Paz Gomez-Magdaleno, a 43-year-old resident of Cameron County, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 60,
120 and 240 months for the transportation of undocumented noncitizens, possession of child pornography, and enticement of a minor, respectively.
Corporación Financiera Colombiana S.A. (Corficolombiana), a Colombian financial services institution, has agreed to pay over $80 million to resolve
parallel bribery investigations by criminal, civil, and administrative authorities in the United States and Colombia stemming from the company’s
involvement in a scheme to pay millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking government officials in Colombia.
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier Tracy Rumley of El Cajon was sentenced in federal court this morning to five years of probation
and 200 hours of community service for stealing mail from customers on her postal route in the Santee area of San Diego.
New York Man Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $1 Million
For Immediate
Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey
NEWARK, N.J. B A New York man
was arrested this morning on charges he fraudulently obtained more than $1 million in a COVID-19 scheme, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger
announced.
Terrell Fuller, 33, of Brooklyn, New York, is
charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. Fuller is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edward S. Kiel
in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and
statements made in court:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (CARES) Act was a federal law enacted in or around March 2020 that was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to
Americans suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act enabled the Small Business Association (SBA) to offer
funding through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program to business owners negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In September 2021, a fraudulent EIDL
application was made to the SBA on behalf of a business. The SBA provided $1.2 million in response to the application. According to a
representative of the business, the business did not make the application. Approximately $400,000 of the funds paid out by the SBA in
response to the application were eventually deposited into bank accounts to which Fuller was the sole signatory.
The charge of wire fraud is punishable by a
maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of the greater of $250,000, twice the gross profits or twice the gross loss
suffered to the victims of his offense, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special
agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS – Criminal
Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tammy Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s arrest. He also
thanked the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, the New York Police Department and FBI – New York for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior Trial
Counsel Andrew Kogan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the
complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Union President Admits Filing False Report to Hide Embezzlement; Agrees to
Repay Union $36,000
For Immediate
Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California
SAN DIEGO - Felix Luciano,
the former President of Local 2805 chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees and former Department of Homeland Security
officer, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting he filed a false report to conceal his embezzlement of thousands of dollars in
union dues.
Local 2805 is a labor union which represents
Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Additionally, Luciano
agreed to pay a $10,000 fine and repay Local 2805 $36,000 as money that he embezzled.
According to court records, Luciano was
president of Local 2805. From January of 2016 to December of 2018, Luciano used some of Local 2805’s money for a variety of personal
expenses, including shopping, travel reimbursements, groceries, dining, dry cleaning, and paying for non-union accounts. He did this by
writing checks from Local 2805’s checking account and using Local 2805’s debit and credit cards to directly pay personal expenses. As a
result of Luciano’s actions, he caused a total loss of $36,000 to Local 2805.
As Local 2805’s president, Luciano was
required to file an annual Form LM-3 financial report with the United States Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. A
Form LM-3 is a report containing information about the organization over the prior year, including assets, liabilities, and disbursements to
officers. A Form LM-3 is sworn under penalty of perjury. In the LM-3 report he filed in 2018, Luciano underreported the amount of money that
he received from Local 2805 and Local 2805’s cash balance. In doing so, Luciano attempted to hide his embezzlement from the Department of
Labor, his fellow union officers, as well as the union membership whose dues were the source of the embezzled funds.
“When workers, who are the backbone of our community, devote their hard-earned money to labor unions, they rightly expect the officers to
be honest stewards of their dues,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Felix Luciano abused the trust of the ICE government employees
represented by Local 2805 by using the union’s money for his own personal benefit and enrichment, and then filed a false financial report
that concealed the misappropriation of those funds.”
Grossman thanked the prosecution team and
investigation agencies for their work on this case.
“While the vast majority of union officials do
their work diligently and without incident, unfortunately criminal violations do occur. When they do, it is the union and its members
that are the victims. Felix Luciano embezzled over $36,000 from AFGE Local 2805 that should have been used for its members’ benefit,”
said Ed Oquendo, District Director, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. “OLMS is committed to hold
accountable anyone who unlawfully exploits their position for financial gain at the expense of their fellow union members.”
