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  • MIL-OSI USA: Wasserman Schultz, Díaz-Balart, Gonzales, Espaillat Lead Latino-Jewish Caucus in Marking Anniversary of AMIA Jewish Center Bombing, Demand Accountability

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “More than three decades after the tragic AMIA Jewish Center bombing, and there’s still no justice for the 85 victims, the hundreds of injured, and countless people who were traumatized by this attack,” said Wasserman Schultz. “With antisemitism skyrocketing around the world, this gruesome attack on Argentina’s thriving Jewish community cannot go unanswered. Congressmen Diaz-Balart, Espaillat, Gonzales, and I are all proud to honor the victims of this attack and keep up the vital pursuit of justice for their loved ones.”

    Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Co-Chair of the Latino-Jewish Caucus, was joined by fellow Co-Chairs, Reps. Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) and Tony Gonzales (TX-23) in sponsoring a resolution to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires and demanding justice and accountability for those responsible for the attack.

    “More than three decades after the tragic AMIA Jewish Center bombing, and there’s still no justice for the 85 victims, the hundreds of injured, and countless people who were traumatized by this attack,” said Wasserman Schultz. “With antisemitism skyrocketing around the world, this gruesome attack on Argentina’s thriving Jewish community cannot go unanswered. Congressmen Diaz-Balart, Espaillat, Gonzales, and I are all proud to honor the victims of this attack and keep up the vital pursuit of justice for their loved ones.”

    “Today, we honor and mourn the 85 innocent lives, overwhelmingly members of Argentina’s Jewish community, who were brutally murdered, and the more than 300 injured, in the deadliest antisemitic terrorist attack in Argentina’s history. On July 18, 1994, the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires was targeted in an act of blatant antisemitism,” said Diaz-Balart. “I remain committed to demanding justice and accountability for the vile perpetrators of this crime, including Iran’s former Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi and other terrorists. We must never forget the victims, and we must continue to condemn the alarming rise of antisemitism wherever it appears and hold accountable those who engage in such heinous acts.”

    “As co-chair of the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus, I am proud to join my colleagues to reintroduce this resolution that recognizes the 31st anniversary of the attack on the AMIA in Buenos Aires, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history,” said Espaillat. “Today’s bipartisan resolution demonstrates the Caucus’ commitment to ensuring justice for each of the victims as we embrace their families and loved ones. Terrorism and antisemitism have no place in our society, and the reintroduction of this legislation reaffirms our solidarity with the Jewish community in Argentina and around the world.”

    “31 years ago, 85 souls were taken from our world far too soon in the AMIA Jewish Center bombing in Buenos Aires. We will never forget the victims, their families, and all those touched by this horrific tragedy,” said Gonzales. “Now more than ever, America needs steady voices in Congress in the fight to eradicate antisemitism. As leaders of the Latino-Jewish Caucus, this is central to our mission.” 

    “This week, Argentine and Jewish communities worldwide mark the 31st anniversary of the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building in Buenos Aires, the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust until Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. For over three decades, American Jewish Committee (AJC) has persistently advocated for justice, urging Argentina to hold those responsible accountable. The AMIA bombing, carried out by Hezbollah operatives, is a reminder of the global threat posed by the Iranian regime and its proxies. We commend the co-chairs of the Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus, Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), and Tony Gonzales (R-TX), for their leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing truth and justice, and for sustaining awareness of the Iranian regime’s continuous destabilizing activities around the world. Let this anniversary renew our commitment to ensure the victims are never forgotten, that justice is ultimately served, and that dangerous proxies can no longer sow terror across the globe,” said Dina Siegel Vann, Director, The Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs, AJC.

    First established in 2011 with support from the American Jewish Committee, the bipartisan Latino-Jewish Congressional Caucus has cemented stronger bonds based on Latino and Jewish communities’ shared histories as immigrants and minorities. It has also been vocal in responding to the growing wave of antisemitism across the globe in the U.S. The 25-member Caucus is now led by Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Díaz-Balart, Espaillat, and Tony Gonzales. Last July, Rep. Wasserman Schultz joined a Congressional delegation to Buenos Aires to participate in the formal 30th anniversary commemoration of the AMIA attack.

    The text of House Resolution 597 can be found here and below:

    Condemning the attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994, and encouraging accountability

    for the attack.

    Whereas, 31 years ago, on July 18, 1994, 85 innocent people were killed and more than 300 were injured when the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) was bombed in Buenos Aires, Argentina;

    Whereas at that time, the AMIA bombing was the deadliest attack on Jewish people outside Israel since the Holocaust;

    Whereas it is reported that considerable evidence links the attack to the terrorist group Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon, and sponsored by Iran, a U.S.-designated state

    sponsor of terrorism since 1984;

    Whereas, two years earlier, Hezbollah operatives also blew up the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 civilians and injuring 242;

    Whereas the 31 years since the bombing have been marred by a failure to bring those responsible, including Iran backed operatives and their Hezbollah proxies, to justice;

    Whereas, in September 2004, ten years after the attack, Alberto Nisman was appointed as the Special Prosecutor in charge of the 1994 AMIA bombing investigation;

    Whereas, in October 2006, Argentine prosecutors Alberto Nisman and Marcelo Martinez Burgos formally accused the Iranian regime of directing the bombing, and the Hezbollah militia of carrying it out;

    Whereas the Argentine prosecutors charged Iranian nationals as suspects in the AMIA bombing, including—

    (1) Ali Fallahijan, Iran’s former intelligence minister;

    (2) Mohsen Rabbani, Iran’s former cultural attache´ in Buenos Aires;

    (3) Ahmad Reza Asghari, a former Iranian diplomat posted to Argentina;

    (4) Ahmad Vahidi, Iran’s former defense minister;

    (5) Ali Akbar Velayati, Iran’s former foreign minister; (6) Mohsen Rezaee, former chief commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps;

    (7) Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former President of Iran; and

    (8) Hadi Soleimanpour, former Iranian ambassador to Argentina;

    Whereas Ibrahim Hussein Berro, a member of the terrorist group Hezbollah, was identified as the AMIA bomber;

    Whereas, in November 2006, an Argentine judge issued arrest warrants for 8 Iranian nationals, including high ranking regime and military operatives, and one Lebanese national, who were named as suspects in the AMIA bombing;

    Whereas, in November 2007, INTERPOL voted to put the following suspects in the 1994 AMIA attack on its most wanted list—Ali Fallahijan, Mohsen Rabbani, Ahmad Reza Asghari, Ahmad Vahidi, Mohsen Razaee from Iran, and Imad Fayez Moughnieh from Lebanon;

    Whereas INTERPOL currently has three red alerts in place in relation to the AMIA attack ;

    Whereas, on January 13, 2015, prosecutor Alberto Nisman alleged in a complaint that then-Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and then-Minister of Foreign Relations Hector Timerman conspired to cover up Iranian involvement in the 1994 terrorist bombing, and reportedly agreed to negotiate immunity for Iranian suspects and help get their names removed from the INTERPOL list;

    Whereas prosecutor Alberto Nisman was scheduled to present his new findings to the Argentinian Congress on January 19, 2015;

    Whereas prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found shot in the head in his apartment in Buenos Aires on January 18, 2015;

    Whereas the investigation of the AMIA bombing has been marked by judicial misconduct and undue influence;

    Whereas, to date, no one has been brought to justice for the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina, the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, or the death of Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman;

    Whereas former Federal judge Juan Jose Galeano and former State Intelligence Secretariat intelligence head Hugo Anzorreguy have both been convicted and sentenced to prison for subverting the investigation and concealing evidence;

    Whereas, in 2019, the Argentine Government declared Hezbollah a terrorist organization, expelled all members of the organization from the country, and froze their assets in Argentina;

    Whereas, in 2020, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez reaffirmed the commitment of the Argentine Republic to bring those responsible for the attack to justice;

    Whereas, on April 12th, 2024, Argentina’s highest criminal court, the Argentine Court of Cassation, broke the extended silence of the justice system by affirming Iran’s responsibility for the deadly bombing and declaring it a ‘‘crime against humanity’’;

    Whereas according to news reports of the ruling, the court identified ‘‘top Iranian officials and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commanders in its determination that Iran carried out the bombings in response to Argentina scrapping three contracts that would have provided Tehran with nuclear technology in the mid-1980s’’;

    Whereas Argentine President Javier Milei commended the high court’s ruling, noting that the determination was a ‘‘significant step’’ that put an end to decades of ‘‘delays and cover-ups’’;

    Whereas leaders in Argentina’s Jewish community, including AMIA President Amos Linetzky, noted that the historic ruling would finally provide an opportunity for survivors and relatives of victims to seek legal action against Iran;

    Whereas the Foreign Ministry of Argentina responded to the court’s ruling by requesting that INTERPOL issue an immediate international arrest notice for Ahmad Vahidi, who is now the Iranian Interior Minister, ‘‘as one of those responsible for the attack on AMIA’’

    Whereas, in March 2025, Argentina passed Law No. 27.784, which allows trial in absentia, opening the door for prosecuting foreign suspects not present in the country;

    Whereas, in April 2025, AMIA special prosecutor Sebastia´n Basso requested both national and international arrest warrants for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei under the authority of Law No. 27.784;

    Whereas, on June 26, 2025, Federal Judge Daniel Rafecas ruled that a trial in absentia would be held for the 10 men accused of planning and ordering the terrorist attack on the AMIA; and

    Whereas, today, Argentina is home to more than 250,000 Jewish people, making it the largest home to Jews in Latin America and the 6th largest in the world:

    Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

    (1) condemns the 1994 attack on the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and remembers the victims of this heinous act;

    (2) honors the memory of the victims and expresses sympathy to their relatives, who have waited for more than 3 decades without justice for the loss of their loved ones;

    (3) underscores the concern of the United States regarding the continuing delay in the proper resolution of this case;

    (4) calls for the perpetrators of this horrific act, including Iranian and Hezbollah operatives, to be held accountable for their crimes;

    (5) commends the Government of Argentina for designating Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organizations and urges other United States allies and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to do the same;

    (6) demands that INTERPOL member countries comply with arrest orders for individuals responsible for the deadly attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center; and

    (7) stands in solidarity with the Jewish community of Argentina and the broader Latin American and Caribbean Jewish diaspora at a time of surging antisemitism around the world.

    ####

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Fort Worth Small Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Renters Affected by the Cooper Apartment Complex Fire

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans to Fort Worth small businesses, private nonprofits and renters to offset physical and economic losses from the Cooper Apartment Complex Fire occurring June 23. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Greg Abbott on July 16.

    The declaration covers the Texas counties of Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise.

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP)organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.813% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers play a vital role in helping small businesses and their communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “At these centers, SBA specialists assist business owners and residents with disaster loan applications and provide information on the full range of recovery programs available.”

    Beginning July 21, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.

    The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:

    TARRANT COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    One Safe Place
    First Floor Community Recovery Center
    1100 Hemphill St.
    Fort Worth, TX  76104

    Opens 12 p.m. Monday, July 21
    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is Sept. 15, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 17, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Heinrich, Neguse, Moore Introduce Bill to Expand and Improve Access to Clean Water in Tribal Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado

    Half of households on Native American reservations lack access to reliable water sources, clean drinking water, or adequate sanitation

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Michael Bennet, and Martin Heinrich alongside Representatives Joe Neguse and Gwen Moore recently introduced the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act to dramatically expand access to clean water in Tribal communities by investing in water infrastructure. This bill would increase funding through the Indian Health Service, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Reclamation to support water infrastructure projects in Tribal communities and help provide clean water to Native American households that currently lack access.

    “Clean drinking water is a basic necessity. Yet, so many of our Tribal communities have been left without the infrastructure. It’s unacceptable,” said Hickenlooper. “Let’s cut red tape and invest in modern resources to finally deliver safe, accessible water to every Tribe.”

    “Too many Tribal communities in Colorado and across the country cannot access clean, safe water,” said Bennet. “This legislation builds on our efforts to improve access for Tribes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It fulfills the federal government’s promise to provide these communities with the clean water they deserve.”

    “Nearly half of Native American households lack access to clean and reliable water supplies. That is completely unacceptable,” said Heinrich. “By addressing a significant backlog of infrastructure projects and removing barriers to federal programs that provide technical and financial assistance to Tribes, this legislation is an important step toward delivering clean drinking water to all families in Indian Country.”

    “Access to clean water is a basic human right—and yet for far too long, Native American tribes have lacked access to safe and affordable water and reliable wastewater infrastructure. Our tribal communities deserve better,” said Neguse. “That’s why I’m honored to join Senator Bennet in introducing the Tribal Access to Clean Water Act, a bill that takes meaningful steps to close the gap between Native American households and access to clean and reliable water supplies.”

    “An estimated 48 percent of homes on tribal lands lack access to clean drinking water or sanitation services. This is a serious public health issue that demands a federal response. I join my colleagues in supporting this important legislation, which will help tribes improve longstanding water infrastructure challenges and uphold trust and treaty obligations under the Constitution,” said Moore.

    “It is far past time to ensure that Native people have the same level of basic water service most Americans take for granted,” said Manuel Heart, Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. “This bill’s recognition of the need for technical support and operation and maintenance assistance for Tribal water supply facilities is not only essential to realizing the benefit of investment in water infrastructure, but also a critical step toward increasing Tribal independence and governance capabilities.”

    Lack of access to clean drinking water is a significant barrier for many Native American communities. According to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Native American households are 19 times more likely than white households to lack indoor plumbing. A 2021 report commissioned by the Colorado River Water and Tribes Initiative documents the different barriers to accessing safe and reliable drinking water among tribes in the Colorado River Basin, along with some of the deficiencies in the federal programs designed to address this problem, and offers recommendations for improvement. Lack of access to drinking water negatively impacts health, education, economic development, and other aspects of daily life.

