News Tipoffs - California Editors
AArk. A.G. Griffin Leads Bipartisan Coalition Securing Nationwide $190 Million Unclaimed Property Settlement With Delaware
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, Aug. 29 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement on Aug. 28, 2024:
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Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing that Arkansas, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, and Wisconsin--on behalf of a bipartisan coalition of 30 states--have agreed to a settlement with officials from Delaware to end the outstanding damages phase of an unclaimed property dispute won by Arkansas before the United States Supreme Court
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Ala. U.S. Attorney: Montgomery Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine Being Shipped Through the Mail
MONTGOMERY, Alabama, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama issued the following news release:
On August 27, 2024, a federal judge ordered that 33-year-old Charles Green Hall, from Montgomery, Alabama, receive a sentence of 360 months in prison for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute the illegal drug, announced Acting United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson. Following his prison sentence, Hall will be on supervised release for
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Amtrak, Capitol Corridor, California Operation Lifesaver and Rail Partners Kickoff Rail Safety Train Event in Oakland
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) issued the following news:
Amtrak, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA), California Operation Lifesaver (CAOL), Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and other rail partners launched September Rail Safety Month with a special train event in Oakland. The mission is to raise awareness and promote rail safety tips in and around railroad tracks and crossings.
"The safety of our passengers is our number one priority," sa
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Biden-Harris Administration Partners with Farmers to Expand Innovative Domestic Fertilizer Production
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the following news release:
BOONE, IA, Aug. 28, 2024 At the annual Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is partnering with American business owners to expand innovative domestic fertilizer production, creating jobs in rural communities and strengthening local economies. The Department is awarding $35 million for seven projects in seven states throu
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Calif. PUC Issues Decision Granting Compensation Involving Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric
SAN FRANCISCO, California, Aug. 29 -- The California Public Utilities Commission issued the following decision granting compensation (Case No. 24-08-060) on Aug. 28, 2024.
Here are excerpts:
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BEFORE THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Joint Application of Southern California Edison Company (U338E) and San Diego Gas & Electric Company (U902E) for the 2018 Nuclear Decommissioning Cost Triennial Proceeding.
DECISION GRANTING COMPENSATION TO THE UTILITY REFORM NETWOR
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Calif. U.S. Attorney: Indictment Charges Santa Clarita Man, 6 Others With Facilitating Crime Tourism Group That Took in More Than $5M in Illicit Proceeds
LOS ANGELES, California, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for Central District of California issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
Law enforcement today arrested six defendants that a federal grand jury charged in a 46-count indictment alleging a Santa Clarita Valley man facilitated a crime tourism group of South Americans and other individuals who engaged in burglaries, thefts, and other crimes throughout the United States, then laundered millions of dollars in illicit
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Calif. U.S. Attorney: Mastermind of $5 Million Unemployment Fraud Scheme and Accomplices Sentenced to Prison
SAN DIEGO, California, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
David Constantin, mastermind of a scheme to steal more than $5 million in California unemployment benefits intended to help workers affected by the pandemic, was sentenced in federal court today to five years in prison and was ordered to pay $ $5,178,276 in restitution to the state.
The co-mastermind of the scheme, Constantin Bobi Sandu,
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CHP's Oakland Operation Surges Ahead With 803 Arrests
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
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What you need to know: The California Highway Patrol's (CHP) surge in Oakland continues to hold criminals accountable, with 803 arrests, 81 illegal firearms seized, and 1,641 stolen vehicles recovered since February of this year.
