LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, March 2 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement on March 1, 2024: * * * Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after filing an amicus brief in the Supreme Court of Texas on behalf of 21 other state attorneys general in support of a Texas law prohibiting pediatric gender-transition procedures: "States are responsible for protecting the health and safety of their children from dangerous and experimental medical pr  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 2 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on March 1, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Nicholas Hardeman, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chair of the Fast Food Council. Hardeman has been Chief of Staff to State Senate President pro Tempore Emeritus Toni G. Atkins since 2016. He served as Special Assistant to former State Assembly Speaker John Perez and to former State Assembly Speaker Toni G.   more

WASHINGTON, March 1 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued the following remarks on Feb. 29, 2024, by Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas after receiving an operational briefing in Brownsville, Texas, alongside President Biden: * * * At the outset, I want to echo the President's words about the tragic fires in Texas and Oklahoma. We in the Department of Homeland Security, especially our agency FEMA, are intensely focused on providing the support, resources, and assistance the impacted   more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 2 -- The U.S. Army Mission and Installation Contracting Command issued the following news on March 1, 2024: By Daniel P. Elkins The Army chief of staff announced today the selection of the commanding general for the Mission and Installation Contracting Command as the next leader of the Army Contracting Command. Maj. Gen. Doug Lowrey will assume command of ACC at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, during a June 14 ceremony from Brig. Gen. Christine  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 2 -- The Oklahoma State Senate issued the following statement on March 1, 2024, by State Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah: * * * Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, issued a statement Friday in response to Attorney General Gentner Drummond asking a federal judge to dismiss tribal charges against an Okmulgee County jail officer who was involved in a physical altercation with Muscogee Nation Lighthorse Police. Drummond asked a federal court this week to dismiss a felony b  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 2 -- The Oklahoma State Senate issued the following news release: Sen. Carri Hicks has won unanimous approval from the Senate's General Government Committee for her legislation to encourage greater use of American-made products. Senate Bill 1212, "Buy American," would require all government entities in the state to purchase goods or equipment manufactured or produced in the United States for construction, repair, and renovation projects. "This is about supporting  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 2 -- The Oklahoma State Senate issued the following news release on March 1, 2024: Sen. Warren Hamilton, R-McCurtain, received approval Wednesday for Senate Bill 1427, legislation designed to fund revitalization efforts related to the Oklahoma State Penitentiary Prison Rodeo. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted in favor of creating a revolving fund for the Department of Corrections and allocating $8.3 million to make repairs and enhancements to the rodeo are  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 2 -- The Oklahoma State Senate issued the following news release: Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, said a proposed amendment to Oklahoma's Constitution would undo judicial reforms put into place some 50 years ago to restore and protect the integrity of the courts. Senate Joint Resolution 34, approved by the Senate Rules Committee Thursday, would allow the governor to choose appellate justices and judges, who would then be confirmed by the Senat  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, March 2 (TNSres) -- The Oklahoma City government issued the following news release on March 1, 2024: Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley announced his retirement today after 34 years of service. He has agreed to remain employed with the City until his position is filled. Gourley is Oklahoma City's 50th Chief of Police and oversees 1,235 uniformed officer positions and 413 non-sworn employees. During his time as the Chief, he led the Police Department through the CO  more

BROWNSVILLE, Texas, March 2 -- President Biden issued the following remarks on March 1, 2024, after an operation briefing: * * * THE PRESIDENT: Again, thank you. And as my mother would say, please excuse my back. I apologize. (Laughter.) Hello, folks. Good afternoon. Before we start, I'd like to say a few words about the devastating wildfires that are scorching the Texas Panhandle and northwest Oklahoma. You know, yesterday, one of the biggest fire events in Texas history, with more than 1 m  more

TULSA, Oklahoma, March 2 -- The city of Tulsa issued the following news: The City of Tulsa is asking people who live in the Riverwood area for their input on how to improve the neighborhood as the Riverwood Neighborhood Improvement Strategy enters its community engagement phase. The Riverwood neighborhood stretches from 51st to 71st Streets, from Lewis Ave. to Riverside Dr. The Riverwood Neighborhood Improvement Strategy is led by City of Tulsa personnel, Riverwood community leaders, Council C  more

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma, Feb. 24 -- The Oklahoma State Senate issued the following statement by State Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City: * * * In response to comments at a public forum in Tahlequah Friday, Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd issued the following statement. "As elected officials, we are held to a higher standard. Words have consequences, and this kind of conduct is unbecoming of an elected official. It is our duty to represent and protect everyone, and not mak  more

SPRINGFIELD, Missouri, March 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri issued the following news release on March 1, 2024: A Carl Junction, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for methamphetamine trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. Chet Edwin Mercer, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Thursday, Feb. 29, to 12 years in federal prison without parole. On Oct. 12, 2023, Mercer pleaded guilty to one count of possessin  more

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, March 2 -- The White House issued the following transcript of a press gaggle on Feb. 29, 2024, by Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas while en route to Brownsville, Texas: * * * MS. DALTON: Good afternoon. We're on our way to Brownsville, Texas, where President Biden will meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials, frontline personnel, and elected leaders, including Representative Gonzalez, who i  more