    Specifically, the bill would:

    • Authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development, to make grants and loans for technical and financial assistance, as well as for construction;
    • Increase funding authorizations for USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities Grant and Loan Program by $100 million per year for five years, provide $30 million per year specifically for technical assistance, and ensure that Native communities are treated equitably and appropriately when considered for grants and loans;
    • Increase funding authorizations for existing programs of the Indian Health Service for water and sanitation facilities construction over a five year period, including for community facilities ($2.5 billion), technical assistance ($150 million), and operation and maintenance assistance ($500 million); and
    • Authorize $90 million over five years for the Bureau of Reclamation’s existing Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: BABIN VOTES TO RESCIND $9.4 BILLION IN WASTEFUL SPENDING

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

    Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, a major step in House Republicans’ ongoing mission to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse from the bloated federal bureaucracy. The bill, based on recommendations from President Trump and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), rescinds $9.4 billion in previously appropriated funds deemed unnecessary or wasteful.

    “Americans work hard for their money. They deserve a government that works just as hard to spend it wisely,” said Rep. Babin. “This rescissions package is a critical step in getting our government back on track and putting America First. This bill reflects our commitment to Promises Made, Promises Kept. It’s just the first tranche in our broader strategy—alongside the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the appropriations process—to restore fiscal sanity in Washington and prioritize the needs of the American people.”

    The rescinded funds span 21 budget line items across numerous agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and the United States Institute of Peace.

    Examples of spending being cut include:

    ·       $5 million to subsidize green energy in Europe.

    ·       $1 million for Voter ID in Haiti, while Democrats block it here at home.

    ·       $18 million for “gender diversity” in the Mexican street lighting industry.

    ·       $3 million to promote abortion in Venezuela.

    ·       $135 million in contributions to the World Health Organization.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Tech Corp. Announces Closing of $2 Million Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of an aggregate of 13,333,334 shares of its common stock, together with Series A-1 warrants to purchase up to 13,333,334 shares of common stock and Series A-2 warrants to purchase up to 13,333,334 shares of common stock, at a combined public offering price of $0.15 per share and accompanying warrants. The Series A-1 warrants and the Series A-2 warrants have an exercise price of $0.15 per share and will be exercisable beginning on the effective date of stockholder approval of the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants. The Series A-1 warrants will expire five years from the date of stockholder approval and the Series A-2 warrants will expire twenty-four months from the date of stockholder approval.

    H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

    The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company, were approximately $2 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, which could include repayment of debt, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and the purchase of cryptocurrencies in accordance with the Company’s cryptocurrency investment policy.

    The securities described above were offered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-288571), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 16, 2025. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement relating to the offering. A final prospectus relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and may also be obtained by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by phone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at placements@hcwco.com.

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

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company transforming the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements as to the receipt of stockholder approval and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s ability to regain and sustain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s continued listing standards and remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market; reAlpha’s ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha’s liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings against reAlpha; reAlpha’s ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha’s ability to successfully identify and acquire companies that are complementary to its business model; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; the inability of reAlpha to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets to fund its ongoing operations on acceptable terms and conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that might be instituted against reAlpha; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Cristol Rippe, Chief Marketing Officer
    cristol@realpha.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey, VP of Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: reAlpha Tech Corp. Announces Closing of $2 Million Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ohio, July 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) (the “Company” or “reAlpha”), an AI-powered real estate technology company, today announced the closing of its previously announced public offering of an aggregate of 13,333,334 shares of its common stock, together with Series A-1 warrants to purchase up to 13,333,334 shares of common stock and Series A-2 warrants to purchase up to 13,333,334 shares of common stock, at a combined public offering price of $0.15 per share and accompanying warrants. The Series A-1 warrants and the Series A-2 warrants have an exercise price of $0.15 per share and will be exercisable beginning on the effective date of stockholder approval of the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants. The Series A-1 warrants will expire five years from the date of stockholder approval and the Series A-2 warrants will expire twenty-four months from the date of stockholder approval.

    H.C. Wainwright & Co. acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

    The gross proceeds from the offering, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company, were approximately $2 million. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes, which could include repayment of debt, future acquisitions, capital expenditures and the purchase of cryptocurrencies in accordance with the Company’s cryptocurrency investment policy.

    The securities described above were offered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-288571), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on July 16, 2025. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement relating to the offering. A final prospectus relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and may also be obtained by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by phone at (212) 856-5711 or e-mail at placements@hcwco.com.

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

    About reAlpha Tech Corp.

    reAlpha Tech Corp. (Nasdaq: AIRE) is an AI-powered real estate technology company transforming the multi-trillion-dollar U.S. real estate services market. reAlpha is developing an end-to-end platform that streamlines real estate transactions through integrated brokerage, mortgage, and title services. With a strategic, acquisition-driven growth model and proprietary AI infrastructure, reAlpha is building a vertically integrated ecosystem designed to deliver a simpler, smarter, and more affordable path to homeownership. For more information, visit www.realpha.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this press release includes “forward-looking statements.” Any statements other than statements of historical fact contained herein, including statements as to the receipt of stockholder approval and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering, are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may”, “should”, “could”, “might”, “plan”, “possible”, “project”, “strive”, “budget”, “forecast”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “predict”, “potential” or “continue”, or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: reAlpha’s ability to regain and sustain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s continued listing standards and remain listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market; reAlpha’s ability to pay contractual obligations; reAlpha’s liquidity, operating performance, cash flow and ability to secure adequate financing; reAlpha’s limited operating history and that reAlpha has not yet fully developed its AI-based technologies; whether reAlpha’s technology and products will be accepted and adopted by its customers and intended users; reAlpha’s ability to commercialize its developing AI-based technologies; reAlpha’s ability to successfully enter new geographic markets; reAlpha’s ability to integrate the business of its acquired companies into its existing business and the anticipated demand for such acquired companies’ services; reAlpha’s ability to scale its operational capabilities to expand into additional geographic markets and nationally; the potential loss of key employees of reAlpha and of its subsidiaries; the outcome of certain outstanding legal proceedings against reAlpha; reAlpha’s ability to obtain, and maintain, the required licenses to operate in the U.S. states in which it, or its subsidiaries, operate in, or intend to operate in; reAlpha’s ability to successfully identify and acquire companies that are complementary to its business model; the inability to maintain and strengthen reAlpha’s brand and reputation; any accidents or incidents involving cybersecurity breaches and incidents; the inability to accurately forecast demand for AI-based real estate-focused products; the inability to execute business objectives and growth strategies successfully or sustain reAlpha’s growth; the inability of reAlpha’s customers to pay for reAlpha’s services; the inability of reAlpha to obtain additional financing or access the capital markets to fund its ongoing operations on acceptable terms and conditions; the outcome of any legal proceedings that might be instituted against reAlpha; changes in applicable laws or regulations, and the impact of the regulatory environment and complexities with compliance related to such environment; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in reAlpha’s SEC filings. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements. Although reAlpha believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. reAlpha’s future results, level of activity, performance or achievements may differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, and there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking statements. For more information about the factors that could cause such differences, please refer to reAlpha’s filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and reAlpha does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Cristol Rippe, Chief Marketing Officer
    cristol@realpha.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey, VP of Investor Relations
    investorrelations@realpha.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Blunt Rochester statement on Third Circuit judicial nominee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester (both D-Del.), released the following statement on President Trump’s nomination of Jennifer Mascott to fill the open Delaware seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit:

    “For months, we have worked with the White House in good faith to identify and interview qualified Delawareans for this lifetime position on the Third Circuit. We interviewed several promising candidates, including sitting members of the federal judiciary, with deep roots in the Delaware legal community and the qualifications to serve our state and the Third Circuit with distinction. We were encouraged when the White House Counsel’s Office – led by a Delawarean – interviewed those candidates as well. We had hope that the advice and consent process set out in the Constitution could work because it had in the past. During President Trump’s first term, Delaware’s senators identified, and a bipartisan Senate unanimously confirmed, two consensus judicial nominees to Delaware’s federal bench.

    “That was not the case this time around. The Trump administration has now nominated someone with whom we have never met and who has little– if any – connection to our state or to the Third Circuit. Ms. Mascott has never been a member of the Delaware bar and was only admitted to practice before the Third Circuit two months ago. Her key qualification appears to be that she works in President Trump’s White House Counsel’s Office. She has never been a judge of any kind, yet she is nominated to one of the highest judicial posts in the country. As far as we know, her relationship to Delaware is confined to a vacation beach house she sometimes visits in our state.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Signs GENIUS Act into Law

    Source: US Whitehouse

    MAKING AMERICA THE LEADER IN DIGITAL ASSETS: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, a historic piece of legislation that will pave the way for the United States to lead the global digital currency revolution.

    • The GENIUS Act prioritizes consumer protection, strengthens the U.S. dollar’s reserve currency status, and bolsters our national security.
    • The GENIUS Act will make America the undisputed leader in digital assets, bringing massive investment and innovation to our country.

    PROTECTING CONSUMERS IN THE DIGITAL MARKET: President Trump supports the GENIUS Act because it protects consumers from nefarious actors in financial markets.

    • This long-overdue legislation creates the first-ever Federal regulatory system for stablecoins, ensuring their stability and trust through strong reserve requirements.
    • The GENIUS Act requires 100% reserve backing with liquid assets like U.S. dollars or short-term Treasuries and requires issuers to make monthly, public disclosures of the composition of reserves.
    • Stablecoin issuers must comply with strict marketing rules to protect consumers from deceptive practices. Crucially, they are forbidden from making misleading claims that their stablecoins are backed by the U.S. government, federally insured, or legal tender.
    • The GENIUS Act aligns State and Federal stablecoin frameworks, ensuring fair and consistent regulation throughout the country.
    • In the event of insolvency of a stablecoin issuer, the GENIUS Act prioritizes stablecoin holders’ claims over all other creditors, ensuring a final backstop of consumer protection.

    ENSURING U.S. DOLLAR GLOBAL RESERVE CURRENCY STATUS: By driving demand for U.S. Treasuries, stablecoins will play a crucial role in ensuring the continued global dominance of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

    • The GENIUS Act will generate increased demand for U.S. debt and cement the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency by requiring stablecoin issuers to back their assets with Treasuries and U.S. dollars.
    • Additionally, the GENIUS Act will play a key role in attracting more digital asset activity to the country by providing clear rules and promoting responsible innovation in the stablecoin market.

    COMBATING ILLICIT ACTIVITY IN DIGITAL ASSETS: Through regulation and registration of stablecoin issuers, along with coordination with the Treasury Department on sanctions enforcement, the GENIUS Act reinforces our national security.

    • The GENIUS Act explicitly subjects stablecoin issuers to the Bank Secrecy Act, thereby clearly obligating them to establish effective anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance programs with risk assessments, sanctions list verification, and customer identification.
    • This legislation improves the Treasury Department’s ability to combat illicit stablecoin activities by enhancing its sanctions evasion and money laundering enforcement capabilities.
    • All stablecoin issuers must possess the technical capability to seize, freeze, or burn payment stablecoins when legally required and must comply with lawful orders to do so.

    DELIVERING ON PROMISE TO MAKE AMERICA THE CRYPTO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: President Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise to position America as the global leader in cryptocurrency.

    • President Trump promised to make the United States the “crypto capital of the world,” emphasizing the need to embrace digital assets to drive economic growth and technological leadership.
    • In his first week in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to promote United States leadership in digital assets.
    • In March, President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile, positioning the United States as a leader among nations in government digital asset strategy.
    • President Trump has long been a proponent of the GENIUS Act, saying it “is going to make America the UNDISPUTED Leader in Digital Assets — Nobody will do it better, it is pure GENIUS! Digital Assets are the future, and our Nation is going to own it. We are talking about MASSIVE Investment, and Big Innovation. The House will hopefully move LIGHTNING FAST, and pass a ‘clean’ GENIUS Act. Get it to my desk, ASAP — NO DELAYS, NO ADD ONS. This is American Brilliance at its best, and we are going to show the World how to WIN with Digital Assets like never before!”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Enhancing trade corridors in the Pacific Northwest

    Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen will attend this year’s Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER) Annual Summit and take part in a panel discussion and fireside chat to highlight the importance of economic corridors to facilitating Alberta’s mutually beneficial trade with the region.  

    Associate Minister of Water Grant Hunter will participate in two panels: Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment, and Technology and the Future of Water.

    MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland Shane Getson, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright Garth Rowswell, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat Justin Wright, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore Chantelle de Jonge and MLA for Leduc-Beaumont Brandon Lunty will also attend the summit, teaming up to advance Alberta’s priorities in meetings, working groups and sessions.

    Alberta’s delegates will bring the province’s perspective to future-focused discussions on a broad range of priorities when meeting and engaging with U.S. state legislators, officials and influential corporate leaders from across the Pacific Northwest region. These priorities include making the case for enhancing Alberta-U.S. energy collaboration and working together to support the key policies, infrastructure and pathways needed to move even more of Alberta’s traditional and emerging energy products to our growing list of customers in the U.S.

    Alberta’s government and industry partners have begun preparations to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit. MLA Shane Getson will also take the opportunity to formally invite PNWER delegates to make the trip to Edmonton next July to see firsthand why Alberta’s vast resources and homegrown solutions are the answer to the United States’ prosperous future.

    “Alberta is a leader in collaborating with other jurisdictions to advance strategic trade corridors to position Canada as a global gateway and unlock access to new markets, strengthen national security and drive economic growth. I look forward to meeting with our U.S. partners and sharing Alberta’s successes in establishing economic corridors as well as highlighting our vision related to new corridors and nation-building projects.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    “Water is one of our most valuable resources, and this summit is a chance to have meaningful conversations that help to drive regional solutions for the issues that matter to Albertans. From drought and water infrastructure to the fight against aquatic invasive species, this is an opportunity to work with our neighbours, share what’s working and shape what comes next.”

