Latest news with #Virginia-based
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Government employee held after attempt to share classified information with foreign country
A government employee in Virginia accused of attempting to share classified information with a foreign country was held pending a detention hearing, and could face up to life in prison, or even death, depending on the details of the case brought against him, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Virginia-based Magistrate Judge William Fitzpatrick ordered that 28-year-old Nathan Laatsch be held pending a detention hearing scheduled for June 4. Laatsch allegedly attempted to transmit classified national defense information or documents to a foreign government. Depending on the details of the case, Laatsch faces "any term or years, or life…or even death," according to DOJ prosecutor Gordon Kromberg. Us It Specialist Arrested After Attempting To Share Classified Information With Foreign Government: Doj Laatsch, an IT specialist employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) since 2019, appeared in court on Friday wearing street clothes, which were presumably the same clothes he wore when he was arrested the day before. Read On The Fox News App He was arrested after the FBI received a tip in March that someone was willing to provide classified information to a friendly foreign government. Laatsch was a civilian employee in the DIA's Insider Threat Division and held a top-secret security clearance, according to the DOJ. Former Us Army Intelligence Analyst Sentenced For Selling Sensitive Documents To Chinese National An email to the FBI said that the person — later identified as Laatsch — didn't "agree or align with the values" of the Trump administration and would be willing to share classified information that he could access, including "completed intelligence products, some unprocessed intelligence, and other assorted classified documentation." Laatsch communicated with an FBI agent, whom he believed to be a foreign government official, multiple times and would confirm that he was ready to share classified information that he transcribed onto a notepad at his desk, the DOJ said. He allegedly exfiltrated the information from his workspace multiple times over a three-day period in preparation. The FBI set up an operation at a northern Virginia park where Laatsch was to deposit classified information "for the foreign government to retrieve," according to the DOJ. He was observed by the FBI on or around May 1 depositing an item at the specified location. Pentagon Leaker Jack Teixeira Receives 15 Years For Secrets Leak Once he left, the DOJ said FBI agents retrieved a thumb drive from the area found to contain a message from Laatsch and multiple typed documents with information portion-marked for Secret or Top-Secret levels. His message allegedly indicated that he was sharing "a decent sample size" of classified information to demonstrate the types of things he has access to. On May 7, after Laatsch learned that the thumb drive had been retrieved, he allegedly sent a message to the undercover agent appearing to say that he was seeking something in exchange for providing the information. The following day, he specified that he was interested in "citizenship for your country" because he didn't expect things in America "to improve in the long term," the DOJ said. He also allegedly said he was "not opposed to other compensation," but not in a place where he needed "material compensation." Laatsch was told on May 14 by the FBI agent that the "foreign government" was ready for additional classified information. Between May 15 and May 27, he transcribed more information and began to remove it from the building by folding the notes and hiding them in his clothing. On Thursday, Laatsch arrived at a prearranged location in northern Virginia to drop the information off to the "foreign country." He was arrested once the FBI received the documents. Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this article source: Government employee held after attempt to share classified information with foreign country
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Conway won't appeal ruling in favor of Leavitt's Bakery mural
