NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison for Six Years Following Domestic Calls to Law Enforcement

    Source: US FBI

    OKLAHOMA CITY – AARON JOELRAYEL TURNER, 27, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for illegal possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

    On February 25, 2025, Turner was charged by Superseding Information with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to public record, in 2024, Turner had three separate interactions with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD). During the first incident on June 19, 2024, OCPD officers responded to a home on reports of a domestic dispute. Once at the home, the victim told police Turner gained entry into her residence despite a recent emergency VPO issued against Turner, and that Turner had struck her in the face before leaving the house. OCPD located and arrested Turner shortly after and discovered a firearm in his pocket. The second encounter with OCPD took place on August 23, 2024, after OCPD officers encountered Turner again at the same residence and seized two more pistols possessed by Turner.

    The third encounter with OCPD took place on October 23, 2024, after officers responded to another home on a welfare check. The calling party advised OCPD that Turner was in the home with a firearm, and that Turner had been having domestic issues with the calling party’s granddaughter. OCPD officers received consent to search the home, and seized two firearms and several live rounds of ammunition possessed by Turner.

    On February 25, 2025, Turner pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information and admitted he possessed a firearm on the three instances noted above, despite his previous felony convictions.

    On May 19, 2025, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones sentenced Turner to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Jones noted Turner’s history of illegal firearm possession as well as his extensive criminal history. Public record reflects that Turner has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in case numbers CF-2020-1985 and CF-2017-5873.

    This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program to reduce violent crime. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of PSN, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence. For more information about PSN, please visit https://justice.gov/psn and https://justice.gov/usao-wdok.

    Reference is made to public filings for additional information.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Outdoor Holding Company Announces Settlement and Leadership Transition

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Board Appoints Steve Urvan, Founder of GunBroker.com and Largest Shareholder, as Chairman and CEO

    Announces Regained Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule Regarding Timely Periodic Reporting

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Outdoor Holding Company (Nasdaq: POWW, POWWP) (“Outdoors Online,” “we,” “us,” “our” or the “Company”), the owner of GunBroker.com, the largest online marketplace for firearms, hunting and related products, today announced that Steve Urvan will serve as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board following the recent closing of the divestiture of the Company’s ammunition manufacturing division and in connection with the settlement of litigation between Mr. Urvan and the Company. Mr. Urvan’s appointment will be effective at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 30, 2025, provided that, as of such time, Nasdaq has not objected to the settlement transaction described in more detail below (the “Effective Date”). Mr. Urvan is the founder of GunBroker.com and single largest shareholder of the Company.

    Mr. Urvan commented:

    “I am excited to step into the executive role to drive the core GunBroker business and lead the Company’s recent repositioning of the publicly traded holding company as Outdoor Holding Company. Although there is a lot of hard work ahead, we are going to build a winning culture and set clear operating principles to guide us to success. I look forward to providing updates to all of my fellow shareholders and stakeholders in the coming quarters in a renewed spirit of openness and transparency.”

    The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) determined that Mr. Urvan is the right leader for the Company given his extensive expertise in building, growing and investing in technology and e-commerce companies, which he developed in part founding GunBroker.com and leading that business for 22 years. As part of the leadership transition, Mr. Urvan will also be assuming the Chairman role on the Board.

    Fred Wagenhals, the Company’s founder and former Executive Chairman, commented:

    “As I have stepped into retirement, I have continued to stay focused the performance of Outdoors Online from my position as a large shareholder. Steve’s upcoming appointment, along with the recent rebrand, reflects a continued dedication to accelerating and supporting the Company’s strategic focus on growing its profitable e-commerce segment. I look forward to offering whatever support I can from the shareholder perspective as Steve leverages his significant experience to refocus on capital allocation and ideas that will generate shareholder value for all.”

    Update on Litigation

    In connection with today’s announcement, the Company has settled its ongoing litigation with Mr. Urvan (the “Settlement”). The Settlement, which will become effective on the Effective Date, results in an end to high-cost litigation, locks in a fair resolution, and enables the Company to fully focus on positioning its e-commerce business to increase profitability and shareholder value. As a function of the Settlement, outgoing CEO Jared Smith will immediately resign from the Board on the Effective Date. The Board will be comprised of six total members, consisting of the five remaining independent members and Mr. Urvan.

    Along with his appointment as CEO, Mr. Urvan will receive financial remuneration as a product of the Settlement. For additional information about the terms of the Settlement, see the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 28, 2025.

    Additionally, to ensure that his focus is on delivering shareholder value, and to effectively align his compensation with performance, Mr. Urvan will take a salary of just $1 in his first year – with bonus or equity grants to be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board as it deems appropriate.

    Period Reporting Compliance

    Upon the May 20, 2025, filing of the Company’s Forms 10-Q for the periods ended September 30 and December 31, 2024, the Company has met the requirement for The Nasdaq Stock Market under Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). The Company intends to timely file its annual report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025.

    About Outdoor Holding Company (dba Outdoors Online)

    AMMO, Inc., the publicly traded parent of GunBroker.com has been rebranded to Outdoor Holding Company, now the sole owner of Outdoors Online, LLC, and operator of GunBroker.com, the largest online marketplace dedicated to firearms, hunting, shooting and related products. Third-party sellers list items on the site and Federal and state laws govern the sale of firearms and other restricted items. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents. Launched in 1999, the GunBroker.com website is an informative, secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms, ammunition, shooting accessories and outdoor gear online. GunBroker promotes responsible ownership of guns and firearms. For more information, visit: www.gunbroker.com.

    Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements contained in this press release are considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws and are presented pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “target,” “believe,” “expect,” “will,” “may,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “would,” “positioned,” “future,” and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about the expected timing and effectiveness of the Settlement, the expected benefits of the Settlement and leadership transition, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, and other statements that are not historical facts. Instead, they are based only on Company management’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company’s control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the delayed effectiveness of the Settlement, including the leadership transition, and the risk that Nasdaq objects to the Settlement transaction. Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements and should review the risks and uncertainties described under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s amended Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on May 20, 2025, and additional disclosures the Company makes in its other filings with the SEC, which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and except as provided by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to any updated forward-looking statements.

    Contacts

    For media:
    Longacre Square Partners
    Rebecca Kral
    AMMO@longacresquare.com

    For investors:
    CoreIR
    Phone: (212) 655-0924
    IR@ammo-inc.com 

    Source: Outdoor Holding Company

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Silvaco To Present at the Rosenblatt 5th Annual Technology Summit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO, “Silvaco”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced that Silvaco’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Babak Taheri, Interim Chief Financial Officer, Keith Tainsky, and Chief Revenue Officer, Ian Chen, will participate in a fireside chat at the Rosenblatt 5th Annual Technology Summit on Wednesday, June 11, at 4 p.m. Eastern time.

    A live webcast, as well as a replay, of the presentation will be available on the company’s investor relations website at https://investors.silvaco.com/.

    About Silvaco
    Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and AI through software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for process and device development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan.

    Safe Harbor Statement
    This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco Group, Inc.’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco Group, Inc. are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco Group, Inc. and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.

