SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – William Seneca, Sr., age 64, of Syracuse, pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of a child and distribution of child pornography. United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Seneca admitted that from approximately 2000 through 2008 he engaged in sexual conduct with V1, starting when V1 was about seven years old. On several different occasions during that period, Seneca created child pornography depicting V1. Seneca also admitted that, on at least one occasion, he distributed the material he created depicting V1 to someone in Canada.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 13, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Seneca faces a term of imprisonment of least 15 years and up to 50 years, post-release supervision of between five years and life, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution to the victim. Seneca also will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the New York State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Police officers were quick to respond to a reported robbery in Northcote on Thursday (17 October), arresting a 22-year-old-man in relation to a number of offences across the North Shore.
Waitematā East Response Manager, Acting Senior Sergeant Andy Godsalve, says Police first became aware of the man’s alleged offending following a reported road rage incident just before 3pm in Glenfield.
“The man is alleged to have gotten into a verbal altercation with another motorist then followed the victim’s vehicle in his own car, throwing several items out of his window at the vehicle, including alcohol containers and a hockey stick, which damaged the vehicle.
“He continued to follow the victim’s vehicle for several kilometres, causing them much concern.
“The man has then driven to a liquor store in Northcote and allegedly told the worker behind the counter that he had a knife.”
At this point, Acting Senior Sergeant Godsalve says the suspect’s actions began to grow more violent.
“He picked up of bottle of alcohol and smashed it on the floor before allegedly stealing a further eight bottles of alcohol, worth over $400.
“Police were quickly on the scene, with officers witnessing the man pull a car jack tool from his pants and allegedly threaten the liquor store worker with it.
“He was arrested as he exited the store with the alcohol, and later blew an excess breath alcohol reading of three times over the legal limit.”
A 22-year-old man appeared in the North Shore District Court yesterday charged with robbery, wilful damage, theft, threatening behaviour, possession of an offensive weapon, driving while disqualified, and driving with excess breath alcohol. He is due to reappear on 14 November.
“We won’t tolerate this type of anti-social behaviour on our roads or in our communities,” Acting Senior Sergeant Godsalve says.
“The public has the right to feel safe, and I’m very happy the alleged offender will be held to account for his actions.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, meets with a delegation of politicians from Pacific Island countries in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
BEIJING, Oct. 18 — Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, met on Friday with a delegation of politicians from Pacific Island countries led by Lord Tu’ivakano, former prime minister of Tonga.
Noting that China has a long history of relations with Pacific Island countries, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said China is willing to strengthen political party exchanges and dialogue with Pacific Island countries, promote practical cooperation in various fields, and jointly build a closer community with a shared future between China and Pacific Island countries.
Tu’ivakano and other politicians said that Pacific Island countries have gained significant economic development and improvements in employment and people’s livelihoods under the Belt and Road Initiative, and will adhere to the one-China principle and further promote bilateral relations.
U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) will commence its annual nuclear command and control exercise, Global Thunder, October 18, 2024.
Global Thunder 25 (GT25) involves personnel throughout the strategic enterprise, including USSTRATCOM components and subordinate units. The purpose of GT25 is to enhance nuclear readiness and ensure a safe, secure, and effective strategic deterrent force.
This is an annual exercise and is not in response to actions by any nation or other actors, or current world events.
In addition to U.S. personnel, GT25 will involve key allied and NATO partners, including personnel from the United Kingdom, who will integrate into senior leadership teams and work across a broad spectrum of areas offering policy support and operational insight.
As in previous years, Global Thunder 25 will include an increase in bomber and other aircraft flights throughout the exercise.
United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), a global warfighting command, deters strategic attack through a safe, secure, effective, and credible global combat capability and, when directed, is ready to prevail in conflict.
On 10-11 September, U.S. Strategic Command’s (USSTRATCOM) Advanced Warfare Capabilities Division (J81) hosted its second technical interchange meeting (TIM) on the topic of electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A).
Maj. Gen. AnnMarie Anthony, Director of the Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Center (JEC), opened the TIM by welcoming to USSTRATCOM the modeling and simulation experts to the 2024 TIM.
Emphasizing, “the importance of campaign MS&A in helping to identify and qualify requirements for future EMS systems,” Anthony noted that, “one model can’t do it all for fully understanding the EMS.” Focusing on model integration, she said, “We need to find ways to integrate multiple models to better visualize the impacts of a congested and contested EMS environment within a campaign.”
Anthony also discussed the analytic consistency needed with integrated models, evolving and standardizing EMS ontologies, and building baselined EMS mission engineering models. And, while a tall order regarding modeling the electromagnetic spectrum, Anthony also keyed in on making future tools easier to use, by stating, “We need a tool where you shouldn’t need a Ph.D. in electrical engineering just to run a model.”
The two-day meeting addressed the need to improve EMS MS&A by featuring briefings and demonstrations on current efforts. Discussions, led by Mr. Tom Woods, USSTRATCOM’s lead for EMS campaign MS&A, focused on current and future challenges and capabilities, including advancements in artificial intelligence, the use of large language models, and the need for standardized EMS data structures among the different models.
“This TIM connected government and industry modeling and simulation thought-leaders and leading practitioners to identify campaign modeling, integration, and visualization challenges for electromagnetic spectrum analysis tools,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Travis Wood, USSTRATCOM’s J81 Advanced Warfare Capabilities Division Chief.
“A key DoD emphasis area,” said Capt. Wood, “is incorporating model-based systems engineering practices. We need to bring this into existing tools so we can prove integrated modeling concepts and then drive spectrum modeling and analysis requirements into future [Department of Defense] DoD campaign tool suites.”
Through technical interchanges such as this one, USSTRATCOM is charting the course for EMS MS&A, identifying spectrum interdependencies and bringing these requirements into current and future campaign models and war games.
Moving forward for EMS MS&A, Mr. Woods stated, “We must vastly improve visualization while exploring and defining measures of objectives, performance, and effectiveness. We also need to develop common data structures that will simplify data exchanges within the Department’s emerging modeling ecosystems.”
