Coast Guard establishes temporary security zone for State of the Union address

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 3, 2020)– — The Coast Guard is scheduled to establish a temporary security zone in designated waters in the National Capital Region for the State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020.

The security zone will be in effect from noon until 11:59 p.m., which will limit or prohibit navigation by commercial and recreational boaters. The security zone will include the Potomac River from south of the Francis Scott Key Bridge to north of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The security zone will also include the Georgetown Channel Tidal Basin as well as the Anacostia River from the 11th Street Bridge to its confluence with the Potomac River.

Entering or operating in the security zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port of Coast Guard Sector Maryland-National Capital Region or a designated representative. Vessels already at berth, mooring or anchor at the time the security zone is implemented are not required to depart the security zone. All vessels underway within the security zone at the time it is implemented are to depart the zone at the time the security zone is implemented.

Persons desiring to transit the security zone must first obtain authorization from the COTP or his designated representative. To seek permission to transit the area, call 410-576-2693 or use marine-band radio via VHF-FM channel 16. The Coast Guard may be assisted by other Federal, state or local law enforcement agencies in enforcing this regulation.

HSI at Super Bowl LIV

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has been a constant presence at the Super Bowl for many years, having built and maintained a successful partnership with the National Football League. This year, HSI personnel in Miami will work with a range of federal, state and local law enforcement partners throughout Super Bowl week to provide essential public safety measures in and around the city to help combat many of the criminal threats the league and host city might face leading up to and throughout the big game February 2, 2020.

Why is HSI involved in preventing the sale of counterfeit products?

The illegal manufacture and sale of counterfeit goods is one of the primary concerns of HSI, as it is for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the HSI-led

National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center)

, which includes many additional federal and international partners. It is criminal activity that endangers public health, harms the economy and restricts the competitiveness of U.S. products in the global market.

As part of those efforts, Operation Team Player, an ongoing effort developed by the IPR Center to crack down on the illegal importation of counterfeit sports apparel and merchandise, has worked through the year to identify warehouses, stores, flea markets, online vendors and street vendors selling counterfeit and game-related sportswear and tickets throughout the country. The IPR Center leads coordinated efforts with many of the United States’ major sporting leagues to target contraband that negatively impacts the economy, enables additional criminality and poses health and safety hazards to the public.

As in years past, effective teamwork will be the key to success on and off the field during Super Bowl LIV. For HSI, the size and scope of the task will again be met with personnel who are prepared to successfully execute the agency’s game plan and safeguard the city and everyone traveling to and from the Super Bowl.

With Super Bowl week winding down, the men and women of HSI remain hard at work, focused on ensuring the safety and security of everyone who has come to Miami for the game itself and all of the surrounding festivities.

As the Chiefs and the 49ers are finalizing their game plans with an eye on bringing home the coveted Lombardi trophy, members of HSI’s elite Special Response Teams are standing by at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, ready to move out at a moment’s notice and join their law enforcement partners throughout the region to provide whatever assistance may be needed.

Special agents and investigators with HSI’s IPR unit will also be busy until the opening kickoff, protecting fans by looking out for and arresting counterfeit ticket sellers and continuing to confiscate phony, sub-standard team merchandise in the parking lots and other areas around the stadium.

As the pre-game festivities wrap up Sunday afternoon, all that’s left are the words of country music legend Hank Williams, Jr. hanging in the air – “are you ready for some football?!”

At a Thursday morning press conference, federal agents with ICE HSI announced the seizure of more than 176,000 counterfeit sports-related items, worth an estimated $123 million manufacturer\’s suggested retail price (MSRP), through a collaborative enforcement operation with CBP targeting international shipments of counterfeit merchandise into the United States. The National Football League and Miami-Dade Police department joined ICE and CBP for the announcement just days before Super Bowl LIV.

Through the ongoing initiative known as Operation Team Player, developed by the HSI-led IPR Center, ICE and CBP join with state and local law enforcement partners across the country, targeting the illegal manufacture, import, and distribution of counterfeit sports merchandise.

“Every day, cargo containers containing billions of dollars’ worth of counterfeit goods enter the United States through its land, sea and air ports of entry. This year’s record-breaking ‘Operation Team Player’ results affirm HSI’s commitment to protecting American consumers, the economy, and legitimate business, by ensuring the Super Bowl is not compromised by transnational criminal networks exploiting fan enthusiasm for illicit profits,” said HSI-led IPR Center Director Steve Francis.

