FINNEY COUNTY —"Looks like Santa got caught in the fast lane," according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol."

"Technical Trooper Bradley stopped this certainly jolly driver this holiday season traveling 130mph."

"While Santa flies safely across the sky, we’re on the ground ensuring everyone’s safety this holiday season. Slow down, obey speed limits, drive sober and enjoy the ride. Let’s make sure the holidays are merry and bright for all."&nbsp; The ticket cost 'Santa' $828.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734973034345.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —"Looks like Santa got caught in the fast lane," according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734973014100.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Technical Trooper Bradley stopped this certainly jolly driver this holiday season traveling 130mph.""While Santa flies safely across the sky, we’re on the ground ensuring everyone’s safety this holiday season. Slow down, obey speed limits, drive sober and enjoy the ride. Let’s make sure the holidays are merry and bright for all."&nbsp; The ticket cost 'Santa' $828.

KHP: Santa got caught in the fast lane doing 130mph

President Biden and the First Lady made a holiday visit to patients and families at Children’s National Hospital on Friday.&nbsp; Click below to watch.

President Biden and the First Lady made a holiday visit to patients and families at Children’s National Hospital on Friday.&nbsp; Click below to watch.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OOWwyIm7OM4?si=L-VP2nm1YfqJm-qw&amp;start=6" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fchildrens.national%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0pfErqkoDsVruqiMGWac8Zv4rtCzg9utdkReGq5rgWQQX3baGpFQmYEKKwpdUf43l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="748" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The People&#39;s House is ready for St. Nick. <a href="https://t.co/UE8MmsRHfr">pic.twitter.com/UE8MmsRHfr</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1871556433457693040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥 Bidens make holiday visit to Children's National Hospital

(Radio Iowa) - Leaders in the Iowa Medical Society say there's an acute shortage of doctors in Iowa and now is the time to take steps to start attracting younger doctors to complete their training in the state. 

Iowa Medical Society board of directors president Christina Taylor says there are about 58-hundred practicing physicians in Iowa today. Dr. Taylor says that is down nearly 200 from last year, and more than 70 counties are considered health care deserts where there aren't enough providers for patients to be seen. Iowa ranks 44th among the states in the number of physicians per capita. Dr. Taylor says making gains in that ranking won't be easy because it takes a decade or longer to complete medical training.

Iowa is projected to be short about 16-hundred physicians by 2030 and the Iowa Medical Society hosted a summit earlier this month to discuss the looming workforce shortage.

(Radio Iowa) - Leaders in the Iowa Medical Society say there's an acute shortage of doctors in Iowa and now is the time to take steps to start attracting younger doctors to complete their training in the state. Iowa Medical Society board of directors president Christina Taylor says there are about 58-hundred practicing physicians in Iowa today. Dr. Taylor says that is down nearly 200 from last year, and more than 70 counties are considered health care deserts where there aren't enough providers for patients to be seen. Iowa ranks 44th among the states in the number of physicians per capita. Dr. Taylor says making gains in that ranking won't be easy because it takes a decade or longer to complete medical training.Iowa is projected to be short about 16-hundred physicians by 2030 and the Iowa Medical Society hosted a summit earlier this month to discuss the looming workforce shortage.

Iowa's Doctor Shortage Continues

(Radio Iowa) - You might notice changes in a loved ones' cognitive abilities this holiday that warrant further investigation. 

Iowa Alzheimer's Association spokeswoman Lauren Livingston says it's an uncomfortable topic at any time of the year, but there are often clear signs a person may be developing one of the most common forms of dementia. She says forgetting things they have known their whole life, like how to use the microwave or how to get home from the grocery store, things like that that would be very unusual for someone to forget. 

The association estimates 62-thousand Iowans are living with Alzheimer's and Livingston says many will show similar symptoms of a failing memory. The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800-272-3900 is staffed around the clock every day, including holidays.

(Radio Iowa) - You might notice changes in a loved ones' cognitive abilities this holiday that warrant further investigation. Iowa Alzheimer's Association spokeswoman Lauren Livingston says it's an uncomfortable topic at any time of the year, but there are often clear signs a person may be developing one of the most common forms of dementia. She says forgetting things they have known their whole life, like how to use the microwave or how to get home from the grocery store, things like that that would be very unusual for someone to forget. The association estimates 62-thousand Iowans are living with Alzheimer's and Livingston says many will show similar symptoms of a failing memory. The Alzheimer’s Association Helpline at 800-272-3900 is staffed around the clock every day, including holidays.

Be Aware Of Cognitive Changes In Loved Ones This Holiday

State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer will enter the upcoming Missouri
legislative session in a major leadership position.

Luetkemeyer, who represents Platte and Buchanan Counties in
the Missouri Senate, has been elected by the Republican Caucus to be the
Majority Floor Leader next year.

In the role, Luetkemeyer will decide what legislation reaches
the Senate floor for debate.

“And oftentimes the Floor Leader is at the center of
negotiations on legislation before it passes the Senate and gets over to the
House,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’m looking forward to working
with all my Republican colleagues to help them get their individual priorities
for their districts done and then also get some of the big conservative things
done that we all want to get done as Republicans.”

Luetkemeyer, A Republican from Parkville, says it’s no secret the
Senate Republican Caucus had its difficulties in the last few sessions in
Jefferson City.

“We’ve had a little bit of dysfunction or discord within the
Republican Caucus in the Senate over the last several years,” Luetkemeyer
concedes. “The commitment that I made to all of my caucus members whenever I
ran for this position; my number one priority is not even necessarily
legislative. My number one priority is Senate functionality.”

Returning and newly elected Republican senators voted for
Luetkemeyer during a meeting held at the state Capitol in preparation for the
upcoming, 2025 legislative session.

Luetkemeyer says dysfunction within the Senate Republican
Caucus has cost conservatives.

“My belief is a united Republican Caucus is much more
effective at passing big, bold conservative ideas than a caucus that’s divided
against itself.”

Luetkemeyer says Republican in-fighting the last few sessions
kept good legislation from passing.

“I think a lot of what we saw in terms of dysfunction in the
Senate, I mean it can be blamed on a whole bunch of different things, but a lot
of it was just a breakdown in communication,” Luetkemeyer says. “People just
flat out stopped talking to each other.”

Luetkemeyer hopes the Republican Caucus can adopt the
traditional practice of working out differences in private, behind closed
doors.

“Not on the floor of the Senate with a microphone in front of
you and a bunch of TV cameras pointed on you,” Luetkemeyer says. “We need to
get back to that kind of a place.”

Luetkemeyer will serve in the number two leadership role in
the Missouri Senate, behind only the President Pro Tem.

The Missouri legislative session begins January 8th.

You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735052777039.jpeg" alt="Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer/file photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer/file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostState Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer will enter the upcoming Missouri
legislative session in a major leadership position.Luetkemeyer, who represents Platte and Buchanan Counties in
the Missouri Senate, has been elected by the Republican Caucus to be the
Majority Floor Leader next year.In the role, Luetkemeyer will decide what legislation reaches
the Senate floor for debate.“And oftentimes the Floor Leader is at the center of
negotiations on legislation before it passes the Senate and gets over to the
House,” Luetkemeyer tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post. “I’m looking forward to working
with all my Republican colleagues to help them get their individual priorities
for their districts done and then also get some of the big conservative things
done that we all want to get done as Republicans.”Luetkemeyer, A Republican from Parkville, says it’s no secret the
Senate Republican Caucus had its difficulties in the last few sessions in
Jefferson City.“We’ve had a little bit of dysfunction or discord within the
Republican Caucus in the Senate over the last several years,” Luetkemeyer
concedes. “The commitment that I made to all of my caucus members whenever I
ran for this position; my number one priority is not even necessarily
legislative. My number one priority is Senate functionality.”Returning and newly elected Republican senators voted for
Luetkemeyer during a meeting held at the state Capitol in preparation for the
upcoming, 2025 legislative session.Luetkemeyer says dysfunction within the Senate Republican
Caucus has cost conservatives.“My belief is a united Republican Caucus is much more
effective at passing big, bold conservative ideas than a caucus that’s divided
against itself.”Luetkemeyer says Republican in-fighting the last few sessions
kept good legislation from passing.“I think a lot of what we saw in terms of dysfunction in the
Senate, I mean it can be blamed on a whole bunch of different things, but a lot
of it was just a breakdown in communication,” Luetkemeyer says. “People just
flat out stopped talking to each other.”Luetkemeyer hopes the Republican Caucus can adopt the
traditional practice of working out differences in private, behind closed
doors.“Not on the floor of the Senate with a microphone in front of
you and a bunch of TV cameras pointed on you,” Luetkemeyer says. “We need to
get back to that kind of a place.”Luetkemeyer will serve in the number two leadership role in
the Missouri Senate, behind only the President Pro Tem.The Missouri legislative session begins January 8th.You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Sen. Luetkemeyer prepares to take over leadership role in Jeff City

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner marked final preparations for departing Congress with a speech connecting his rise in Kansas politics to a family legacy of resilience and featuring a special request that colleagues aid children suffering extreme malnutrition.

