By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

The Salvation Army in Hays continues to ensure local children receive Christmas gifts through the Angel Tree Program.

However, the program did not receive as many gifts this year as in past years.

Salvation Army Service Extension Coordinator Laura Allen said the program helps parents bring joy to their children on Christmas, even in difficult times.

"The Angel Tree is basically a program for children whose parents don't have the ability to buy them Christmas gifts or many Christmas gifts," Allen said.

This year, 114 children registered as angels. While community participation started slowly, a late surge ensured every angel was adopted.

However, 40 angels' gifts have not been returned. If the angel gifts are not returned, donations from St. Nicholas of Myra and St. Mary's churches will provide gifts for the remaining children.

Those who have adopted an angel are encouraged to return their gifts promptly, no later than Tuesday. It is not too late for anyone wishing to donate gifts without adopting an angel.

"Even if somebody didn’t necessarily have an angel, they can bring gifts," Allen said. "We give them to one of the children that was registered."

Clothing, sports equipment and video game-related items such as Roblox and Fortnite merchandise are suggested gifts for teenage boys.

Recommended gifts for teenage girls include makeup, jewelry-making kits, and arts and crafts supplies.

"Older teenage boys and girls are not always easy to buy for," Allen said.

Allen said the Hadley Center, 205 E. Seventh St., is a drop-off location for gifts, and the Salvation Army will accept donations outside regular building hours.

"We will be here all day [Friday]. Even though we're distributing, we will still be here available to accept gifts to distribute," she said.

Donations can also be dropped off at Fuzzy's Taco Shop, 4310 Vine St., Hays, during their business hours:

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

For more information, contact Fuzzy's Taco Shop at 785-261-0822 or the Salvation Army in Hays at 785-621-2794. You can leave a voicemail if you don't receive an immediate answer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734646779627.jpeg" alt="Donated Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program at Fuzzy's Taco Shop in Hays. Courtesy Photo" />
 <figcaption>Donated Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program at Fuzzy's Taco Shop in Hays. Courtesy Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostThe Salvation Army in Hays continues to ensure local children receive Christmas gifts through the Angel Tree Program.However, the program did not receive as many gifts this year as in past years.Salvation Army Service Extension Coordinator Laura Allen said the program helps parents bring joy to their children on Christmas, even in difficult times."The Angel Tree is basically a program for children whose parents don't have the ability to buy them Christmas gifts or many Christmas gifts," Allen said.This year, 114 children registered as angels. While community participation started slowly, a late surge ensured every angel was adopted.However, 40 angels' gifts have not been returned. If the angel gifts are not returned, donations from St. Nicholas of Myra and St. Mary's churches will provide gifts for the remaining children.Those who have adopted an angel are encouraged to return their gifts promptly, no later than Tuesday. It is not too late for anyone wishing to donate gifts without adopting an angel."Even if somebody didn’t necessarily have an angel, they can bring gifts," Allen said. "We give them to one of the children that was registered."Clothing, sports equipment and video game-related items such as Roblox and Fortnite merchandise are suggested gifts for teenage boys.Recommended gifts for teenage girls include makeup, jewelry-making kits, and arts and crafts supplies."Older teenage boys and girls are not always easy to buy for," Allen said.Allen said the Hadley Center, 205 E. Seventh St., is a drop-off location for gifts, and the Salvation Army will accept donations outside regular building hours."We will be here all day [Friday]. Even though we're distributing, we will still be here available to accept gifts to distribute," she said.Donations can also be dropped off at Fuzzy's Taco Shop, 4310 Vine St., Hays, during their business hours:10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday For more information, contact Fuzzy's Taco Shop at 785-261-0822 or the Salvation Army in Hays at 785-621-2794. You can leave a voicemail if you don't receive an immediate answer.

40 Salvation Army Angel Tree gifts not returned this year

Due to the observance of the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, December 25, the refuse/recycling collection schedules in Hays will be altered as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;

• Monday and Tuesday routes will both be collected on Monday, December 23. • Wednesday and Thursday routes will both be collected on Thursday, December 26. • There are no anticipated changes to Friday's route.&nbsp;

It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclables&nbsp;will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.

City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732287931438.jpeg" alt="Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>City of HaysDue to the observance of the Christmas holiday on Wednesday, December 25, the refuse/recycling collection schedules in Hays will be altered as follows:&nbsp;&nbsp;• Monday and Tuesday routes will both be collected on Monday, December 23. • Wednesday and Thursday routes will both be collected on Thursday, December 26. • There are no anticipated changes to Friday's route.&nbsp;It is anticipated that heavy volumes of refuse/recyclables&nbsp;will be encountered around the holidays. Please be sure to set your bags out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and keep in mind that the trucks have no set time schedule.City of Hays customers that may have any questions regarding this notice should contact the Solid Waste Division of the Public Works Department at 785-628-7350.

Refuse, recycling route changes in Hays for Christmas holiday

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;new plan Thursday to fund federal operations and suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">debt ceiling</a>&nbsp;a day before a government shutdown, as Democrats refused to accommodate his sudden demands and the quick fix cobbled together by Republican leaders.

