on the party in the weeks and months ahead. Losing his Ottawa seat weakens his claim to stay on as leader. He now needs to win a byelection in Alberta triggered by the resignation of Conservative MP Damien Kurek.

The worst outcome for the party is years of infighting between those who support giving Poilievre one more chance and those who believe that 2025 is the best the party can do under his leadership.

The best outcome is for Poilievre to become a bridge-builder within the party and to Conservatives across Canada, and to rebrand himself to be more palatable to Canadian voters. This will not be easy and he hasn’t shown much inclination to do so.

The NDP’s Singh has already announced his resignation and accepted responsibility for the party electing only seven MPs. A period of soul-searching leading to a leadership contest has already started. The loss of seats, and returning to Ottawa with an interim leader, lessens the voice of the party in political discourse. If a new leader is elected who is not an MP, the party will be further hampered.

The Greens remain in the House of Commons, but as a party of one. The jury continues is out on whether the party can exist without its leader, Elizabeth May, who has said she wouldn’t rule out joining Carney’s cabinet.

Blanchet returns to Ottawa with fewer Bloc MPs and a murky mission. He had hoped that the Bloc would hold the balance of power once the votes were counted, but was foiled by the NDP. He has already faced criticism from his own supporters when he promised to collaborate with other parties in Ottawa to secure Canada’s economic future.

Beginning with Carney’s handling of Trump this week, how skilfully each party, and leader, performs its distinct high-wire act in the next months will determine the ultimate winners and losers. The show is about to start.

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

– ref. Mark Carney heads to Washington: His visit with Trump kicks off high-wire politics in Canada – https://theconversation.com/mark-carney-heads-to-washington-his-visit-with-trump-kicks-off-high-wire-politics-in-canada-255675

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Vice Premier Calls for All Measures to Treat Victims of Sightseeing Boat Crash in Southwest China

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

GUIYANG, May 5 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing on Monday called for all-out efforts to rescue and treat people injured in the multiple ship sinking incident in southwest China’s Guizhou Province.

On the afternoon of May 4, a sudden strong wind caused four boats to capsize on a river in Qianxi City, leaving 84 people in the water. By 12:45 p.m. Monday, all the victims had been found: 10 people were dead, 70 were injured, and four were uninjured.

Zhang Guoqing, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee, went to the scene of the tragedy and then to a local hospital to direct rescue work and provide medical assistance.

At a meeting early Monday morning, he called for medical professionals and resources to be properly deployed to treat the injured to minimize the number of deaths and disabilities due to injuries. The vice premier also called for comprehensive support for the families of the victims.

Zhang Guoqing required strengthening the implementation of safety management responsibility measures, including accident prevention, identification of hidden dangers and elimination of deficiencies, to effectively prevent and minimize major accidents.

As the vice-premier of the Chinese government emphasized, it is necessary to focus on key areas such as tourist attractions, large public facilities, residential areas and transportation routes, and identify and eliminate hidden risks based on the lessons learned from previous incidents.

To ensure people’s safety, it is necessary to strengthen weather monitoring and early warning systems for adverse weather conditions, strengthen mechanisms for responding to early warnings and coordinating emergency operations, and strictly implement measures to restrict visits to tourist sites and navigation of passenger ships during bad weather, Zhang Guoqing added. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. and Congressman Gabe Evans Introduce Legislation to Expand 45X Credit and Bolster Domestic Clean Energy Manufacturing

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) and Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-8) introduced the Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act, a bill aimed at strengthening the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit to spur domestic production of critical clean energy technologies, create good-paying jobs, and enhance U.S. energy security.

“As we work to build a resilient, clean energy future, expanding the 45X credit—a tax incentive to boost domestic production of critical clean energy components—is a critical step in ensuring the United States leads in renewable energy innovation and manufacturing,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) “This bill will drive investments into domestic production, strengthen our energy independence, and create thousands of jobs—particularly in regions like Lithium Valley in California, where we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lead in the global lithium supply chain. For our district, this means good-paying jobs, new economic opportunities, and long-term investments that will uplift local communities.”