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OAKLAND - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the most recent results from the ongoing CHP surge in Oakland with 81 illegal firearms
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Diverse Crop Rotations Reduce Risk of Crop Loss Under Poor Growing Conditions
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service issued the following news:
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) are responding to the increasingly uncertain climate. The warmer and more unpredictable weather has been a source of instability on U.S. farms. ARS agroecologists turned to history for a solution to this challenge, which inspired them to better understand the benefits of crop rotation
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DOE Report Shows Clean Energy Jobs Grew at More Than Twice the Rate of Overall U.S. Employment
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy issued the following news on Aug. 28, 2024:
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Annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) Finds Historic High Unionization in Clean Energy Sector, Growth in Clean Energy Jobs in Every State
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Spurred by the Biden-Harris Administration's record investments in climate, clean energy, and manufacturing, clean energy employment increased by 142,000 jobs in 2023, accounting for more than half of new energy sector jobs and g
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Erosion following wildfire has increased in California since 1984
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey issued the following news release:
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists compiled one year's worth of soil and sediment erosion quantities occurring after large California wildfires between 1984 and 2021. Scientists found that postfire erosion has accelerated over time, particularly in northern California, likely reflecting both the increase in wildfire in the state and the frequency of wet
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Fla. U.S. Attorney: Three Individuals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine Through the Orlando Airport
ORLANDO, Florida, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida issued the following news release:
U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced three individuals for their roles in a multi-kilogram methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy. Each of the individuals charged in the case previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. They were sentenced as follows:
Name ... Sentencing Date ... Sentence Imposed
Jevonn C
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Gov. Newsom: Over 250 New Recycling Sites Coming to 30 California Counties
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
California is making it easier than ever to cash in empty beverage containers with more than 250 new recycling sites across 30 counties funded by recycling innovation awards.
Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted CalRecycle's award of nearly $70 million in Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grants to projects that will add dynamic recycling methods like reverse vending machines, mobil
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Governor Newsom Announces New Milestone in Transformation of San Quentin Rehabilitation Center
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release:
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What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced that the demolition of the former warehouse is now complete - clearing the way for construction to begin on the new San Quentin Rehabilitation Center's educational complex. Another phase of the project, the demolition of the interior South Wall, commenced to help improve access to the secure facility.
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Governor Newsom's project to
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Governor Newsom Honors Fallen San Diego Police Officer 8.27.24
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 29 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following statement on Aug. 27, 2024:
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Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement regarding the death of San Diego Police Department Officer Austin Machitar:
"Jennifer and I are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Officer Machitar. His loved ones, friends and colleagues at the San Diego Police Department are in our hearts during this difficult time. Our thoughts are also with his fellow officer w
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Governor Newsom Signs New Laws to Help Communities Further Address Homelessness
SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 28 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2024:
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What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed into law two crucial bills designed to expand housing options and provide greater stability for vulnerable Californians who are experiencing homelessness. The new laws clear the path for additional emergency shelter beds using hotels and motels and streamline the building of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) throughout the sta
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Interior IG: 'Stronger Controls Needed Over the Bureau of Reclamation's Central Valley Project Cost Allocation & Ratesetting Processes'
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The Interior Inspector General issued the following audit report (No. 2022-WR-048) on Aug. 12, 2024, entitled "Stronger Controls Needed Over the Bureau of Reclamation's Central Valley Project Cost Allocation and Ratesetting Processes."
Here are excerpts:
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Memorandum
To: M. Camille Calimlim Touton, Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation; Megan Olsen, Director, Office of Acquisition and Property Management
From: Nicki Miller, Acting Assistant Inspector General for Aud
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Justice Dept.: 3 Owners of Notorious Prostitution Website Backpage.com Sentenced
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
A federal judge in Phoenix today sentenced the three owners of Backpage.com, a prostitution website, for offenses arising from their promotion of and associated money laundering.
Michael Lacey, 76, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release; Scott Spear, 73, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supe
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Justice Dept.: California Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding CARES Act Programs and Commercial Lenders
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Justice issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
A California man pleaded guilty today in the Eastern District of Virginia to wire fraud for defrauding Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Main Street Lending Program (MSLP), of more than $10 million.
Craig David Davis, 49, of Venice, was the owner of Bright Vanguard LLC., which he held out as a computer hardw
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Litigation: SEC Vs. Toltec Capital, Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release (No. 4:24-cv-05823; N.D. Cal. filed Aug. 23, 2024) involving Toltec Capital LLC and Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz:
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SEC Charges Private Equity Firm and Managing Partner with Offering Fraud
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The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Bernardo Mendia-Alcaraz and his private equity firm, Toltec Capital LLC, for conducting fraudulent and unregistered securities of
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Los Alamos Team Cracks the Code on the Bane of Quantum Machine Learning Algorithms
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory issued the following news:
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Barren plateaus have long plagued progress in the field of variational quantum computing, but their understanding has been limited -- until now
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Quantum computers are still a nascent technology, but researchers are busy building complex machine learning algorithms to test the capabilities of quantum learning. Sometimes, however, their algorithms hit a mysteriou
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Mass. U.S. Attorney: Two Indian Men Indicted for Delivering Over 400 Kilograms of Cocaine and 30 Kilograms of Methamphetamine
BOSTON, Massachusetts, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
Two Indian nationals were indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston yesterday in connection with the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine.
