WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on April 3, 2024: Today, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced that the Justice Department is adding three new cities to its Criminal Division's Violent Crime Initiative (VCI), building on the successful model launched in Houston, Texas, in September 2022, and expanded to Memphis, Tennessee, in November 2023. The VCI surges law enforcement tools and resources to target gangs and other violent groups   more

CHICAGO, Illinois, April 4 -- Attorney General Merrick B. Garland issued the following remarks on April 3, 2024, at the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grantee Conference: * * * Thanks everyone. Thanks Eddie. Eddie, if getting a call from my chief of staff bring up the Wu-Tang Clan -- what does a call ... what image does a call from me bring up? You can tell me afterwards. Chicago is also my hometown, and it's great to be here. Almost three years ago, when I had be  more

SACRAMENTO, California, April 5 -- The Small Business Administration issued the following news release on April 4, 2024: Francisco Sanchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded small nonfarm businesses in 33 Arkansas counties and neighboring parishes and counties in Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee of the May 6, 2024, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury. These low-i  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, April 5 -- The Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird issued the following news release on April 4, 2024: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced a victory against the Biden Administration's Security and Exchange Commission ("SEC") mandate that forces business to track and report greenhouse gas emissions. Attorney General Bird led 25 states in securing a temporary, nationwide block on Biden's extreme climate mandate while the lawsuit continues. The mandate is part of Bid  more

DES MOINES, Iowa, April 5 -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is now accepting a second round of applications as part of the $3 million, 5-year Underserved Farmer to Farmer grant from the Environmental Protection Agency's Gulf of Mexico division. The DNR will continue to distribute the remaining funds from the $3 million EPA grant to eligible applicants across the state over the remaining three years of the gra  more

WASHINGTON, April 4 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following weekly report entitled "Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims" for week ending April 4, 2024: * * * SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending March 30, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 221,000, an increase of 9,000 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 214,250, an increase of 2  more

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, April 5 -- Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued the following news release on April 4, 2024: In an effort to enforce the laws as written, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced today that his office has requested that the Missouri Supreme Court set an execution date for Christopher Collings. In November of 2007, Christopher Collings abducted, raped, and murdered nine-year-old Rowan Ford of Stella, Missouri, in Newton County. Afterwards, Collings th  more

OMAHA, Nebraska, April 5 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's National Park Service issued the following news release: The National Park Service (NPS) has selected Christopher Collins as the superintendent of the newly established New Philadelphia National Historic Site located near Barry, Illinois. Collins is currently the superintendent at Ste. Genevieve National Historical Park in Missouri. He will assume his new role at New Philadelphia later this spring. "I am pleased to name Chris as  more

BRUSSELS, Belgium, April 4 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following remarks on April 3, 2024, by Secretary Antony J. Blinken at a NATO 75th anniversary reception: * * * AMBASSADOR SMITH: Distinguished guests, ministers, ambassadors, Secretary Blinken, Mr. Secretary General, it is such a pleasure and an honor to welcome all of you to my home this evening - Truman Hall - to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of this wonderful Alliance. Of course, 75 years ago this group wou  more

KANSAS CITY, Missouri, April 5 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri issued the following news release on April 4, 2024: An Independence, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court after law enforcement officers seized 22 firearms and a large quantity of a variety of illegal drugs from his residence and his two campers in Bagnell, Mo. Jonathan P. Henik, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Wednesday, April 3, to two counts of being  more

COLUMBIA, Missouri, April 5 -- The University of Missouri System issued the following news release on April 4, 2024: The University of Missouri System announced Thursday that it will extend its enrollment deadline to May 15 to give prospective students and their families more time to review their financial aid offers and make college decisions. The UM System joins hundreds of other higher education institutions that have extended their enrollment deadlines due to changes to the Free Applicatio  more

WASHINGTON, April 5 (TNSres) -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on April 4, 2024: * * * Extreme House Republican Plan Would Cut Medicare and Social Security While Slashing Taxes for Big Corporations and the Wealthy During his State of the Union Address, President Biden made clear that he will always stand up for America's seniors and stand in the way of any Congressional Republicans who try to cut Social Security and Medicare. He laid out his vision for a future where we make   more

WASHINGTON, April 4 (TNSres) -- The White House issued the following fact sheet on April 3, 2024: * * * House Republicans Propose Severely Undermining Fight Against Opioid Crisis in Latest Extreme Budget Proposal The Republican Study Committee, which represents 100% of House Republican leadership and about 80% of their members, released a budget that would severely cut critical funding for states to respond to the overdose epidemic. More Americans between the ages of 18 and 49 die from opio  more