LaTurner, a Republican who served in the Kansas Senate and as state treasurer before entering the U.S. House, declined to seek reelection to a third term in 2024. He was elected in 2020 by 2nd District voters eager to replace troubled GOP U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins.

He said in April the requirements of serving in Congress and running for reelection every two years had “taken a toll.” He has four young children and wanted to “be more present” for them.

“I want to thank my friends both at home and my colleagues here, my supporters who helped me get here, and my family,” LaTurner said. “To my kids, the best title I’ve ever had is dad. And that title is about to get my full attention.”

In remarks offered on the House floor ahead of his January exit, LaTurner requested Congress and the White House approve $300 million in funding for a global health initiative making use of Ready-to-Use&nbsp;Therapeutic Foods or&nbsp;RUTF. It would expand the reach of this U.S.-made, medical-grade, nutrient-dense paste given to children suffering severe malnutrition.

“That increase should be realized. It is the right thing to do,” LaTurner said.

LaTurner said starving children consuming RUFT — at a cost of about $1 per day — had a survival rate near 90%. The nutritional product could be made with ingredients from 28 states, including peanuts, dairy, soy, sugar and micronutrients.

He recalled entering the House in 2021 and speaking with U.S. Rep. Don Young, who became the longest-serving Republican in House history. Young represented Alaska until his death in 2022.

“He told me when he arrived in 1973, it was customary for freshmen members to wait six months before speaking on the House floor,” LaTurner said. “To his surprise, I adopted this tradition. I did so partly out of deference to the dean, but mostly because it showed respect for this institution.”

LaTurner said it was the responsibility of people serving in Congress to preserve “an institution and a system of government that our founders painstakingly designed to safeguard against human nature.”

The departing Republican originally from southeast Kansas said he followed a path carved through sacrifice and tenacity of his family.

LaTurner said his single-parent father worked long hours managing a Sonic restaurant while putting himself through college. His dad became the first in the family to earn a college degree. He was as an educator and mayor of Galena.

His grandmother dropped out of school in the ninth grade because she had only one dress and couldn’t endure ridicule by her classmates. She raised six children and earned a G.E.D. before working as a nurse. LaTurner’s grandfather was the first in the family to graduate high school. He lost sight in one eye while serving in Korea. Unable to pass a physical, he worked odd jobs until he found his calling as a lay judge.

His grandfather’s father was killed in the mines at the age of 41 and left behind a widow and six children. They endured hardships most people cannot fathom, LaTurner said.

“Yet, three short generations later, his great-grandson was called ‘the gentleman from Kansas’ on the floor of the United States House of Representatives,” LaTurner said. “I share these stories because they remind me every day that I did not get here on my own. What a country this is. But it’s not just my story. It’s the American story.”

LaTurner, 36, entered the Kansas Senate in 2012. He was appointed state treasurer by GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. In 2020, he briefly sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate before winning the 2nd District House race.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735050524393.png" alt=" U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas, addressed the U.S. House for the final time before leaving Congress in January. He chose not to seek reelection in 2024 in the Second District of Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen caputure of the U.S. House’s YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner, R-Kansas, addressed the U.S. House for the final time before leaving Congress in January. He chose not to seek reelection in 2024 in the Second District of Kansas. (Kansas Reflector screen caputure of the U.S. House’s YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner marked final preparations for departing Congress with a speech connecting his rise in Kansas politics to a family legacy of resilience and featuring a special request that colleagues aid children suffering extreme malnutrition.LaTurner, a Republican who served in the Kansas Senate and as state treasurer before entering the U.S. House, declined to seek reelection to a third term in 2024. He was elected in 2020 by 2nd District voters eager to replace troubled GOP U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins.He said in April the requirements of serving in Congress and running for reelection every two years had “taken a toll.” He has four young children and wanted to “be more present” for them.“I want to thank my friends both at home and my colleagues here, my supporters who helped me get here, and my family,” LaTurner said. “To my kids, the best title I’ve ever had is dad. And that title is about to get my full attention.”In remarks offered on the House floor ahead of his January exit, LaTurner requested Congress and the White House approve $300 million in funding for a global health initiative making use of Ready-to-Use&nbsp;Therapeutic Foods or&nbsp;RUTF. It would expand the reach of this U.S.-made, medical-grade, nutrient-dense paste given to children suffering severe malnutrition.“That increase should be realized. It is the right thing to do,” LaTurner said.LaTurner said starving children consuming RUFT — at a cost of about $1 per day — had a survival rate near 90%. The nutritional product could be made with ingredients from 28 states, including peanuts, dairy, soy, sugar and micronutrients.He recalled entering the House in 2021 and speaking with U.S. Rep. Don Young, who became the longest-serving Republican in House history. Young represented Alaska until his death in 2022.“He told me when he arrived in 1973, it was customary for freshmen members to wait six months before speaking on the House floor,” LaTurner said. “To his surprise, I adopted this tradition. I did so partly out of deference to the dean, but mostly because it showed respect for this institution.”LaTurner said it was the responsibility of people serving in Congress to preserve “an institution and a system of government that our founders painstakingly designed to safeguard against human nature.”The departing Republican originally from southeast Kansas said he followed a path carved through sacrifice and tenacity of his family.LaTurner said his single-parent father worked long hours managing a Sonic restaurant while putting himself through college. His dad became the first in the family to earn a college degree. He was as an educator and mayor of Galena.His grandmother dropped out of school in the ninth grade because she had only one dress and couldn’t endure ridicule by her classmates. She raised six children and earned a G.E.D. before working as a nurse. LaTurner’s grandfather was the first in the family to graduate high school. He lost sight in one eye while serving in Korea. Unable to pass a physical, he worked odd jobs until he found his calling as a lay judge.His grandfather’s father was killed in the mines at the age of 41 and left behind a widow and six children. They endured hardships most people cannot fathom, LaTurner said.“Yet, three short generations later, his great-grandson was called ‘the gentleman from Kansas’ on the floor of the United States House of Representatives,” LaTurner said. “I share these stories because they remind me every day that I did not get here on my own. What a country this is. But it’s not just my story. It’s the American story.”LaTurner, 36, entered the Kansas Senate in 2012. He was appointed state treasurer by GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. In 2020, he briefly sought the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate before winning the 2nd District House race.

Retiring U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner shares appreciation for family, seeks aid for starving children

(Radio Iowa) - A nurse at the Iowa Poison Control Center says the urban legend about the poinsettia Christmas flower is not true. 

Janna Day says poinsettias have gotten a bad reputation over the years, as a lot of folks think that they are poisonous and that they could hurt you or even kill you. 

Day says studies have that really they're not as toxic as once thought. Day says one study found that a child would have to eat as many as 500 poinsettia leaves to cause an issue.

(Radio Iowa) - A nurse at the Iowa Poison Control Center says the urban legend about the poinsettia Christmas flower is not true. Janna Day says poinsettias have gotten a bad reputation over the years, as a lot of folks think that they are poisonous and that they could hurt you or even kill you. Day says studies have that really they're not as toxic as once thought. Day says one study found that a child would have to eat as many as 500 poinsettia leaves to cause an issue.

Legend That Pointsettias Are Poisonous Is Not True

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

President Joe Biden commuted the sentences on Monday of 37 death row inmates, citing his conscience as a force behind the decision. He also left the death sentences unchanged for three men charged with hate-motivated mass shootings and terrorism.

Biden, who imposed a moratorium on federal executions during his administration, commuted the death sentences to life sentences without the possibility of parole, saying in a statement that he’s dedicated his career “to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.”

“Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden said.

“But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”

The three men Biden left on death row Monday include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, sentenced in 2015 of bombing the Boston Marathon in 2013; Dylann Roof, sentenced in 2017 of fatally shooting nine members of&nbsp;Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina; and Robert Bowers, sentenced in 2023 for the deadly shooting in 2018 that killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.

The president’s commutations Monday come after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-commutes-sentences-nearly-1500-people-pardons-39-historic-clemency-action" target="_blank">commuted the sentences</a>&nbsp;on Dec. 12 of 1,500&nbsp;people who were placed in home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic. He also granted pardons for 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes.