In a hastily convened evening vote punctuated by angry outbursts over the self-made crisis, the lawmakers failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage — but House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared determined to try again before Friday's midnight deadline.

“We're going to do the right thing here,” Johnson said ahead of the vote. But he didn't even get a majority, with the bill failing 174-235.&nbsp; GOP members of the Kansas House delegation Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted for the bill.&nbsp; Thirty-eight Republicans voted against the measure.

The outcome proved a massive setback for Trump and his billionaire ally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>, who rampaged against Johnson's bipartisan compromise, which Republicans and Democrats had reached earlier to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown.

It provides an preview of the turbulence ahead when Trump returns to the White House with Republican control of the House and Senate. During his first term, Trump led Republicans into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">longest government shutdown in history</a>&nbsp;during the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the holidays in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-relief bill and forcing a do-over.

Hours earlier, Trump announced “SUCCESS in Washington!” in coming up with the new package which would keep government running for three more months, add $100.4 billion in disaster assistance including for hurricane-hit states, and allow more borrowing through Jan. 30, 2027.

"Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal,” Trump posted.

But Republicans, who had spent 24 hours largely negotiating with themselves to come up with the new plan, ran into a wall of resistance from Democrats, who were were in no hurry to appease demands from Trump — or his billionaire ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Musk</a>.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats were sticking with the original deal with Johnson and called the new one “laughable.”

“It's not a serious proposal,” Jeffries said as he walked to Democrats' own closed-door caucus meeting. Inside, Democrats were chanting, “Hell, no!”

All day, Johnson had been fighting to figure out how to meet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump's</a>&nbsp;sudden demands — and keep his own job — while federal offices are being told to prepare to shutter operations.

The new proposal whittled the 1,500-page bill to 116 pages and drops a number of add-ons — notably the first pay raise for lawmakers in more than a decade, which could have allowed as much as a 3.8% bump. That drew particular scorn as Musk turned his social media army against the bill.

Trump said early Thursday that Johnson will “easily remain speaker” for the next Congress if he “acts decisively and tough” in coming up with a new plan to also raise the debt limit, a stunning request just before the Christmas holidays that has put the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">beleaguered speaker</a>&nbsp;in a bind.

And if not, the president-elect warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">trouble ahead</a>&nbsp;for Johnson and Republicans in Congress.

“Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible,” Trump told Fox News Digital.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-trump-musk-johnson-5dc9fd8672f9807189032811d4ab0528">tumultuous turn of events</a>, coming as lawmakers were preparing to head home for the holidays, sparks a familiar reminder of what it's like in Trump-run Washington.

For Johnson, who faces his own problems ahead of a Jan. 3 House vote to remain speaker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-trump-musk-johnson-5dc9fd8672f9807189032811d4ab0528">Trump's demands</a>&nbsp;left him severely weakened, forced to abandon his word with Democrats and work into the night to broker the new approach.

Trump’s allies even floated the far-fetched idea of giving billionaire Musk the speaker’s gavel, since the speaker is not required to be a member of the Congress. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., posted she was “open” to the idea.

Democrats were beside themselves, seeing this as a fitting coda after one of the most unproductive congressional sessions in modern times.

“Here we are once again in chaos,” said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, who detailed the harm a government shutdown would cause Americans. “And what for? Because Elon Musk, an unelected man, said, ‘We’re not doing this deal, and Donald Trump followed along.’”

The debate in the House chamber grew heated as lawmakers blamed each other for the mess.

At one point, Rep. Marc Molinaro, who was presiding over the debate, slammed the speaker’s gavel with such force that it broke.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Trump was publicly turning on those who opposed him.

One hardline Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, drew Trump’s ire for refusing to along with the plan and telling colleagues they had no self-respect for piling onto the nation’s debt.

“It’s shameful!” Roy thundered, standing on the Democratic side of the aisle and pointing at his fellow Republicans.

The slimmed-down package does include federal funds to rebuild Baltimore’s collapsed Key Bridge, but dropped a separate land transfer that could have paved the way for a new Washington Commanders football stadium.

But it abandons a long list of other bipartisan bills that had support as lawmakers in both parties try to wrap work for the year. It extends government funds through March 14.

Adding an increase in the debt ceiling to what had been a bipartisan package is a show-stopper for Republicans who routinely vote against more borrowing, and Democrats who weren't about to give into Trump's demands without a price.

While Democrats have floated their own ideas in the past for lifting or even doing away with the debt limit caps that have created some of the toughest debates in Congress — Sen. Elizabeth Warren had suggested as much — they appear to be in no bargaining mood to save Johnson from Trump — even before the president-elect is sworn into office.

The current debt limit expires Jan. 1, 2025, and threatens to bog down the start of the new administration with months of negotiations to raise it. Trump wants the problem off the table before he joins the White House.

As senior Republicans broke from a Thursday morning meeting in the House speaker’s office there was no resolution in sight — a preview of what’s to come when Republicans control Congress and Trump is in the White House in the new year.

