News from March 2016
Plano Anesthesiologist Convicted for Role in Pill Mill Operation is Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: DALLAS - Licensed anesthesiologist, Theodore E. Okechuku, 59, of Plano, Texas, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis to 300 months in federal prison following his conviction at trial in October 2015 on felony offenses stemming from his role in a pill mill and drug distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
Purina feed mill workers exposed to falls, grain dust and machine hazards
By DOL Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Employer name: Land O Lakes Purina Feed LLC, doing business as Purina Animal Nutrition
Find Capitol Reef National Park During National Park Week
By Interior Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Celebrate National Park Week with free admission and special programs from April 16-24.Capitol Reef National Park staff will offer programs on park geology, prehistoric cultures, Pioneer history, nature, and astronomy.Schedules will be posted in the visitor center and Fruita Campground.
Spring Bicycling Begins on Select Yellowstone Roads
By Interior Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Beginning today, bicyclists willing to brave the unpredictable elements of spring in Yellowstone National Park are able to travel 49 miles of park roads from the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana, to Mammoth Hot Springs. There is no bicycle access to Old Faithful or Canyon until the first interior park roads open to public motorized vehicle access onFriday, April 15.
USDA Issues Final Rule Extending New Religious Liberty Protections to Beneficiaries of Federally-Funded Programs
By USDA Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: WASHINGTON, March 31, 2016 – Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with other federal agencies, published a final rule that will provide new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally funded social service programs, while also adding new protections for the ability of religious ...
USDA Invests $103 Million in Vital Watershed Projects
By USDA Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Programs to Protect Public Safety, Improve Critical Infrastructure in 19 States WASHINGTON, March 31, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $103 million in post-disaster recovery and the rehabilitation of aging dams in 19 States.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Travel to Germany and France
By USDA Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: WASHINGTON, March 31, 2016 –Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will travel to Berlin and Paris next week to discuss areas of mutual interest between the European and American agricultural sectors. In Berlin, Vilsack will meet with German officials as well as farmers about rural economic development opportunities ...
Department of Justice Issues Final Rule Extending Religious Liberty Protections to Beneficiaries of Federally-Funded Programs
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Today the Department of Justice, along with other federal agencies, published a final rule that will provide religious liberty protections to beneficiaries of social services provided by faith-based organizations that receive federal financial assistance and will affirm that such organizations are able ...
New Jersey Resident Indicted for Obstructing the Internal Revenue Laws and Theft of Public Money
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: A grand jury returned an indictment on Mar. 23, which was unsealed yesterday, charging a Jersey City, New Jersey, resident with one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws and one count of theft of public money, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Justice Department Warns Public to Beware of Fraudulent Tax Return Preparers and Tax Scheme Promoters, Urges Taxpayers to Pay Federal Income Taxes on Time and in Full
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: With tax season in full swing, the Justice Department urged the public today to avoid dishonest tax-return preparers who fleece their customers and illegally drain the U.S. Treasury. Noting that every taxpayer is ultimately responsible for the contents of his or her own return, Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Tax Division also warned the public to be wary of anyone who guarantees a refund or who claims to sell a sure-fire way to reduce your taxes.
Iron Mountain and Recall Holdings Agree to Divest Records Management Assets as a Condition to Proceed with Transaction
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Divesture Protects Competition and Consumers in 15 Metropolitan Areas The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Iron Mountain Inc. to divest records management assets in 15 metropolitan areas in order to proceed with its $2.6 billion acquisition of Recall Holdings ...
Readout of Attorney General Lynch's Meeting with Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Security and the Interior Jan Jambon
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Security and the Interior Jan Jambon met today at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and pledged continued support and cooperation between their two countries. The Attorney General and the Deputy Prime Minister discussed cooperation and collaboration in the fight against terrorism.
Department of Justice Announces Solicitation for Community Policing Development Program
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: Up to $8 million to support community policing and implementation of the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) today announced the opening of the application period for its Community Policing Development ...
Pennsylvania Man Convicted in Tax Fraud Scheme
By DOJ Newswire | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: A federal jury sitting in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned a guilty verdict today against an Aldan, Pennsylvania, man on charges related to a tax fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice. Jean Baptiste Alvarez, aka Alex, 43, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States ...
Arkansas health-care facilities asked illegal, personal questions of workers requesting family and medical leave, federal initiative finds
By Labor Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – More than 40,000 hospital workers at Mercy Health System and affiliated locations around the nation are no longer required to have their health care providers answer a litany of unnecessary and illegal questions before requesting leave for their own serious health conditions or to care for a family member.
OSHA cites Russell Stover Candies after ammonia release shuts plant
By Labor Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: IOLA, Kan. ‒ As alarms sounded, hundreds of workers evacuated a candy manufacturing plant when an air-conditioning unit pipe failed and released about 22 pounds of anhydrous ammonia into the air throughout the Iola facility. No workers were injured in the incident which closed the plant for more than two hours.
MSHA announces results of February impact inspections
By Labor Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: ARLINGTON, Va. – The Mine Safety and Health Administration today announced that federal inspectors issued 146 citations and six orders during special impact inspections at 10 coal mines and five metal and nonmetal mines in February.
US Labor Department issues final rule extending religious liberty protections to participants in federally funded job training, social service programs
By Labor Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
News Release: WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor and eight other federal agencies today published a final rule that will provide new religious liberty protections for beneficiaries of federally funded social service programs, while also adding new protections for the ability of religious providers to compete for government funds on the same basis as any other private organization.
Notice published by Energy Department on March 31
By DOE Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
The US Energy Department published a one page notice on March 31, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
Energy Department publishes notice on March 31
By DOE Gazette | Mar 31, 2016
The US Energy Department published a three page notice on March 31, according to the U.S. Government Publishing Office.