    Grant Hunter, Associate Minister of Water

    “As the president of PNWER Canada, I am eager to strengthen our trade relationships with member states. I am confident that this year will grow the long list of influential U.S. decision makers who are committed to working with Alberta, aiding in decision-making that will benefit people on both sides of the border.”

    Shane Getson, MLA for Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland

    “We are a trading province, and our goal is to strengthen Alberta’s ties with the U.S. Pacific Northwest for the benefit of the people of Alberta, and every province and state represented at PNWER.

    I look forward to highlighting the countless opportunities to grow our economies, and our trading relationship as long-standing allies.”

    Garth Rowswell, MLA for Vermilion-Lloydminster-Wainwright

    “Along with our fellow Canadians in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, Alberta has been a member of PNWER since its founding more than three decades ago. Our time at this year’s summit is a great opportunity to continue building on that legacy as Alberta prepares to host the 2026 PNWER Annual Summit in our capital city next July.”

    Justin Wright, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat

    “Alberta’s strengths in agriculture, energy, ground-breaking technologies, emissions reduction solutions and more make our province the perfect fit for addressing the priorities of our PNWER partners. I look forward to showcasing the important role that Alberta can play in building a resilient future through regional collaboration, innovation and enhanced trade across the Pacific Northwest and beyond.”

    Chantelle de Jonge, MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore

    “Alberta is a powerhouse of economic opportunity. Working alongside U.S. legislators to maintain and enhance cost-effective and efficient corridors between Alberta and our long-standing customers in the Pacific Northwest is key to ensuring our two nations contribute to one another’s overall success, including job security and economic stability for all our citizens.”

    Brandon Lunty, MLA for Leduc-Beaumont

    PNWER is a non-partisan, public/private partnership that was established in 1991 to advance the economic well-being, quality of life and common interests of its 10 member jurisdictions, which include the states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Washington, the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan, and the Yukon and Northwest Territories.

    Minister Dreeshen will travel with one staff member and Associate Minister Hunter will travel with two staff members. Mission expenses will be posted on the travel and expense disclosure page.

    Quick facts

    • The U.S. is Alberta’s largest trading partner, and Alberta is the second-largest provincial exporter to the U.S. after Ontario.
    • In 2024, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totalled C$162.1 billion, accounting for 88.7 per cent of total provincial exports. The U.S. is also an important source of industrial inputs and consumer goods for the province.
    • The Pacific Northwest is an important trade region for Alberta. In 2024, bilateral trade between Alberta and the PNWER U.S. member states totalled C$21 billion.

    Itinerary for Minister Dreeshen*

    July 22
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 23
    • Participate as a panelist in the session on Economic Corridors: Ports, Routes & the Future of Trade.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 24
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for Associate Minister Hunter*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21
    • Participate in the session Aquatic Invasive Species: Lurking Threat to the Regional Economy and Environment.
    • Participate in the session Technology and the Future of Water.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 22
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for MLAs Getson, Rowswell, de Jonge and Lunty*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21-24
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Itinerary for MLA Wright*

    July 20
    • Travel to Bellevue, WA.
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.

    July 21-23
    • Meetings and sessions with legislators and decision makers at the 2025 PNWER Annual Summit.
    • Travel to Alberta.

    *Subject to change.

    Related information

    • Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Step into Alberta’s natural beauty on Parks Day

    Two people canoe on a lake during a summer day in Kananaskis Country.

    From mountains to vast prairies, Alberta is home to captivating wild spaces offering countless opportunities to explore, enjoy and reconnect with nature. Whether it’s hiking, fishing, camping or hanging out by the beach, Alberta’s provincial parks and protected areas have an activity for everyone.

    Alberta’s parks offer more than beautiful landscapes – they play a key role in boosting physical health and mental well-being and are community spaces that encourage connection to each other and nature. Alberta Parks hosts special Parks Day events across the province, including family friendly activities, as well as educational programs that celebrate Alberta’s wildlife, environment and history.

    “I want to wish all Albertans a happy Parks Day! Parks Day gives us the opportunity to celebrate the incredible outdoor spaces that define our province – from the badlands to rugged backcountry trails, to the peaceful lakeside campgrounds. Parks are for people, and whether you are headed out to camp, fish or hike this weekend, Alberta Parks offers something for everyone to celebrate, recreate and enjoy nature.”

    Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks

    Since 1990, Parks Day has been celebrated on the third Saturday in July to highlight the benefits of parks and natural spaces across Canada. In 2025, Alberta’s provincial parks system celebrates 95 years of protecting the province’s natural heritage, preserving critical habitats and providing a home to a diverse range of wildlife. Alberta Parks offers many activities for the whole family throughout the year, including guided tours, hikes and educational programs designed to provide fun for all ages.

    “Alberta’s provincial parks are where memories are made, families connect, and visitors from near and far come to experience the beauty and spirit of our province. As we celebrate Parks Day and 95 years of Alberta’s parks system, we recognize the vital role these natural spaces play in our well-being, our tourism economy and our connection to the land. TIAA is proud to join Albertans in honouring the places that inspire adventure, reflection, and community.”

    Darren Reeder, president and CEO, Tourism Industry Association of Alberta (TIAA)

    This year, Alberta’s government is engaging the public on the draft Plan for Parks. Albertans can participate in the online survey until July 26 to have their say in the future of our parks. Alberta’s government also launched a seniors’ discount on camping fees for Albertans at select campgrounds, opening the door to more low-cost outdoor adventures and opportunities to foster a deeper connection with nature. 

    Quick facts

    • Alberta’s provincial parks system contains 464 provincial parks and protected areas. 
    • Alberta recently established Gipsy Gordon Wildland Provincial Park, adding 150,000 hectares to the parks system.
    • Last year, 591,000 camper nights were booked at Alberta parks.
    • The Provincial Parks and Protected Areas Act was passed in 1930 and Alberta’s first park – Aspen Beach Provincial Park – was established in 1932. 

    Related information

    • Parks Day events
    • Plan for Parks engagement page

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donations After Disaster: Why Monetary Donations Are Best

    Source: US State of Oregon

    n the aftermath of a disaster, Oregonians often ask, “How can I help?” While offers of donated goods like clothing, food, and household items are heartfelt, they can create serious logistical challenges for emergency responders and community organizations already stretched thin. Unless specifically requested, these types of donations can actually slow down relief efforts.

    The best way to support disaster survivors is by donating cash to trusted relief organizations.
    Cash donations:

    -Allow relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it is needed
    – Help local businesses recover by sourcing supplies locally
    – Require no transportation, storage, or sorting
    – Can be deployed immediately to where they’re most needed

    Before giving, always confirm that your donation is going to a verified, local fund or nonprofit that is active in the response and recovery effort.

    Supporting Rowena Fire Recovery

    We continue to receive generous offers of support for those impacted by the Rowena Fire in Wasco County. While we deeply appreciate this compassion, we kindly ask that the public donate cash instead of goods to help the community recover effectively and efficiently.

    Here’s how you can help:

    Make a donation to the official Rowena Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, managed by United Way of the Columbia Gorge:
    https://uwcg.ejoinme.org/RowenaFireReliefRecoveryFund
    100% of donations will stay local and directly support individuals and families impacted by the fire.

    For Wasco County-specific updates and long-term recovery efforts, visit:
    https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/emergency_management/rowena_fire_long_term_recovery_group/index.php

    Join a Community Fundraiser This Sunday

    Come out and cheer on our first responders as they take the field for a great cause!

    Charity Baseball Game: Mid-Columbia Fire District vs. The Hustlers
     Sunday, July 20 5:30 PM
     Quinton Street Ballfield

    This fun, family-friendly event will raise funds for Rowena Fire survivors. All donations collected at the game will be directed to the official United Way fund.

    We appreciate your support and generosity. In times of crisis, compassion paired with coordination helps our communities recover stronger and faster.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Donations After Disaster: Why Monetary Donations Are Best

    Source: US State of Oregon

    n the aftermath of a disaster, Oregonians often ask, “How can I help?” While offers of donated goods like clothing, food, and household items are heartfelt, they can create serious logistical challenges for emergency responders and community organizations already stretched thin. Unless specifically requested, these types of donations can actually slow down relief efforts.

    The best way to support disaster survivors is by donating cash to trusted relief organizations.
    Cash donations:

    -Allow relief organizations to purchase exactly what is needed, when it is needed
    – Help local businesses recover by sourcing supplies locally
    – Require no transportation, storage, or sorting
    – Can be deployed immediately to where they’re most needed

    Before giving, always confirm that your donation is going to a verified, local fund or nonprofit that is active in the response and recovery effort.

    Supporting Rowena Fire Recovery

    We continue to receive generous offers of support for those impacted by the Rowena Fire in Wasco County. While we deeply appreciate this compassion, we kindly ask that the public donate cash instead of goods to help the community recover effectively and efficiently.

    Here’s how you can help:

    Make a donation to the official Rowena Fire Relief & Recovery Fund, managed by United Way of the Columbia Gorge:
    https://uwcg.ejoinme.org/RowenaFireReliefRecoveryFund
    100% of donations will stay local and directly support individuals and families impacted by the fire.

    For Wasco County-specific updates and long-term recovery efforts, visit:
    https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/emergency_management/rowena_fire_long_term_recovery_group/index.php

    Join a Community Fundraiser This Sunday

    Come out and cheer on our first responders as they take the field for a great cause!

    Charity Baseball Game: Mid-Columbia Fire District vs. The Hustlers
     Sunday, July 20 5:30 PM
     Quinton Street Ballfield

    This fun, family-friendly event will raise funds for Rowena Fire survivors. All donations collected at the game will be directed to the official United Way fund.

    We appreciate your support and generosity. In times of crisis, compassion paired with coordination helps our communities recover stronger and faster.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2 MS-13 members sentenced for racketeering following ICE New England, partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — An investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations New England alongside its law enforcement partners led to the July 15 sentencing of two members of La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, for their roles in a previously-unsolved murder.

    Jose Vasquez aka Cholo aka Little Crazy, 31, was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In May 2025, Vasquez pleaded guilty to violent crime in aid of racketeering. He was already serving a 212-month prison sentence for a May 2018 federal conviction for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. In total, Vasquez will serve a total of 37 years for his MS-13-related crimes.

    William Pineda Portillo aka Humilde, 31, a Salvadoran national who was unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced to 16 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He is subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In May 2023, Pineda Portillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise conspiracy.

    Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in ChargeMichael J. Krol, U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley, FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks, Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey D. Noble, Somerville Police Chief Shumeane Benford and Chelsea Police Chief Keith Houghton made the announcement July 17.

    Pineda Portillo and Vazquez were indicted by a federal grand jury along with other MS-13 members in September 2024. Specifically, Pineda Portillo and Vasquez conspired with others to murder a 28-year-old man on Dec. 18, 2010, in Chelsea. That evening, law enforcement responded to a 911 call in the vicinity of the Fifth Street on-ramp to Route 1 in Chelsea. There, they found the victim with approximately 10 stab wounds to his chest and back, along with injuries to his head. The victim was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. A recent reexamination of evidence collected during the initial investigation identified members of MS-13, including Vasquez, as having committed the murder.

    In the week leading up to the incident, Vasquez and other MS-13 members conspired to murder the victim because they believed he belonged to a rival gang. Evidence revealed that on the day of the murder, Pineda Portillo picked up Vasquez, other MS-13 members and the victim in Allston. Driving a vehicle registered to his father, Pineda Portillo took the MS-13 members and the victim to Chelsea, where Vasquez and the other gang members led him to an area under an on-ramp to Route 1. Once in the secluded area under the highway, an MS-13 member hit the victim in the head with a rock and another MS-13 member stabbed him with a machete. During the attack, Vasquez stabbed the victim with a knife. Vasquez’s palm print was identified on the handle of a silver kitchen knife recovered from the murder scene. The victim’s blood was also found on the knife.

    An undercover recording obtained approximately six weeks after the murder captured one MS-13 member acknowledging his participation in the murder and other gang members disciplining him for leaving Massachusetts after the murder without the gang’s permission.

    Pineda Portillo fled to El Salvador before investigators could interview him about his role in the murder. On or about April 29, 2015, after Pineda Portillo returned to the U.S., he arranged to sell a firearm loaded with eight rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness in exchange for money.

    On or about June 1, 2015, Pineda Portillo conspired to murder an MS-13 member he incorrectly believed had been arrested and was cooperating with law enforcement. Specifically, in a conversation recorded by law enforcement, Pineda Portillo said, among other things: “I want that son of a bitch killed, man … You will see, homeboy! We are going to do a complete thing to that son of a bitch, dude.”

    Pineda Portillo was originally indicted in 2017. Shortly before the indictment was returned, he was deported to El Salvador. Approximately five years later, on May 10, 2022, Pineda Portillo was arrested as he tried to return to the U.S, illegally crossing the border into Texas from Mexico.

    According to court documents, after being arrested at the border, Pineda Portillo admitted that he was a member of MS-13. A fingerprint analysis indicated there was a warrant for his arrest. Pineda Portillo was then returned to the District of Massachusetts, where he remained in custody.

    ATF Boston, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance in this case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Issa Introduces Legislation to Ban Foreign Purchase of American Land

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)

    WASHINGTON– Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) has introduced H.R. 4454 – the Safeguarding Invaluable Land (SOIL) Act – legislation to prohibit China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing land within 10 miles of sensitive U.S. agencies and strategic sites, including military bases and federally funded research labs. 

    “Our country has a clear and compelling interest in preventing our adversaries from controlling property near the most sensitive and strategic sites in the American homeland,” said Rep. Issa. “The risks to national security are manifestly obvious, and we must move swiftly as a Congress and as a nation to counteract the spying and surveillance that is enabled when we allow our most hostile adversaries a foothold on American soil.” 