Rep. Steve Womack, an Arkansas Republican and senior appropriator, said the collapse of a bipartisan stopgap funding deal this week would “probably be a good trailer right now for the 119th Congress.”

Federal funding is scheduled to expire at midnight Friday as a current temporary government funding bill runs out.

The bipartisan compromise brokered between Johnson and the Democrats outraged conservatives for its spending and extras.

Musk, in his new foray into politics, led the charge. The wealthiest man in the world used his social media platform X to amplify the unrest, and GOP lawmakers were besieged with phone calls to their offices telling them to oppose the plan.

Trump told Johnson to start over — with the new demand on the debt limit, something that generally takes months to negotiate and that his own party generally opposes.

The White House’s Office of Management and Budget had provided initial communication to agencies about possible shutdown planning last week, according to an official at the agency.

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri and Matt Brown contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734648606537.png" alt="Poster Democrats used during Thursday floor debate in the House -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Poster Democrats used during Thursday floor debate in the House -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House rejected President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;new plan Thursday to fund federal operations and suspend the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">debt ceiling</a>&nbsp;a day before a government shutdown, as Democrats refused to accommodate his sudden demands and the quick fix cobbled together by Republican leaders.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> after failed CR vote: &quot;It&#39;s very disappointing to us that all but two Democrats voted against...all these bipartisan measures that had already been negotiated and decided upon...&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WkNs1JZfbx">pic.twitter.com/WkNs1JZfbx</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1869915429415555493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a hastily convened evening vote punctuated by angry outbursts over the self-made crisis, the lawmakers failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage — but House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared determined to try again before Friday's midnight deadline.“We're going to do the right thing here,” Johnson said ahead of the vote. But he didn't even get a majority, with the bill failing 174-235.&nbsp; GOP members of the Kansas House delegation Tracey Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted for the bill.&nbsp; Thirty-eight Republicans voted against the measure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734648776856.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The outcome proved a massive setback for Trump and his billionaire ally,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>, who rampaged against Johnson's bipartisan compromise, which Republicans and Democrats had reached earlier to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown.It provides an preview of the turbulence ahead when Trump returns to the White House with Republican control of the House and Senate. During his first term, Trump led Republicans into the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/30769167ab7a4ef9adf880d020b775dd">longest government shutdown in history</a>&nbsp;during the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the holidays in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-relief bill and forcing a do-over.Hours earlier, Trump announced “SUCCESS in Washington!” in coming up with the new package which would keep government running for three more months, add $100.4 billion in disaster assistance including for hurricane-hit states, and allow more borrowing through Jan. 30, 2027."Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal,” Trump posted.But Republicans, who had spent 24 hours largely negotiating with themselves to come up with the new plan, ran into a wall of resistance from Democrats, who were were in no hurry to appease demands from Trump — or his billionaire ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Musk</a>.House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats were sticking with the original deal with Johnson and called the new one “laughable.”“It's not a serious proposal,” Jeffries said as he walked to Democrats' own closed-door caucus meeting. Inside, Democrats were chanting, “Hell, no!”All day, Johnson had been fighting to figure out how to meet&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump's</a>&nbsp;sudden demands — and keep his own job — while federal offices are being told to prepare to shutter operations.The new proposal whittled the 1,500-page bill to 116 pages and drops a number of add-ons — notably the first pay raise for lawmakers in more than a decade, which could have allowed as much as a 3.8% bump. That drew particular scorn as Musk turned his social media army against the bill.Trump said early Thursday that Johnson will “easily remain speaker” for the next Congress if he “acts decisively and tough” in coming up with a new plan to also raise the debt limit, a stunning request just before the Christmas holidays that has put the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">beleaguered speaker</a>&nbsp;in a bind.And if not, the president-elect warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">trouble ahead</a>&nbsp;for Johnson and Republicans in Congress.“Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible,” Trump told Fox News Digital.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-trump-musk-johnson-5dc9fd8672f9807189032811d4ab0528">tumultuous turn of events</a>, coming as lawmakers were preparing to head home for the holidays, sparks a familiar reminder of what it's like in Trump-run Washington.For Johnson, who faces his own problems ahead of a Jan. 3 House vote to remain speaker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-trump-musk-johnson-5dc9fd8672f9807189032811d4ab0528">Trump's demands</a>&nbsp;left him severely weakened, forced to abandon his word with Democrats and work into the night to broker the new approach.Trump’s allies even floated the far-fetched idea of giving billionaire Musk the speaker’s gavel, since the speaker is not required to be a member of the Congress. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., posted she was “open” to the idea.Democrats were beside themselves, seeing this as a fitting coda after one of the most unproductive congressional sessions in modern times.“Here we are once again in chaos,” said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, who detailed the harm a government shutdown would cause Americans. “And what for? Because Elon Musk, an unelected man, said, ‘We’re not doing this deal, and Donald Trump followed along.’”The debate in the House chamber grew heated as lawmakers blamed each other for the mess.At one point, Rep. Marc Molinaro, who was presiding over the debate, slammed the speaker’s gavel with such force that it broke.The stakes couldn't be higher. Trump was publicly turning on those who opposed him.One hardline Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, drew Trump’s ire for refusing to along with the plan and telling colleagues they had no self-respect for piling onto the nation’s debt.“It’s shameful!” Roy thundered, standing on the Democratic side of the aisle and pointing at his fellow Republicans.The slimmed-down package does include federal funds to rebuild Baltimore’s collapsed Key Bridge, but dropped a separate land transfer that could have paved the way for a new Washington Commanders football stadium.But it abandons a long list of other bipartisan bills that had support as lawmakers in both parties try to wrap work for the year. It extends government funds through March 14.Adding an increase in the debt ceiling to what had been a bipartisan package is a show-stopper for Republicans who routinely vote against more borrowing, and Democrats who weren't about to give into Trump's demands without a price.While Democrats have floated their own ideas in the past for lifting or even doing away with the debt limit caps that have created some of the toughest debates in Congress — Sen. Elizabeth Warren had suggested as much — they appear to be in no bargaining mood to save Johnson from Trump — even before the president-elect is sworn into office.The current debt limit expires Jan. 1, 2025, and threatens to bog down the start of the new administration with months of negotiations to raise it. Trump wants the problem off the table before he joins the White House.As senior Republicans broke from a Thursday morning meeting in the House speaker’s office there was no resolution in sight — a preview of what’s to come when Republicans control Congress and Trump is in the White House in the new year.Rep. Steve Womack, an Arkansas Republican and senior appropriator, said the collapse of a bipartisan stopgap funding deal this week would “probably be a good trailer right now for the 119th Congress.”Federal funding is scheduled to expire at midnight Friday as a current temporary government funding bill runs out.The bipartisan compromise brokered between Johnson and the Democrats outraged conservatives for its spending and extras.Musk, in his new foray into politics, led the charge. The wealthiest man in the world used his social media platform X to amplify the unrest, and GOP lawmakers were besieged with phone calls to their offices telling them to oppose the plan.Trump told Johnson to start over — with the new demand on the debt limit, something that generally takes months to negotiate and that his own party generally opposes.The White House’s Office of Management and Budget had provided initial communication to agencies about possible shutdown planning last week, according to an official at the agency.___Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Stephen Groves, Farnoush Amiri and Matt Brown contributed to this story.