Biden received&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/criminal-justice/shapiro-conahan-says-biden-commuting-kids-for-cash-judges-sentence-absolutely-wrong/" target="_blank">criticism</a>&nbsp;from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and others for including among the mass commutations a Pennsylvania judge convicted in 2011 of sending children to prison in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks from a private jail — a crime that became known in the commonwealth as the “<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/criminal-justice/shapiro-conahan-says-biden-commuting-kids-for-cash-judges-sentence-absolutely-wrong/" target="_blank">Cash for Kids</a>” scheme.

Advocates for abolishing the death penalty and some U.S. House Democrats had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dem-quartet-calls-biden-spare-lives-federal-death-row-inmates" target="_blank">pressured Biden</a>&nbsp;to commute death penalty sentences ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Trump expedited some executions during his first term.

According to the White House, the names of the death row inmates whose sentences were commuted Monday are:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734957421965.png" alt="According to the U.S. Attorney, in 2014, a federal jury in Louisiana decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered the girl in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body. President Biden commuted his sentence-photo Yavapai County, AZ Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>According to the U.S. Attorney, in 2014, a federal jury in Louisiana decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered the girl in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body. President Biden commuted his sentence-photo Yavapai County, AZ Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>President Joe Biden commuted the sentences on Monday of 37 death row inmates, citing his conscience as a force behind the decision. He also left the death sentences unchanged for three men charged with hate-motivated mass shootings and terrorism.Biden, who imposed a moratorium on federal executions during his administration, commuted the death sentences to life sentences without the possibility of parole, saying in a statement that he’s dedicated his career “to reducing violent crime and ensuring a fair and effective justice system.”“Make no mistake: I condemn these murderers, grieve for the victims of their despicable acts, and ache for all the families who have suffered unimaginable and irreparable loss,” Biden said.“But guided by my conscience and my experience as a public defender, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Vice President, and now President, I am more convinced than ever that we must stop the use of the death penalty at the federal level. In good conscience, I cannot stand back and let a new administration resume executions that I halted.”The three men Biden left on death row Monday include Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, sentenced in 2015 of bombing the Boston Marathon in 2013; Dylann Roof, sentenced in 2017 of fatally shooting nine members of&nbsp;Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015 in Charleston, South Carolina; and Robert Bowers, sentenced in 2023 for the deadly shooting in 2018 that killed 11 worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.The president’s commutations Monday come after he&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-commutes-sentences-nearly-1500-people-pardons-39-historic-clemency-action" target="_blank">commuted the sentences</a>&nbsp;on Dec. 12 of 1,500&nbsp;people who were placed in home confinement during the coronavirus pandemic. He also granted pardons for 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes.Biden received&nbsp;<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/criminal-justice/shapiro-conahan-says-biden-commuting-kids-for-cash-judges-sentence-absolutely-wrong/" target="_blank">criticism</a>&nbsp;from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and others for including among the mass commutations a Pennsylvania judge convicted in 2011 of sending children to prison in exchange for millions of dollars in kickbacks from a private jail — a crime that became known in the commonwealth as the “<a href="https://penncapital-star.com/criminal-justice/shapiro-conahan-says-biden-commuting-kids-for-cash-judges-sentence-absolutely-wrong/" target="_blank">Cash for Kids</a>” scheme.Advocates for abolishing the death penalty and some U.S. House Democrats had&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-dem-quartet-calls-biden-spare-lives-federal-death-row-inmates" target="_blank">pressured Biden</a>&nbsp;to commute death penalty sentences ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Trump expedited some executions during his first term.According to the White House, the names of the death row inmates whose sentences were commuted Monday are:<ul>
 <li>Shannon Wayne Agofsky</li><li>Billie Jerome Allen</li><li>Aquilia Marcivicci Barnette</li><li>Brandon Leon Basham</li><li>Anthony George Battle</li><li>Meier Jason Brown</li><li>Carlos David Caro</li><li>Wesley Paul Coonce, Jr.</li><li>Brandon Michael Council</li><li>Christopher Emory Cramer</li><li>Len Davis</li><li>Joseph Ebron</li><li>Ricky Allen Fackrell</li><li>Edward Leon Fields, Jr.</li><li>Chadrick Evan Fulks</li><li>Marvin Charles Gabrion, II</li><li>Edgar Baltazar Garcia</li><li>Thomas Morocco Hager</li><li>Charles Michael Hall</li><li>Norris G. Holder</li><li>Richard Allen Jackson</li><li>Jurijus Kadamovas</li><li>Daryl Lawrence</li><li>Iouri Mikhel</li><li>Ronald Mikos</li><li>James H. Roane, Jr.</li><li>Julius Omar Robinson</li><li>David Anthony Runyon</li><li>Ricardo Sanchez, Jr.</li><li>Thomas Steven Sanders</li><li>Kaboni Savage</li><li>Mark Isaac Snarr</li><li>Rejon Taylor</li><li>Richard Tipton</li><li>Jorge Avila Torrez</li><li>Daniel Troya</li><li>Alejandro Enrique Ramirez Umaña</li>
 </ul>

Biden commutes nearly all federal death sentences

(Radio Iowa)&nbsp; - The head of the largest food bank in the state says nearly 11 percent of Iowans do not have consistent, reliable access to nutritious food due to their household finances -- and the rising cost of food. 

Food Bank of Iowa C-E-O Michelle Book says food prices are up 25 percent in the past four years. She says there are 345-thousand Iowans who are estimated to be in need food assistance and 100-thousand of them are children. 

The Food Bank of Iowa -- which supplies food pantries in 55 of Iowa's 99 counties -- is spending about one million dollars a month on food, and Book says they will distribute about 230 percent more food this year than they did when she started as the C-E-O in 2016. She is retiring on December 31st.

(Radio Iowa)&nbsp; - The head of the largest food bank in the state says nearly 11 percent of Iowans do not have consistent, reliable access to nutritious food due to their household finances -- and the rising cost of food. Food Bank of Iowa C-E-O Michelle Book says food prices are up 25 percent in the past four years. She says there are 345-thousand Iowans who are estimated to be in need food assistance and 100-thousand of them are children. The Food Bank of Iowa -- which supplies food pantries in 55 of Iowa's 99 counties -- is spending about one million dollars a month on food, and Book says they will distribute about 230 percent more food this year than they did when she started as the C-E-O in 2016. She is retiring on December 31st.

Need For Food Continues Across Iowa

(Radio Iowa) - State officials say the first human case of bird flu has been confirmed in Iowa. 

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports the individual was exposed to avian influenza while working with infected poultry in a commercial flock in northwest Iowa. According to the agency, the person had mild symptoms, has received appropriate treatment and is recovering. 

The Centers for Disease Control had confirmed 64 human cases of bird flu in nine states by the end of last week.

(Radio Iowa) - State officials say the first human case of bird flu has been confirmed in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports the individual was exposed to avian influenza while working with infected poultry in a commercial flock in northwest Iowa. According to the agency, the person had mild symptoms, has received appropriate treatment and is recovering. The Centers for Disease Control had confirmed 64 human cases of bird flu in nine states by the end of last week.

Iowa reports first human case of bird flu

SANA – U.S. forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana’a, Yemen, on Saturday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden.

During the operation, CENTCOM forces also shot down multiple Houthi one way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) over the Red Sea.&nbsp;

The operation involved U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including F/A-18s.

The strike reflects CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment to protect U.S. and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping.

Authorities have not reported if this attack occurred before, after or during the the friendly fire incident involving two U.S. Navy pilots over the Red Sea.

SANA – U.S. forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana’a, Yemen, on Saturday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">CENTCOM Conducts Airstrikes Against Iran-Backed Houthi Missile Storage and Command/Control Facilities in Yemen TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by… <a href="https://t.co/YRWWQJIweP">pic.twitter.com/YRWWQJIweP</a>&mdash; U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1870576182934323203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against U.S. Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden.During the operation, CENTCOM forces also shot down multiple Houthi one way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and an anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) over the Red Sea.&nbsp;The operation involved U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy assets, including F/A-18s.The strike reflects CENTCOM’s ongoing commitment to protect U.S. and coalition personnel, regional partners, and international shipping.Authorities have not reported if this attack occurred before, after or during the the friendly fire incident involving two U.S. Navy pilots over the Red Sea.