    Investor Contact:
    Greg McNiff
    investors@silvaco.com

    Media Contact:
    Tiffany Behany
    press@silvaco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Cramer: DOT Awards $9.2 Million to North Dakota Department of Transportation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    BEULAH, N.D. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded two grants totaling $9,201,975 to the North Dakota Department of Transportation through the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief (ER) Program. The ER Program supplements state and local resources to help pay for substantial expenses resulting from extraordinary conditions. The awards will go toward the following repairs following extreme weather events in North Dakota:
    $8,946,150 to address the severe flooding in Eastern North Dakota which occurred on April 12, 2022. The flooding resulted in widespread damage to culverts and roadway erosion on state and county roadways.
    $255,825 to address damages from an overland and riverine flooding event on April 10, 2023. The flooding led to a landslide, damage of culverts, and erosion of state and county roadways.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer, Talon Metals Celebrate Advanced Nickel, Copper Minerals Processing Facility in Beulah

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
    Project to advance American mineral production
    BEULAH, N.D. – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined Talon Metals leadership to celebrate securing a former Westmoreland Mining site where the company will develop its Beulah Minerals Processing Facility (BMPF). This facility is slated to be the world’s most advanced nickel and copper minerals processing facility.
    The BMPF will process nickel and copper, utilizing nickel ore from a Talon mine in Minnesota and the fly ash byproduct of Mercer County coal-fired power stations. The nickel concentrate processed at the Beulah facility will be used in cathodes for EV batteries, and the fly ash will help chemically neutralize and harden the tailings. The nickel concentrate and other byproducts, including cobalt and iron, from the Beulah facility will be used by Tesla for its EV batteries.
    Cramer, a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) and Armed Services Committees, delivered remarks at the signing ceremony today in Beulah. 
    “You could not over exaggerate the significance of today, or the significance of what’s about to happen at the Westmoreland site,” said Cramer. “Its contribution to economic opportunity will be significant to national security, global security, and domestic supply chain development. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.”

    In 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded nearly $115 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Talon Metals for the construction of this facility, and Talon will provide a recipient cost share of nearly $320 million. This project includes workforce training in Mercer County and will offer employment opportunities to nearby communities and tribal members. The U.S. Department of Defense also awarded Talon over $20 million in Defense Production Act funding to increase exploration and development of domestic nickel. 
    Cramer is a longtime advocate for domestic critical minerals production, stressing the superiority of American labor and environmental standards and the importance of strategically decoupling supply chains from adversaries like China. He co-led a bipartisan letter with U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to express their concerns regarding a potential critical mineral free trade agreement with Indonesia for the procurement of nickel. In 2022, Cramer also wrote a letter of support on behalf of Talon’s application to then-DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 344

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL4

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 344
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    320 PM CDT Wed May 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Southeast Louisiana
    Southern Mississippi

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 320 PM
    until 900 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 65 mph possible

    SUMMARY…At least an isolated downburst/damaging wind threat will
    exist through late afternoon and early evening across the region
    within a very moist and unstable air mass.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 65
    statute miles north and south of a line from 40 miles south
    southwest of Natchez MS to 50 miles east southeast of Pine Belt MS.
    For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
    outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 341…WW 342…WW 343…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 55 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector
    20025.

    …Guyer

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW4
    WW 344 SEVERE TSTM LA MS 282020Z – 290200Z
    AXIS..65 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND SOUTH OF LINE..
    40SSW HEZ/NATCHEZ MS/ – 50ESE PIB/PINE BELT MS/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 55NM N/S /39NNW BTR – 29NNW SJI/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..55 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 20025.

    LAT…LON 32039156 32138855 30258855 30149156

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU4.

    Watch 344 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low ( 2 inches

    Low (

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • PM GatiShakti: 94th Network Planning Group meeting reviews key metro and aviation projects

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The 94th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) was held on Wednesday to assess five major infrastructure proposals aimed at strengthening India’s multimodal connectivity and regional development. The proposals, spanning both Metro Rail and Civil Aviation sectors, were evaluated for their alignment with the core principles of PM GatiShakti, including last-mile connectivity, intermodal integration, and enhanced logistics efficiency.

    The meeting, chaired by Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), reviewed four Metro Rail projects submitted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and one Greenfield Airport project proposed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).

    The first project involves a 2.16 km underground extension of the Aerocity–Tughlakabad corridor to Indira Gandhi Domestic Terminal-1. It includes the development of a new metro station at IGD T-1 and aims to improve airport connectivity for key residential areas such as Tughlakabad, Khanpur, Saket, Mehrauli, and Vasant Kunj, while also benefiting commuters from Faridabad via the Tughlakabad interchange.

    The second proposal is a 9.913 km fully underground extension of the Magenta Line from Ramakrishna Ashram Marg to Indraprastha. This corridor will link major landmarks like Central Vista, India Gate, Pragati Maidan, the War Memorial, and Delhi High Court. A proposed station at India Gate is intended to offer safe and convenient public transport access while promoting clean and sustainable mobility.

    Another project reviewed is a 9 km elevated extension of the Golden Line from Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj. It passes through areas including Ali Village, Ali Vihar, and Madanpur Khadar, with a vital interchange planned at Kalindi Kunj connecting the Violet and Magenta lines. This initiative is expected to improve airport access and strengthen connectivity between Noida, Greater Noida, and Delhi.

    A 17.435 km metro corridor linking Noida Sector-51 to Knowledge Park V in Greater Noida was also discussed. Spanning 7.263 km in Noida and 10.172 km in Greater Noida, the corridor is designed to serve the growing commuter needs of the expanding Greater Noida West township, enhancing urban transit efficiency.

    In the civil aviation sector, a Greenfield Airport has been proposed near Bundi, Kota in Rajasthan. Spread over 400 acres, the airport will be equipped to handle A321-200 type aircraft and feature a modern terminal with the capacity to process 500 arrivals and 500 departures during peak hours. The planned infrastructure includes a runway, apron, taxiways, ATC tower, fire station, and associated facilities. The project aims to support the economic development of the region, boost tourism and trade, and provide better travel access for the large number of students and families visiting Kota, a national hub for competitive exam preparation.

    All the evaluated projects are strategically aimed at enhancing transit systems, reducing congestion, and facilitating regional integration.

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hamas says it has reached agreement with US envoy on framework for Gaza ceasefire

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    GAZA, May 28 (Xinhua) — The Palestinian movement Hamas issued an official statement announcing that it had reached an agreement with U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle East Steven Witkoff on a general framework for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

    According to a Hamas statement, the deal calls for the release of 10 Israeli hostages and the handover of several bodies of the dead in exchange for the release of an agreed number of Palestinian prisoners, under guarantees from mediators.

    Hamas stressed that it was waiting for a final response to the framework, adding that it was “making significant efforts to stop the brutal war in the Gaza Strip.”

    As the movement noted, the agreement “will ensure a permanent ceasefire, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Palestinian enclave, the supply of humanitarian aid and the establishment of a professional committee that will take over the management of the Strip’s affairs immediately after the agreement is announced.”

    A Hamas spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous, said on May 26 that Hamas had agreed to Witkoff’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

    Meanwhile, according to the American news site Axios, S. Witkoff himself denied the fact that Hamas approved his proposal for a truce and the release of hostages in the enclave.

    Israel has not yet announced its official position on the American proposal, but Israeli media reports, citing officials in the country, that the Jewish state rejects the plan and does not intend to agree to it. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gary Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Using a Firearm to Commit Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HAMMOND–Devonte Hodge, 29 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and using a firearm to commit murder following a 6-day jury trial, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Hodge was sentenced to life in prison for using a firearm to commit murder. He was also sentenced to 480 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. Both sentences are to run concurrently.

    According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2016, Hodge and others conspired to sell and sold cocaine and heroin from a residence located in Gary, Indiana. Additionally, on October 8, 2016, Hodge shot and killed a victim who was sitting in a car in Gary, believing the victim was cooperating with law enforcement about the drug conspiracy.   

    This case was investigated by the FBI/GRIT Task Force and ATF/HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Hobart Police, the Indiana State Police, the Lake County Sheriff’s Department and the Gary Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David J. Nozick and Joel Mathur.

    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. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS Coastal Storm Team gears up for 2025 hurricane season

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. To ensure readiness, USGS team members meet monthly during the offseason to update members on improvements, processes and new research, said Athena Clark, the team leader and USGS science advisor for the Southeast Region.

    “Information gained from each storm continually advances our science capabilities to improve preparedness, reduce risk, and enhance our resilience to respond to the next storm event,” she said. “Our multidisciplinary team works year-round to enhance our nation’s preparedness for hurricanes and other coastal hazards to ensure we provide the comprehensive science and information needed by those who make emergency management and safety decisions quickly to help protect lives and property.” 

    An extremely active Atlantic hurricane season kept the Coastal Storm Team busy for most of 2024. According to the National Hurricane Center, 11 hurricanes formed during last year’s Atlantic hurricane season with five making landfall in the continental U.S., two as major hurricanes. The 2025 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center Atlantic hurricane season forecast predicts this year is also expected to be an above-normal season. 