    Currently, affiliates and entities of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) own 384,000 acres of American agricultural land, a 30 percent increase since 2019 and more than $80 million in CCP-backed investments than 10 years ago. 

    Cosponsors of the SOIL Act include Congressman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06), Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06), Congressman Rudy Yakym (IN-02), and Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (WY-At Large).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Push Forward with Energy and Water Funding Bill that Weakens Our National Security and Increases Energy Costs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)

    **STATE-BY-STATE FACT SHEET** Republicans Slash Vital Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Funding for States

    Washington, DC — Today, House Democrats exposed how Republicans’ Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee 2026 funding bill increases costs for American households, undermines infrastructure investments, and weakens our national security.

    The bill:

    • Increases energy costs, jeopardizes energy independence, and hurts United States’ competitiveness by slashing the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs nearly in half, revoking more than $5 Billion from the Department of Energy’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law resources, and eliminating funding for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations.
    • Weakens national security and leaves Americans more vulnerable to nuclear threats by cutting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account by 17 percent.
    • Abandons commitments to communities to clean up radioactive waste by eliminating funding for the Corps of Engineers’ Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program and cutting the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management by 9 percent.

    “Sadly, this Republican Energy and Water bill did not have bipartisan input, and does not meet the moment to set the course for our nation’s future in the new age frontiers of energy and water,” Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (OH-09) said. “This bill cedes American leadership in the global energy race to adversaries including the Chinese Communist Party. It weakens vital nuclear nonproliferation programs that help keep our country and world safe. By turning their backs on communities suffering from the long lasting impact of our early atomic weapons programs, Republicans show the callous disregard they have for America’s forgotten communities. We must invest in energy independence in perpetuity — or we will live to regret it, as our children and grandchildren inherit a future devoid of opportunity. The passage of this ill considered, and careless bill will hurt our communities from coast to coast, and is a true disservice to all the generations to come.”

    Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s full remarks are here.

    “House Republicans are wrapping up a long, chaotic week by advancing yet another funding bill that increases costs. This time, they are raising energy costs for American families and businesses,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) said. “Their cut of nearly half the budget for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is a direct attack on the programs that lower energy bills for working families, create good-paying jobs in our communities, and keep America competitive. Republicans’ funding bill undermines the very programs that help us stop the spread of nuclear weapons, detect nuclear activity, and uphold arms control efforts that make America and the world safer – and it underfunds efforts to clean up sites contaminated by our nation’s early atomic energy program. Instead of working with Democrats to lower prices and invest in technology that promotes our energy independence, House Republicans are pushing a bill that raises energy costs for families and businesses and eliminates good-paying jobs.”

    During today’s markup, Democrats fought to make changes to Republicans’ bill, including to:

    • Prohibit the implementation of tariffs that would raise consumer energy prices.
    • Prevent the Department of Energy and other agencies from terminating critical projects simply based on the alignment with administration policies.
    • Prohibit the Republican’s Bonanza for Billionaires efforts to modify or terminate clean energy tax credits.
    • Increase funds for the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E).

    These changes were rejected by House Republicans.

    A summary of the bill is here. A fact sheet is here.
    The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here. Information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.
    A state-by-state breakdown of the amount of funding House Republicans are trying to slash from the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs is here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) provide $40 million investment in equity platform Zafiri to accelerate renewable energy access across Africa

    Source: APO – Report:

    The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has approved a $40 million equity investment in Project Zafiri, a transformative equity platform and flagship initiative under Mission 300 (https://apo-opa.co/4m1ve7m). This investment will accelerate the expansion of renewable energy access across Africa.

    Zafiri – jointly developed by the Bank, World Bank Group and other partners – aims to address the critical shortage of patient, longer-term equity capital needed to de-risk and scale Decentralized Renewable Energy solutions (DRE) for underserved communities across the continent.

    Decentralized Renewable Energy is the fastest, most cost-effective, and sustainable way to expand electricity access in rural Africa. Unlike centralized grids, DRE solutions—such as mini-grids and stand-alone solar home systems—can be deployed quickly and affordably, even in remote or fragile areas.

    Under Mission 300, which aims to connect an additional 300 million people to electricity by 2030, DRE will play a central role in ensuring no community is left behind. These decentralized systems are modular, scalable, and well-suited to the continent’s dispersed populations and geographic challenges. More than half of all new electricity connections by 2030 are expected to come from DRE.

    Zafiri is structured as a Permanent Capital Vehicle with a targeted capitalization of $1 billion, raised through a phased approach. Phase 1 targets $300 million in total commitments, equally split between junior and senior equity, with junior equity serving as a key catalyst to crowd-in private sector in this higher-risk, undercapitalized market.

    The African Development Bank’s $40 million contribution consists of $30 million in senior equity from its balance sheet and $10 million in junior equity from the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA), a multi-donor special fund managed by the Bank.

     “Zafiri is a catalytic platform that will be an integral component of the Bank’s strategy to accelerate universal access to modern energy in Africa. With just five years remaining to reach Mission 300’s goal of additional 300 million connections by 2030, this initiative provides a timely and innovative solution to scale private capital for impact,” noted Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate, and Green Growth at the African Development Bank.

    Wale Shonibare, Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulations, described Zafiri as the largest patient capital commitment to the African DRE sector to date. He said it exemplifies how structured blended financing can unlock commercial capital while delivering inclusive, climate-resilient energy access across the continent.

    Project Zafiri will address the lack of longer-term equity that is constraining the growth of the DRE sector in Africa, Daniel Schroth, Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, said, adding that by anchoring the junior equity tranche, SEFA is helping to crowd in private investment at scale.

    Zafiri aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033) to promote private investment in energy infrastructure, the High 5s, particularly Light Up and Power Africa, Industrialize Africa, and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa, and the New Deal on Energy for Africa. It also contributes to both mitigation and adaptation goals under the Bank’s Climate Change and Green Growth Policy and Strategy and supports the objectives of SEFA and the Private Sector Development Strategy (PSDS) to mobilize equity for clean energy and energy efficiency investments. Zafiri also aligns with the Bank’s Equity Investment Framework and represents a pioneering approach to blended finance in Africa’s energy transition and a critical step toward achieving universal energy access.

    – on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Contact:
    Amba Mpoke-Bigg
    Communication and External Relations Department
    Email: media@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

    Media files

    .

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, UW Medicine & Harborview CEOs Sound Alarm on How Republican Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate Hospitals, Threaten Specialty Care People in Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming Rely on

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Hospitals in WA provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West and Alaska

    WA hospitals will lose $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year, 400,000 people in Washington state alone expected to lose health coverage under Republicans’ newly-passed bill

    ***WATCH FULL VIDEO from press conference; DOWNLOAD HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S.Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine, and Sommer Kleweno-Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center, laying out how the massive health care cuts in Republicans’ reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will be devastating for hospitals and all Americans’ access to care. A focus of the press conference was how these cuts will affect people in red states including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming—which, with Washington state, make up the WWAMI region—who rely on Washington state hospital networks for access to high-level specialty care they can’t get in their home states.

    Republicans’ reconciliation bill cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) over the next 10 years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Republicans’ health care cuts will terminate health insurance for at least 17 million Americans nationwide and will make health care more expensive and harder to access.

    “It is important for people to understand, Republicans are making health care more expensive and harder to access for everyone, no matter what kind of insurance you’re on, or where you go for care,” Senator Murray said on the press call today. “When people lose their health insurance, they don’t suddenly stop needing care. They’re still going to show up at hospitals and emergency rooms if they break a leg or suffer a heart attack. The difference is, hospitals will no longer be reimbursed by Medicaid for providing that care. Meaning they’ll be forced to raise costs elsewhere, for example, on patients who still have insurance, including private insurance through their employers or otherwise. And what happens at hospitals in Washington state also affects people in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho—whose senators all voted for the Big Ugly bill, by the way. Because hospitals in Washington state provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West… I am going to keep doing everything I possibly can to protect Americans’ health care and make it less expensive, not more—and make sure people know exactly who to hold accountable for their neighbors losing health care, or their local hospital shutting down.”

    “Keeping patients enrolled in Medicaid along with direct Medicaid support to UW Medicine is critical to allow us to serve as the state’s safety net, helping to support the over $688 million in uncompensated care our hospitals provide to the public every year. It also allows us to continue to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals as UW Medicine provides over 68 percent of Washington’s medical education and training. With loss of Medicaid funding, we risk elimination of clinical services, closures of hospitals, and reduced access to care for everyone,” said Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine. “This bill has three major impacts for UW Medicine and the communities we serve. First, it removes patients from Medicaid coverage, leaving patients uninsured with limited access to care. Public hospitals like ours will need to provide increased levels of uncompensated care, stressing our ability to stay open and serve the community. Second, it eliminates UW Medicine’s supplemental direct Medicaid funding that was designed to help cover the cost of treating patients with Medicaid and allows us to serve as the safety net for the most vulnerable. And third, it makes pursuing a career in health care more difficult to afford, by reducing student loan and repayment options, essentially eliminating access to medical education for a subset of the population just as we face a shortage of physicians, particularly in our rural and underserved communities.”

    “Harborview Medical Center is the region’s leading safety net hospital, serving a large number of Medicaid and uninsured patients who need our care. Cutting Medicaid coverage and funding threatens our ability to deliver essential care to patients across Washington state and the broader region,” said Sommer Kleweno-Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center. “These cuts to federal Medicaid funding will impact hundreds of thousands of patients across not only Washington state, but the entire WWAMI region that Harborview and the rest of UW Medicine serve. Our hospitals play a crucial role in the region, offering highly specialized services that aren’t available in other states… Harborview is the only Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma and Burn Center in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. UW Medical Center, in partnership with  the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, provides the most highly specialized cancer care in the region. Because of this, UW Medicine takes care of patients from places like Northern Alaska and eastern Montana. Many of these patients are insured by the Medicaid program. People come from all over the region to receive specialized treatment from UW Medicine for conditions and injuries such as severe trauma with complex spine, pelvic, face, eye and hand injuries; heart, lung and multi-organ transplants; complex adult congenital heart repairs; and the most severe pediatric trauma injuries that occur in that WWAMI region, to name just a few. For these patients Harborview or UW Medical Center are the closest medical centers that can provide this level of complex clinical care that they desperately need. Harborview also provides the most acute emergency behavioral health care in the state and region, with services to patients in severe crisis due to mental health and substance use disorder. At Harborview, the region’s largest safety net care hospital, over 34 percent of our patients are reliant on Medicaid for health coverage and another 5 percent of our patients remain uninsured despite the Medicaid expansion. This means that these Medicaid cuts will have an outsized impact here.”

    Washington will be among the states hit hardest by Republicans’ legislation according to an analysis by KFF, which estimates the state will lose an estimated 26 percent of its Medicaid enrollment. Right now in Washington state, nearly 2 million people—roughly 1 in 5—are enrolled in Apple Health, including 800,000 children. Washington state’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, represented by Republicans who voted for the reconciliation bill, have the highest percentages of people who rely on Apple Health. About 400,000 Washingtonians are expected to lose health care coverage under the Republican bill, including at least 250,000 who will lose Apple Health coverage and as many as 150,000 who will be newly priced out of the state’s health care exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder. Hospitals in Washington state could lose at least $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year—forcing hospitals to lay off staff, cut services, or close their doors entirely. Overall, Washington state is expected to lose between $31 billion and $51 billion in federal Medicaid dollars over the next decade. Last year, Washington had an uninsured rate of 4.8 percent—the lowest in the country—but the Republican bill is expected to balloon that number into the double digits.

    Nationwide, the Republican health care cuts represent a more than $400 billion dollar hit to America’s hospitals—which are the sixth-largest employer in the country. Over 330 hospitals will likely be forced to close or scale back their services—including 14 hospitals in Washington state—which will force more Americans to travel further for maternity care and emergency rooms, and face longer wait times. An estimated 477,000 health workers will lose their jobs as a result of the Republican cuts to Medicaid.

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation. Senator Murray and Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes over a nonstop 30-hour “vote-a-rama,” which came after Democrats forced a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill. During vote-a-rama, Senator Murray put forward an amendment to strike a provision of the legislation that achieves anti-abortion extremists’ long-sought goal of “defunding” Planned Parenthood; Republicans blocked the amendment. Senator Murray spoke repeatedly on the Senate floor during debate over the bill, laying out in detail the harm the legislation would cause. Senator Murray also spoke out repeatedly on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a depictive so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:

    “Thank you to everyone for joining us today.

    “You know, just weeks ago, Republicans jammed through Congress—on Trump’s command—a devastating, rushed, and partisan bill that will force 17 million Americans to lose their health care and force hundreds of hospitals and health care clinics across the country to close their doors.

    “President Trump calls it his ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ but the only Big Bill here is the one Americans are going to be stuck paying after they get sick and no longer have health coverage because Republicans ripped it away.

    “It is important for people to understand: Republicans are making health care more expensive and harder to access for everyone, no matter what kind of insurance you’re on, or where you go for care. It makes the largest-ever cuts to Medicaid—which we know in Washington state as Apple Health—and which nearly 2 million people, including the majority of kids in 26 of our state’s 39 counties rely on. Most of them are in districts represented by Republicans!

    “At least 250,000 people in Washington state will lose Apple Health coverage under this bill. And as many as 150,000 more are going to be priced out of our state’s health care exchange because Republicans outright refused to extend important tax credits that lower the cost of health care for middle-class families and small business owners. And it is very hard to overstate how much this bill attacks our hospitals and the care they provide to everyone.

    “So, I’m glad to be joined on this call by folks from Harborview and UW Medicine who will speak more to that.

    “Now, under this bill, Washington state is expected to lose between $31 and $51 billion dollars in federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years. Hospitals in Washington state alone could lose $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year according to a recent analysis—forcing hospitals to lay off staff, cut their services, or even close their doors entirely.

    “That means that people will have to travel further for care and wait even longer to get it. In fact, over 330 rural hospitals are expected to be forced to close their doors or scale back services because of the cuts in Republicans’ bill—including 14 hospitals in Washington state.

