NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Video: WATCH: Press Sec highlights the Trump Admin’s efforts to modernize the air traffic control system

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    WATCH: Press Sec highlights the Trump Admin’s efforts to modernize the air traffic control system

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTWOJ8Uf68w

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Investigating in Custody Death at Melfort RCMP Detachment

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 9, 2025

    On Tuesday May 6, 2025 at approximately 7:13 p.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an in-custody death at the Melfort RCMP Detachment. 

    SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.

    On May 6 at approximately 9:48 a.m., members of the Melfort RCMP detachment responded to a disturbance call at a residential address in Melfort, where they encountered a 44-year-old man who was acting erratically and had sustained an injury to his hand. The man was taken into custody pursuant to the provisions of The Mental Health Services Act. The man was transported to the Melfort RCMP Detachment, where at 10:14 a.m., he was lodged in a cell, pending the arrival of EMS who had been contacted on the drive to the detachment. At approximately 10:18 a.m., the man was assessed by EMS, and following that examination was transported to hospital by EMS. The man was unrestrained during transport in the ambulance. The EMS vehicle transporting the man was accompanied to hospital by a member of the RCMP in an RCMP vehicle.

    The man arrived at hospital at approximately 10:27 a.m. While the man was being examined, a further disturbance occurred and he was taken back into custody by the accompanying RCMP member. During the process of taking the man back into custody, a physical altercation occurred. The man was handcuffed and transported back to the Melfort RCMP Detachment, and at approximately 10:44 a.m., was once again placed in a cell.

    The man remained in custody at the Melfort RCMP Detachment until approximately 5:10 p.m., when he was observed to have gone into medical distress. RCMP members entered the man’s cell, commenced first aid, and contacted EMS. The man was moved into the cellblock hallway by RCMP members to allow for more room for first aid. At approximately 5:16 p.m., EMS arrived and assumed responsibility for the man’s care before transporting him to hospital at 5:36 p.m. The man was treated at hospital, but despite resuscitation efforts, was pronounced deceased. 

    Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of the Civilian Executive Director and five SIRT investigators was deployed to Melfort to begin their investigation. A community liaison will also be appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest and the cause of his death. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for any investigation into the original incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

    SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.

    For updates on SIRT investigations, follow SIRT on X, formerly known as Twitter, at Serious Incident Response Team – Saskatchewan (@SIRT_SK) / X.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: B.C. supports projects that help communities prepare for climate emergencies

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The new Disaster Resilience and Innovation Funding (DRIF) program provides support to First Nations and local governments for projects that will enhance their ability to withstand and adapt to natural hazards and climate-caused disasters.

    Funding is available in two categories:

    • Structural projects
    • Foundational and non-structural projects

    Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia are receiving approximately $21 million for 46 projects as follows:

    Structural projects

    City of Pitt Meadows: Kennedy Drainage Pump Station upgrades
    This project will increase the resilience of the City of Pitt Meadows and help protect people, businesses, farmers and critical transportation networks from flooding.
    Amount: $3.65 million

    City of Merritt: Installation of the next phase of the City of Merritt flood-protection dikes
    Planning to begin construction of another section of dike to help protect the city from flooding. This dike section protects the Middlesboro area and the downtown core.
    Amount: $3,398,150

    Nazko First Nation: Natural infrastructure disaster risk-reduction project
    An urban forest will be created to offer relief during extreme heat and provide flood mitigation through increased soil stability.
    Amount: $1,102,560

    Regional District of Central Okanagan: Community hall HVAC installations
    This project strengthens critical community infrastructure against extreme temperatures and associated power outages, particularly supporting vulnerable populations during emergencies.
    Amount: $200,000

    Foundational and non-structural projects

    Aitchelitz First Nation: Cost benefit analysis for flood-risk and mitigation strategies
    Enhance the understanding of flood-risk and flood-mitigation strategies in the community, and support future projects to reduce flood risk.
    Amount: $147,845

    City of Burnaby: Burnaby Strategies and Actions for Earthquake Resilience (B-SAFER)
    B-SAFER focuses on developing seismic resiliency strategies, including recommendations for infrastructure improvements, upgrades and revision of bylaws and guidelines.
    Amount: $400,000

    City of Castlegar: Floodplain mapping and climate change hazard risk assessment
    This project will provide a better understanding of areas within the city that are at a higher risk of flooding. This will allow the city to co-ordinate and communicate with residents in times of higher flood risk.
    Amount: $399,920

    City of Chilliwack: Chilliwack Creek catchment flood-mitigation project
    The project will improve the city’s resilience to natural and climate-driven disasters through improved understanding of flood risks, vulnerabilities and available risk-reduction options.
    Amount: $110,000

    City of Courtenay: Anderton Dike remediation assessment, design and engagement
    The planning phase of the dike remediation project will determine how to best apply engineering and biology to naturalize the shore to mitigate the risk associated with erosion and flooding.
    Amount: $400,000

    City of Delta: Climate-adaptation and resilience strategy
    Delta will improve its understanding of risks, vulnerabilities and impacts to climate-related hazards through a review of climate-change projections and impacts, and a review of the city’s hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA).
    Amount: $75,000

    City of Kamloops: Thompson River watershed climate-adaptation plan
    Drought risk in Kamloops is increasing annually, with a trend of water-level decline found in recent floodplain mapping. To complete planning for critical infrastructure, the study will include hydrologic and hydraulic analysis of the Thompson River watershed.
    Amount: $400,000

    City of Merritt: Hazard risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA)
    An updated, modernized HRVA is essential to identify hazards of biggest concern and to allow communities to reduce risks through identifying future risk-reduction projects.
    Amount: $60,000

    City of Merritt: Sandbagging machine
    A sandbagging machine improves flooding resiliency by allowing the rapid sealing of manholes and catch basins. It reduces the labour required to produce sandbags in an emergency, freeing up personnel to conduct other response actions.
    Amount: $100,000

    City of Nanaimo: Sea-level rise management plan
    This project helps the city plan for and manage potential sea-level rise before severe impacts occur, and ensure new infrastructure is designed and located to be resilient to sea-level rise and coastal flooding impacts.
    Amount: $400,000

    City of Richmond: North Dike preliminary design project
    This project improves the city’s resilience to flood, addressing both current and future risks associated with sea-level rise and climate change.
    Amount: $400,000

    Cowichan Valley Regional District: Tsunami modelling and mapping – Regional partners: Municipality of North Cowichan, Town of Ladysmith
    Resiliency will be increased by improving the understanding of disaster risk from tsunami caused by earthquake and underwater landslide/sand slide.
    Amount: $400,000

    District of North Vancouver: Disaster risk-reduction action plan for the North Shore – Regional partners: City of North Vancouver, District of West Vancouver
    This project is a collaboration between the three North Shore municipalities, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Squamish Nation and critical infrastructure partners. The action plan will reduce risk and empower residents, organizations and communities to share the responsibility to reduce disaster risk and adapt to climate change.
    Amount: $997,000

    Dzawada’enuxw First Nation: Disaster risk assessment, and resilience and innovation planning-mitigation options assessment
    The disaster risk assessment will identify potential solutions to mitigate hazards and identify adaptation and risk-reduction options. The resilience and innovation assessment will increase the remote Nation’s resilience through a mitigation and planning analysis.
    Amount: $400,000

    Fraser Valley Regional District: Landslide hazard assessment at Boston Bar, and risk-management framework for catastrophic landslides
    This project includes a technical evaluation of the landslide hazard above the community, and an examination of existing risk-management policies. It will build resiliency through co-ordination and engagement with First Nations, infrastructure owners and the regional district.
    Amount: $345,434

    Lytton First Nation: Enhancing climate resilience through infrastructure planning
    This project is part of a five-year strategy to improve the Nation’s ability to plan, prioritize and implement infrastructure projects and programs to improve resilience in the face of growing impacts caused by climate change.
    Amount: $325,000

    Metro Vancouver (Regional District): Rice Lake dams – Seismic hazard and stability assessments
    The Rice Lake dams are classified as “very high consequence” under the BC Dam Safety Regulation, indicating the importance of understanding potential risks.
    Amount: $300,000

    District of Peachland: Hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis (HRVA) and climate-change risk assessment (CCRA)
    The project will assess hazard probabilities by comparing annual climate hazard occurrences with historical climate trends and thresholds for specific assets or systems.
    Amount: $70,000

    Regional District of Central Kootenay: Updated floodplain bylaws and associated mapping – Regional partner: Village of Salmo
    This project will improve resilience of the small rural communities by providing updated and detailed floodplain and hazard mapping and bylaws related to land adjacent to flood-prone and steep creek areas.
    Amount: $194,000

    Regional District of Central Okanagan: Comprehensive hazard risk and vulnerability assessment
    The project will improve resilience by enhancing co-ordination and engagement, informing mitigation strategies and existing infrastructure upgrades, promoting green infrastructure and guiding the development of new infrastructure.
    Amount: $125,000

    Regional District of Kootenay Boundary: Floodplain and alluvial fan mapping, Electoral Areas D and E
    This region experiences regular and destructive flooding. The two electoral areas were identified in previous risk assessments as requiring updated flood mapping that incorporates climate change forecasting.
    Amount: $400,000

    Saulteau First Nation: Water-related hazard management plan
    The project will improve resilience through increased and more accessible planning/mapping resources. This work aids the Nation in working with external partners toward regional resiliency.
    Amount: $245,987

    Skowkale First Nation: Disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation plan – Regional partners: Aitchelitz First Nation, Yakweakwioose First Nation
    This regional project increases resilience of the First Nations to natural and climate disasters through a deeper understanding of their specific risks and the development of community-centred solutions.
    Amount: $486,579

    Strathcona Regional District: Walters Island water system study
    The regional district will assess the system’s vulnerabilities and develop a more resilient design that reduces the risk of catastrophic water shortages.
    Amount: $70,000

    Village of Kaslo: Enhancing Kaslo’s resilience to flooding and geohazards
    A two-part project that helps ensure a sustainable future for Kaslo’s drinking-water sources, and planning for flood and erosion mitigation on the Kaslo River by identifying hazards and mitigating the effects of extreme weather events.
    Amount: $150,000

    Town of Princeton: Diking system ownership study and Similkameen dike upgrades pre-design report
    The pre-design project identifies dike sections to upgrade, alternatives for flood protection upgrades, and provide the foundational work for a future structural project.
    Amount: $400,000

    Town of Sidney: Disaster-safe water supply
    This project will help the town access alternate sources of potable water when primary infrastructure is damaged during an earthquake or cannot deliver expected volumes or quantities.
    Amount: $176,000

    Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation: Pesqatwa7 (Pavilion Lake) landslide hazard mitigation planning
    Continual monitoring of existing landslide hazards to better define their extents and magnitude. Community resilience will be increased by the development of preliminary mitigation measures and designs.
    Amount: $400,000

    Uchucklesaht Tribe Government: Shoreline protection analysis
    A shoreline protection analysis will examine nature-based and engineering approaches to shoreline protection that could result in new infrastructure that enhances resilience to coastal storms, flooding and tsunamis.
    Amount: $400,000

    Village of Cumberland: Perseverance watershed initiative
    This project provides hydrometric and soil data to improve understanding of water scarcity, drought and flood issues in the region.
    Amount: $75,000

    Village of Lumby: Duteau Creek flood-mitigation works preliminary design
    Continuation of the village’s flood-mitigation plan that will reduce the risk of flooding and increase resilience. A proposed new dike will provide structural flood mitigation to the project area.
    Amount: $400,000

    Village of Pemberton: Ayers Dike flood mitigation project
    This project will inform decision-making around structural and non-structural flood mitigation to increase resilience in the Pemberton Valley, ensuring flood mitigation strategies are cost-effective, data-driven and sustainable.
    Amount: $297,589

    Wei Wai Kum First Nation: IR #11 disaster resilience and development planning
    The project includes a flood-mitigation-and-erosion-control plan, including floodplain mapping, a seismic assessment and an environmental assessment, including consideration of future structural disaster risk-reduction projects.
    Amount: $400,000

    Witset First Nation: Comprehensive study for water supply resilience
    Detailed hydrologic modelling, flow, water-quality monitoring and infrastructure assessments will generate vital data on risks such as water shortages, reduced water quality and system failures.
    Amount: $399,226

    Xaxli’p First Nation: IR1 Landslide hazard assessment and preliminary mitigation design
    This study will provide the framework for future detailed mitigation design and continued monitoring as part of the next phase of the project, increasing the resiliency of this remote community.
    Amount: $400,000

    City of Vancouver: Reducing extreme heat risk in multi-family buildings
    This project forms the foundation for increasing city resilience through municipal actions, policies or programs to reduce the risk of extreme heat in homes across Vancouver.
    Amount: $215,000

    Kitselas Band Council: Assessment and design to mitigate sediment inputs from the Clore Slide
    The project will develop mitigation options and a detailed design to reduce the potential for landslide activity, which will reduce the risks to people and infrastructure.
    Amount: $170,000

    Leq’a:mel First Nation: Building resilience and strengthening relationships for disaster risk mitigation – Partnering proponent: Sumas First Nation
    The two First Nations will lead a project in developing partnerships with 15 Coast Salish Nations to create a regional resilience plan, promoting disaster risk reduction around drought and water scarcity, extreme temperatures, flood and geohazards.
    Amount: $200,000

    Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine: Climate action plan
    The climate action plan will provide a better understanding of the impacts of climate change and the risks it poses on the region, where vulnerabilities lie and what options are available to reduce these risks.
    Amount: $174,558

    Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) First Nation: Nature-based solutions assessment
    This work will identify potential structural and non-structural mitigation works to support the Nation to adapt to climate change and impacts from sea-level rise and shifting precipitation patterns.
    Amount: $233,832

    Town of Smithers: Integrated climate change and natural-assets management plan
    The plan will help the town understand the risks posed by climate change to natural assets, the value that they provide from an economic and ecological perspective, and the options available to mitigate that risk.
    Amount: $199,300