Special agents from HSI teamed with industry partners, CBP, Miami-Dade police officers and other agencies to identify flea markets, retail outlets and street vendors selling counterfeit goods during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIV. They seized fake jerseys, jewelry, hats, cell-phone accessories and thousands of other bogus items prepared to be sold to unsuspecting consumers.

The IPR Center – formally codified in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 – is one of the U.S. government\’s key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The center uses the expertise of its 25 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to intellectual property theft and its enforcement of international trade laws.

Head of Terrorist Organization Killed by U.S. Military

FACE OF DEFENSE

AMERICAN HERO

At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.

The commander helped direct wars in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and he became the face of Iran’s efforts to build a regional bloc of Shiite power. He was linked to the deaths of 600 Americans during the Obama administration (image courtesy of the New York Times)

General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more. He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months – including the attack on December 27th – culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week.

This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.

source The Department of Defense

United States Responding to Attacks by Iraq

Statement by Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper (photo):

(December 31, 2019)–\”The Department of Defense is working closely with the Department of State to ensure the security of our Embassy and personnel in Baghdad. We have taken

appropriate force protection actions to ensure the safety of American citizens, military personnel and diplomats in country, and to ensure our right of self-defense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy. As in all countries, we rely on host nation forces to assist in the protection of our personnel in country, and we call on the Government of Iraq to fulfill its international responsibilities to do so. The United States continues to support the Iraqi people and a free, sovereign, and prosperous Iraq.\”

Dr. Mark T. Esper > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE …

Charles C. Beswick Sr., Member of VFW Post 3620, Gloucester City Sportsmen AC, American Legion, Mason

Charles C. Beswick Sr., (photo) of Gloucester City passed away Friday, December 20, 2019, at the age of 76. Born in Camden, Charles was a longtime South Jersey resident and retired Union Pressman. He was a dedicated member of the Gloucester City VFW Post 3620 for many years. Charles was also a member of the Gloucester City Sportsmen Athletic Club, American Legion, and the Free and Accepted Masons.

He is survived by his previous spouses, Sara Beswick, Kathy Bagley; four loving children, Charles Beswick Jr. (Mary Ann), Janice Steeg, Michael Beswick (Chrissy), Nicole Beswick; eleven cherished grandchildren; twelve beloved great-grandchildren; two caring brothers; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Charles was predeceased by one brother and his loving companion, Mary.

A memorial celebration will be held Saturday, January 4, 2020 from 2-6 pm at the Gloucester City VFW Post 3620, 27 N. Burlington St., Gloucester City, NJ 08030. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the VFW. For condolences please visit www.gaskillbrown.com

Coast Guard Medevaced Man from Cruise Ship 17 Miles Off the Atlantic City Coast

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (December 30, 2019)– — The Coast Guard medevaced a man from a cruise ship approximately 17 miles off the coast of Little Egg Inlet, Saturday night.

The captain of the cruise ship Anthem of the Seas contacted watch standers at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay’s command center and notified them that the 70-year-old passenger was having severe abdominal issues and needed a higher level of medical care.

An aircrew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Atlantic City launched to assist.

Once on scene, the aircrew hoisted the man up, accompanied by his son, and transported them to AtlaniCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City.

\”We are glad that the crew contacted us as soon as they did,\” said David Umbereger, command duty officer at Sector Delaware Bay. \”The speedy notification and precise coordination was key in getting the man the care he needed.\”

Deadly New York Harbor Pilot Accident; Coast Guard Responds

SANDY HOOK, New Jersey – The Coast Guard responded with units from the New York Fire Department and New York Police Department Harbor Police to an incident where a Sandy Hook Harbor pilot fell while boarding the merchant vessel Maersk Kensington at 4:30 this morning.

The pilot, who was transported to a hospital on Staten Island by a Sandy Hook pilot vessel, eventually succumbed to injuries received in the fall. The name of the deceased is being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified.

The Coast Guard has begun an ongoing investigation into the circumstance surrounding the fall.