U.S. airstrikes hit terrorist missile storage and command, control facilities

Several laws, such as the 72-hour waiting period, were temporarily blocked. But Planned Parenthood says enough restrictions remain in place to prevent abortion services from resuming

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/"></a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A Missouri judge on Friday temporarily struck down several laws that Planned Parenthood clinics have said made access to abortion all but impossible across the state.&nbsp;

Among the laws Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang blocked include a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion and a mandate that physicians performing abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

But abortions will not yet restart in the state because licensure requirements remain in place.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers and the ACLU of Missouri in a joint statement Friday evening said the state’s several clinics remain unlicensed.

“As a result of today’s mixed decision,” they wrote. “Missourians continue to be deprived of time-sensitive, essential, and constitutionally protected health care, despite voting in favor of a constitutional right to abortion.”

After more than two years of a near-total abortion ban, Missourians voted to legalize the procedure in November.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri immediately sued</a>&nbsp;the state in the hopes of invalidating dozens of abortion regulations they believed were now unconstitutional.&nbsp;

On Friday afternoon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2416-CV31931.COMP%20HEALTH.Prelim%20Injuction%20ORDER_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=26642271" target="_blank">Zhang granted some of Planned Parenthood’s requests and denied others</a>. This means that for the time being at least, some of the state’s strictest “targeted regulation of abortion providers,” or TRAP, laws are not enforceable.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri did not immediately say how soon they may begin offering abortion as a result of the judge’s order.

State officials, including Attorney General Andrew Bailey, agreed Amendment 3 makes null and void the state’s current ban on abortion, which only allows exceptions for medical emergencies.&nbsp;

But&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/05/abortion-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-amendment-3-missouri-jackson-county/">during a Dec. 4 hearing</a>, Bailey’s office panned Planned Parenthood’s arguments that current TRAP laws cause irreparable harm and are unnecessary.&nbsp;

The state asked that the case be dismissed, arguing that because abortion is still accessible by mail or by leaving the state, Planned Parenthood didn’t have the standing to ask for an emergency injunction.

In her Friday order, Zhang wrote that, “as plaintiffs argue, they and their patients are suffering serious harm, whereas defendants only stand to lose the ability temporarily to enforce some laws that are likely to be held unconstitutional and which further no valid compelling state interest.”

She went on to temporarily strike down the following TRAP laws as unconstitutional:&nbsp;

Zhang kept in place the following TRAP laws:

After the court hearing but before Friday’s decision, a spokeswoman with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the department continued to view the state’s TRAP laws as constitutional but declined to comment on specific aspects of the lawsuit as the litigation is ongoing.

“Our regulations remain in place,” Sami Jo Freeman, spokeswoman for the department, said on Dec. 11. “We believe those regulations are not overly burdensome and establish necessary safety standards for these procedures. We cannot comment on pending litigation at this time.”

Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition Life, said in a statement Friday that his organization will be closely monitoring the licensing process of any abortion clinics in Missouri.

“We are gratified that the court has rightly decided to retain licensing requirements for abortion facilities and doctors who perform abortions,” Westbrook said. “Even while we mourn the loss of protections that are vital to the safety of women and the protection of preborn children.”

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">On Nov. 5, Missourians narrowly approved Amendment 3</a>, which&nbsp;states, in part, that “the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”&nbsp;

The constitutional amendment officially took effect Dec. 6.

Had all the challenged TRAP laws been struck down, Planned Parenthood clinics said they were prepared to immediately begin offering abortions at some of their locations.

“It is unacceptable that tomorrow, just like for the past two weeks, Missourians will have a constitutional right that cannot be realized in their home state,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement. “We’re relieved the court recognized and enjoined many oppressive laws on the books that serve no purpose except to put abortion out of reach. Unfortunately, a key tool weaponized by anti-abortion politicians — the licensure process — remains in effect, and we are unable to restore care.”

The plaintiffs in a statement said they are evaluating their legal options. A spokesperson for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zhang’s order is temporary until a trial litigating the challenged laws takes place. The next case management conference is scheduled for late February in Kansas City.

<a href="https://www.whatsnext4mo.org/home/#CTA" target="_blank">“What’s Next,”&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;an Amendment 3 accountability group made up organizers and activists who previously called for a constitutional amendment with no restrictions on abortion, said the ruling was far from a win.

“‘Ending the ban’ is window dressing as long as restrictions such as facility license requirements designed to keep clinics closed are in effect and access to care is not a reality for abortion seekers and providers,” they wrote. “This is what we warned about and our fears are unfolding exactly how we predicted.”

<h2>Several laws, such as the 72-hour waiting period, were temporarily blocked. But Planned Parenthood says enough restrictions remain in place to prevent abortion services from resuming</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/"></a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A Missouri judge on Friday temporarily struck down several laws that Planned Parenthood clinics have said made access to abortion all but impossible across the state.&nbsp;Among the laws Jackson County Judge Jerri Zhang blocked include a 72-hour waiting period for an abortion and a mandate that physicians performing abortions have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.But abortions will not yet restart in the state because licensure requirements remain in place.Planned Parenthood Great Plains, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers and the ACLU of Missouri in a joint statement Friday evening said the state’s several clinics remain unlicensed.“As a result of today’s mixed decision,” they wrote. “Missourians continue to be deprived of time-sensitive, essential, and constitutionally protected health care, despite voting in favor of a constitutional right to abortion.”After more than two years of a near-total abortion ban, Missourians voted to legalize the procedure in November.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-abortion-access-planned-parenthood-lawsuit-amendment-3/">Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri immediately sued</a>&nbsp;the state in the hopes of invalidating dozens of abortion regulations they believed were now unconstitutional.&nbsp;On Friday afternoon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/fv/c/2416-CV31931.COMP%20HEALTH.Prelim%20Injuction%20ORDER_FINAL.pdf?courtCode=16&amp;di=26642271" target="_blank">Zhang granted some of Planned Parenthood’s requests and denied others</a>. This means that for the time being at least, some of the state’s strictest “targeted regulation of abortion providers,” or TRAP, laws are not enforceable.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood clinics in Missouri did not immediately say how soon they may begin offering abortion as a result of the judge’s order.State officials, including Attorney General Andrew Bailey, agreed Amendment 3 makes null and void the state’s current ban on abortion, which only allows exceptions for medical emergencies.&nbsp;But&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/12/05/abortion-lawsuit-planned-parenthood-amendment-3-missouri-jackson-county/">during a Dec. 4 hearing</a>, Bailey’s office panned Planned Parenthood’s arguments that current TRAP laws cause irreparable harm and are unnecessary.&nbsp;The state asked that the case be dismissed, arguing that because abortion is still accessible by mail or by leaving the state, Planned Parenthood didn’t have the standing to ask for an emergency injunction.In her Friday order, Zhang wrote that, “as plaintiffs argue, they and their patients are suffering serious harm, whereas defendants only stand to lose the ability temporarily to enforce some laws that are likely to be held unconstitutional and which further no valid compelling state interest.”She went on to temporarily strike down the following TRAP laws as unconstitutional:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>A requirement that physicians providing abortions have admitting privileges at hospitals with obstetric or gynecological care within 30 miles or a 15-minute drive.&nbsp;</li><li>A mandatory 72-hour waiting period between an initial abortion consultation and the abortion procedure.</li><li>The state’s informed consent requirement, which includes access to the state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">informed consent booklet</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>In cases of medication abortions, a requirement that the medication be administered in the presence of the doctor who prescribed it. Planned Parenthood refers to this as a “telemedicine ban,” which prevents doctors from prescribing a medication in-person but allowing the patient to take the medication at home or in the presence of another medical professional.</li><li>A requirement that before administering medication abortion, providers must have a complication plan in place, which includes access to an on-call OB-GYN who is available at any time, in the case of a complication. Zhang wrote that this law was not helpful to those traveling from rural Missouri to an urban Planned Parenthood clinic, for example.&nbsp;</li><li>A law requiring all fetal tissue removed from the uterus during an abortion be sent to a pathologist.</li>
 </ul>Zhang kept in place the following TRAP laws:<ul>
 <li>A requirement that patients must first see a doctor for an in-person appointment to confirm gestational age before prescribing the pills used in medication abortions.</li><li>A law stating that abortions can only be performed by physicians, and not physicians assistants or other advanced practice clinicians.&nbsp;</li><li>A law allowing the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to place separate regulations and standards that apply to ambulatory surgical centers on abortion clinics, including size requirements for hallways, room and doors.&nbsp;This law also requires clinics to keep a written plan for managing medical emergencies, including a transfer plan for patients to a nearby hospital. Zhang said she was denying the injunction related to these licensure requirements because the statutes “pertain to the actual licensure of the facilities rather than the rights of individuals seeking reproductive care.”</li>
 </ul>After the court hearing but before Friday’s decision, a spokeswoman with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said the department continued to view the state’s TRAP laws as constitutional but declined to comment on specific aspects of the lawsuit as the litigation is ongoing.“Our regulations remain in place,” Sami Jo Freeman, spokeswoman for the department, said on Dec. 11. “We believe those regulations are not overly burdensome and establish necessary safety standards for these procedures. We cannot comment on pending litigation at this time.”Brian Westbrook, executive director of Coalition Life, said in a statement Friday that his organization will be closely monitoring the licensing process of any abortion clinics in Missouri.“We are gratified that the court has rightly decided to retain licensing requirements for abortion facilities and doctors who perform abortions,” Westbrook said. “Even while we mourn the loss of protections that are vital to the safety of women and the protection of preborn children.”<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/05/missouri-voters-overturn-states-near-total-abortion-ban/">On Nov. 5, Missourians narrowly approved Amendment 3</a>, which&nbsp;states, in part, that “the right to reproductive freedom shall not be denied, interfered with, delayed, or otherwise restricted unless the government demonstrates that such action is justifiable by a compelling governmental interest achieved by the least restrictive means.”&nbsp;The constitutional amendment officially took effect Dec. 6.Had all the challenged TRAP laws been struck down, Planned Parenthood clinics said they were prepared to immediately begin offering abortions at some of their locations.“It is unacceptable that tomorrow, just like for the past two weeks, Missourians will have a constitutional right that cannot be realized in their home state,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement. “We’re relieved the court recognized and enjoined many oppressive laws on the books that serve no purpose except to put abortion out of reach. Unfortunately, a key tool weaponized by anti-abortion politicians — the licensure process — remains in effect, and we are unable to restore care.”The plaintiffs in a statement said they are evaluating their legal options. A spokesperson for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Zhang’s order is temporary until a trial litigating the challenged laws takes place. The next case management conference is scheduled for late February in Kansas City.<a href="https://www.whatsnext4mo.org/home/#CTA" target="_blank">“What’s Next,”&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;an Amendment 3 accountability group made up organizers and activists who previously called for a constitutional amendment with no restrictions on abortion, said the ruling was far from a win.“‘Ending the ban’ is window dressing as long as restrictions such as facility license requirements designed to keep clinics closed are in effect and access to care is not a reality for abortion seekers and providers,” they wrote. “This is what we warned about and our fears are unfolding exactly how we predicted.”