    When storms threaten the U.S. coastline, the Coastal Storm Team, composed of experts from USGS, the National Hurricane Center, and other agencies, springs into action to share information and help communities prepare. Originally started as a small coordination call three decades ago, the team has expanded to nearly 790 members, improving communication and situational awareness during storms.

    “Having representatives from the National Weather Service, FEMA, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on these calls provides valuable real-time updates that help decision-makers track flood impacts and assist affected communities quickly,” Clark said. “These calls give us the opportunity to highlight USGS and other agency products that have been created to help communities and emergency managers make informed decisions about a particular event.”

    Clark explained that during the Coastal Storm Team calls, she not only promotes USGS people and capabilities, but also promotes other agencies that USGS coordinates with by sharing their dashboards and work as part of a national effort.

    “I see these calls as a time for true information exchange so we all can do our jobs better,” she said. “The bottom line is our mission is to provide data to help protect lives and property.”

    Clark became assistant to the Coastal Storm Team leader in 2016 and, as fate would have it, the team leader went on leave later that year right when Hurricane Matthew struck the coast – thrusting her into the leadership chair. She said the team and her survived her “trial by fire,” and she learned some valuable lessons during that experience.

    “During a contingency, we don’t have the time or the luxury to fully figure out processes and procedures, so we began scheduling monthly internal USGS hurricane calls throughout the year to help us improve our coordination,” she said. “Most science centers that may have a role during storms have someone participate in our monthly calls as we look for ways to make our online public presence more streamlined and improved.” 

    Clark believes the Storm Team’s success stems from its collaborative platform, which allows for sharing vital information and assistance. 

    “These Storm Team calls provide situational awareness to various responding agencies while showcasing USGS products that help communities and emergency managers make informed decisions,” she stated. “For instance, during Hurricane Debbie, a local emergency manager from Georgia requested Rapid Deployment Gauges, and the team quickly deployed them to track real-time water levels.”

    The Coastal Storm Team responds to hurricanes, tropical storms, Nor’easters, and even atmospheric river events, particularly along the Pacific Coast and in Hawaii. 

    “If it’s going to affect the U.S. coastline, which USGS oversees, we will activate a Storm Team call and respond,” Clark said.

    The team also manages multi-hazard events like what happened during Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which transitioned from a coastal event to significant inland flooding and landslides. 

    “Some events begin on the coast and then head inland and cause major flooding and landslides, so we coordinated information for each of these events before we passed the torch and handed off the hazards to both the Flood Team and the Landslide Team to continue coordination efforts,” she said. “It’s essential that we work together as one USGS to accomplish our goals.”

    Based on a storm’s forecast intensity and track, the Storm Team decides the timing and extent of the bureau’s storm response. Once it’s determined a hurricane or tropical storm will likely strike somewhere in the U.S., the team leaders decide whether it’s necessary and safe to deploy USGS field crews to the storm’s projected path along the coast to aid in data collecting. 

    “If deployed, one of the main tasks for the field crews is to install special water-level measuring instruments called storm tide sensors,” said Clark. “These sensors record data that track storm tides and coastal flooding. That information helps public officials assess storm damage, tell the difference between wind and flood damage, and helps USGS and NOAA scientists improve storm surge and coastal change forecast models.”

    Over the years, USGS has added hundreds of Coastal Storm Team members to the roster. This ever-expanding roster has led to new relationships and coordination planning between USGS and other federal agencies. For example, NASA and USGS Geospatial Information Response Team meet monthly to coordinate response planning and share information.   

    After nearly a decade of leadership and countless long hours during dozens of storms and hazardous events, Clark said she’s proud of the fact that the Coastal Storm Team plays a pivotal role in safeguarding lives and property during storm events. 

    “I get highly energized about the value of our Storm Team because I view this as the epitome of public service and it’s why all of us are here,” she said. “It’s during these events that we are really accomplishing our mission with a laser focus on the work we all do.” 

    Clark added that she also has a deep appreciation for the USGS employees in the field doing the hard work daily, especially during hurricanes and storms, to help the Storm Team get the data needed to share with our partners. 

    “Everyone on the team wants to share the information they have, information that can be useful to everyone,” she said. “Team members are energized and excited and possess a willingness to share their data, work, and expertise with each other. We all play a crucial role in helping communities prepare for and recover from storms, while continuously improving our capabilities to reduce risks and enhance resilience against future natural disasters. This team really showcases the value we do for society, and I couldn’t ask for a better collaborative team.”

    To learn more about USGS hurricane science, visit: https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/hurricanes 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Who Fired Gun Outside Crowded S.F. Bar Sentenced To Three Years And Nine Months For Unlawful Possession Of Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Fernando Aguilera was sentenced yesterday to 45 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition.  Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup handed down the sentence.

    Aguilera, 37, a national of Honduras, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 18, 2023.  On Feb. 12, 2025, Judge Alsup found Aguilera guilty of being a felon in possession of ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) after a bench trial.  According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aguilera took a gun out of his waistband on two occasions at a crowded bar in San Francisco.  He then left the bar and fired into the air two separate times with people and cars nearby.  When law enforcement arrived, Aguilera fled from the police before being apprehended in the garden area of a nearby residence.  Law enforcement found a firearm with the wrong caliber bullet stuck in the chamber next to Aguilera and ammunition in his bag.  At the time of his arrest, Aguilera had four prior felony convictions for being an accessory, being a prohibited person with ammunition, and second-degree burglary.

    United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.  

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Alsup also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release.  The defendant has been in custody since the offense.  

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Davidson and Sophia Cooper prosecuted the case with the assistance of Kevin Costello and Marina Ponomarchuk.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and San Francisco Police Department. 
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Fraud Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Donald A. Ennis, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to two years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $513,072.28 in restitution for two counts of wire fraud. Ennis admitted that he filed false insurance claims to obtain $347,237.70 after setting fire to his residence and defrauded a volunteer fire department of $153,728 while serving as its finance and operations manager.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018 Ennis purchased a residence on Ridgeview Way in St. Albans with assistance from a mortgage company that required him to insure the residence for loss. Ennis obtained a residential insurance policy with a maximum value of $161,100 for the dwelling and $120,825 for its contents. Ennis paid an annual premium of approximately $979.35 for the policy, which had effective dates from November 8, 2020, through November 8, 2021. The policy covered losses for multiple contingencies including fire, and explicitly excluded intentional acts of loss or damage by Ennis.

    Ennis admitted that he intentionally set fire to his residence on February 15, 2021. The fire department responded but could not extinguish the fire, which consumed the residence and left it and its contents a total loss. Ennis falsely reported the fire to his Indiana-based insurance company as an accident later that day and began the process of filing a claim. Ennis admitted that he placed a series of claims electronically from February 21, 2021, to March 19, 2021, fraudulently claiming losses from the fire. Ennis further admitted that he obtained $347,237.70 from the insurance company as a result of this wire fraud scheme. The fraudulent insurance funds were deposited in Ennis’ bank account.

    From at least 2009 through 2022, Ennis worked for a volunteer fire department serving the Tornado area of Kanawha County. As its finance and operations manager, Ennis had access to the fire department’s North Carolina-based bank debit card and regularly acted as its accountant. Ennis admitted that from some time prior to March 19, 2020 through about September 18, 2022, he fraudulently obtained $153,728 of the fire department’s funds through a series of ATM withdrawals and dozens of unauthorized online purchases with its debit card for his personal benefit.

    “This prosecution sends an important and firm message that those who commit arson for financial gain will be prosecuted and brought to justice,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The fire put others at risk – first responders as well as neighbors. The defendant also deprived the volunteer fire department of vital funds.”

    Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

    United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-129.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 342

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL2

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 342
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    215 PM CDT Wed May 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Western Kansas
    Oklahoma Panhandle

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 215 PM
    until 1000 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A couple tornadoes possible
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 3 inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

    SUMMARY…Severe storms including supercells are expected to develop
    across the region this afternoon, moving generally southeastward
    through early/mid-evening. Large hail should be the most common
    severe risk, with tornado potential increasing near/east of the
    Colorado/Kansas border vicinity.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 40 miles north northwest of Burlington
    CO to 30 miles east southeast of Guymon OK. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU2).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 341…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
    storm motion vector 30025.

    …Guyer

    SEL2

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 342
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    215 PM CDT Wed May 28 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Eastern Colorado
    Western Kansas
    Oklahoma Panhandle

    * Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 215 PM
    until 1000 PM CDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    A couple tornadoes possible
    Scattered large hail likely with isolated very large hail events
    to 3 inches in diameter possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible

    SUMMARY…Severe storms including supercells are expected to develop
    across the region this afternoon, moving generally southeastward
    through early/mid-evening. Large hail should be the most common
    severe risk, with tornado potential increasing near/east of the
    Colorado/Kansas border vicinity.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 40 miles north northwest of Burlington
    CO to 30 miles east southeast of Guymon OK. For a complete depiction
    of the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU2).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 341…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean
    storm motion vector 30025.

    …Guyer

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW2
    WW 342 TORNADO CO KS OK 281915Z – 290300Z
    AXIS..60 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    40NNW ITR/BURLINGTON CO/ – 30ESE GUY/GUYMON OK/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 50NM E/W /36SE AKO – 32S LBL/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..3 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 550. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 30025.

    LAT…LON 39770144 36509992 36500208 39770370

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU2.

    Watch 342 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (50%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (10%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (60%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Mod (40%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (80%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Grand Falls-Windsor — Teenage dirt bike operator lost in wooded area safely located by Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A teenaged dirt bike operator who was lost in a wooded area near the Exploits River was safely located during the early morning hours today.

    Shortly after 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP received the report. At approximately 7:30 p.m., the boy, who was traveling alone on his dirt bike, contacted family via his cell phone and indicated that he had ran out of gas and was lost on a woods road near Exploit’s River. The boy also indicated that his cell phone battery was low.

    Through further investigation, police determined an approximate location of the missing youth and engaged Exploits Search and Rescue (SAR) to assist with a search. At approximately 3:30 a.m., prior to the arrival of SAR, Grand Falls-Windsor RCMP located the youth and his dirt bike on a woods road near Sandy Lake. The youth reported being cold but was otherwise in good health. He was transported out of the wooded area by police and safely reunited with his family.

    With increased off-road vehicle use anticipated over the summer months, RCMP NL reminds users to be prepared and wear the gear. It is recommended to travel with extra clothing, food, a communication device and fire making supplies. Additionally, sharing your intended travel plans and expected departure and return times with others is strongly advisable. The use of helmets and seatbelts where available is mandatory for those traveling on all off-road vehicles.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Orange County felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violation

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BEAUMONT, Texas –An Orange, Texas man has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    John Marion LeBlanc, 45, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on May 27, 2025.

    According to information presented in court, on October 29, 2023, law enforcement responded to the Orange Boat Ramp on Pier Road in Orange in reference to a large disturbance with shots fired. Upon arrival, officers could see a large crowd with numerous vehicles in the boat ramp parking lot.  As officers approached the scene, they heard several gunshots and observed muzzle flashes. One person had been shot in the arm.  Video surveillance footage shows LeBlanc arrive at the boat ramp parking lot and fire a pistol in the crowd.  Other individuals also fired shots, and as police arrived on scene, video footage shows LeBlanc throwing a firearm in the grass where it was later recovered.

    Further investigation revealed LeBlanc has previously been convicted of eight felony convictions, including two prior federal drug trafficking convictions.  Federal law prohibits convicted felons from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

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

    This case was investigated by the Orange Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Europe steps up wildfire preparedness with new integrated strategy

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    A model for anticipatory action and integrated risk governance emerges in Brussels

    Brussels, 27 May 2025 — As wildfire seasons grow longer and more destructive across Europe, driven by climate change and land-use pressures, a new strategy unveiled in Brussels last week aims to transform the continent’s approach to wildfire risk management.

    At the heart of this shift is the Integrated Wildfire Risk Management (IWRM) Strategy for Europe, launched during a high-level event convened on 20–21 May by the Firelogue project and the EU Research Executive Agency (REA). The strategy is the result of a multi-year collaboration between leading scientists, policymakers, and civil society actors, supported by the European Green Deal through projects such as FirEUrisk, FIRE-RES, SILVANUS, and TREEADS. 

    Framed by the urgency of increasing fire severity and shifting hazard patterns, the event brought together approximately 150 participants—from EU institutions and national governments to fire services, NGOs, and research networks—to explore how Europe can move toward a more proactive and integrated approach to wildfire risk.

    Integrated and systemic governance

    While wildfires have long been considered an issue for the Mediterranean, their geographic spread and intensity are now testing response systems across the continent. In this context, the IWRM Strategy signals a fundamental pivot: away from isolated emergency response toward systemic risk governance, in line with global resilience agendas such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

    The strategy offers a common framework for Member States and stakeholders to align efforts around shared goals, risk metrics, and governance structures. It emphasizes the need to build fire-resilient landscapes, improve coordination across sectors, and strengthen the capacity of local authorities to plan and act before disaster strikes.

    “We are no longer dealing with exceptional events, but with recurring climate-driven risks that demand long-term, integrated solutions,” said Claudia Berchtold, one of the lead authors of the strategy paper.

    Bridging Science, Policy, and Practice

    Throughout the two-day event, attendees engaged in knowledge exchange and hands-on demonstrations that showcased how innovation can enhance preparedness. Tools presented included drone-based fire monitoring, mobile applications for rapid response, and immersive training environments using virtual reality.

    Importantly, these technological advances are not stand-alone solutions. They are embedded within the strategy’s broader emphasis on data-informed decision-making, community engagement, and institutional learning. These align closely with UNDRR’s call for whole-of-society approaches and multi-stakeholder coordination in disaster risk reduction.

    One keynote focused on the importance of stakeholder inclusion, particularly the empowerment of local and regional authorities who often bear the brunt of wildfire impacts. Another panel addressed the challenge of integrating early-warning systems with planning processes, land management, and social protection policies—key to reducing vulnerability and exposure.

    Collaborative Risk Governance in Action

    The event’s high-level roundtable included participation from the European Commission’s DG Environment, DG ECHO, and the Joint Research Centre, as well as international partners such as the World Bank. Discussions underscored the importance of interoperability between national systems and the role of cross-border partnerships in managing transboundary risk.
    To foster long-term collaboration, the strategy proposes integrated risk assessments, the creation of better collaboration at multiple scales e.g by the means of regional Fire Forums—multi-stakeholder platforms designed to facilitate joint planning, capacity-building, and peer learning across Europe. These would support the goals of both the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and global DRR frameworks by connecting practitioners, scientists, and policymakers in a continuous cycle of preparedness and adaptation. 
     

    Toward Fire-Smart Landscapes and Societies
     

    In its closing session, the event turned toward the future. Project representatives reflected on four years of EU-funded research and laid out priorities for the coming decade: from scaling risk-reduction solutions to embedding wildfire preparedness into broader climate adaptation strategies.

    “We need to act on the knowledge we’ve built—to invest in fire-smart landscapes, strengthen local capacities, and accelerate knowledge transfer,” said Krishna Chandramouli, another key contributor to the strategy.

    For UNDRR and its partners, the IWRM Strategy offers not only a blueprint for Europe, but also a replicable model of how countries and regions can integrate disaster risk reduction into climate action, land management, and sustainable development planning. “It connects closely with the Making Cities Resilient 2030 Initiative and its recent report Flames of change: Innovating heat and wildfire governance for inclusive communities” say Andrew Mackey Bower, UNDRR Programme Management Officer who joined the event.

    A Regional Strategy with Global Relevance

    The Brussels event marked more than the launch of a new policy—it was a demonstration of what anticipatory action and collaborative risk governance can look like in practice. As wildfires grow more complex and interconnected, Europe’s strategy stands as a timely and relevant contribution to global DRR efforts.