Simranjit Singh, 28, and Gusimrat Singh, 19, of Fresno, Calif. were each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine
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Mont. U.S. Attorney: California Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking in Butte, Helena Communities
MISSOULA, Montana, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
A California man who admitted to mailing thousands of fentanyl pills to co-conspirators in the Butte area for redistribution and to possessing a firearm as part of a large trafficking operation was sentenced on Aug. 27 to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.
The defendant, Antho
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Naval Research Laboratory Expands Naval Research Horizons for USNA Midshipmen Interns
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory issued the following news release:
By Emily Winget, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Corporate Communications
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) concluded the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) summer internship program with a farewell tour for a group of USNA midshipmen who explored a wide range of projects, from materials science and information technology to oceanography and space science.
"These bright and motivated young scientists and eng
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Naval Research Laboratory LARADO Instrument to Detect Lethal Orbital Debris, Integrated on Space Test Program Satellite
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory issued the following news release:
By Emily Winget, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Corporate Communications
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Lightsheet Anomaly Resolution and Debris Observation (LARADO) instrument was successfully integrated and tested on the Space Test Program Satellite 7 (STPSat-7) spacecraft at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas July 17, 2024.
LARADO is a
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NEH Announces $37.5 Million for 240 Humanities Projects Nationwide
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The National Endowment for the Humanities issued the following news release:
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Grant awards support the creation of scholarly hubs for AI research, new nonfiction books, documentaries, podcasts, exhibitions, collaborative and individual humanities research, and enrichment programs for educators
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The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) today announced $37.5 million in grants for 240 humanities projects across the country. These grants will supp
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NEH Awards $2.72 Million to Create Research Centers Examining the Cultural Implications of Artificial Intelligence
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- The National Endowment for the Humanities issued the following news release on Aug. 27, 2024:
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Five institutions receive NEH grants to coordinate research on the societal, ethical, and legal ramifications of AI technology
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The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) today announced grant awards totaling $2.72 million for five colleges and universities to create new humanities-led research centers that will serve as hubs for interdisciplinary coll
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NEH Awards $2.72 Million to Create Research Centers Examining the Cultural Implications of Artificial Intelligence
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The National Endowment for the Humanities issued the following news release on Aug. 28, 2024:
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Five institutions receive NEH grants to coordinate research on the societal, ethical, and legal ramifications of AI technology
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The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) today announced grant awards totaling $2.72 million for five colleges and universities to create new humanities-led research centers that will serve as hubs for interdisciplinary coll
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New NASA Study Tallies Carbon Emissions From Massive Canadian Fires
PASADENA, California, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory issued the following news:
Stoked by Canada's warmest and driest conditions in decades, extreme forest fires in 2023 released about 640 million metric tons of carbon, NASA scientists have found. That's comparable in magnitude to the annual fossil fuel emissions of a large industrialized nation. NASA funded the study as part of its ongoing mission to understand our changing planet.The research team used satellite observat
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NIH Prize Challenge Recognizes Undergraduate Biomedical Engineers for Innovative Medical Device Designs
BETHESDA, Maryland, Aug. 28 -- The National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities issued the following news release:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the higher education non-profit VentureWell have selected 11 winners and five honorable mentions in the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, who are set to receive prizes totaling $160,000. The awards will be presented to the winning teams on Oct. 25, 2024, during the
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NSF invests in BioFoundries to drive advances across science and engineering
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- The National Science Foundation issued the following news release:
The U.S. National Science Foundation has made five awards totaling $75 million to support the creation of five biofoundries that will spur innovation, provide tools and technologies to researchers nationwide, and help advance biology, biotechnology, and the broader science, technology, engineering and mathematics enterprise.
