Friday - March 14, 2025
News Tipoffs - California Editors Newsletter for Wednesday February 12, 2025 ( 23 items )  

Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Sues Trump Administration for Defunding Medical and Public Health Innovation Research
AUGUSTA, Maine, Feb. 12 -- Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Aaron M. Frey Sues Trump Administration for Defunding Medical and Public Health Innovation Research Coalition of 22 Attorneys General Challenge NIH Funding Cuts for Universities and Research Institutions AUGUSTA -Attorney General Aaron M. Frey and 21 other attorneys general today sued the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Ins  more

Attorney General Bonta Advocates to Fully Revoke Harmful Pesticide from Food Crops
SACRAMENTO, California, Feb. 11 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Bonta Advocates to Fully Revoke Harmful Pesticide from Food Crops OAKLAND -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a multistate coalition of nine attorneys general in submitting a comment letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding EPA's proposal to ban residue from the pesticide chlorpyrifos on only some common food crops, desp  more

California Teenager Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Nationwide Swatting Spree
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * California Teenager Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Nationwide Swatting Spree Alan W. Filion, 18, of Lancaster, California, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for making interstate threats to injure the person of another. According to the plea agreement, from approximately August 2022 to January 2024, Filion made over 375 swatting and threat calls, including calls in w  more

Contracts for Feb. 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news: * * * Contracts for Feb. 11, 2025 NAVY Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, was awarded a $114,162,885 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-6117 to exercise options for the Navy's procurement of hardware to support sound navigation and ranging systems. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, Ne  more

EPA and LA County Identify Third Staging Area in Altadena
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA and LA County Identify Third Staging Area in Altadena Emergency Response The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the County of Los Angeles have signed a lease agreement effective February 8, 2025, for an additional staging area at the Altadena Golf Course in Altadena, Calif. This is the third staging area that EPA will use for the temporary storage of hazardous materials colle  more

EPA Fines Southern California Grocery Chain for Distributing Unregistered Disinfectants
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release: * * * EPA fines Southern California grocery chain for distributing unregistered disinfectants LOS ANGELES (Feb. 11, 2025) -The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with Super Center Concepts, Inc. (dba Superior Grocers) over claims of illegal distribution of two unregistered disinfectant products. Under the settlement, the company will pay $253,909 for the violations.  more

Gov. McKee, General Officers, State Legislators, Gun Safety Advocates Call for Action on Assault Weapons Ban
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Feb. 12 -- Gov. Daniel J. McKee, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * Governor McKee, General Officers, State Legislators, Gun Safety Advocates Call for Action on Assault Weapons Ban PROVIDENCE, RI -- Today, Governor Dan McKee was joined by Lt. Governor Sabina Matos, Secretary of State Gregg Amore, General Treasurer James Diossa, legislators, and gun safety advocates to call for the passage of an assault weapons ban during this ye  more

Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.11.25
SACRAMENTO, California, Feb. 11 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Newsom announces appointments 2.11.25 SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments: Karen Morrison, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Morrison has held multiple positions at the Department of Pesticide Regulation since 2018, including Chief Deputy Director and Science Advisor sinc  more

Governor Newsom issues executive order to support childcare providers impacted by LA fires
SACRAMENTO, California, Feb. 11 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Newsom issues executive order to support childcare providers impacted by LA fires Los Angeles, California - Today, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order for the Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), to individually contact childcare programs or providers whose childcare facility has not reopened i  more

High-Ranking Affiliate of Sinaloa Cartel Charged With Drug Conspiracy in Chicago
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: * * * High-Ranking Affiliate of Sinaloa Cartel Charged with Drug Conspiracy in Chicago A grand jury in Chicago returned an indictment yesterday charging a high-ranking affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States. "As alleged, the defendant conspired to traffic dangerous d  more

Ill. U.S. Attorney: High-Ranking Member of Sinaloa Cartel Charged in Chicago With Drug Conspiracy
CHICAGO, Illinois, Feb. 12 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois issued the following news release on Feb. 11, 2025: A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico on a drug conspiracy charge for allegedly manufacturing and distributing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and other drugs and importing them into the United States. According to an indictment returned Monday in the Northern District of Illinois, CEFERIN  more

In Altadena, Governor Newsom joins federal and state leaders to launch new phase of firestorm debris removal
SACRAMENTO, California, Feb. 11 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * In Altadena, Governor Newsom joins federal and state leaders to launch new phase of firestorm debris removal LOS ANGELES - Governor Gavin Newsom today joined federal and local partners to begin work on structural debris removal from the Los Angeles firestorms, building on the US EPA's work already underway to initially remove household hazardous waste. The Federal Emergency Managemen  more

NASA Supports GoAERO University Awardees for Emergency Aircraft Prototyping
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA Supports GoAERO University Awardees for Emergency Aircraft Prototyping Artist's concept of an emergency response flyer from a team at Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University, one of 14 university teams that received NASA-supported GoAERO awards in 2025. Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University With support from NASA, the international GoAERO Prize competition recently announced funding for 14 U.  more

NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures Colorful Clouds Drifting Over Mars
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures Colorful Clouds Drifting Over Mars To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Mute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:16 Loaded : 18.69% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time \- 0:16 1x Playbac  more

NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures Colorful Clouds Drifting Over Mars
PASADENA, California, Feb. 11 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news: * * * NASA's Curiosity Rover Captures Colorful Clouds Drifting Over Mars Red-and-green-tinted clouds drift through the Martian sky in a new set of images captured by NASA's Curiosity rover using its Mastcam -- its main set of "eyes." Taken over 16 minutes on Jan. 17 (the 4,426th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission), the images show the latest observations of what are called noctilucent   more

NASA's Mini Rover Team Is Packed for Lunar Journey
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA's Mini Rover Team Is Packed for Lunar Journey A team at JPL packed up three small Moon rovers, delivering them in February to the facility where they'll be attached to a commercial lunar lander in preparation for launch. The rovers are part of a project called CADRE that could pave the way for potential future multirobot missions. NASA/JPL-Caltech A trio of suitcase-size rovers and their base station have been careful  more

NASA's Mini Rover Team Is Packed for Lunar Journey
PASADENA, California, Feb. 11 (TNSres) -- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news: * * * NASA's Mini Rover Team Is Packed for Lunar Journey A team at JPL packed up three small Moon rovers, delivering them in February to the facility where they'll be attached to a commercial lunar lander in preparation for launch. The rovers are part of a project called CADRE that could pave the way for potential future multirobot missions. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Three small NASA rovers th  more

NASA's X-59 Turns Up Power, Throttles Through Engine Tests
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA's X-59 Turns Up Power, Throttles Through Engine Tests NASA's X-59 lights up the night sky with its unique Mach diamonds, also known as shock diamonds, during maximum afterburner testing at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. The test demonstrated the engine's ability to generate the thrust required for supersonic flight, advancing NASA's Quesst mission. Credit: Lockheed Martin/Gary Tice NASA's X-59   more

NESC Key In-Progress Technical Activities
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- NASA issued the following news release: * * * NASA Engineering and Safety Center Key In-Progress Technical Activities The portfolio of current NESC technical activities reaches across mission directorates and programs encompassing design, test, and flight phases. * ISS PrK Independent Assessment * Orion Crew Module Heatshield Avcoat Char Investigation * CFT Flight Anomaly Support * Total Ionizing Dose Tolerance of Power Electronics on Europa Clipper * Psy  more

NIH-funded clinical trial will evaluate new dengue therapeutic
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General issued the following news release: * * * NIH-funded clinical trial will evaluate new dengue therapeutic Colorized image of an Aedes mosquito. This species can transmit multiple diseases. NIAID A clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is testing an experimental treatment designed to help people suffering the effects of dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease. The stu  more

Unemployment rates up in 266 of the 389 metropolitan areas in December 2024
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily: * * * Unemployment rates up in 266 of the 389 metropolitan areas in December 2024 February 11, 2025 Unemployment rates were higher in December than a year earlier in 266 of the 389 metropolitan areas, lower in 95 areas, and unchanged in 28 areas. A total of 85 areas had jobless rates of less than 3.0 percent and 8 areas had rates of at least 8.0 percent  more

Week in Review: Administrator Zeldin Visits Three Priority Disaster Recovery Sites in First Full Week on the Job
WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on Feb. 10, 2025: * * * Week in Review: Administrator Zeldin Visits Three Priority Disaster Recovery Sites in First Full Week on the Job WASHINGTON - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin's first full week on the job included visits to three priority disaster sites for the agency to survey recovery efforts: East Palestine (OH), Los Angeles (CA), and Western North Carolina  more

With biggest winter storm of the season looming, California takes early, proactive steps to protect communities and harden burn scar areas
SACRAMENTO, California, Feb. 11 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * With biggest winter storm of the season looming, California takes early, proactive steps to protect communities and harden burn scar areas Los Angeles, California - With another significant winter storm system expected to reach California later this week, work continues statewide to ensure communities impacted by recent wildfires - including the firestorms in Los Angeles - are protecte  more