Missouri judge strikes down abortion ban, but clinics say access remains blocked

The Kansas City Chiefs are one step closer to securing a first round bye in the NFL playoffs after beating the Houston Texans on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium 27-19.&nbsp;

There were questions early in the week about whether Patrick Mahomes, who has a history of ankle injuries, would play at all after he sustained a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But he was off the injury report by Friday, and he was on the field and leading the Chiefs to a touchdown on their opening possession, following an interception from rookie Jaden Hicks on the Texans opening drive.&nbsp;

Mahomes knew he could run on the ankle he sprained last week. The bigger concern for the Chiefs quarterback was how he would stop, when all the weight and pressure and momentum would land squarely upon it.&nbsp; The solution against Houston was simple: Mahomes didn't stop.

The two-time MVP kept chugging forward until he plowed into the end zone on a 15-yard scramble to cap the Chiefs' 11 play opening drive to take the early lead.&nbsp;

That however, started a back and forth affair.&nbsp; After Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn hit a 33 yard field goal near the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs were forced to punt, leading to a 13 play drive that ended with Houston taking the lead on a 10 yard pass from CJ Stroud to tight end Dalton Schultz

Kansas City took the lead back though heading into the halftime break, first getting a three yard touchdown run from Kareem Hunt.&nbsp; Then, after Trent McDuffie got his second career interception, the Chiefs worked into field goal position, where Harrison Butker hit a 44 yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining, sending Kansas City to the halftime break with a 17-10 lead.&nbsp;

After deferring to the second half, the Chiefs opened up with the first possession but were forced to punt.&nbsp; Houston took advantage and scored, a 30 yard touchdown pass from Stroud to Tank Dell, but on the play disaster struck, and Dell,&nbsp;who had six catches for 98 yards, sustained a devastating knee injury on the play and was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said he would remain overnight.

Fairbairn missed the extra point, leaving the Chiefs up by one point, and after a turnover on downs by Kansas City and a punt from the Texans, Mahomes scored again, this time on a passing touchdown finding Xavier Worthy for an eight yard score, extending the lead to 24-16 with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.&nbsp;

A 14 play drive from the Texans carried through the remainder of the third and into the fourth quarter, where early in the final frame of regulation Fairbairn was sent out and hit a 38 yard field goal, but Kansas City answered with a 14 play drive of their own, that also ended with a field goal, 27 yards from Butker.&nbsp;

Houston was forced into a three and out on the next drive, and the Chiefs got the ball back on a punt with 3:41 remaining, and would go on to run out the remaining time to leave victorious.&nbsp;

Mahomes was 28 of 41 passing for 160 yards with one touchdown, rushing five times for 33 yards and a score as well.&nbsp; Hunt ran 11 times for 55 yards and a touchdown, while Isiah Pacheco ran nine times for 26 yards.&nbsp; Worthy was the leading receiver with seven catches for 66 yards and a score.&nbsp; Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, in his first game since suffering a shoulder injury in week one of the preseason, caught five passes for 45 yards.

The Chiefs (14-1) can clinch the postseason bye and home-field advantage if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day — its third game in an 11-day span.

Kickoff between the Chiefs and Steelers will be at noon on Christmas Day.&nbsp; Pregame will be at 11am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and on Q Country 92.7.&nbsp; The game will also be one of two on the day streamed live on Netflix.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734832567123.jpeg" alt="Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrate after Mahomes' 15 yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Saturday's win over Houston/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs " />
 <figcaption>Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrate after Mahomes' 15 yard touchdown run in the first quarter of Saturday's win over Houston/ Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Chiefs </figcaption>
 </figure>By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe Kansas City Chiefs are one step closer to securing a first round bye in the NFL playoffs after beating the Houston Texans on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium 27-19.&nbsp;There were questions early in the week about whether Patrick Mahomes, who has a history of ankle injuries, would play at all after he sustained a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But he was off the injury report by Friday, and he was on the field and leading the Chiefs to a touchdown on their opening possession, following an interception from rookie Jaden Hicks on the Texans opening drive.&nbsp;Mahomes knew he could run on the ankle he sprained last week. The bigger concern for the Chiefs quarterback was how he would stop, when all the weight and pressure and momentum would land squarely upon it.&nbsp; The solution against Houston was simple: Mahomes didn't stop.The two-time MVP kept chugging forward until he plowed into the end zone on a 15-yard scramble to cap the Chiefs' 11 play opening drive to take the early lead.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">PATRICK DOES IT HIMSELF.<a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatrickMahomes</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProBowlVote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ProBowlVote</a> <a href="https://t.co/XmaWNwfCgL">pic.twitter.com/XmaWNwfCgL</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1870534319229321388?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>That however, started a back and forth affair.&nbsp; After Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn hit a 33 yard field goal near the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs were forced to punt, leading to a 13 play drive that ended with Houston taking the lead on a 10 yard pass from CJ Stroud to tight end Dalton SchultzKansas City took the lead back though heading into the halftime break, first getting a three yard touchdown run from Kareem Hunt.&nbsp; Then, after Trent McDuffie got his second career interception, the Chiefs worked into field goal position, where Harrison Butker hit a 44 yard field goal with 19 seconds remaining, sending Kansas City to the halftime break with a 17-10 lead.&nbsp;After deferring to the second half, the Chiefs opened up with the first possession but were forced to punt.&nbsp; Houston took advantage and scored, a 30 yard touchdown pass from Stroud to Tank Dell, but on the play disaster struck, and Dell,&nbsp;who had six catches for 98 yards, sustained a devastating knee injury on the play and was taken to the University of Kansas Medical Center, where Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said he would remain overnight.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Texans?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Texans</a> WR Tank Dell suffered a dislocated knee cap, sources say, as doctors are working to determine the damage. Surgery is possible, but has not yet happened. Dell’s injury is significant, as coach DeMeco Ryans said. Not clear how significant. <a href="https://t.co/lSdNF7A4Dx">pic.twitter.com/lSdNF7A4Dx</a>&mdash; Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1870607796544418281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Fairbairn missed the extra point, leaving the Chiefs up by one point, and after a turnover on downs by Kansas City and a punt from the Texans, Mahomes scored again, this time on a passing touchdown finding Xavier Worthy for an eight yard score, extending the lead to 24-16 with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">X GON&#39; GIVE IT TO YA<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProBowlVote?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ProBowlVote</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/XavierWorthy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@XavierWorthy</a> <a href="https://t.co/RsXdDZ8OgJ">pic.twitter.com/RsXdDZ8OgJ</a>&mdash; Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1870565096012869827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A 14 play drive from the Texans carried through the remainder of the third and into the fourth quarter, where early in the final frame of regulation Fairbairn was sent out and hit a 38 yard field goal, but Kansas City answered with a 14 play drive of their own, that also ended with a field goal, 27 yards from Butker.&nbsp;Houston was forced into a three and out on the next drive, and the Chiefs got the ball back on a punt with 3:41 remaining, and would go on to run out the remaining time to leave victorious.&nbsp;Mahomes was 28 of 41 passing for 160 yards with one touchdown, rushing five times for 33 yards and a score as well.&nbsp; Hunt ran 11 times for 55 yards and a touchdown, while Isiah Pacheco ran nine times for 26 yards.&nbsp; Worthy was the leading receiver with seven catches for 66 yards and a score.&nbsp; Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, in his first game since suffering a shoulder injury in week one of the preseason, caught five passes for 45 yards.The Chiefs (14-1) can clinch the postseason bye and home-field advantage if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day — its third game in an 11-day span.Kickoff between the Chiefs and Steelers will be at noon on Christmas Day.&nbsp; Pregame will be at 11am on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM) and on Q Country 92.7.&nbsp; The game will also be one of two on the day streamed live on Netflix.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Same teams. Different matchups. 🎄 See you on Christmas Day for a <a href="https://twitter.com/netflix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@netflix</a> doubleheader! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLonNetflix?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLonNetflix</a> <a href="https://t.co/TLshUTPZeY">pic.twitter.com/TLshUTPZeY</a>&mdash; NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1870630146518274205?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Chiefs move closer to first round bye with 27-19 win over Texans