NSF BioFoundries are integrated facilities that enable researchers to r
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Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory: Bubbling, Frothing and Sloshing: Long-Hypothesized Plasma Instabilities Finally Observed
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory issued the following news:
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Results could aid understanding of how black holes produce vast intergalactic jets
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Whether between galaxies or within doughnut-shaped fusion devices known as tokamaks, the electrically charged fourth state of matter known as plasma regularly encounters powerful magnetic fields, changing shape and sloshing in space. Now, a new measurement technique using p
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Quits rates were above 3.0 percent in 3 states in June 2024
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics issued the following document from Economics Daily:
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In June 2024, quits rates (the number of quits during the entire month as a percentage of total employment) were above 3.0 percent in 3 states: Montana (3.2 percent) and South Carolina and Wyoming (3.1 percent each). There were 73,000 quits in South Carolina, 17,000 quits in Montana, and 9,000 quits in Wyoming. Nationally, there were 3,282,000 quit
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Sandia National Laboratories: Swifter Simulations for Modern Science - All of It
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories issued the following news release:
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Universal accelerator finds faster answers to complex problems
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A good machine-learning algorithm is a powerful research accelerator. Pair it with a computer simulation and it can sniff out mathematical shortcuts through the program, propelling scientists to faster insights about the effects of drugs on cells or the potential of rocket engine
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Sandia National Laboratories: Work Toward a Cleaner Way to Purify Critical Metals
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The U.S. Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories issued the following news release:
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Sandia team studies selective sponges for rare-earth elements
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Rare-earth elements are everywhere in modern life, found in everything from the smart device you're reading this on to the LED lightbulbs overhead and neodymium magnets in electric vehicles and wind turbines.
However, purifying these critical metals from ores with complex mixture
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Six Research Projects Selected for MONet Fall Soil Sampling
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 (TNSres) -- The Department of Energy's Office of Science Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory issued the following news:
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Fifty-one samples will contribute data to the Molecular Observation Network
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By Genoa Blankenship
The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) recently selected six researchers to participate in fall soil sampling for the Molecular Observation Network (MONet).
This fall, the awarded principal investigators and research team
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State Department Issues Public Schedule for Public Schedule for Aug. 29, 2024
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Aug. 29, 2024:
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SECRETARY ANTONY J. BLINKEN
Secretary Blinken has no public appointments.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY KURT M. CAMPBELL
Deputy Secretary Campbell is on travel to Tonga, Vanuatu, and New Zealand from August 28-31, 2024.
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DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCES RICHARD R. VERMA
Deputy Secretary Verma is on travel to California and Mexico from August 28-30, 2024.
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UN
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USDA and CDFA Declare California Free of Invasive Fruit Flies
WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service issued the following news release:
LOS ANGELES, August 27, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), and the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) in collaboration with County Agricultural Commissioners, are proud to announce that after a year of hard work we have eradicated all populations of invasive fruit flies from C
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USDA Forest Service Invests $15M to Help Underserved and Small-Acreage Landowners Access Climate Markets
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service issued the following news release:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is investing $15 million to connect underserved and small-acreage forest landowners with emerging climate markets. This funding is thanks to forest landowner support provisions in President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. In total, nine proposals across 14 states were selected to receive funding.
The announcement comes in addition to
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Using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Study Fuel Chemistry
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory issued the following news release:
By Mary Hamisevicz, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Corporate Communications
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory researcher Mark Romanczyk, Ph.D., developed new analytical methods to rapidly analyze fuels and complex petroleum products by using high-resolution mass spectrometry.
The approaches Romanczyk utilizes enable highly detailed qualitative analysis of complex mixtures in minutes. One recent method fa
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Wash. U.S. Attorney: Richland Man Indicted for Stealing More Than $339,000 in COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme
RICHLAND, Washington, Aug. 29 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington issued the following news release:
On August 21, 2024, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an Indictment charging Gilbert Orosco, of Richland, Washington, with ten counts of conspiracy, fraud, and aggravated identify theft. Orozco made his first appearance in Federal Court on August 27, 2024.
The Indictment alleges that, beginning in July 2020, Orosco took pa
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