    “And when people lose their health insurance, they don’t suddenly stop needing care. They’re still going to show up at hospitals and emergency rooms if they break a leg or suffer a heart attack. The difference is, hospitals will no longer be reimbursed by Medicaid for providing that care. Meaning they will be forced to raise costs elsewhere, for example, on patients who still have insurance—including private insurance through their employers or otherwise.

    “And what happens at hospitals in Washington state also affects people in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho—whose senators all voted for this Big Ugly Bill, by the way. Because hospitals in Washington state actually provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West.

    “In fact, Harborview is the only Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma and Burn Center for all of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska. So, any Western senator who thinks their constituents aren’t going to be affected by what happens in Washington state are sorely mistaken.

    “And there’s a reason Republicans refused to hold a single public hearing about this bill before forcing it through the Senate in the dead of night—they want Americans to know as little as possible about what’s actually in it. I mean for goodness sake, they were revising the bill as we were debating it—most Republican Senators didn’t even fully understand what was in it before they voted for it!

    “But here’s the thing: the more people know about what’s in it, the less they like it! Nearly two-in-three Americans view this bill unfavorably, and that goes up to nearly four-in-five when they learn it will cut off funding to local hospitals.

    “But Republicans forced it into law anyway, over the objections of Democrats and members of their own party, because Trump and Republicans really will stop at nothing to pass tax breaks for billionaires. The bottom line is this bill steals from people who need help the most and gives more to people who need help the least.

    “And make no mistake, the harm is already being felt—despite Republicans’ cynical efforts to delay some of the worst provisions from taking effect until after the midterms.

    “Hospitals across the country are already bracing for cuts—it’s law. They know these cuts are coming, they have to plan their budgets over years, not month by month. One clinic in Nebraska already announced it will have to shut its doors because of this bill. More will follow.

    “Now, before I hand it off to our speakers who can say a lot more about what this awful bill will mean for hospitals in Washington state and care for the entire region, I want to make clear: this bill may be law, but that does not mean we stop fighting. That does not mean that we give up.

    “For my part, I am going to keep doing everything I possibly can to protect Americans’ health care and make it less expensive, not more—and make sure people know exactly who to hold accountable for their neighbors losing health care, or their local hospital shutting down.

    “Because, at the end of the day, the American people will have their voices heard. And they will show Republicans exactly how they feel about this Big Ugly Betrayal Bill at the ballot box.

    “Thank you, and I will now turn it over to Dr. Dellit from UW Medicine.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, UW Medicine & Harborview CEOs Sound Alarm on How Republican Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate Hospitals, Threaten Specialty Care People in Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming Rely on

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Hospitals in WA provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West and Alaska

    WA hospitals will lose $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year, 400,000 people in Washington state alone expected to lose health coverage under Republicans’ newly-passed bill

    ***WATCH FULL VIDEO from press conference; DOWNLOAD HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S.Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine, and Sommer Kleweno-Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center, laying out how the massive health care cuts in Republicans’ reconciliation bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will be devastating for hospitals and all Americans’ access to care. A focus of the press conference was how these cuts will affect people in red states including Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming—which, with Washington state, make up the WWAMI region—who rely on Washington state hospital networks for access to high-level specialty care they can’t get in their home states.

    Republicans’ reconciliation bill cuts more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) over the next 10 years. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Republicans’ health care cuts will terminate health insurance for at least 17 million Americans nationwide and will make health care more expensive and harder to access.

    “It is important for people to understand, Republicans are making health care more expensive and harder to access for everyone, no matter what kind of insurance you’re on, or where you go for care,” Senator Murray said on the press call today. “When people lose their health insurance, they don’t suddenly stop needing care. They’re still going to show up at hospitals and emergency rooms if they break a leg or suffer a heart attack. The difference is, hospitals will no longer be reimbursed by Medicaid for providing that care. Meaning they’ll be forced to raise costs elsewhere, for example, on patients who still have insurance, including private insurance through their employers or otherwise. And what happens at hospitals in Washington state also affects people in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho—whose senators all voted for the Big Ugly bill, by the way. Because hospitals in Washington state provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West… I am going to keep doing everything I possibly can to protect Americans’ health care and make it less expensive, not more—and make sure people know exactly who to hold accountable for their neighbors losing health care, or their local hospital shutting down.”

    “Keeping patients enrolled in Medicaid along with direct Medicaid support to UW Medicine is critical to allow us to serve as the state’s safety net, helping to support the over $688 million in uncompensated care our hospitals provide to the public every year. It also allows us to continue to educate the next generation of healthcare professionals as UW Medicine provides over 68 percent of Washington’s medical education and training. With loss of Medicaid funding, we risk elimination of clinical services, closures of hospitals, and reduced access to care for everyone,” said Dr. Timothy Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine. “This bill has three major impacts for UW Medicine and the communities we serve. First, it removes patients from Medicaid coverage, leaving patients uninsured with limited access to care. Public hospitals like ours will need to provide increased levels of uncompensated care, stressing our ability to stay open and serve the community. Second, it eliminates UW Medicine’s supplemental direct Medicaid funding that was designed to help cover the cost of treating patients with Medicaid and allows us to serve as the safety net for the most vulnerable. And third, it makes pursuing a career in health care more difficult to afford, by reducing student loan and repayment options, essentially eliminating access to medical education for a subset of the population just as we face a shortage of physicians, particularly in our rural and underserved communities.”

    “Harborview Medical Center is the region’s leading safety net hospital, serving a large number of Medicaid and uninsured patients who need our care. Cutting Medicaid coverage and funding threatens our ability to deliver essential care to patients across Washington state and the broader region,” said Sommer Kleweno-Walley, CEO of Harborview Medical Center. “These cuts to federal Medicaid funding will impact hundreds of thousands of patients across not only Washington state, but the entire WWAMI region that Harborview and the rest of UW Medicine serve. Our hospitals play a crucial role in the region, offering highly specialized services that aren’t available in other states… Harborview is the only Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma and Burn Center in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. UW Medical Center, in partnership with  the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, provides the most highly specialized cancer care in the region. Because of this, UW Medicine takes care of patients from places like Northern Alaska and eastern Montana. Many of these patients are insured by the Medicaid program. People come from all over the region to receive specialized treatment from UW Medicine for conditions and injuries such as severe trauma with complex spine, pelvic, face, eye and hand injuries; heart, lung and multi-organ transplants; complex adult congenital heart repairs; and the most severe pediatric trauma injuries that occur in that WWAMI region, to name just a few. For these patients Harborview or UW Medical Center are the closest medical centers that can provide this level of complex clinical care that they desperately need. Harborview also provides the most acute emergency behavioral health care in the state and region, with services to patients in severe crisis due to mental health and substance use disorder. At Harborview, the region’s largest safety net care hospital, over 34 percent of our patients are reliant on Medicaid for health coverage and another 5 percent of our patients remain uninsured despite the Medicaid expansion. This means that these Medicaid cuts will have an outsized impact here.”

    Washington will be among the states hit hardest by Republicans’ legislation according to an analysis by KFF, which estimates the state will lose an estimated 26 percent of its Medicaid enrollment. Right now in Washington state, nearly 2 million people—roughly 1 in 5—are enrolled in Apple Health, including 800,000 children. Washington state’s 4th and 5th Congressional Districts, represented by Republicans who voted for the reconciliation bill, have the highest percentages of people who rely on Apple Health. About 400,000 Washingtonians are expected to lose health care coverage under the Republican bill, including at least 250,000 who will lose Apple Health coverage and as many as 150,000 who will be newly priced out of the state’s health care exchange, Washington Healthplanfinder. Hospitals in Washington state could lose at least $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year—forcing hospitals to lay off staff, cut services, or close their doors entirely. Overall, Washington state is expected to lose between $31 billion and $51 billion in federal Medicaid dollars over the next decade. Last year, Washington had an uninsured rate of 4.8 percent—the lowest in the country—but the Republican bill is expected to balloon that number into the double digits.

    Nationwide, the Republican health care cuts represent a more than $400 billion dollar hit to America’s hospitals—which are the sixth-largest employer in the country. Over 330 hospitals will likely be forced to close or scale back their services—including 14 hospitals in Washington state—which will force more Americans to travel further for maternity care and emergency rooms, and face longer wait times. An estimated 477,000 health workers will lose their jobs as a result of the Republican cuts to Medicaid.

    Senator Murray has held constant recent events—including multiple events in Washington state—to sound the alarm on Republicans’ devastating reconciliation bill and encourage constituents to raise their voices and call on their Members of Congress to oppose the legislation. Senator Murray and Democrats forced Republicans to take dozens of tough votes over a nonstop 30-hour “vote-a-rama,” which came after Democrats forced a full reading of every word of Republicans’ 940-page bill. During vote-a-rama, Senator Murray put forward an amendment to strike a provision of the legislation that achieves anti-abortion extremists’ long-sought goal of “defunding” Planned Parenthood; Republicans blocked the amendment. Senator Murray spoke repeatedly on the Senate floor during debate over the bill, laying out in detail the harm the legislation would cause. Senator Murray also spoke out repeatedly on the Senate floor against Republicans’ use of a depictive so-called “current policy baseline” to hide the true cost of their deficit-busting tax cuts for billionaires.

    Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:

    “Thank you to everyone for joining us today.

    “You know, just weeks ago, Republicans jammed through Congress—on Trump’s command—a devastating, rushed, and partisan bill that will force 17 million Americans to lose their health care and force hundreds of hospitals and health care clinics across the country to close their doors.

    “President Trump calls it his ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ but the only Big Bill here is the one Americans are going to be stuck paying after they get sick and no longer have health coverage because Republicans ripped it away.

    “It is important for people to understand: Republicans are making health care more expensive and harder to access for everyone, no matter what kind of insurance you’re on, or where you go for care. It makes the largest-ever cuts to Medicaid—which we know in Washington state as Apple Health—and which nearly 2 million people, including the majority of kids in 26 of our state’s 39 counties rely on. Most of them are in districts represented by Republicans!

    “At least 250,000 people in Washington state will lose Apple Health coverage under this bill. And as many as 150,000 more are going to be priced out of our state’s health care exchange because Republicans outright refused to extend important tax credits that lower the cost of health care for middle-class families and small business owners. And it is very hard to overstate how much this bill attacks our hospitals and the care they provide to everyone.

    “So, I’m glad to be joined on this call by folks from Harborview and UW Medicine who will speak more to that.

    “Now, under this bill, Washington state is expected to lose between $31 and $51 billion dollars in federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years. Hospitals in Washington state alone could lose $662 million in Medicaid revenue every year according to a recent analysis—forcing hospitals to lay off staff, cut their services, or even close their doors entirely.

    “That means that people will have to travel further for care and wait even longer to get it. In fact, over 330 rural hospitals are expected to be forced to close their doors or scale back services because of the cuts in Republicans’ bill—including 14 hospitals in Washington state.

    “And when people lose their health insurance, they don’t suddenly stop needing care. They’re still going to show up at hospitals and emergency rooms if they break a leg or suffer a heart attack. The difference is, hospitals will no longer be reimbursed by Medicaid for providing that care. Meaning they will be forced to raise costs elsewhere, for example, on patients who still have insurance—including private insurance through their employers or otherwise.

    “And what happens at hospitals in Washington state also affects people in Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho—whose senators all voted for this Big Ugly Bill, by the way. Because hospitals in Washington state actually provide essential, high-level specialty care to people across the entire Mountain West.

    “In fact, Harborview is the only Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma and Burn Center for all of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska. So, any Western senator who thinks their constituents aren’t going to be affected by what happens in Washington state are sorely mistaken.

    “And there’s a reason Republicans refused to hold a single public hearing about this bill before forcing it through the Senate in the dead of night—they want Americans to know as little as possible about what’s actually in it. I mean for goodness sake, they were revising the bill as we were debating it—most Republican Senators didn’t even fully understand what was in it before they voted for it!

    “But here’s the thing: the more people know about what’s in it, the less they like it! Nearly two-in-three Americans view this bill unfavorably, and that goes up to nearly four-in-five when they learn it will cut off funding to local hospitals.

    “But Republicans forced it into law anyway, over the objections of Democrats and members of their own party, because Trump and Republicans really will stop at nothing to pass tax breaks for billionaires. The bottom line is this bill steals from people who need help the most and gives more to people who need help the least.

    “And make no mistake, the harm is already being felt—despite Republicans’ cynical efforts to delay some of the worst provisions from taking effect until after the midterms.

    “Hospitals across the country are already bracing for cuts—it’s law. They know these cuts are coming, they have to plan their budgets over years, not month by month. One clinic in Nebraska already announced it will have to shut its doors because of this bill. More will follow.

    “Now, before I hand it off to our speakers who can say a lot more about what this awful bill will mean for hospitals in Washington state and care for the entire region, I want to make clear: this bill may be law, but that does not mean we stop fighting. That does not mean that we give up.

    “For my part, I am going to keep doing everything I possibly can to protect Americans’ health care and make it less expensive, not more—and make sure people know exactly who to hold accountable for their neighbors losing health care, or their local hospital shutting down.

    “Because, at the end of the day, the American people will have their voices heard. And they will show Republicans exactly how they feel about this Big Ugly Betrayal Bill at the ballot box.

    “Thank you, and I will now turn it over to Dr. Dellit from UW Medicine.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MTA Installs Platform Barriers at More than 50 Stations

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has installed protective platform edge barriers at 56 subway stations. Halfway through 2025, the MTA is on track to deliver on Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State direction to install barriers at more than 100 subway stations by the end of the year. This directive is part of a larger set of initiatives Governor Hochul announced in her State of the State address to protect subway riders and workers. The MTA continues to upgrade station lighting with brighter, safer LED bulbs. LEDs are now installed in 342 stations, on schedule for all 472 subway stations to be upgraded by the end of the year. Safety in the subway system continues to improve with overall major crimes dropping by 3 percent from the same period last year and by almost 10 percent when compared to pre-pandemic levels.