Kan. GOP lawmakers vote yes: House rejects new government funding bill

NEW YORK (AP) — The suspect in the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-79a9710978fc7adbb23d3fed4ea2f70d">UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;was whisked back to New York on a plane and by helicopter Thursday to face new federal charges of stalking and murder, which could bring the death penalty if he's convicted.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-luigi-mangione-10ee2f70cd843a27940a9cf1a06edf55">Luigi Mangione</a>&nbsp;agreed to return to New York after a morning court appearance in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week five days after the shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>. Mangione appeared in a Manhattan federal court for an afternoon hearing where a magistrate ordered he be detained.

After his Pennsylvania court hearing, Mangione was immediately turned over to at least a dozen New York Police Department officers who were in the courtroom and led him to a plane bound for Long Island. He then was flown to a Manhattan heliport, where he was walked slowly up a pier by a throng of officers with assault rifles.

The federal complaint unsealed Thursday charges him with two counts of stalking and one count each of murder through use of a firearm and a firearms offense. Murder by firearm carries the possibility of the death penalty, though federal prosecutors have not said whether they will pursue that punishment.

In a New York state indictment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-terrorism-law-7fcb28dcc0106c980b6ecf4aa9cf682f">filed earlier this week</a>, Mangione was charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-fccc9e875e976b9901a122bc15669425">murder as an act of terrorism</a>, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison without parole. New York does not have the death penalty.

In federal court Thursday, Mangione shifted his head but otherwise did not react when the magistrate read the part of the complaint accusing him of killing Thompson.

His attorney said dealing with both the state and federal cases puts the defense in a highly unusual situation. “Frankly I’ve never seen anything like what is happening here,” said Karen Friedman Agnifilo.

The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate is accused of ambushing and shooting Thompson on Dec. 4 outside a Manhattan hotel where the head of the United States’ largest medical insurance company was walking to an investor conference.

Authorities have said Mangione was carrying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghost-guns-unitedhealthcare-ceo-1e3b449dd9ed5fabeb2ad592fde91575">the gun</a>&nbsp;used to kill Thompson, a passport, fake IDs and about $10,000 when he was arrested while eating breakfast on Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Mangione, who initially fought attempts to extradite him, made two brief court appearances Thursday, first waiving a preliminary hearing on forgery and firearms charges before agreeing to be sent back to New York.

Investigators believe Mangione was motivated by anger toward the U.S. health care system and corporate greed. But he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-united-healthcare-ceo-d148fbdde498c3ea4cf768945889d7e7">never a UnitedHealthcare client</a>, according to the insurer.

According to the federal complaint, a notebook Mangione was carrying when he was arrested included several handwritten pages expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular.

An August entry said that “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box,” according to the filing. An entry in October “describes an intent to ‘wack’ the CEO of one of the insurance companies at its investor conference,” the document said.