    Village of Cache Creek: Sewer protection options analysis and design
    An options analysis and detailed plan contribute to a better understanding of risks and vulnerabilities to floods, avalanches and landslides.
    Amount: $394,000

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski Presses DOE, DOI Nominees on Alaska Priorities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    05.09.25
    Washington, DC – This week, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of William Doffermyre to be Solicitor at the Department of the Interior, Kyle Haustveit to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Fossil Energy), and Catherine Jereza to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Electricity). U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), former Chairman of the committee, pressed the nominees on carbon capture projects on Alaska’s North Slope, the need to improve transmission in the Railbelt region and across the state, and the need for the Interior to return to following the law as written by Congress.
    Just prior to the hearing, ENR held a business meeting and favorably reported four nominations to the full Senate for confirmation. Murkowski supported all four nominees, including her former ENR staff member, Tristan Abbey, to lead the Energy Information Administration and Leslie Beyer to be Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management at Interior.
    Click here to watch the Senator’s full line of questioning.
    The full transcript of Murkowski’s comments during this week’s ENR hearing is below.
    TRANSCRIPT
    Murkowski: Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I apologize that I’ve missed most of your testimony. My commitment to you is that I’m going back to read it all. Some very quick questions today, as we’re running between different committees, first to Mr. Haustveit: carbon capture. We’ve got some key projects that we’re anticipating as we’re looking to process North Slope natural gas. This is central to the viability of our Alaska LNG project. DOE has already awarded funding for two CCS initiatives. One is ASRC’s CarbonSAFE hub and then a direct air capture feasibility study. Both of these are in limbo right now where we’re concerned that they may be on a DOE list of cuts going to the White House. It’s something, again, that we have been working with industry in a very collaborative way, working with the agencies, and we look at this piece as really very strategic for the energy initiative that we have up there. I know you’re not in yet, but I’m just asking for your commitment to look critically at this, (and) to have the ability to defend these Alaska-based projects given their strategic energy importance.
    Haustveit: Senator, thank you for the question. As you stated, I’m not in, so I don’t know the details, but I do commit to looking at projects that are part of the Department. Carbon capture, especially when used for extracting additional hydrocarbons, is something that I’m passionate about. Prudhoe Bay benefited greatly from reinjection because you didn’t have a place to put the gas for a long time, and you reinjected it; it resulted in higher recovery. 
    Murkowski: We’re still doing that.
    Haustveit: My home state is recovering somewhere between 10% and 15% of the oil in place. And CO2 is a potential solution to inject into the reservoir to recover more oil. We’ve got tremendous resources in our country. Alaska is blessed greatly with resources across the entire state. And CO2, if available at affordable levels, can be a great injectant, can be a great solution to recover more of that resource.
    Murkowski: We look forward to sharing more of the details about these projects and the opportunity to show you firsthand. 
    Haustveit: Thank you, Senator.
    Murkowski: Let me turn to you, Ms. Jereza. As you know, the map shows we’re not connected. We’re not connected by geography to the Lower 48 and our grid is not part of a continental grid. And so we have some unique reliability and affordability challenges. Our grid is what we call the Railbelt. So, it goes up as far as the railroad and then kind of comes back down the other way. But we have aging infrastructure, aging transmission infrastructure, that we’re dealing with. We’ve got limited redundancy. We’ve got high cost to our ratepayers. So, I need you, and again, same point that I just made previously: I understand you’re not there yet—but we have a grid modernization effort that is underway, significant grant funding that came a couple years ago to help us with this integration of the transmission grid, to kind of boost it up, to allow it to take us forward for the next decade or so. So, I just need your commitment to look critically at what our needs are in Alaska, again, when we’re not part of anybody else’s interrelated grid. 
    Jereza: Senator, it would be my pleasure to do that. I actually was fortunate enough to go to Cordova and see the great innovations that are happening at Cordova, so I can’t wait to go back.
    Murkowski: Good. You will have that invitation. And finally, Mr. Doffermyre, I know you’ve got a little bit of a connection to Alaska through some of your law school buddies who are very focused on Alaska: Kaleb Froehlich, who is around here, he speaks highly of you, by the way. We saw in the last administration just a torrent of decisions and regulations from Interior that were absolutely, contrary to what we passed into law here in Congress. It was pretty tough. And this was on our petroleum reserve. It was on the non-wilderness portion of the Coastal Plain. It was on the Ambler Access Project, our Public Land Orders, we’ve got a whole list of them. I just need your commitment—and I hope that this is the easiest question that you will ever get: your commitment to ensure that Interior returns to following the law, the law as it is written, if you are confirmed as Solicitor.
    Doffermyre: Yes, ma’am. 
    Murkowski: See how easy that was. I appreciate that, because we feel like we’re pretty clear here in our policies, and then when it is not followed through on the other end, (we have) great frustration. So, I look forward to seeing you keep that commitment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I appreciate the opportunity to blast in at the very end. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mobile Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distribution of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MOBILE, AL – Michael Jerome Elder, age 50, was sentenced today to 180 months in prison after entering a guilty plea to a count of Distribution of Child Pornography.  Elder entered his guilty plea on January 16, 2025.

    According to court documents, a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office deputy was conducting an investigation to identify individuals in the Southern District of Alabama who demonstrate a sexual interest in children. To do so, he utilized law enforcement software to investigate users sharing files of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) via a file-sharing network. The investigator located an IP address that was involved in the sharing of numerous files of CSAM.  He was able to identify Elder as a resident at the residential address associated with the IP address.  The investigator obtained a search warrant and located Elder in the home, and a search team was able to discover a cell phone that Elder had hidden in a vent.  The cell phone was examined and found to contain CSAM.

    Elder had previously been convicted of five counts of Being in Possession of Obscene Material of Minors, violations of Alabama Code 13-A-012-0192(B), in the Circuit Court of Mobile County.  He had been released from custody on that offense on November 15, 2022, less than a year before the MCSO investigator discovered him distributing child pornography.

    At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed the 180-month sentence of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon his future release. During his term of imprisonment, Elder will be subject to sex offender treatment, substance abuse testing and treatment, and mental health treatment.  Elder will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors.  Elder was ordered to pay $5,100 in special assessments.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Smith, Baldwin, Sanders Slam Trump Admin Proposal to Dissolve Mental Health Agency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Smith, Baldwin, Sanders Slam Trump Admin Proposal to Dissolve Mental Health Agency

    Senators to Secretary Kennedy: “We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), co-founder of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, condemned the Trump Administration’s proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) restructuring plan and the White House Office of Management and Budget’s HHS budget proposal. In their letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Senators expressed deep concerns about the consequences of dismantling SAMHSA, outlined the impacts on the worsening behavioral and mental health crisis, and detailed why the proposal is unlawful.
    According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 50 million Americans aged 12 and older battled a substance use disorder and 58.7 million Americans aged 18 and older experienced a mental illness in 2023. The programs administered by SAMHSA are crucial to addressing this national crisis. The Trump Administration’s actions harm the operations of crucial programs, including roughly $7 billion in grant distribution, access to early intervention for mental health care, and support services for crisis care, many of which are statutorily required.
    “At a time when America is in a dual mental health and substance use crisis, a time when youth suicide is at all-time highs, a time when synthetic opioids are destroying communities and taking lives, this proposed destruction of SAMHSA will harm the American people,” wrote the Senators. “This proposed reorganization and your proposed cuts of over $1 billion to mental health and substance use programs threaten the lives of millions of Americans and appear to violate federal law.”
    “SAMHSA, its functions, its role, and many of its positions are clearly outlined and required by federal law. Firing most of SAMHSA’s staff and breaking up SAMHSA appear to violate these statutory requirements,” continued the Senators. “Downsizing SAMHSA into a new ‘division’, dismantling its functions, and firing over half its workforce puts at risk the lives of the 58.7 million Americans who experience a mental health condition and 48.5 million of those who are impacted by a substance use disorder.”
    The Senators emphasized the importance of SAMHSA’s essential work in administering programs including State Opioid Response grants, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health for crucial behavioral health data collection, the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program for funding community-based care, and FindTreatment.gov for connecting people to mental health care resources, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
    Furthermore, the Senators stressed that Congress has passed multiple bills creating and expanding SAMHSA’s behavioral and mental health services, and that eliminating SAMHSA would violate the law. The bipartisan Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration Reorganization Act (ADAMHA), signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1992, established SAMHSA and included requirements for various grant programs and roles that the Trump Administration has proposed eliminating. The ADAMHA Reorganization Act codified additional positions and transferred numerous authorities to SAMHSA.
    Moreover, the 21st Century Cures Act established the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee through 2027, which the Trump Administration terminated, and codified SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality to administer the annual National Survey of Drug Use and Health, but the team responsible for the survey was reportedly eliminated in the mass layoffs.
    The Senators concluded by demanding answers on the Trump Administration’s plans for the continuity of SAMHSA’s statutorily required roles and programs and the impacts of HHS’ restructuring.
    “We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis,” concluded the Senators.
    Senator Padilla is a leading advocate for expanding mental health care access, especially for underserved communities. Earlier this year, Padilla led 12 Democratic Senators in warning HHS Secretary Kennedy that additional staffing cuts at SAMHSA would have disastrous ramifications for millions of Americans struggling with mental and behavioral health challenges. In 2023, Padilla launched the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus to serve as a forum for Senators to collaborate on and promote bipartisan legislation and solutions, hold events to raise awareness of critical mental health issues, and destigmatize mental health. Padilla applauded the Federal Communications Commission for making critical improvements to the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by adopting the main provisions of his Local 9-8-8 Response Act of 2023. 
    Additionally, Padilla recently introduced bipartisan legislation to combat the growing youth mental health crisis in America through early intervention and prevention services. Last year, Padilla passed a Senate resolution to raise the alarm about the mental health care crisis American children face and highlight the urgent need to increase our investment in mental health care for children and adolescents. Padilla previously introduced a trio of bills to address the unique mental health needs of military children, Latinos, and farm workers.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Kennedy,
    We write in strong opposition to the proposed dissolution of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) outlined in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) fact sheet on March 27, 2025, and by the proposal from the White House Office of Management and Budget. At a time when America is in a dual mental health and substance use crisis, a time when youth suicide is at all-time highs, a time when synthetic opioids are destroying communities and taking lives, this proposed destruction of SAMHSA will harm the American people. This proposed reorganization and your proposed cuts of over $1 billion to mental health and substance use programs threaten the lives of millions of Americans and appear to violate federal law, including the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration (ADAMHA) Reorganization Act and the 21st Century Cures Act.
    President George H.W. Bush signed the bipartisan ADAMHA Reorganization Act into law in 1992. This law formed SAMHSA, a new agency to be the nation’s lead on community-based mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. In addition to creating a variety of grant programs to be administered by SAMHSA, the ADAMHA Reorganization Act created the role of the Assistant Secretary, transferred numerous authorities to SAMHSA, and created Centers and Center Director and Associate Administrator positions. Therefore, SAMHSA, its functions, its role, and many of its positions are clearly outlined and required by federal law. Firing most of SAMHSA’s staff and breaking up SAMHSA appear to violate these statutory requirements.
    SAMHSA leads the government’s efforts to promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and advance the behavioral health of people across this country. SAMHSA’s programs provide a model for behavioral health care. Downsizing SAMHSA into a new “division”, dismantling its functions, and firing over half its workforce puts at risk the lives of the 58.7 million Americans who experience a mental health condition and 48.5 million of those who are impacted by a substance use disorder.
    The White House Office of Management and Budget HHS Budget Proposal eliminates SAMHSA and creates a new “Mental Health Division”, demotes substance use from its focus, and guts budgets focused on prevention, treatment, and recovery. Amid a dual crisis, this undoes the bipartisan work that Congress and past Administrations have worked to improve. And the federal investments, the expansion of SAMHSA’s work through grant programs and expertise, have worked – for the first time in years, the U.S. has seen a decline in opioid overdose deaths. As the mental health crisis grows, as new synthetic opioids continue to surge, restructuring the agency stands to reverse this historic decline. Now is not the time to change course and risk American lives.
    Congress has passed numerous bills expanding SAMHSA services to reach more Americans. In 2014, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) was signed into law, creating the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) Program, which funds community-based programs for adults with serious mental illness. This program allows individuals to stay in their community and their homes while also receiving “medically prescribed mental health treatment.” For example, using SAMHSA funds, an AOT program in Montana is working to reduce homelessness and incarceration while improving health and social outcomes for individuals with serious mental illness. Because HHS is dissolving SAMHSA and firing its staff, Montana is in jeopardy of losing the ability to provide their patients with up-to-date, evidence-based services, a key SAMHSA function. Any interruption to the effective delivery of these programs has detrimental consequences.
    In 2016, Congress again prioritized SAMHSA and expanded its services and programming by passing the 21st Century Cures Act. This bill codified SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ), requiring CBHSQ to perform several functions. One of these requirements was to publish an annual report on mental health and substance use disorder, also known as the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH is the only source of behavioral health data for people 12 and older in the U.S. and is a critical tool to combat these dual crises. Without this data, states would not be able to implement State Opioid Response grants with fidelity.
    The State Opioid Response (SOR) grant was created to address the overdose crisis, which is now driven by illicit fentanyl, and is meant to help states provide a continuum of care, including prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services. Funding to support states in combating this epidemic is critical, especially as the crisis is exacerbated by other synthetic opioids. States use SOR funding to purchase and distribute naloxone, test strips, buprenorphine, and much more. SOR is proven to be effective – in 2023, the percentage of people who did not use substances increased by 29.7 percent. SOR funding and NSDUH data give states the ability to purchase these medications, implement these programs, and track outcomes. Reports suggest the entire team running NSDUH was fired on April 1, 2025. Without NSDUH data, states will have inaccurate information on how opioids are affecting their communities, which will result in a lack of resources, incomplete strategies, and an increase in deaths.
    In addition to data collection, CBHSQ is responsible for operating FindTreatment.gov, a critical tool where individuals can find treatment for mental health and substance use disorder care. Launched in 2019 under the first Trump Administration, FindTreatment.gov provides individuals with resources in their communities and connects those in crisis with helplines, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Without adequate staffing of FindTreatment.gov, people across this country are left stranded, not knowing where to turn to find treatment and services. The mass terminations at SAMHSA’s CBHSQ and HHS’s announced reorganization make unclear who is operating and overseeing this program that President Trump proudly launched. It is unclear how HHS can now live up to its claim of continuing “to support people who seek substance use treatment on their journey to recovery.”
    The 21st Century Cures Act not only expanded data collection but also improved interdepartmental coordination, something that you claim to prioritize. This bill established the first ever Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee (ISMICC) to better direct mental health services for adults and children with a serious mental illness. ISMICC is tasked with evaluating the effects of federal programs, including programs for suicide prevention and overdose reduction, so they can provide “recommendations for actions that agencies can take to better coordinate the administration of mental health services.” By law, ISMICC must be operating to achieve these goals through at least September 30, 2027. However, HHS terminated ISMICC on April 9, 2025. By dismissing ISMICC, HHS is actively putting people in crisis at risk and violating a statutory requirement to protect the American people.
    We demand that HHS not unlawfully dismantle SAMHSA, which would only serve to further exacerbate a growing mental health and substance use disorder crisis. To better understand HHS’s plans and statutory compliance, we request responses to the following questions by May 16, 2025.
    1) Per the 21st Century Cures Act, SAMHSA is required to have an Assistant Secretary, a Chief Medical Officer, and a Director, with specific qualifications, at each of its four mandated Centers – the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, the Center for Mental Health Services, and CBHSQ.
    a. Who is currently serving in these roles, and what are their qualifications?
    b. Have any of the people in these roles been subject to the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025? If so, please explain why these legally mandated positions were part of the reduction.
    c. What is HHS’s plan to maintain these positions and centers under the restructuring at HHS?
    2) SAMHSA is required to have Associate Administrators for Alcohol Prevention and Treatment Policy and Women’s Services.
    a. Who is currently serving in these roles, and what are their qualifications?
    b. Have any of the people in these roles been subject to the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025? If so, please explain why these legally mandated positions were part of the reduction.
    c. What is HHS’s plan to maintain these positions under the restructuring at HHS?
    3) SAMHSA is required to have a National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory to coordinate policy changes, review programs, identify duplication, and more.
    a. Please provide a list of all employees in SAMHSA’s Policy Laboratory as of January 19, 2025, and as of April 15, 2025, including job title and General Schedule rank. Please indicate which staff were part of the reduction in force that occurred on April 1, 2025.
    b. How did HHS determine that the proposed restructuring will not prevent fulfilling these statutory duties?
    4) Which Centers and Branches are overseeing each of SAMHSA’s grant programs, including AOT? Please provide the number of employees currently employed for each Center and Branch, and the number of grants each employee is required to supervise.
    5) Who is overseeing each of CBHSQ’s data collection and roles, including NSDUH and FindTreatment.gov? Please provide a list of staff working on each service and provide their qualifications.
    6) Is NSDUH data still being collected through its contract with RTI International?
    a. Does HHS plan to continue its contract with RTI International and ensure all payments are received promptly?
    b. Has there been any break in data collection since January 20, 2025? If so, why, and what did HHS do to restore any missing information?
    7) Why did HHS terminate statutorily-required ISMICC?
    a. When will ISMICC be restored?
    8) What is HHS’s long-term plan with SAMHSA under the restructuring? Please explain how HHS plans to remain in compliance with all relevant statutes under this restructure.
    9) Explain how your decision to dissolve SAMHSA into a “division” will increase efficacy and improve mental health and substance use disorder outcomes for Americans.
    Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Insect trafficking poses a risk to wildlife and human health

