JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas, Dec. 3 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: The Air Education and Training Command's occupational competencies branch hosted a study as part of a process to restructure force development across all Air Force career enterprises, forging a new training mindset to assist career field managers with the development of competency-based learning models for all Air Force military career fields. The study focuses on combining task-based knowledge and   more

BARKSDALE AFB, Louisiana, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Barksdale Air Force Base issued the following news: In his shop on the flight line, Airman Kieran Denehan, B-1 Lancer avionics specialist stationed at Dyess AFB, Texas, was the lowest ranking member in his shop. "I was young and ignorant, and my director and NCO's weren't the most nurturing," Denehan recalls. The direction of his life changed, however, when a technical sergeant and chief master sergeant took Denehan under their wing and s  more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on Dec. 3 on the Houston area employment for October 2020: Total nonfarm employment in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area decreased by 151,600 over the year ending in October, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See chart 1 and table 1.) Regional Commissioner Michael Hirniak noted that the loca  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 -- The Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued the following enforcement news release on Dec. 3: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued an order filing and settling charges against Vitol Inc., an energy and commodities trading firm in Houston, Texas, for manipulative and deceptive conduct. The conduct, which spanned from 2005 to early 2020, involved foreign corruption and physical and derivatives trading in the U.S. and global oil markets, including attempt  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, Dec. 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Members of the 688th Cyberspace Wing participated in the annual Weapons Cyber Competition Nov. 16-20. The competition provided an opportunity to hone and sharpen technical skills by providing a realistic, competitive environment to demonstrate and practice cyber tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) against a thinking/reactive adversary, without a  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: It's a bird...? It's a plane...? No, wait, it's a Small Unmanned Aircraft System!! The 17th Security Forces Squadron and the 17th Civil Engineering Squadron fire and emergency services flight, have the newest bird of prey flying overhead: drones. Goodfellow became a benchmark example within the Air Education and Training Command with drone operators who are fully validated, appr  more

DYESS AFB, Texas, Dec. 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Dyess Air Force Base (7th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: When it comes to ensuring aircrew can successfully and accurately drop bombs on target, they train at the Snyder Electronic Scoring Site in Snyder, Texas. On Sept. 28, 2020, members from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, supported the evaluation of the Advanced Radar Threat System Variant 2 to improve the site's ability to provide 'real-world' airpower threat-reaction training for aircrews  more

DYESS AFB, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command issued the following news: When it comes to ensuring aircrew can successfully and accurately drop bombs on target, they train at the Snyder Electronic Scoring Site in Snyder, Texas. On Sept. 28, 2020, members from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, supported the evaluation of the Advanced Radar Threat System Variant 2 to improve the site's ability to provide 'real-world' airpower threat-reaction training for aircrews to ensure the   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The Education Inspector General issued the following report (No. ED-OIG/A09T0008) entitled "University of Texas at San Antonio's Controls Over Reporting Clery Act Crime Statistics" on Nov. 24. Here are the excerpts: To: Dr. Taylor Eighmy, President, University of Texas at San Antonio, Main Building, Suite 4.122, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 Dear President Eighmy: Enclosed is our final audit report, "University of San Antonio's Controls Over Reporting Clery Act   more

BARKSDALE AFB, Louisiana, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command issued the following news: In his shop on the flight line, Airman Kieran Denehan, B-1 Lancer avionics specialist stationed at Dyess AFB, Texas, was the lowest ranking member in his shop. "I was young and ignorant, and my director and NCO's weren't the most nurturing," Denehan recalls. The direction of his life changed, however, when a technical sergeant and chief master sergeant took Denehan under their wing and stee  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: Maj. Gen. William Spangenthal, Air Education and Training Command deputy commander, visited here Dec. 1-2 to see how Airmen are modernizing today's training to execute tomorrow's demands while fighting through COVID-19. The 312th Training Squadron escorted Spangenthal to the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy in a training firetruck. The academy is in c  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: Maj. Gen. William Spangenthal, Air Education and Training Command deputy commander, visited here Dec. 1-2 to see how Airmen are modernizing today's training to execute tomorrow's demands while fighting through COVID-19. The 312th Training Squadron escorted Spangenthal to the Department of Defense Louis F. Garland Fire Academy in a training firetruck. The academy is in charge of tra  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: In order to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, a Presidential Memorandum was issued on August 8, 2020 and guidance followed from Internal Revenue Service on August 28, 2020, to temporarily defer Social Security (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI)) tax withholdings. This change is effective through the end of the 2020 calendar year. "The benef  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (TNSPer) -- The U.S. Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program issued the following news release on Dec. 2: Attorney General William P. Barr has appointed Kevin M. Epstein as the U.S. Trustee for the Southern and Western Districts of Texas (Region 7) effective Jan. 1, 2021, the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees (EOUST) announced today. He will replace Henry G. Hobbs Jr., who is retiring after 28 years of government service. Mr. Epstein has been a Trial Attorney with the  more

HUTTO, Texas, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: ProDirt Services LLC - based in Hutto, Texas - has paid $1,680 in back wages for denying emergency paid sick leave to an employee who was instructed to self-quarantine by a healthcare provider for coronavirus-related reasons. The U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) found that ProDirt Services violated Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Resp  more

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Laughlin Air Force Base (47th Flying Training Wing) issued the following news: Walking into the main lobby of the aerospace physiology building and seeing the chamber for the first time, I didn't know what to expect. But thinking this is the first place future pilots come to start their training, I was excited to get a chance to experience a taste of their world. As I made my way to the classroom for instructions, I met with others taking the c  more

LAUGHLIN AFB, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Laughlin Air Force Base (47th Flying Training Wing) issued the following news: Due to an increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases within the local area, the 47th Flying Training wing commander, Col. Craig Prather, has directed Health Protection Condition Charlie (HPCON C) on December 4th, 2020. Expect potential cancellations of in-person official and unofficial gatherings on base. Official gatherings held inside base facilities can't exceed 10 indi  more

TEMPLE, Texas, Dec. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service Texas office issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is temporarily restricting in-person visits for 32 Service Centers in Texas because of elevated rates of coronavirus community spread, but USDA employees will continue to assist agricultural producers with programs and services. USDA is using a phased, data-driven approach to determine which Service Center  more

LUKE AFB, Arizona, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Air Force issued the following news: In July, the Air Force introduced a newly redesigned course for F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chiefs going through technical training. After completing technical training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, F-16 crew chiefs will now proceed directly to their first duty station to attend Right Time Training with the 372nd Training Squadron, Detachment 12, which saves the Air Force money by cutting extra travel to additional d  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following event notification (No. 54925) involving Fugro USA Land, Austin: EN Revision Imported Date: 11/30/2020 EN Revision Text: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - STOLEN TROXLER GAUGE The following was received from the state of Texas (the Agency) by email: "On October 1, 2020, the Agency was notified by the licensee's radiation safety officer (RSO) that a Troxler model 3430 moisturedensity gauge containing a 40 milliCurie americium  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following event notification (No. 55008) involving University of Houston, Houston: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - LOSS TRITIUM EXIT SIGNS The following information was received from the Texas Department of State Health Services (the Agency) via email: "On November 24, 2020, the Agency was contacted by the radiation safety officer (RSO) of a Texas licensee reporting that two self-luminescent tritium exit signs were not able to be loc  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 3 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Gregg N. Sofer, issued the following news release: Odessa pharmacy Town & Country Drug, Inc. (Town & Country) and its owner, pharmacist Gary Warren, have entered into a civil settlement with the United States that requires them to pay $320,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that they violated certain provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 (  more

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Gregg N. Sofer, issued the following news release on Dec. 4: Federal, state and local authorities have arrested 13 individuals, including current and former University of Texas (UT) students, charged in connection with trafficking LSD, fentanyl and methamphetamine pills to UT students in Austin. That announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent   more

DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Erin Nealy Cox, issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Justice has recognized Dallas-based nonprofit Better Block for its support of the U.S. Attorney's Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Initiative, announced U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. The Better Block Foundation, launched in 2015 by Jason Roberts, was the sole recipient of DOJ's "Outstanding Community Involvement" PSN award, which recognizes out  more

HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Ryan K. Patrick, issued the following news release: A 42-year-old man from Edcouch has pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Luz Fernando Solis admitted that on May 3, he knowingly aimed the beam of a laser pointer at a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter. The aircraft was providing assistance to local law enforcement when a laser beam str  more

BEAUMONT, Texas, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Stephen J. Cox, issued the following news release on Dec. 3: The U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and six other federal law enforcement agencies announced the completion of the third annual Money Mule Initiative, a coordinated operation to disrupt the networks through which transnational fraudsters move the proceeds of their crimes. Money mules are individuals who assist fraud  more

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Dec. 4 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: Investigations by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) at five peanut industry employers in Texas and New Mexico resulted in the recovery of $172,264 in back wages for 127 employees to remedy violations of the overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). WHD found overtime violations resulting from employers improperly rounding down the number of hours empl  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release: The Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) has entered into a settlement agreement with global consulting firm McKinsey & Company (McKinsey) requiring McKinsey to forego payment of fees in the Westmoreland Coal bankruptcy case pending in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (Westmoreland Case). The agreement, which is subject to review and approval by the bankruptcy court  more

GALVESTON, Texas, Nov. 30 -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Galveston District issued the following news release: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District, Real Estate Division will be going door-to-door in Port Arthur on Dec 1, in Freeport on Dec 8 and in Orange County on Dec 9, to secure rights-of-entry (ROE) from individual landowners in order to access property as part of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay, Texas Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) and Ecosystem Restorat  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1 -- The White House issued the following news release: NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Raul M. Arias-Marxuach, of Puerto Rico, to be United States Circuit Judge for the First Circuit, vice Juan R del Valle Torruella, deceased. Maria Teresa Bonifacio Cenzon, of Guam, to be Judge for the District Court of Guam for the term of ten years, vice Frances Marie Tydingco-Gatewood, term expired. David L. Fogel, of Connecticut, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Economic and Busin  more