“By modernizing the 45X credit, we are not just investing in clean energy; we are investing in American workers, national security, and economic prosperity,” Congressman Ruiz added. “For families in our district, this translates to economic growth, workforce development, and a stronger, more resilient local economy. This legislation builds on our commitment to a clean, sustainable future that lifts up communities, improves quality of life, and secures our leadership in the global energy economy.”

The legislation follows a series of executive actions by President Donald Trump aimed at reducing the United States’ dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals and rare earth elements.

“CO-08 is already home to several innovative battery manufacturers that are leading the way in onshoring supply chains. As a strong supporter of American-made products representing these manufacturers, I am proud to help introduce this legislation to expand the 45X tax credit and improve incentives for battery manufacturing domestic supply chains. In doing so, we will encourage critical clean energy technologies, create good-paying jobs, and enhance U.S. energy security – all things that will help Coloradans.” –Congressman Gabe Evans

“Battery technology is omnipresent in a variety of applications – including for national defense – and our dependence on the Chinese for critical materials raises vulnerabilities for our combat readiness and economic security,” said Sam Gillard, BATT Executive Director. “This bipartisan legislation will go a long way to creating the resilient supply chain for battery materials in the U.S. necessary to allow us to decouple this critical market from Chinese market manipulation.”

“This is one of the most promising ways to further reduce our reliance on foreign entities of concern and expand the incentives to invest in a sustainable domestic market across the battery supply chain,” said Drew Ronneberg, BATT Policy Director. “Congress should seize upon this sensible approach to ensure America leads rather than follows.”

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Congressman Ruiz for his unwavering commitment and dedicated efforts to advancing a robust domestic critical minerals supply chain, both in California and across the nation,” said Carmen Rene, Chief Financial Officer of EnergySource Minerals. “This legislation provides essential security and incentives for projects like ours, which are at the forefront of securing a sustainable and abundant supply of American lithium and other critical minerals vital to strengthening our energy infrastructure and national security.”

“Imperial County is proud to be at the forefront of Lithium Valley, contributing to a more secure and self-reliant American energy future. The BATT SEC Act promotes exactly the kind of private-sector investment we’re working to bring to our region – investment that creates good-paying jobs, strengthens our domestic supply chains, and reduces our reliance on adversarial nations for critical minerals. By encouraging responsible resource development here at home, this bill helps position Imperial County as a hub for next generation energy innovation,” said Supervisor John Hawk, Chair of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors.

Background on the Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act

The Critical Minerals and Manufacturing Support Act would:

Extend and expand the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit to provide long-term certainty for U.S. clean energy manufacturers.
Increase incentives for domestic production of critical minerals, battery components, and renewable energy technologies.
Prioritize job creation and workforce development
Boost American competitiveness by reducing reliance on foreign supply chains and accelerating clean energy manufacturing growth.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Halting Development of Wind Energy

Source: US State of California

Impeding wind development threatens economic growth and climate progress

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a collation of 18 attorneys general, today filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its unlawful attempt to freeze the development of offshore wind energy. Attorney General Bonta and the multistate coalition allege that the President’s directive harms their states’ efforts to secure reliable, diversified, and affordable sources of energy to meet their increasing demand for electricity and help reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants, meet clean energy goals, and address climate change. The attorneys general also allege that the moratorium threatens to thwart the states’ significant investments in wind industry infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce development — investments that already total billions of dollars.

“The Trump Administration’s directive to halt the development of offshore wind energy is illegal,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This reckless directive will not only reverse America’s progress in clean energy initiatives, but our communities will also suffer the economic consequences of the President’s misguided lawlessness. The President has promised that his actions would lower energy costs, but instead, energy prices have only gone up and will continue to skyrocket. In California, we will continue to hold the President accountable for breaking the law and protect our significant progress in expanding cleaner, cheaper energy for American families.”

On January 20, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum that, among other things, indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Pursuant to this directive, federal agencies have stopped all permitting and approval activities. Wind energy is a homegrown source of reliable, affordable energy that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, creates billions of dollars in economic activity and tax payments, and already supplies more than 10% of the country’s electricity.

