GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas, May 12 -- The U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command issued the following news: Despite COVID-19, the Air Education and Training Command's mission continues. The Louis F. Garland Department of Defense Fire Academy has adjusted for COVID by requiring face coverings to be worn, social distancing when possible, and following other Center for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, but other than that it's business as usual. "Outside of the social d  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, May 15 -- The U.S. Army Special Operations Command issued the following news: A Mission and Installation Contracting Command Soldier from Fort Riley, Kansas, was named the 2020 Army Contracting Command Best Warrior of the Year following a day-long, virtual competition May 12. Staff Sgt. Debra Stokes, a contract specialist with the 923rd Contracting Battalion's 739th Contracting Team, was announced the winner by the ACC commanding general during a  more

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, May 13 -- The U.S. Army Special Operations Command issued the following news: Mission and Installation Contracting Command officials are piloting a process to competitively award a contract for daily services comprised under base operations at Fort Meade, Maryland, aimed at saving costs for the installation and Army. Representatives from the AbilityOne Commission, Installation Management Command and MICC kicked off the pilot acquisition April 27   more

DALLAS, Texas, May 13 -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics - Southwest Regional Information Office issued the following report on the consumer price index in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land for April 2020: Prices in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land area, as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), fell 1.6 percent for the two months ending in April 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Acting Regional Commissioner Susan Men  more

SAN ANGELO, Texas, May 15 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation issued the following news release: The Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with managing partners, is finalizing a Transportation Management Plan (TMP) that officially authorizes off-road vehicle (ORV) use and designates open ORV routes on Federal lands surrounding Twin Buttes Reservoir. This is being done in response to growing concerns about public safety and unauthorized uses in the area. "This effo  more

WASHINGTON, May 13 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that Border Patrol agents foiled a drug smuggling operation in South Texas with the apprehension of two Mexican nationals, including one with possible drug cartel ties who tested positive for COVID-19. "Our border security efforts are vital in containing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the American people duri  more

WASHINGTON, May 16 -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection issued the following news release: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a waiver, which will ensure expeditious construction of approximately 69 miles of new border wall system in locations where no barriers currently exist within the U.S. Border Patrol's Laredo Sector in Webb and Zapata Counties, Texas. The waiver was published in the Federal Register on May 15, 2020. These projects   more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The U.S. Department of Defense issued the following news story: Developers from the Army Research Laboratory are collaborating with civilian partners to manufacture low-cost, emergency ventilators using 3D printers. The handheld gas ventilator, dubbed the Illinois RapidVent, is roughly the size of a water bottle. Due to its size and portability, the ventilator may also be ideal for soldiers in battle beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tonghun Lee, a Champaign, Illinois-ba  more

CINCINNATI, Ohio, May 15 -- The Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the Tank Closure Contract (TCC) that will provide a variety of services at the Hanford Site in Richland, Washington, to Hanford Works Restoration, LLC, located in Lynchburg, Virginia. The Hanford Works Restoration members are BWXT Technical Services Group, Inc. (Lynchburg, Virginia), Fluor Federal Services, Inc. (Greenville, Sou  more

DYESS AFB, Texas, May 15 -- The U.S. Air Force Dyess Air Force Base (7th Bomb Wing) issued the following news: There are many varieties of threats for aircraft involved in aiding ground troops in deployed environments. One main example of these threats can include taking fire from advancing enemy forces in the area of responsibility. This became a reality for one 39th Airlift Squadron aircrew while deployed to Afghanistan as part of the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in the fall of 2019.  more

DALLAS, Texas, May 15 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on May 12: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that Bernalillo County, New Mexico, will receive $600,000 as a Brownfields assessment grant. The funding is part of $65.6 million given nationwide to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency's Brownfields Program. Under President Trump's Administration, EPA has delivered approximately $287 million in Brownfield  more

DALLAS, Texas, May 15 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on May 12: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe will receive Brownfields cleanup grant for $260,000. The grant is part of $65.6 million given nationwide to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency's Brownfields Program. Under President Trump's Administration, EPA has delivered approximately $287 million in Brownfield grant  more

DALLAS, Texas, May 15 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on May 12: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing that the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) will receive Brownfields assessment grant for $300,000. The grant is part of $65.6 million given nationwide to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency's Brownfields Program. Under President Trump's Administration, EPA has delivered approximately $287 million in Br  more

DALLAS, Texas, May 15 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on May 13: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced that the Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District was selected to receive a Brownfields assessment grant for $300,000. The grant is part of $65.6 million given nationwide to assess and clean up contaminated properties under the agency's Brownfields Program. Under President Trump's Administration, EPA has delivered  more

WASHINGTON, May 14 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the following news release: Evans Food Group Ltd., an Arlington, Texas establishment, is recalling approximately 3,796 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) pork skin products due to misbranding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. The product contains soy, a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.[View Labels (https://www.fsis.usd  more

GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas, May 14 -- The U.S. Air Force Goodfellow Air Force Base (17th Training Wing) issued the following news: Col. Andres Nazario, 17th Training Wing commander, announced a Tier 2 base access policy exception, which included base access for retirees, their dependents, and eligible veterans on pre-designated hours and days, scheduled to take effect 20 May. Though the base will remain in Tier 2 status and Health Protection Condition Charlie, retirees and eligible veterans will re  more

HILL AFB, Utah, May 15 -- The U.S. Air Force Hill Air Force Base (75th Air Base Wing) issued the following news: Activated and assigned to Hill AFB on April 1, 1971, the 1550th Aircrew Training and Test Wing brought with it seven squadrons. With an authorized strength of 1,400 military and 100 civilian personnel, it became Hill AFB's largest tenant upon its arrival at the installation. The activation of the 1550 ATTW consolidated at Hill AFB all Air Force helicopter combat crew training school  more

FORT BLISS, Texas, May 12 -- The U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command issued the following story: As the Department of Defense continues to stand ready under the shadow of COVID-19; the U.S. Army's Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM) is keeping the nation's largest military installations online via a steadfast and secure communications infrastructure supported by more than 160 localized Network Enterprise Centers (NECs) positioned throughout the globe, supporting DOD insta  more

LULING, Texas, May 13 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Alexander Tank Company - a manufacturer of steel storage tanks based in Luling, Texas - for exposing employees to amputation, confined spaces and other safety hazards. The company faces $234,528 in penalties. OSHA cited Alexander Tank Company for 10 repeated and 12 serious safety and health violations, including f  more

WOLFFORTH, Texas, May 13 -- The U.S. Department of Labor issued the following news release: After an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD), West Texas Paving - a road construction company based in Wolfforth, Texas - will pay an employee $1,200 in back wages after failing to provide them paid sick leave under the newly passed Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), after healthcare providers ordered the em  more

WASHINGTON, May 16 -- The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued the following event notification (No. 54698) involving Texas Department of State Health Services, Carrollton: AGREEMENT STATE REPORT - DAMAGED NUCLEAR GAUGE The following was received from the state of Texas by email: "On May 7, 2020, the Agency was notified by the licensee that a Humboldt model 5001 EZ was damaged at a temporary job site [in Dallas, TX]. The gauge contains a 40 milliCurie americium-241 source and an 8 milliCurie   more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The Federal Trade Commission issued the following news release: The operator of a deceptive crowdfunding scheme will be banned permanently from engaging in crowdfunding activities as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that he used contributors' funds on himself rather than to deliver the high-tech backpack he promised. In its complaint, the FTC alleged that Douglas Monahan, operating through his company, iBackPack of Texas, LLC, raised  more

WASHINGTON, May 16 -- The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the Attorney General issued the following news release: This week, the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice held a hearing on law enforcement recruitment, training, and retention over three days via teleconference. Each teleconference featured expert witnesses who provided testimony and, subsequently, answered questions from the Commissioners. On Tuesday, May 12, the Commission received test  more

SACRAMENTO, California, May 14 -- The Small Business Administration's Office of Disaster Assistance issued the following news release: Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Disaster Field Operations Center-West announced that SBA has approved more than $2 million in federal disaster loans for Texas businesses and residents impacted by the Watson Grinding and Manufacturing Facility explosion in Harris County that occurred Jan. 24, 2020. According to Garfield, SBA  more

HOUSTON, Texas, May 12 -- The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Ryan K. Patrick, issued the following news release: The owners of a property known as A-S 76 on Highway 290 have settled allegations under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to remove barriers and greatly improve physical accessibility, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The United States initiated an investigation into A-S 76 Hwy 290 Bingle L.P. as part of a compliance review of strip sho  more

WASHINGTON, May 12 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release on May 11: U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced Texas and New Jersey have been approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), a new program authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), signed by President Trump, which provides assistance to families of children eligible for free or reduced-price meals dealing with school closures. Background: Texas   more