WASHINGTON – Shutdown politics did not take a holiday this week as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats continued to spar over a border wall funding dispute that has frozen some government operations. The partial government shutdown, which entered its fifth day Wednesday, was expected to last at least until Thursday, when senators could be called back to Capitol Hill. But there was little sign over the Christmas break that serious negotiations were underway. "It’s a disgrace what’s happening in our country," Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office on Christmas morning, summing up the status of the stalemate. "But other than that, I wish everybody a very Merry Christmas." Speaking after extending Merry Christmas to troops overseas via video conference, Trump said Democrats who oppose funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border once supported the idea. Trump likened it to his 2017 firing of FBI Director … [Read more...] about Government shutdown day 5: Politics doesn’t take a holiday as stalemate continues over border wall funding
2017 government shutdown
Crater Lake, Mount Rainier national parks begin closing after government shutdown
The snowy wonderland of Crater Lake and Mount Rainier national parks will be limited due to the government shutdown. The lapse in federal funding prompted Crater Lake managers to close the visitor’s center, cancel ranger-guided snowshoe trips and close the road to the lake's rim. Mount Rainier closed its road to Paradise, a popular winter recreation destination. Both places remain technically open but, as with most national parks and monuments, there will be almost no services, including search and rescue. The federal government shutdown will impact the over 400 national parks and monuments. In Oregon, that includes John Day Fossil Beds and Oregon Caves national monuments, in addition to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. Snow storm: Major storm to bring 16 to 24 inches on Oregon mountain passesCrater Crater Lake Due to human health and safety hazards, Crater Lake National Park has been closed to vehicles … [Read more...] about Crater Lake, Mount Rainier national parks begin closing after government shutdown
Will NORAD’s Santa Tracker still monitor St. Nick’s journey even if there’s a government shutdown?
WASHINGTON – Don’t fret, kiddos. And parents, too. Neither rain nor snow nor hail nor sleet will keep Santa out of the skies on Christmas Eve. And government shutdown or not, NORAD’s Santa Tracker will follow the Jolly Ol’ Man’s journey every reindeer step of the way. The Santa Tracker, celebrating its 63rd year, won’t be affected by the government shutdown, which started early Saturday after nine governmental departments ran out of funding, and Congress and the White House failed to strike a deal to keep things running. Even if the shutdown extends through the holidays, as expected, the Santa Tracker will still use satellites and radar to keep tabs on St. Nick’s journey around the globe and take calls from anxious kids (and maybe a few grown-up kids at heart) who will want to know if he has been spotted anywhere in their 'hood. The Santa Tracker is staged every year by the North American … [Read more...] about Will NORAD’s Santa Tracker still monitor St. Nick’s journey even if there’s a government shutdown?
No government shutdown can keep NORAD from tracking Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve
(CNN)The guessing days are over. The North American Aerospace Defense Command and its top-notch radar system will tell you when to get your cookies and milk ready for Santa's arrival. For 63 years, the organization otherwise tasked with detecting aerospace activity has turned its attention to Santa Claus on Christmas Eve -- tracking his sleigh and nine reindeer as they glide through the night to every child's house -- well, the ones he's deemed good for the year. It's a tough task, but NORAD says they are the "only organization that has the technology, the qualifications and the people to do it." And even if the federal government has shut down, NORAD announced Friday they'll continue to track Santa's journey. Military personnel and more than 1,500 volunteers will field calls on Santa's location and continue the decades-old tradition. In the event of a government shutdown, NORAD will continue with its 63-year tradition of NORAD Tracks Santa on Dec. 24. Military personnel who … [Read more...] about No government shutdown can keep NORAD from tracking Santa’s journey on Christmas Eve
5 ways the government shutdown could be bad for your health
Story highlights More than half of the Department of Health and Human Services 80,000+ employees could be furloughed Expert in disaster preparedness says "It doesn't make any sense" to risk the health of citizens (CNN)A government shutdown could potentially hurt the health of more than the government workers who will be plagued with the uncertainty and stress of not knowing when they'll get back to work and collect a paycheck. The shutdown could impact you, too. The government plays an outsized role in protecting our public health. A little more than half of the employees at the Department of Health and Human Services -- 41,203 out of 82,148 -- would be furloughed, according to the department's 2017 contingency plan. That means entire projects will stop and whole safety programs could go on hiatus. If the shutdown happens, workers considered "nonessential" stop working until Congress can agree on a federal budget bill. At its peak of the 2013 government shutdown, about … [Read more...] about 5 ways the government shutdown could be bad for your health