WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The American College of Cardiology posted the following news release on Feb. 18, 2026: * * * ACC Announces Inaugural Fellow for the Thad and Gerry Waites Rural Cardiovascular Research Fellowship The new award provides up to $70,000 in funding to a Fellow-in-Training or an early-career cardiologist * The American College of Cardiology will recognize Plicy Perez-Kersey, MD, as the first recipient of the Thad and Gerry Waites Rural Cardiovascular Research Fellowship Awar  more

JUNEAU, Alaska, Feb. 19 -- The Alaska Department of Law issued the following news release: * * * Former Bethel Police Officer Jonathan Murphy Convicted for Assaulting a Suspect During an Arrest (Bethel, AK) - Last week, following a six-day trial, a Bethel jury found 39-year-old Jonathan Murphy guilty of Assault in the Fourth Degree, Providing False Information Implicating Another in a Crime, and Tampering with Public Records in the Second Degree. On Dec. 23, 2023, Murphy, then an officer wit  more

LOS ANGELES, California, Feb. 18 -- The Reason Foundation issued the following news on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * Aviation Policy News: DHS shutdown highlights airport security system's flaws Plus: NTSB collision report cites FAA failures, NASA's obsolete Moon launch program, and more. In this issue: * DHS shutdown highlights airport security system's flaws * NTSB collision report cites FAA failures * "FAA and aviation policy reform: the time is now" * FAA reorganization plan muddies the water  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management announced an upcoming decision to transfer ownership of surface and subsurface estates to Doyon Ltd., Fairbanks, Alaska. This action, authorized under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, involves approximately 1,085 acres of land situated near Flat, Alaska. The affected acreage is located within the Seward Meridian and includes portions of Township 26 North, Range 47 West, and Township 27 N  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM launches public comment on western Oregon timber plan to advance Trump administration priorities * WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Land Management is inviting public input for proposed updates to resource management plans that guide the administration of approximately 2.5 million acres of highly productive timberlands in western Oregon, an effort that underscores the T  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management issued the following news release: * * * BLM seeks input for June 2026 sale of oil and gas leases in Nevada * RENO, Nev. - The Bureau of Land Management today opened a 30-day public comment period to receive public input on plans to include four oil and gas parcels totaling 10,211 acres in Nevada in a June 23, 2026 sale. The comment period ends March 19, 2026. The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-New Jersey, ranking member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following news release: * * * E&C Democrats: Canceling Health Funding for Blue States Endangers All Americans "Beyond the overtly political and punitive nature of this action, we are deeply concerned that termination of awards in their final years wastes taxpayer dollars and puts the health of Americans at risk." * Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic leader  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (TNSFR) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service is initiating a revision of the land management plan for the Tongass National Forest, Ketchikan, Alaska. This process includes the preparation of an environmental impact statement to evaluate the effects of the proposed changes. The Tongass National Forest spans 16.7 million acres in Southeast Alaska, making it the largest national forest in the United States. The current management plan was adopted in 1979 and las  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations released the following testimony by I Ling Thompson, CEO of Foundation for America's Public Lands, from a Feb. 10, 2026, hearing entitled "All in for America250: Public-Private Partnerships Supporting America's Semiquincentennial on Our Public Lands": * * * Chairman Gosar, Ranking Member Dexter, and Members of the Subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is I Ling Thomp  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairwoman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * ICYMI: MURKOWSKI LEADS HEARING HIGHLIGHTING NATIVE 8(a) PROGRAM'S PROVEN IMPACT ON NATIVE COMMUNITIES U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, led an oversight hearing titled: "Economic Self-Determination in Action: Examining the Small Business Administration Native 8(a) Program."   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The Institute for Energy Research issued the following commentary on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * President Trump Announced a Strategic Stockpile of Critical Minerals, the U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve President Trump is launching a $12 billion stockpile of critical and rare-earth minerals, called "Project Vault," to reduce reliance on Chinese rare earths and curb China's leverage in trade talks. President Trump indicated the reserve will be "for civilian use in time  more

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18 [Category: Environment] -- Ecojustice issued the following news release: * * * Joint Call: BC must recommit to meaningful implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act * Indigenous Peoples' Human Rights exist independent of provincial legislation. To avoid costly legal battles, BC has the obligation to ensure that the Province's laws, practices, and policies are aligned  more

SAN FRANCISCO, California, Feb. 18 -- Earthjustice issued the following news release on Feb. 17, 2026: * * * Lawsuit Challenges Massive Oil and Gas Sale Over Harms to Western Arctic Public Lands and the Climate Vast natural areas long protected from extraction will now be offered to oil companies for drilling * Anchorage, AK -- Two conservation groups are suing today over a massive oil and gas lease sale in the Western Arctic that was recently announced by the Bureau of Land Management. Th  more

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri, Feb. 19 -- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Hanaway Supports Challenge To Biden-Era Abortion Drug Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway joined a coalition of 21 state attorneys general in filing a brief in support of Louisiana's lawsuit challenging a Biden-era overreaching rule that expanded access to abortion drugs through mail and telehealth, despite contrary state laws. "I am proud to stan  more

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana, Feb. 19 -- The National Federation of State High School Associations issued the following news release on Feb. 18, 2026: * * * High School Flag Football Revisions Include Opportunity for Scoring Team to Retain Possession of the Ball if Trailing in Score In its first meeting to address rules changes in the sport, the NFHS Flag Football Rules Committee approved eight changes to the initial set of rules developed last year. All revisions recommended by the NFHS Flag Footb  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations released the following written testimony by Jeff Trandahl, CEO of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, from a Feb. 10, 2026, hearing entitled "All in for America250: Public-Private Partnerships Supporting America's Semiquincentennial on Our Public Lands": * * * Thank you, Chairman Gosar, Ranking Member Dexter, and members of the Subcommittee, for the opportunity to testify today about the impa  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations released the following testimony by Dieter Fenkart-Froeschl, president and CEO of the National Forest Foundation, Missoula, Montana, from a Feb. 10, 2026, hearing entitled "All in for America250: Public-Private Partnerships Supporting America's Semiquincentennial on Our Public Lands": * * * The National Forest Foundation (NFF) was chartered by Congress in 1990 to serve as the official national nonpr  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service issued the following news release on Feb. 18, 2026: * * * National Park Service Expands Access for Summer 2026 While Maintaining Safety at High-Visitation Parks The National Park Service today announced park-specific visitor access plans for Summer 2026 designed to expand public access while maintaining safe and responsible management during peak visitation at Arches, Glacier, Rocky and Yosemite National Parks.   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * Nick Begich Quadruples Down on Tariffs * As reported by the Alaska Beacon, last week's vote to end cost-raising tariffs on Canadian imports "offered a test for House Republicans' willingness to stand with Trump or with Americans calling for an end to the tariffs." Nick Begich failed that test. Begich sided with his party leadership to keep reckless tariffs in place, even as the  more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla, Sanders Lead Senate Democrats in Demanding Department of Education Reverse its Decision to End Federal Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions * Senators blast DOJ for baseless legal reasoning behind determination to deem MSIs unconstitutional and cut off federal funding WASHINGTON, D.C. -Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Hispanic-Serving Institutions   more

NEW YORK, Feb. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft issued the following policy note (No. 21) on Jan. 29, 2026 by Anatol Lieven and Mark Episkopos entitled "Frequently Asked Questions About the Russia-Ukraine Negotiations ." Here are excerpts: * * * The Current State of Play Has Russia made concessions in the negotiation process? Yes. Russia has made significant concessions. Russia has agreed to lift all objections to Ukraine's accession to the European Union, ma  more

RIVERSIDE, California, Feb. 18 -- The Riverside Community College District issued the following news: * * * Congress Passes Key Funding Bills Following Brief Government Shutdown After a partial federal government shutdown that lasted from January 31 through February 3, 2026, Congress has passed five of the six remaining federal funding bills for Fiscal Year 2026. As a result, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor are now funded and operational through September 30, 2026, the end of the   more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 18 (TNSLrpt) -- The Government Accountability Office issued the following report: * * * Tribes in Alaska: More Clarity Needed on Concurrent Criminal Jurisdiction and Funding Opportunities * Fast Facts Alaska is home to 227 federally recognized Tribes and has some of the highest crime rates. Tribes and the State of Alaska have concurrent criminal jurisdiction. In general, this means a Tribe and the state are both authorized to investigate and prosecute crimes involving tr  more