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Elliot Doornbos, Senior Lecturer of Criminology, Nottingham Trent University

    Rhino beetles are just one insect species being traded illegally. Lightboxx/Shutterstock

    Four men were recently arrested and fined for attempting to smuggle more than 5,000 ants out of Kenya. Aiming to sell them as part of the exotic pet trade, these ants were being stored in individual test tubes and syringes with small amounts of cotton wool for transportation. This unusual case highlights an important yet overlooked aspect of wildlife trafficking.

    Wildlife trafficking is a crime against nature which occurs mainly because of consumer demand. Trafficking refers to the illegal smuggling and continued exploitation of wild animals, plants or timber. That includes, as in this case, insects.

    Much conservation effort, reporting, study and enforcement activity focuses on recognised species such as rhinos. Wildlife trafficking is often associated more with these charismatic species and products made from them such as elephant tusks and rhino horn.

    But wildlife trafficking includes a whole spectrum of illicit animal trade from poaching and smuggling to the distribution of protected and endangered species. There is also thriving illegal trade in insects.

    For avid collectors, trophies and the exotic pet trade a wide array of insects have been seized over the years including rhino beetles into Japan, praying mantis eggs into the US and butterflies out of Sri Lanka.

    Globally, insect species are declining. This is caused by an array of threats such as pollution, pesticides, climate change and urbanisation. Although the extent of the harm being caused by trafficking is unknown, this adds further pressure to species that already face extinction.

    Protections for insects vary. The conservation status of each ant species affects their level of protection both nationally and internationally.

    Ants that are on the red list – which is the largest classification of endangered species produced by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – and classed as critically endangered or endangered cannot be captured, killed or disturbed in any manner. An example is the anathema ant, which is currently listed as an endangered species.

    International law puts controls on wildlife that may be threatened by trade. Some ants are protected under UK law which makes it an offence to disturb or destroy the nests of species like the red wood ant.

    Illegal trafficking of wildlife products includes insects as well as ivory and snakeskins.
    Frame Stock Footage/Shutterstock

    This case shows how wildlife trafficking extends to areas such as the smuggling of, and illegal trade, in ants. Some organised crime groups have moved from smuggling drugs and weapons to trafficking in plants, medicinal compounds and animals – including insects. Organised crime can include smaller and partially disorganised groups and networks. Where there is money to be made smuggling, networks will target wildlife.

    The scale of the insect smuggling problem is unknown. Many cases will go unreported due to the clandestine nature of the trade. As such, both law enforcement and the wider public might not know or care about this being an offence.

    Although there have been some insect trade seizures, law enforcement agencies are often underresourced and may view wildlife crimes as a low priority in comparison to other areas of criminality, such as drugs.

    Often, insects are easily concealed. For example, 37 rhino beetles were discovered at Los Angeles International airport hidden within sweet and crisp packets.

    Even once insects are seized, it can be difficult to identify the species to find out whether they are protected, given so many different levels of protections for species internationally.

    Invasive species risk

    Insect trafficking could introduce non-native species to new places. If they establish a breeding population and pose a threat to local ecosystems, they can become known as “invasive species”. Invasive species can outcompete native species for food. Some destroy habitats. Others have the potential to bring new diseases to a country.

    Not only can invasive insects pose threats to the environment such as the ongoing issue of invasive Asian hornets within Europe, but also affect people. Hawaii spends US$10 million (£7.5 million) on invasive species control measures – US$2.4 million of that is set aside just for coconut rhinoceros beetles.

    Although predicting which species and when they may become invasive is a challenge, insect trafficking can cause serious consequences. Undervaluing some species protections provides avenues for traffickers, so enforcing trafficking laws for all wildlife, including insects, is crucial.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Angus Nurse is a member of the Wild Animal Welfare Committee.~
    He has previously received funding from animal welfare NGOs for research into wildlife and animal law not related to the subject of this article.

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

    – ref. Insect trafficking poses a risk to wildlife and human health – https://theconversation.com/insect-trafficking-poses-a-risk-to-wildlife-and-human-health-255273

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Phil Scott Announces 2025 Downtown Transportation Fund Grantees

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Housing and Community Development today announced the 2025 recipients of Vermont Downtown Transportation Fund awards. This year, the Community Investment Board chose eight Designated Downtowns and Village Centers to share $1,452,405 in funding.

    “Our historic downtowns and village centers are part of what makes Vermont so special,” said Governor Scott. “Keeping them vibrant is a priority for my Administration and I want to thank the Community Investment Board for endorsing these projects.”

    The Downtown Transportation Fund makes investments in infrastructure and public spaces, stimulates private investment, and creates a sense of identity and pride in Vermont’s downtowns by helping municipalities pay for transportation-related capital improvements within or serving a Designated Downtown or Village Center. 

    “These grants will be put to use to make these communities more inviting to guests and residents,” said Alex Farrell, Vermont Housing and Community Development Commissioner and chair of the Community Investment Board Chair. “Whether it’s increasing walkability, supporting multi-modal transportation, or providing better lighting, these are important investments that benefit everyone.”

    Below are highlights from this year’s awarded projects:

    Town of Brattleboro, Bridge Street Enhancements Project: $124,405

    Support walkability via enhancements to Bridge Street and the intersection of Main Street, Bridge Street, and Vernon Street.

    City of Burlington, Great Streets Main Street Project: $200,000  

    Installation of streetscape amenities along Main Street, including benches, bike racks, a bus shelter, and granite elevation indicators.

    City of Essex Junction, Essex Junction Multimodal Train and Bus Station Improvements: $200,000 

    Renovating and adding to the existing station building to include a pitched roof canopy and lighting.

    Town of Hardwick, Hardwick Pedestrian Bridge Replacement Project: $200,000

    Demolition and replacement of the deteriorated, unsafe, and currently closed pedestrian bridge with a new ADA compliant pedestrian bridge.

    Town of Hinesburg, Town Common Project: $128,000

    Add two entryways from existing sidewalks along Route 116, signage, sidewalk, a gravel path, more parking on connector road.

    Town of Lyndon, Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project: $200,000 

    Installation of four raised crosswalks with curb extensions and four light posts at each crosswalk, upgrading existing ten light posts.

    City of Montpelier, Montpelier’s Downtown Illumination Project: $200,000

    Assessment and repair of street lights and outlets damaged by the July 2023 flood; installation of a new light on State Street; adding permanent lighting systems to Main Street Bridge, Taylor Street Bridge, North Branch Pedestrian Bridge, Winooski Pedestrian Bridge, and Spring Street Bridge.

    Town of Waterbury, Foundry Street and Bidwell Lane Streetscape Improvements: $200,000

    Add wayfinding signage, flower baskets, and illuminated grapevine balls; install sidewalk on Foundry Street; replace street lights.

    Since its inception in 1999, the Downtown Transportation Fund has invested more than $17 million in Vermont’s downtowns and villages. Visit DHCD’s website to learn more about the 2025 Downtown Transportation Fund grantees.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Signs FY26 Budget – Providing Hurricane Helene Relief and Important Investments in Education, Healthcare, and Public Safety

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, House Appropriations Chairman Hatchett, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, and state leaders today signed the budget for Fiscal Year 2026.

    Excerpt of Governor Kemp’s Remarks

    I’m proud to be here with the nation’s best First Lady, Marty Kemp!

    And we’re both thankful for the great legislative partners you see behind us and next to me, including Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Chairman Matt Hatchett, and the members of the General Assembly from both chambers and parties who overwhelmingly voted for this commonsense and balanced budget.

    Speaker Jon Burns and Chairman Blake Tillery couldn’t join us today, but they also worked very hard on this budget and I know they send their regards.

    We’re also glad to be joined by the Constitutional Officers here with us who serve as great partners in safeguarding taxpayer money and keeping government lean and efficient.

    I want to thank OPB Director Rick Dunn and his team, as well, for all the time and hard work they put into the budget process each year alongside our partners in the House and Senate Budget offices. That hefty document on that table that represents our state’s priorities is the result of their hard work and dedication.

    Today, I’ll sign the budget for Fiscal Year 2026 – a budget that makes important investments to meet the needs of our growing state without growing government or adding to our long-term liabilities.

    It represents an impact across so many different areas of our state – including investments in education, public safety, healthcare, infrastructure, and much more.

    Through this budget, we’re again fully funding our schools. We’re also committing:

    • Over 300 million additional dollars for enrollment and expense growth for K-12 education…
    • 49.7 million dollars to promote our students’ mental health and wellbeing…
    • 13 million dollars in new funding to improve literacy for our elementary students…
    • 267 million dollars to fund higher education growth at the University and Technical College Systems, furthering their ability to provide the workforce we need to meet demand…
    • 20 million dollars to replace 227 school buses…
    • And over 141 million dollars to fund the Promise Scholarship Program, delivering on the promise we made last year to students and their families who deserve an education that is right for them.

    We’re also working to promote the health and wellbeing of all Georgians, with:

    • 257 million additional dollars in support for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids expense and enrollment growth… just in case someone tries to tell you we don’t spend more each year on Medicaid…
    • 10 million dollars for significant capital repairs at state hospitals…
    • Over 5 million dollars for salary enhancements for social services eligibility caseworkers, building on previous pay raises for these critical employees…
    • And over 4.5 million dollars to improve maternal health.

    In Fiscal Year 2026, we’re also building on our past work to make Georgia safer, to keep our communities and businesses secure, and to take criminals off our streets.

    This budget includes 200 million dollars for the Department of Corrections to increase Corrections Officer salaries and number of positions… to increase salaries for non-security staff… and to meet other operational needs that will make our prison facilities safer.

    This was a priority for both my administration and leaders in the legislature, and I’m proud we worked together to deliver these investments.

    Other key investments in public safety within this budget include:

    • Over 1.7 million dollars for additional positions and technology at the GBI’s Crime Labs across the state…
    • Over 1 million dollars for two crime scene technical leaders and three digital forensic investigators…
    • 1 million dollars for a gang case management system and gang enforcement efforts statewide…
    • Over 268,000 dollars for Attorney General Chris Carr to expand the Gang Prosecution Unit in the Savannah region… and over 748,000 dollars to expand the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to the Macon and Augusta regions…
    • And over 421,000 dollars to improve operations of the 24/7 hotline to report human trafficking and serve victims through the CJCC… a measure championed by the first lady.