Yuma Mayor Withdraws Proclamation Thanks to Trump’s Successful Efforts to Confront Border Crisis

WASHINGTON — Today, Mayor of Yuma, Arizona, Douglas Nicholls, at a meeting with Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Ken Cuccinelli, withdrew an April 2019 local State of Emergency proclamation regarding the ongoing security and humanitarian crisis on the Southwest border.

Mayor Nicholls officially issued the proclamation on April 16, 2019, after the historic flow of illegal immigration caused thousands of illegal aliens to be released into his city. The mayor credits successful efforts by the Trump Administration in confronting the crisis, including initiatives implemented by DHS and the Government of Mexico, that have substantially relieved the city’s burden in caring for the overwhelming number of illegal immigrants.

“The president’s strategy to address the crisis at the Southern border, particularly Central American families illegally flooding across the border, has worked and we are seeing an impact in border towns across the country,” said Acting Deputy Secretary Cuccinelli. “The number of Central American family units apprehended has decreased by 85% since the height of the crisis in May. And thanks to a number of policies we implemented, we have ended catch and release and are returning, removing and repatriating more aliens from the border than ever before. Now, communities like Yuma are directly seeing the effect of our efforts. We are pleased to stand alongside Mayor Nicholls and to work together to secure the border and protect the American people.”

“I am grateful to be able to withdraw the Proclamation of Emergency due to the Trump Administration\’s policy changes that diminish the flow of the migrant family units to the Yuma area and prevent releases into the Yuma community,\” said Mayor Nicholls.

On September 23, DHS officially announced that it ended widespread catch and release for Central American families arriving at the border. We are now removing, returning, and repatriating more illegal aliens, including Central American families, faster than ever before, and illegal border crossing cases are completed faster than ever before. Under the Trump Administration, those who present themselves as families after crossing the border illegally will no longer be released into the United States. There has never been a time when illegally crossing the border is less likely to succeed than right now.

This can be attributed to the following efforts by DHS and the Trump Administration:

Under the Migrant Protection Protocols, more than 53,000 migrants have now been returned to Mexico to await their immigration hearings

With electronic nationality verification for northern triangle countries, we have been able to repatriate aliens from these countries within hours of their arrival at the border,

The Trump Administration has signed more than a dozen agreements with Central American countries to increase border security, combat transnational criminal organizations, and enhance economic development in the region.

We have now built nearly 100 miles of new border wall, including wall in the Yuma sector.

November marked the sixth month in a row that enforcement actions at the border declined due to decreased migration flows. Defying seasonal trends for the past seven years, CBP reports an overall decline in illegal cross border activity in November compared to October. Enforcement actions along the Southwest border involving family units declined nearly 4% to 13,154 and enforcement actions involving single adults were down 8.4% to 25,755. CBP’s Southwest border enforcement actions in this fiscal year to date are 29% lower than for the same period last fiscal year.

Topics:

Border Security

Disasters

Keywords:

Border Security

Immigration

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

\”Among the many gifts that we buy and receive, let us not forget the true gift: To give each other something of ourselves, to give each other something of our time, to open our time to God. In this way Anxiety disappears, Joy is born, and the Feast is created. \”

~ Pope

Benedict XVI

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FACE OF DEFENSE: Coast Guard swaps summer buoys with seasonal winter buoys on Chesapeake Bay

BALTIMORE — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter James Rankin has finished replacing the summer buoys with seasonal winter buoys on the Chesapeake Bay, Friday.

Throughout the month of December the crew replaced 66 summer buoys and removed the Francis Scott Key buoy in preparation for the winter season. The seasonal buoys are kept in until late February or early March.

Ice and snow have the potential to damage, displace and submerge the large summer buoys, which would leave the channel unmarked and could create a substantial hazard to mariners. Displaced buoys could misguide boaters, which might result in groundings or allisions with partially-submerged buoys.

“The summer hulls run the risk of snow and ice attaching to the cages above the water, which would pull the buoys under the ice, under the water and create a significant hazard to navigation for passing ships,” said Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Runt, aids to navigation officer at Sector Maryland-National Capital Region. “Winter hulls are designed to ride better in the ice and don’t have surfaces for the ice to attach to.”

The James Rankin is a 175-foot Keeper-class buoy tender homeported at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore.

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published Gloucestercitynews.net | Dec. 24, 2019