The killing ignited an outpouring of stories about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-delay-deny-depose-insurance-online-criticism-2d9c9a1a2a551876e72a11a93fc7624c">resentment toward U.S. health insurance companies</a>&nbsp;while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-security-threats-wanted-posters-9a6687d14e667e5b48a1581923830e3f">shaking corporate America</a>&nbsp;after some social media users called the shooting payback.

Video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind and then firing several more shots. The suspect eluded police despite authorities widely circulating photos of his unmasked face until Mangione was captured in Altoona, about 277 miles (446 kilometers) west of New York.

Mangione, a computer science graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was carrying a handwritten letter that called health insurance companies “parasitic” and complained about corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press last week.

One of his lawyers cautioned the public against prejudging the case.

Mangione repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-back-surgery-mental-health-35086d2e01089f53db7b95e7b6c683e4">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;about how spinal surgery last year had eased his chronic back pain, encouraging people with similar conditions to speak up for themselves if told they just had to live with it.

In a Reddit post in late April, he advised someone with a back problem to seek additional opinions from surgeons and, if necessary, say the pain made it impossible to work.

“We live in a capitalist society,” Mangione wrote. “I’ve found that the medical industry responds to these key words far more urgently than you describing unbearable pain and how it’s impacting your quality of life.”

He apparently cut himself off from his family and close friends in recent months. His family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-unitedhealthcare-ceo-743e8b3ffb6a03a177c0e6d56f119581">reported him missing</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco in November. His relatives have said in a statement that they were “shocked and devastated” by his arrest.

Thompson, who grew up on a farm in Iowa, was trained as an accountant. A married father of two high-schoolers, he had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance arm in 2021.

Scolforo reported from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writers Mike Rubinkam in Allentown, Pennsylvania; and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734643890089.png" alt="Mangione photo NYPD" />
 <figcaption>Mangione photo NYPD</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The suspect in the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-79a9710978fc7adbb23d3fed4ea2f70d">UnitedHealthcare’s CEO</a>&nbsp;was whisked back to New York on a plane and by helicopter Thursday to face new federal charges of stalking and murder, which could bring the death penalty if he's convicted.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-luigi-mangione-10ee2f70cd843a27940a9cf1a06edf55">Luigi Mangione</a>&nbsp;agreed to return to New York after a morning court appearance in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested last week five days after the shooting of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-healthcare-ceo-new-york-shooting-brian-thompson-8a130e64bcab749d1a085f5a34ab8254">Brian Thompson</a>. Mangione appeared in a Manhattan federal court for an afternoon hearing where a magistrate ordered he be detained.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734643943338.png" alt="photo NYPD" />
 <figcaption>photo NYPD</figcaption>
 </figure>After his Pennsylvania court hearing, Mangione was immediately turned over to at least a dozen New York Police Department officers who were in the courtroom and led him to a plane bound for Long Island. He then was flown to a Manhattan heliport, where he was walked slowly up a pier by a throng of officers with assault rifles.The federal complaint unsealed Thursday charges him with two counts of stalking and one count each of murder through use of a firearm and a firearms offense. Murder by firearm carries the possibility of the death penalty, though federal prosecutors have not said whether they will pursue that punishment.In a New York state indictment&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-terrorism-law-7fcb28dcc0106c980b6ecf4aa9cf682f">filed earlier this week</a>, Mangione was charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-killing-luigi-mangione-fccc9e875e976b9901a122bc15669425">murder as an act of terrorism</a>, which carries a possible sentence of life in prison without parole. New York does not have the death penalty.In federal court Thursday, Mangione shifted his head but otherwise did not react when the magistrate read the part of the complaint accusing him of killing Thompson.His attorney said dealing with both the state and federal cases puts the defense in a highly unusual situation. “Frankly I’ve never seen anything like what is happening here,” said Karen Friedman Agnifilo.The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate is accused of ambushing and shooting Thompson on Dec. 4 outside a Manhattan hotel where the head of the United States’ largest medical insurance company was walking to an investor conference.Authorities have said Mangione was carrying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghost-guns-unitedhealthcare-ceo-1e3b449dd9ed5fabeb2ad592fde91575">the gun</a>&nbsp;used to kill Thompson, a passport, fake IDs and about $10,000 when he was arrested while eating breakfast on Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.Mangione, who initially fought attempts to extradite him, made two brief court appearances Thursday, first waiving a preliminary hearing on forgery and firearms charges before agreeing to be sent back to New York.Investigators believe Mangione was motivated by anger toward the U.S. health care system and corporate greed. But he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-united-healthcare-ceo-d148fbdde498c3ea4cf768945889d7e7">never a UnitedHealthcare client</a>, according to the insurer.According to the federal complaint, a notebook Mangione was carrying when he was arrested included several handwritten pages expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular.An August entry said that “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box,” according to the filing. An entry in October “describes an intent to ‘wack’ the CEO of one of the insurance companies at its investor conference,” the document said.The killing ignited an outpouring of stories about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-delay-deny-depose-insurance-online-criticism-2d9c9a1a2a551876e72a11a93fc7624c">resentment toward U.S. health insurance companies</a>&nbsp;while also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-security-threats-wanted-posters-9a6687d14e667e5b48a1581923830e3f">shaking corporate America</a>&nbsp;after some social media users called the shooting payback.Video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind and then firing several more shots. The suspect eluded police despite authorities widely circulating photos of his unmasked face until Mangione was captured in Altoona, about 277 miles (446 kilometers) west of New York.Mangione, a computer science graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was carrying a handwritten letter that called health insurance companies “parasitic” and complained about corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press last week.One of his lawyers cautioned the public against prejudging the case.Mangione repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-back-surgery-mental-health-35086d2e01089f53db7b95e7b6c683e4">posted on social media</a>&nbsp;about how spinal surgery last year had eased his chronic back pain, encouraging people with similar conditions to speak up for themselves if told they just had to live with it.In a Reddit post in late April, he advised someone with a back problem to seek additional opinions from surgeons and, if necessary, say the pain made it impossible to work.“We live in a capitalist society,” Mangione wrote. “I’ve found that the medical industry responds to these key words far more urgently than you describing unbearable pain and how it’s impacting your quality of life.”He apparently cut himself off from his family and close friends in recent months. His family&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/luigi-mangione-unitedhealthcare-ceo-743e8b3ffb6a03a177c0e6d56f119581">reported him missing</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco in November. His relatives have said in a statement that they were “shocked and devastated” by his arrest.Thompson, who grew up on a farm in Iowa, was trained as an accountant. A married father of two high-schoolers, he had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance arm in 2021.___Scolforo reported from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writers Mike Rubinkam in Allentown, Pennsylvania; and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; contributed.

