WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). These sanctions include suspending the businesses' PACA licenses and barring  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is harnessing the power of data to improve Department of the Air Force installation mail services. The center is using Automated Military Postal System, or AMPS, data to expand Intelligent Lockers to more bases, incorporate parcel lockers and streamline mail centers with online mailing subscript  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: The Great Texas Airshow is just days away on April 6 and 7 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph and promises to be a thrilling show, showcasing a wide variety of aerial performers and static aircraft displays. For a list of aerial performers, static displays and more information about The Great Texas Airshow, visit https://www.jbsa.mil/Information/JBS  more

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, March 29 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement on March 28, 2024: * * * Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement after announcing that he and seven other state attorneys general are asking the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas to take additional action against a Texas based robocaller for violating permanent robocall and telemarketing bans: "In March of last year, my office obtained  more

LAREDO, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered almost 500 pounds of mango among other prohibited agriculture products in a single enforcement action at the Juarez-Lincoln bridge. "This significant amount of prohibited agricultural items seized illustrates the important work of our frontline CBP agriculture specialists in preventing har  more

HOUSTON, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division issued the following news release: The leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization has been imprisoned for his involvement in an international heroin trafficking conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Malam Bacai Sanha Jr., 52, pleaded guilty Sept. 6, 2023, to conspir  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division issued the following news release: A 63-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 11 kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gilberto Eloy Ramirez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2020. U.S. District Chief Judge Ra  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division issued the following news release: Two Mission men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Eddie Perez, 29, and Juan Alberto Mendez Jr., 29, pleaded guilty April 24, 2023, to conspiracy to pos  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division issued the following news release: A 50-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge, Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Orlando Candelario Almanza pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023. U.S. Distr  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 29 -- The U.S. Justice Department Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division issued the following news release: A 21-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Alex Dominque Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Ti  more

RIO RANCHO, New Mexico, March 29 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news release on March 27, 2024: * * * Felician Villa Apartments to Serve Those 55 and Older * * * Representatives from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and Rio Rancho, New Mexico, dignitaries joined CC Housing, a subsidiary of Catholic Charities last week for the groundbreaking ceremony for Felician Villa Apartments, a senior h  more

DEL RIO, Texas, March 29 -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a district bank in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: * * * Funds will add 12 Units and Multiple Upgrades * * * Prospera Housing Community Services (Prospera) was awarded an $850,000 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through its member Wells Fargo, to help fund the renovation of Rio Manor Apartments, a 60-unit multifam  more

TALLAHASSEE, Florida, March 29 -- Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Attorney General Ashley Moody is leading a multistate coalition of state attorneys general in probing whether MSCI, Inc., a large investment company, is embracing the boycott, divestment and sanctions, or BDS, movement against Israel. At least 38 states in the U.S. have taken actions to oppose the BDS movement. Attorney General Ashley Moody said, "Israel is our greatest  more

MIAMI, Florida, March 29 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: The Justice Department announced today that its long-running investigation into international commodities trading companies that paid bribes to win business with state-owned and state-controlled oil companies in Latin America and Africa has resulted in six corporate resolutions, 20 convictions of individuals, and total fines, forfeitures, an  more

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following news release: HOUSTON -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston Field Office apprehended 11 criminal noncitizens in the Houston area who have been convicted of at least one drug trafficking offense or multiple drug possession-related offenses involving methamphetamines, fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, or synthetic drugs  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, March 29 -- Gov. Kim Reynolds, R-Iowa, issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Governor Reynolds has announced that eight troopers and two sergeants from the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) will deploy March 31, 2024 to Texas in support of Operation Lone Star and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The deployment will last 28 days and conclude on April 27, 2024. The Iowa National Guard will deploy on two missions to support Operation Lone Star. The firs  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 28 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: In a milestone for military partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, the first class of Royal Saudi Air Force officers completed an intensive electronic warfare training course March 5, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. "We are very proud of you and on behalf of His Royal Highness for the Saudi Air Force Commander, I congratulate you," sai  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: The Justice Department today urged taxpayers to choose their return preparers wisely as the April 15 federal tax filing deadline approaches. Unscrupulous preparers who include errors or false information on a tax return could leave a taxpayer open to liability for unpaid taxes, penalties and interest. "Taxpayers must look out for unscrupulous preparers, who often will promise refunds tha  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Aggregate Fines, Forfeitures, and Other Penalties Total More Than $1.7B The Justice Department announced today that its long-running investigation into international commodities trading companies that paid bribes to win business with state-owned and state-controlled oil companies in Latin America and Africa has resulted in six corporate resolutions, 20 convictions of individuals, and tot  more

TOPEKA, Kansas, March 28 -- Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach issued the following news release: Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is leading a coalition of all Republican attorneys general in asking the Environmental Protection Agency to drop a proposed regulation that would cost meat and poultry processors millions. Under the proposed rule, the EPA will regulate meat and poultry processing plants with indirect wastewater discharges, or wastewater that goes through a city sewage treatment  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following weekly report entitled "Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims" for week ending March 28, 2024: * * * SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 23, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 210,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2,000 from 210,000 to 212,000. The 4-week moving average was 211,000, a decrease of 750 from t  more

LANSING, Michigan, March 29 -- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel today asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to take stronger action against John Caldwell Spiller II after Spiller violated permanent robocall and telemarketing bans. Nessel filed alongside seven other state attorneys general represented on the original March 2023 judgment against Spiller for directing billions  more

ALBANY, New York, March 29 -- The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets issued the following news release: The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is continuing to monitor the evolving situation of confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) earlier this week confirmed HPAI in two dairy cattle herds in Texas and two herds in Kansas. In addition, last week, the   more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 28 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Approximately 50 percent of Naval Medical Research Unit (NAMRU) San Antonio's military and support personnel is comprised of women. Therefore, it is fitting that the 2024 theme of Women's History Month be "Women Who Have Made Great Achievements." One of the highly professional women within Navy Medicine is Cmdr. Rachel Werner, Dental Corps, NAMRU Sa  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Producers surveyed across the United States intend to plant 90.0 million acres of corn in 2024, down 5% from last year, according to the Prospective Plantings report released today by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Planted acreage intentions for corn are down or unchanged in 38 of the 48 estimating states. A  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Air Force Recruiting Service recently celebrated the exceptional achievements of its top recruiters at Operation Blue Suit, held at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. This annual event recognizes the dedication and outstanding performance of recruiters who excel in their mission to best find, attract, recruit, and retain the Airmen and Guardians our   more

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, March 28 -- The Pennsylvania House Republicans issued the following news release: Citing the rising number of crimes committed by illegal immigrants and a dramatic increase in overdose deaths nationwide, Rep. Mike Cabell (R-Luzerne) plans to soon introduce legislation that would criminalize unauthorized migration at the state level in Pennsylvania. "While it is undeniable that many entering the United States seek better lives and opportunities, the country has recentl  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: Release# 240327-01 Joint Base San Antonio officials identified a deceased service member found on March 25 in a JBSA-Lackland dorm as 20-year-old Airman Raylina Fontes, assigned to 59th Dental Training Squadron. Fontes was found unresponsive in her dorm room. "Our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to Raylina's family and friends during this  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 28 -- The Public Utility Commission of Texas issued the following news release on March 26, 2024: The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) this spring will survey Texas electricity consumers to study the costs they may incur from power interruptions. The survey was developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and has been used nationally by utilities and electricity regulators to develop innovative grid reliability policy and evaluate the cost-effectiv  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: McALLEN, Texas -A 63-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 11 kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Gilberto Eloy Ramirez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2  more

WASHINGTON, March 29 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency has issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: * * * The nationwide Nursery Value Select program serves as great alternative as the Nursery Field Grown and Container program ends. * * * The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has expanded its Nursery Value Select (NVS) crop insurance program to all counties in all states, and the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is encouraging interested nursery   more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 64 Louisiana parishes and neighboring counties in Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas 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 Bu  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 33 New Mexico counties and neighboring counties in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah 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  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 33 New Mexico counties and neighboring counties in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah 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 Administrati  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 36 Oklahoma counties and neighboring counties in Kansas and Texas 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 Administr  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 36 Oklahoma counties and neighboring counties in Kansas and Texas 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 econom  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 165 Texas counties, neighboring parishes in Louisiana and neighboring counties in New Mexico and Oklahoma 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 Re  more

SACRAMENTO, California, March 29 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Small nonfarm businesses in 165 Texas counties, neighboring parishes in Louisiana and neighboring counties in New Mexico and Oklahoma 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 A  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas, March 27 -- The U.S. Air Force Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland (16th Air Force) issued the following news: The Commander regrets to announce the death of Airman Raylina Fontes, assigned to the 59th Dental Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, who passed away March 25, 2024. To settle the estate of the deceased, Capt. Alyssajoy Oviatt, assigned to the 59th Dental Training Squadron , has been appointed as Summary Courts Officer, or SCO.   more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened an investigation into Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc., after reoccurring issues with certain airplane parts provided to Boeing. Spirit AeroSystems, "one of the world's largest manufacturers of aerostructures for commercial airplanes," according to the company, produces the fuselages for Boeing's 737 jets. On certain models of the 737, apparent manufactu  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29 -- The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality today approved penalties totaling $191,118 against 12 regulated entities for violations of state environmental regulations. Agreed orders were issued for the following enforcement categories: one multi-media, three municipal wastewater discharges, three petroleum storage tanks, and three public water systems. Default orders  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following proclamation on March 28, 2024: WHEREAS, I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, issued a disaster proclamation on February 27, 2024, certifying that wildfires posed an imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property in several counties; and WHEREAS, the Texas Division of Emergency Management has confirmed that the same wildfire conditions continue to exist in those counties i  more

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29 -- Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Governor Greg Abbott today met with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Governor's Mansion in Austin to discuss the disastrous impact President Joe Biden's border crisis has had on the state of Texas and Congress' lack of action to pass crucial border security legislation. During the meeting, Governor Abbott told Speaker Johnson that the border crisis is both unacceptable and avoidable  more

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, March 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release: A 30-year-old Mission resident has been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to transport non U.S. citizens via commercial tractor-trailers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Daniel Cantu Jr. pleaded guilty Aug. 23, 2022. He was originally set to be sentenced in late 2023, but failed to appear. He remained a fugitive until February. U.S. District  more

MCALLEN, Texas, March 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release: Four Mission residents have entered guilty pleas for their roles in a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and a related conspiracy to transport aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Luis Enrique Moctezuma-Acosta, 36, Elizabeth Acosta, 52, and Keysi Fuentes-Gavarrete, 27, admitted to laundering over $2 million in monetary  more

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, March 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas issued the following news release: A 45-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Roberto Rivas aka Scarface pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2023. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Rivas to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing,   more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: McALLEN, Texas - Two Mission men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Eddie Perez, 29, and Juan Alberto Mendez Jr., 29, pleaded guilty Apr  more

MACON, Georgia, March 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia issued the following news release: Two metro Atlanta residents who pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges for their roles in the gang-related shooting deaths of three Athens, Georgia, residents were sentenced to prison this week. Shabazz Larry Guidry, aka "Lil Larry," 29, of Decatur, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he p  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: McALLEN, Texas - A 50-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge, Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Orlando Candelario Almanza pleaded  more

RICHMOND, Virginia, March 29 -- Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares issued the following news release on March 28, 2024: Attorney General Jason Miyares today joined an 18 state coalition of attorneys general probing whether Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI, Inc.), a large investment company, is embracing the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. "Investment companies making political stands with consumers' money in the name of 'environmental, social,  more

BOSTON, Massachusetts, March 27 -- The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's New England Division issued the following news release: McALLEN, Texas - A 21-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Alex Dominque Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023  more