BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally selling a dozen machinegun conversion devices. Michael Wilkerson, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business as a manufacturer or dealer in firearms. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for April 30, 2024. Wilkerson was initially  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: A Malden man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. David Desousa, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In September 2022, Desousa pleaded guilty to one count of dist  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: A man from the Dominican Republic, who resides in the Boston area, was sentenced yesterday for running a wide-ranging fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that trafficked multiple kilograms of counterfeit pills, including pills that contained fentanyl, through the mail. Quenty Ogando, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to 144   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued the following program update: Subject: APHIS Removes Portions of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, New York, from the Asian Longhorned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) Quarantine Are; To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is removing 10.1 square miles   more

PHOENIX, Arizona, Feb. 1 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on Jan. 31, 2024: Attorney General Mayes today joined a multistate coalition of 24 attorneys general to protect access to medication abortion nationwide. The coalition filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) and Danco Laboratories LLC's efforts to reverse a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that reinstated cert  more

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Northeast Regional Information Office issued a report on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Union Members in Massachusetts - 2023": * * * In 2023, union members accounted for 12.6 percent of wage and salary workers in Massachusetts, compared with 12.7 percent in 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner William J. Sibley noted that the union membership rate for the state was at i  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, Feb. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southeast Regional Information Office issued the following report on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Changing Compensation Costs in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area - December 2023": * * * Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 3.8 percent in the Atlanta--Athens-Clarke County--Sandy Springs, GA Combined Statistical Area (CSA) for the year ended December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis  more

ATLANTA, Georgia, Feb. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southeast Regional Information Office issued the following report on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Changing Compensation Costs in the Miami Metropolitan Area - December 2023": * * * Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 5.5 percent in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Port St. Lucie, FL Combined Statistical Area (CSA) for the year ended December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics repor  more

DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Changing Compensation Costs in the Dallas Metropolitan Area - December 2023": * * * Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 3.5 percent in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK, Combined Statistical Area (CSA) for the year ended December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assist  more

DALLAS, Texas, Feb. 2 (TNSrep) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on Feb. 1, 2024, entitled "Changing Compensation Costs in the Houston Metropolitan Area - December 2023": * * * Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 5.2 percent in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX, Combined Statistical Area (CSA) for the year ended December 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assi  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued the following news on Feb. 1, 2024: Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Boston Public Library, 826 Boston, GrubStreet, Fine Arts Work Center, Mass Poetry, and Urban Word, today announced Parker-Vincent Alva has been named the City of Boston's next Youth Poet Laureate. "The voices of our youth should not only be seen as potential for the future, but an opportunity to inspire othe  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Boston Mayor Michelle Wu issued the following news: Mayor Michelle Wu led a dedicated group of volunteers, including officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, City and State officials, homelessness service providers, local elected officials, and public health and first responders in conducting the 44th annual homelessness census for the City of Boston. The count of Bostonians experiencing homelessness plays a crucial role in guiding th  more

HARTFORD, Connecticut, Feb. 2 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General William Tong today announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm's role in the prescription opioid crisis. Connecticut will receive nearly $4.44 million from the settlement to help address the opioid crisis, as well as $332,000 to cover the costs of the leadin  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 -- District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced a $350 million multistate settlement with Publicis Health, a marketing and communications firm, based on the company's role in accelerating and expanding the opioid crisis. The District's filing in DC Superior Court describes how Publicis Health contributed to and profited from the opioid crisis by working with Purdue P  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia issued the following news release: Saber Fakih, 48, of the United Kingdom, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in prison for violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The announcement was issued by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department's National Security Division; Spe  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: BURLINGTON, Vt. - eBay Inc, an e-commerce company headquartered in San Jose, California, has agreed to pay $59 million and to enhance its compliance program to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in connection with thousands of pill presses and encapsulating machines that were sold through its website. Pi  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- The Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development issued the following news release: The Executive Office of Economic Development announced that hospitality, tourism, and strategic communications specialist Sheila Green has been named Massachusetts 250th Coordinator of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT). Green has a wealth of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry, coming from experience with Sail Boston, Boston Harbor Cit  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston today announced that Ed O'Connor has been appointed senior vice president in the Federal Reserve System's Financial Support Office. The FSO is based at the Boston Fed and leads the management of the Federal Reserve System's operating budget, as well as the System's planning and analysis and accounting activities. In his new role, O'Connor wil  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Today, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and Treasurer Deborah Goldberg submitted a letter (https://www.mass.gov/doc/lead-letter/download) to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging him to reconsider a new grant formula that has reduced lead service line replacement funding to Massachusetts by more than $30 million. The EP  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, Feb. 2 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a bipartisan group of attorneys general, today announced a $150 million multistate settlement agreement in principle with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals (Hikma) for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Raoul's office also announced today a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into th  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health that would resolve the Commonwealth's litigation against the marketing and communications firm for its role in the opioid crisis, including its work for opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma. Massachusetts will receive nearly $8 million from the settlement to  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today joined a multistate coalition of 24 attorneys general to protect access to mifepristone nationwide. The coalition filed an amicus brief (https://www.mass.gov/doc/scotus-mifepristone-amicus-brief) in the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) and Danco Laboratories LLC's efforts to re  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 2 -- Gov. Maura Healey, D-Massachusetts, issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Today, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, and Treasurer Deborah Goldberg submitted a letter (https://www.mass.gov/doc/lead-letter/download) to EPA Administrator Michael Regan urging him to reconsider a new grant formula that has reduced lead service line replacement funding to Massachusetts by more than $30 million. The EPA's new data an  more

BALTIMORE, Maryland, Feb. 2 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today joined a multistate coalition of 23 Attorneys General opposing Texas' ongoing effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In an amicus brief filed before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the coalition urges the court to reverse the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Feb. 2 -- North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Josh Stein today announced a $150 million bipartisan multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Hikma produces a range of generic opioid products and sells hundreds of millions of opioid doses every year. The attorneys general allege that from 2006 to 2021, Hikma failed   more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Feb. 2 -- North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Josh Stein today announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm's role in the prescription opioid crisis. North Carolina will receive more than $11 million from the settlement to help address the opioid crisis. "Companies like Publicis helped fuel the opioi  more

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a $150 million multistate settlement in principle that her office secured with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals (Hikma) for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Hikma produces a range of generic opioid products and sells hundreds of millions of opioid doses every year. The attorneys general allege that from 2006 to 2021  more

NEW YORK, Feb. 1 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release: New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a coalition of every attorney general in the nation in securing $350 million from Publicis Health, LLC (Publicis) for the company's role in the opioid crisis in New York and throughout the United States. Publicis, part of the French media conglomerate Publicis Groupe, S.A., is one of the world's largest healthcare advertising companies and developed  more

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: New York Attorney General Letitia James today co-led a multistate coalition of 23 attorneys general against Texas' ongoing effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program (https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/amicus-curiae/daca-5th-cir-amicus-brief.pdf). In the amicus brief filed before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the coalition urges the co  more

SALEM, Oregon, Feb. 2 -- Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum today announced a $350 million national settlement with global marketing firm Publicis to resolve investigations into the firm's role in fueling the opioid crisis. "Oregon's $5.2 million share of the Publicis settlement will be added to the nearly one billion dollars our office has secured for Oregon in legal settlements with companies associated   more

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, Feb. 1 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued the following news release: United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced today that the Justice Department has secured an agreement with the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania (UJS) to resolve allegations that UJS courts violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by preventing individuals under court supervision from taking lawfully prescribed medication to  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: Oxford, MS - A Mississippi man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, including murder, related to his participation in the Simon City Royals (SCR) gang. According to court documents, from 2016 until 2022, Allen Posey, 49, of Hazlehurst, Mississippi oversaw all of the criminal activities of the Simon Cit  more

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, Feb. 2 -- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued the following news on Feb. 1, 2024: Today, Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm's role in the prescription opioid crisis. Tennessee will receive more than $9 million from the settlement which will be deposited into Tennessee's Opioid Abatement Fund to help address the opioid  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Feb. 1 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 32-year-old Corpus Christi woman has been sentenced for trafficking narcotics, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Melissa Rendon pleaded guilty Aug. 4, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Rendon to serv  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued the following news release: As part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's efforts to conserve and restore coastal wetlands, the Service is awarding more than $1.3 million to support two projects in Marin County to protect, restore or enhance over five acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. Coastal wetlands are vitally  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 2 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Jason Miyares announced today a $150 million multistate settlement in principle with opioid manufacturer Hikma Pharmaceuticals (Hikma) for its role in fueling the opioid crisis. Hikma produces a range of branded and generic opioid products and sells hundreds of millions of opioid doses every year. From 2006 to 2021, Hikma failed to monitor and report suspi  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, Feb. 2 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm's role in the prescription opioid crisis. In agreeing to the terms of the settlement, Publicis recognized the harm its conduct caused, and that the agreement will provide communities hit the hard  more

MONTPELIER, Vermont, Feb. 2 -- Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark issued the following news release on Feb. 1, 2024: Attorney General Charity Clark today announced that Vermont will receive $1,079,000 as its share of a $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health to resolve investigations into the global marketing and communications firm's role in the prescription opioid crisis. In agreeing to the terms of the settlement, Publicis recognized the harm its conduct caused. The company  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Jan. 31 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: DENVER - Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. In calendar year 2023, DEA seized nationally more than 77 million fentanyl pills and nearly 12,000 pounds of fentanyl powder. This is the most fentanyl seized by DEA in a single year and amounts to more than 386 million deadly doses of fentanyl pr  more