Suspect in killing insurance CEO hit with federal charges

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">congressional budget negotiations</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats after billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage toward the bill and cheered on Republican lawmakers who announced their opposition.

Trump's joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance, which stopped the bill in its tracks, punctuated a daylong torrent of social media posts by Musk attacking the legislation for what he described as excessive spending.

“Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X as he dangled primary challenges against anyone who voted for the budget deal, a threat Trump later echoed in a post of his own.

The episode showcased the growing political influence of Musk, whom Trump has selected alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, a nongovernmental task force formed to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and reduce regulations.

Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, said his office was flooded with calls from constituents.

“My phone was ringing off the hook," he said. “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”

<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;1,500 page proposed budget bill

In his statement with Vance, Trump said Republicans should restart negotiations over the legislation, arguing that “anything else is a betrayal of our country.” He also called for including an extension of the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is in office.

“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch," they said. "If Democrats won’t cooperate on a debt ceiling increase now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate over the debt ceiling now.”

Trump's opposition to what was considered must-pass legislation reinjected a sense of chaos and political brinkmanship that was reminiscent of his first term in office. It was a dramatic turn of events for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the bill and has been undermined by Trump as he faces reelection for his post in just a couple of weeks. Republicans have a slim majority, raising the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-house-speaker-gop-selection-mccarthy-jordan-9b244d42f60eaccc94befcc1ba9d2985">a replay of leadership disputes</a>&nbsp;that paralyzed the House a year ago.

Many lawmakers were in the middle of holiday and year-end celebrations with staff when Trump came out against the legislation.

“I’ve been here 14 years, OK? So nothing up here surprises me anymore,” said Rep. Steve Womack, a senior Republican appropriator from Arkansas. “We shouldn’t be in this mess.”

The Biden administration criticized the possibility of a shutdown.

"Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a veteran of Washington's budget battles, was concerned about the lack of a clear plan for resolving the dispute.

"There’s got to be a second part of the strategy," he said.

Norquist has been enthusiastic about Musk's ability to generate public attention for efforts to reduce the size of government. But he suggested that the owner of a space rocket company wasn't the right person to spearhead a congressional spending debate.

“He doesn’t know politics like he knows physics," he said.

But others were thrilled with Musk's involvement.

“In five years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a fundamental change in the dynamic,” posted Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from North Carolina. “It has arrived.”

Musk began criticizing the measure as soon as it was released Tuesday evening, and he continuously posted about it Wednesday.

"Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!" he wrote. He also called it “one of the worst bills ever written.”

Sometimes Musk amplified false claims, such as the idea that the legislation included $3 billion for a new football stadium in Washington. In reality, the legislation would transfer ownership of the land from the federal government to the city, paving the way for eventual development.

Musk appeared emboldened by the experience.

“The voice of the people was heard,” Musk wrote. “This was a good day for America."

Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said the fallout would be Republicans' fault.