Carroll Harris, Postal Inspector in Charge of
the Los Angeles Division stated, “This investigation was an excellent example of a partnership between federal law enforcement agencies,
working together in the pursuit of justice. I fully commend the hard work and countless hours put forth by all the law enforcement
agencies involved.”
Luciano is scheduled to be sentenced on
September 15, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta.
DEFENDANTCase
No. 22CR2201-JO
Felix Luciano
Age: 61
San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE
False Statement, a felony, in violation of
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.
Maximum Penalty: Five years in custody;
a fine of $250,000
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Labor, Office of Labor
Management Standards
Department of Labor, Office of Inspector
General
Department of Homeland Security, Office of
Inspector General
Today, the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a Clean Air Act Settlement with BP Products North
America Inc., (BPP), a subsidiary of BP p.l.c., requiring control technology expected to reduce benzene by an estimated seven tons per year,
other hazardous air pollutants (HAP) by 28 tons per year and other volatile organic compound emissions (VOC) by 372 tons per year at its Whiting
Refinery in Indiana.
You get your regular shipments of dog food, have your gym membership set to auto-renew each month, and have a free trial
subscription to some genealogy site. Helpful, keeps you from having to remember to pay every month, lets you try new stuff for free. But what about
when you want to cancel? How is that working for you?
EDINBURG, Texas – The Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Missing Migrant Program (MMP) has deployed numerous landmark markers to aid migrants who
become lost during their journey into the United States. On March 16, RGV MMP, in collaboration with the…
TUCSON, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine Operations (AMO) air crews worked together to save a 65-year-old injured
woman near Tanque Verde Falls in Arizona last week. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine…
EDINBURG, Texas – The Rio Grande Valley Sector (RGV) Missing Migrant Program (MMP) has deployed numerous landmark markers to aid migrants who
become lost during their journey into the United States. On March 16, RGV MMP, in collaboration with the…
Continued discrimination against who U.S. allows into the Country.
AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico –US Border Patrol Agents apprehended 21 non-citizen migrants from Haiti and the Dominican Republic that entered illegally
into Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands in separate incidents. On Mar. 8, Ramey Sector Border…
McAllen, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Anzalduas International Bridge
Board (AIBB) began construction this week on a donated project that will improve commercial infrastructure…
CDC/OSHA Notes Dangers of Silica Sand
Silica Sand is seen being hauled all over the country but at what risk to the people driving
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division yesterday convened a meeting of Joint Task Force
Alpha (JTFA) in El Paso, Texas, to bring together law enforcement leaders to discuss dismantling human smuggling and trafficking networks
operating along the Southwest Border.
Jesus Manuel Menocal Jr., 34, a former Hialeah Police Department sergeant, was sentenced in federal court in Miami, Florida, to three years in
prison and one year of supervised release, the statutory maximum sentence.
A federal grand jury in Madison, Wisconsin, returned an indictment charging a corn milling company, a company vice president, two environmental
coordinators and three additional supervisors with crimes related to worker safety, fraud, air pollution and obstruction of justice, the
Department of Justice announced.
PHARR, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Pharr International Bridge Cargo Facility intercepted
$13,600,000 in alleged fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.“The Pharr cargo facility continues...
DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers working at the Del Rio Port of Entry seized
mixed narcotics worth over $608,000 in street value."This is the second narcotics seizure within this...
CALEXICO, Calif. – El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a United States citizen with an active warrant and multiple firearms Wednesday
afternoon. At approximately 2:55 p.m., agents were conducting anti-smuggling duties in the desert east...
Owners of
select Model Year2014-2016 Kia Sportage, 2016-2018 Kia K900 and
2016-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehiclesshould park their cars outside and away from homes, even if the
vehicle is turned off, until their vehicles have been repaired, due to a new recall for the risk of fire.
Kia and Hyundai have
identified an increasing risk of an engine compartment fire. Although the cause remains unknown, the manufacturers believe an
electrical component in the anti-lock brake system may experience an internal electrical short circuit that could increase the
risk of fire both while the vehicle is being driven or parked.
The Kia recall notice
is availablehere,
and the Hyundai recall notice is availablehere.
NHTSA encourages all
consumers to report any safety concerns to the agency online
or by calling our Vehicle Safety Hotline (Toll-Free: 1-888-327-4236 / Hearing Impaired (TTY): 1-800-424-9153).
February 8, 2022
Vehicle owners can visitNHTSA.gov/recallsand
enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their vehicle is under recall. If it is,vehicle
owners should call their nearest dealership immediately to schedule a FREE repair.
“It’s
Not Disheartening, It’s Disgusting”: At Governor DeSantis’ Roundtable Discussion, Physicians and Patients React
to Federal Government Ending Access to COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment
MIAMI –Today,
Governor Ron DeSantis held a roundtable with doctors and patients who have recently received monoclonal antibodies
now banned by the Biden Administration to highlight the real-world clinical success of these treatments. On Monday
night, Biden’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unexpectedly revoked the emergency use authorization (EUA) for
the Eli Lilly and Regeneron monoconal treatments. As a result of this abrupt and clinically unsupported action,
the appointments for more than 2,000 Floridians to receive monoclonal antibodies were cancelled.
“This decision was made without clinical data and
without any advance warning to states and medical providers, leaving sick Floridians scrambling to find an
alternative treatment,” saidGovernor Ron DeSantis.“Thousands of Floridians, who
were already in the system and waiting to get treatment, woke up to an email saying that these treatments were now
prohibited. It is fundamentally wrong and not the way we should treat people in this country. Our view in Florida
is that we want doctors to be able to administer this treatment and patients to be able to access it, and they can
make their own decisions from there.”
“Monoclonal antibodies have been at the forefront
of treatment for COVID-19. It is a very well tolerated and scientifically proven treatment against the virus,”
saidDr. Kenneth Sheppke,Deputy
Secretary, Florida Department of Health.“The
value of monoclonals cannot be understated in the ability to treat people with this disease. We have two pieces of
conflicting data, we have this study on cells that suggests it might be less effective against Omicron and we have
real world experience in humans where we have seen really excellent outcomes. Floridians and the rest of the
nation have come to expect the availability of these treatments and it is really important for us as physicians to
have those tools at our disposal to make the decisions on what treatment is best for patients.”
“We have been studying the monoclonals to see if
it actually does what it says. We published our first paper that found that the monoclonals had an amazing
reduction on hospital admissions,” saidDr. David Farcy, MD Chairman, Department of Emergency
Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. "In the course of six weeks, we had an estimated 1000 patients that
received monoclonals. Out of those 1000 patients that were considered high risk, we only had single digits of
patients that came back that needed to be admitted to the hospital, less than 5%. We are not here to say that one
is better than the other, we need prospective data, meaning we need data to be studied forward.”
“I was disheartened to tell 18 patients we could
not give them my typical medication when I woke up to find out the FDA had pulled the EUA for the medications I
use the most for my COVID patients,” saidDr. Dwight Reynolds, MD, ABEM,
FACEP, Medical Director and Owner, Centers for Heath Promotion, Inc.“I
gave one patient Regeneron and she thought I was someone special, she was feeling so much better after getting
treatment. I have treated approximately 200 patients over the last two weeks in my practice in Coral Springs. Out
of 200 patients - I personally called the next day - they have had absolutely no problem with the medication, and
they all are doing well.”
“I tested positive, and I immediately had the
treatment scheduled for the next day. Within 20 minutes of my appointment time I had already had the treatment,
gone home, and went on with my day,” saidScott Fortney, Realtor and Monoclonal Treatment Patient.
“The next morning, I woke up and felt better, and another 24 hours later I woke up and I could breath. I can say
without fail I felt so much better, had more energy, went to my desk working, and felt better without doubt. My
roommate, who tested positive, elected not to take the treatment, and to this day she feels terrible. My biggest
fear is that this option wouldn’t be available to her. This is an option that’s not harming people, let’s give
them a choice. Let them make that choice with their physician.”
“A week ago I started feeling sick, it was so rapid
it was scary, and just feeling horrible,” saidNancy Schlotter, Cancelled Monoclonal Treatment
Patient. “I couldn’t believe it was happening so quickly, and the next morning I tested myself and it was
positive. I was feeling worse and worse. I didn’t know what to do but I knew these mAbs were available. I still
don’t have taste or smell and wish I had the treatment but thank you for trying to provide this to those of us who
may need it.”
“We had a plan and feel healthy for our age, but we
were holding out for the mAb treatment if we were to get sick,” saidFrank Schlotter, Cancelled
Monoclonal Treatment Patient. “When we tested positive, not knowing how sick we were going to get we signed up
for the treatment and were blindsided when the appointments were cancelled. We’re fortunate to start feeling
better but we were really disappointed when there was short notice cancellation.”
Earlier this week, Governor DeSantis condemned the
Biden Administration’s haphazard decision to revoke authorization of these lifesaving monoclonal antibody
treatments. This decision was made solely by Biden’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) without advance warning to
states and health providers and without clinical data to support the decision. The deliberate decision by the
Biden Administration to make this announcement effective immediately through a press release actively prevented
states and health care providers from making real-time operational decisions to save lives.
###
Travel – Adjusted
border measures
Exemptions for certain travellers entering Canada
have changed as of January 15, 2022. Groups such as the following must now be fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved by Health
Canada or else they will not be allowed entry.
Individuals over 18
travelling to reunite with family.
International
students 18 and older.
Professional and
amateur athletes, and their support staff.
Individuals with a
valid work permit and temporary foreign workers. Outside of agricultural and food processing.
Essential service
providers such as truck drivers, emergency service providers and marine researchers.
Some unvaccinated travellers may still enter
Canada.
A 35-year-old Houston resident has admitted to four counts of theft of public money
Fugitive
Spotlight
Members of the public cananonymously
report tips about fugitives and other criminal activity onDEA.gov. If
someone is in imminent danger,call 911 or your local police immediately.
Wyatt Williamson, a young man with a
bright personality, had an energy that lit up a room. At only 23 years old, Wyatt passed away after taking a pill he thought was
Xanax, but was actually laced
with fentanyl.
By sharing his story, Wyatt's mother
Julie Hofmans hopes to save other families from tragedy and heartache.
“Are you willing to take a
chance with your life … to take a pill and you don’t know where it came from?”
A New York City lawyer, who simultaneously represented the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and a ratepayer suing it in
the wake of the department’s billing debacle, has agreed to plead guilty to a bribery charge for accepting an illegal payment of nearly
$2.2 million for getting another attorney to purportedly represent his ratepayer client in a collusive lawsuit against LADWP, the Justice
Department announced today.
WASHINGTON– TheScience
and Technology Directorate (S&T) signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Federal National Mortgage
Association (Fannie Mae) to carry out collaborative research related to flood insurance in support of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. S&T and Fannie Mae will conduct joint research to identify ways to expand
the use of flood insurance to reduce the financial losses suffered by homeowners and creditors in future storms.
“By examining correlations between insurance perils and federal assistance programs aimed at closing insurance gaps, S&T and Fannie Mae’s
partnership will help strengthen community resilience,” said David Alexander, S&T Senior Science Advisor for Resilience. “S&T will also
leverage this research as we consider current and future strategic priorities to enhance our nation’s climate and flood resilience.”
This CRADA enables the participating organizations to enhance the sharing of information, knowledge, and expertise. S&T, FEMA, and Fannie
Mae will collaborate to study the linkages between flood damage at the individual property level, flood insurance, and mortgage loan
outcomes. This partnership will help develop a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the effects of flood insurance coverage.
“When we increase the number of insured survivors of flood events, we help reduce disaster suffering. That’s why this alliance with S&T
and Fannie Mae is so crucial,” said David Maurstad, senior executive of the National Flood Insurance Program. “Flood insurance is the best
financial defense against the perils of flooding. We are enthusiastic about this new phase of collaboration with these important
partners.”
Fannie Mae’s analysis of post-Hurricane Harvey loan performance for its loans confirms that property damage increased the risk of
forbearance, loan modification, and serious delinquency. That risk increases in areas outside of the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA),
where flood insurance take-up rates are far lower. Homeowners with a mortgage are required to purchase flood insurance when properties are
located in an SFHA, which are areas that will be inundated by a flood event having a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in
any given year, also known as the 100-year flood.
Scammers are impersonating FTC Chair Lina Khan in a new phishing scheme. The email says the FTC wants to send you
Coronavirus relief funds and tells you to send some personal information, like your name, address, and date of birth. The FTC
is not distributing Coronavirus economic stimulus or relief money to people. The email is a scam. Don’t reply.
PHARR, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the Pharr International Bridge discovered a rare pest, a first in
nation discovery, in a shipment of fresh vegetables. “Our agriculture specialists help protect American...
AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico – US Border Patrol and Air and Marine Operations (AMO) agents, along with Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces for Rapid
Action (FURA) collaborated to seize 5,294 Pounds (2,402.11 Kilos) of cocaine in two separate incidents over...
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Agriculture Specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Veterans
International Bridge import cargo lot intercepted a rare “First in Nation” pest in a shipment of flowers.“The work...
EAGLE PASS, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Station located three lost unaccompanied migrant children near Eagle
Pass, Aug. 2.At approximately 8:50 a.m., the Del Rio Sector Border Intelligence Center received a 911 call...
MISSION BEACH, Calif. — U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents assigned to the San Diego Sector’s newly formed Marine Unit intercepted a sports
fishing vessel on Saturday night that was carrying 16 undocumented migrants.On July 31 at approximately 7:45 p....
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector agents, in coordination with local partners, discover 33 migrants in two human
smuggling stash houses.Yesterday morning, Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station (RGC) agents received information...
EDINBURG, Texas – Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector agents recently encountered three large groups of migrants.Friday morning, Rio Grande
City Border Patrol Station agents observed a large group of migrants, comprised of mostly families,...
WASHINGTON – A Florida man was sentenced today to eight months in prison, to be followed by 24 months of supervised release, and a special
assessment of $100, for his role in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was in the
process of ascertaining and counting the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines woman was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to eight years in federal
prison for Conspiracy to Damage an Energy Facility. Jessica Rae Reznicek, age 39, was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow
her prison term and pay $3,198,512.70 in restitution.
Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on the Approval of a Jones Act Waiver in Response to Eastern Seaboard Oil Supply Constraints
Today, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas released
the following statement on the announcement that the Department of Homeland Security will approve a temporary and targeted Jones Act Waiver in
response to eastern seaboard oil supply constraints.
“In the interest of national defense, I have approved a temporary and
targeted waiver request to an individual company. This waiver will help provide for the transport of oil products between the Gulf Coast and
East Coast ports to ease oil supply constraints as a result of the interruptions in the operations of the Colonial Pipeline. The decision to
approve the waiver was made after careful consideration and consultation with interagency partners across the federal government. The
Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense were consulted in order to assess the justification for the waiver request and ensure the
approval of the waiver is in the interest of national defense.”
The Jones Act is vital to maintaining the strength of the American
shipbuilding and maritime industries by requiring all maritime cargo transport between U.S. ports to occur on U.S. flagged vessels. When U.S.
flagged vessels are not available to meet national defense requirements, the Department of Homeland Security may grant a waiver to the Jones Act
only if the proposed shipments are in the interest of national defense and after careful evaluation of the issue.
Earlier this week, President Biden directed a whole of government response to address the impacts of the Colonial Pipeline shut
down. This limited waiver is part of that effort.
# # #
FAA Awards $898.9 Million in Airport Improvement Grants
“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure is how our
country helped spark an aviation industry that now supports millions of jobs,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.
“These Airport Improvement Program grants will help modernize America’s airports and ensure that our air transportation system remains
the safest and most efficient in the world.”
Grant projects funded through the Airport Improvement
Program promote safety, efficiency, environmental stewardship, infrastructure, and security at the nation’s airports. Today’s
announcement includes 488 grants to 447 airports in 49 states and American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. Today
also marks the 75th anniversary of the legislation that established federal investment in our Nation’s airport infrastructure.
“These grants represent the legacy and vital role of
airport infrastructure grant programs in helping the air transportation system operate safely,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson.
“Investing in our nation’s infrastructure through AIP grants is a cornerstone of our commitment to safety.”
Examples of airports receiving grants for projects in
this round include:
Glendale Municipal, Glendale, Arizona, $1.4
million– To rehabilitate 3,500 feet of the existing southern portion of Taxiway A pavement to extend its useful
life and enhance safety by minimizing foreign object debris.
Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, more than
$18.9 million –To resurface and seal the pavement for the airport’s primary Runway 16R/34L. This project will
extend the useful life of the runway pavement. Van Nuys airport is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States in
terms of aircraft operations. Work is scheduled to begin in February 2022 and be completed in November 2022.
Bradley International, Windsor Locks,
Connecticut, almost $11.3 million–For reconstructing the Taxiway S and to bring
the connector taxiways to current federal design standards.
Denver International, Denver Colorado, nearly
$26.7 million– To rehabilitate the pavement and lighting systems on Runway 16L/34R to enhance safe airfield
operations during low-visibility conditions and to rehabilitate a taxiway.
Valdosta Regional, Valdosta, Georgia, nearly $5.7
million– To rehabilitate 8,000 feet of Runway 17/35 maintaining the structural integrity of the pavement and
minimize foreign object debris. Additionally, this project enhances safety by removing vegetation obstructions from the Runway 35
approach and departure paths.
Scott AFB/MidAmerica, Belleville, Illinois, more
than $12.6 million –For expanding the terminal building to accommodate existing passenger demand and meet
security and American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The airport has seen an increase in enplanements from 20,000 in 2015 to
more than 150,000 in 2018. The security checkpoint is being relocated to the first floor of the terminal and expanded by an additional
lane to meet Transportation Security Administration design requirements.
Frederick Municipal, Frederick, Maryland, more
than $4.8 million –For extending Runway 05/23 to meet the operational needs of the airport. Additionally, this
project relocates the parallel taxiway to meet federal design standards for separation between runways and taxiways.
President Harry Truman established the first program to
provide federal investment for airport infrastructure and development of the nation's civil airports when he signed theFederal
Airport Act of 1946. The first grant was awarded to Twin Falls, Idaho, to help construct an airport. Since 1946, the FAA has issued
more than 89,000 grants totaling $96 billion.
The Airport Improvement Program receives approximately
$3.2 billion in congressional funding each year. The FAA will award more than 1,500 grants this year. A complete
listing of grants (PDF) and an interactive
map of airport recipients is maintained on the FAA website.
News
Release
U.S. Coast Guard 8th District Heartland
Coast Guard closes
portion of Lower Mississippi River near I-40 bridge
NEW ORLEANS — The
Coast Guard issued a waterway restriction to all vessel traffic on the Lower Mississippi River Tuesday near the I-40 bridge in Memphis,
Tennessee.
The waterway restriction closes the river to all vessel traffic between mile marker 736 and
mile marker 737 on the Lower Mississippi River and was put into place due to a crack discovered by the Arkansas Department of Transportation on
the I-40 bridge near the center span.
There are currently 16 vessels with a total of 229 barges in
the queue.
“The Coast Guard is currently working with Arkansas Department of
Transportation, Tennessee Department of Transportation and river industry stakeholders on this developing situation," said Capt. Ryan Rhodes,
captain of the Port of Memphis. "Based on the current information available, we have closed a portion of the Lower Mississippi River out of an
abundance of caution. The captain of the port is monitoring the situation and will continue to ensure the safety of the maritime environment and
surrounding community.”
The Coast Guard captain of the port determines when to issue a river closure by following a
waterways action plan, which provides marine industry, the U.S. Coast Guard, state and local governments with a coordinated plan for
facilitating the safe and orderly movement of traffic. Media queries about the waterway restriction should be directed to Lt. Mark Pipkin of
Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River at 901-361-0003.
2020 Census Total Population Counts Released
Total Population
Today the U.S. Census Bureau released the national and state total population counts from the 2020 Census which is the first data released from that
census.Louisiana’s 2020 Census total population is 4,657,757which is a population growth of 2.7% compared to the
population at the time of the 2010 census (see table below and attachedPercent Change in Populationmap). Total
populations and population changes for all states can be found in theApportionment 2020 Table Ethat is also
attached as an Excel file
Area
2020 Census Resident Population
2010 Census Resident Population
Numeric Change
Percent Change
Louisiana
4,657,757
4,533,372
124,385
2.7
U.S. Total
331,449,281
308,745,538
22,703,743
7.4
Apportionment
Every 10 years, population counts from the decennial census determine how many seats each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives through a
process calledapportionment.
With the release of the total population figures released this afternoon, the U.S. Census Bureau also released apportionment counts for all states.Louisiana’s
total number of representatives will remain unchanged at six; thus, Louisiana will not gain or lose a seat. There are 13 states that will either
gain or lose a seat which are noted in the table below and depicted in the attached2020 Census Apportionmentmap.
STATE
APPORTIONMENT POPULATION
(APRIL 1, 2020)
NUMBER OF APPORTIONED
REPRESENTATIVES BASED ON 2020 CENSUS2
Antitrust Division and Fellow Members of the Multilateral Pharmaceutical Merger Task Force Seek Public Input
WASHINGTON – The
U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division is pleased to be a part of the Multilateral Pharmaceutical Merger Task Force (Task Force),
along with its counterpart competition enforcement agencies — the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Canadian Competition Bureau, the
European Commission Directorate General for Competition, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority, and Offices of State
Attorneys General.
The Task Force,
initiated by the FTC, seeks to identify concrete and actionable steps to refresh and update the analysis of pharmaceutical mergers. To
facilitate a robust discussion of the ways to study the impact of pharmaceutical mergers, the Task Force requests public input, including
from health policy experts, economists, attorneys, scientists, health care practitioners, academics, and consumers, on issues potentially
implicated with pharmaceutical mergers. For more details about providing comments to the Task Force, including submission and timing
information, please see the FTC’sNotice.
Following public comment, the Task Force anticipates hosting a public workshop.
“The division is
excited to participate in this initiative, and we encourage and welcome public input and feedback on this important topic,” said Acting
Assistant Attorney General Richard A. Powers of the Antitrust Division. “We look forward to partnering with the Task Force members and
engaging with consumers and other market participants in the development of future enforcement and policy efforts relating to
pharmaceutical mergers.”
###
Audit Initiated of FAA's Oversight of Boeing 737 MAX Return to Service
On March 13, 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a grounding order for the Boeing 737 MAX fleet after two accidents
involving 737 MAX 8 aircraft raised significant safety concerns. At the request of the former Secretary of Transportation and members of
Congress, our office has undertaken a series of reviews related to FAA’s certification of the 737 MAX 8 and its safety oversight. In this
review—our third in the series— we will examine FAA’s actions following the two accidents, including FAA’s risk assessments, the grounding
of the aircraft, and its subsequent recertification in November 2020. Accordingly, our objective is to evaluate FAA’s processes and
procedures for grounding aircraft and implementing corrective actions, including for the Boeing 737 MAX.
by Bridget Small Division of Consumer & Business Education
The FTC is sending a total of almost $50 million to nearly 147,500 students of the University of Phoenix. The money comes from
the University’s 2019 settlement with the FTC, when the FTC charged the school with using deceptive ads to attract students.
Two Louisiana men, former jail supervisors, were sentenced today to five years in prison and over four years in prison respectively for being
deliberately indifferent to an inmate’s serious medical needs.
BOOKS_____________________
TED KOPPEL "Lights Out"
Book on cyber threat to American Electric Grid
______________
"All that is needed for evil to
succeed is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke.__________________
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