WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) issued the following agency statement on March 4, 2024: * * * The funding levels proposed by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will enable Amtrak to continue connecting America with safe, reliable, and efficient train service in Fiscal Year 2024. Throughout the Northeast Corridor and across the national network - from Maine to Oklahoma, Mississippi to California and along the Pacific Northwest to our Chica  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * Survival rates for new business establishments vary from year to year due to several factors, including the business cycle, industry, and location. In recent years, 1 year survival rates (that is, an establishment still in business one year after the year in which the establishment was born) were generally lowest for establishments born in 2001 and  more

OAKLAND, California, March 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit hearing oral argument in Braidwood Mgmt v. Becerra: "Access to quality, affordable preventive healthcare can mean the difference between life and death," said Attorney General Bonta. "From prenatal care to cancer screenings, these are the lifesaving   more

OAKLAND, California, March 5 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following statement on March 4, 2024: California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement after JetBlue and Spirit called off their proposed $3.8 billion merger agreement. The merger was expected to eliminate low-cost airfare options for consumers, resulting in fewer seats available and substantially threaten competition in an industry already experiencing the negative impacts of market conso  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced he is activating the California National Guard (CalGuard) 146th Airlift Wing based out of the Channel Islands in Oxnard and authorized the deployment of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and crew to the state of Texas in support of wildfire fighting operations. WHAT GOVERNOR NEWSOM SAID: "In times of crisis, Americans stand together. Calif  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following statement on March 4, 2024: * * * Governor Gavin Newsom today filed an amicus brief (https://mclist.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=afffa58af0d1d42fee9a20e55&id=45c4b608c6&e=4445b5a765) in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, a case that is before the United States Supreme Court. Prior rulings by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have left few and fragmented options for local governments to confront the hom  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointment of Christine Aurre as Legislative Affairs Secretary in the Office of the Governor, filling the role held by Christy Bouma since March 2022. "Christy's strong leadership and remarkable collaboration with our partners in the Legislature has been indispensable in delivering monumental wins for Californians and the future of o  more

FRESNO, California, March 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Trevon Miller, 31, a former Air Force Police Officer at Edwards Air Force Base, pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges today for submitting fraudulent unemployment insurance claims during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, between April 2020 and June 2020, Miller submitted fraudulent  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release: Long Nguyen, who pleaded guilty last year to charges relating to a scheme to defraud at least 20 individuals out of millions of dollars, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay nearly $1.5 million in restitution and to forfeit $1 million, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Sp  more

FRESNO, California, March 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Jose Luis Zambrano, 40, of Bakersfield, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, from October 2016 to January 2017, Zambrano sold a pound of methamphetamine and nearly 12 ounces of heroin in four   more

SAN JOSE, California, March 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release: Cuong Chi Quan, also known as "Roger Quan," was sentenced last week to 10 months in prison for crimes related to a scheme to underreport his income by nearly $4.5 million, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)'s Washington D.C. Field Office. The sentence was handed  more

OAKLAND, California, March 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release: A federal grand jury indicted Edijalma De Souza Ferreira, charging him with smuggling ammunition from the United States to Brazil without an export license, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King. According to the indictment, filed February 27, Ferreira, 46, of Richmond  more

SAN DIEGO, California, March 4 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California issued the following news release: Michael Hart of San Diego was arrested early today and charged with smuggling potent greenhouse gases into the United States from Mexico and then selling them for profit, in violation of regulations intended to curb the use of greenhouse gases and slow climate change. This is the first prosecution in the United States to include charges related to the Ame  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- The California Department of Transportation issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Caltrans today launched an equity tool designed to help all Californians benefit from transportation projects and identify communities most negatively impacted by the transportation system, which results in high rates of traffic, crashes, and air pollution, as well as limited transit options. The Caltrans Transportation Equity Index (EQI) tool will help inform proj  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded Oklahoma small businesses of the April 3, 2024, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding in Comanche and Tulsa counties that occ  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 5 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded Texas small businesses of the April 3, 2024, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury caused by the severe storms and flooding in Potter County that occurred May 27 - June 14, 2023. According to S  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news release: The Chief of Staff of the Army announces the following officer assignments: Gen. James J. Mingus to vice chief of staff of the Army, Washington, D.C. He most recently served as director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. Lt. Gen. Michele H. Bredenkamp to director's advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Washington, D.C. She most recently served as commanding general, U.  more

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: Throughout its 75 years, Idaho National Laboratory's ranks have been filled with multi-generational family members, many of them cases of the apple not falling far from the tree. For Rob and Alyssa Spence, however, the fact that both work at INL's Advanced Test Reactor today is where the coincidence ends. When Alyssa was getting ready to graduate from Un  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Border Crossing Data provide summary statistics for inbound crossings at the U.S.-Canada and the U.S.-Mexico border at the port level. Data are available for trucks, trains, containers, buses, personal vehicles, passengers, and pedestrians. Border crossing data are collected at ports of entry by U.S. Cu  more

WASHINGTON, March 4 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Deportation officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Phoenix removed Jose Inez Garcia-Zarate, 49, a Mexican national who was removed on six previous occasions, via commercial air to Mexico March 1. "This Mexican national has a lengthy criminal history aside from being removed from the U.S. six pervious times," said ERO Phoenix   more

MCCONNELL AFB, Kansas, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force Hill Air Force Base (75th Air Base Wing) issued the following news: By Senior Airman Felicia Przydzial, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Airmen from five flying squadrons out of the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings participated in a series of events defined as EXPLODEO in multiple locations Feb. 24-28, 2024. "EXPLODEO is the popularized term to highlight Air Mobility Command's emphasis on exploding into theater," said Lt. Col. Krist  more

WASHINGTON, March 1 -- The Federal Maritime Commission issued the following notice of filing of complaint (Docket No. 24-13): * * * ACCESS ONE TRANSPORT, INC., Complainant v. COSCO SHIPPING LINES CO. LTD., Respondent. NOTICE OF FILING OF COMPLAINT AND ASSIGNMENT Notice is given that a complaint has been filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (the "Commission") by Access One Transport, Inc. (the "Complainant") against COSCO Shipping Lines Co. Ltd. (the "Respondent"). Complainant states th  more

TRAVIS AFB, California, March 5 -- The U.S. Air Force's Travis Air Force Base (60th Air Mobility Wing) issued the following news: By Randall Couch, 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs The life of Robert Warren Dittmer was intertwined with the history of Travis Air Force Base in many ways. Born in Oakland, California, on Nov. 11, 1920, he grew up on the family ranch founded by his great-grandmother in 1857 near Cordelia, California. He joined the Army Air Corps on Dec. 8, 1942, at age 22. Wh  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news statement on March 4, 2024: * * * JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) announced today that it has abandoned its $3.8 billion acquisition of Spirit Airlines Inc. (Spirit). In January, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts blocked the transaction because it violated "the core principle of antitrust law: to protect the United States' markets - and its market participants - from anticompetitive ha  more

LIVERMORE, California, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news: In the fall of 2023, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) scientists Sijia Huang and Michael Ford participated in the Department of Energy's Energy I-Corps Program, an immersive eight-week entrepreneurial boot camp that teaches scientists and engineers the tools of the trade for commercializing technology from the Lab to the marketplace. A major part of t  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, March 5 -- The Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus issued the following news on March 4, 2024: Today the Senate Transportation Committee plans to hear the Clean Transportation Standards bill. The bill gives MNDoT the authority to aggressively reduce carbon emissions through rules and regulations. Several groups representing agriculture, business, and labor interests are planning to oppose the bill in committee. "Clean Transportation Fuel Standards are a bad idea for Minneso  more

RALEIGH, North Carolina, March 5 -- North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein issued the following statement on March 4, 2024: * * * Attorney General Josh Stein today released the following statement after his district court victory led JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines to abandon their plans for a $3.8 billion merger. "Prices for airline tickets are sky high, and more competition means more options. This result means this merger won't increase the cost of flying. My office will always fig  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 (TNScapv) -- NASA issued the following news release: NASA has selected 15 companies to provide flight and payload integration services to advance technologies and procedures for operating in space, including testing in high-altitude, reduced gravity, or other relevant environments. Examples of payloads include NASA science instruments or technology demonstrations. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity base contract awards are firm-fixed-price with a total combined val  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The National Labor Relations Board issued the following decision (Case No. 20-RC-335189) by Region 20 Acting Director Kathleen Schneider: * * * STACHS LLC DBA BUDGET KING LLC, Employer and TEAMSTERS LOCAL 150, Petitioner ERRATA The Decision and Direction of Election in this matter that issued on February 22, 2024, contained two inadvertent omissions; both of which involve the Regional Director's pre-hearing decision to defer the eligibility/inclusion question concernin  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 5 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following news release on March 4, 2024: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) invites customers of Calaveras Telephone Company (Calaveras) to a remote public forum on Calaveras' rate case. This is an opportunity for customers to voice their opinions and concerns directly to the CPUC on matters affecting their telephone service. When: March 18, 2024, 6 p.m. What: The public forum will begin  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for March 4, 2024: * * * SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN 11:30 a.m. Secretary Blinken delivers remarks at the 18th annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony at the White House. (MEDIA DETERMINED BY THE WHITE HOUSE) The ceremony will be streamed live at whitehouse.gov/live and www.state.gov. * * * DEPUTY SECRETARY KURT M. CAMPBELL 12:00 p.m. Deputy Secretary Campbell meets with Australian, Japanese  more

WASHINGTON, March 5 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for March 5, 2024: * * * SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN 9:00 a.m. Secretary Blinken meets with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani at the Department of State. (CAMERA SPRAY AT TOP) Final access time for video cameras, stills, and writers is 8:30 a.m. at the 23rd street entrance. The camera spray will be streamed live on the Department homepage and YouTube Channel . 1  more

LOS ANGELES, California, March 4 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California issued the following news release: A former Antelope Valley physician was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison for illegally dispensing prescriptions for often-abused controlled substances - including opioid-based medications - during telemedicine sessions with "patients" from across the United States. Raphael Tomas Malikian, 39, who resides in Llano and Palmdale, was sentenced by U  more

WASHINGTON, March 1 -- The White House issued the following transcript of a news briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby: * * * (Continued from Part 1 of 2) MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you so much, Admiral. MR. KIRBY: Thank you. Appreciate it. MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Have a great weekend. Q: John, can we get quick comment on the Russian nuclear threat? MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks. All right, go ahead. Q: Just one quic  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 4 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: The application window is now open for Department of the Air Force triathletes and coaches to participate in the upcoming Armed Forces championship.  The application window opened on March 1 and closes March 30 for coaches and on April 15 for athletes. Those selected will represent the DAF at the 2024 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship June 26-30,  more