    “New Yorkers’ safety will always be my number one priority, and customers need to both feel and be secure every time they ride the subway,” Governor Hochul said. “At my direction, the MTA has ramped up the installation of protective platform barriers, building on their efforts to brighten stations with LED lighting and equip every subway car with security cameras. Transit crime is down in 2025, and these efforts will make the subway system safer for everyone.”

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we’re making investments to ensure that our system not only is safe but — equally important — feels safe to riders. With new platform barriers, MTA’s thousands of new security cameras, increased deployments from the NYPD, and 10 percent less crime before COVID, it’s no wonder customer satisfaction has risen dramatically this year.”

    MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, “This is the new MTA in action: working better, faster, and cheaper to improve the rider experience and keep customers safe. Using in-house labor has driven down costs and increased our pace on this project, and we’re ready to make even greater strides in the second half of 2025.”

    NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow said, “Customers are telling us platform barriers make them feel safer and they want to see more of them. Thanks to Governor Hochul’s support, we’re getting barriers into stations quickly with more than 50 already installed and over 50 more on the way by the end of the year. I’m proud of the NYC Transit team for the incredible work they’re doing in-house to build and install barriers and look forward to keeping up the momentum.”

    Recent customer surveys have shown that 59 percent of riders wanted the installation of protective platform barriers throughout the system — including 88 percent of riders over the age of 65. A majority of respondents have also noted that they believe the presence of platform barriers in the station makes them feel safer and believe the barriers will protect against falls onto the tracks. Platform barriers are built and installed using in-house New York City Transit (NYCT) labor with in-house machinery in a NYCT facility resulting in lower costs and a faster installation timeline.

    The selection of stations for the installation process prioritizes feasibility, including stations with standard car-stopping positions in segments of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, F, M and L trains. Among these train lines, stations with higher ridership levels and island platforms are prioritized.

    The following stations have platform barriers now installed:

    Brooklyn:

    • Clark St – 2, 3
    • Morgan Av – L
    • Grand St – L
    • Dekalb Av – L
    • Halsey St – L
    • Bushwick Av-Aberdeen St – L
    • Myrtle-Wyckoff Avs – L, M
    • Graham Av – L
    • Jefferson St – L
    • Bedford Av – L
    • Lorimer St – L
    • Wilson Av – L
    • Montrose Av – L
    • Eastern Pkwy-Brooklyn Museum – 2, 3
    • Grand Army Plaza – 2, 3
    • President St – 2, 3
    • Hoyt St – 2, 3
    • Beverly Rd – 2, 5
    • Sterling St – 2, 5
    • Winthrop St – 2, 5
    • Bergen St – 2, 3

    Manhattan:

    • 191 St – 1
    • 5 Av – 7
    • 1 Av – L
    • 6 Av – L
    • 125 St – 4, 5, 6
    • Bowery – J, Z
    • Fulton St – J, Z
    • Broad St – J, Z
    • Canal St – J, Z
    • Wall St – 2, 3
    • 23 St – 6
    • 125 St – 2, 3
    • Central Park North-110 St – 2, 3
    • 135 St – 2, 3
    • Astor Place – 6
    • 8 Av – L
    • Bleecker St – 6
    • Fulton St – 2, 3
    • Spring St – 6
    • 103 St – 6
    • Park Place – 2, 3
    • 28 St – 6
    • 68 St-Hunter College – 6
    • 33 St – 6
    • 96 St – 6
    • 77 St – 6
    • 145 St – 1
    • Grand Central-42 St – 7
    • Christopher St-Stonewall – 1

    Queens:

    • Flushing-Main St – 7
    • 46 St – M, R
    • 67 Av – M, R
    • 75 Av – E, F
    • Woodhaven Blvd – M, R
    • Jamaica Center-Parsons Blvd-Archer Av – E, J, Z

    Assemblymember Alex Bores said, “Protective platform edge barriers save lives. In addition to providing a safe place to stand, the barriers give riders peace of mind and encourage ridership; and a fully populated subway system is a safer system. Additionally, platform barriers are quick to install and extremely cost-effective, saving taxpayers money. I have advocated for these barriers from before my life in public office, and I am grateful to the Governor for incorporating these lifesaving tools into her comprehensive subway safety plan.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Smithfield Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Over 150 Improvised Explosive Devices and an Unregistered Short Barrel Rifle

    Source: US FBI

    NORFOLK, Va. – A Smithfield man pled guilty today to possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

    According to court documents, on July 31, 2021, Brad Kenneth Spafford, 36, was admitted to an emergency room with a completely amputated right thumb, partially amputated right middle and index fingers, hearing loss, and scalp lacerations. Spafford falsely told the hospital his injuries were caused by fireworks. An investigation later revealed that Spafford’s injuries resulted from his misfire of a launcher at a family member’s rural property where Spafford routinely detonated explosives he made.

    On Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement arrested Spafford for possession of an unregistered short barrel rifle. Immediately following Spafford’s arrest, law enforcement searched his Smithfield property and vehicles. Agents recovered an unregistered short barrel rifle and ammunition compatible with the rifle. Agents also found approximately 155 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that appeared to be homemade pipe bombs. Some of the IEDs had handwritten identification on them, including “lethal” and “concussion.”

    Among the IEDs analyzed were propellant capabilities consistent with use in a launcher and IEDs capable of causing property damage, personal injury, or death. Investigators also recovered bomb-making equipment, along with riot gear, Tannerite, two empty grenade canisters, an improvised mine, precursor chemicals for explosive materials, and numerous rounds of homemade ammunition.

    Spafford is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18 and faces up to 10 years in prison for each charge. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

    The Suffolk Police Department, Norfolk Bomb Squad, Virginia State Police, Isle of Wight County Fire Rescue, and Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation, with continued support from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Norfolk.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca Gantt and Luke Bresnahan are prosecuting the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-3.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Choctaw County Trio Sentenced For Roles In 2020 Double Homicide

    Source: US FBI

    MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that three Fort Towson, Oklahoma co-conspirators in a 2020 double homicide were sentenced in federal district court.

    Ashlie Nicole Rose Martin, age 22, was sentenced to 456 months in prison for one count of Conspiracy to Commit Murder.

    Chad Jon’Dale Voyles, age 23, was sentenced to 420 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.

    Bryson Noel Miller, age 19, was sentenced to 300 months in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country.

    The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.

    According to investigators, on December 22, 2020, Martin, then age 17, recruited Voyles, age 18, and Miller, age 15, to murder her parents.  That evening, Martin let Voyles and Miller into her house through a rear window.  Miller and Voyles found Martin’s mother sleeping on a couch and beat her to death.  All three assisted in burying her in a shallow grave in the backyard.  After the murder of Martin’s mother, the co-conspirators cleaned up and disposed of evidence of the murder.

    Over the next few hours, Martin attempted to arrange plans to flee, while Voyles and Miller awaited the arrival of Martin’s father at Martin’s residence.  When Martin’s father arrived, Voyles ambushed him and fired at him with a compound bow and field-tipped arrow.  Voyles missed, leading to a struggle with the father.  Ultimately, Miller intervened and struck the father in the head with a dumbbell.  Once incapacitated, Voyles and Miller doused the man in gasoline and set him and the house on fire.

    The crimes occurred in Choctaw County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation and within the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

    “In December 2020, two lives were tragically cut short, and the entire community of Fort Towson was gripped by fear and disbelief,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Ogden.  “The ruthless violence displayed by all three defendants in this case undoubtedly proves they belong behind prison walls.  The efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners have guaranteed they will each feel the full weight of the federal justice system.”

    “The defendants’ actions were brutal and horrifying,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson.  “Although nothing can erase the effects of these crimes or ease these families’ agony, the sentences imposed remove three very dangerous people from our community for a very long time.”

    The Honorable David C. Joseph, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sitting by appointment, presided over the hearing.  The defendants will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Traster represented the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Pornography

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – A Warrensburg, Missouri man was sentenced today for Possession of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.

    U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Jimmie Lloyd Skelton, 34, to 168 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Skelton will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    According to court documents, the Claremore Police Department responded to a report of child exploitation. The homeowner found Skelton masturbating to a video of a child under 12 years old. When law enforcement searched the home, they found several electronic devices owned by Skelton. Investigators found videos that Skelton recorded secretly of the child victim.

    Skelton will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI and the Claremore Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Coach and Missouri Middle School Teacher Sentenced for Coercing, Enticing, and Sexually Abusing a Minor Child

    Source: US FBI

    TULSA, Okla. – A former coach and middle school teacher was sentenced today for six counts related to child exploitation and sexual abuse of a minor child, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. 

    U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Ronald Dale Sanders, 57, of Belton, Missouri, for Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct, Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country, Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor in Indian Country, Tampering with Evidence by Corrupt Persuasion, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, and Production of Child Pornography.

    Judge Hill ordered Sanders to serve 360 months’ imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervision. Upon his release, Sanders will also be required to register as a sex offender.

    “Sanders is a dangerous child predator and every parent’s worst nightmare,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “His career in teaching and coaching put him in a position to manipulate and exploit a minor child and their family to fulfill his sexual desires.”

    “As a teacher, the defendant held a position of trust in the eyes of his victim and the community. He violated that trust by exploiting a former student for his own sexual gratification,” said FBI Oklahoma City Acting Special Agent in Charge Joe Ogden. “There is no place in our society for predators like Ronald Sanders, and the FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure they face justice.”

    On several occasions between August 2023 and October 2023, Sanders admitted to driving from Missouri to Oklahoma to engage in sexual acts with a 14-year-old. Court records show that Sanders began messaging with a former 6th-grade student through social media. The messages quickly turned into inappropriate sexual conversations, and he coerced the minor child to send him sexually explicit photos. Sanders manipulated the minor child into believing that they were in a relationship and to delete messages or deny their relationship if anyone asked. He purchased gifts for the minor child, including lingerie and a ring with Sanders’ initials on it.

    Court records show that Sanders’ employment career included teaching special education, middle school education, and coaching boys’ and girls’ teams. He used that background to insert himself into the minor child’s life by claiming he was a tutor and befriending the child’s family, attending school football games, and visiting the minor child during school. In October, one of the minor child’s parents caught Sanders outside their house late at night. When the parent attempted to confront Sanders, he hit their vehicle and sped off. The parent followed Sanders and called 911.

    Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol pulled over Sanders. He had alcohol and sex toys inside his vehicle. The investigation revealed that Sanders was blatant in his pursuit of the minor child and that he had 1,000’s of messages with the minor child that contained sexually explicit material.

    Sanders will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.

    The FBI, the Miami Police Department, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Miami Public Schools played a significant role in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Hockenbury and Valeria Luster prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Secures Funding to Strengthen Public Safety, Michigan Manufacturing, and Great Lakes Protections in Appropriations Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) helped secure funding in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act to fund Michigan priorities, high-impact local projects, and federal programs that support manufacturing, our environment and Great Lakes, public safety, law enforcement, and cutting-edge research.

    “This bipartisan legislation advances critical projects in Michigan and across the country,” said Senator Peters. “The bill makes needed investments to strengthen public safety, support local law enforcement, and boost Michigan’s economic competitiveness. It will also help safeguard our state’s precious natural resources and the Great Lakes for future generations. I’m proud to have helped secure this funding and will keep working to get it across the finish line.”

    Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is considering their own funding bills. The Senate and House will then need to reach an agreement on a final funding bill and have it pass both chambers before being sent to the President to be signed into law.

    The bill includes numerous measures led and supported by Peters, including:

    Strengthening Michigan’s Manufacturing Sector

    Preventing Illegal Trump Administration Cuts to Manufacturing Programs: The bill included language Senator Peters authored to prevent the Department of Commerce from unilaterally defunding or withdrawing contracts from Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Programs – like the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. The bill also includes $175 million for the MEP program despite the Trump Administration’s budget proposal to eliminate it. This program helps small and medium manufacturers grow their business, integrate advanced manufacturing techniques and technology, and works to strengthen our domestic manufacturing supply chain. For every dollar of federal investment, MEP generates $24.60 in new sales growth for manufacturers and $27.50 in new investment. This translates into $4.3 billion in new sales annually. In 2024, the Michigan Manufacturing Tech Center estimated they helped 584 businesses produce over $150 million in sales growth and over $100 million in investments. For every $1 of a company’s investment, the Center returns $18 in financial returns.

    Addressing Unfair Chinese Trade Practices: Peters secured language in the bill recognizing that non-allied nations like China are becoming large global exporters of electric vehicles and underscoring a concern that these electric vehicles will soon flood the U.S. market. Some Chinese motor vehicle producers are seeking to establish manufacturing plants in Mexico and other strategic locations to sidestep U.S. tariffs. Peters’ provision in the bill directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), in consultation with other relevant departments and agencies, to examine non-allied nations’ non-market policies and practices related to electric vehicles, including policies that prevent U.S auto manufacturers from competing in their markets on a level playing field.

    USMCA: In the summer of 2026, the United States’ trade agreement with Mexico and Canada will undergo a mandatory review period. Peters secured language directing the Office of the United States Trade Representative to pursue changes to the agreement that will improve the agreement’s labor standards, prevent China from taking advantage of it, and onshore more manufacturing jobs throughout the United States, including Michigan.

    National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): The bill invests heavily in the National Institute of Standards and Technology. These resources will help NIST advance research in cutting-edge fields like carbon dioxide removal, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and cybersecurity. NIST will also develop standards, tools, and tests to help ensure AI systems operate safely.