U.S. Strategic Command forces operate around the world, around the clock, to deter strategic attack and employ forces when directed to guarantee the security of our Nation and our Allies. For more information about U.S. Strategic Command, visit http://www.stratcom.mil.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Harold Hal Rogers (KY-05)
PIKEVILLE, KY – U.S. Rep. Harold “Hal” Rogers and U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell introduced mirroring legislation to designate the Kentucky Wildlands as Kentucky’s first National Heritage Area. Congressman Rogers announced the news on Friday during the annual SOAR Summit in Pikeville. “Our beautiful Appalachian Mountains in southern and eastern Kentucky are full of outdoor adventures, incredible wildlife, and communities filled with a rich heritage of talented musicians and artisans. The National Heritage System links our region to tourism benefits that will boost our economy, adding a national spotlight here at home,” said Congressman Rogers, Dean of the House. “This legislation will be the final step in getting the designation to highlight our rich Appalachian culture in Kentucky, and I’m proud to partner with Senator McConnell to get it over the finish line.” “Securing Kentucky’s first National Heritage Area has been a project years in the making, and I’m grateful to see our state move one step closer to securing this designation. I’ve been proud to partner with Congressman Hal Rogers over the years to help advance this effort and tap into Eastern Kentucky’s great potential. Our state’s Appalachian region deserves to be preserved for families to enjoy, and this project will help do just that while driving more visitors and economic activity into Eastern Kentucky communities,” said Senator Mitch McConnell. Last month, the National Park Service (NPS) determined that 35 counties in southern and eastern Kentucky are eligible to become part of the National Heritage System. It was the result of a feasibility study that Rogers and McConnell secured federal funding for in 2019. Eastern Kentucky PRIDE received a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 2019 to brand the region as the Kentucky Wildlands. As a National Heritage Area, the region would receive technical assistance and federal funding through a partnership with the National Park Service. The NPS study concluded that the region embodies the concepts of self-reliance, sustainability and community recognized as the foundation of central Appalachian identity. Through the area’s rich natural resources that fueled the rise of late 19th and 20th century industry, local musicians’ enduring influence on popular American music, the accomplishments of community-driven civic leaders, and the resilience of groups calling Eastern Kentucky home, the reach of the people and products of Kentucky Wildlands extends far beyond the mountainous terrain where they originate. The NPS determined the 35 counties directly supporting the themes for a potential NHA boundary include: Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter, Clay, Elliott, Estill, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe. Within these counties, natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources support the overall landscape, cultural tradition of the area, and the nationally important heritage of the Kentucky Wildlands.? For more information about Congressman Rogers’ work in Washington and at home in Kentucky, visit halrogers.house.gov and follow him on social media. ###
In its full operational state, the new wing’s focus will provide combatant commanders with assured command and control (C2) over assigned forces through global command, control, and communication (C3) capabilities. The unit will organize, train, and equip the total force to execute strategic requirements as set forth by commanders.
“Once activated, the 95th Wing, under AFGSC, will enable effective command of forces to ensure readiness,” said Col. David Leaumont, 95th Wing (Provisional) Commander. “The intent of the 95th Wing is to integrate three units that currently do not exist in a doctrinal chain of command and bring them together under a single commander with the appropriate positional rank and authority to lead and advocate for their resources and readiness.”
Once fully activated, the 95th Wing will incorporate existing disaggregate units from the 595th Command and Control Group at Offutt AFB, Nebraska; the 253rd Command and Control Group, of the Wyoming Air National Guard; and the 610th Command and Control Squadron, Air Force Reserve Command, at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, to form an integrated unit.
“Additionally, the 95th Wing will manage and oversee the modernization efforts for Offutt to receive the Air Force’s newest strategic command and control aircraft, the E-4C Survivable Airborne Operations Center, that will replace the aging E-4B,” added Leaumont.
As the 95th Wing moves forward, it will implement the Secretary of the Air Force’s and the Air Force Chief of Staff’s direction and decisions as part of the overall Department of the Air Force reorganization effort to optimize the Air Force for the future.
The new wing will add about 70 military authorizations at Offutt beginning in 2025 and be fully operational in 2027.
The 91st Missile Wing successfully performed its biennial Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman (SELM) test, the first phase of testing for the Minuteman III, at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, on September 17th and 18th, 2024.
“This year’s SELM, named OPERATION GIANT PACE 24-2M, was conducted to evaluate the readiness and reliability of the MMIII ICBM system,” said 1st Lt. Ivan Cruz, 91MW Maintenance Group executive officer. “Although operational test launches are executed frequently at Vandenberg Space Force Base, SELM allows the Air Force to test critical processes in a deployed environment without firing the missile.”
This evaluation is an end-to-end test that is used to verify the reliability of the MMIII ICBM system’s ability to launch if given the command from a Launch Facility (LF), a Launch Control Center (LCC), or an Airborne Launch Control System (ALCS).
Before the test launch order can be given, more than 1,500 hours are committed to ensure all safety measures are met. For the SELM test, the maintenance crews and operators replaced the operational components with test components and isolated the LFs from the rest of the operational squadron to form a test squadron. This allows the test to be conducted safely without affecting an operational missile site while the testing missile crew members use real commands.
“Due to the ever-growing age of our weapon system, showing that it can complete its mission when asked is important for us in gathering analytical data, and show we are capable of assuring our allies and deterring our adversaries,” said 1st Lt. Alex Mathews, 740th Missile Squadron missileer.
Once the preparation phase was concluded, the SELM test began. The teams tested their ability as combat crews to launch from not only the LCC but from an ALCS aboard a Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft, which is capable of remotely launching the fleet of MMIII ICBMs.
Many agencies are involved in safety, like the missile maintenance team and electronic mechanical team, who ensure the numerous safety procedures are complete prior to testing. The 91MW’s crisis action team then confirms that all sites are in a safe configuration before the simulated launch, Cruz said.
When all of these tasks have been completed a last-look inspection is done by SELM Quality Assurance personnel to verify the proper configuration of the test LF and LCCs.
After the safety of each site was confirmed, test commands were sent from isolated test LCCs and the airborne ALCS. Missile commands were transmitted to the isolated SELM test squadron to evaluate everything from routine activities all the way up to the first stage ignition of the MMIII.
“The credibility of the 91st MW lies in our Airmen and the weapon system we maintain and operate. We train daily for our mission, and SELM allows us to demonstrate the standard of upkeep provided by our maintainers, and the expertise of missileers tasked with executing our mission,” said Mathews.
The most important aspect of any weapon system is to demonstrate its reliability through extensive scheduled and routine testing. With the SELM test complete the second and final phase of testing can be completed. This second phase of testing will see a live launch of unarmed MMIII at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. This rigorous testing allows the 91MW, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force to provide a demonstration of combat capability without compromising safety.