DAYTON, Ohio – A former Kansas doctor was arrested by federal agents this week and charged with making false statements related to a 1989 rape, according to the United State's Attorney.

 Officials ask anyone with information regarding this or any other similar rape to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

It is alleged that Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, knowingly made a false statement to FBI agents. His current home on Kenwood Road in&nbsp;Sycamore Township, Ohio and vehicles were searched and Tanzer appeared in federal court in Dayton following his arrest.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Tanzer was recently identified as the prime suspect in the cold-case rape. In recent months, agents collected DNA evidence from a Starbucks cup that Tanzer discarded at a local BMV. The DNA extracted from Tanzer’s coffee cup was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene.

It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached today, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped.

Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Kansas, Colorado and Ohio.

The affidavit details that on Aug. 1, 1989, the victim was violently raped in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work.

Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider these circumstances of the rape and to contact the FBI with any similar information:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734724913138.png" alt="Tanzer photo Shelby County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Tanzer photo Shelby County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>DAYTON, Ohio – A former Kansas doctor was arrested by federal agents this week and charged with making false statements related to a 1989 rape, according to the United State's Attorney. Officials ask anyone with information regarding this or any other similar rape to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.It is alleged that Frederick Louis Tanzer, 66, knowingly made a false statement to FBI agents. His current home on Kenwood Road in&nbsp;Sycamore Township, Ohio and vehicles were searched and Tanzer appeared in federal court in Dayton following his arrest.According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Tanzer was recently identified as the prime suspect in the cold-case rape. In recent months, agents collected DNA evidence from a Starbucks cup that Tanzer discarded at a local BMV. The DNA extracted from Tanzer’s coffee cup was confirmed by a forensic laboratory as a match to the DNA the rapist had left at the 1989 crime scene.It is alleged that Tanzer made several materially false statements to federal investigators when approached today, including denying having seen or interacted with the victim on the date she was raped.Tanzer is a medical doctor who has lived and practiced medicine in Kansas, Colorado and Ohio.The affidavit details that on Aug. 1, 1989, the victim was violently raped in her condominium on Creighton Place in Cincinnati after arriving home from work.Federal law enforcement officials ask the public to consider these circumstances of the rape and to contact the FBI with any similar information:<ul>
 <li>When the victim arrived home, she noticed an odor that smelled to her like brewed tea or burnt marijuana.</li><li>The rapist was dressed from head to toe in black Lycra, including black gloves and a face mask. He had a black gym bag with him.</li><li>The assailant held a knife to the victim’s throat.</li><li>The rapist used white surgical tape from the gym bag to wrap around the victim’s eyes and head. He used stockings and panty hose from the victim’s dresser to bind her hands and feet to the headboard and footboard of her bed.</li><li>The rapist cut or tore the victim’s clothing and used Vaseline.</li><li>The rapist assaulted the victim vaginally, orally and anally. In between bouts of sexual conduct, the assailant used a cloth to wipe the victim’s mouth and genital areas.</li><li>The rapist said nothing during the entire encounter. He occasionally took breaks from sexually assaulting the victim while the victim remained tied to her bed.</li><li>The rapist listened to and erased answering machine messages. He looked through papers in the victim’s living room and rummaged through her purse. He unplugged and/or disconnected telephones.</li><li>On the handset of the telephone in the bedroom, the rapist taped a piece of newspaper that had been cut from the paper on the couch in the victim’s living room and wrote, “No police or I’ll be back Mis [sic] [name of victim’s employer]”</li><li>The victim described the rapist as white, with dark brown hair, approximately six feet tall with a thin or athletic build.</li><li>The assault took place over the course of more than five and a half hours.</li>
 </ul>

FBI seeks victims of former Kan. doctor accused of rape

(Radio Iowa) - The remains of an Iowa soldier who died in a Japanese prison camp during World War Two have been identified. 

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains as 22-year-old U-S Army Air Force Tech-4 Lloyd Bruntmyer of Des Moines. Bruntmyer was serving in the Phillippine Islands when the Japanese invaded in December of 1941. Bruntmyer was among those reported captured when U-S forces surrendered, and the Japanese forced them on the 65-mile Bataan Death March to a prison camp. 

Records show Bruntmyer died November 1st, 1942, and was buried in the prison camp cemetery. His remains were later moved to Manilla and advanced techniques allowed for their identification. Brentmyer's remains will be buried in San Diego, California, in November of 2025.

(Radio Iowa) - The remains of an Iowa soldier who died in a Japanese prison camp during World War Two have been identified. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency identified the remains as 22-year-old U-S Army Air Force Tech-4 Lloyd Bruntmyer of Des Moines. Bruntmyer was serving in the Phillippine Islands when the Japanese invaded in December of 1941. Bruntmyer was among those reported captured when U-S forces surrendered, and the Japanese forced them on the 65-mile Bataan Death March to a prison camp. Records show Bruntmyer died November 1st, 1942, and was buried in the prison camp cemetery. His remains were later moved to Manilla and advanced techniques allowed for their identification. Brentmyer's remains will be buried in San Diego, California, in November of 2025.

Iowa Soldier's Remains Identified

WASHINGTON —On Friday, the Biden Administration announced student debt cancellation for another 55,000 public service workers, bringing the total number of individuals who have been approved for student debt relief under the Biden Administration to nearly 5 million people through various actions, according to a statement from the White House.

"The public servants approved for debt cancellation today include teachers, nurses, service members, law enforcement officials, and other public service workers who have dedicated their lives to giving back to their communities and who are finally earning the relief they are entitled to under the law."

"Over the last four years, we have made significant progress for students and borrowers – including securing the largest increase to the maximum Pell Grant award in over a decade; holding institutions accountable for taking advantage of students; and fixing broken student loan programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income Driven Repayment."

"From Day One of my Administration, I promised to make sure that higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. Because of our actions, millions of people across the country now have the breathing room to start businesses, save for retirement, and pursue life plans they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721180391047.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —On Friday, the Biden Administration announced student debt cancellation for another 55,000 public service workers, bringing the total number of individuals who have been approved for student debt relief under the Biden Administration to nearly 5 million people through various actions, according to a statement from the White House."The public servants approved for debt cancellation today include teachers, nurses, service members, law enforcement officials, and other public service workers who have dedicated their lives to giving back to their communities and who are finally earning the relief they are entitled to under the law.""Over the last four years, we have made significant progress for students and borrowers – including securing the largest increase to the maximum Pell Grant award in over a decade; holding institutions accountable for taking advantage of students; and fixing broken student loan programs such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income Driven Repayment.""From Day One of my Administration, I promised to make sure that higher education is a ticket to the middle class, not a barrier to opportunity. Because of our actions, millions of people across the country now have the breathing room to start businesses, save for retirement, and pursue life plans they had to put on hold because of the burden of student loan debt."

Biden cancels student loan debt for more public service workers

(Radio Iowa) - The head of Iowa Workforce Development says the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November rose one-tenth of a point from October to three-point-one percent.

 Workforce director Beth Townsend says the increase was expected, even with the anticipated hiring of seasonal workers for the holidays. Townsend says they've seen a regular for quite some time due to "anxiety and uncertainty, given the national election." The national unemployment rate also rose for the month to four-point-two percent, more than a full point above Iowa's rate. 

Another bright spot in the report, according to Townsend, was that 16-hundred Iowans came back to the labor force in search of a job. Townsend says it's possible we'll see better numbers for December, though she admits there may not be a significant shift upwards until spring.

(Radio Iowa) - The head of Iowa Workforce Development says the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November rose one-tenth of a point from October to three-point-one percent. Workforce director Beth Townsend says the increase was expected, even with the anticipated hiring of seasonal workers for the holidays. Townsend says they've seen a regular for quite some time due to "anxiety and uncertainty, given the national election." The national unemployment rate also rose for the month to four-point-two percent, more than a full point above Iowa's rate. Another bright spot in the report, according to Townsend, was that 16-hundred Iowans came back to the labor force in search of a job. Townsend says it's possible we'll see better numbers for December, though she admits there may not be a significant shift upwards until spring.

Iowa's jobless rate rises slightly due to 'anxiety' about election

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House failed to pass a Republican stopgap spending package Thursday, sharply increasing the odds a partial government shutdown will begin after the current funding bill expires Friday at midnight.&nbsp;

<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024516" target="_blank">The 174-235 House vote</a>&nbsp;came less than three hours after GOP leaders released a second stopgap spending bill this week. The first version, released just two days ago, was widely rejected by President-elect Donald Trump as well as his allies on and off Capitol Hill.

A total of 38 GOP lawmakers and 197 Democrats voted against passage. Only two Democrats voted in support of the measure. One Democrat voted “present.”

House Republicans tried to approve the new measure under a process called suspension of the rules, which required at least two-thirds of lawmakers to support the legislation for passage, including Democrats. Trump endorsed this new version, which included a two-year suspension of the debt limit.

GOP leaders could next try to put the failed bill up for a vote under a rule, which requires a simple majority vote to approve, but that path takes a few more steps and isn’t a guarantee this legislation could pass.

House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said during floor debate the bill was necessary to avoid a shutdown and provide disaster aid to states throughout the country.

“We need to provide the necessary disaster recovery aid for states and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore. The relief efforts are ongoing — it will be months, if not years, before life returns to normal,” Cole said.

Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, rebuked GOP lawmakers for walking away from the deal both parties reached on the first stopgap package.

“There were things in it that Democrats liked and Republicans did not, and there were things in it that Republicans liked and Democrats would have preferred to leave out. But that is the nature of government funding bills,” DeLauro said. “They require compromise and the support of Democrats and Republicans.”

The legislation House lawmakers were about to vote on had no input from Democrats, she said.

While Republicans have a narrow majority in the House, Democrats control the Senate and the White House, making bipartisan agreement on legislation essential to it becoming law.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote in a statement released Thursday just before the vote that the GOP was “doing the bidding of their billionaire benefactors at the expense of hardworking Americans.”

“Republicans are breaking their word to support a bipartisan agreement that would lower prescription drug costs and make it harder to offshore jobs to China — and instead putting forward a bill that paves the way for tax breaks for billionaires while cutting critical programs working families count on, from Social Security to Head Start,” she wrote. “President Biden supports the bipartisan agreement to keep the government open, help communities recovering from disasters, and lower costs — not this giveaway for billionaires that Republicans are proposing at the 11th hour.”

Trump calls new bill ‘a very good deal’

The stopgap spending package that failed Thursday night would have kept the government funded through mid-March while boosting disaster aid by about $100 billion.

The legislation would have suspended the nation’s debt limit for an additional two years through January 2027 and given Congress until September to finish the much overdue farm bill.

Trump cheered the new version of the stopgap spending bill before the vote after rejecting the first version released just two days ago.

“Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal for the American People,” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113681499338715649" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on social media. “The newly agreed to American Relief Act of 2024 will keep the Government open, fund our Great Farmers and others, and provide relief for those severely impacted by the devastating hurricanes.”

“A VERY important piece, VITAL to the America First Agenda, was added as well – The date of the very unnecessary Debt Ceiling will be pushed out two years, to January 30, 2027,” Trump added. “Now we can Make America Great Again, very quickly, which is what the People gave us a mandate to accomplish.”

The second stopgap bill came after a dramatic 48 hours that began with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/huge-spending-bill-unveiled-congress-provides-more-100-billion-disaster-aid" target="_blank">the Tuesday night release of a different stopgap spending package&nbsp;</a>before Trump’s ally Elon Musk called on GOP lawmakers to reject the bill their leadership team on Capitol Hill had negotiated over weeks.

Trump then told Republicans to address the debt limit in the package or get rid of it entirely, throwing another complex issue into the mix at the last minute.

The core elements of the stopgap spending package House Republicans released Thursday afternoon were similar to the Tuesday night package, though it dropped dozens of measures, including a provision allowing the nationwide sale of 15% ethanol blended gasoline year round.

The new package, same as the old package, doesn’t include a long-standing provision that prevents members of Congress from receiving a cost of living adjustment. Unless that’s changed, lawmakers would receive a 3.8% raise next year increasing their annual salary from $174,000 to $180,600.

“It removed key provisions to limit the power of pharmaceutical companies, and abandons our bipartisan efforts to ensure American dollars and intellectual property are reinvested in American businesses and workers; instead of fueling the Chinese Communist Party’s technology and capabilities,” DeLauro said during debate.

The new&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/American%20Relief%20Act%202025.pdf" target="_blank">116-page stopgap spending bill</a>&nbsp;was considerably shorter than the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf" target="_blank">1,547-page version</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday.

The spending package would have given Congress until March 14 to complete work on the dozen annual government funding bills that were supposed to become law by the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.

It would have given the House and Senate until Sept. 30, 2025, to reach agreement on the five-year farm bill, which lawmakers were supposed to negotiate a new version of more than a year ago.

The legislation would suspend the debt limit through Jan. 30, 2027.

The bill includes tens of billions in emergency spending to help communities throughout the country recover from various natural disasters, including wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/CR2%20Summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary of the bill</a>, released by House Democrats on Tuesday, showed the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Agriculture would receive the bulk of the natural disaster recovery funding. House Republicans didn’t appear to have altered any of the original funding levels for disaster aid in the updated Thursday version.

The USDA would get $33.5 billion in funding, with $21 billion of that designated for disaster assistance and another $10 billion for economic assistance to farmers and producers.

Other agriculture assistance funding would go toward the Agriculture Research Service, Emergency Watershed Protection Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program and Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund, among several others.

The Department of Homeland Security would receive $30.8 billion in funding, with $29 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund.

An additional $1.5 billion would go to the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon Fire fund “to continue efforts to support families who suffered damages due to the April 2022 wildfire,” according to the summary.&nbsp;

The wildfire was the largest in New Mexico’s history and caused about $5.14 billion in damages,&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/2024/12/17/new-report-totals-hermits-peak-calf-canyon-fire-losses-at-5-14b-as-extra-funds-hang-in-balance/" target="_blank">according to a report released</a>&nbsp;this week.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program for disaster recovery would receive $12 billion in additional funding.

Another $8 billion would go to the Transportation Department to “reimburse states and territories for damage from natural disasters to roads and bridges in the National Highway System, including 100 percent of costs associated with rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore,” according to Democrats’ summary.