    To access the full strategy proposal working document, visit: An Integrated Wildfire Risk Management Strategy for the EU: developing resilient landscapes and safer communities

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA, SBA and the State of Arkansas Are Adding More Sites to Assist Survivors

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA, SBA and the State of Arkansas Are Adding More Sites to Assist Survivors

    FEMA, SBA and the State of Arkansas Are Adding More Sites to Assist Survivors

    LITTLE ROCK– The state of Arkansas, FEMA and U

    S

    Small Business Administration (SBA) will offer face-to-face help at four additional sites this week for residents affected by the March 14-15 and April 2-22 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding

    Homeowners and renters in Greene, Hot Spring, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Randolph, Sharp and Stone counties and impacted by the March 14-15 storms and tornadoes and may be eligible for FEMA assistance for losses not covered by insurance

    Assistance is also available to eligible residents living in Clark, Clay, Craighead, Crittenden, Desha, Fulton, Hot Spring, Jackson, Miller, Ouachita, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Sharp, St

    Francis and White counties impacted by the April 2-22 severe storms, tornadoes and flooding

    The four new locations providing survivor assistance include:CLARK COUNTYArkadelphia Recreation Center2555 Twin Rivers DriveArkadelphia, AR 71923Dates: Thursday, May 29 – Saturday, May 31Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    DESHA COUNTYMcGhee Municipal Complex901 Holly Street McGhee, AR 71654Dates: Thursday, May 29 – Saturday, May 31Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    CRITTENDEN COUNTYRoberta Jackson Neighborhood Center 1300 Polk AvenueWest Memphis, AR 72301Dates: Thursday, May 29 – Saturday, May 31Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    FULTON COUNTYFulton County Courthouse154 South Main StreetSalem, AR 72570Dates: Wednesday, May 28 – Saturday, May 31Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    Additional locations continuing to provide survivor assistance include: GREENE COUNTY Paragould Community Center3404 Linwood DriveParagould, AR 72112Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29Times: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    RANDOLPH COUNTYBlack River Technical CollegeAcademic Complex Building, Room AC 1001410 Highway 304 EastPocahontas, AR 72455Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29 Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    IZARD COUNTYOzarka College – John Miller Auditorium218 College DriveMelbourne, AR 72556Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29Hours: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    SALINE COUNTYSaline County Career and Technical Campus Auditorium13600 I-30 NorthBenton, AR 72019 Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Saturday, May 31Times: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    JACKSON COUNTYASU-Newport Center for Fine Arts7648 Victory BoulevardNewport, AR 72112 Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29Times: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    SHARP COUNTY Ash Flat City Hall897 Ash Flat DriveAsh Flat, AR 72513Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Saturday, May 31Times: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    MILLER COUNTYMiller County Office of Emergency Management – Conference Room409 Hazel StreetTexarkana, AR 71854 Dates: Tuesday, May 27 – Saturday, May 31Times: 8 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    SHARP COUNTYCity Hall – Cave CityConference Room201 South Main StreetCave City, AR 72521*Entrance and parking at back of buildingDates: Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29Times: 9 a

    m

    – 6 p

    m

    Survivors can apply to FEMA in several ways including going online to DisasterAssistance

    gov, downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    Calls are accepted every day from 6 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    CT

    Help is available in most languages

     If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service

    To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube

    For more information, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4865 or fema

    gov/disaster/4873

    Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x

    com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook

    com/FEMARegion6/

    erika

    suzuki
    Wed, 05/28/2025 – 12:18

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation Calls For Answers From Navy On Proposal To Increase Training, Inert Bombings On Kaʻula Rock

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    HONOLULU – U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai‘i) and U.S. Representatives Jill Tokuda (D-Hawai‘i) and Ed Case (D-Hawai‘i) pressed the U.S. Navy to publicly justify its ongoing training on Ka‘ula and the proposal to more than double the number of inert bombing and gunfire training exercises conducted on Ka‘ula in Kaua‘i County. The lawmakers called on the Navy to conduct a full environmental impact statement (EIS) and provide a clear national security rationale outlining the need to conduct this type of training at Ka‘ula.
    “In Hawai‘i, there is a significant level of mistrust with the Department of Defense as a whole, and the Navy in particular,” the delegation wrote. “As the Navy has now determined it would like to double the inert bombing and gunfire training it currently carries out on one of our smaller and uninhabited islands, we write to urge the Navy to provide more information about the impacts to Ka‘ula to satisfy the concerns from Kaua‘i residents and the state writ large. This additional due diligence by the Navy should include a national security justification for this expansion and explain to the public how this training is reasonable given the impacts to Ka‘ula and the surrounding community. The onus is on the Navy to demonstrate this need with proper analysis.”
    The delegation added, “Too many pressing questions concerning the use of Ka‘ula remain unanswered. As part of a comprehensive EIS, the Navy must assure the public that it has an effective plan and will allocate resources to environmental remediation on Ka‘ula. This will also allow the public to fully understand the impacts of this increased bombing on Ka‘ula’s environment. In parallel to conducting a comprehensive EIS, we request that the Navy also submit a study to Congress clearly outlining the pressing national security requirements for training at Ka‘ula. Both of these efforts are necessary to provide sufficient information to the public about ongoing and proposed expanded training at Ka‘ula.”
    The full text of the letter is below and available here.
    Secretary Phelan,
    We write with our concerns about the Navy’s proposal to expand the usage of the island of Ka‘ula for increased inert bombing and gunfire training by the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. In Hawai‘i, there is a significant level of mistrust with the Department of Defense as a whole, and the Navy in particular. As the Navy has now determined it would like to double the inert bombing and gunfire training it currently carries out on one of our smaller and uninhabited islands, we write to urge the Navy to provide more information about the impacts to Ka‘ula to satisfy the concerns from Kaua‘i residents and the state writ large. This additional due diligence by the Navy should include a national security justification for this expansion and explain to the public how this training is reasonable given the impacts to Ka‘ula and the surrounding community. The onus is on the Navy to demonstrate this need with proper analysis. To that end, we believe the Navy must conduct a comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) and a study to demonstrate the national security need to retain training at Ka‘ula.
    Too many pressing questions concerning the use of Ka‘ula remain unanswered. As part of a comprehensive EIS, the Navy must assure the public that it has an effective plan and will allocate resources to environmental remediation on Ka‘ula. This will also allow the public to fully understand the impacts of this increased bombing on Ka‘ula’s environment. In parallel to conducting a comprehensive EIS, we request that the Navy also submit a study to Congress clearly outlining the pressing national security requirements for training at Ka‘ula. Both of these efforts are necessary to provide sufficient information to the public about ongoing and proposed expanded training at Ka‘ula.
    Doubling the amount of training at Ka?ula is a significant step that warrants more information on the environmental impacts to the island. The State’s seabird sanctuary on Ka‘ula is home to thousands of seabirds, and the island’s sea cliffs are a resting place for endangered species like monk seals. Despite these known populations of wildlife, the draft environmental assessment does not contain sufficient analysis that impacts on wildlife would be “less than significant.” The public deserves a clear, comprehensive, and evidence-based EIS to demonstrate that the Navy has done its due diligence on the environmental impacts of these trainings.
    Ka‘ula is also surrounded by prime fishing waters that, should training surge from 12 to 31 times per year, would further limit Kaua‘i fishermen’s access. Kaua‘i fishermen have a right to be able to access the waters around Ka‘ula on a reasonable basis. The ongoing inert bombing activity limits fishing, which would only become more difficult with the Navy’s proposed increase in training.
    As a part of the military’s study and investigation into why access to Ka‘ula has a national security requirement that outweighs potential impacts to Ka‘ula’s environment, we request that the following questions be addressed:
    While any training can be justified as necessary to national security, how would a reduction or termination of access to Ka‘ula impact readiness in units operating in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility (AOR)?
    Why has the Navy not already built in more redundancies to address any readiness issues due to a lack of availability of training ranges?
    What is a tangible impact to readiness lost if Ka‘ula is not available for training? What specific impacts will the services experience to units and personnel who are impacted by this loss of access?
    How has the Navy determined that there is an irreplaceable need for access to Ka‘ula that cannot be fulfilled by an alternative site?
    Additionally, we request a separate response to the below questions no later than June 16th, 2025:
    Does the Navy plan to program specific environmental remediation funding, including to address existing and future ordnance cleanup?
    How does the Navy plan to protect regular and reliable access to Ka‘ula’s waters with the proposed substantial increase in trainings? What assurances can the Navy provide to the Kaua‘i public that disruptions to access would not significantly impede their right to fish?
    How will the Navy effectively plan for increased environmental impacts to the southern end of Ka‘ula?
    While Ka‘ula provides a unique training opportunity for sustained overwater flights with overland targets that mimic environments in the region, what gaps exist in readiness that demand doubling training activity to be combat-credible? Is there a substantive scheduling and access issue at other training ranges that uniquely warrants this substantive jump in training activity at Ka‘ula?
    We look forward to your prompt response to this letter and your engagement on this issue.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Arkansas Private Nonprofits Affected by April Storms

    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 private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Arkansas affected by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding occurring April 2-22.