Conway officials will not appeal a federal judge's ruling to halt efforts to take down a bakery's colorful mural. For more than two years, the town argued the painting at Leavitt's Bakery violated the town's sign code. The mural painted by Kennett High School students depicts items sold within the bakery, such as muffins and doughnuts that were imagined as views of the White Mountains and the Mount Washington Valley. 'The town will enforce their sign ordinance going forward in compliance to the court's order,' the town said in a statement. Judge Joseph Laplante ruled that the town's effort to force the bakery's owner, Sean Young, to take down a mural of doughnut mountains painted by high school art students was 'unconstitutional.' The ruling came after a one-day bench trial on Feb. 14. Young, who filed a lawsuit to protect his First Amendment rights, has said he was glad the mural can stay. Young was represented by attorney Cooper Cargill. He also worked with attorneys with the Virginia-based Institute for Justice. The town had argued the mural was an illegal sign because it depicted something Leavitt's sells: baked goods. But if it had depicted real mountains instead, no violation would have occurred, officials said. In the ruling, Judge Laplante wrote that, though the town said it had to regulate the Leavitt's mural to maintain safety and protect the natural beauty of the town, the town allows other murals to stay up unregulated. As Laplante wrote, the town's enforcement has 'no rational connection to any of its stated interests' such as safety and beauty and is therefore unconstitutional. Town Planner Ryan O'Connor said the ordinance itself is legal, but the town needs to be careful in how it goes about its enforcement. 'We need to take caution going forward on how that happens and make sure that every decision is consistent; it is not based on content,' he said at the meeting. 'We are going to work with the lawyers to develop a check list and process going forward to make sure that it aligns with the order and ordinance as written.' The work is needed to avoid any future conflicts, O'Connor said. Town Manager John Eastman said he believes the town's sign ordinance is in 'pretty good shape.' The ruling came down to 'inconsistency with enforcement,' he said. 'It was a really narrow decision,' he said.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Drone814 partners: Johnstown test run 'just the beginning'
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Moments after John Eberhardt fell to the turf Friday at Trojan Stadium, a drone was hovering overhead to lower medical supplies. It was just a drill. But Eberhardt, the managing director for ATA Aviation, and other partners in the Drone814 initiative hope the scenario will be saving lives statewide and creating jobs in the years ahead. ATA Aviation, Aerium, and Virginia-based DroneUp deployed a trial run of their Drone814 concept at Greater Johnstown High School – in front of the school-aged audience they hope will be piloting and maintaining those drones one day soon. The test run signals upcoming live trials this summer that will see remote medical drone operators work with 911 dispatchers to deliver Narcan, EpiPens and other supplies to real-life emergency scenes across Greater Johnstown. "This first demonstration is just the beginning," Aerium Executive Director Glenn Ponas told a crowd of approximately 60 students, educators and emergency responders Friday. "Not only can these drones save lives ... but drones can be a key part of any (career) field," he said. "It's going to allow people to make a living with drones, and we're going to do it right here in Johnstown." Building a workforce The Drone814 initiative has been underway for several years through a partnership between Aerium, the Cambria County Department of Emergency Services, the Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, and companies in the drone industry. The aim is to show that dispatching medical drones to certain emergency scenes can lead to faster treatment, quicker recovery times and lower medical costs while creating local jobs, project partners have said. Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio announced Friday that Greater Johnstown students will be able to pursue that career path this fall – and obtain a drone operator's certificate by the conclusion of the 2025-26 school year. Teens are already passionate about drone technology, and over just one school year, they'll be able to graduate with the training needed to find well-paying jobs that support Johnstown's burgeoning aviation industry, she said. "The sky isn't just the limit – it's just the beginning," Arcurio said. Ponas said Aerium's efforts with Greater Johnstown and other partners will enable that workforce to grow quickly and attract companies to Cambria County. Eberhardt can attest to that. Demonstration, driving growth Eberhardt is already moving his small Virginia business to a space inside Nulton Aviation Services in Richland Township. As Drone814 and a regional operation network launches in Cambria and Somerset counties, it will create opportunities for more drone-related enterprises, he said. They illustrated the concept on a small scale Friday, using a mock phone call to 911 to deploy a drone from Greater Johnstown's parking lot into an end zone on Trojan Stadium's football field. How Drone814's medical deliveries would work A medical supply delivery demonstration is conducted by Drone814 at Greater Johnstown High School. A drone operator worked quietly from a truck nearby as the