    Making Michigan Communities Safer

    PAWS Act: Peters secured $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2026?Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the Emergency and Transitional Pet Shelter and Housing Assistance Grant Program, which was established by Peters’ Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act. The grant program, administered by the Department of Justice, provides emergency and transitional shelter options for domestic violence survivors with companion animals. Peters secured language in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act encouraging the Department of Justice to continue providing robust funding for grants under the program.

    Project Safe Neighborhood: Peters secured funding in the bill for the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative – a nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime. Last Congress, the Senate passed Peters’ bipartisan legislationto reauthorize the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.

    Promoting Community Policing in Oakland County: The bill includes $1 million to modernize Oakland County’s Courts and Law Enforcement Management Information Systems (CLEMIS), which will improve transparency of law enforcement activity and promote community policing.

    Improving Criminal Investigation in Van Buren County: Peters secured $576,000 in the bill for Van Buren County to support purchase of rapid-processing DNA technology, which will reduce a current backlog and enable crimes to be solved more efficiently.

    Purchasing New Patrol Vehicles in Kalamazoo: The bill includes $490,000 to help the City of Kalamazoo upgrade its public safety vehicles, which will allow personnel to respond to service calls safely and efficiently.

    Making Road Patrols Safer in Oakland County: The bill would provide $26,000 for the Oakland County Sherriff’s Office to purchase safety equipment for motorcycle patrol officers.

    Supporting Safe Traffic Stops in Warren: Peters secured $38,000 in the bill to help the City of Warren Police Department purchase new safety equipment to aid officers during traffic stops and investigations.

    Improving the Health of the Great Lakes: The bill includes $1,500,000 for the Great Lakes Commission to improve the health of the Great Lakes. Specifically, funding will help address water quality, nutrient pollution, harmful algal blooms, aquatic invasive species, and coastal management throughout the Great Lakes region.

    Upgrading Police Communications in Marquette: The bill would provide $264,000 for the City of Marquette to purchase new portable radios, which would improve emergency response for Marquette Police Department officers.

    Upgrading Aging Patrol Vehicle Fleet in Houghton: The bill includes $385,000 for the City of Houghton to purchase new police patrol vehicles, helping to improve emergency response throughout the region.

    Bolstering AI Research to Help Small and Medium Sized Manufacturers: Senator Peters secured $2,000,000 in this bill to support Michigan Tech’s research into and deployment of AI standards and practices that would help boost small and medium manufacturers in Michigan.

    Westland Police Technology Update: The bill also includes $100,000 to upgrade aging computer systems in police squad cars in Westland.

    Preventing Violence Against Women: The bill contains increased funding for the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and its lifesaving programs. Grants from OVW programs support training for police officers, state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, rape prevention programs, homicide reduction initiatives, domestic violence hotlines, women’s shelters, transitional housing, and rural support services. In addition, Peters secured language in the bill directing the Department of Justice to develop best practices, in consultation with Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) community-based organizations, for the investigation and prosecution of violence against MENA women.

    Improving Police-Community Relations: The bill provides funding for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office grant programs which aim to strengthen police-community relations.

    Addressing Substance Use Disorder in Our Communities: The bill provides significant funding to help our communities and first responders address substance use disorders, including opioids, and to address drug trafficking.

    Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program: Peters helped secure funding for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program. This program is critical to thousands of abused or neglected children who have highly trained and extremely dedicated advocates appointed on their behalf, and to child victims who are still waiting for the presence of a consistent, caring adult to speak for their best interests in the courtroom and in the community. This funding will help improve outcomes for every abused and neglected child, as was the intention of Congress when it enacted the Victims of Child Abuse Act of 1990.

    Investing in Sustainable Solutions to Protect Michigan’s Environment, Natural Resources

    Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory: The bill provides funding for the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab (GLERL), which studies the dynamic environments and ecosystems of the Great Lakes. The work produced and shared by GLERL informs local decisions for safe and sustainable resource management throughout the Great Lakes Basin. GLERL research also plays a crucial role in the work carried out by the Coast Guard’s Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response in Sault Ste Marie. Peters secured language in the bill recognizing the importance of continued support for the work of the Great Lakes Center of Expertise for Oil Spill Preparedness and Response, which examines the impacts of oil spills in freshwater environments and develops effective responses. Peters-led efforts made the Great Lakes Center of Expertise a reality. Peters authored and passed legislation into law establishing the Great Lakes Center of Expertise in 2018, and then successfully secured $4.5 million in total to kick-start the initiative the following year. Peters then announced the Great Lakes Center of Expertise will be headquartered in two Michigan locations to maximize research and operational capabilities. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Peters has continued to secure funding to support the Center’s work.

    Great Lakes Monitoring: The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) is the nation’s premier ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes observing program. The bill provides funding to fill critical gaps in our nation’s ocean and Great Lakes observation infrastructure. It will also ensure the availability of coastal data to inform management decisions on oil spill planning and response, navigation safety, fisheries management, and harmful algal blooms.

    Addressing Harmful Algal Blooms: The bill supports the National Ocean Service’s research on harmful algal blooms (HABs). This funding is vital to preserving the health of the Great Lakes, which provide drinking water to more than 40 million people; support a $16 billion recreational boating industry; and draw 37 million anglers, hunters, and bird watchers each year. HABs, which produce toxic or harmful effects on people and wildlife, have been reported in the Great Lakes and in every U.S. coastal state. According to NOAA, their occurrence may be on the rise.

    Coastal Zone Management Grants: This bill provides much-needed funding for NOAA’s Coastal Zone Management Program, which provides grants to states with approved coastal zone management plans for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of coastal zone areas, including those in the Great Lakes region. All eight Great Lakes states have active Coastal Zone Management programs committed to preserving the health of the Lakes and the $6 trillion regional economy they help sustain. This unique program is essential to the economic and ecological importance of our coastlines and Great Lakes shorelines while supporting state and local efforts to address critical management issues such as coastal hazards, habitat, and water quality.

    Marine Debris Program: The NOAA Marine Debris Program is a joint effort that supports national and international efforts to prevent, identify, and reduce the occurrence of marine debris. The program leverages resources from state and local agencies, tribes, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry for innovative research, outreach, and education initiatives. This bill provides funding to allow this important work to continue.

    Improving the Census Process to Ensure Michigan Communities Are Accurately Represented

    Census Bureau: The bill provides funding for the U.S. Census Bureau, however, it provides less funding than is required to meet the needs of the upcoming 2030 decennial census. The census and other key federal surveys are tied to important outcomes for communities in Michigan and across the country, including federal resources for education, health care and infrastructure. The resources allocated by this bill will give the Census Bureau the tools it needs to prepare for the 2030 Census, produce critical economic data, and ensure the public can access high-quality data that keeps pace with the needs of our nation. This funding is essential to ensuring the Bureau does not fall behind on crucial preparations and can control long-term costs. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where Peters serves as Ranking Member, is responsible for conducting oversight of the Census Bureau. Peters previously convened a hearing in downtown Detroit to examine impacts of the 2020 Census on Michigan. Peters also convened a hearing in 2021 with senior federal officials to examine how lawmakers can work to improve operations at the Census Bureau. Peters has also pressed the Census Bureau to ensure it addresses 2020 Census undercounts and improves annual population data.

    Investing in Science, Innovation, and the STEM Workforce

    Michigan Technological University AI Program: Peters secured $2.5 million in funding from the Safe and Secure AI Manufacturing Implementation Program for Michigan Technological University to support research into and deployment of AI standards and practices to support small and medium manufacturers.

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The bill provides continued funding for key NASA science and STEM education programs that support cutting edge research and scholarships at Michigan’s Universities. The STEM education programs also strengthen our aerospace workforce pipeline. These programs were partially eliminated under the Trump Administration’s budget request.,

    Fully Fund the Artemis Space Mission: This bill includes full funding that Senator Peters’ championed for the Artemis Mission, which is set to take the United States back to the Moon as well as, eventually, to Mars. This mission was partially eliminated under the Trump budget proposal. The Artemis program is supported by Michigan Aerospace manufacturers and one of the astronauts participating in the upcoming Artemis III mission is a Michigander, Christina Koch.

    National Science Foundation: Senator Peters helped secure $9 billion in funding for the National Science Foundation. This level of funding avoids the catastrophic 55% cut proposed by the Trump Administration, which would have devastated U.S. scientific and STEM leadership, and harmed Michigan’s research institutions’ ability to continue to do cutting edge research.

    Implementation of Peters’ PROSWIFT Act: Peters secured funding for the pilot program Peters created through his Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act. The program aims to strengthen our nation’s ability to predict severe space weather events and mitigate their harmful impacts on Earth – work being spearheaded at Michigan’s own Universities.

    Improving Access to Reentry: Peters secured language in the bill directing Residential Reentry Centers, where individuals often go between prison and full return to their communities, to better collect ID-related data. A 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that opportunities exist to better assist incarcerated people with obtaining ID documents prior to release. Peters’ language requires an assessment from BOP regarding the feasibility of contracting with additional state DMVs to provide identification document services to qualifying individuals prior to release.

    National Marine Fisheries Services – Studying PFAS in Fish: The bill recognizes the threat posed by the concentration of PFAS detected in fish tissue. The bill directs NOAA to conduct fish tissue sampling and monitoring of PFAS to evaluate the impacts on aquatic health.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter Brings Jobs, Opportunities to GA-01 Through Key Defense Appropriations Wins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter Brings Jobs, Opportunities to GA-01 Through Key Defense Appropriations Wins

    Carter Brings Jobs, Opportunities to GA-01 Through Key Defense Appropriations Wins

    Washington, July 18, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) this week secured wins for Georgia’s First Congressional District (GA-01) in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2025, investing in key improvements for our nation’s defense readiness and strengthening the local economy. 

    “When GA-01’s military and economy are strong, the entire region benefits. I am proud to have brought critical funding home for our district, ensuring our bases remain among the best and most prepared in the nation while also supplying jobs and opportunities for servicemembers and civilians alike. With these funds, we will cement our district’s leadership in providing for our nation’s defense,” said Rep. Carter.                    

    Combined, these funds will benefit the GA-01 by providing jobs, stimulating the economy by supporting local businesses, and strengthening our military operations. 

    Specifically, this funding included: 

    • $474 million for the Compass Call Aircraft, procured through Gulfstream; 
    • Full funding for two Virginia-class submarines at Kings Bay Naval Base; 
    • Full funding for one Columbia-class submarine at Kings Bay Naval Base; and, 
    • $10 million for Infantry Support Weapons, procured through Daniel Defense.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: San Saba County Disaster Recovery Center Opens July 19

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: San Saba County Disaster Recovery Center Opens July 19

    San Saba County Disaster Recovery Center Opens July 19

    AUSTIN, Texas – A Disaster Recovery Center will open Saturday, July 19, in San Saba County to offer face-to-face help to survivors who had damage or losses from the severe storms and flooding in Central Texas

    Homeowners, renters and eligible non-residents may receive FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance

    Survivors with homeowner’s or renter’s insurance should first file a claim with their insurance company as soon as possible

    If your policy does not cover all your damage expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance

    The Disaster Recovery Center is located at:San Saba Civic Center1190 S Thomas Stewart Dr

    San Saba, TX 76877Hours: 8 am

    to 7 p

    m

    dailyFEMA and the U

    S

    Small Business Administration are supporting the Texas Division of Emergency Management, which is leading efforts to help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance

    Center specialists can also identify potential needs and connect survivors with local, state and federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations and community groups

     Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible to people with disabilities and those with access and functional needs

    They are also equipped with assistive technology

    If you need a reasonable accommodation or an American Sign Language interpreter, call 833-285-7448 (press 2 for Spanish)

    Here are the ways to apply for FEMA disaster assistance:Visit DisasterAssistance

    govUse the FEMA mobile appCall the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

     Lines are open from 6 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    CT daily

    If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service

    Helpline specialists speak many languages

    Press 2 for Spanish

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center to receive in-person assistance

    No appointment is needed

     To find a center close to you, use your ZIP code to search FEMA

    gov/DRC

    For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

     For the latest information about the Texas recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4879

    Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6
    toan

    nguyen
    Fri, 07/18/2025 – 16:43

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: One Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Tennessee April Severe Storms

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: One Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Tennessee April Severe Storms

    One Month Left to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Tennessee April Severe Storms

    Middle and Western Tennesseans who have been affected by April severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding have one month left to apply for FEMA assistance

    Homeowners, renters, students, self-employed, ranchers and farmers in Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Dyer, Hardeman, McNairy, Montgomery, Obion and Wilson counties who were displaced or have property damage from the April 2-24 storms have until Tuesday, Aug

    19 to submit an application for FEMA assistance

    Money is available for survivors who need help covering uninsured costs for things like rental expenses, home repairs, vehicle damage, medical expenses, moving and storage, and reimbursement for temporary housing

    How to Apply for FEMA AssistanceApply online at DisasterAssistance

    gov, use the FEMA App for mobile devices or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    In-person help is available at any Disaster Recovery Center for submitting applications, getting updates and asking questions

    Find a center here: DRC Locator (fema

    gov)

    Video: What to Expect Before Applying for FEMA Assistance | ASL | SpanishVideo: Next Steps After Applying for FEMA Assistance  | ASL | SpanishDisaster Recovery Center locations:Dyer County: Bogota Community Center, 78 Sandy Lane, Bogota, TN 38007Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-SundayHardeman County: Safehaven Storm Shelter, 530 Madison Ave W

    , Grand Junction, TN 38039Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-SundayMcNairy County: Latta Theatre, 205 W

    Court Ave

    , Selmer, TN 38375Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-SundayMontgomery County: Montgomery County Library, 350 Pageant Lane, Clarksville, TN 37040Hours: 9 a

    m

    –8 p

    m

    CT Monday-Thursday; 9 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Friday-Saturday; 1 p

    m

    –5 p

    m

    CT SundayObion County: Obion County Library, 1221 E

    Reelfoot Ave

    , Union City, TN 38261Hours: 8 a

    m

    –6 p

    m

    CT Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday
    kwei

    nwaogu
    Fri, 07/18/2025 – 13:52

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former New York City Police Officer Sentenced to 40 Years’ Imprisonment for Sex Offenses Involving Minors

    Source: US FBI

    Defendant Was Convicted by a Federal Jury of Child Exploitation, Attempted Child Exploitation, and Coercion of a Minor

    Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Christopher Terranova, a former New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, was sentenced by United States District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto to 40 years’ imprisonment for sexually exploiting, attempting to sexually exploit, and enticing and coercing three 15-year-old boys and a 12-year-old boy.  Terranova was employed as a police officer with the NYPD at the time of the charged conduct.  A federal jury convicted Terranova of the charges in November 2024.