“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow," he wrote on X.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734474980545.png" alt="The 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree -photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol" />
 <figcaption>The 2024 Capitol Christmas Tree -photo courtesy Architect of the Capitol</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918">congressional budget negotiations</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, rejecting the measure as full of giveaways to Democrats after billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage toward the bill and cheered on Republican lawmakers who announced their opposition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734611151849.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734578201857.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump's joint statement with Vice President-elect JD Vance, which stopped the bill in its tracks, punctuated a daylong torrent of social media posts by Musk attacking the legislation for what he described as excessive spending.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Ever seen a bigger piece of pork? <a href="https://t.co/ZesFCNSNKp">pic.twitter.com/ZesFCNSNKp</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869311029131596262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X as he dangled primary challenges against anyone who voted for the budget deal, a threat Trump later echoed in a post of his own.The episode showcased the growing political influence of Musk, whom Trump has selected alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-president-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-2f0f76bb6440231f2504b77cb117d988">Department of Government Efficiency</a>, a nongovernmental task force formed to find ways to fire federal workers, cut programs and reduce regulations.Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, said his office was flooded with calls from constituents.“My phone was ringing off the hook," he said. “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a>&nbsp;1,500 page proposed budget billIn his statement with Vance, Trump said Republicans should restart negotiations over the legislation, arguing that “anything else is a betrayal of our country.” He also called for including an extension of the debt ceiling while President Joe Biden is in office.“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch," they said. "If Democrats won’t cooperate on a debt ceiling increase now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate over the debt ceiling now.”Trump's opposition to what was considered must-pass legislation reinjected a sense of chaos and political brinkmanship that was reminiscent of his first term in office. It was a dramatic turn of events for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the bill and has been undermined by Trump as he faces reelection for his post in just a couple of weeks. Republicans have a slim majority, raising the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-house-speaker-gop-selection-mccarthy-jordan-9b244d42f60eaccc94befcc1ba9d2985">a replay of leadership disputes</a>&nbsp;that paralyzed the House a year ago.Many lawmakers were in the middle of holiday and year-end celebrations with staff when Trump came out against the legislation.“I’ve been here 14 years, OK? So nothing up here surprises me anymore,” said Rep. Steve Womack, a senior Republican appropriator from Arkansas. “We shouldn’t be in this mess.”The Biden administration criticized the possibility of a shutdown."Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a veteran of Washington's budget battles, was concerned about the lack of a clear plan for resolving the dispute."There’s got to be a second part of the strategy," he said.Norquist has been enthusiastic about Musk's ability to generate public attention for efforts to reduce the size of government. But he suggested that the owner of a space rocket company wasn't the right person to spearhead a congressional spending debate.“He doesn’t know politics like he knows physics," he said.But others were thrilled with Musk's involvement.“In five years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a fundamental change in the dynamic,” posted Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from North Carolina. “It has arrived.”Musk began criticizing the measure as soon as it was released Tuesday evening, and he continuously posted about it Wednesday."Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!" he wrote. He also called it “one of the worst bills ever written.”Sometimes Musk amplified false claims, such as the idea that the legislation included $3 billion for a new football stadium in Washington. In reality, the legislation would transfer ownership of the land from the federal government to the city, paving the way for eventual development.Musk appeared emboldened by the experience.“The voice of the people was heard,” Musk wrote. “This was a good day for America."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepJeffries?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepJeffries</a>: &quot;House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country...An agreement is an agreement. It was bipartisan, and there is nothing more to say.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0zPhPtd1hi">pic.twitter.com/0zPhPtd1hi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1869537831682490449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries said the fallout would be Republicans' fault.“You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow," he wrote on X.

Trump, Musk deliver chaos at Christmas to Washington

Fort Hays State University will offer two artificial intelligence-focused classes for students as faculty and staff remain on the fence about its use.

Instructional Technologist Magdalene Moy, chairwoman of the FHSU Generative AI Task Force, hopes more programs embrace AI and take advantage of its potential benefits.

"I think that other departments are going to look toward building this up for their students," Moy said.

This spring, Moy will teach "Philosophy of AI: Foundations and Frontiers," an online course for students with various guest speakers.

The course delves into AI from philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives. The class features lectures by philosophers, computer engineers, machine learning specialists and legal experts.

"The class goes into how this is going to affect fields, so I have a lawyer coming to speak about where we are in the legal system with AI," Moy said.

Specific topics the class will dive into include the Turing Test, a method for assessing a machine's capability to show human-like intelligence, and the Chinese Room Experiment, a thought experiment challenging the notion that a computer program can genuinely understand language.

Moy said students will also participate in debates, complete writing assignments and work on a final project that examines AI’s relevance to their profession and future.

"It's taking 'What is thinking?' 'What is a mind?' 'How is AI like thinking?' and 'Where is the complement there?'" Moy said.

Open to all students, the online class aims to help them critically examine philosophical and practical questions about AI and its potential. Enrollment is currently open.

"This is meant to be a foundational course to understand the power of AI, where it comes from, why it's important and its potential," she said. "

Moy said the class could be offered in future semesters depending on interest.

Moy said opinions on AI usage among FHSU faculty and staff vary, and there is no consensus on its implementation.

Some faculty are concerned that overreliance on AI could impede students' skill development, which Moy said is valid.

"Even with people who are pro using AI, they might feel like it's appropriate for them to have students use AI in one class but not the other," she said.

Potential negatives are concerns about cheating, job displacement, data and ethical use, and bias in data training.