    The disaster declaration covers the Arkansas counties of Clark, Clay, Craighead, Cross, Dallas, Desha, Fulton, Greene, Hempstead, Hot Spring, Izard, Jackson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lee, Little River, Lonoke, Marion, Miller, Monroe, Montgomery, Nevada, Newton, Pike, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sevier, Sharp, St. Francis, Stone and Woodruff.

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature impacted by physical damages or financial losses directly related to the disaster are eligible to apply for both business physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

    PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates are as low as 3.62% for PNPs 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 will set loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    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 July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 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: SBA Offers Relief to Missouri Private Nonprofits Affected by March Storms

    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 private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Missouri affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and wildfires occurring March 14-15.

    The disaster declaration covers the Missouri counties of Bollinger, Butler, Callaway, Carter, Dunklin, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne.

    Under this declaration, PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature impacted by physical damages or financial losses directly related to the disaster are eligible to apply for both business physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) from the SBA. Examples of eligible non-critical PNP organizations include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools, and colleges.

    PNPs may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes.

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

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses and private nonprofits cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates are as low as 3.62% for PNPs 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 will set loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    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 July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 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: Updated Risk Management Framework Supports Success of Marine Energy Devices

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL’s hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis (HERO) wave energy converter (WEC) is seen anchored off Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina. This is NREL’s first marine-powered desalination device to weather ocean waters. Photo by John McCord / Coastal Studies Institute

    The life of a wave energy converter (WEC) may sound idyllic—bobbing on ocean waves all day or swaying underwater, quietly generating electricity for the people living and working near shore.

    But in reality, it takes a lot of careful planning for salt water and electronics to achieve that perceived state of bliss. And that is where a robust risk management plan can find ways to make that pairing work.

    The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework gives marine energy researchers and developers a comprehensive process to break down their approach and any variables that may impede or accelerate their success. The tool includes technical components, environmental conditions, funding sources, staffing, stakeholder support, deployment permits, and more.

    With a greater understanding of each factor and its underlying components, the framework enables groups to better manage uncertainties (both positive and negative) and develop effective contingency plans.

    “You might have one little vulnerable part that costs 10 cents to buy, like an O-ring, but the effects of it failing might be a $1 million loss because it leads to water entering a sealed chamber,” said David Snowberg, NREL engineer and lead author on the report. “That kind of information is useful to know early on.”

    Calculating the Odds

    The revised framework includes a new template for assessing failure modes, their effects, and their potential causes, which are prioritized through a criticality analysis. This free, public tool can help organizations prioritize their investments while minimizing potential damage and costs.

    Senior mechanical engineer David Snowberg (left) leads a tour of the Composites Manufacturing Education and Technology facility for Colorado state representatives in 2022. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    “A risk register provides a structured approach for managing all sources of uncertainty that might impact your objectives,” Snowberg added. “That uncertainty can also be opportunities where potential unknowns become benefits to your project. A risk register can help you manage both those positive and negative uncertainties.”

    He emphasized that it is critical to consider more than just the technical components of a project. Human aspects, such as stakeholder support, are equally important factors in the overall success and timeline of a project.

    “Ignoring risks is rarely a good approach,” said Scott Jenne, NREL ‘s marine energy desalination lead. “They usually come back and cause greater problems than if you had dealt with them early on.”

    Using the marine energy risk management framework, people can identify risks, analyze them, and then plan a response. This cycle continues throughout the course of a project so that groups have a responsive, adaptable way to monitor and manage any type of uncertainty that they encounter.

    Putting It Into Practice

    At NREL, Snowberg is working through the framework with Jenne and the team that designed and built the hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis WEC (HERO WEC), a wave-powered desalination device that has gone through extensive laboratory testing and five ocean installations in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. 

    “The HERO WEC is able to desalinate seawater using either the hydraulic configuration or the electric configuration—so it has two different energy conversion systems that can be swapped out based on the specific area of research the team is focusing on, which makes it at least twice as complicated as it would be otherwise,” Snowberg said.

    Having worked through multiple designs since 2020, Jenne noted, “The complexity increases due to the need to integrate two unique conversion systems on the same device and the fact that you’ve added more things that depend on each other.”

    The hydraulic and electric reverse osmosis (HERO) wave energy converter (WEC) device preparing for its ocean deployment at the Coastal Studies Institute, East Carolina University Outer Banks Campus. Photo by Andrew Simms, NREL

    For a device like the HERO WEC, it is not just about basic functionality—survivability is also a key priority. What would it need to survive a 1-in-50-year storm? And what types of conditions would that storm create, from waves and winds to currents and surf?

    “The marine environment is harsh,” Snowberg said. “Getting things to survive the corrosion, the biofouling, and everything out there is challenging.”

    The HERO WEC team is currently redesigning the second version of the device and leveraging the risk management framework throughout their process—helping them apply lessons learned to build on past successes and steer clear of previous challenges.

    “It’s really important that we design HERO WEC to be highly survivable and reliable,” Jenne said. “Having this framework is a critical tool for us to be able to evaluate what might go wrong before we build another physical model.”

    Since the development of the original framework 10 years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office has worked closely with NREL to incorporate key components and uphold specific requirements for projects with open water testing that they support.

    Snowberg emphasized that the risk management processes are tools for success, meant to meet people where they are at and provide guidance at any stage of project development.

    “If you can manage the uncertainty of your project in a way that you see those benefits, then it’s something you’ll be motivated to continue doing,” Snowberg said. “I’ve been at NREL for 15 years, and managing risks to help support marine energy has been the most fulfilling and rewarding type of project that I’ve worked on because it has the most tangible impact.”

    With these concrete tools in hand, WPTO and NREL can help pave the way for the marine energy industry to find clearer, quicker paths to success.

    Co-authors on the Marine Energy Technology Development Risk Management Framework include Ritu Treisa Philip, NREL mechanical engineer, and Jochem Weber, chief engineer of NREL’s Water Power program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Army’s 250th birthday week-long celebration from June 7-14, 2025

    Source: United States Army

    Members of the media are invited to attend the Army’s 250th birthday week-long celebration from June 7-14, 2025. This year’s birthday theme, “This we’ll defend,” was first used as a battle cry by the Continental Army. Today, it reminds us that our Army’s purpose is clear: to fight and win the nation’s wars. We remain committed to honing our warfighting skills, enforcing standards and discipline, and living the values that have defined our Army for the past 250 years.

    June 7

    On June 7, a new exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army called “Call to Arms: The Soldier and the Revolutionary War” will be open and free to the public. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be rare Revolutionary War artifacts from the original colonies, England, France and Canada on display. Opening weekend activities from June 7 to 8 include special, family-friendly, Revolutionary War-themed events such as powder horn carving demonstrations, uniform and equipment displays, and story times. The Revolutionary War 250 special exhibit and companion educational programming are included in the museum’s free admission and will be offered through June 2027.

