DALLAS, Texas, Dec. 18 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on Dec. 17, 2024, entitled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation for the Regions - September 2024": * * * Private industry employer costs for employee compensation among the four regions of the country ranged from $39.37 per hour in the South to $53.75 in the Northeast in September 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: Following a vote by the House Democratic caucus to elect Congresswoman Angie Craig (MN-02) as the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) released the following statement: "Angie Craig will do a terrific job as Ranking Member on the Agriculture Committee. Angie is the leader we need to help rebuild trust with America's farmers, ranchers, and producers. She'l  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (TNSrep) -- The Government Accountability Office issued the following report: Here are excerpts: * * * Fast Facts This Q&A report examines federal assistance for farmers and ranchers who feed livestock. The money is to help them maintain operations when livestock prices are down and revenues decline. From 2018-2023, four USDA programs provided a majority of the assistance to the top 10,000 livestock feeding operations. These operations house a single species in a confine  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2024: The Justice Department and City of Baltimore filed a joint motion on Friday seeking court approval to declare the city and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) in full and effective compliance with key consent decree requirements related to First Amendment-protected activities, community oversight and coordination with Baltimore City school police. The joint motion is based on BPD's consi  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) announced their bipartisan legislation to designate the bald eagle as the National Bird of the United States has passed the House of Representatives and the Senate. It will now head to the President's desk to be signed into law. "The bald eagle is a symbol of our country's freedom and strength. In Minn  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following weekly report entitled "Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims" for week ending Dec. 7, 2024. Here are excerpts: * * * SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending December 7, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 242,000, an increase of 17,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 1,000 from 224,000 to 225,000. The 4-week moving average was 224  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: Today, the Senate Labor Committee released a report endorsing Senator Tina Smith's (D-MN) legislation to end dangerous quota systems at Amazon warehouses. The report detailed Amazon's mistreatment of warehouse workers under the corporation's productivity quota system. The report analyzed Amazon's data and found that Amazon warehouses recorded over 30 percent more injuries than the warehousing industry   more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 17 -- The Minnesota Department of Health issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2024: * * * State leaders mark the 50th anniversary of landmark legislation that ensures safe public drinking water for all * * * The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) gathered today with partners from the City of Minneapolis, the City of Saint Paul and the Minnesota Rural Water Association at Saint Paul Regional Water Services to celebrate the past half century of safe public   more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 17 -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has released a summary of significant 2024 accomplishments that advanced the DNR's mission of working with Minnesotans to conserve and manage the state's natural resources, providing outdoor recreation opportunities, and providing for commercial uses of natural resources in a way that creates a sustainable quality of life. From making tr  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 17 -- The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources issued the following news release: The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has issued its annual ice safety warning for lakes with winter aeration systems. The updated list of aerated lakes and more information is available on the DNR website (https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/lakeaeration/index.html). "We urge people to use caution anytime they venture onto ice," DNR Aeration Program Coordinator Denise Elston s  more

ST. PAUL, Minnesota, Dec. 18 -- Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon issued the following news: * * * Electors cast Minnesota's 10 Electoral College votes for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz * * * On December 17, 2024, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon presided over Minnesota's 42nd Electoral College Assembly where the state's ten electors cast their official Electoral College votes for Kamala Harris for president and Tim Walz for vice president of the United States of America. In Minn  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service issued the following news release on Dec. 16, 2024: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is opening a 60-day public comment period on a proposed rule to list Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This determination also serves as the 12-month finding on a petition to list Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee. The Suckley's cuckoo bumble bee depends on other bumble bee hosts for its   more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release: MINNEAPOLIS, MN As access to emergency medical services (EMS) continues to be a top issue for leaders in Minnesota, U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar (both D-MN) announced federal funding to bolster rural EMS services in the Southwest Metro region and the Arrowhead counties of Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis in Northeastern Minnesota. The funding was made availab  more

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued a notice and comment request involving a new information collection on Nov. 29, 2024, entitled "Study of Human Behavior and Attitudes Linked to Human-Deer Transmission of SARS-CoV-2". AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: New information collection; comment request. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces t  more