WASHINGTON (AP) — The tempestuous 113th Congress has limped out of Washington for the last time, capping two years of modest and infrequent legislating that was overshadowed by partisan clashes.
How’s this for a legacy? Congressional data show that just over 200 bills became law during the past two years. That was the fewest since at least 1947 and 1948, when what President Harry Truman dubbed “the do-nothing Congress” enacted more than 900 laws.
This Congress did less than the do-nothing one.
Efforts to revamp the immigration system, tighten gun background checks and force work on the Keystone XL oil pipeline all foundered as the Republican-run House and Democratic-led Senate blocked each other’s priorities.
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a proposed $75 million head injury settlement with the NCAA as too broad.
U.S. District Judge John Lee in Chicago issued a 21-page ruling Wednesday denying preliminary approval. He did say the deal could be altered to address his concerns, which include the scope of the proposal. At an October hearing, he raised similar concerns, saying, “The settlement, as it’s constituted, includes every athlete for all time.”
Under the settlement, NCAA would toughen return-to-play rules for players with concussions. It would also create a $70 million fund to test current and former athletes for brain trauma, and set aside $5 million for research.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Restaurant drinkers who don’t want to know how many calories are in their margarita or craft beer will have a way out: Avoid the menu and order at the bar.
New menu labeling rules from the Food and Drug Administration will require chain restaurants with 20 or more outlets to list calories in alcoholic drinks on menus by next November.
But the rules don’t apply to drinks ordered at the bar or any drinks that aren’t listed on the main menu. And unlike other beverages and foods, most bottles and cans don’t have to list full nutritional information.
After years of lobbying for more nutritional information on alcoholic beverages, public health advocates say the menu labeling rules are a first step.
Jeff Gragg, vice president of information services and chief information officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.-KHI photo
By KHI News Service
TOPEKA — Jeff Gragg recently joined Topeka-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas as vice president of information services and chief information officer (CIO).
In his new role, Gragg oversees the company’s technology division, which encompasses computer information systems and training, voice/data communications, duplicating and mailing services, disaster and workplace recovery, audit compliance and project management.
Gragg has 33 years of systems and technology experience in a variety of industries. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of information technology and CIO for Hostess Brands, Kansas City, Mo. He previously served as CIO and senior vice president of e-commerce and demand planning for Carhartt Corporation, Dearborn, Mich.; executive director of solutions delivery and director of IT retail channels for Hallmark Cards Corporation, Kansas City, Mo.; and director of merchandising systems for Payless ShoeSource Inc., Topeka.
In addition, as the owner of Wheat Plains Group Consulting he has consulted with several organizations on issues related to e-commerce, IT strategic planning, and large project justification and management.
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was indicted Wednesday on one count of theft occurring on federal property. U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced in a media release today.
The indictment alleges that on July 4, 2013, Jason H. Carmichael, 41, Wichita, stole a construction trailer containing construction equipment belonging to Image Flooring Concepts Inc.
The theft took place on Fort Riley, which is a federal military installation.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Graham is prosecuting.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Immigrant advocates have filed a lawsuit over concerns that federal immigration agents could use state driver’s license databases to track down people for deportation.
The National Immigration Law Center sued the Department of Homeland Security in federal court in on Wednesday demanding records detailing how federal immigration agents access and use driver’s license data.
The lawsuit comes after immigrant advocates in Maryland received reports that immigration agents arrested several people with prior deportation orders after apparently identifying them with help from driver’s license and vehicle information.
It also comes two weeks before California starts issuing driver’s licenses to immigrants living in the country illegally.
A message was left for the Department of Homeland Security seeking comment.
ST. JOSEPH – Anthony Douglas Armstrong, 7 months, died Saturday, December 13, 2014 at his home.
Survivors: mother, Macayla Jo Armstrong, of the home; sister, Alycia Marie Armstrong, of the home; maternal grandparents, Terry and Tracy Armstrong, Wathena, Kan.; uncles, Tyler and Dameyn Armstrong, St. Joseph; aunt, Samantha Thomas, St. Joseph; great-uncle, Richard Bialek, North Platte, Neb.; great-aunt, Iva May Ransom, Council Bluffs, Iowa; cousin, Alexis Ransom, Council Bluffs; and many extended family and friends.
Healing Farewell: 1 p.m., Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family requests donations to be made to Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
ST. JOSEPH – Grace Nicole-Miracle Sprague-Nolan, 20-day old newborn infant, passed away Wednesday, December 17, 2014 in a Kansas City, Mo., hospital. She was born November 27, 2014 in Kansas City, daughter of Julie Nicole Sprague and Ryan Nolan.
Grace was preceded in death by maternal great-great-grandfather, Phillip Cline; maternal great-great-grandfather, Jerry Hart; maternal great-grandfather, David Sprague Sr.; paternal grandfather, Jeff Kurtz; cousin, Jaspen Nolan; aunt, Julie Nicole Hart.
Survivors include mother, Julie Nicole Sprague, of St. Joseph; father, Ryan Nolan of Ky.; maternal grandmother, Shandi Hart; maternal great-grandmother, Kelly Cline; maternal great-grandfather, Mark Hart; maternal great-great-grandmother, Mary Margaret Cline; maternal great-great-grandmother, Betty Hart; maternal grandfather, David Sprague Jr.- maternal great-grandmother, Karen Sprague-Coil; paternal grandmother, Tracy Kurtz; four uncles, Isiah Sprague, Matthew Sprague, Dallas Sprague, and Aaron Kurtz; two aunts, Rachael Kurtz, and Araul-Chier Hart.
Graveside funeral services and interment will be conducted on Friday, December 19, at 11 a.m., at Mount Olivet Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m., on Thursday at Rupp Funeral Home. Online condolence and obituary at www.ruppfuneral.com
An IRS scam has area law enforcement agencies warning residents and Q-Country 92.7 answering unwanted calls.
“Basically they’re telling these people that they owe back taxes for one thing or another and if those taxes aren’t paid then the IRS will put a lien on their home or their property or something like that and this matter can be resolved quickly if you’ll just send in some money,” Sergeant Greg Gilpin, Crime Prevention Officer with the St. Joseph Police Department said.
The St. Joseph Police Department and the Cameron Police Department have both issued warnings on social media to tell residents to be aware of the phone scam. Gilpin said the department has received a number of calls from area citizens who have been contacted by the scammers.
“The calls I’ve gotten from people are telling me it’s their home phones they’re getting them on,” Gilpin said. “You just have no idea where these calls are coming from. It could be right here in town or clear across the country or in another part of the world. That’s just the way it works.”
Wednesday Q-Country 92.7 also received several phone calls from the IRS scammers leaving an automated message on the radio station’s hotline.
“I need you or your retained attorney of record to return the call. The issue at hand is extremely time sensitive,” the message said. “Don’t disregard this message and do return this call before we take any action against you. Goodbye and take care.”
In an effort to try and contact the scammers the St. Joseph Post tried to call back the number provided in the message (415) 234-9651. The first two attempts went straight to voice mail with an automated recording.
“the voice mailbox of this account is full please try leaving a message later, your message has been saved,” the automated recording said.
On our third attempt we tried to call using the Q-Country studio line where the original call had been made. We received a busy signal on that attempt, however the scammers had made several attempts to try and contact someone at that number prior.
“I’d just tell you to hang up the phone,” said Gilpin. “If you think it’s a scam simply hang up, just don’t even deal with them.”
Gilpin said even if you did owe money, the IRS would not contact you that way.
“If you got some legal problems with the IRS or other government agency you’re going to be getting a notification probably through registered mail,” said Gilpin. “If it’s serious enough they’re probably going to be coming to your home but they’re not going to be randomly calling you on your phone and tell you that you owe money.”
He said scams like this usually don’t take place until the tax season.
“You see this a lot around tax time when people are really thinking about taxes but this is also the time of year when people have saved up for Christmas so the scammers probably figure you have extra money that maybe you won’t have throughout the year so it may be a good time to hit,” he said.
So far Gilpin said the St. Joseph Police Department has not received any reports of people actually falling for the scam, only reports of individuals being hit up by the robocalls trying to collect.
As far as Q-Country is concerned, the St. Joseph Post has been informed the radio station is caught up on its taxes with the IRS and even if the scammers had landed the right call number no cash prizes will be awarded.
The Kansas City Chiefs have announced that LB Tamba Hali is the team’s nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. Hali is joined by candidates from each NFL team in consideration for this illustrious accolade.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, named for the legendary Chicago Bears running back, is unique among league honors as it represents the only league award that recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.
While the accolade has been bestowed annually since 1970, no franchise has garnered more honorees than the Chiefs. Former Kansas City players who have taken home the Gladiator statue include LB Willie Lanier, QB Len Dawson (1973), LB Derrick Thomas (1993), G Will Shields (2003) and G Brian Waters (2009).
A selection panel, comprised of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell; former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue; Connie Payton, widow of Walter Payton; Pro Football Hall of Fame members Frank Gifford and Anthony Munoz; 2013 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner Charles Tillman; and Sports Illustrated writer Peter King will announce three finalists this month. The winner will be announced at the fourth annual NFL Honors show in Phoenix, Ariz., the site of Super Bowl XLIX.
The 2014 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner will receive a $25,000 donation from both the NFL Foundation and Nationwide in his name to a charity of his choice. The other two finalists will receive a $5,000 donation in their names, while the other 29 nominees will receive a $1,000 donation to their selected charities.
“We are very proud to have Tamba represent the Chiefs Kingdom as this year’s nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “As a player, with his teammates and in the communities he serves, Tamba demonstrates tremendous heart. He does not seek personal recognition for his tireless hard work. He prefers action over words. So, we are delighted to see him nominated for one of the most prestigious honors in our game.”
Fueled by pure passion, Chiefs LB Tamba Hali’s never-quit motor has served him well on the football field. In the years since being selected 20th overall in the 2006 NFL Draft, he has fine-tuned his game, transforming himself into one of the league’s most feared pass rushers. His 79.5 career sacks rank third in team annals behind only franchise stalwarts LB Derrick Thomas and DE Neil Smith. He joins Thomas, Smith and LB Justin Houston as the only players in franchise history to have at least three seasons with double-digit sack totals (2010, 2011, 2013). Additionally, this game changer has forced 31 fumbles as a professional, a figure only Thomas has eclipsed in a Kansas City uniform. He registered a conference-leading 14.5 sacks in 2010 and went on to capture three consecutive Pro Bowl berths following the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons.
Off of the field, Hali is just as unyielding when it comes to assisting others. That mindset was instilled during his childhood. Hali’s homeland of Liberia trudged through a bloody civil war for most of his adolescence. So, at the age of 10 he left Africa to live with his father, Henry, who had earlier fled to America. Yet, the shy Hali never forgot his roots. This October, he joined with Heart to Heart International, a global humanitarian aid organization, to announce the construction of a 70-bed Ebola treatment unit in Africa for those stricken by the disease. Hali personally donated $50,000, which financed more than half of the project. He’s also using his star status to spread the word about this dire need.
This clinic is just the latest in Hali’s continued support of his economically depressed birthplace. He has partnered with his mother, Rachel, on multiple occasions to get vital supplies, clothing and other necessities distributed in West Africa. Such relief efforts have become common for Hali to finance as he knows the desolate poverty many hailing from this war-torn region have endured.
Hali’s giving nature isn’t confined to international aid. His well-rounded approach has also seen him become a go-to member of the local community. He has teamed with Kansas City’s Bishop Sullivan Center to purchase and serve meals, focusing on sustainable food made with healthy ingredients. He also frequently assists families tied to this support agency, such as donating a dining table so a family can eat together or new clothes so another can look the part at a job interview. Hali has also given back to his alma mater, Teaneck High School, in Teaneck, N.J., donating shoes for the entire football program, financing the school’s freshman football team with a $15,000 gift and donating $40,000 to finish off its Athletic Hall of Fame.
“I’m honored to be nominated for such a prestigious award,” Hali said. “The Kansas City community means a lot to me. Our fan base has given me and my family a tremendous amount of support over the years, and I’m going to give back as much as I can. I’m thankful to even be considered among the other five Chiefs greats that have won this award.”
With a winter weather advisory posted for much of the state, the Missouri Department of Transportation and the St Joseph Streets Department are gearing up for snow removal and road treatment. In Northwest Missouri, MoDOT has almost 500 employees and more than 180 vehicles ready to work.
Kevin Schneider, The City of St Joseph’s assistant superintendent of streets and sewers, says their team is ready.
“The spreaders are loaded on the trucks and ready to go,” Schneider says. “The trucks are ready, they’re fueled up and plugged in. So, the guys have gone home but they all know they’re on call for Wednesday night.”
The first change motorists may notice will be on ramps, bridges and overpasses. Cold air is able to circulate above and below these structures, making them the first to have slick spots. Travelers should take their own precautions, as motorists’ winter driving skills may be a bit rusty. Slow down and make your braking or steering gradual, rather than sudden or extreme.
One of the best ways to prepare for winter travel is to check road conditions before you go. MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map, at http://www.modot.org/, provides current road conditions for Missouri’s interstates and major highways. Conditions for these routes are color coded to give you the information you need at a glance.
For smartphone and tablet users, the Traveler Information App brings the same information to mobile devices. The app is available for free from iTunes or the Google Play store by searching for “MoDOT.”
Remember the following tips when driving in inclement weather:
* Slow down.
* Steer and brake gently.
* Accelerate slowly at intersections.
* Allow extra space between your vehicle and the one ahead of you.
* Stay back 100 feet from snow plows that may be spreading salt. Avoid passing snow plows, even when on a multi-lane road.
* Be aware that bridges and overpasses generally experience freezing conditions first.
MoDOT also provides road conditions information through our Customer Service Center. Dial 888 ASK MODOT (888-275-6636) to speak to one of their expert customer service representatives. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
ALAN FRAM, Associated Press