buzzing drone dropped off its package, which contained color-coded boxes of supplies for different emergencies. The kit – not much bigger than a lunchbox – was lowered onto the field with a cable. Now, project partners have to show the world the method works from miles away. Through a more than $1 million test phase and federal airspace approval, Ponas said, medical drone flights will make history next month when operators start testing them outside their line of sight. Given the fact that every second counts, Drone814 wlll save lives, said state Rep. Frank Burns, D-East Taylor Township, noting that rural locations and rugged Cambria County terrain can often pose challenges for local ambulance responders. Deliveries this summer won't just provide medical aid. Data reports from each flight will track response times and patient outcomes to enable Drone814 to make its case to the nation – and to Medicare – that the concept is a worthy one, project partners said. Support for responders Drone814 partners plan to work with the county and Conemaugh Health System to compile that data and see how the cost to provide care and recovery rates compare to traditional methods. But during a question-and-answer session with the public Friday, Eberhart and Ponas stressed that the medical drone deployment won't take the place of ambulance dispatches. They'll only support them, Eberhart added. When county 911 dispatchers take an emergency call, they will follow the same state-approved questioning scripts they already use to diagnose the nature of an emergency. If the incident involves a possible overdose, cardiac event or traumatic bleed, for example, they'll continue to dispatch the nearest available ambulance while also contacting DroneUp pilots to deploy a drone, Eberhart said. County dispatchers are already trained to walk callers through stressful emergency scenarios and to locate and use medical devices such as the opioid overdose-reversing medication Narcan, a tourniquet or a defibrillator, said Eberhardt. The only difference is that it will be a drone lowering a package of supplies from the skies, he said. Next steps, 'big deal' Drone814 partners said they'll be spending the coming weeks preparing for their real-life trial runs. County dispatchers will receive training in June, and Drone814 partners will gather feedback from them to help fine-tune the partnership before installing additional training, they said. Sensors working in tandem with drone software will need to be installed across the city of Johnstown, Ferndale, East Conemaugh and the West Hills, ATA Aviation officials said. If results from this summer's test phase support their efforts, a second, expanded phase in the region would follow in 2026, Eberhardt added. "The plan is to listen to stakeholders" and learn from each step in the process, said DroneUp Vice President of Business Development Greg James. "We're going to improve as we go." Burns and Cambria County Commissioner Thomas Chernisky praised the initiative and its sky-high potential for the region. "This isn't some pie-in-the-sky idea," Burns said at the event. "This is going to be a big deal for (Greater Johnstown)." "This project is about more than drones," Chernisky told The Tribune-Democrat following the demonstration. "It's about investing in our people, preparing for the future and showing what's possible when public safety, education and innovation come together."
USA Today
16 hours ago
- USA Today
A headless torso has been identified 44 years later. Police now seek woman's killer
A headless torso has been identified 44 years later. Police now seek woman's killer In 1981, railroad workers stumbled upon a headless torso in an empty field in San Jose, California. A pair of Christian medallions lay nearby. Show Caption Hide Caption Ted Bundy, Jack the Ripper and DNA: New tech solving murders From Ted Bundy to Jack the Ripper, new DNA technology is solving murder mysteries, finding serial killers, and exonerating innocents. Just the FAQs, USA TODAY Nearly 44 years after two California railroad workers stumbled upon a headless torso in a field in San Jose, detectives have identified the victim as an Oakland grandmother. It was just before 10 a.m. on the morning of July 11, 1981, when the workers made their grisly discovery in an empty field, the San Francisco Examiner reported at the time. The site now harbors a commuter rail transit center and parking structure. The dismembered and decomposing torso, with multiple stab wounds to the chest and no legs or arms, was wrapped in plastic. Nearby lay a pair of Christian medallions, one featuring Saint Christopher and the other the Virgin Mary. 'Vivian Moss was her name,' said Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen in a news release May 27 announcing the development. 