    Last but not least, this budget makes considerable investments in infrastructure statewide… an important factor in keeping us the best place for business and opportunity.

    With 290 million dollars in additional funding going toward transportation projects… and 715 million dollars going to capital projects, including some for K-12 school systems… we are using the funds we have from years of growth to build stronger communities and encourage further investment and success.

    I’m especially proud we’re doing so – for the second straight year – with cash, meaning for two straight years we have not added any new debt.

    That brings our state’s debt service-to-revenue ratio to the lowest level in Georgia history!

    And it ultimately means we’ll save taxpayers 150 million dollars per year for the next 20 years in future debt service costs we won’t have to pay… on top of the billions saved in tax refunds and tax cuts we’ve implemented over the past several years.

    We’re able to take these steps because of our conservative approach to budgeting.

    We don’t follow the path that states like California, New York, Illinois, and others do… They’re growing government and raising taxes to cover budget deficits.

    But here in Georgia, we’re keeping government in check, cutting taxes, and returning taxpayer money where it belongs – back to hardworking Georgians!

    We balance our budgets and encourage economic growth statewide without growing government.

    That’s thanks to this team you see up here that is committed to being good stewards of what Georgians entrust us with.

    So, thank you all, again, for helping us keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family through budgets like this.

    “This budget is a result of deliberate and effective work by Senate Appropriations Chairman Tillery, the subcommittee Chairs and all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “Governor Brian Kemp’s recommendations at the beginning of session provided a great foundation for our work to begin and for us to ultimately pass a budget focused on Georgia’s children, families and future, while reducing unnecessary or redundant government spending. In Georgia, we are continuing to keep government spending in check, while giving money back to taxpayers – where it belongs. I want to thank everyone for their hard work to ensure our state remains fiscally sound, our reserves remain healthy and our citizens get back their hard-earned money with a reduction in the state income tax. I look forward to continuing to prioritize a fiscally conservative philosophy as we look at budgets next session.”

    “This year’s budget reflects the unwavering commitment of the General Assembly to championing strategic investments that will keep our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family for generations to come—all while putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking Georgia taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “Thank you to Governor Kemp, Chairman Hatchett, and each member of the House who worked tirelessly to get this budget across the finish line, securing the current and future success of our great state.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Signs Legislation Cutting Red Tape and Streamlining Government

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, signed SB 96 and HB 113 into law, streamlining government and helping safeguard the state from interference from foreign adversaries.

    SB 96 was a priority of Governor Kemp, sponsored by Senator Drew Echols and carried in the House by Representative Matthew Gambill. It decreases the administrative burden on state agencies by reducing the number of boards that have grown inactive or perform duplicative roles.

    “Every day we serve the people of Georgia, it’s important for us to remember that we work for them,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “It’s our job to help streamline their experiences with the government, make it easier for them to access opportunity, and limit as best we can the challenges they may face in accessing new skills and good careers. Thanks to the diligent work of our partners in the General Assembly, I’m proud to say that the bills I’ve signed today will help us accomplish that.”

    HB 113 was another priority of Governor Kemp, sponsored by Representative Lauren McDonald and carried in the Senate by Senator Bo Hatchett. It directs the Georgia Technology Authority to establish and keep updated a list of companies and products that are produced and/or sold by citizens or governments of countries designated as “foreign adversaries” by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. This list will be utilized by the Department of Administrative Services (“DOAS”) and other state agencies in state purchasing decisions to bring greater security to our state agencies.

    Governor Kemp signed several additional pieces legislation that further his commitment to eliminate government waste and cut red tape:

    HB 148, sponsored by Representative John Carson and carried in the Senate by Senator Billy Hickman, authorizes two additional pathways towards obtaining a CPA, while maintaining the current CPA pathway – 150 Credit Hours, one year of experience, CPA Exam. The first requires a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, two years of experience, and the CPA exam; while the second allows for a Master’s degree in Accounting, one year of experience, and the CPA exam. The other change clarifies that out-of-state CPAs in good standing in their home state and a passing grade on the national CPA exam can practice in Georgia without the need for a second state certification.

    HB 322, sponsored by Representative Lee Hawkins and carried in the Senate by Senator Max Burns, allows the Georgia Board of Dentistry to issue a teacher’s or instructor’s license to applicants who are licensed to practice in another state, country, or territory while they are employed at an accredited school or college.

    HB 579, sponsored by Representative Matt Reeves and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, grants the Professional Licensing Board Division Director administrative approval for licenses – streamlining the licensure process and removing barriers of entry for individuals to get to work in Georgia. 

    HB 630, sponsored by Representative Marcus Wiedower and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, streamlines the administration of the State Board of Registration of Used Motor Vehicle Dealers and Used Motor Vehicle Parts Dealers and clarifies the requirements applicants for licensure must satisfy, while preserving the protections against bad actors within the industry.”.

    HB 635, sponsored by Representative Marcus Wiedower and carried in the Senate by Senator Larry Walker, makes licensing requirements more objective by reducing individual discretion, promoting fairness, and streamlining the three pathways to licensure for Residential Basic, Residential Light Commercial, and Commercial General Contractors.

    SB 125, sponsored by Senator Larry Walker and carried in the House by Representative Lee Hawkins, decouples the pathway to licensure for professional engineers and land surveyors, allowing individuals to take their licensing exam after they graduate from their schooling and before acquiring their experiential requirements. Additionally, this bill authorizes the Secretary of State’s Office to implement a third-party electronic database to monitor the compliance of certain licenses where continuing education courses are required for license renewal. Lastly, the bill revises grammar and out of date language for electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors with few regulatory changes.

    Governor Kemp extends his appreciation to all of those whose diligent work and efforts led to him being able to sign these bills today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ProvisionAi Webinar: Cost Savings and Driving Success – Insights from Scott DeGroot

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRANKLIN, Tenn., May 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ProvisionAi recently hosted an exclusive webinar titled “Cost Savings and Driving Success,” featuring Scott DeGroot, former VP of Global Planning at Kimberly-Clark and current Adjunct Lecturer and Researcher at the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business Global Supply Chain Institute. Moderated by Robert Bowman, Editor-in-Chief of SupplyChainBrain, the webinar offered participants key strategies and real-world insights into achieving significant supply chain improvements.

    In this engaging discussion, DeGroot shared actionable lessons from his successful experiences implementing innovative supply chain strategies that reduced costs, enhanced operational efficiency, and enabled strategic reinvestment in advanced technological systems.

    Key topics covered during the webinar included:

    • Obtaining IT support for supply chain transformation
    • Rapid deployment and leveraging AI-driven supply network planning solutions
    • Using initial successes to identify and seize further business opportunities

    Participants gained practical insights into:

    • Data-Driven Cost Reduction: Utilizing analytics for increased efficiency and waste reduction.
    • AI-Driven Performative Analytics: Enhancing operational efficiency through AI solutions.
    • Strategic Reinvestment: Turning cost savings into investment opportunities for future innovations.

    The initiatives discussed demonstrated notable benefits, including reduced transportation costs, optimized carrier utilization, improved On-Time In-Full (OTIF) delivery rates, and funded further investments in supply chain technology.

    The recorded webinar is now available for viewing at SupplyChainBrain.

    For more information about ProvisionAi and future webinars, please visit www.provisionai.com.

    About ProvisionAi ProvisionAi provides advanced, AI-driven logistics solutions that dramatically improve supply chain performance, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability. Its innovative platforms empower companies to optimize logistics processes and achieve long-term operational excellence.

    Media Contact:

    Tom Moore
    tom.moore@provisionai.com
    Cell: +1 615 417-9591
    ProvisionAi.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Traffic safety tips: Motorcycle safety

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Reports on Success of Operation Relentless Pursuit One Month After the Anti-Crime Effort Began Operations

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MAY 9, 2025

    Jefferson City — In its first four weeks of operations across Missouri, Operation Relentless Pursuit (ORP) has arrested or assisted in the arrest of 148 fugitives wanted for outstanding felony warrants. One-hundred twelve of the arrests were made by ORP officers, and ORP officers assisted other law enforcement agencies in the arrest of 36 other wanted fugitives. The 148 arrests resulted in clearing 251 outstanding arrest warrants.  

    Original arrest charges have included rape, kidnapping, voluntary manslaughter, sex trafficking of a child under 18, sexual misconduct involving a child, possession of child pornography, drug trafficking, domestic assault, assault, burglary, felony stealing, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a controlled substance, and probation violation.

    ORP is a component of Governor Kehoe’s Safer Missouri public safety initiative announced on his first day in office, January 13, 2025. As outlined in Executive Order 25-02, it is a regional anti-crime effort that emphasizes intelligence-led policing and cross-jurisdiction collaboration to apprehend the most dangerous fugitive felons.

    Data analysis showed there were over 17,600 active felony arrest warrants across Missouri in January, which poses a significant threat to public safety since studies show that individuals evading felony warrants are likely to engage in additional criminal activities, further endangering Missourians.      

    “We are extremely impressed with the outstanding work of our joint crime-fighting teams of Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers and sheriffs’ deputies across the state,” Governor Kehoe said. “It has been incredible to see the enthusiasm that law enforcement agencies have for Operation Relentless Pursuit and how many more agencies are joining, or planning to join, these efforts. Taking felons off the streets is dangerous work, but officers are, once again, running toward danger to keep others safe.”

    “These numbers are even more impressive when you consider the amount of intelligence gathering and surveillance work that goes into making these arrests. These are felons who have been avoiding arrest, sometimes for years,” Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Mark James said. “What is making ORP a success is the incredible buy-in we are receiving from law enforcement leadership and the tremendous collaboration, team-effort, and hard work of the officers assigned to this vitally important mission.”

    The 148 ORP arrests and ORP-assisted arrests occurred in 37 counties across the state. Six of the arrests required SWAT team activations because the suspects barricaded themselves to avoid arrest. Six firearms have been seized during the arrests.  

    The initial 37 counties with ORP arrests include:

    • Adair
    • Audrain
    • Bollinger
    • Boone
    • Buchanan
    • Butler
    • Camden
    • Cape Girardeau
    • Cass
    • Clay
    • Crawford
    • Franklin
    • Greene
    • Howell
    • Jackson
    • Laclede
    • Lincoln
    • Madison
    • Miller
    • Mississippi
    • New Madrid
    • Pemiscot
    • Phelps
    • Platte
    • Polk
    • Pulaski
    • Randolph
    • Reynolds
    • Shannon
    • St. Charles
    • St. Francois
    • St. Louis
    • Stoddard
    • Taney
    • Texas
    • Washington
    • Wayne

    There are nine regional ORP teams composed of Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control officer and a local deputy sheriff in each of the nine Patrol troops. These leaders act as liaisons with local law enforcement in the regions. Through May 4, ORP has made arrests or assisted in making arrests with participation from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, at least 24 sheriffs’ offices, at least 11 police departments, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Highlights of ORP arrests include:

    • One of the very first fugitives arrested in Pulaski County, as ORP operations began on April 7, was wanted for five counts of possession of methamphetamine. While taking the  suspect into custody, three other fugitives with possession of methamphetamine warrants were located hiding in the residence and also taken into custody. One of the suspects at the residence was in possession of methamphetamine at the time of his arrest and faces that additional charge.
    • One of the oldest cases cleared was a parole absconder wanted for over 12 years, who was captured in Howell County.
    • On April 28, the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office requested that ORP assist in apprehending a suspect wanted for domestic assault who was allegedly continuing to stalk, harass and threaten the victim. ORP, working with the U.S. Marshal for Western Missouri Task Force, located and surveilled the suspect. When officers attempted to arrest him at a residence, he attempted to escape through a bedroom window and was taken into custody after a foot pursuit. He faces the additional charge of resisting arrest by flight.    

    “Sheriffs and deputies across Missouri see the importance of this effort to rid our state of wanted felons who continue to pose a threat to our communities,” Sheriff Brad Cole, Christian County Sheriff and Operation Relentless Pursuit Co-Coordinator said. “Hunting down and taking the felons into custody takes considerable effort, but our ORP team members and partnering agencies are committed to this program. We are seeing more  sheriffs’ offices participating in ORP and I expect that to continue based on the success of the program.”

    “Partnerships across the state enable us to do what we do best, and we’re just getting started” said Missouri State Highway Patrol Colonel Michael A. Turner. “We are proud to work with many outstanding sheriffs’ offices for our shared mission of working together to make a safer Missouri. The combined resources of troopers and deputies working together during these operations is truly a force multiplier.”

    Last week, DPS Director James, Highway Patrol Col. Michael Turner, Sheriff Cole, U.S. Marshal John Jordan of the Eastern District of Missouri, Acting U.S. Marshal Josh Hillard of the Western District, and other ORP leaders of Missouri met to review early operations and plans for potential expansion due to ORP’s strong start.

    State funds have been requested in Governor Kehoe’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget to pay the cost of the deputy sheriff liaison within each region and overtime costs of participating local law enforcement agencies. Each of the regional liaisons received training from the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Members of the public with information that could lead to the capture of a Missouri fugitive can share it with the ORP team at this link.

    Future data and updates on ORP will be provided by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Secures Conviction of Former Mortgage Broker for Role in Queens Deed Theft Ring

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that she won her case against former mortgage bank branch manager Stacie Saunders for her role in a Queens deed theft ring that stole homes in Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens, owned by elderly or disabled New Yorkers or their estates. Saunders was part of a deed theft ring that fraudulently sold three homes without the knowledge and permission of the rightful property owners, yielding over $1 million from the sale proceeds. After a two-week trial, a jury in Queens found Saunders guilty of all charges. Saunders is the final defendant to be convicted in the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) investigation into the Queens deed theft ring led by Marcus Wilcher. All five defendants charged by OAG have since been convicted.

    “Deed theft is a heartless crime that targets the most valuable assets in vulnerable communities,” said Attorney General James. “With the conviction of Stacie Saunders, my office is proud to have secured justice for the elderly New Yorkers that Saunders and her co-conspirators targeted with their predatory scheme. We will always work to combat deed theft and keep New Yorkers in their homes.”

    Saunders, who was also a licensed real estate salesperson, is the last to be convicted in a deed theft ring that stole three homes in Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens, and attempted to steal an additional home from an elderly homeowner in Jamaica in 2019. The ring included Wilcher, disbarred attorney Anyekache Hercules, Jerry Currin, and Dean Lloyd. Wilcher located homes in Jamaica and St. Albans in poor or run-down condition with absentee owners. Hercules created forged legal documents used to steal and sell the properties and Saunders then marketed the homes to investors at prices significantly below the market rate for quick sales. After an investor expressed interest in purchasing a home, Wilcher would secure personal information about the real owners, including Social Security numbers and birth dates, to create falsified driver’s licenses, social security cards, and bank cards. Wilcher then found people to impersonate the owners of the properties at contract signings and closings. Saunders arranged attorneys, collected closing documents, and scheduled the closings to fraudulently sell the homes. 

    After the sales were finalized, the defendants opened bank accounts in the names of the homes’ real owners and used these bank accounts and other entities and LLCs they controlled to funnel more than $1 million in proceeds to themselves.

    After a two-week trial, a jury in Queens convicted Saunders of 18 total counts, including:

    • Three counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony;
    • Two counts of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class D felony;
    • One count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class E felony;
    • Five counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree, a class C felony;
    • Two counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, a class D felony;
    • Three counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony; and
    • Two counts of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony.

    The maximum sentence on the top count is five to 15 years in prison, with the possibility of consecutive sentences. Saunders will be sentenced on June 11, 2025 by Judge Leigh Cheng.

    In December 2022, Attorney General James announced the arrests and indictments of Wilcher, Saunders, Hercules, Currin, and Lloyd. Hercules, who was previously convicted of Grand Larceny in Kings County in 2018, pleaded guilty to Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree and was sentenced to one and a half to three years in prison. Wilcher pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree and sentenced to three to nine years in prison for the thefts of five homes in July 2024. Jerry Currin and Dean Lloyd pleaded guilty to felony counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree.

    This is the latest in Attorney General James’ efforts to protect New York homeowners from deed theft and other housing-related scams. In February, Attorney General James announced the indictment and arraignment of Satwattie Martinez and Joseph Uwagba for their roles in a deed theft and forgery scam that stole the home and personal funds of an elderly Queens resident. In October 2024, Attorney General James announced the arrests and indictments of Marcia Campbell, her husband Fred Campbell, and their associate Frank Palmer for their roles in a deed theft scheme and a series of real estate investment scams that stole over $250,000 from vulnerable New Yorkers. In September 2024, Attorney General James announced a win after the New York County Supreme Court denied Joseph Makhani’s motion to dismiss the case against him for deed theft. In April 2023, Attorney General James announced two pieces of legislation to strengthen protections and remedies for victims of deed theft, which have both been signed into law. In February 2021, Attorney General James announced an $800,000 grant to combat deed theft in vulnerable neighborhoods. Attorney General James also launched the Protect Our Homes initiative in January 2020 and announced the formation of an interagency law enforcement task force to respond to deed theft and other real estate fraud. 

    The case was investigated for OAG by Detective Supervisor Anna Ospanova, Assistant Chief Samuel Scotellaro, and Deputy Chief Juanita Bright of the Major Investigations Unit. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.

    Assistant Attorneys General Nicholas Kyriacou and Aida Vernon handled the prosecution in this matter under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy, Deputy Bureau Chief Kiran Heer, and Real Estate Enforcement Unit Section Chief Nick Batsidis, with assistance from Senior Analyst Crystal Bisbano. The audit was undertaken by Principal Auditor Investigator Danielle Dudley under the supervision of Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro. The audit team is led by Chief Auditor Kristen Fabbri. Both the Investigations Bureau and the Public Integrity Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Expanding Access to Affordable Child Care

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today signed new legislation as part of the FY26 Enacted Budget to support children and families, including investing $2.2 billion in affordable child care and providing new resources for low-income parents to help them raise healthy babies.

    “Parenthood is an incredible experience — but these days, it’s definitely not cheap,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding access to affordable child care and providing resources to new parents, we’re helping to make New York an even better place to raise a family.”

    The FY26 Budget includes landmark new investments to help families in New York meet the cost of daily necessities and services like child care. These investments include:

    • Expanding access to child care by investing $2.2 billion statewide, including up to $350 million investment to save child care subsidies for tens of thousands of New York City families
    • Investing $110 million in child care capital funding to build new child care facilities and repair existing sites, as well as home-based programs
    • Advancing another nation-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY Benefit
    • Investing $9 million to distribute free diapers and other postpartum supplies to low-income New York families
    • Securing a historic increase in New York’s Child Tax Credit that will provide eligible families with a $1,000 credit for kids younger than 4 years old and a $500 credit for kids ages 4-16, effectively doubling the credit for the average family
    • Providing $340 million to ensure free breakfast and lunch for every K-12 student in New York, over 2.7 million kids, saving families an average of $1,600 per child

    Expanding Access to Child Care and Saving Child Care Subsidies
    The FY26 Budget includes a $400 million investment to save child care subsidies for families statewide through the state’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) with up to $350 million available for tens of thousands of New York City families. Since taking office, State funding for CCAP has more than doubled, bringing low-cost, affordable childcare to a record 150,000 families statewide. These investments in CCAP further build on Governor Hochul’s historic $7 billion investment to expand and improve child care accessibility and affordability for working families. This includes initiatives to help families by raising the eligibility threshold for child care assistance so families of four making up to $108,000 are eligible for child care that costs only $15 per week. The Governor also launched a new online portal last year to make the application process as easy as possible for eligible families.

    Providing Capital Grants for Child Care Providers
    The FY 26 Budget includes $100 million in capital grants for child care providers to renovate and build new child care centers, especially in child care deserts. This investment will help child care providers facilitate opening new seats and serve additional children. Further, $10 million will be made available to family child care providers to renovate and repair their home-based child care locations.

    Establish the Birth Allowance for Beginning Year (BABY) Benefit
    The FY 26 Budget includes $8.5 million to advance another nation-leading initiative to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year) Benefit — to low-income parents on public assistance. As part of her agenda to make New York the best, most affordable place to start and raise a family, Governor Hochul will provide a one-time $1,800 benefit at birth for New Yorkers who receive public assistance when they have a new baby. The BABY Benefit will increase household income for thousands of New York’s most under-resourced families at a most crucial time in their lives, help defray birth-related expenses, and overall ease the financial stress that can come with caring for a new baby. This investment builds on Governor Hochul’s record of support for pregnant people, new parents and infants, ensuring a stronger and more stable foundation for both parent and child, uplifting working families by putting more money in their pockets, and continuing the State’s progress reducing child poverty.

    Free Diapers and Other Postpartum Supplies
    The FY26 Budget includes $9 million to provide an estimated 100,000 families with maternal health and newborn baby resources, educational materials, self-care products and diapers. This funding will be allocated pending approval from the federal government. Governor Hochul will partner with Baby2Baby — a national nonprofit that provides essential items to one million children living in poverty annually — to deliver maternal health and newborn supply boxes to expectant mothers enrolled in Medicaid and those reached through community-based organizations and hospitals serving lower-income areas. Additionally, New York State will distribute millions of diapers to low-income families, with the intent to grow that number each year. Governor Hochul will also expand maternal behavioral health services and will build upon previous investments through the co-location of mental health services into OBGYN practices in high-needs communities across New York State.

    Expanding New York’s Child Tax Credit
    The FY 2026 State Budget includes Governor Hochul’s plan to give 1.6 million New York families an annual tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under age four and up to $500 per child from four through sixteen. This is the largest expansion of New York’s child tax credit in its history — and it will benefit approximately 2.75 million children statewide. This historic expansion will assist families with young children and help families across the income spectrum.

    Governor Hochul’s expansion of the credit will double the size of the average credit going out to families from $472 to $943, providing relief to low-income and middle-income households. A family of four with a toddler and school-age child, earning up to $110,000, would receive a $1,500 annual credit, nearly $1,000 more than under the current program. Even a family of four with an income of $170,000, which was previously ineligible, would receive over $500 per year. Additionally, the Governor’s reforms eliminate a provision that restricted the poorest families from accessing the full credit. Over 187,000 children will now be eligible for the credit. This expansion and reform will help build on New York’s progress reducing child poverty. The credit alone is estimated to reduce child poverty by up to 8.2 percent.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Largest Investment in New York State’s Transportation History

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today signed new legislation as part of the FY26 Enacted Budget to fully fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) $68.4 billion 2025-29 Capital Plan — a move that represents the largest investment in New York State’s transportation history. The plan will enable the MTA to make transformative investments that will include breaking ground on the new Interborough Express (IBX), rehabilitating the Grand Central Artery and improving the overall rider experience.

    “Public transit is the lifeblood of New York and our investments in this century-old system will ensure it can thrive for years to come,” Governor Hochul said. “For too long, leaders had ignored the needs of straphangers and underfunded public transit. When I took office we changed that approach — and now, we’re making long-overdue investments to keep this system strong.”

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “The Governor and legislature have been great supporters of MTA riders and understand the importance of mass transit to New York’s economy. An extraordinary effort went into identifying what needs to be done to maintain the $1.5 trillion asset that is our region’s transportation network. The women and men of the MTA look forward to getting to work on important capital projects that deliver on the Governor’s vision and ensure that New Yorkers keep moving for decades to come.”

    The investment will enable the MTA to:

    • Start construction of the new Interborough Express (IBX) — a transformative new rapid transit service between Brooklyn and Queens
    • Rehabilitate the Grand Central Artery — a four-mile stretch that carries 98 percent of all Metro-North service
    • Purchase thousands of new subway and rail cars
    • Modernize signals to provide faster, more frequent and more reliable service
    • Upgrade maintenance facilities
    • Renew electric power systems to enhance reliability
    • Repair structurally deficient bridges and tunnels
    • Deliver full ADA-accessibility improvements at more than 65 subway and railroad stations
    • Make safety enhancements at stations and across infrastructure systems
    • Install modern fare gates at more than 150 stations to prevent fare evasion
    • Grow its zero-emissions bus fleet to stay on track for a fully-electric fleet by 2040
    • Increase resiliency against flooding and protect the Hudson Line against severe weather

    All of this will be achieved with a funding plan that also includes cuts to the regional Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) for roughly 10,000 small businesses and an elimination of the PMT for self-employed individuals earning $150,000 or less. The plan will also fully eliminate the PMT for all local governments outside of New York City.

    Notably, the FY 2026 Budget also reallocates up to $1.2 billion from the Penn Station redevelopment project to be put towards priority capital projects such as the Interborough Express, safety initiatives, and efforts to reduce fare evasion.

    The MTA’s capital plan will also spend $6 billion on the Metro-North Railroad, including:

    • Rolling stock: Completing the replacement of 40-year-old railcars with new, fully accessible M9A trains for use on the Harlem and Hudson Lines
    • Station platforms and components: Replacing and rehabilitating deteriorating station platforms and other major station components
    • Climate and weather protection: Coordinating investments at the most vulnerable locations – including bridges, culverts, retaining walls, and shoreline structures – to reduce service disruptions and equipment damage caused by extreme weather

    Additionally, the MTA’s capital plan will spend $6 billion on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) which would include:

    • Rolling stock: Purchasing new railcars to allow MTA to retire 1980s-era M3 cars and provide for more reliable new dual-mode locomotives
    • Power system improvements: Replacing or renewing 16 substations making the system more reliable
    • Accessibility: Achieving 98 percent accessibility by making four more stations accessible, including Bellerose, Douglaston, and Cold Spring Harbor

    Finally, the MTA capital plan includes $800 million to advance regional investments that help create additional capacity, connect with underserved communities, and respond to changing populations and land-use patterns. The plan supports projects to reduce conflicts at the nation’s busiest railway junction, electrification and capacity initiatives on the LIRR and MNR, and the evaluation and development of promising improvement and expansion projects.

    The funding plan includes a balanced and responsible mix of local, state, federal and MTA sources as well as new Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) revenues from the region’s largest businesses. In addition to providing $8 billion in total operating aid for the MTA, the FY 2026 Budget will provide a $3 billion State capital appropriation to support the MTA capital plan. The modest change to the Payroll Mobility Tax (PMT) will cause the largest businesses in the region with payrolls of $10 million or more to pay less than one percent more in PMT.

    The FY 2026 Budget also requires the City of New York to provide $3 billion toward the MTA capital plan and requires the MTA to find $3 billion in efficiencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fighting Crime and Keeping New Yorkers Safe

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today signed new legislation as part of the FY26 Enacted Budget to fight crime and reduce recidivism, protect public transit workers and commuters, combat sexual and domestic violence, and enhance the safety and security of correction officers and incarcerated individuals. Highlights of Governor Hochul’s public safety budget priorities include strengthening the State’s discovery statutes, increasing law enforcement presence in the New York City subways, combatting the rise in hate crimes, and cracking down on individuals who use a mask to conceal their identities to commit crimes.

    “Keeping New Yorkers safe has always been and always will be my top priority – and we are delivering a budget that makes record investments to crack down on crime while making commonsense changes that close the revolving door of our court system,” Governor Hochul said. “With this Budget, we are sending a clear message: we will do everything in our power to protect New Yorkers to make our streets, communities and families safer all across our State.”

    Fighting Crime and Reducing Recidivism

    Building upon Governor Hochul’s record investments in proven crime prevention initiatives, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes essential, commonsense changes to New York’s Discovery Laws to support survivors, hold perpetrators accountable and safeguard the right to a fair and speedy trial. The changes will prevent cases from being thrown out over technical errors and eliminate dismissals and disruptions that have re-traumatized survivors of domestic violence and other serious crimes. There is $135 million allocated for prosecutors and defenders to ensure compliance with discovery, a year-to-year increase of $15 million.

    Governor Hochul is investing $347 million in gun violence prevention programs that have helped drive gun violence down by more than 50% when compared to pandemic-era peaks. This includes $50 million for Law Enforcement Technology grants.

    The Budget includes investments to further protect our borders with $8 million to boost the State Police’s enforcement efforts at the Northern Border with dedicated law enforcement and technology to stop transnational criminal organizations and the trafficking of guns, drugs and people.

    New York State continues to combat the rise in hate crimes with $35 million for Securing Communities Against Hate Crimes (SCAHC) program. These grants provide funding to boost safety and security for certain organizations at risk of hate crimes or attacks because of their ideology, beliefs, or mission.

    A new statute creates a Class B misdemeanor to crack down on individuals who use a mask to conceal their identity when committing or fleeing from a Class A misdemeanor or higher.

    $2.3 million for mass violence crisis response preparation. The funding is to support local communities in preparedness and to ensure rapid, coordinated support for survivors and their communities, addressing immediate needs in the aftermath of any mass violence event.

    Protecting Subway Riders and Transit Workers

    The Budget delivers on the Governor’s public safety commitments to continue making our subways safer for all riders and transit workers. These major investments increase the presence of law enforcement, make crucial safety upgrades in protective barriers and LED lighting and continue cracking down on fare evasion.

    The Budget allocates $77 million to partner with NYPD to increase police presence on platforms and trains by temporarily surging patrol levels for six months.

    An additional $45 million for the National Guard’s Joint Task Force – Empire Shield mission will continue to deter and prevent terrorist activity in the New York City area, including transit and commuter hubs.

    New protective barriers installed on subway platforms will protect riders and LED lighting in all subway stations throughout the system to increase visibility throughout the stations.

    Additionally, new fare gate systems in more than 150 subway stations will increase fare collection and improve accessibility.

    Combatting Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

    Supporting survivors remains a top priority for Governor Hochul, as she continues to lead efforts to address sexual assault, domestic violence, gender-based violence and sex trafficking. Through historic investments and bold policy initiatives, New York is setting a national standard for protecting survivors and holding offenders accountable.

    The FY26 Enacted Budget expands protections and services to victims of sexual assault including extending HIV prophylaxis medication coverage to all survivors of sexual assault, and over $3.3 million to increase reimbursement rates for forensic exams and expand virtual forensic exam services in underserved areas.

    The FY26 enacted budget also includes the first funding increase for rape crisis centers in a decade: nearly $13 million – double the funding included in last year’s budget – for the 52 programs across the state certified by the state Department of Health.

    New York State is also expanding victim support services by providing $3.8 million to increase the cap for funeral expenses for homicide victims from $6,000 to $12,000 and increase the compensation for scam victims.

    Governor Hochul continues strengthening support for survivors of gender-based violence by improving access to public assistance for survivors of gender-based violence, and codifying gender-based violence workplace policy that requires vendors doing business with New York State to affirm they have a gender-based violence workplace policy.

    Protecting the Safety and Security of Correctional Staff and Incarcerated Population

    Following the death of Robert Brooks, Governor Hochul directed the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to implement immediate changes to protect the safety and well-being of all DOCCS personnel and incarcerated individuals. The Budget delivers on these crucial changes while working to address safety and quality of life issues by staff following an illegal job action as the department continues to recover, recruit, and rebuild. These changes include:

    Investing over $18 million for the expansion of the body worn camera program and codifying the program to ensure cameras are powered on and recording at all times when employees are interacting with incarcerated individuals; $400 million for the acceleration and continued installation of fixed cameras in all facilities; $7.2 million to expand and restructure the Office of Special Investigations (OSI); and $685 million to stabilize the correctional system as a result of the correction officer strike, including corrections operating costs and the extended deployment of the National Guard.

    Governor Hochul’s Budget also allows the DOCCS Commissioner to designate new programs that incarcerated individuals can participate in and complete to qualify for merit time or limited credit time allowance. These allowances have successfully provided incentives for incarcerated individuals to participate in programming and keep clean disciplinary records. The new programming will help rehabilitate individuals and ensure they are ready for reentry into the community after they have served their time. These changes will promote a safer environment within facilities for both incarcerated individuals and corrections officers.

    Additional funding for the State Commission of Correction (SCOC) oversight of DOCCS: $1.5 million for additional staff to allow the SCOC to conduct regular inspections of DOCCS facilities and enhance other oversight functions

    In order to manage the ongoing staffing shortages of correction officers at New York’s correctional facilities, the Budget allows the Commissioner of Corrections and Community Supervision to hire persons aged 18 and over as corrections officers while the Department works to restore its staffing capacity to sustainable levels. These officers will receive enhanced training and mentorship, and they will be restricted from certain roles that generally require more experience, such as roles that require a firearm or those involving unsupervised contact with incarcerated individuals. Additionally, it authorizes the Commissioner to close up to three correctional facilities with 90 day notification.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Second Leader of Notorious Philadelphia ‘10th and O Crew’ Sentenced to Over Four Years for Opioid Drug Conspiracy

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today in the District of New Jersey to four years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.  

    According to court documents, between March 2019 and March 2024, Frank Procopio, 54, of Philadelphia, engaged in the unlawful sale of prescription oxycodone pills as a leader of South Philadelphia’s notorious “10th and O Crew.” Procopio obtained the pills from doctors’ offices in the area, and he and his co-conspirators worked in shifts to distribute the pills from a 24-hour restaurant.

    During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased pills from one of Procopio’s co-conspirators. A surveillance team then observed the co-conspirator dividing the proceeds of the transaction with Procopio. The photograph below captured Procopio (on the left) after the transaction:

    FBI surveillance photograph of Procopio with a co-conspirator counting money from a controlled buy of oxycodone pills

    In November 2024, Procopio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. In June 2024, Procopio’s brother and co-leader of the 10th and O Crew, Michael Procopio, was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and sentenced to six years in prison in April 2025.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of FBI Philadelphia Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge of the DEA New Jersey Field Division made the announcement.

    The FBI, DEA, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harbour Grace — Harbour Grace RCMP arrest two wanted men after theft from Canadian Tire

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Harbour Grace RCMP recently arrested two men, 43-year-old Dylan Ryan and 46-year-old Michale Squires, both of St. John’s, after receiving a report of a theft from the Canadian Tire in Carbonear.

    On May 6, 2025, at approximately 2:00 p.m., police received a report of a theft that had just occurred at the Canadian Tire store. A $1,000.00 Dewalt table saw was stolen. Two men, who were confronted outside the store by the store’s employees, fled the area in a vehicle. The saw was left behind.

    RCMP located and stopped the suspect vehicle, which was found to be unregistered, on the Veteran’s Memorial Highway near North River. Ryan and Squires, both wanted by the RNC for other criminal offences, were arrested. A search of the vehicle resulted in recovering a quantity of stolen property that had been stolen from another local business. The vehicle was seized and impounded.

    Both men appeared in court on Tuesday, each charged with three counts of theft under $5000.00. Ryan was remanded into custody. His next appearance will take place on May 12, 2025, for the purpose of a bail hearing. Squires was released on a number of conditions. He is set to appear in court on May 21, 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington and California lead coalition of states to challenge Trump’s fake “energy emergency”

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE — Washington state filed suit today alongside 14 other states to challenge the president’s fake “energy emergency,” declared to line the pockets of Big Oil by handing out free passes to pollute our environment.

    On Inauguration Day, President Donald Trump declared a “national energy emergency” under the National Emergencies Act. Congress passed the National Emergencies Act to prevent presidents from declaring national emergencies for frivolous or partisan matters — exactly what the president has done here.

    At the direction of the president, federal agencies are bypassing or shortening critical reviews under the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Historic National Preservation Act for energy projects. These laws play a critical role protecting the environment and human health and protecting our heritage and places sacred to tribes in Washington.

    U.S. energy production is at an all-time high. The country is producing so much oil and natural gas that energy companies do not plan to increase output in response to the president’s order. The president is simultaneously seeking to increase exports which, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, will increase prices for American consumers.

    The only “emergency” is that the president disagrees with policies to address climate change in Washington state and elsewhere. He is illegally using emergency authorities to keep the nation reliant on energy sources like coal, oil, and gas. The order excludes wind, solar, and batteries — among the cheapest and cleanest modern energy sources that exist today. The end goal is clear: eliminate the competition so his oil and gas donors can keep gouging Washingtonians and polluting the state.

    “The president’s attempt to bypass important environmental protections is illegal and would cause immense harm to Washingtonians. This won’t lower prices, increase our energy supply, or make our country safer,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “We’re back in court to hold him accountable.”

    “Environmental regulations exist because we’ve seen what happens when they don’t,” said Casey Sixkiller, director of the Washington Department of Ecology. “The federal administration is proposing an end-run that ignores the hard lessons of the past. These protections aren’t red tape — they’re guardrails that protect our air, water, land, and keep our families safe.”

    Until now federal agencies have only used emergency procedures during actual emergencies such as hurricanes and catastrophic oil spills — for example, the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, where lives were at risk. Now agencies are acting under emergency procedures only due to the president’s order.

    The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, names as defendants President Donald Trump, as well as the head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Both agencies have taken illegal action to implement the president’s directive.

    The attorneys general ask the court to declare the president’s directive, and the agencies’ implementation of it, illegal and stop them from issuing emergency permits under the executive order.  

    Joining Attorney General Brown and Attorney General Rob Bonta in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.

    A copy of the complaint is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties.

    Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján Leads Colleagues in Calling on Trump Administration to Crack Down on U.S. Firearms Flowing to Latin American Drug Cartels

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Administration’s Designation of 8 Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations Unlocks New Tools to Crack Down on Southbound Arms Trafficking  
    Over 200,000 American Firearms Flow into Mexico Every Year, Fueling Gang Violence and Drug and Human Trafficking 
    Washington, D.C – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), along with U.S. Representatives Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Rob Menendez (D-N.J.), led 14 of their colleagues—including U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.)—in urging the Trump administration to use its recent designation of Latin American cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) to take aggressive action to stop the illegal trafficking of American firearms across the Southern Border.
    In a letter addressed to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the lawmakers called for a coordinated federal response to stem the flow of hundreds of thousands of American firearms that arm violent drug cartels, fuel lawlessness along the Southern Border, and bring drugs into communities across the United States. 
    “We were pleased that President Trump agreed to address the outflow of hundreds of thousands of American-made firearms across the southern border when he initially postponed the implementation of tariffs on our ally Mexico. Accordingly, we urge you to utilize the FTO designation to take aggressive action to stem the flow of American guns to the cartels,” the Members wrote. 
    Anywhere between 200,000 and 500,000 American firearms are smuggled across U.S. borders into Mexico every year, arming Latin American criminal organizations that have used them to undermine domestic law enforcement and assert control over fentanyl and human trafficking operations back into the United States. 
    “The new FTO designation for these cartels provides additional legal tools to bolster interagency coordination, disrupt their financial networks, and impose stricter penalties on those who provide material support to these criminal enterprises. Specifically, under current statute, it is unlawful to knowingly provide material support or resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and those who do so can be fined or imprisoned for up to 20 years,” the Members continued. 
    The members urged the administration to effectively and strategically employ the full suite of legal options this new designation enables and offered their assistance to empower it to specifically address the “Iron River” of American firearms that are fueling violence and destruction in communities across the United States and Mexico. 
    “We hope that you move swiftly and use these new legal authorities to combat southbound arms trafficking. We stand ready to assist in this effort in any way we can, including through legislation that expands your programmatic authorities to address this critical issue,” the Member concluded.  
    In addition to Senators Luján and Bennet and Representatives Goldman and Menendez, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), along with U.S. Representatives Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), J. Luis Correa (D-Calif.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), Timothy Kennedy (D-N.Y.), and Nellie Pou (D-N.J.).
    Read the letter here or below: 
    Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Attorney General Bondi: 
    We write to you today regarding the Trump Administration’s recent designation of eight Latin American cartels and gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), a move aimed at addressing the growing harms these organizations are causing in the United States. As you know, the primary source of strength and control that these criminal organizations exert over the U.S./Mexico border stems from one source: American firearms. We were pleased that President Trump agreed to address the outflow of hundreds of thousands of American-made firearms across the southern border when he initially postponed the implementation of tariffs on our ally Mexico. Accordingly, we urge you to utilize the FTO designation to take aggressive action to stem the flow of American guns to the cartels.  
    It is a well-established fact that the overwhelming majority of the weapons used by Latin American cartels are manufactured in the United States. In fact, anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000 are smuggled into Mexico every single year and a whopping 70 percent of firearms recovered at crime scenes in Mexico are traced to the U.S. Alarmingly, although Mexico has just a single gun store in the entire country, it still endures approximately 30,000 firearm related deaths every year. This steady supply of weapons coming in from the north has allowed these criminal organizations to gain control over fentanyl and human trafficking across the border and undermine Mexican law enforcement. 
    Put simply, if we do not stop the flow of American-made guns across the southern border to Mexico, we cannot stop the flow of fentanyl into our country over that same border.  
    The new FTO designation for these cartels provides additional legal tools to bolster interagency coordination, disrupt their financial networks, and impose stricter penalties on those who provide material support to these criminal enterprises. Specifically, under current statute, it is unlawful to knowingly provide material support or resources to a Foreign Terrorist Organization and those who do so can be fined or imprisoned for up to 20 years. Individuals and entities that provide weapons, funds, equipment, or other tangible support to designated terrorist organizations can face serious federal prosecution if found liable.   
    To leverage this designation most effectively, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of State (DOS) must take immediate steps to crack down on the “Iron River” of illegal arms flowing into Mexico by taking the following actions: 
    Increasing interagency cooperation to track, target, and dismantle smuggling rings that facilitate weapons trafficking across the Mexican border.  
    Expanding inspections at border crossings to intercept vehicles carrying firearms, related munitions, and other contraband into Mexico.  
    Increasing law enforcement efforts against straw purchasers and firearm dealers that knowingly provide material support to smugglers.  
    Strengthening our intelligence-sharing with Mexican authorities and trusted partners to target and disrupt arms traffickers and their networks. 
    Given that this issue has been a key topic of discussion between President Trump and President Sheinbaum of Mexico – which has resulted in the U.S. government agreeing to work together to stop the flow of firearms into Mexico – we hope that you move swiftly and use these new legal authorities to combat southbound arms trafficking. We stand ready to assist in this effort in any way we can, including through legislation that expands your programmatic authorities to address this critical issue.  
    Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to continuing to work with you on this issue. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pharmaceutical Manufacturer Assertio Therapeutics Inc. Agrees to Pay $3.6M to Resolve Allegations that It Violated the False Claims Act in Connection with Marketing its Fentanyl Product

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    The Justice Department announced today that Assertio Therapeutics Inc., formerly known as Depomed Inc., (Assertio), a pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, has agreed to pay $3.6 million to resolve claims that Assertio violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing the submission of false claims for the transmucosal immediate-release fentanyl (TIRF) drug Lazanda for individuals who did not have breakthrough cancer pain.

    Lazanda, a fentanyl nasal spray, is approved by the FDA solely for break-through cancer pain in patients who are already receiving and who are tolerant to opioid therapy for their underlying persistent cancer pain. The United States alleges that, between 2013 and 2017, Assertio, which was known as Depomed at the time, caused the submission of false claims to the Medicare and TRICARE programs by focusing its marketing on pain specialists who were prescribing high volumes of TIRF products, including those who were flagged for diversion or who were later indicted. The United States further alleges that Assertio placed high-volume TIRF prescribers on its speakers’ bureau and advisory boards and developed its “Signature Support Program” to ensure that Lazanda prescriptions would be approved by insurance companies, including Medicare Part D plans. The United States contends that Assertio’s marketing efforts caused prescribers to write Lazanda prescriptions for Medicare and TRICARE beneficiaries who did not have breakthrough cancer pain, resulting in the submission of false claims to Medicare and TRICARE from thirteen high-volume prescribers.

    “This company took steps to boost its profits despite the risk of boosting the deadly opioid epidemic, said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia. “Our office will continue to seek out violations like this that demonstrate a brazen disregard for the safety of the public.”

    “At a time when communities across the country are still dealing with the devasting impact of the opioid epidemic, pharmaceutical companies have a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of integrity,” said Acting Assistant Director Darren Cox of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This settlement reflects the FBI’s unwavering commitment to protecting public health and holding those accountable who fuel addiction and defraud federal healthcare programs through deceptive marketing of powerful drugs like fentanyl.”

    “Violations of the False Claims Act such as the illegal prescribing practices alleged in this settlement are especially egregious considering the opioid epidemic,” said Deputy Inspector General Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure health care providers and corporations involved in schemes that threaten patient safety are held accountable.”

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the FCA by Noelle Webb and Nicole Novellino, who previously worked at Assertio as sales representatives. The FCA authorizes private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Webb et al. v. Assertio Therapeutics Inc., f/k/a Depomed, Inc., No. 1:17-02309 (D.D.C.). Pursuant to the settlement, relators will receive a $657,000 share of the settlement amount.

    The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia handled this matter. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, led by its Washington Field Office; the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations; and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation and resolution.

    Today’s settlement illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    Senior Trial Counsel Sarah Arni, Trial Attorney Matthew Arrow, and Assistant Director Natalie Waites of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darrell Valdez for the District of Columbia handled this matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Leader of Notorious Philadelphia ‘10th and O Crew’ Sentenced to Over Four Years for Opioid Drug Conspiracy

    Source: United States Department of Justice

    A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today in the District of New Jersey to four years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.  

    According to court documents, between March 2019 and March 2024, Frank Procopio, 54, of Philadelphia, engaged in the unlawful sale of prescription oxycodone pills as a leader of South Philadelphia’s notorious “10th and O Crew.” Procopio obtained the pills from doctors’ offices in the area, and he and his co-conspirators worked in shifts to distribute the pills from a 24-hour restaurant.

    During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased pills from one of Procopio’s co-conspirators. A surveillance team then observed the co-conspirator dividing the proceeds of the transaction with Procopio. The photograph below captured Procopio (on the left) after the transaction:

    FBI surveillance photograph of Procopio with a co-conspirator counting money from a controlled buy of oxycodone pills

    In November 2024, Procopio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. In June 2024, Procopio’s brother and co-leader of the 10th and O Crew, Michael Procopio, was convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and sentenced to six years in prison in April 2025.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of FBI Philadelphia Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge of the DEA New Jersey Field Division made the announcement.

    The FBI, DEA, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Cegedim: plan to transfer its shares to Euronext Growth Paris.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

     

    PRESS RELEASE

    Stock market information

    Boulogne-Billancourt, 9 May 2025 –

    Cegedim, an innovative technology and services group, announces its plan to transfer its shares to Euronext Growth® Paris.

    At its next Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting on 13 June 2025, shareholders will be asked to approve the proposed delisting of CEGEDIM S.A. shares from the Euronext Paris regulated market and their concomitant admission to trading on Euronext Growth, within 12 months of the Shareholders’ Meeting of 13 June 2025.

    Such a transfer would enable CEGEDIM S.A to improve the share’s visibility and attractiveness, placing it among the top 30 market capitalizations on Euronext Growth. As part of this change, the Company would move to a less-regulated market, which entails some regulatory relief, but will continue to maintain the best practices described below.

    CEGEDIM S.A. currently meets the conditions for eligibility for the transfer procedure, i.e. a market capitalization of less than one billion euros and a public float of at least 2.5 million euros. These conditions must be met on the date of the transfer request. In addition, the Company is up to date with its Euronext disclosure obligations and will engage the services of a listing sponsor within the timeframe required by current regulations.

    Subject to the approval of this project by the shareholders at the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting on 13 June 2025 and the agreement of Euronext, this direct listing will be carried out by means of an accelerated procedure for the admission to trading of the Company’s existing shares, without the issuance of new shares.

    In accordance with current regulations, CEGEDIM S.A. informs its shareholders of the main possible consequences of such a transfer (non-exhaustive list):

    – Periodic information

    The Company will publish, within four months of the end of the financial year, an annual report including its annual and consolidated financial statements, a management report and the reports of the statutory auditors.

    The Company will also publish, within four months of the end of the first half of the year, a half-yearly report including its consolidated half-yearly financial statements and a business report relating to these statements. The half-yearly financial statements no longer have to be audited by the statutory auditors.

    The Company will continue to publish the four quarterly revenue figures, to apply IFRS standards for the consolidated financial statements and to comply with CSRD requirements for sustainability information, the change in market having no impact on this subject.

    Lastly, the following information in the management report (including the corporate governance report) will no longer be required:

    – information relating to the remuneration of corporate officers,

    – information having an impact in the event of a public offer;

    – and the content of the corporate governance report will be streamlined.

    – Permanent information

    The Company will continue to inform the public of any information likely to have a significant impact on the share price (insider information). Regulated information (and in particular insider information) must always be disseminated effectively and in full. The Company will continue to use a professional disseminator.

    The Company will continue to draw up lists of insiders, and senior executives and managers will continue to make declarations of securities transactions to the AMF.

    -Composition of the Board – Corporate governance

    The Company will continue to apply the rules on parity on the Board set out in Article L.225-18-1 of the French Commercial Code. These parity rules are also in line with the Company’s CSR commitments.

    The Company will continue to be subject to the legal provisions of articles L.823-19 et seq. of the French Commercial Code concerning audit committees. More generally, the existing committees will be maintained, as the Company does not wish to change its good governance practices.

    – Executive remuneration

    The Shareholders’ Meeting will no longer be required to approve the remuneration policy for corporate officers or to approve the remuneration paid or awarded to corporate officers in respect of the previous financial year.

    – Shareholders’ Meetings

    The press release specifying the terms of availability of the documents submitted to the meeting will no longer be required.

    The preparatory documents for the meeting and other documents (including the total number of voting rights and shares existing at the date of publication of the prior notice) will no longer be required to be posted online twenty-one days before the date of the Shareholders’ Meeting, but on the date of the notice of meeting.

    The results of votes and the minutes of the Shareholders’ Meeting will continue to be posted on the Company’s website.

    – Disclosure thresholds – Public offer

    The protection of minority shareholders, in the event of a change of control, will be ensured on Euronext Growth Paris by the mechanism of a mandatory public offer in the event of crossing, directly or indirectly,
    alone or in concert, the threshold of 50% of the capital or voting rights.

    Furthermore, companies listed on Euronext Growth Paris only need to communicate to the market, in terms of changes in shareholding, the crossing of thresholds (upwards or downwards) of 50% and 90% of the capital or voting rights.

    However, in accordance with legal provisions, the company will remain subject, for a period of 3 years from its delisting from the Euronext Paris market, to the public offer regime and the maintenance of information obligations relating to threshold crossings and declarations of intentions as applicable to companies listed on Euronext Paris.

    – Liquidity of the share

    As Euronext Growth is a less-regulated market, the transfer to Euronext Growth Paris could result in a change in the liquidity of CEGEDIM S.A. shares, which could differ from the liquidity observed on the regulated Euronext Paris market. The Company confirms that the liquidity contact currently in place will be maintained after the market transfer.

    The transfer could also lead some investors, favoring shares of issuers listed on a regulated market, to sell their CEGEDIM S.A. shares. After studying the composition of its shareholder base, the Company has identified only a very limited number of funds whose prospectuses exclude the possibility of investing on Euronext Growth.

    Provisional timetable for the transaction (subject to approval by Euronext)

    24 April 2025 Decision by the Board of Directors to submit the proposed transfer to Euronext Growth to the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting and adoption of the reasoned report.
    9 May 2025 after close of trading Public information on the proposed transfer to Euronext Growth (1st press release)
    13 June 2025 Shareholders’ Meeting
    – AGM vote on the proposed transfer
    – delegation of powers to the Board of Directors
    13 June 2025 If the Shareholders’ Meeting votes in favor, the Board of Directors will be convened to implement the transfer of the Company’s shares from Euronext to Euronext Growth.

    If the Board of Directors votes in favor, immediate public announcement of the definitive decision to transfer (2nd press release) – Application to delist the shares from Euronext Paris and apply for them to be admitted to Euronext Growth.
    No earlier than 13 August 2025 Delisting of shares from Euronext Paris and listing of CEGEDIM S.A. shares on Euronext Growth.

    Shareholders’ agenda: Shareholders’ Meeting on 13 June 2025

    About Cegedim:
    Founded in 1969, Cegedim is an innovative technology and services group in the field of digital data flow management for healthcare ecosystems and B2B, and a business software publisher for healthcare and insurance professionals. Cegedim employs nearly
    6,700 people in more than 10 countries and generated revenue of over €654 million in 2024.
    Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
    To learn more please visit: www.cegedim.fr
    And follow Cegedim on X: @Cegedimgroup, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

    Aude Balleydier
    Cegedim
    Media Relations and
    Communications Manager

    Tel.: +33 (0)1 49 09 68 81
    aude.balleydier@cegedim.fr

    		 Damien Buffet
    Cegedim
    Head of
    Financial Communication

    Tel.: +33 (0)7 64 63 55 73
    damien.buffet@cegedim.com

    		 Céline Pardo
    Becoming RP Agency
    Media Relations Consultant

    Tel.:         +33 (0)6 52 08 13 66
    cegedim@becoming-group.com

    		  

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Highway improvements coming to southern Interior

    Almost 630 kilometres of highways and side roads in B.C.’s southern Interior will be upgraded to provide better driving surfaces for residents, travellers and goods movement.

    As part of these projects, 88 kilometres of lanes (lane kilometres) on Highway 97 and nearby side roads between Vernon and Oyama will be resurfaced. The $11-million contract to complete the work has been awarded to Okanagan Aggregates, with completion expected in summer 2025.

    Other major resurfacing projects taking place in the region over the coming months:

    • Highway 97, Trout Creek to Summerland and area side roads (80.5 lane km):
      • conventional asphalt resurfacing;
    • Highway 97, West Kelowna & Highway 33 at Rutland (73 lane km):
      • conventional asphalt resurfacing;
    • Highway 23, Nakusp to Galena Bay (103 lane km):
      • seal coat;
    • Highway 1, Malakwa Four Lanes and area side roads (46 lane km):
      • conventional asphalt resurfacing;
    • Highway 3, Sunday Summit to Princeton (101 lane km):
      • hot in-place recycling;
    • Highway 5, Cedarside to Tete Jaune and side roads (60 lane km):
      • conventional asphalt resurfacing; and
    • Columbia Valley side roads (73 lane km):
      • conventional asphalt resurfacing.

    In 2025, almost $57 million is being invested to resurface southern Interior highways and local roads, ensuring a safe and comfortable driving experience.

    Drivers are reminded to observe construction-zone speed limits and the directions of traffic-control workers. Updates about delays and closures are available at: https://www.drivebc.ca/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: 60 Million Reasons To Check The Highway Hotline This Past Year

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 9, 2025

    Today, Highways Minister David Marit announced the Highway Hotline’s digital platform was checked by motorists over the last year more than 60 million times – a new record for Saskatchewan’s provincial road information service.

    “Thank you to all drivers who take the time to check the Highway Hotline to make an informed decision before heading out on the road,” Marit said. “Understanding what may be on the road ahead can help you plan safer and more efficient trips, which supports our quality of life and export-based economy.”

    From April 2024 to March 2025, the Highway Hotline website had over 40 million pageviews, while its mobile app had a total of more than 20 million. A key contributing factor to this record was more storms this winter than previous.

    From April 2023 to March 2024 the Highway Hotline website had over 10 million pageviews, while its mobile app had more than 3 million for a total of 13 million views overall. The previous winter was milder.

    The Highway Hotline began more than 50 years ago as a telephone service answered by staff. It continues providing that service via modern automated audio reports of road conditions by dialing 1-888-335-7623 (across Canada) or 511 (within Saskatchewan) and using touch tone technology. About 33,000 calls are received a year.

    The service has evolved to include the latest version of the Highway Hotline mobile app available for free in the Google and Apple online stores.

    The service has more than 50 camera locations that can be seen online at https://hotline.gov.sk.ca/cctv or by using the mobile app, while the Track My Plow is a Highway Hotline winter feature showing motorists where a snowplow has recently been clearing snow or treating ice.

    Motorists are reminded to continue checking the Highway Hotline throughout the year at https://hotline.gov.sk.ca/map as it provides information such as construction zones, weather, ferry crossings, parks, along with closures and incidents related to vehicle collisions, forest and grass fires.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Getting Albertans back to work

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Strong Leads Bipartisan Effort to Support Veterans, Law Enforcement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Dale Strong (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Representatives Dale W. Strong (R-AL), Lou Correa (D-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), and Glenn Ivey (D-MD) introduced the Supporting Every at-Risk Veteran In Critical Emergencies (SERVICE) Act.  Nine additional Members joined as original cosponsors of the bill.

    The SERVICE Act would establish a pilot program to allow local law enforcement agencies to use the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants to establish dedicated “Veterans Response Teams” within departments to respond to emergency calls involving veterans in crisis.  

    A Veterans Response Team is a team of law enforcement officers who also have a background in military service. Members of the team would be available 24/7 to respond to instances of a veteran in crisis, including mental health or substance abuse situations. Following the initial response, members of the team would assist in connecting the individual with community and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) resources.  

    “The SERVICE Act is a crucial step toward ensuring our veterans get the care and understanding they deserve in times of crisis,” said Rep. Dale Strong. “We owe our servicemembers a debt that cannot be repaid, and it is my honor to introduce this legislation and work toward providing our veterans with the compassionate and effective resources they need. This legislation honors their service by meeting them with support, not stigma.”

    “When our nation’s veterans return home, we owe it to them to make sure they’re met with the support they deserve and have earned—and we must keep our moral commitment to them,” said Rep. Lou Correa. “Many of our veterans return home with invisible wounds and respond better to their fellow veterans in times of need. This common-sense, bipartisan legislation is key to fulfilling our promise to those who’ve offered their lives for our freedom—and will save countless lives along the way.”

    “Research shows that when a veteran is in crisis, they are most receptive to help and support provided by fellow veterans. Nearly 20% of our U.S. law enforcement has served in the military, and they are undoubtedly the most well-equipped to respond to other veterans in need,” said Rep. Maria Salazar. “Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our freedoms, and we owe them the best care possible when they return from their service. I am proud to co-lead the SERVICE Act to provide support to our brave men and women in uniform.”     

    “Veterans have served us in our nation’s time of need. Now we must keep this sacred covenant to serve our veterans in their darkest hour. The SERVICE Act will help them get mental health services and prevent suicides. Service men and women who now face PTSD, psycho-social trauma, and physical symptoms of being in war zones across our world must get treatment for what ails them,” said Rep. Glenn Ivey. “My father and father-in-law both served in the military, so I know what it means to be a part of a military family. They deserve the respect and dignity of getting the care they rightly earned. I co-lead this bill because this is about doing what’s best for veterans in crisis and helping our law enforcement personnel assist in this effort.”  

    This program was first implemented in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now serves as the blueprint for the state. Sergeant Dave Corlett (Ret.), a veteran himself, established the program and maintains that having a fellow veteran respond to these calls is more effective in de-escalating and ensuring that veterans are aware of the resources available to them.  

    “I couldn’t be more thrilled than to hear about the reintroduction of the SERVICE Act. As a military veteran and 30-year first responder, I have seen the effects of trauma on our warfighters. We all want to reduce the stigma of seeking help for mental health issues and reduce the number of military and first responder suicides. This program has proven itself in the real world to be a great step in that direction,” said Dave Corlett.

    The SERVICE Act has been endorsed by the American Legion, Hope for the Warriors, Vietnam Veterans of America, Military Order of the Purple Heart, National Policing Institute, Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association, and the CJ3 Foundation.

    Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) strongly supports this legislation, saying, in part: “The SERVICE Act will provide veterans in law enforcement with tools and training to help our fellow veterans and the law enforcement community to better deal with veterans in crisis,” said Jack McManus, National Vietnam Veterans of America President. “The SERVICE Act presents an opportunity to improve community relations while saving the lives of our nation’s veterans.”

    “At HOPE for the Warriors, we stand firmly behind the SERVICE Act as a critical lifeline for veterans in crisis,” said Robin Kelleher, Hope for the Warriors CEO. “By empowering specialized Veteran Response Teams—who truly understand the unique challenges veterans face—communities can respond with compassion, defuse crisis situations more effectively, and create safer, healthier outcomes for everyone involved.”

    “Having served in both the military and law enforcement, I believe we have a sacred duty to support those who have protected us. Our veterans, much like our law enforcement officers, have answered the call in our nation’s time of need,” said Sheriff Eli Rivera, Small and Rural Law Enforcement Executives Association President. “This bill presents an opportunity to uphold that covenant, ensuring our veterans receive the care and resources they deserve in their darkest hour. SRLEEA is committed to advocating for policies that honor and support our nation’s heroes, both on and off the battlefield.”

    “The SERVICE Act is a vital and strategic support for the critical role of trained veterans in responding to their peers in times of need—because no one understands a veteran like another veteran,” said Jim Burch, President of the National Policing Institute. “By establishing dedicated Veterans Response Teams, law enforcement can provide immediate, informed, and empathetic care, bridging the gap between crisis intervention and long-term support.”  

    “CJ3 Foundation is proud to endorse Congressman Dale Strong’s introduction of the Supporting Every at Risk Veteran In Critical Emergencies (SERVICE) Act of 2025, which proposes that the Attorney General support the creation and operation of ‘Veterans Response Teams’ in the law enforcement agencies of states, local government, and similar entities to assist veterans in need and strengthen local law enforcement relationships with the veteran communities they serve,” said Eric Thomas, CJ3 Foundation Founder and Director.

    Original cosponsors of the SERVICE Act include Representatives Lou Correa (D-CA), Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Clay Higgins (R-LA), Derek Tran (D-CA), David Valadao (R-CA), Don Davis (D-NC), Barry Moore (R-AL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Maggie Goodlander (D-NH), and Mike Rogers (R-AL).

    BACKGROUND:  

    There were 6,407 veteran suicides in 2022, according to the most recent VA data. Most veterans who committed suicide were not receiving any form of care at the VA.

    VA studies suggest that strides can be made toward prevention with greater community-based intervention and coalition-building and by increasing awareness of and access to mental health services, among other things.  

    It is estimated that 20-25% of law enforcement officers have a background in military service. Establishing Veterans Response Teams affords an opportunity for positive engagement for veterans both within their departments and within their broader communities – which could assist in the transition between military and civilian life and improve recruitment and retention efforts within law enforcement.  

    To that end, the SERVICE Act aims to take steps toward assisting veterans in crisis by allowing DOJ COPS grants to be used to:  

    • Train and educate law enforcement officers on mental health issues related to military service.  
    • Outfit law enforcement officers with insignia that indicate their branch of service.  
    • Provide overtime pay for law enforcement officers who participate in a Veterans Response Team.  
    • Grow awareness of the program within their communities and promote VA resources.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Quantum computers could crack the security codes used by satellites

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Panagiotis (Panos) Vlachos, PhD Researcher in Post-Quantum Cryptography, Queen’s University Belfast

    ESA

    Satellites are the invisible backbone of modern life. They guide airplanes, help us find our way with GPS, deliver TV and internet, and even help emergency services respond to disasters. But a new kind of computer – quantum computers – could put all of this at risk.

    Quantum computers are not just faster versions of today’s computers. They work in a completely different way, using the peculiar rules of quantum physics. While they have not yet reached their full capabilities, quantum computers are expected to be game changing provided that the technological hurdles can be overcome.

    For example, they are expected to be able to solve certain mathematical problems that would take classical computers millions of years. In some cases, quantum computers could solve such difficult problems in just seconds or minutes.

    It’s very difficult to predict exactly when practical quantum computers will become available. However, progress is being made both in the design of more powerful quantum processors and in overcoming other hurdles to their development.

    The new capabilities presented by quantum computers could help push forward areas such as science and medicine. For example, they could carry out the complex simulations needed to design new materials and more effective drugs. They could also improve our simulations of the Earth’s future climate.

    However, there’s a catch: quantum computers could also break the codes that keep our digital world safe.

    Experts around the world are working urgently to develop new kinds of digital “locks” that can’t be cracked by quantum computers – an area known as “post-quantum cryptography”. These new codes are being tested and approved by international bodies, while governments are starting to plan how to upgrade everything from satellites to bank systems.

    The digital locks that protect satellite signals, bank accounts and private messages are based on mathematical puzzles that regular computers can’t solve quickly. Quantum computers, however, would be able to crack these puzzles with ease.

    You might think that satellites are safe because they’re far away and hard to reach. But as the technology required to attack them becomes cheaper and more widely available, satellites are becoming targets for hackers and hostile governments. Today, it’s possible for skilled attackers to intercept satellite signals or try to send fake commands.

    Staying ahead of the curve

    Most satellites are designed to last for decades. This means the security systems we put in place now need to be strong enough to withstand not just today’s threats but tomorrow’s as well – including the threat from quantum computers.

    In the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre has published a roadmap for moving to quantum-safe security. It has set a date of 2035 by which organisations should aim to migrate all their systems to post-quantum cryptography – the new digital codes that should protect against hacking by quantum computers. The message is clear: both private- and public-sector organisations need to start preparing now, so that by the time quantum computers are ready, our most important systems – including satellites – are already protected.

    Updating a satellite’s security isn’t as simple as updating your phone’s software. Once a satellite is in orbit, it’s very hard – sometimes impossible – to change its systems. That’s why new satellites being designed today must use quantum-resistant security from the start.

    It’s also necessary to design these systems so they can work efficiently across more than one satellite, because some spacecraft are designed to collaborate with each other in what are known as “swarms”.

    If we don’t act now, the data sent to and from satellites could one day be read or even tampered with by anyone with a powerful enough quantum computer. That could mean anything from disrupted GPS signals to attacks on emergency communications or threats to national security.

    No country can solve this problem alone. It will take scientists, engineers, governments and international organisations working together to make sure our digital infrastructure is ready for the quantum age.

    The good news? The world is already moving in this direction. By building in the protections against quantum computers now, satellites that connect and protect us can be secured – no matter what the future brings.

    Panagiotis (Panos) Vlachos’s employer, Mastercard, covers his tuition fees. He is an active volunteering member of CyberPeace Builders and ISC2’s Code TaskForce.

    – ref. Quantum computers could crack the security codes used by satellites – https://theconversation.com/quantum-computers-could-crack-the-security-codes-used-by-satellites-256167

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fugitive Wanted for Murder in Saint Lucia Indicted in Atlanta on Firearm Charge

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

    ATLANTA – Orville Andrew Pernell, also known as “Oneil Christopher Reid,” 32, of Saint Mary, Jamaica, was arraigned today before the Honorable John K. Larkins, III, United States Magistrate Judge, on a federal charge of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States.  Pernell was indicted by a federal grand jury seated in the Northern District of Georgia on April 23, 2025.

    “Pernell is an international fugitive who was charged with murder before escaping custody in both Saint Lucia and Jamaica, and then unlawfully entering the United States under a false identity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard S. Moultrie, Jr. “Our office is proud of the collaborative work of our United States, Saint Lucian, and Jamaican law enforcement partners whose efforts resulted in Pernell’s identification and apprehension.”

    “Law enforcement collaboration is instrumental in apprehending violent individuals locally and internationally,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka. “This arraignment sends a direct message to criminals that ATF and our local and international law enforcement partners will investigate and protect its citizens.”

    “This case demonstrates the far-reaching impact of Homeland Security Investigations in identifying and apprehending fugitives who pose a threat to public safety across international borders,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Pernell’s ability to evade law enforcement in multiple countries and unlawfully enter the United States under a false identity underscores the importance of strong global partnerships. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of HSI and our domestic and international counterparts, a dangerous individual is now off the streets and facing justice.”

    According to Acting U.S. Attorney Moultrie, Jr., the charges, and other information presented in court: Pernell was charged with the murder of Clius Alfred in Saint Lucia on October 8, 2020.  He then escaped custody in Saint Lucia while awaiting trial.  He was arrested in Jamaica on July 21, 2021, but then escaped Jamaican custody while awaiting his extradition to Saint Lucia.

    Pernell was then encountered by immigration authorities on December 7, 2022, when he attempted to illegally enter the United States via an unmanned border area near the San Ysidro point of entry.  He gave the false name of “Oneil Christopher Reid” and was allowed to enter the United States pending further immigration proceedings.

    On July 21, 2023, Pernell, using the Reid alias, was stopped by the Clayton County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office after being observed traveling 115 miles per hour on a motorcycle.  He attempted to flee but was forced to stop after he encountered a heavily congested intersection.  Once he was stopped, officers determined that the motorcycle he was driving was stolen. During a search that followed, officers found a firearm in the front pocket of his jacket.  Officers also determined that the firearm was stolen from a Southern Freight Lines firearms shipment.  He was arrested for possession of a stolen motorcycle, possession of a stolen firearm, and attempting to evade arrest.

    Pernell is facing federal charges of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully present in the United States.  He has been ordered detained pending trial, and is subject to removal and extradition back to Saint Lucia once the proceedings in the United States are concluded.

    Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains a charge.  The defendant is presumed innocent of the charge and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

    This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

    Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wylly is prosecuting the case.

    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).

    For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6280.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

    MIL Security OSI –