Shutdown stalemate continues as lawmakers bemoan ‘wasted week’

Lawmakers in the U.S. House and Senate went home for a federal holiday weekend with no hints of any deal in a continuing dispute over President Donald Trump’s demand for money to build his border wall, as Democrats in the House vowed more votes on bills to end a funding lapse which started before Christmas, while Senate Republicans continued to refuse to hold any votes before there’s a deal on border funding with the President. “I feel like this has been a wasted week,” said Sen. David Perdue (R-GA), a key Senate ally of President Trump, who like other lawmakers saw no evidence that a deal was near, four weeks into the shutdown. “I don’t feel like there’s been much progress at all,” Perdue added. Democrats certainly endorsed that assessment – while pointing the finger of blame directly at Senate Republicans, criticising the GOP for not allowing votes on any of the eight funding bills approved by the House to re-open shuttered agencies, send hundreds of thousands of employees back to work, and ensure they will be paid as well. “We are talking about millions of people’s paychecks being held hostage for a border wall that the American public doesn’t support,” said Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM). Day 27: I just directly requested passage of a bill to reopen the government. Senator McConnell refused. Impossible to overstate exactly how ridiculous and offensive — not to mention unnecessary — this continuing shutdown is. — Tim Kaine (@timkaine) January 17, 2019 “If we are going to pay them (federal workers) anyway — if the Federal Treasury is going to write that check — wouldn’t it be better if they are in their offices answering phones, processing food stamp applications, and serving their fellow Americans than locked out of their offices?” asked Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA). Kaine vowed to force the Senate to be in session on Saturday to drive home Democratic Party arguments about the need to end the shutdown – and to reinforce how Republicans have not allowed any votes yet in 2019 on bills to fund the government. “I don’t understand how this chamber can stand by and watch the devastating effects of this shutdown on our nation,” said Udall on the Senate floor, as he joined Kaine in urging Republicans to allow votes to re-open the National Park Service and other agencies. Kaine on Thursday forced the Senate Majority Leader to object to a procedural effort to debate and vote on funding for the government; a few hours later, McConnell met for close to an hour at the Capitol with Vice President Mike Pence, and the President’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. McConnell told reporters afterwards there was no deal to announce. House Democrats planned several more votes next week on bills to fund the government, as they scrapped a planned break because of the shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers haven’t been paid yet in 2019 and some are taking on second jobs to make ends meet. Enough with the stalling @SenateMajLdr. Stop blocking the Senate vote and let's finally end this shutdown. https://t.co/ZfwHYGNQJY — Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) January 18, 2019 With a federal holiday on Monday for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it wasn’t hard to imagine the shutdown continuing through most – if not all – of next week, and that could mean a second missed paycheck for federal workers, most of whom are scheduled to be paid on January 25. The first missed check was a week ago on January 11. Some Republicans again suggested the way out was for President Trump to declare a national emergency, and try to move money around in the federal budget to support a border wall. “I have no idea how long it’s going to go,” Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) said of the shutdown, arguing the national emergency declaration might be the best move for everyone. “To me, he could use an emergency, and it would be over,” Inhofe said.

Scam Alert: Homeowners beware of cold weather schemes

The icy, snowy weather sometimes brings out people with icy hearts who are trying to scam homeowners out of a buck.  >> Read more trending news  Whether it’s an offer to shovel your driveway, or inspect your furnace, experts say you should take precautions before you fork over any cold, hard cash.  One winter weather scam to watch out for — people who ask for cash up front to shovel or plow your driveway.  “I would always be a little concerned if they want to money up front because they could just take the money and run,” said Amy Lee of Kettering.  Other scammers may knock on your door and try to convince you that your furnace or ducts need inspected, repaired or cleaned — immediately.  “They have gotten pushy before and at that point I just tell my children to release the dog and tell them ‘thank you’ and ‘goodbye,’” said April Graham of Riverside.  >> Related: How – and when – to protect your pipes from freezing Yet another cold weather scam comes in the form of a phone call that sounds like it’s from your utility company, according to John North, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Dayton and Miami Valley.  “They will say your bill is overdue and they need to collect money right away,” said North, “but it wasn’t the utility company it was just some scam artist that now has your money.”  To avoid phone scams:  Don’t pay anyone who calls you  Hang up  Call the customer service number on your bill or statement  To avoid door-to-door scams:  Don’t pay up front  Check credentials  Get a written contract  Verify contact information.  >> Related: Here are 16 tips for keeping you, your pets and home safe in the cold If you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood, report it to authorities. You also can warn others by using the BBB Scam Tracker.

Body found may be missing Mayes County man

The clothing matches, now it's up to the Medical Examiner to say whether a body found Thursday in Mayes County is that of 61-year old Mark Rogers.  The body was found by two men, hunting in a wooded area near Langley.  He had been missing since the day after Christmas.