'My office knows it. I know it. Her family knows it. And now our community knows it.' The district attorney's cold case unit identified Moss through DNA using forensic genealogy and hope the information will help unveil her killer. Moss, a native of Arkansas, was a 54-year-old grandmother who may have worked at an elementary school in Oakland before her disappearance, the DA's office said. Family members told investigators that Moss was 'close' to preacher Louis H. Narcisse, the late founder of Oakland's Mt. Zion Spiritual Church and a renowned vocalist. How investigators identified Moss In 2023, the Santa Clara DA's office partnered with forensic genealogists at Virginia-based Parabon NanoLabs, who suggested the remains were likely that of Vivian Moss. Cold case unit investigators in 2024 tracked down Moss' granddaughter, who recalled waiting as a young girl in the 1980s for her grandmother to pick her up for an overnight stay at her house. However, the woman said Moss failed to show, and she never saw her grandmother again. The DA's office concluded that the remains were those of Moss based on Parabon's testing comparing the granddaughter's DNA to evidence at the crime scene. Her case was featured in an October 2023 video showcasing the work of the DA's office cold case unit. 'One day soon, I hope we will know the depraved person who took her life and left her in a field, hoping she would be forgotten,' Rosen said. 'If her murderer is still alive, they will know that we don't forget in Santa Clara County.' A close association with preacher A photograph posted on social media by the American Museum of Paramusicology said the Mt. Zion preacher she was close with, Narcisse, was known for his collaborations with gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. According to Narcisse, whose congregants called him "His Grace," wore robes and a crown and carried a staff. He launched churches nationwide and hosted a syndicated Sunday radio show. A profile by British music writer Opal Louis Nations describes Narcisse, who died in 1989, as enthralled with the British monarchy, a man thought by some to work miracles as he spread the gospel in his parish. However, Nations wrote, "others saw him as a devil, con artist and clever snake-oil salesman" with "a darker, exploitative side" who "bled his parishioners dry." The church no longer operates and last posted on social media in November 2023.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Bondcote Performance Textiles Acquires Graniteville Specialty Fabrics
Bondcote Performance Textiles, manufacturer of coated, laminated and composite fabrics, has acquired coated textiles innovator Graniteville Specialty Fabrics. Bondcote—a subsidiary of XFS Global, which produces performance textiles for military, government, commercial and industrial use—said it sees the acquisition of Graniteville as a means of advancing its capabilities as a supplier to the United States defense industrial base and commercial textile sectors. More from Sourcing Journal Unraveling the Divide: How the Textile-Garment Designer Disconnect Stalls Innovation Trump Says US Should Produce Tech and Tanks, Not T-Shirts and Sneakers Trove Takes On European Resale Market With Acquisition 'Graniteville Specialty Fabrics brings a legacy of excellence, innovation, and customer focus that aligns perfectly with our values and strategic direction,' said Jacob Furbee, group president and CEO of XFS Global & Bondcote Performance Textiles. 'This acquisition is more than combining product lines—it strengthens our shared future as a trusted partner to the defense and industrial textile markets.' Graniteville Specialty Fabrics was established during the post-World War II era, and over the decades the company has supported mission-critical applications, including military tentage, fire-resistant fabrics and high-durability materials for the industrial sector. Their fabrics have been used by the U.S. armed services and first responders, as well as in commercial uses across construction, transportation and recreation. 'We are proud of our 70-year legacy, and the Graniteville Specialty Fabrics team is excited about our future as part of Bondcote Performance Textiles,' said Doug Johnson, chief operations officer for Granitville Specialty Fabrics. 'We are dedicated to ensuring a seamless transition process and creating synergies between our teams to benefit current and future customers.' Graniteville Specialty Fabrics will continue operating in its Greenville, S.C., facility, but the company's team, brand and product lines will integrate into Bondcote Performance Textiles. Pulaski, Virginia-based Bondcote said this integration will create enhanced synergies in research and development, manufacturing efficiency and product development. Bondcote's acquisition of Graniteville was backed by Lake Country Capital, a Minnesota-based equity investment firm with investments across a wide range of sectors, from food to industrial equipment. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
