WASHINGTON, March 19 -- AmeriCorps issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, announces the deployment of 70 AmeriCorps NCCC teams to 32 states. The deployments began in January, with several more slated to run through late April, to increase outdoor education opportunities, provide tax assistance for low-income taxpayers and build renovate housing for homeless veterans. AmeriCorps NCCC is one of many programs und  more

OAKLAND, California, March 19 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following statement on March 18, 2024: * * * California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement on a Southern District of California district court decision in California Trucking Association v. Bonta, denying the plaintiffs/intervenors' renewed motions for preliminary injunction and ruling that AB 5 does not violate the constitution as applied to the trucking industry. "We're pleased tha  more

OAKLAND, California, March 19 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Leading a multistate coalition of 20 attorneys general, California Attorney General Rob Bonta today filed a motion to intervene on behalf of the State of California and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to defend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Oil and Gas Methane Rule. The EPA's final Rule  more

LOS ANGELES, California, March 19 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release on March 17, 2024: California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced that the California Department of Justice (DOJ), pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), is investigating and will independently review an officer-involved shooting (OIS) that occurred in east Los Angeles California on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at approximately 9:32 p.m. The OIS incident resulted in the death of o  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 19 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following proclamation on March 18, 2024: Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring March 17-23, 2024, as Women's Military History Week. * * * The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below: Women in the military have played a significant role in shaping the history of our nation, serving in every major conflict and war, breaking barriers, and paving the way for future generations of  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 17 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following decision granting compensation (Case No. 24-03-037) on March 15, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA Application of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (U39M) for Authorization of PG&E's Customer Service Office Closure and Transformation Proposal. DECISION GRANTING COMPENSATION NATIONAL DIVERSITY COALITION FOR SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTI  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 17 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following decision granting compensation (Case No. 24-03-023) on March 15, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA Application of Pacific Gas and Electric Company for Approval of the Retirement of Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Implementation of the Joint Proposal, And Recovery of Associated Costs Through Proposed Ratemaking Mechanisms (U39E). DEC  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 17 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following decision granting compensation (Case No. 24-03-040) on March 15, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA Order Instituting Rulemaking to Further Develop a Risk-Based Decision-Making Framework for Electric and Gas Utilities. DECISION GRANTING COMPENSATION TO THE PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION FOR SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO DECIS  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 17 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following final resolution (No. ALJ-455) on March 15, 2024: * * * Resolves K.23-08-008, the Appeal of CapTex Telcom (U-7081-C) of Citation No. CD-2023-07-057. This resolution resolves the appeal of Citation No. CD-2023-07-057 issued to CapTex Telcom (U-7081-C) (CapTex) by the California Public Utilities Commission's (Commission) Communication Division (CD) on July 11, 2023./1 On November 28, 2023, CD  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 17 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following proposed decision (No. 23-09-002) on March 15, 2024: * * * BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA In the Matter of the Application of California Water Service Company (U60W) to Modify the Scope of its PFAS Memorandum Account to Include Capital Costs and Provide for Periodic Rate Base Adjustments. DECISION DISMISSING WITHOUT PREJUDICE CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE COMPANY'  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) invites customers of Pinnacles Telephone Company (Pinnacles) to a remote public forum on Pinnacles' 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: April 4, 2024, 6 p.m. What: The public forum will begi  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res E-5311) for March 21, 2024: * * * Notification-Only Approach Pilot by Southern California Edison Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves the modified utility requests included in Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Advice Letter 6888-E, Southern California Edison Company's Advice Letter 4992E, and San Diego  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res T-17789) for March 21, 2024: * * * AT&T California's Corrective Action Plan as Proposed in Advice Letter 49420, Advice Letter 49420A, and Advice Letter 49420B for Failing to Meet the Conditions Set Forth in Resolution T-17769 PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Denies AT&T's Correction Action Plan and refer the matter to the Consumer Protection Enforcement Division to take whatever action   more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res W-5272) for March 21, 2024: * * * California Hot Springs Water and Sewer Company's Request for a General Rate Increase PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Authorizes the increase of rates for California Hot Springs Water and Sewer Company (CHSWC). SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * CHSWC has no outstanding compliance issues, and the utility has been filing annual reports as required. CHSWC complie  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (R.20-02-008) for March 21, 2024: * * * Order Instituting Rulemaking to Update the California Universal Telephone Service (California LifeLine) Program. PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Establishes a permanent California LifeLine foster youth program and a process for transitioning foster youth from the pilot program to the permanent program. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * This decision would im  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res SPD-24) for March 21, 2024: * * * Liberty Utilities' 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan Pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 8386 PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves the 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) of Liberty Utilities. * Does not establish a defense to any enforcement action for violation of a Commission decision, order, or rule. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * WMPs  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res ALJ-452) for March 21, 2024: * * * Long-Distance Consolidated Billing Company of Citation CD2023-07-041 PROPOSED OUTCOME: * The citation appeal is dismissed with prejudice after Long Distance Consolidated Billing Company's payment of a citation penalty and request to withdraw the appeal. * Closes proceeding K.23-08-004. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * There are no safety consid  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res E-5312) for March 21, 2024: * * * Pacific Gas & Electric Company Mid-Term Reliability Contract in Resolution E-5202 PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves Pacific Gas & Electric Company's (PG&E) request to amend its mid-term reliability energy storage contract with Kola Energy Storage, LLC to change the delivery date from June 1, 2024, to June 1, 2025, and to increase the project's p  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (A.23-06-017) for March 21, 2024: * * * Application of PacifiCorp for Authority to Establish the Wildfire Expense Memorandum Account. PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Grants PacifiCorp authority to establish a Wildfire Expense Memorandum Account. * Closes the proceeding. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * There are no safety considerations associated with this decision. ESTIMATED COST: * There ar  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res SPD-25) for March 21, 2024: * * * PacifiCorp's 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan Pursuant to Public Utilities Code Section 8386 PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves the 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP) of PacifiCorp. * Does not establish a defense to any enforcement action for violation of a Commission decision, order, or rule. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * WMPs articulate a  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res ST-258) for March 21, 2024: * * * Sacramento Regional Transit District Variance for Rear View Cameras Instead of the Rear View Mirror's Required by the General Order PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves request of the Sacramento Regional Transit District Waiver of General Order 143-B Section 3.03 for its Siemens S700 new vehicle acquisition project. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * Consi  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res E-5310) for March 21, 2024: * * * San Diego Gas & Electric Company's Mid-Term Reliability Contract PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves one San Diego Gas & Electric Company's mid-term reliability contract and related cost for a total of 47 megawatts of nameplate capacity expected to begin deliveries on June 1, 2024. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * The owner and seller of the project is   more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res E-5308) for March 21, 2024: * * * San Diego Gas & Electric Company Establishment of Remote Grid Standalone Power System Addendum Agreement PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves with modification San Diego Gas & Electric Company's Advice Letter 4277-E-A. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * Remote grids represent a rapid and cost-effective method for reducing wildfire risk, and thus improving   more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (A.15-04-013) for March 21, 2024: * * * In the Matter of the Application of Southern California Edison Company for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the RTRP Transmission Project. PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Denies the City of Norco's Petition to Modify Decision 20-03-001. * Closes the proceeding. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * There are no safety considerations associa  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res E-5309) for March 21, 2024: * * * Southern California Edison Company's Mid-Term Reliability Energy Storage Contracts PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves Southern California Edison Company's (SCE) mid-term reliability energy storage contracts. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * SCE's Technology Neutral Pro Forma Contract requires the Seller to operate the energy storage facility in accorda  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 18 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following agenda item (Res G-3593) for March 21, 2024: * * * Southern California Gas Company's Pilot Renewable Natural Gas Tariff Program PROPOSED OUTCOME: * Approves modifications proposed in Southern California Gas Company's Advice Letter 6025-G-A. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS: * There are no safety considerations associated with this resolution. ESTIMATED COST: * There are no costs associated with th  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Today, United States Attorney Ismail Ramsey publicly announced the release of new policies underlying the Northern District of California (NDCA) Whistleblower Pilot Program. The recently-announced NDCA Whistleblower Pilot Program (attached and published here) is designed to proactively uncover criminal conduct in the District. U.S.   more

OAKLAND, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release: Parto Karimi, a former Bay Area doctor, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for distributing powerful opioids outside the scope of medical practice, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Francisco Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Brian M. Clark. The sentence was hande  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Robert Alvin Justus, Jr. was sentenced today to life in prison for his role in the May 29, 2020, drive-by shooting at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Calif., that resulted in the murder of Protective Services Officer ("PSO") Dave Patrick Underwood and the attempted murder of a second PSO. The se  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Vikram Srinivasan, charging him with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with an alleged fraudulent real estate investment scheme, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Tripp. The indictment was filed February 29, 202  more

LOS ANGELES, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: A San Fernando Valley woman has been sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining ownership of real estate and money via identity theft and forged power-of-attorney forms in a near-$3.9 million scheme that included dismembering and disposing of a dead body to prevent the discovery of this victim's death, the Justice   more

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: * * * Cases against Biz2Credit and Womply charge companies with falsely promising fast processing of PPP loan applications * * * The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against two companies - Biz2Credit and Womply - that made false promises to small businesses seeking to take part in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), delaying and sometimes preventing them from obtaining fund  more

FORT MEADE, Maryland, March 19 -- The National Security Agency Central Security Service issued the following news release: For the third consecutive year, the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) took first place in the National Security Agency (NSA) sponsored Codebreaker Challenge (CBC). The CBC is designed to develop and test students' skills in reverse engineering, computer programming, forensics, and vulnerability analysis with increasingly difficult mission-oriented scenarios th  more

WASHINGTON, March 18 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (DHS CRCL), and the FEMA Office of Equal Rights (OER) announce the successful completion of a language access compliance review of COVID-19 public health messaging in 19 states. This review included trainings and technical assista  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 19 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James last week published an op-ed in USA Today, excerpted below, highlighting legislation sponsored by the California Department of Justice. * * * By Attorney General Rob Bonta and Attorney General Leticia James: As state attorney generals, we have two primary duties: defending our states' l  more

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 19 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Attorney General Kwame Raoul today, as part of a coalition of 20 attorneys general, filed a motion to intervene (https://ilag-dev.dotcms.cloud/dA/acec4a5e-8c3e-466f-a669-79ad642b3b9f/fileAsset/Filed%20Motion%20for%20Leave%20to%20Intervene_EPA%20Methane%20Rule.pdf) in the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to defend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (E  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service issued the following notice (No. 2024-25) in Internal Revenue Bulletin (No. 2024-12, dated March 18, 2024): * * * This notice advises State and local housing credit agencies that allocate low-income housing credits under Sec. 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, and States and other issuers of tax-exempt private activity bonds under Sec. 141, of the population figures to use in calculating: (1) the 2024 calendar  more

LIVERMORE, California, March 19 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory issued the following news: Diamond is the strongest material known. However, another form of carbon has been predicted to be even tougher than diamond. The challenge is how to create it on Earth. The eight-atom body-centered cubic (BC8) crystal is a distinct carbon phase: not diamond, but very similar. BC8 is predicted to be a stronger material, exhibiting a 30% greater resistance  more

ALBANY, New York, March 19 -- New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Even as many small businesses shuttered their doors or struggled through the pandemic, entrepreneurs in New York continued to identify and pursue new opportunities, according to an analysis by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. New York exceeds the nation in the share of businesses that are majority female and minority-owned; however, they continue to represent les  more

WASHINGTON, March 19 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: * * * NIH-funded study suggests fenoprofen as a potential therapeutic for disease that affects 1 in 10 U.S. women. * * * What Fenoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), successfully alleviated pain and inflammation in a rodent model of endometriosis, according to researchers funded by the National Institutes of   more

ROCKVILLE, Maryland, March 19 -- The National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child's Health and Human Development issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: * * * NIH-funded study suggests fenoprofen as a potential therapeutic for disease that affects 1 in 10 U.S. women * * * WHAT: Fenoprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), successfully alleviated pain and inflammation in a rodent model of endometriosis, according to researchers  more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, March 19 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Pennsylvania House Republican Leadership held a press conference Monday to call out Gov. Josh Shapiro's latest energy plan as another tax on Pennsylvania's families and businesses. Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) argued Shapiro's energy plan will increase energy costs while doing too little to spur on Pennsylvania's energy economy. "If G  more

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, March 19 -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: * * * Tiny needles yielding big results * * * Microneedles measure only two to three times the diameter of human hair and about a millimeter long. But their impact is significant, from helping U.S. service members in the field diagnose infections earlier, to helping individuals monitor their own health. Sandia National Laboratories is at the   more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 19 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release: Small nonfarm businesses in 22 Washington counties and neighboring counties in Oregon are now eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. These loans offset   more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 19 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 22 Washington counties and neighboring counties in Oregon are now eligible to apply for low interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. These loans offset economic losse  more

WASHINGTON, March 17 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Surface Transportation Board issued the following notice (Docket No. FD 36486) entitled "Grainbelt Corp. - Trackage Rights Exemption - BNSF Railway Co.": * * * Grainbelt Corporation (GNBC), a Class III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(7) to extend the term of the previously amended, local trackage rights on trackage owned by BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) between approximately milepost 668  more

SANTA ANA, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: A former Orange County tax preparer was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for leading multi-year tax fraud conspiracies across three countries, which claimed more than $10 million from the IRS and dozens of state tax authorities in fraudulent tax refunds and led these authorities to lose more than $1.2 million. Stephen Jake McG  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, March 19 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California issued the following news release on March 18, 2024: Harlan Kelly Jr. was sentenced today to four years in prison and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine after being tried and convicted of participating in a long-running honest services fraud bribery conspiracy and a separate bank fraud scheme and conspiracy, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Robbins, FBI Special Ag  more