    To learn more, please visit the website at www.thenmusa.org. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to the museum’s Director of Public Affairs Susan Fazakerley- Smullen at usarmy.belvoir.hqda.mbx.publicaffairs-division@army.mil.

    June 11

    On June 11, the Twilight Tattoo hosted by Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of U.S. Army Reserve Command, will start a pre-show at 6:30 p.m. and a show at 7 p.m. at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. The action-packed military experience will feature Soldiers from the U.S. Army Military District of Washington’s ceremonial units. It will also be livestreamed on @USArmy social media platforms. To learn more, please visit the website at https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/twilighttattoo/. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.

    June 13

    The Army birthday run (or walk) will start at 7 a.m. at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. Media interested in broadcasting live at the start of the run, please reach out to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall Director of Public Affairs Jason Shepherd, jason.shepherd8.civ@army.mil.

    Army Day with the Washington Nationals will begin at 6:45 p.m. Army leaders and personnel will hold their annual Army-focused celebration as the Washington Nationals play the Miami Marlins. Media interested in attending or would like more information, please reach out to Nationals’ Director of Communications Erica George at erica.george@nationals.com.

    June 14

    The Army Birthday Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery will take place at 8:15 a.m. Media interested in attending or would like more information please reach out to usarmy.mcnair.mdw.mbx.mediadesk-omb@army.mil.

    The Army Fitness event will be held at 9:30 a.m., and the Army Birthday Festival will begin at 11 a.m. at the National Mall, Washington D.C. The festival will provide opportunities to interact with Soldiers, Army Astronauts, NFL representatives and Medal of Honor recipients, and to watch military demonstrations, explore equipment displays, participate in a cake cutting ceremony and take part in a variety of activities.

    At 6:30 p.m. the Army Birthday Parade will celebrate the Army’s history and will feature Army equipment, flyovers and 6,600 Soldiers in uniforms from the past and the present. The parade’s best viewing area will be south of Constitution Avenue. The day will end with an enlistment and re-enlistment ceremony, a parachute demonstration by the Golden Knights and a fireworks display.

    Live music will be featured throughout the day.

    To register to attend the free festival and parade, click here.

    Members of the media who would like to attend should RSVP by 12 p.m., June 10. There will be a designated media riser for a limited number of credentialed outlets. Members of the media should click here to register.

    To learn more about the Army’s 250th birthday, visit:

    U.S. Army Celebrating 250 Years – https://www.army.mil/1775

    DVIDS 250th Army Birthday – https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/ARMY250

    U. S. Army Center of Military History – https://history.army.mil/Revwar250/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Independence Man Charged with Cocaine Trafficking, Illegal Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged in federal court with possessing over two kilograms of cocaine and illegally possessing three firearms.

    Jacob N. Dodge, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo. on Tuesday, May 27.  The complaint charges Dodge with participating in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    The complaint alleges investigators attempted to arrest Dodge on May 23, 2025 after a controlled drug evidence purchase. Members of the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department Tactical Unit attempted to initiate a high-risk car stop utilizing a Vehicle Intervention Tactic, also known as a “VIT”.  Dodge maneuvered his vehicle out of the VIT and fled at a high rate of speed.  Three tactical vehicles attempted the VIT maneuver again, and Dodge purposely struck the occupied police vehicles with his vehicle.  Police successfully disabled Dodge’s vehicle in the front yard of a residence and arrested Dodge. Investigators executed a federal search warrant on Dodge’s residence and searched Dodge and his vehicle after he was arrested.

    Investigators found over 2 kilograms of cocaine, 290 kilograms of marijuana, 251 kilograms of THC wax, 852 kilograms of THC vapes, 125 kilograms of THC syrup, 44 kilograms of THC edibles, 24 kilograms of miscellaneous THC items, 35 kilograms of THC resin, 5 kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms, 250 kilograms of psilocybin mushroom bars, and 46 grams of LSD. Investigators also found $78,943 in cash and 6 firearms.

    The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

    This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Independence, Missouri Police Department, and the Johnson County, Kansas Sheriff’s Office.

    KC Metro Strike Force

    This prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces 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 against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations, and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

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

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    Glenlivet landscape dams

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

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Griffith Presents EoR to Bristol Virginia Swift Water Rescue Team

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

    U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) visited the Bristol Virginia Fire Department in Bristol, Virginia, on Tuesday, May 27. Congressman Griffith presented the Department’s Swift Water Rescue Team with formal remarks entered into the Congressional Record. In the remarks, Congressman Griffith praises the Rescue Team for their efforts and services in response to recent storms that hit Southwest Virginia, including Tazewell County.

    Congressman Griffith issued the following statement:

    “Southwest Virginia is grateful for the Bristol Virginia Swift Water Rescue Team, which tallied more than 80 rescues in a span of 6 months. These rescues required responses in several localities, like Tazewell County. I presented the Rescue Team with a formal extension of remarks, honoring their life-saving work in the Congressional Record for all to see.”

    PICTURED: Congressman Griffith reads aloud the remarks that honor members of the Bristol Virginia Swift Water Rescue Team.

    PICTURED: Members of the Bristol Virginia Swift Water Rescue Team.

     

    BACKGROUND

    The remarks that Congressman Griffith submitted into the Congressional Record can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Government must act now or be forever complicit in Gaza genocide

    Source: Scottish Greens

    28 May 2025 Peace

    Greens call on UK Government to stop supporting Israel’s genocide

    More in Peace

    The Scottish Greens co-leader, Patrick Harvie has called on the Labour Government to take immediate and decisive action to end its complicity in what legal experts and international observers increasingly describe as a genocide in Gaza.

    Mr Harvie responded to the powerful statement in a letter signed by more than 800 lawyers, including former Supreme Court justices, which condemns the UK’s failure to uphold international humanitarian law and urges Prime Minister Keir Starmer to impose sanctions on Israeli ministers and consider suspending Israel from the United Nations.

    The letter from legal experts outlines growing evidence of grave breaches of international law, asserting that the UK’s continued inaction places it in clear violation of its own legal obligations under the Genocide Convention and other international frameworks.

    Mr Havie, said:

    “When atrocities are being inflicted on this scale, it doesn’t just warrant condemnation – it demands real, urgent action. Keir Starmer’s recent lukewarm comments about the Netanyahu regime, which even Labour and Tory backbenchers have criticised as inadequate, amount to little more than empty words.

    “Sadly there is a gulf between rhetoric and reality. The Prime Minister claimed to have suspended trade talks with Israel, yet just days later the UK Trade Envoy, Lord Ian Austin, was in Israel as a guest of its government. Even as the UK, France, and Canada issued a joint statement expressing concern, the RAF was deploying surveillance aircraft to assist the Israeli military. This is complicity.

    “The people of Palestine need urgent help, they need strong action from the international community in the face of this genocide. We have consistently called on the UK Government to impose targeted sanctions on the Israeli political and military leaders responsible for these war crimes. They must immediately end all arms exports and military cooperation with Israel, demand an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, recognise the State of Palestine, and advocate for Israel’s suspension from international bodies, including the United Nations, until compliance with international law is resrestored.

    “In Scotland we must act as well. It is not good enough for the Scottish Government to call for an immediate ceasefire and continue to line the pockets of war profiteers. The SNP Government’s business unit, Scottish Enterprise, has poured public money into companies that are arming Israel and profiting from the destruction.

    “The UK cannot continue to provide political cover, arms, and intelligence to a regime that stands accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity. History will remember those who stayed silent and those who took a stand. The time for action is now.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 28 May 2025 Departmental update WHO launches a framework on climate change and tuberculosis

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for urgent, coordinated action to tackle the dual threats of tuberculosis (TB) and climate change. In a newly released framework, WHO highlights how climate change is creating conditions that could intensify the global TB epidemic.

    The framework outlines how rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are intensifying key TB risk factors. Populations already grappling with poverty, malnutrition, displacement and limited access to health care are expected to be hit hardest, as TB – one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases – gains ground in a changing climate.