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence.

    “The significant sentence the court imposed is a just outcome for the defendant’s abuse of his position as a police officer to groom and manipulate young boys, gain their trust, then sexually abuse and exploit them,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The victims showed courage in coming forward to expose this predator, and the sentence imposed ensures that no other child will be harmed by the defendant while he spends decades in prison.”

    Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau for their assistance during the investigation.

    “Christopher Terranova, a former NYPD officer, targeted, and sexually exploited multiple minors, including some who were also victims in unrelated crimes,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Terranova’s unthinkable actions violated his sworn duty to protect this community and reflect an egregious abuse of authority to satisfy his twisted desires.  May today’s sentencing reflect the FBI’s commitment to disrupting any sexual predator from further victimizing our city’s most vulnerable victims.”

    Between approximately December 2019 and May 2023, Terranova used social media to engage in sexually explicit conversations with underage boys and attempt to entice them into taking sexually explicit photographs of themselves and sharing them with Terranova.  Terranova used popular social media applications to message and gain the trust of underage boys whom he encountered socially, online, or through his job as a police officer.

    For example, between March 2023 and May 2023, Terranova targeted a 15-year-old boy he encountered at the 121st Precinct on Staten Island who was there to report that he had been robbed. Terranova obtained the victim’s cellphone number from the robbery complaint in an NYPD database and messaged him: “Hey… it’s Chris Terranova the cop you met at the 121 that day with mom, i just wanted to reach out to see if you were doing ok after the incident, I hate seeing these things happen to good Guys like yourself.”  In subsequent messages, Terranova inquired about the investigation, referred to his role as a police officer, and asked the victim if he had any interest in the police department or its youth programs. Terranova also suggested, “If [sic] here too if you ever want to talk[.] I been through a lot myself over the years so just know that little bro.”  Terranova then asked the victim to add him on “snap” or “the gram,” referring to Snapchat and Instagram.  On Snapchat, Terranova began asking the victim sexually explicit questions, sent the victim a photograph of Terranova’s genitals, and asked for a sexually explicit photograph of the victim.  The victim informed his mother about the inappropriate messages and she reported the matter to police.

    Terranova also engaged in hands-on sex acts with two of his minor victims.  One of those victims was the 15-year-old son of an acquaintance of Terranova.  While giving that victim a ride home from a birthday party, Terranova brought the victim to a secluded location where he directed the victim to engage in sex acts with him.

    Terranova met a third 15-year-old victim, who lived in Texas, on social media.   Terranova used his status as a police officer to gain the victim’s trust.  Terranova traveled to Texas at least 16 times to visit the victim, engaged in sexual acts with him and purchased a house in the victim’s neighborhood.  In one message, Terranova stated: “You being with me. . . and making love to me is more than a sign of everything happens for a reason.”   

    Terranova also met a 12-year-old victim locally while Terranova was on-duty and in uniform.  Terranova messaged the victim on Snapchat and began asking him sexually explicit questions and solicited sexually explicit photos.

    This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The government’s case is being handled by Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Rachel A. Bennek and Lauren A. Bowman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Chelsea Guzman.

    The Defendant:

    CHRISTOPHER TERRANOVA
    Age: 35
    Staten Island, New York

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-516 (KAM)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brooklyn-Based ‘Euro 380’ Gang Members Indicted on Racketeering Charges and Firearm-Related Murder

    Source: US FBI

    The Defendants’ Crimes Also Involved Armed Robberies, Drug Trafficking, Weapons Possession, and Assault in-Aid-of Racketeering

    Earlier today, in a federal court in Brooklyn, an 11-count superseding indictment was unsealed charging four Euro 380 gang members, Kashawn Mason, also known as “Jojo” and “Jojo Euro,” Daniel Horton, also known as “DayDay” and “DayDay Tz,” Ryan Nieves, also known as “Rocket” and “TooSturdy,” and Dylan Stanley, also known as “Brady,” with racketeering, firearm-related murder, multiple armed robberies, and assaults in-aid-of racketeering.  Mason and Stanley are also charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.  Mason and Stanley were taken into custody today and will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho.  Horton and Nieves are presently in federal custody and will be arraigned at a later date.     

    Joseph Nocella, Jr., 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); Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); Eric Gonzalez, Brooklyn District Attorney; and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney announced the superseding indictment.

    “As alleged in the superseding indictment, the defendants carried out a litany of violent crimes, including a senseless murder in furtherance of their gang, putting the Bedford Stuyvesant community at extreme risk of harm and turning housing developments into war zones,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s superseding indictment speaks loudly about the commitment of our Office to reducing gun violence, making our communities safe for law abiding residents who have been living in fear of violent gangs and bringing gang members to justice.  I commend our prosecutors and federal and state law enforcement partners for their tireless work dismantling gangs operating in Brooklyn and throughout the Eastern District.”

    Mr. Nocella also thanked the Nassau County Police Department and the New York State Department of Corrections for their valuable assistance.

    “To enhance their gang’s status and intimidate rivals, these four defendants allegedly participated in a myriad of criminal activity, including a retaliatory murder,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “Their alleged actions allowed tensions to violently erupt in a residential community and submitted bystanders to a senseless territorial gunfight.  Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI maintains its steadfast determination to disrupt any gangs’ reign of terror in our neighborhoods.  This operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months.”

    “The defendants in this case allegedly treated our Brooklyn neighborhoods like a warzone, firing 34 rounds in broad daylight, killing one person and injuring others, all to settle a gang score,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “They robbed businesses, pushed fentanyl, and recruited teenagers to carry out violence.  Today’s indictment makes clear that we will not let violent gangs turn our communities into battlegrounds.  I want to thank our investigators and law enforcement partners for their relentless work to bring these defendants to justice.”

    “This was brazen, targeted violence that put entire communities at risk as these defendants allegedly opened fire near homes and businesses and robbed residents at gunpoint,” stated Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez.  “Brooklyn saw record-low gun violence last year, and we are committed to holding accountable anyone who imperils our progress improving the safety of our neighborhoods.  This indictment reflects the results of a strong collaboration between my Office, the NYPD, and federal law enforcement.  I commend U.S. Attorney Nocella, his team, and all of our partners for their outstanding work.”

    “Gun violence and gang-related crime know no borders, which is why strong law enforcement partnerships are crucial in the fight against them,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly.  “My office is proud to have assisted the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our local partners in New York City, and the FBI, in charging these defendants for their alleged crimes.  By working together across jurisdictions, we are sending a message that anyone who perpetrates violence in our communities will be met with justice.”

    As alleged in the superseding indictment and other court filings, Euro 380 gang is a violent street gang operating out of the Marcy Houses, a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) development in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.  Euro 380 is a subset of the Untouchable Gorilla Stone Nation (UGSN), a parent gang with members located in Brooklyn and elsewhere.  Members of Euro 380 have a longstanding rivalry with another gang known as the Bloodhound Brims and, more specifically, a subset of the Bloodhound Brims known as “900,” which also operates out of Bedford-Stuyvesant in the Tompkins and Sumner Houses, also NYCHA developments located less than two blocks from the Marcy Houses.

    On September 30, 2023, Nieves, Stanley and two juveniles walked from the Marcy Houses to the Sumner Houses intending to shoot and kill rival 900 gang members after one of their fellow Euro 380 members was murdered three days earlier.  After arriving at the Sumner Houses, Nieves and Stanley unleashed a fusillade of 34 rounds at a group of individuals they believed to be 900 gang members.  Kyle Forde was killed and two other individuals suffered non-fatal gunshot wounds.  The fatal shooting was allegedly ordered by Mason and another high-ranking Euro 380 member.

    Additionally, in September 2023 and November 2023, the defendants carried out three robberies in Brooklyn of individuals, a smoke shop, and a bodega during which they displayed firearms or what appeared to be a firearm.

    The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, defendants Mason, Nieves, and Stanley face a maximum of life in prison.  Horton faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. 

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Andy Palacio, Raffaela S. Belizaire, and Megan Larkin are in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendants

    KASHAWN MASON (also known as “Jojo” and “Jojo Euro”)
    Age:  22
    Brooklyn, New York   

    DANIEL HORTON (also known as “DayDay” and “DayDay Tz”)
    Age:  23
    Brooklyn, New York   

    RYAN NIEVES (also known as “Rocket” and “TooSturdy”)
    Age:  20
    Brooklyn, New York

    DYLAN STANLEY (also known as “Brady”)
    Age:  22
    Brooklyn, New York   

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-261 (ENV)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova visited the Kaluga region on a working trip.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova and Kaluga Region Governor Vladislav Shapsha opened a children’s and adult polyclinic in Kaluga. The new facility is designed for 650 visits per shift, its area is 17.5 thousand square meters.

    “I sincerely congratulate you with all my heart, because this is a truly significant event: here, in the Pravoberezhny microdistrict of Kaluga, a large children’s and adult clinic is opening. This is another result of the national project “Healthcare”, which was announced by our President in 2018, completed in 2024, but we continue this work, because we understand perfectly well that the availability and quality of medical care is an absolute priority of our state, because there is nothing more precious than the health of citizens. And today’s clinic, both adult and children’s, and the clinic that provides assistance to pregnant women, is a very important contribution to the development of the Kaluga region. Because a healthy person is a capable person who creates the wealth of the Kaluga land,” said Tatyana Golikova.

    The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that the national goal of preserving the population, strengthening health, improving well-being and supporting families is key. In total, 11 thousand healthcare facilities were created within the framework of the national project “Healthcare”. In the Kaluga Region, 236 primary care facilities were created and renovated. Since January 1, 2025, the development of the healthcare system continues within the framework of the new national projects “Long and Active Life” and “Family”.

    “Today, primary healthcare is the first contact with the population, with the patient. Every year, more than 1 billion citizen requests are registered at the primary level. But the task of the polyclinic is not just to cure existing diseases. Its main goal is prevention, aimed at early detection of diseases or risks of their development, timely treatment and monitoring of patients’ health,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    The children’s and adult polyclinic was built in the Pravoberezh’ye microdistrict in Kaluga. According to the region’s governor Vladislav Shapsha, more than 70 thousand people live in this part of the city today.

    The new facility houses three outpatient clinics with modern diagnostic facilities: adult and children’s outpatient clinics, as well as a women’s consultation center. The total cost of construction was 1.9 billion rubles. More than 8 thousand units of medical equipment and medical products were purchased. Including heavy equipment: magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, X-ray machine, fluorograph, mammograph. Subsidies from the federal and regional budgets were allocated for these purposes – 1.08 billion rubles and 0.5 billion rubles, respectively.

    The Deputy Prime Minister inspected the computed tomography rooms, blood collection rooms, specialist doctors’ rooms, gastroscopy rooms, children’s physiotherapy and rehabilitation departments, women’s consultation rooms, a pharmacy – a branch of the Kalugafarmatsiya State Enterprise and a number of other premises.

    The Deputy Prime Minister assessed the work of the modern electronic registry, which has been in operation at Kaluga City Hospital No. 5 since December last year as part of the pilot project “New Registry”. Some of the duties of the medical staff were taken over by the employees of the multifunctional center. This allows optimizing the work of the medical institution, creating more comfortable conditions for patients, and minimizing queues.

    The clinic also has conditions for students of the medical faculty of the Kaluga State University named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky – an office of the Department of Internal Medicine, where future doctors will master practical skills and work with mentors.

    As part of her working visit, Tatyana Golikova also held an all-Russian conference entitled “Personnel for Modern Healthcare. Strategy for Reducing the Personnel Shortage.”

    “Today, there are 558 thousand doctors and 1.2 million mid-level medical workers working in the healthcare system. For a very long time, we have been observing a steady trend towards a decrease in the number of personnel in the healthcare system, but over the last two years, the industry has nevertheless begun to grow, and we have seen positive changes over the last two years by more than 16 thousand doctors,” noted Tatyana Golikova.

    Thanks to the activities of the national project “Healthcare”, by the end of 2024, the staffing of paramedic stations and outpatient organizations approached 95%. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that, on the instructions of the head of state, the federal project “Medical Personnel” was launched this year as part of the national project “Long and Active Life”. Based on its results, by 2030 it is necessary to increase the provision of the population with doctors from 42.0 to 43.5 per 10 thousand people, and with mid-level medical personnel – from 83.3 to 85.1 per 10 thousand people.

    The federal project includes measures to improve the qualifications and accelerate professional retraining of medical workers, increase the number of students in universities and colleges, create regional personnel centers and develop regional personnel programs. Regions need to develop social support measures in the form of providing housing for medical workers, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    The conference was attended by Governor Vladislav Shapsha, Chairman of the Committee of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly on Budget and Financial Markets Anatoly Artamonov, heads of medical organizations of Kaluga and a number of other regions, and representatives of all Russian regions via videoconference.

    The heads of relevant departments from the Kaluga, Irkutsk and Tyumen regions shared their successful experience in strengthening the human resources potential of healthcare. They also discussed improving the system of university training of qualified specialists using the example of the Ryazan State Medical University named after Academician I.P. Pavlov.

    In addition, as part of a working trip to the Kaluga Region, a meeting with Governor Vladislav Shapsha took place, as well as a visit to the K.E. Tsiolkovsky State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –