ROSWELL, Ga., March 4 -- The city of Roswell issued the following news release: The City of Roswell is currently hosting Safety Town at Hembree Park through March 14. Safety Town is a national safety program for children between the ages of 4-6 years old. This program teaches life-saving lessons on stranger, traffic, pedestrian, fire, bicycle, bus, poison, water safety and more. Safety Town is a small village with child-size buildings, streets, traffic signals and stop signs where children le  more

AT-TAQADDUM, Iraq, March 4 -- The U.S. Marine Corps issued the following official news story: "Fresh meat!" politely taunted a Marine as he set down his cleaning supplies to watch the new group of Marines file into the lot that would soon be theirs. With their deployment rapidly approaching an end, the Marines of 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, were finishing the final maintenance on more than 30 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles their company has worked   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas (21st CD), wrote the following op-ed: Our nation's energy plan should strengthen our economy, lower consumer prices, reduce our dependency on foreign oil and protect the environment. Renewable energy is a very important component to achieving these goals. The "Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008" contains some beneficial provisions, such as creating incentives to make energy efficiency improvements to new and existing h  more

RANDOLPH AFB, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news release: By Justin Oakes 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs More than 100 Air Education and Training Command senior leaders gathered here to participate in the AETC Commanders' and Command Chiefs' Conference Feb. 25-29. The conference, held twice annually, provided an opportunity for Gen. William R. Looney III, AETC commander, and other AETC leaders to discuss a broad range of  more

MAYUMBA, Gabon, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's European Command issued the following press release: High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) departed Feb. 27, following a three-day visit and 10-day Africa Partnership Station (APS) mission to support improved Maritime Domain Awareness in the Mayumba area, including Mayumba National Park, a 350 square mile marine protected area on the Gabon/Congo border. The non-governmental organization Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) helped identif  more

PORT GENTILE, Gabon, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's European Command issued the following press release: By Navy Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brian A. Goyak Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs Africa Partnership Stations (APS) arrived in port here for a return visit, aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) Mar. 3. APS is an international effort with the goal of increasing regional and maritime safety and security in West and Central   more

PORT GENTILE, Gabon, March 4 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following press release: By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (AW) Brian A. Goyak Africa Partnership Station Public Affairs Africa Partnership Station (APS) arrived in Port Gentile, for a return visit, aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) March 3. APS is an international effort with the goal of increasing regional and maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa. The APS staff  more

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C., March 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command issued the following press release: By Staff Sgt. John Gordinier 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Approximately 20 Air Force joint terminal attack controllers from 16 different locations throughout the U.S. and other countries arrived here Feb. 23 to perform training with the mobile Air Support Operations Center Gateway in preparation for deployment. The JTACs will be at Shaw for about a week, said Master Sgt.   more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Glen A. Sanders of Scottsdale, Ariz., has developed a sensor with ultra thin waveguide. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to "methods and apparatus are provided for detecting one or more contaminant particles in an environment with an optical sensor. The sensor includes at least one optical waveguide in a resonant arrangement and a light source positioned in an environment in which the presence of a contaminant particle is sough  more

MANAMA, Bahrain, March 4 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following press release: Royal Bahrain Navy Brig. Gen. Abdulla Saeed Al Mansoori relieved U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Bill Gortney as commander, Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 in a ceremony held at the Bahraini Naval Headquarters March 4, marking the first time coalition forces have been commanded by a Gulf nation. Established in March 2004, CTF 152 is responsible for conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the central and southern Pe  more

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 3 -- EL Paso County issued the following news release: The El Paso County Board of Commissioners recently approved an Urban Park Grant, in the amount of $25,000, for the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. The YMCA applied for the grant to construct an artificial turf field at the new Tri-Lakes YMCA located near I-25 and Jackson Creek Parkway. In 2007, the Board established the Urban Park Grant Program to provide opportunities to cities, towns, non-profit organiz  more

COLUMBIA, S.C., March 4 -- The South Carolina Departmetn of Natural Resources issued the following press release: Brushy ditch banks and weedy field borders may not be attractive to some people, but many of South Carolina's favored farm wildlife and game species depend on these areas for their very survival. "Bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits, as well as many songbirds, depend on areas dominated by grasses, weeds and small shrubs," said Billy Dukes, Small Game Project supervisor for th  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 4 -- Lila Marie Williamson of Aliso Viejo, Calif., has developed a device for improved underwater visibility. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The underwater visibility device may be used for improved visibility viewing of an underwater device in an underwater diving environment. A closed container may have a flexible portion formed of a relatively transparent material with respect to an underwater device to be viewed. A fluid that may be relatively tra  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- John K. Pulley, Xavier D. Simon and Sandra D. McKee, all from Huntington Beach, Calif., and Victor J. Barackman of Chula Vista, Calif., have developed a vehicle seat. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A two-part seat providing full body support that is specific for each crew member on an individual basis. The two-part construction for the seat can accommodate many sizes and shapes for crewmembers because it is reconfigurable and therefore reusable f  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Daniel B. Price of Mountain View, Calif., and Andrew G. Tucker of Menlo Park, Calif., have developed a separate virtual system console establishing mechanism. An abstract of the invention, released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, said: "A mechanism is disclosed for establishing a separate virtual system console for each non-global zone of an operating system environment that has been partitioned into a global zone and one or more non-global zones. An operati  more

NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY INDIAN HEAD, Md., March 4 -- The U.S. Marine Corps issued the following official news story: Surrounded by cries for help, trapped under piles of rubble and debris, the victims realize they have just survived a terrorist attack. The look of shock in their eyes is dampened by the pain that rushes through their pinned bodies. Suddenly, a piece of rubble shifts, a flash of light shines into the cramped collapsed space, and a voice of hope fills their ears. "I'm here to hel  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The National Association of Home Builders issued the following news release: Clyde Anderson, CGA, CGB, GMB, CAPS, of Cabinet Specialists in Lewisville, Texas, received the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Associate of the Year Award Thursday, Feb.14 at the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla. The Associate of the Year Award is NAHB's highest honor to an associate member in recognition of exemplary association service, industry accomplishments, an  more

BAGHDAD, Iraq, March 3 -- U.S. Third Army Central issued the following news release: Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained nine suspects Sunday and today during operations to disrupt al-Qaeda networks operating in northern and central Iraq. During operations Sunday in eastern Mosul, Coalition forces targeted an alleged Saudi leader of an al-Qaeda in Iraq suicide bombing cell in the city. The targeted individual is reportedly responsible for the facilitation of foreign terror  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: U.S. officials decided last year that detainees held in coalition-run facilities in Iraq needed opportunities to voice their concerns and broaden their minds, rather than to just mark time, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said today. "The way detention operations used to be conducted here in the country were a strategic risk," Army Brig. Gen. Michae  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: Coalition forces in Iraq today detained 11 suspected terrorists, including an Iranian-supported "special groups" facilitator, military officials reported. The suspected special groups facilitator was detained with another suspected criminal early today in Mashru, south of Baghdad. Intelligence led ground forces to the target area, where they captured the two susp  more

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 4 -- EL Paso County issued the following news release: The El Paso County Board of Commissioners recently approved the 2007 Stormwater Annual Report. The county is required under its Colorado Discharge Permit System (CDPS) permit to submit the report to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Water Quality Division. The report summarizes the activities accomplished by the county in 2007. Through the CDPS, Colorado complies with the Nation  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England today was the latest in a series of government officials to express concern about the United States' cyberspace vulnerabilities. "Cyber warfare is already here," said England. "It's one of our major challenges." Describing the new battlefront, the deputy secretary said, "I think cyber attacks are probably analogous to t  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: The ongoing debate about the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and criticism of military operations there don't affect the troops who serve there, who know how important their mission is, the commander of the detention task force said today. In a conference call with representatives from veterans service organizations, Navy Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby,   more

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., March 4 -- The Missouri Department of Agriculture issued the following news release: The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for the Catfish Grant Program designed to assist Missouri catfish producers who suffered feed losses as a result of natural disasters in 2005-2007. The Catfish Grant Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. Missouri currently has 18 catfish farms in the state. "The entire stat  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: President Bush's fiscal 2009 $515.4 billion defense budget request is "a lot of money," but it is what is needed to defend the United States, Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England told the House Budget Committee yesterday. The base budget request -- independent of a supplemental war-funding request -- would give the military what it needs in a complex security   more

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- The United Nations Office of the Secretary General issued the text of the following statement: Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro's address to the high-level conference on United Nations System-Wide Coherence: the Next Steps, in Vienna, 4 March: We have converged here today to agree on ways we can work together for a stronger and more coherent United Nations system. It's not often that many of us get to talk about these matters face to face  more

BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 29 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news release: Florida Atlantic University's 2008 Peaceful Mind/Peaceful World outreach series, "The Compassionate Universe," continues on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a workshop on Inner Peace/Outer Peace led by Jill Bormann, Ph.D., R.N., of the VA San Diego Healthcare System and San Diego State University. Bormann teaches methods for cultivati  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the text of the following delegated order: Tapoco Inc. Project No. 2169-064 ORDER MODIFYING AND APPROVING ENDANGERED SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 407 (Issued March 04, 2008) On August 30, 2007, Tapoco Inc. (licensee) filed an endangered species management plan (plan) pursuant to article 407 of the Order Approving Settlement and Issuing New License, issued January 25, 200  more

BOCA RATON, Fla., Feb. 28 -- Florida Atlantic University, a component of the state university system in Florida, issued the following news release: The Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Florida Atlantic University's Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions (CUES) are pleased to announce the release of The Florida Planning Toolbox. Made possible by a grant from the DCA, the toolbox provides descriptions and examples of planning tools designed to help Florida's local gove  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich. (5th CD), issued the following news release: Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that the Genesee County Youth Corporation would receive a $200,000 grant to fund the Transitional Living Program (TLP). The Office of Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the grant to the Genesee County Youth Corporation to provide assistance to runaway and homeless youth. Thousands of young  more

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., March 4 -- Gov. Matt Blunt, R-Mo., issued the following statement: Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement commending Sen. Scott Rupp and the Missouri Senate for passing legislation to protect children and Missourians by cracking down on harassment in schools and cyber stalking: "I commend Sen. Scott Rupp and the Missouri Senate for passing this important legislation that protects innocent Missourians, especially children, from stalking and harassment, in   more

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., March 4 -- Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla., has issued the following news release: Governor Charlie Crist this evening addressed a joint session of the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate to outline his priorities for the people of Florida during the upcoming the 2008 Legislative Session. Breaking with tradition, Governor Crist gave the State of the State Address at 6:00 p.m., rather than during the morning as past Florida Governors have done. "We will pla  more

HELENA, Mont., March 4 -- Gov. Brian Schweitzer, D-Mont., issued the following press release: Governor Brian Schweitzer, along with Joachim Fuhrlander, CEO of German wind turbine manufacturer Fuhrlander, announced that the company will construct a manufacturing plant in Butte to assemble 2.5 MW wind turbines to serve wind farms throughout Montana and other parts of the western United States. "Montana's on the move. I am very pleased that Fuhrlander Company, a growing wind turbine manufact  more

MONTPELIER, Vt., March 3 -- The Vermont Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities & Health Care Administration issued the following news release: Governor Jim Douglas today announced that for the second straight year most Vermont employers will see lower workers compensation costs when new rates approved by the Department of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration (BISHCA) become effective on April 1, 2008. Rates for loss costs in the voluntary market -the competit  more

LINCOLN, Neb., March 4 -- The city of Lincoln issued the following news release: Mayor Chris Beutler announced today that the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) Grants Committee has recommended Lincoln receive $145,000 over two years to fund up to 90 rain gardens. Rain gardens are designed to filter pollutants from driveways, patios, roofs and lawns to help keep streams and lakes clean and healthy. "Rain gardens have proven to have a significant impact on the amount of chemicals and sedime  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- The House Science and Technology subcommittee on energy and environment conducted a hearing on "the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Proposal and GAO's Report on the Aviation Weather Service," according to a committee notice published in the Congressional Record. The subcommittee received testimony at the hearing, which was conducted on Feb. 26, from Department of Commerce Under Secretary Conrad C. Lautenbacker Jr.; John L. Haye  more

HOUSTON, Feb. 29 -- Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Texas (22nd CD), has issued the following news release: Energy challenges facing the world grow daily but Houston is uniquely positioned to play a key roll in mitigating these hurdles. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford, held a field hearing today at Rice University to explore how the energy industry and cities like Houston are working to address challenges in areas such as energy supply and security, global climate change, and rapid economic growth. "Oi  more

FORT MEADE, S.D., March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's Southern Command issued the following press release: By Capt. Anthony Deiss South Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office Four Soldiers from the Suriname Army visited the South Dakota National Guard´s 196th Regional Training Institute (RTI) on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Fort Meade to exchange ideas and information about how the Guard training institute organizes and manages a professional military education program. "This is   more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Craig Bixler of Saint Charles, Ill., Scott Hutchinson of South Elgin, Ill., and Brent Bergwall of Carpentersville, Ill., have developed patient monitoring equipment and nurse call systems. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "By combining the information acquired from a location system that is tracking equipment and/or personnel within a hospital environment, automatic assignment of the 're-located' patient monitoring equipment can be made in concert w  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The International Monetary Fund issued the following statement: A mission of Executive Directors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) comprising Messrs. Huayong Ge, Ambroise Fayolle, Peter Gakunu, Aleksei Mozhin, Jonathan Fried, Age F.P. Bakker, and Ms. Miranda Xafa, issued the following statement on February 25, 2008 in Lusaka at the conclusion of its visit to Zambia: "We thank President Mwanawasa, Minister Magande, and Governor Fundanga for their warm hospitali  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Rajendra Kumar Bera of Bangalore, India, has developed a computer source code optimisation technique. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to a "method, apparatus, and computer program product for determining, in a computer environment, the equivalence, if any, of two algebraic expressions. The expressions are recast into a form of one or more token pairs arranged sequentially in a string, such that each token pair includes an oper  more

FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: More than 80 Iraqi soldiers and policemen graduated from Task Force Marne Noncommissioned Officer Academy training here Feb. 25. For two weeks, they participated in foot patrols, Humvee combat patrols, rifle ranges and classroom lectures to increase their skills and ability to lead in combat. "You must now 'leave and lead,'" Army Comma  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Satoshi Kiyoto of Fujisawa, Japan, Kazuyoshi Hoshino of Komae, Japan, Kazuma Yumoto of Hachioji, Japan, and Minoru Hidaka of Kunitachi, Japan, have developed a peer-to-peer communication apparatus. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A peer-to-peer communication apparatus connected to an Internet protocol network acquires, from a peer's communication apparatus, presence information including information for judging a communication security environment  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 4 -- Shunji Takenoiri and Yasushi Sakai, both of Nagano, Japan, have developed a magnetic recording apparatus. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A perpendicular magnetic recording medium is disclosed that is characterized by a lowered noise component and improved thermal stability. The method for making the recording medium includes the serial steps of forming a soft magnetic back-lining layer on a non-magnetic substrate, forming an intermediate layer on  more

NEW YORK, March 3 -- The Natural Resources Defense Council issued the following news release: LOS ANGELES - The County of Los Angeles and the City of Malibu must stop bacteria and toxins from flowing into coastal waters where they sicken beachgoers and damage marine life, according to two lawsuits filed today in federal court by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Santa Monica Baykeeper. In the past, local governments have been required by courts to take steps to reduce urban  more

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Feb. 29 -- The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued the following news release: The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), together with the Clean Boating Partnership, today recognized Loggerhead Club and Marina, Daytona Beach as a designated member of the Florida Clean Marina Program. Located in Volusia County, the facility is the 161st designated Clean Marina in the state and the fourth in Volusia County. "DEP is proud to recognize Lo  more

AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 28 -- The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife issued the following news release: Gray, Maine - Did you know that the state mammal - the moose - can store 100 pounds of food in its stomach, run 35 miles per hour and easily swim 10 miles? That's just one of the many interesting facts you'll learn about Maine's wildlife and fish at the Maine Wildlife Park, Route 26 in Gray. The Maine Wildlife Park currently is taking reservations for its spring and fall e  more

RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, Republic of Korea, March 5 -- The U.S. Marine Corps issued the following official news story: The gunnies and the lieutenants knew. But the ROK Marines and U.S. Marines had no idea they were going to step off on a three-mile hike at the Rodriguez Live Fire Complex, Republic of Korea, March 3. Until about 15 minutes before they stepped, Marines of the U.S. 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and the ROK 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, thought they   more

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 4 -- The city of Knoxville issued the following press release: The City of Knoxville Public Service Division is pleased to join with Pellissippi State Technical Community College, to conduct a mercury thermometer exchange for PSTCC Students and Staff and City of Knoxville and Knox County residents at the PSTCC Magnolia Campus, 1610 E. Magnolia Ave, to be held on Monday, March 17, 2008, during it's Spring Fling event. The exchange will take place from 11 AM to 2 PM, or   more

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla., March 4 -- The Miami-Dade County government issued the following news release: After a two-year process that began at the first Great Park Summit in 2006, the new Park and Open Space System Master Plan for Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation is complete and will be one of the topics discussed at the 2008 Great Park Summit at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden on Friday, March 14, 2008 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The new Park and Open Space System Master Plan is a polic  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Wayne Kenneth Carrigan of Chatfield, Minn., has developed a computer self-healing cross development environment. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, the invention relates to an "apparatus, computer system program product and method implement self-healing functionality in a cross development environment to maximize the availability and minimize interoperability problems between disparate software development environments that are coupled to one another   more

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Feb. 29 -- The Missouri Public Service Commission issued the following news release: In a 4-1 vote, the Missouri Public Service Commission on Thursday adopted guidelines allowing electric utilities to apply for special environmental cost recovery mechanisms. The rules establish an environmental cost recovery mechanism (ECRM) authorized by Senate Bill 179, which was passed by the General Assembly in 2005. The ECRM rule applies to the state's four investor-owned electric  more

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq, March 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command issued the following press release: By Tech. Sgt. Amanda Callahan 447th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs Coinciding with the recent change of leadership at Multi-National Corps-Iraq, Maj. Gen. David Clary arrived in Baghdad Feb. 10 to take the reins as director, Air Component Coordination Element (ACCE) Multinational Force-Iraq, where he will serve as Lt. Gen. Gary North's representative to General David Petraeu  more

BAGHDAD, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: Security progress in Iraq is undeniable, but it is fragile and must be sustained, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen told reporters traveling with him to Iraq that the trip was a chance for him to see progress for himself, to talk with Iraqis of all stripes, and to interact with U.S. servicemembers bearing the heaviest burden  more

BROOKSVILLE, Fla., Feb. 27 -- The Southwest Florida Water Management District issued the following news release: Albert G. Joerger took his oath of office Tuesday to serve on the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Governing Board. Joerger was appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to a newly created seat. The Governing Board was previously made up of 11 seats. Last year the State Legislature added two new seats for a total of 13. Joerger's term ends March 1, 2011. The Sarasota resi  more

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 28 -- The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: Municipalities are the newest group to sign a Green Tier charter with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Green Tier is Wisconsin's innovative program for organizations that voluntarily pledge to go beyond regulatory environmental compliance. DNR Secretary Matt Frank and Municipal Environmental Group (MEG) - Wastewater president Wally Thom, along with representatives from the f  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command issued the following press release: Air Force officials here announced Feb. 29 the selection of the Northrop Grumman Company to replace the aging KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. After months of reviewing and evaluating proposals from vendors, the source selection team chose Northrop Grumman to produce up to 179 of the new air refuelers. The new tanker, called the KC-45A, is expected to enter the test phases in 2010 with the first m  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Zhiyong Wang of Clifton Park, N.Y., James R. Heflin Jr. of Blacksburg, Va., and Siddharth Ramachandran of Hoboken, N.J., have developed a fiber-optic sensor or modulator. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The provision of an ionic self-assembled multilayer (ISAM) film on a fiber-optic element including a long period grating (LPG) by a simple, room temperature process provides tuning of the LPG and/or high sensitivity to the refractive index of the a  more

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 4 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release: Work to complete the last length of stopbank within the critical Waihou Valley Scheme is due to get underway on Monday 10 March, as Environment Waikato moves to finish the scheme that protects properties beside the Hikutaia River in the Thames-Coromandel district. The earth and timber stopbank, which is approximately 600-millimetre high, is due to run through two adjoining properties belon  more

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 4 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release: Effluent seems to be proving its status as a form of liquid gold. Maize plants grown using dairy effluent appear to be just as healthy as those grown with commercial fertiliser in a trial currently underway in the Waikato. The three-year trial began last year on four farms in Matamata, Orini, Ohaupo and Ngahape. It is investigating whether fertiliser inputs can be reduced or cut to zero  more

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 2 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release: Environment Minister Trevor Mallard has taken up the Seaweek challenge to clean up New Zealand beaches, and will help with a clean up at Oriental Parade beach on Monday. "Seaweek - which includes beach clean ups around the country - is a terrific opportunity for New Zealanders to enjoy their marine environment, to think about its future, and to consider what we can do to ensure our seas s  more

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 3 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release: Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick says New Zealand representatives will attend a special meeting being held in London this week to try to reform the way the International Whaling Commission (IWC) works. "New Zealand has a leading role in work to explore ways to try to break the current stalemate between pro and anti whaling countries in the IWC. "Roughly half of the 77 members of t  more

WELLINGTON, New Zealand, March 3 -- The government of New Zealand issued the following news release: Northern suburbs' sportsfields, play areas, reserves and parks are the focus of a new draft management plan that is available for public feedback from 3 March. Wellington City Council's Environment Portfolio Leader, Councillor Celia Wade-Brown, says the Council really wants people who use or have an interest in the more than 100 parks and reserves from Ngauranga to Tawa to take a look at  more

WASHINGTON, March 1 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following article in Agriculture Today: Peaches are a significant part of the South's fresh-produce industry. But since several insect pests pose serious threats to southern peach orchards, growers must often resort to costly pesticides to protect their fruit. At ARS's Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Laboratory in Byron, Georgia, entomologists David Shapiro-Ilan and Ted Cottrell are seeking environmentally friend  more

SILVER SPRING, Md., Feb. 29 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it was soliciting daily access to an on-line electronic e-mail subscription service that provides global, national, and state news relative to energy, climate, the environment, and natural resources. The agency said the contract period would be for one year with four option years. The NAICS code for this requirement is 511120. This acquisition is a 100 percent, small business set-aside. All response  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 3 -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife issued the following news release: Anglers, paddlers, birders, waterfowl hunters, scientists and other conservation-minded Texans are invited to nominate representatives to local stakeholder advisory committees charged with determining and recommending flow regimes adequate to "support a sound ecological environment" for Texas rivers, bays and estuaries. Created under 2007's Senate Bill 3, these stakeholder committees represent the fir  more

SALEM, Ore., March 4 -- The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued the following news release: The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is proposing approval of an environmental cleanup conducted at a Eugene site at 30th Avenue and Hilyard Street. The property is currently used as an Albertson's grocery store and parking lot. Sunny Oil, an auto repair shop and fuel service station, operated at the site between the 1960s and 1980s. After the station closed, in preparation fo  more

SALEM, Ore., March 4 -- The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued the following news release: The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) seeks comments on a proposed approval of a cleanup conducted at a petroleum-contaminated site at 4 Elm St. in Tillamook. The property, known locally as the Erskin Oil Bulk Plant, was used as a petroleum bulk plant from the 1920s until the above ground storage tanks were removed in 2000. Carson Oil Company in Portland currently owns the   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following media advisory: The Pentagon Force Protection Agency's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Explosives Directorate (PFPA-CBRNE), in cooperation with Arlington County, will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a simulated chemical release in an urban area In early March,. This cooperative test will occur in the Crystal City area and will provide valuable information for both Arlington County's and the Pentagon's  more

CARMEL, Ind., Feb. 27 -- The city of Carmel issued the following media advisory: WHAT: Presentations to cover the Emerald Ash Borer in Indiana and Benefits of Trees WHEN: Tuesday, March 4th at 7 p.m. WHERE: Carmel Clay Public Library at 55 Fourth Avenue SE, (across Main Street from Carmel High School). In the first floor program room. WHO: Carmel citizens, local and surrounding area residents, homeowner association leadership, and the general public are invited. BACKGROUND: Th  more

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., March 3 -- The city of Redwood City issued the following news release: Redwood City invites the community to attend FREE spring gardening workshops this April. All workshops will be held at the Green Building Exchange, located at 305 Main Street in Redwood City. For anyone with a garden, landscaping, or sprinkler systems, and an interest in maintaining beautiful landscaping while saving water and money, these "WaterWise" workshops are a must! Interested community mem  more

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla., March 1 -- The Miami-Dade County government issued the following news release: The Deering Estate at Cutler, part of the Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation Department, will offer a Kids' Camp during spring break. Children, ages 6 to 13, will learn about the natural environment and early South Florida history. Kids' camp at the Deering Estate provides a unique experience with activities such as: hands-on lab work, arts & crafts, marine biology, participation in an a  more

TROY, N.Y., Feb. 29 -- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute issued the following news release: BusinessWeek has ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management & Technology 26th in the nation among the magazine's 2008 list of top 50 undergraduate business programs. The Lally School also is ranked as one of the top five in the Northeast, and the program came in at number 19 on the list of private institutions offering students the biggest return on their investment. Last ye  more

ENDICOTT, N.Y., March 3 -- Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y. (22nd CD), issued the following news release: Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today unveiled legislation he will introduce in the House tomorrow to mandate expedited federal health safety standards of trichloroethylene (TCE). Hinchey said the Toxic Chemical Exposure (TCE) Reduction Act is designed to end the Bush administration's stall tactics and require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to quickly develop health safety   more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho (2nd CD), issued the following news release: In a letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee, Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson joined 21 of his House colleagues in requesting additional funding for the Department of Energy's Environment Management Program. The Environmental Management Program typically includes roughly $500 million in funding for cleanup activities at the Idaho National Laboratory. In part, the le  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 -- Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb. (3rd CD), has issued the following news release: Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) today announced he will be serving on the House Natural Resources Water & Power Subcommittee and the Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee. The Energy & Mineral Resources Subcommittee oversees the production of energy and mineral resources located on lands owned or managed by the federal government. The Subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) with Re  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif. (32nd CD), issued the following newsletter: Californians are paying more than double for gas now than when President Bush first took office. On February 27th, the House of Representatives passed the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008, H.R. 5351, which I voted for to help Californians not only invest in the environment but recieve economic incentives to do so. The Act will end unnecessary subsidies to Big Oil companies and  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- Rep. Dale Kildee, D-Mich. (5th CD), issued the following news release: Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) announced today that the Saginaw County Youth Corporation would receive a $200,000 grant to fund the Transitional Living Program (TLP). The Office of Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, awarded the grant to the Saginaw County Youth Corporation to provide assistance to runaway and homeless youth. Thousands of young  more

SAN DIEGO, March 3 -- San Diego State University issued the following press release: San Diego State University researchers have published a new study regarding unique genetic codes in bacterial viruses, known as phage, in the science journal Nature. The study examined three microbialites, sedimentary "fossils" which contain records of microbial life on Earth. The locations studied included a marine location at Highborne Cay in the Bahamas and two freshwater locations: Pozas Azules II and   more

SEATTLE, March 4 -- The office of the Seattle Mayor issued the following news release: Mayor Greg Nickels announced today that Seattle set a new city record for recycling rates in 2006, with 47.5 percent of the city's residential, commercial and self-haul waste heading to recycling bins instead of the landfills. Commercial recycling climbed by 5.1 percentage points compared to 2005, and for the first time, businesses in Seattle are diverting more waste from the garbage than they are putti  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued the following speech text: Secretary Chertoff: So, this is the first of what may be a number of these conferences or discussions. So I'll give you kind of a quick overview, and then take questions. Five year anniversary. There are basically five major bands in which I'll kind of analyze our work: There is keeping bad people out of the country, keeping bad stuff out of the country, protecting the infrastructure, building  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The office of Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., issued the following news release: U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), Ranking Member of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, Tuesday questioned U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Stephen Johnson on the Leadville Mine Drainage Tunnel during a hearing on the agency's budget needs. "I would like your word, Mr. Johnson, that your agency will continue to work toward a long-term solution for this s  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The office of Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., issued the following statement: Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement on the Senate floor regarding the Boeing tanker decision. Cantwell's statement as prepared for delivery: "Just last Friday we were all stunned and extremely disappointed by the Air Force's decision to award its tanker bid to Airbus/Northrop Grumman. What I think stunned us the most was the Air Force's rationale. "B  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The office of Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, issued the following news release: Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today introduced The Complete Streets Act of 2008, which would work to promote the design of streets that are safe for all of those using the street- including motorists, bus riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians, including people with disabilities. Between 1993 and 2003, nearly 52,000 pedestrians and more than 7,400 bicyclists were killed in road accidents; studies show th  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colorado, has introduced a bill (S. 2602) to "amend the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, to terminate the authority of the Secretary of the Treasury to deduct amounts from certain states." The bill was introduced on Feb. 6. It was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  more

VANCOUVER, Wash., March 3 -- The city of Vancouver issued the following news release: What's essential to the lives of creatures everywhere and can be found underground, on the surface and in the air? Wonderful water! Join kids of all ages in exploring the amazing properties of water at this month's Second Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m., March 8, at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way. Wonderful Water, this month's theme for Second Saturday at the Water Center, offers v  more

SONOMA, Calif., March 4 -- Sonoma State University issued the following press release: The 2008 Faculty Exposition will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5 in the Commons. The Expo provides an opportunity for faculty to share the results of their research and scholarly activities with their colleagues, staff and students, and with the community at large. This event is open to all. The faculty and a brief summary of their recent work includes: IMPORTANCE OF MARITAL CHARACTE  more

TOPEKA, Kan., March 4 -- The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued the following statement: In response to an executive directive issued by Governor Kathleen Sebelius early in 2007, all 101 state agencies and their satellite offices around Kansas are now recycling. Every state office now has a registered profile page on the Kansas Green Team website. In all, there are 138 registered locations. "Kansas is leading the way in protecting our natural resources and being good stewar  more

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., March 4 -- San Bernardino County issued the following press release: The state today recognized efforts by the county Department of Child Support Services to improve the collection and distribution of child support funds by removing the county from the state's child support program corrective action process. "There are a lot of reasons to be proud of San Bernardino County," said Fourth District Supervisor Gary Ovitt. "One of the greatest sources of pride is in those  more

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 5 -- Javier Luis Jimenez, Christopher Abella Poblete and Anil Venkatasubba Rao, all from Austin, Texas, have developed an information handling system. According to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "An information handling system having a single pipe string driven data transport architecture includes a hardware independent execution environment subsystem and a native operating system environment subsystem." An abstract of the invention, released by the Patent Offic  more

SAN DIEGO, March 4 -- The U.S. Navy issued the following press release: By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Jennifer S. Kimball Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific Tactical Training Group Pacific (TTGP) led international military forces positioned around the world through a Fleet Synthetic Training-Joint (FST-J) exercise headquartered in San Diego, Feb. 25-29. The training strengthens strike group decision makers' proficiency at disseminating information, making so  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: While the new U.S. Africa Command prepares to stand up in October, Americans on the continent in the meantime are forging key African partnerships. AFRICOM -- which will consolidate responsibilities currently divided between the U.S. European, Central and Pacific commands -- is on track to become fully operational on Oct. 1, a top Pentagon official said today.   more

UNITED NATIONS, March 4 -- The United Nations issued the following press release: With a growing demand for peacekeeping and other field operations, human resources structures needed to be adapted to facilitate rapid deployment and mobility, to attract and retain high-quality personnel, to provide for predictable career development and to adequately compensate staff for serving in difficult and hardship positions, Alicia Barcena, Under-Secretary-General for Management, told the Fifth Committe  more

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio, Feb. 27 -- The Department of Veterans' Affairs said it was soliciting services for providing and setting up equipment for a sensory studio in Cleveland. Shaun McWeeny, contract specialist, said in the announcement: "The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is seeking sources that can take commercially available computer, digital media, and lighting equipment and modify it to fit the Government's specifications. The goal is to provide long term care and acute psych patie  more

WASHINGTON, March 3 -- The U.S. Department of Defense's American Forces Information Service issued the following press release: War-funding delays will become harmful within months if continued, the Pentagon's second-ranking official said here today. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England said lawmakers have approved less than half the fiscal 2008 request of $189 billion to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. "At some point, that delayed appropriation will be harmful," Englan  more

NORTON, Mass., Feb. 27 -- Wheaton College issued the following press release: The Wheaton College greenhouses will be open for tours and a repotting clinic on Wednesday, March 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Horticulturalist and greenhouse caretaker Jane Young will start visitors on a self-guided tour of the facility, which includes a desert environment as well as a mini rain forest. The greenhouses, located at the rear of the Science Center, are open four times each academic year. Visitors are  more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., March 4 -- West Virginia University issued the following news release: One of the best young astrophysicists in North America has found a home at West Virginia University - a place where she can unlock the secrets of the universe and also enjoy a high-quality work-life balance. Maura McLaughlin, who distinguished herself in 2006 by discovering a new, mysterious class of radio-bursting collapsed stars, has been named a 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow. She was one  more

MORGANTOWN, W.Va., Feb. 27 -- West Virginia University issued the following news release: The music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will be featured in a concert by the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra Thursday (Feb. 28). The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre of the Creative Arts Center on WVU's Evansdale Campus. Performances will be conducted by Mitchell Arnold, acting director of orchestral studies at WVU. The concert will showcase violinist Miky  more

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio, March 3 -- Bowling Green State University issued the following news release: Sixty-four squares per board, 150 boards and about 300 intently focused elementary students will fill the Lenhart Grand Ballroom at Bowling Green State University during the 2008 Ohio Elementary Chess Championships on Saturday (March 8). This is the first time the championships will be held in northwest Ohio. The tournament is one of two annual events sanctioned by the United States Chess Fede  more