Edmonton, Alta. – From October 20 to 26, Alberta RCMP is helping to promote road safety for all youth road users. The annual campaign aims to increase road safety awareness in youth ages 15 to 24. This year’s campaign theme is #OurFutureRoads, focusing on empowering youth to shape the roadway systems being built today to ensure everyone can travel safely.
Road crashes are the third-leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24 in Canada, for this reason it is vital to ensure youth are part of the safety conversation.
This year Alberta RCMP encourages youth to speak up about road safety issues in their communities, such as:
Dimly lit roadways that could use more lighting for pedestrian safety
A busy intersection that could use traffic calming measures
Areas in the community that lack bike lanes for safer cycling
“youth use many modes of transportation, from driving to cycling, and even public transit,” states Sgt. Darrin Turnbull, Alberta RCMP Traffic. “It’s important that they feel heard regarding issues in their communities that relate to their safety, such as roadways. Together, we can help ensure that everyone feels safe when commuting, no matter their mode of transportation.”
Alberta RCMP wants to remind the public that road safety is important for all ages and is the responsibility of all road users. For traffic safety information, follow us on Facebook @RCMPinAlberta and X @RCMPAlberta.
BLACKSBURG, Va., Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — National Bankshares, Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Lara E. Ramsey to President of the Company and its subsidiary bank, The National Bank of Blacksburg, effective January 1, 2025. Ms. Ramsey has been with the Company since 1996, most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. During her career at National Bankshares she has led the Company’s Investment, Human Resources, Marketing, Training, Corporate Administration, and Strategic Initiative functions.
The Company’s current President and Chief Executive Officer, F. Brad Denardo, will continue to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the bank and holding company.
A native of Lebanon, Virginia, Ms. Ramsey is a graduate of Radford University with a dual bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Economics and a master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She is also a graduate of the Virginia Bankers Association’s School of Bank Management, the American Bankers Association’s Stonier Graduate School of Banking, The New River Valley Leadership program, and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.
President and CEO F. Brad Denardo commented, “We are very proud of Lara, and we are excited to see her assume this key leadership role in our organization. Over the past 28 years, Lara’s contributions have been pivotal to the growth and success of our Company. She has a deep understanding of banking and of our Company’s unique role in the communities we serve. Her experience and leadership stand to greatly benefit our stakeholders and continue our core commitments to customer service and shareholder value.”
Ms. Ramsey serves on the Radford University Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Radford University Athletic Foundation Board of Directors. She is a past Board Member of both the United Way of the New River Valley and the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Ramsey resides in Radford with her husband, Sean. The couple have an adult son, Benjamin, who is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Virginia Tech.
National Bankshares, Inc., headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is the parent company of The National Bank of Blacksburg, which does business as National Bank, and of National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc. National Bank is a community bank operating from 27 full-service offices, primarily in southwest and central Virginia, and two loan production offices in Roanoke and Charlottesville, Virginia. National Bankshares Financial Services, Inc. is an investment and insurance subsidiary in the same trade area. The Company’s stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “NKSH.” To learn more about National Bankshares, Inc. at http://www.nationalbankshares.com.
For more information, contact: Eric Robinson Marketing & Communications Officer 540-951-6276
East Hants District RCMP is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Walton.
On October 17, at approximately 12:12 p.m., East Hants District RCMP, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a vehicle that had crashed into a residence along Hwy. 215. RCMP officers learned that a Toyota Camry had veered off the roadway, rolled, and came to rest against the house.
The driver and sole occupant of the Camry, a 19-year-old man from Upper Kennetcook, was located deceased at the scene. Nobody at the residence was physically injured.
An RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing. Hwy. 215 was closed for several hours but has since reopened.
Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.
NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Altus Group Limited (“Altus”) (TSX: AIF), a leading provider of asset and fund intelligence for commercial real estate (“CRE”), is proud to announce that its CEO Jim Hannon and Executive Vice President, Rich Sarkis have been named to Commercial Observer’s annual Power Proptech list for the third consecutive year.
The Power Proptech list recognizes the most influential leaders in the CRE proptech space who are driving change and innovation within the CRE industry. Altus remains at the forefront of transforming the CRE landscape, helping clients leverage advanced analytics to maximize performance and manage risk. Having built one of the most extensive and unified data platforms for CRE, Altus is tapping into its incredibly rich dataset to bring new performance insights to its customers. One of Altus’ recent innovations leveraging this platform includes its new ARGUS Intelligence product which enables users to dynamically drill into data to quickly analyze and compare performance metrics.
“This recognition is a testament to our talented team, which brings together leading data scientists, technologists, and CRE market experts,” said Jim Hannon, CEO of Altus. “Our efforts and investments have positioned Altus to lead the CRE data revolution. As we close the year, we’re proud to have delivered new data analytics innovations and raised the bar for what clients can expect from Altus Group.”
For more information about Commercial Observer’s Power Proptech list, click here.
About Altus Group
Altus Group is a leading provider of asset and fund intelligence for commercial real estate. We deliver intelligence as a service to our global client base through a connected platform of industry-leading technology, advanced analytics, and advisory services. Trusted by the largest CRE leaders, our capabilities help commercial real estate investors, developers, proprietors, lenders, and advisors manage risks and improve performance returns throughout the asset and fund lifecycle. Altus Group is a global company headquartered in Toronto with approximately 2,900 employees across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information about Altus Group (TSX: AIF) please visit altusgroup.com.
OTTAWA – On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, the Bank of Canada will announce its decision on the target for the overnight rate. A press release will provide a brief explanation of the decision. The Bank will also publish its quarterly Monetary Policy Report (MPR) at the same time as the rate decision.
Time
09:45 (Eastern Time)
Lock-Up
At 07:00 (ET), journalists are invited to review the rate announcement press release and the MPR, under embargo, at the Bank’s head office in Ottawa. Please use the Bank of Canada Museum entrance, located at 30 Bank Street (corner of Bank and Wellington), and bring photo ID.
For security reasons, journalists wishing to attend must confirm their presence by contacting Media Relations before noon (ET) on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Those who have not registered will not be admitted to the lock-up.
At 09:45 (ET), the lock-up ends and the embargo is lifted.
Media Briefing Session
At 08:30 (ET), senior Bank officers will provide background information and respond to questions on the content of the MPR. Information gathered at the session may be used freely in news reports and commentaries, provided it is not attributed to the Bank or its officers. Electronic recording is not permitted.
Distribution
The rate announcement press release and the Monetary Policy Report will be available at 09:45 (ET) on the Bank’s website.
Media Availability
At 10:30 (ET), Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, and Carolyn Rogers, Senior Deputy Governor, will hold a press conference in the Bank of Canada’s auditorium. The opening statement will be available on the Bank’s website at 09:45 (ET).
For security reasons, all media wishing to attend must register with the Bank in advance.To register, please contact Media Relations before 17:00 (ET) on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Journalists, camera operators and still photographers who have not registered will not be admitted to the press conference.
Please use the Bank of Canada Museum entrance, located at 30 Bank Street (corner of Bank and Wellington), and bring photo ID.
Broadcasters needing to set up equipment will be granted access beginning at 09:45 (ET).
Accredited journalists who wish to participate remotely must contact Media Relations for connection information.
Webcast
Audio and video webcasts of the press conference will be accessible from the Bank’s website.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Federal Home Loan Bank System (FHLBank System) today hailed a report published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), regulator of the FHLBank System, indicating that the FHLBanks contributed a total of more than $581 million in Affordable Housing Program and community development grants in 2023.
FHFA’s 2023 Targeted Mission Activities Report highlights the FHLBanks affordable housing and community development activities last year, demonstrating that the FHLBanks delivered $446.9 million in AHP funds, including $35.2 million in voluntary AHP spending. Additionally, the report indicates the FHLBanks delivered $134.6 million in additional voluntary grant funding for a total of more than $581 million in funding for affordable housing and community development in 2023.
In the press release announcing the report, FHFA Director Sandra Thompson is quoted as saying the FHLBanks “assisted close to 65,000 low- or moderate-income households and supported more than 400 targeted economic development projects in 2023.” She is further quoted saying “I am encouraged to see the Federal Home Loan Banks pursue creative and innovative approaches to addressing local housing needs through the voluntary programs they undertake in addition to meeting their obligations under the Affordable Housing Program.”
Ryan Donovan, president and CEO of the Council of Federal Home Loan Banks, said the report stands as a strong indicator of how dedicated the 11 FHLBanks are to working with their members and within their districts to meet the needs of local communities.
“Over the last two years the FHLBanks have taken tremendous steps to help address the housing supply and affordability issues plaguing the country,” said Donovan. “This report clearly shows the positive impact and responsiveness of the 11 FHLBanks to the needs of their members and the communities they serve. We are grateful to FHFA for publishing the report and we look forward to continuing to work with the agency, financial regulators, and other stakeholders to develop innovative and workable solutions to the nation’s housing finance needs.”
In response to feedback the FHLBanks heard during FHFA’s comprehensive review of the System, the FHLBanks voluntarily agreed in early 2023 to contribute 15 percent of the prior year’s net earnings to affordable housing and community development, a 50 percent increase from the statutorily required 10 percent. Based on 2022 net earnings, the FHLBank System was assessed $355.2 million for AHP in 2023, as noted in FHFA’s report. The $581 million in AHP and voluntary contributions in 2023 represent a total of more than 16 percent, or more than 60% above the statutory minimum.
About: The FHLBanks are 11 regionally based, wholesale suppliers of lendable funds to financial institutions of all sizes and many types, including community banks, credit unions, commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions. The FHLBanks are cooperatively owned by member financial institutions in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The steady supply of lendable funds from FHLBanks helps U.S. lenders invest in local needs including housing, jobs, and economic growth. The Council of FHLBanks represents all 11 FHLBanks.
CONTACT INFORMATION Council of FHLBanks Peter E. Garuccio 202-955-0002 ext. 14 pgaruccio@cfhlb.org
The wreckage rests at approximately 6,000 feet altitude in a remote, steep and heavily-wooded area east of Mount Rainier.
Soldiers from 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord are assisting in the search. 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) brings specialized mountaineering, high-angle rescue, medical, and technical communication skills necessary to navigate the difficult terrain associated with the Cascade Mountain Range that is inaccessible by other means.
The status of the crew cannot be confirmed without a site assessment of the debris area.
“Our priority is to locate our two aviators as quickly and as safely as possible,” said Capt. David Ganci, commander, Electronic Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “Adhering to Dept. of Defense procedure, we cannot identify or confirm the names of aircrew involved in a mishap until 24-hours after their next of kin have been notified of their status. Please remain patient and limit speculation about the incident. That is one of the best ways we can respect the privacy of the loved ones who are impacted by this tragic event.”
There are no known hazards to the public.
“We appreciate the community support as experienced personnel respond around the crash site,” said Capt. Nathan Gammache, commanding officer of NAS Whidbey Island. “We are confident that we have the capability we need at this time, and will request any additional capabilities, if needed, via official channels in coordination with the on-site incident commander.”
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
The U.S. Navy will continue to provide updates. More information is available on NAS Whidbey Island’s website and official social media accounts.
Dear Friends, The Bill of Rights is a shield to guard the people – individuals – against the power, overreach, and abuse of government itself. The freedom of speech, assembly and religion, the right to a speedy trial by a jury of your peers, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizure, and the right to keep and bear arms to preserve those freedoms – these are for the individual. Each Amendment is a link in the chain that binds government in servitude to the people. Lately, federal bureaucrats and elected officials are complaining that the Bill of Rights is getting in the way of their big government agenda, chafing uncomfortably under these guarantees of freedom for individuals. They claim the First Amendment is burdensome when it comes to regulating political speech. That’s good. That means our Constitution is working exactly as intended. The New York Times, once the pinnacle of journalism, recently ran an article blasting the Constitution as dangerous if it could ever allow Donald Trump to become president, and maybe it’s best to scrap the whole thing. The article even called originalist interpretations of the Constitution to be “Constitution-worship.” Not to be outdone, the New Yorker just a few weeks ago ran an article entitled “Is It Time to Torch The Constitution?” The article included particular interest in expanding the Supreme Court and getting rid of the electoral college – two perennial favorites from the Left when it comes to political daydreams. Cleary there is no shortage of irony in newspapers decrying the freedom of speech protected by the very Constitution they propose to discard. At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, millionaire climate czar John Kerry bemoaned the restrictions of the First Amendment as insufficient to ban speech unfavorable to the climate change agenda, or discouraging people from getting vaccinations. Kerry referred to the First Amendment as a “major block” in preventing people from believing the wrong things. And in the most extreme and hilarious example, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom is supporting censorship of online content including political satire, memes, and parody. In a real-life response, the Babylon Bee, a website known for its wry political wit, sued the state. A court quickly struck down the California law as blatantly unconstitutional. Newsom should have stuck with banning diesel vehicles, natural gas stoves, and plastic straws and grocery bags. If you are passing a law to ban satire, you’ve already lost. You’ve become the mustachioed villain of a Christmas cartoon special trying to take away everyone’s toys. We’ve seen countless examples of collusion between Big Tech, Big Media, and the weaponization of our own government, attempting to regulate speech by “fact-checking” posts and suppressing content that runs counter to an administrative agenda or pushing content that supports it. Some may say that platforms such as Twitter or Facebook choosing to regulate speech content is their right as a company. However, when Government is in the shadows holding the carrot and stick of regulation, taxes, franchises, and favorable rules, that crosses a very clear line. It is a fair criticism to say our Republic is not the most nimble form of government. Our system, by design, is not swift in making decisions or taking actions. But the trade-off is the more swiftly a government moves, the more easily it crushes the rights of the individual. In absolutist systems – monarchies, dictatorships and despots of both right and left – protecting the individual is a far lower priority than protecting the state itself and the interests of its agents and their favorites. Our Republic is specifically designed to do the opposite, and the freedom of speech is rightfully enshrined in the very first Amendment listed. The vitality of our Republic depends on the debate of ideas, not the suppression. The importance of free speech in a free society cannot be overstated and one cannot exist without the other. As Voltaire once wrote, “I wholly disapprove of what you say – and will defend to the death your right to say it.” That’s the whole point. Our Constitution is seen cynically by some as a handful of gravel into the gearbox of government, especially by those seeking to preserving their own power. However, the proper role of government is to first serve the people and protect their rights in every possible circumstance. We should keep a close watch on politicians and entities who consider any of our constitutional freedoms a roadblock. For them, our liberty is not a priority, and our freedom is an inconvenience. Best regards, Not yet subscribed to the Labrador Letter? Click HERE to get our weekly newsletter and updates. Miss an issue? Labrador Letters are archived on the Attorney General website.
All primary schools, Early Learning and Childcare (ELC), Intensive Support Provision (ISP) settings and Fairview School in Perth and Kinross will be closed on Monday October 21 because of industrial action taken by UNISON in a national dispute over pay.
All secondary schools except St John’s Academy (Secondary) in Perth and the Community School of Auchterarder, will be open on Monday. All secondary ISP provision will be closed. Navigate will be open.
Due to the October holidays, it has not been possible, as previously indicated, to complete Risk Assessments for our primaries and ELC settings. This means we cannot guarantee there will be enough staff to ensure pupil safety and so have taken the decision to close these settings.
The situation will be reviewed daily during the two weeks of industrial action planned by UNISON.
It is possible a small number of primary schools will be able to open later in the week. However, the situation is likely to remain fluid and may change for individual schools on a day-to-day basis. We will continue to provide updates when necessary. Schools will also email parents and carers about their arrangements on Monday.
Where schools are closed before and after school care (Breakfast Clubs, Kids Clubs and Wraparound Care) will also be closed.
Remote learning will be provided when schools are closed to pupils as teachers are not taking part in the industrial action.
Payments will be made to families whose children are eligible Free School Meals because their families are in receipt of qualifying benefits.
We thank you for your understanding.
Leisure services provided at our four community campuses (Breadalbane, Loch Leven, North Inch and Strathearn) are also likely to be disrupted because of the industrial action.
The following activities will still be able to proceed:
Block Booked, Club/Group activity – Indoor and Outdoor
Instructor / Coach led activity – Swimming Lessons, Gymnastics, Fitness Classes etc.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)
WASHINGTON — Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today reintroduced the Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act, legislation to help American families cover the cost of eliminating lead from their homes. The Home Lead Safety Tax Credit Act would significantly broaden the national response to this public health challenge by providing refundable tax credits for homeowners, landlords, and tenants to remove lead from homes.
Congressman Cohen made the following statement:
“The safest place for a child should be his or her own home, but many homes built before 1978, including thousands in Memphis, have lead paint and other potential hazards. Children deserve to grow up free from the permanent harm, including neurological problems, that exposure to lead can cause. This legislation would create a tax credit to provide homeowners the resources they need to address and remove hazards within their homes, and lead to better long term health outcomes.”
The legislation, which Congressman Cohen first introduced in 2020, would create tax credits worth up to $4,000 to cover half the cost of abating lead hazards in paint, pipes, or soil. The new tax credits would supplement state and local lead control programs and would be available to offset costs for removing lead from houses built before lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978.
Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that can severely compromise the behavioral and cognitive development of children. Despite the widespread contamination of housing stock in the United States, funding for lead abatement programs, such as the Lead Hazard Control Grant Program, have only put a dent in the problem.
The Biden-Harris Administration issued a final rule earlier this month requiring the replacement of all lead pipes associated with drinking water systems within 10 years and requiring more rigorous testing of drinking water to prevent lead exposure.
Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division participate in a drone course at Fort Stewart, Georgia, July 22-26, 2024. During the course, Soldiers learned creative problem-solving skills by building and operating unmanned aerial systems.
About the U.S. Army:
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
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Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L
I didn’t seek out The Vegetarian when I first read it. I was on a book buying ban and in the lucky position to be living with a fellow hoarder. As I perused our combined stacks, a slim volume by an author I hadn’t heard of caught my eye, and I am glad it did. The Vegetarian by Han Kang, is exactly my sort of story: dark, disturbing and beautifully wrought.
Yeong-hye is, as her husband charmingly says, “completely unremarkable in every way” – that is, until she becomes vegetarian. This decision sends her world, and her extended family’s, spinning aggressively off its axis. You may be thinking this is a bit dramatic (vegetarianism is normal), and it is.
The Korean satirical sensibility often disturbs you into realising humanity is messed up. Parasite (winner of the Oscar for best picture in 2020), Oldboy (the 2003 thriller that inspired John Wick) and The Vegetarian are born of the same sort of urgency to expose our shared ability for violence, which they attest is always there, simmering just beneath the surface.
The Vegetarian won the 2016 Man Booker International Prize, and Kang has now emerged as the surprise winner of this year’s Nobel prize in literature. She is one of the youngest writers to win. Artful is a word that comes to mind when thinking about her sparse and beautiful prose, which also manages to be so dense in meaning. It makes sense that Kang is a poet, and this quality in her translations is a testament to her translator, Deborah Smith.
As our writer, Jenni Ramone, notes, The Vegetarian was likely to have been the work that influenced the judging panel the most. Kang manages to fit a lot of horror into this slim text (it’s less than 200 pages) without it feeling crowded. It’s a searing novel, visceral and savage in its imagery, which is so elegantly and economically described.
I am currently in the lucky position of possessing an early reader copy of Kang’s newest novel We Do Not Part, which is out next year. I am so excited to get stuck in. Until then, I urge you to read The Vegetarian and to delve further into Kang’s catalogue, her poetry in particular.
This got us thinking about the difference between writing poetry and prose. Is it obvious that a good poet would write good prose, and vice versa? Answer our poll and reply to this email with your thoughts and examples where poets have written good or bad prose, and prose writers have written bad or good poetry.
Hallyu, the wave of Korean art and culture that has taken the west by storm, is going strong. Literature is getting its moment in the sun right now, and maybe Korea’s art will be next. If you want to be ahead of the curve, you should head down to London’s Southbank where you can catch artist Haegue Yang’s Leap Year at the Hayward Gallery.
The work is bright and bold, Yang is certainly an original and radical. The exhibition is a major retrospective of her work in which you will find collage, sculpture and installations featuring sound and even scent. Our reviewer, Martin Lang, writes: “Yang’s work suggests that art, too, has the power to bridge divides and foster empathy, breaking down barriers between cultures.”
“I remember watching it as a teenager in a lesson at school and once was enough for me,” writes politics academic Mark Lacy of the BBC film Threads, a truly terrifying imagining of the impact of a nuclear war on a city in the north of England from 1984. The film hasn’t been available to watch for decades, but has recently been put on iPlayer for us all to relive its horror.
As Lacy outlines, “it’s a brutal and grim tour of the aftermath of nuclear war, which anyone who viewed it when originally aired may struggle to watch again”. Lacy watched it at a time when the possibility of cold war tensions escalating was very real. While we have certainly been exposed to more nuclear fallout stories since, the film is once again available to watch at a time when the fear of attacks on nuclear facilities is again in the news.
The film The Apprentice also comes at a time of great nervousness as the US election draws near. The film, set in the 1970s and 1980s, charts the business career of presidential hopeful Donald Trump. It centres around Trump’s relationship with the prosecutor Roy Cohn, from whom he is said to have learned underhanded ways of business and Machiavellian dealmaking.
As our reviewer, professor of international relations Michelle Bentley, writes, it comes at a controversial time – with fewer than three weeks until the election. “The film seeks to get inside Trump’s mindset, not only as a businessperson, but unpicking what drove him in the White House, as well as the election he’s now fighting,” writes Bentley, who goes on to explain whether the film will affect the election at all. It is certainly a major event in this dramatic election.
There are so many brilliant music documentaries giving long-deserved dues to musicians who have fallen into obscurity but who had major influence on so many artists and genres. Think the films Searching For Sugarman and Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande. A wonderful new addition to this genre is Harder Than the Rock about the Cimarons.
This lovely piece by sociologist Kenny Monrose is full of childhood anecdotes of their music. The group were the UK’s first reggae band, and looking at the long list of people they worked with, from Bob Marley to Paul McCartney, it’s startling how little known they are – even by the film’s director, Mark Warmington. My colleague Anna said she had a wonderful afternoon editing Monrose’s piece while listening to the band’s music, which you we highly recommend you do too.
Farmers are vital to Alberta’s economy, providing essential food resources and driving rural prosperity, yet they often face burdensome paperwork and high accounting fees that hinder their productivity. Governments are making changes to the AgriStability program to address these challenges.
October 17, 2024 – Edmonton, Alberta – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Changes to Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC)’s AgriStability program will reduce paperwork and lower costs for producers.
Farmers are vital to Alberta’s economy, providing essential food resources and driving rural prosperity, yet they often face burdensome paperwork and high accounting fees that hinder their productivity. Governments are making changes to the AgriStability program to address these challenges.
A new option to align AgriStability reporting with tax filing in 2025 will result in less paperwork, reduce accounting fees, and make enrolment and participation in the program much easier. An accelerated deadline to submit program forms to AFSC will lead to earlier payment. Enrolling in AgriStability can also provide producers access to other credit options like the federal Advance Payments Program, which offers low-cost cash advances.
AgriStability is an individual, whole-farm, margin-based program that helps producers who experience margin declines greater than 30% due to production loss, adverse market conditions and increased costs. In 2023, AgriStability also increased compensation for margin declines exceeding 30%, offering 80 cents per dollar of decline, up from the previous rate of 70 cents.
Producers rely on business risk management programs to offset the financial impact of many challenges. AgriStability provides income stabilization protection to help producers manage large margin declines that threaten their farm’s viability.
Risk management is critical in farming and each producer needs to examine their situation and the tools available before making decisions. AFSC has a robust suite of lending, business risk management and insurance options that producers can access.
Quotes
“Farmers can often face uncertainty, and programs like AgriStability help them to protect their operations. To make things a little bit easier, we’ve made changes to the AgriStability program that will reduce paperwork, so our farmers can get the support they need, faster, and continue producing top-quality products.”
– The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“We value the dedication and adaptability of our province’s farmers. These changes to the AgriStability program will better respond to each producer’s unique situation, making the program more predictable, timely and simpler to access, which is what producers have been asking for.”
– RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation
“Through our risk management programs, AFSC plays an important role in sustaining the agriculture industry. By making enrolment and participation in the AgriStability program easier it allows us to support Alberta producers more effectively.”
AgriStability protects Canadian producers against large declines in farming margins for reasons such as production loss, increased costs and market conditions.
AgriStability is one of the Business Risk Management programs under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
For more than 80 years, AFSC, a provincial Crown corporation, has provided loans, crop insurance and farm income disaster assistance programs to farmers, agribusinesses and other small businesses.
AFSC provides leading, innovative, client-focused financial and risk-management solutions to grow agriculture in Alberta.
The deadline to apply for 2025 program coverage is April 30, 2025.
Associated links
Contacts
For media:
Annie Cullinan Director of Communications Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14)
SANDWICH — Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) will host a Town Hall Meeting for constituents in the Illinois Valley at Putnam County High School this Friday, October 18th at 6:00 p.m.
Town hall meetings are an opportunity for Underwood to share updates on her work in Congress on behalf of our community, including legislation she has passed to lower costs for families in the 14th District and the $13 million she secured in Community Project Funding this year. These meetings are also a forum where residents of the 14th District can ask questions and share their perspectives on issues. In 2024, Underwood has also held town hall meetings in Joliet, Aurora, DeKalb, and La Salle.
“We have held more than 55 town hall meetings since I came to Congress, and I look forward to them every year,” Underwood said. “Listening to my constituents is one of the most important parts of my job, and understanding your top priorities helps me best represent you in Washington. I hope to see you there!”
Constituents interested in attending a town hall should RSVP at the link here.
Albertans expect free and fair elections, recognizing that these principles are essential for a healthy democracy. During the spring session, the legislature passed legislation to strengthen voter confidence and increase transparency in local elections. Ahead of the 2025 municipal elections, Alberta’s government has developed corresponding regulations.
Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, made changes to the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) and the Municipal Government Act (MGA) to add greater transparency to local election processes and require greater accountability from local councils and elected officials. The new regulations will establish expense limits for local election campaigns across Alberta and create rules for local political parties in Calgary and Edmonton. The legislation and corresponding regulations will come into force on Oct. 31, in advance of the upcoming local election year.
“In Alberta, local elections belong to Albertans. Citizens must be able to participate fully in local elections, following clear campaign rules that apply to everyone evenly. The updates we are making for local elections and municipal governance demonstrate our commitment to accountability, to transparency and to democracy for all Albertans.”
Local Authorities Election Act
As announced when the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act was tabled during the spring 2024 legislative session, changes to the LAEA:
permit the establishment of local political parties
set the framework for campaign expense limits
expand the use of special ballots in local elections
prohibit the use of automated voting equipment, including electronic tabulators
clarify the rules and processes for scrutineers
allow municipalities to require criminal record checks for local candidates
Local Political Parties and Slates Regulation
Under the LAEA, the new regulations allow local political parties and slates to register and be listed on municipal election ballots in Calgary and Edmonton for the October 2025 election. The regulation for local political parties and slates outlines strict rules for their registration, operation and financial administration, similar to existing rules that govern local candidates and provincial political parties.
Local political parties and slates will not be permitted to have formal affiliation with a provincial or federal political party, may not have a name or acronym that resembles a provincial or federal political party, and will not be permitted for school board trustee elections. Local candidates will not be required to join a local political party or slate to run for office.
Expense Limits Regulation
Under the LAEA, the Expense Limits Regulation creates expense limits for local candidates and third-party advertisers across Alberta, while introducing similar limits for local political parties in Edmonton and Calgary.
The regulations specify expense limits during both the year of the election as well as non-election years. These new limits tie campaign expense limits to municipal populations and automatically adjust with changes in population over time.
The full list of the new regulations is available online.
Quick facts
The LAEA establishes the framework for the conduct of elections in Alberta municipalities, school divisions, irrigation districts and Metis Settlements.
The MGA establishes the rules governing the conduct of local elected officials once on council, as well as the overall administration and operation of municipal authorities in Alberta, including any policy those authorities may wish to implement.
The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act also made changes to the MGA and will:
allow the provincial cabinet to order a vote of the electors to dismiss a councillor cabinet considers to be unwilling, unable or refusing to do the job for which they were elected, or if cabinet considers such a vote to be in the public interest
allow the provincial cabinet to require a municipality to amend or repeal a bylaw if it:
exceeds the scope of the MGA or otherwise exceeds the authority granted to a municipality under the MGA or any other statute
conflicts with the MGA or any other statute
is contrary to provincial policy or
contravenes the Constitution of Canada
unlock new tools to facilitate building affordable and attainable housing by:
exempting non-profit affordable housing from property taxation
Concordia University initiative will support research and innovation in sustainability
Concordia University initiative will support research and innovation in sustainability
October 18, 2024 – Shawinigan, Quebec
Across Canada, universities are at the forefront of innovation, advancing research and preparing future leaders in critical fields. To maintain Canada’s leadership in clean energy and sustainable technologies, the Government of Canada is investing in groundbreaking initiatives that will support cutting-edge research and foster the development of the next generation of skilled workers.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that Concordia University will establish a thematic campus in Shawinigan, Quebec, focused on energy transition. The campus will be dedicated to advancing clean energy research, which is critical to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. This project is part of Concordia University’s “Volt-Age: Where Innovation Meets Purpose” initiative, which received a $123 million investment through the $1.4 billion Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) in 2022. CFREF supports world-leading research at Canadian universities and colleges.
The campus will foster collaboration between Concordia University, the City of Shawinigan and the National Center in Environmental Technology and Electrochemistry (CNETE), aligning with broader federal efforts to address critical challenges in energy storage, transport electrification and sustainable innovation.
This investment highlights the importance of connecting academic research with local and international partners to deliver tangible social and economic benefits for Canadians, while positioning Canada at the forefront of clean energy research.
In support of this new initiative, the National Research Council of Canada signed a memorandum of understanding with Concordia University today to advance battery materials research in Canada and address the gaps in next-generation battery processing and manufacturing.
Quotes
“Investing in clean energy research is essential to securing Canada’s future as a global leader in sustainability. This new campus in Shawinigan dedicated to energy transition will lead cutting‑edge research to support the fight against climate change. This initiative will play a pivotal role in training the next generation of innovators who will help us achieve our ambitious climate goals.” – The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“When we invest in our researchers, we are investing in the communities of tomorrow—ones that are greener, more sustainable and healthier. The Canada First Research Excellence Fund uniquely positions our researchers to expand their skills to help their communities develop, and this is what we see today—the unveiling of a clean energy campus built on networks that are rich in research and innovation.” – Dr. Ted Hewitt, Chair, Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat Steering Committee, and President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
“The National Research Council of Canada is committed to working with partners across Canada to advance technology that will advance our economy and mitigate climate change. This memorandum of understanding with Concordia University brings us together, with our complementary expertise in battery materials research, to address challenges in the battery innovation ecosystem and advance Canada’s globally competitive position in the clean energy sector.” – Mitch Davies, President, National Research Council of Canada
“The establishment of our thematic campus in Shawinigan focused on energy transition is in line with the current narrative and showcases a city that has always been at the forefront of hydroelectricity and lithium battery production.” – Karim Zaghib, CEO, Volt-Age, Concordia University
Quick facts
Since 2016, the federal government has invested over $22 billion in science and research initiatives, such as infrastructure, emerging talent and other science and technology support measures, including measures announced in Budget 2024.
Created in 2014, the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) supports Canadian postsecondary institutions in their efforts to become global research leaders. The program helps Canadian universities, colleges and polytechnics compete with the best in the world for talent and partnership opportunities. It also supports them in making breakthrough discoveries; seizing emerging opportunities; strategically advancing their greatest strengths on the global stage; and implementing large-scale, transformational and forward‑thinking institutional strategies.
CFREF invests approximately $200 million per year to support selected Canadian postsecondary institutions in turning their key strengths into world-leading capabilities.
Initiatives funded by CFREF are selected through an independent, multidisciplinary, international competitive peer review process, which is held every seven years.
CFREF is a tri-agency institutional program administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) on behalf of the three federal research funding agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and SSHRC.
Associated links
Contacts
Audrey Milette Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry audrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca
Media Relations Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada media@ised-isde.gc.ca
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office announced that Jason Douglas, 40, of Highgate, Vermont, pleaded not guilty in United States District Court in Burlington on October 16, 2024 to a charge that he possessed a firearm as a convicted felon. At a subsequent hearing on October 17, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jerome Niedermeier ordered that Douglas be released on conditions that include home confinement during the pendency of the case.
On September 26, 2024, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a one-count indictment charging Douglas with unlawfully possessing a Ruger .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol as a convicted felon. According to court records, Douglas is barred from possessing firearms because he has two separate felony convictions in Vermont for kidnapping and burglary. The federal prosecution of Douglas stems from an incident in downtown Burlington on July 29, 2024, in which it is alleged that Douglas pointed a firearm at an individual in the middle of the day. Douglas was arrested shortly thereafter and law enforcement recovered a loaded pistol from the driver’s compartment of the car Douglas was driving. As a result of this incident, Douglas has also been charged in Vermont Superior Court with reckless endangerment.
The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the indictment is merely an accusation and that Douglas is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty. If convicted, Douglas faces up to 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
This case was investigated by the Burlington Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Douglas is represented by Federal Public Defender Mike Desautels. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street was sentenced yesterday for committing an armed home invasion robbery with fellow gang members.
Brendon Amado, 27, of Randolph, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Amado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence.
Amado was identified as an associate of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand their territory.
In July 2018, Amado, along with Cameron Street members and co-defendants Deronde Bethea and Michael Nguyen, committed a home invasion robbery with firearms of two victims at the home of a rival drug dealer in Canton. Amado, Bethea and Nguyen broke into the home through the back door, wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. The second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to her head. as the men ransacked the house demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Amado, Bethea and Nguyen later fled the house in a silver pickup truck after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe. Among other evidence, Amado and Bethea were identified on convenience store surveillance footage shortly before the robbery took place.
In December 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty and in March 2024 he was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bethea pleaded guilty in February 2024 and in June 2024 was sentenced to 250 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
HAMMOND – Brian O’Neill, 46 years old, of Whiting, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to two counts of Interference with Housing based on Race and one count of Making False Statements to Law Enforcement announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
O’Neill was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, between June 2022 and August 2023, O’Neill acted willfully to drive out a family from living next door to Whiting home because of his animosity against that family’s race. O’Neill’s efforts to drive out the next door multi-racial family included: threatening to assault a member of that family; shouting racial slurs at members of that family; and telling them to move out of Whiting. O’Neill also threatened harm on the landlord who had rented the house to that family. When questioned by law enforcement about his actions, O’Neill denied directing racial slurs to the neighboring family and denied making any threats. However, there was a recording that refuted his false denials. As part of his guilty plea in this case, O’Neill acknowledged both his hostile acts against his neighbors and that his actions were motivated by his opposition to persons of color living in his neighborhood.
“Freedom to acquire housing and the freedom to live peaceably in that housing are keys to building a more stable, safe, and prosperous society. When, as in this case, a person interferes with another person’s ability to attain and retain housing because of racial prejudices, they have committed a hate crime,” said United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson. “My office and our law enforcement partners will aggressively investigate and prosecute these crimes whenever and wherever they occur in the Northern District of Indiana.”
“Every hate crime is a calculated attack on a person’s right to peace and sense of belonging and can leave scars that can linger long after the act itself,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas Winterhalter. “The FBI’s commitment to investigating hate crimes underscores the seriousness of these offenses. It is not just about enforcing the law but protecting communities and ensuring the rights of individuals to live free of fear.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hammond Police Department with assistance from the Lake County Prosecutors Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath and Thomas A. Johnson, Trial Attorney with the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
If you believe you are a victim of, or witness to, a hate crime or discriminatory act, you are encouraged to report the incident to local and federal law enforcement. In addition, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana maintains the below Civil Rights webpage where you may obtain information about your rights and make a complaint directly to the United States Attorney’s Office. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/civil-rights-enforcement
Source: United States Department of Justice (Hate Crime)
Public Invited to Learn Strategies for Protecting Faith-Based Institutions from Hate Crimes
Memphis, TN — Faith-based leaders, law enforcement, and community members will gather on Thursday, October 24, 2024 for the Protecting Places of Worship Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. Hosted by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service (CRS) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, this vital forum will address the growing concern over hate crimes targeting places of worship.
What: Protecting Places of Worship Forum
When: Thursday, October 24, 2024, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM CT
Where: FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park – 415 Great View Dr. E. – Cordova, TN 38018
Why Attend:
As the frequency of hate crimes and violent threats against religious institutions increases, this forum offers an essential opportunity for faith-based leaders, security personnel, and community members to learn how to protect places of worship. Participants will receive expert advice on federal and state hate crime laws, as well as tools and resources for assessing safety and preventing violence. Key highlights of the event include:
Overview of Hate Crimes Laws: Learn about the latest federal and state protections.
Active Shooter Training: Prepare for emergency situations with practical insights from law enforcement.
Best Practices for Prevention: Explore strategies to safeguard your congregation from threats and ensure the safety of your community.
Speakers and Partners:
Experts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, Memphis Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), and other local and federal agencies will lead sessions. This forum is also supported by the Governor’s Office, the City of Memphis, and several community organizations, including the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Alliance and the National Black Prosecutors Association.
How to Register: Attendance is free, but registration is required. Visit the registration link to secure your spot.
Contact Information:
For more information about this forum and how you can participate, please contact Cherri Green in the U.S. Attorney’s Office at Cherri.Green@usdoj.gov.
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This forum serves as an essential platform for protecting vulnerable spaces and ensuring that places of worship remain safe, inclusive environments for all. Don’t miss this important opportunity to engage with experts and strengthen the security of your faith community.