The Forest Service would get $6.4 billion for ongoing recovery efforts from natural disasters that took place in 2022, 2023 and this year. The National Park Service would receive $2.3 billion as part of the Department of the Interior’s $3 billion total.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734648697605.png" alt="The new bill is just 116 pages, compared to the previous 1,547 pages." />
 <figcaption>The new bill is just 116 pages, compared to the previous 1,547 pages.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. House failed to pass a Republican stopgap spending package Thursday, sharply increasing the odds a partial government shutdown will begin after the current funding bill expires Friday at midnight.&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024516" target="_blank">The 174-235 House vote</a>&nbsp;came less than three hours after GOP leaders released a second stopgap spending bill this week. The first version, released just two days ago, was widely rejected by President-elect Donald Trump as well as his allies on and off Capitol Hill.A total of 38 GOP lawmakers and 197 Democrats voted against passage. Only two Democrats voted in support of the measure. One Democrat voted “present.”House Republicans tried to approve the new measure under a process called suspension of the rules, which required at least two-thirds of lawmakers to support the legislation for passage, including Democrats. Trump endorsed this new version, which included a two-year suspension of the debt limit.GOP leaders could next try to put the failed bill up for a vote under a rule, which requires a simple majority vote to approve, but that path takes a few more steps and isn’t a guarantee this legislation could pass.House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said during floor debate the bill was necessary to avoid a shutdown and provide disaster aid to states throughout the country.“We need to provide the necessary disaster recovery aid for states and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore. The relief efforts are ongoing — it will be months, if not years, before life returns to normal,” Cole said.<h2>No input from Democrats</h2>Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, rebuked GOP lawmakers for walking away from the deal both parties reached on the first stopgap package.“There were things in it that Democrats liked and Republicans did not, and there were things in it that Republicans liked and Democrats would have preferred to leave out. But that is the nature of government funding bills,” DeLauro said. “They require compromise and the support of Democrats and Republicans.”The legislation House lawmakers were about to vote on had no input from Democrats, she said.While Republicans have a narrow majority in the House, Democrats control the Senate and the White House, making bipartisan agreement on legislation essential to it becoming law.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote in a statement released Thursday just before the vote that the GOP was “doing the bidding of their billionaire benefactors at the expense of hardworking Americans.”“Republicans are breaking their word to support a bipartisan agreement that would lower prescription drug costs and make it harder to offshore jobs to China — and instead putting forward a bill that paves the way for tax breaks for billionaires while cutting critical programs working families count on, from Social Security to Head Start,” she wrote. “President Biden supports the bipartisan agreement to keep the government open, help communities recovering from disasters, and lower costs — not this giveaway for billionaires that Republicans are proposing at the 11th hour.”<h2>Trump calls new bill ‘a very good deal’</h2>The stopgap spending package that failed Thursday night would have kept the government funded through mid-March while boosting disaster aid by about $100 billion.The legislation would have suspended the nation’s debt limit for an additional two years through January 2027 and given Congress until September to finish the much overdue farm bill.Trump cheered the new version of the stopgap spending bill before the vote after rejecting the first version released just two days ago.“Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal for the American People,” Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113681499338715649" target="_blank">wrote</a>&nbsp;on social media. “The newly agreed to American Relief Act of 2024 will keep the Government open, fund our Great Farmers and others, and provide relief for those severely impacted by the devastating hurricanes.”“A VERY important piece, VITAL to the America First Agenda, was added as well – The date of the very unnecessary Debt Ceiling will be pushed out two years, to January 30, 2027,” Trump added. “Now we can Make America Great Again, very quickly, which is what the People gave us a mandate to accomplish.”<h2>Two days of tension</h2>The second stopgap bill came after a dramatic 48 hours that began with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/huge-spending-bill-unveiled-congress-provides-more-100-billion-disaster-aid" target="_blank">the Tuesday night release of a different stopgap spending package&nbsp;</a>before Trump’s ally Elon Musk called on GOP lawmakers to reject the bill their leadership team on Capitol Hill had negotiated over weeks.Trump then told Republicans to address the debt limit in the package or get rid of it entirely, throwing another complex issue into the mix at the last minute.The core elements of the stopgap spending package House Republicans released Thursday afternoon were similar to the Tuesday night package, though it dropped dozens of measures, including a provision allowing the nationwide sale of 15% ethanol blended gasoline year round.The new package, same as the old package, doesn’t include a long-standing provision that prevents members of Congress from receiving a cost of living adjustment. Unless that’s changed, lawmakers would receive a 3.8% raise next year increasing their annual salary from $174,000 to $180,600.“It removed key provisions to limit the power of pharmaceutical companies, and abandons our bipartisan efforts to ensure American dollars and intellectual property are reinvested in American businesses and workers; instead of fueling the Chinese Communist Party’s technology and capabilities,” DeLauro said during debate.The new&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/American%20Relief%20Act%202025.pdf" target="_blank">116-page stopgap spending bill</a>&nbsp;was considerably shorter than the&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf" target="_blank">1,547-page version</a>&nbsp;released Tuesday.<h2>Several new deadlines</h2>The spending package would have given Congress until March 14 to complete work on the dozen annual government funding bills that were supposed to become law by the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.It would have given the House and Senate until Sept. 30, 2025, to reach agreement on the five-year farm bill, which lawmakers were supposed to negotiate a new version of more than a year ago.The legislation would suspend the debt limit through Jan. 30, 2027.The bill includes tens of billions in emergency spending to help communities throughout the country recover from various natural disasters, including wildfires, tornadoes and hurricanes.A&nbsp;<a href="https://democrats-appropriations.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-appropriations.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/CR2%20Summary.pdf" target="_blank">summary of the bill</a>, released by House Democrats on Tuesday, showed the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Agriculture would receive the bulk of the natural disaster recovery funding. House Republicans didn’t appear to have altered any of the original funding levels for disaster aid in the updated Thursday version.The USDA would get $33.5 billion in funding, with $21 billion of that designated for disaster assistance and another $10 billion for economic assistance to farmers and producers.Other agriculture assistance funding would go toward the Agriculture Research Service, Emergency Watershed Protection Program, Emergency Forest Restoration Program and Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund, among several others.The Department of Homeland Security would receive $30.8 billion in funding, with $29 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund.An additional $1.5 billion would go to the Hermit’s Peak and Calf Canyon Fire fund “to continue efforts to support families who suffered damages due to the April 2022 wildfire,” according to the summary.&nbsp;The wildfire was the largest in New Mexico’s history and caused about $5.14 billion in damages,&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/2024/12/17/new-report-totals-hermits-peak-calf-canyon-fire-losses-at-5-14b-as-extra-funds-hang-in-balance/" target="_blank">according to a report released</a>&nbsp;this week.The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant program for disaster recovery would receive $12 billion in additional funding.Another $8 billion would go to the Transportation Department to “reimburse states and territories for damage from natural disasters to roads and bridges in the National Highway System, including 100 percent of costs associated with rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore,” according to Democrats’ summary.The Forest Service would get $6.4 billion for ongoing recovery efforts from natural disasters that took place in 2022, 2023 and this year. The National Park Service would receive $2.3 billion as part of the Department of the Interior’s $3 billion total.The Defense Department would get $3.4 billion to repair damages related to natural disasters. The Army Corps of Engineers would receive $1.5 billion for repairs and to increase resiliency.The Small Business Administration would receive $2.25 billion for disaster loans.<h2>Filibuster threat</h2>Shortly before House GOP leaders announced their second stopgap package, North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham committed to holding a talking filibuster to delay passage of any stopgap funding measures if that bill doesn’t include substantial disaster aid.The two, along with North Carolina Sen. Ted Budd, all of whom are Republicans, held a press conference Thursday afternoon to urge GOP leaders in the House to keep the roughly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid in any short-term spending package.They also rejected calls from some members of their own party to find ways to pay for the new emergency spending, saying that’s not how disaster aid packages have traditionally been handled.“When you’re in the middle of a crisis, I don’t think anybody’s going to want to hear somebody come to the floor and talk about the fiscal responsibility of giving these people a home again, or giving them an opportunity to open up a business again and employ people,” Tillis said. “So, no I don’t think $10 billion or $20 billion, and ‘I promise we’ll do something more in March’ is an acceptable solution. We know what the need is today. It was negotiated in a package and it needs to be in a package to get my support to get out of here.”&nbsp;Graham sought to explain the realities of divided government and pointed out that even when Republicans control the House and Senate next year, they’ll still need Democratic support on spending bills.“We need 60 votes to get it done in the Senate,” Graham said, referring to the chamber’s legislative filibuster, which requires at least 60 lawmakers vote to advance bills toward final passage.“Mike Johnson is going to have to pick up a handful, at least, of Democrats, because there’s some Republicans who will never vote for anything,” Graham added.Tillis was unable to answer a question about whether a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday at 12:01 a.m. would affect the federal government’s ongoing natural disaster response in his home state.The Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation and numerous federal departments would be required to follow their shutdown guidance if Congress doesn’t fund the government on time.Those departments and agencies divide up their staffs into excepted employees, whose jobs address the protection of life or property, and non-excepted employees, who don’t.Neither category of federal employee gets paid until after the shutdown ends.American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley released a written statement Thursday that a shutdown would harm federal workers who “inspect our food, protect our borders, ensure safe travel during the holidays, and provide relief to disaster victims.”“Over 642,000 of them are veterans of our armed services,” Kelley wrote. “Allowing them to go without a paycheck over the holidays is unacceptable.”

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