In addition to relying on onshore wind energy, in California, there are also currently five federal offshore wind leases off of California’s coast. Two are located offshore by Humboldt, while the remaining three are offshore from Morro Bay. These new developments are designed to bring substantial amounts of clean energy to the grid, including enough to power 1.6 million homes and potentially more. The President’s directive will not only derail the clean energy transition, but will also threaten to increase consumer energy costs. The President’s directive also jeopardizes substantial economic benefits to California, including the creation of thousands of union jobs, increased tax revenue particularly in the Humboldt area, and the provision of more than $50 million to support communities, Native American Tribes, or other interested parties that are expected to be affected by the lease development.

Through the lawsuit, the attorneys general allege that the President’s directive and federal agencies’ subsequent implementation of it violate multiple federal laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act. The attorneys general are asking the Court to declare the President’s directive illegal and prevent the Administration from taking any action to delay or prevent wind energy development.

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, in filing the lawsuit.

A copy of the complaint is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to host Boots of Remembrance ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe

Source: Government of Canada News

Toronto, ON –Veterans Affairs Canada will host a Boots of Remembrance commemorative event at CIBC SQUARE with the official Government of Canada delegation commemorating the 80^th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe Day. The delegation will be joined by Commander Paul Smith, Commanding Officer, HMCS York, Canadian Armed Forces, David Hoffman, General Manager, CIBC SQUARE and other dignitaries.

In 2019, a pair of combat boots – a symbol of the many Canadians who took a similar journey during the Second World War to serve our country – was placed on a train in Vancouver, British Columbia, to begin the voyage to Halifax, Nova Scotia, where so many troops departed for Europe over 80 years ago. Along the way, commemorative ceremonies were held across the country to honour the boots and what they symbolize.

This year, as we commemorate 80 years since the Liberation of the Netherlands and Victory in Europe, the boots are making a return trip, starting in Halifax and making their way to Toronto to symbolize the homecoming of Canadian soldiers and their return to family and community.

There will be a photo op and interview opportunities with Veterans and other dignitaries following the ceremony.

Location:        CIBC SQUARE
                          Elevated Green Space
                          81 Bay Street
                          Toronto, ON M5J 0E7

Date: Tuesday, 6 May 2025

Time: 14:00 EDT

Notes for media:

Media who wish to participate must register by 12:00 EDT on Tuesday, 6 May 2025 by contacting media@veterans.gc.ca with their name and media outlet. Media members are asked to arrive no later than 13:30 EDT.

Please let us know if you have any accessibility needs and we will work with you to enable your participation.

MIL OSI Canada News –

May 6, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Smucker Announces 2025 Congressional App Challenge

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA-16)

WASHINGTON– Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) is pleased to announce the opening of the 2025 Congressional App Challenge (CAC), a nationwide app development competition for middle and high school students.

The CAC accepts apps written in any programming language and designed for any platform, including desktop/PC, web, mobile, raspberry Pi, and more. The competition is open to all students who meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of coding experience.

The Challenge’s portal is now open. Students can register and submit their applications until October 30, 2025.

“I look forward to seeing students’ apps from across Pennsylvania’s 11^th Congressional District. Having visited local schools in York and Lancaster County, I am certain that students will create truly innovative and creative applications. I encourage students to participate in the Congressional App Challenge to apply their classroom lessons to this unique STEM-based challenge,” said Rep. Smucker.

Students of all skill levels are strongly encouraged to participate. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of local judges, and winners will be honored by their Member of Congress. Their apps are eligible to be featured on display in the U.S. Capitol building, on house.gov and on the Congressional App Challenge website.

This is the third year that Congressman Smucker’s office will be participating in the Congressional App Challenge. The CAC was created to inspire students to pursue careers in STEM and computer science. With America’s global competitiveness increasingly tied to technological innovation, the CAC aims to foster future leaders by equipping them with valuable digital skills.

For further information about the Congressional App Challenge, please visit www.CongressionalAppChallenge.us

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MIL OSI USA News –

May 6, 2025

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