    The report highlights three key pathways through which climate change exacerbates TB risk:

    • Migration and displacement: Climate-related disasters and slow-onset environmental degradation are forcing millions to relocate, often into overcrowded and poorly ventilated environments that facilitate TB transmission and situations that reduce their access to care. In 2023, 20.3 million people were displaced by weather-related hazards, with projections estimating up to 216 million climate-displaced persons by 2050.
    • Food and water insecurity: Increasing frequency of droughts, floods and extreme heat is intensifying malnutrition – an established risk factor for TB contributing to nearly 10% of TB cases globally.
    • Health system disruptions: Climate-induced disasters are undermining health infrastructure and disrupting essential TB services, including diagnosis, treatment and continuity of care. Natural hazard-related events affected an estimated 93.1 million people in 2023. Without treatment, TB has a mortality rate of up to 50%.

    “Climate change is not only a planetary crisis – it’s a major health threat,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Programme on TB and Lung Health. “TB remains the world’s top infectious killer, and climate change threatens to reverse decades of progress in fighting this disease. We must integrate the TB response into climate adaptation efforts to protect the most vulnerable.”

    The report urges governments to:  

    • integrate TB services into climate and health strategies
    • strengthen health systems to withstand climate shocks
    • secure sustainable financing for TB, including through climate and health funds.

    It also stresses the need for cross-sector collaboration across health, agriculture, migration, social protection and disaster preparedness to confront the shared drivers of TB and climate vulnerability.

    With the UN Climate Change Conference on the horizon, WHO emphasizes that building climate-resilient health systems and including TB in universal health coverage and social protection plans will be essential to safeguarding global health gains and minimizing emerging risks.

    WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme (GTB) is collaborating with Member States and key stakeholders to advance a TB response that is resilient in the face of climate change. In partnership with the Pan American Health Organization and Brazil’s Ministry of Health, WHO’s GTB co-hosted a side event on “Climate Change and TB” alongside the G20 Health Working Group meeting in Natal, Brazil, on 2–3 September 2024. The event aimed to raise awareness among G20 members, donors and technical partners about the current and projected impacts of climate change on the TB epidemic and emphasized the importance of coordinated action across and beyond the health sector. WHO and the Government of Brazil also co-organized a high-level side event on TB and climate change during the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Held on 23 September 2024, the event focused on the urgent need to combat climate change and its severe consequences on global efforts to end TB.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 18 Charged With Violent, Gun, Or Immigration Crimes As Part Of Operation Take Back America

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed separate criminal charges against 18 defendants as part of Operation Take Back America, for violations that include straw purchasing of firearms, bank robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, illegal reentry, and failure to notify a change of address.

    The 18 defendants charged last week and the alleged offenses include:

    Walter Adonai Rivera Chinchilla, 24, of Charlotte, and Fausto Odalis Reyes Guevara, 27, of Honduras, are charged via a superseding indictment of conspiracy to provide a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Guevara is also charged with possession of a firearm by a person unlawfully in the United States. According to the superseding indictment, on October 12, 2024, Guevara messaged Chinchilla that Guevara needed a “17” and a white Beretta for a good price. Two days later, Chinchilla allegedly purchased a Beretta 92FS pistol from Guns Too, a licensed firearms dealer located in Caldwell County. When he purchased the firearm from Guns Too, Chinchilla allegedly lied on the forms, falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he was in fact buying it for Guevara. The indictment further alleges that on the same day Chinchilla purchased a second firearm, a Glock 45 pistol, from Foothills Jewelry & Loan, a licensed firearms dealer in Catawba County. It is further alleged that Chinchilla lied again on the forms falsely attesting that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when he knew he was buying it for Guevara. Chinchilla is also facing additional charges including trafficking in firearms, making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, and dealing in firearms without a license.

    Jose Francisco Meraz-Villatoro, 31, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged that Meraz-Villatoro unlawfully possessed two firearms: a Glock 43 9mm handgun and a Girsan Regard MC 9mm handgun. Meraz-Villatoro was previously deported from the United States three times: in September 2013, in July 2014, and again in November 2022.

    Carlos Sarmiento-Ochoa, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. It is alleged in the indictment that Sarmiento-Ochoa unlawfully possessed a Glock 23, 40 caliber handgun, and that he was previously deported from the United States in May 2018 and again in October 2019.

    Gial Obed Rodas-Hernandez, 20, of Honduras, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Rodas-Hernandez unlawfully possessed a Taurus PT709 handgun, 9mm, and that he was previously deported from the United States in February 2021.

    Jose Alberto Velazquez-Trejo, 41, of Mexico, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by an alien and illegal reentry by an alien. The indictment alleges that Velazquez-Trejo unlawfully possessed a Sig Sauer P226 handgun. Velazquez-Trejo was also previously deported from the United States in May 2008.

    Norman Enrique Lopez-Santamaria, 42, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Lopez-Santamaria was previously deported from the United States four times: in October 2002, in July 2009, in August 2010, and again in May 2014.

    Rogelio Hernandez-Flores, 50, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Hernandez-Flores was previously deported from the United States three times: in August 1997, July 2003, and again in November 2007.

    Luis Zamora-Cruz, 47, of Mexico, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Zamora-Cruz was previously deported from the United States in July 2010 and again in May 2017.

    Christian Emanuel Valladares-Sierra, 25, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Valladares-Sierra was previously deported from the United States in September 2018.

    Josue Oveniel Martinez-Avalo, 31, of Honduras, is charged with illegally reentering into the United States and failure to notify of a change of address. Martinez-Avalo was previously deported from the United States in June 2014.

    Luis Alfredo Navarrete Pastrana, 32, of Mexico, is charged with illegal reentry into the United States. Pastrana was previously deported from the United States in October 2021.

    Bryan Flowers, 53, of Hickory, N.C., is charged with bank robbery. According to the indictment, on April 17, 2025, Flowers allegedly robbed the Peoples Bank located in Lincolnton, N.C., by force, violence, and intimidation.

    Dwayne Furlow Chaney, 40, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Chaney allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.

    Marshall Demetrius Rice, 45, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Rice illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SD9VE, 9mm pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.

    Damiyus Diamonte Fowler, 28, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Fowler allegedly illegally possessed a Glock 19, Gen 5 9mm caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.

    Aaron Deondre Conway, 41, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment alleges that Conway illegally possessed a Walther, Model PPK/S .380 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.

    Jamil Omire Ali, 31, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. Ali allegedly illegally possessed a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield, .40 caliber pistol, and did so knowing he was prohibited from possessing a firearm following a prior criminal conviction.

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

    The charges in the indictments are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Removal Operations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives for their investigations that led to the charges. U.S. Attorney Ferguson also commended the local law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the cases. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: La Crosse Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Toudeng Thao, 59, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for distribution. Thao pleaded guilty to these charges on March 3, 2025.

    On January 25, 2024, law enforcement arrested both Thao and codefendant Joua Thao during a traffic stop as they returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin, from Minnesota after picking up approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine for distribution. Thao and Joua Thao were previously married but were divorced at the time of the arrest. In the six months before his arrest, Thao distributed or possessed for distribution over 5 ½ kilograms of methamphetamine. Thao claimed to have received methamphetamine from multiple sources in Minnesota, California, Canada, and Mexico. He also claimed he supplied six drug distributors. Through a series of controlled purchases, Thao and Joua Thao sold a confidential informant a total of 203.9 grams of methamphetamine in La Crosse. Thao also possessed a firearm during one drug transaction and sought more firearms to traffic to his drug suppliers.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley said he was struck by Thao’s statements rationalizing his turn to drug trafficking and found Thao’s minimal criminal history to be puzzling at best given his violent characteristics. Judge Conley noted Thao’s substantial drug dealing was serious enough on its own, but his involvement with firearms, threats of violence, and history of violence against his codefendant and family made him a serious risk to the community.

    Joua Thao also pleaded guilty and on March 20, 2025, Judge Conley sentenced her to 5 years of probation for her role in assisting with the drug transactions.

    The charges against Toudeng and Joua Thao were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department, La Crosse Police Department, Onalaska Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –