News published on Federal Newswire in March 2016

News Release: Las Vegas - The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and its Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers team are partnering with Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to host community events and educational activities March 28-April 2, 2016. The scenic and popular Red Rock Canyon has experienced an increase in desert dumping, graffiti and user created trails over the recent years.

Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Hospitals and University

News Release: Troy Mitchell McCormick, 50, of Commerce Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Nashville, Tenn., to charges of mail and wire fraud, announced Jack Smith, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee for the administration of this case.

Passaic County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Machine Guns

News Release: NEWARK, N.J. -A Ringwood, New Jersey, man will appear in federal court today to face charges that he possessed 17 machine guns, which are illegal under federal law, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Wyden Applauds Anti-Slave Labor Action Against Soda Ash Imports

News Release: WASHINGTON - Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., applauded U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for blocking imports of Chinese soda ash suspected of being made with forced prison labor from entering the United States today. Wyden and Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, led the fight to close a related loophole in U.S.

EPA and DOE Honor 2016 Energy Star Partners of the Year for Outstanding Achievements in Energy Efficiency

By DOE Newswire | Mar 29, 2016

News Release: WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) are honoring 149 businesses and organizations in 35 states for their commitment to saving energy and protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. Recipients of the 2016 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award include Beazer Homes, The Home Depot and Verizon.

Ways & Means Members Call on IRS to Combat Improper Payments

News Release: Dear Commissioner Koskinen: In 2014, the program with the highest improper payment rate was the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), with a rate just over 27 percent totaling $17.7 billion.[1] Within that total, it is estimated that 30 percent of EITC’s improper payments are from income verification errors.[2]...

Former Concord Resident Sentenced to Over Three Years in Prison for Religious Hate Crime

News Release: OAKLAND - Hugo John Scherzberg was sentenced to 41 months in prison yesterday for his religious hate crime conviction in relation to the March 20, 2010, fire at a church in Pittsburg, Calif., announced Acting United States Attorney Brian J. Stretch and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jill A. Snyder.

Tax Service Business Owner and Co-Defendant Pled Guilty for Their Participation in a Stolen Identity Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

News Release: A tax service business owner and co-defendant pled guilty for their participation in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme.

Settlements Totaling $84,000 Reached with Five Individuals Who Committed Fraud

News Release: United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that five individuals previously convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Federal Funds, have entered into agreements to pay civil penalties pursuant to the False Claims Act (FCA), 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733. Regardless of criminal penalties, the FCA...

DOE Announces Webinars on Transmission for Tribal Energy Development, EERE’s FY17 Strategic Programs Budget Request, and More

By DOE Newswire | Mar 29, 2016

News Release: Upcoming Webinars. March 30: Live Webinar on Transmission and Grid Basics for Tribal Economic and Energy Development. Webinar Sponsor: Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs. The Energy Department will present a live webinar titled “Transmission and Grid Basics for Tribal Economic and Energy Development,"...

Theodore Roosevelt National Park to Offer Electronic Entrance Passes

News Release: MEDORA, ND: The National Park Service has begun a pilot program to sell online electronic entrance passes to selected national park units through the "Your Pass Now" program. Visitors will be able to purchase annual and seven-day passes at their convenience in advance of their park visit. Theodore Roosevelt and Acadia National Parks, and Colorado National Monument passes can be purchased at www.yourpassnow.com. There is no additional cost for electronic passes.

Twelve Detroit Public Schools Principals, Assistant Superintendent and Vendor Charged with Bribery

News Release: Criminal charges were filed today against 12 current or former Detroit Public Schools principals, an assistant superintendent and a vendor in an illegal bribery and kickback scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.

New NIST Security Standard Can Protect Credit Cards, Health Information

News Release: For many years, when you swiped your credit card, your number would be stored on the card reader, making encryption difficult to implement. Now, after nearly a decade of collaboration with industry, a new computer security standard published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) not only will support sound methods that vendors have introduced to protect your card number, but the method could help keep your personal health information secure as well.

Rapid City Man Pleads Not Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

News Release: United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison For Drug Trafficking

News Release: St. Thomas, USVI - District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Kasimir Asim McClean, 37, of St. Thomas, on March 28, 2016, to 10 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute approximately four kilograms of marijuana, United States Attorney Ronald W. Sharpe announced today. Judge Gomez also ordered McClean to pay a special assessment of $100 and perform 400 hours of community service.

NPS Partners With Maryland Geocaching Society

News Release: Annapolis MD -- The National Park Service (NPS) and the Maryland Geocaching Society (MGS) announce a six-week collaboration designed to introduce geocaching participants to national parks and public lands in Maryland. Geocaching is an outdoor game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find a geocache container hidden at that location.

Brady and Upton to CMS: Stop Unlawful Payments to Insurers

News Release: Dear Mr. Slavitt: The Administration’s plan to spend $7.7 billion in 2016 on Transitional Reinsurance payments to health insurance companies violates the law. The amount in question includes funds that are explicitly prohibited from being used for these payments. Any payments made that have not been...

FAA Announces Finalists Working to Get the Lead out of General Aviation Fuel

By US DOT Newswire | Mar 29, 2016

News Release: WASHINGTON - As part of its ongoing efforts to develop an acceptable unleaded fuel for small airplanes, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it has selected two unleaded fuels for further testing. This will move the general aviation (GA) community a step closer to having new fuels that eliminate their reliance on leaded fuel.

Join our Special Celebration Junior Ranger Day on April 2

News Release: HOMESTEAD, Fla.: Kids of all ages are invited to come learn how to, "explore, learn, and protect" your national park onSaturday, April 2, and become an official Junior Ranger! Junior Ranger Day is an annual event that highlights youth in national parks, and special activities are planned at the Shark Valley and Royal Palm areas.

Grijalva on the Puerto Rico Discussion Draft: “Hopeful the Draft Bill Will Lead to a Substantive Bipartisan Discussion”