Another course, "AI in Biology and Medicine," will be offered this spring through the FHSU Biological Sciences Department by Assistant Professor Michael Grenstaeudl.

Moy said Grenstaeudl developed the course independently and the AI Task Force, as their collaboration primarily focuses on sharing resources and promoting initiatives.

Moy said she hopes other departments such as English, Agriculture and Computer Science will introduce their own AI courses in the future.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a>, Generative AI will affect 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, and AI will take over between 25% and 50% of the workload.

Sixxty-five percent of skills in the workforce are also expected to change by 2030 because of AI, according to Linkedin.

The FHSU Generative AI Task Force launched a website offering classroom resources and the latest updates on AI.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/47b0e4bb-d394-4e1a-a254-da0ce672d1db">SEE RELATED STORY: FHSU offers student resources on artificial intelligence</a>

The task force will host an AI Institute and fair, open to the public. The fair will include workshops and sessions to support their understanding and integration of AI across various fields.

The event is set for Feb. 25 at the FHSU Memorial Union.&nbsp;

Moy said the FHSU College of Education department has readily taken to AI with an additional event for professional development for K-12 teachers in northwest Kansas set for April 7.

&nbsp;"We know our students come from the area. It makes sense to have a conversation with them about what they're doing in the classroom and how we can support their use of AI in education," she said.

The FHSU Generative AI Task Force also offers certificates to equip enrolled students with the knowledge and skills needed for career success.

You can visit their website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/">here</a>&nbsp;for more information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734026978115.jpeg" alt="Courtesy Image" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Image</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostFort Hays State University will offer two artificial intelligence-focused classes for students as faculty and staff remain on the fence about its use.Instructional Technologist Magdalene Moy, chairwoman of the FHSU Generative AI Task Force, hopes more programs embrace AI and take advantage of its potential benefits."I think that other departments are going to look toward building this up for their students," Moy said.This spring, Moy will teach "Philosophy of AI: Foundations and Frontiers," an online course for students with various guest speakers.The course delves into AI from philosophical and interdisciplinary perspectives. The class features lectures by philosophers, computer engineers, machine learning specialists and legal experts."The class goes into how this is going to affect fields, so I have a lawyer coming to speak about where we are in the legal system with AI," Moy said.Specific topics the class will dive into include the Turing Test, a method for assessing a machine's capability to show human-like intelligence, and the Chinese Room Experiment, a thought experiment challenging the notion that a computer program can genuinely understand language.Moy said students will also participate in debates, complete writing assignments and work on a final project that examines AI’s relevance to their profession and future."It's taking 'What is thinking?' 'What is a mind?' 'How is AI like thinking?' and 'Where is the complement there?'" Moy said.Open to all students, the online class aims to help them critically examine philosophical and practical questions about AI and its potential. Enrollment is currently open."This is meant to be a foundational course to understand the power of AI, where it comes from, why it's important and its potential," she said. "Moy said the class could be offered in future semesters depending on interest.Moy said opinions on AI usage among FHSU faculty and staff vary, and there is no consensus on its implementation.Some faculty are concerned that overreliance on AI could impede students' skill development, which Moy said is valid."Even with people who are pro using AI, they might feel like it's appropriate for them to have students use AI in one class but not the other," she said.Potential negatives are concerns about cheating, job displacement, data and ethical use, and bias in data training.These issues are not new to education.Another course, "AI in Biology and Medicine," will be offered this spring through the FHSU Biological Sciences Department by Assistant Professor Michael Grenstaeudl.Moy said Grenstaeudl developed the course independently and the AI Task Force, as their collaboration primarily focuses on sharing resources and promoting initiatives.Moy said she hopes other departments such as English, Agriculture and Computer Science will introduce their own AI courses in the future.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/">Goldman Sachs</a>, Generative AI will affect 300 million full-time jobs worldwide, and AI will take over between 25% and 50% of the workload.Sixxty-five percent of skills in the workforce are also expected to change by 2030 because of AI, according to Linkedin.The FHSU Generative AI Task Force launched a website offering classroom resources and the latest updates on AI.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/47b0e4bb-d394-4e1a-a254-da0ce672d1db">SEE RELATED STORY: FHSU offers student resources on artificial intelligence</a>The task force will host an AI Institute and fair, open to the public. The fair will include workshops and sessions to support their understanding and integration of AI across various fields.The event is set for Feb. 25 at the FHSU Memorial Union.&nbsp;Moy said the FHSU College of Education department has readily taken to AI with an additional event for professional development for K-12 teachers in northwest Kansas set for April 7.&nbsp;"We know our students come from the area. It makes sense to have a conversation with them about what they're doing in the classroom and how we can support their use of AI in education," she said.The FHSU Generative AI Task Force also offers certificates to equip enrolled students with the knowledge and skills needed for career success.You can visit their website&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/ai/">here</a>&nbsp;for more information.

FHSU to offer artificial intelligence classes in spring

Lovers of sunlight, rejoice, the winter solstice soon marks another year’s end. Following it, days grow longer by accumulating seconds per day, until in a couple of months, we enjoy more sunshine than darkness during a 24-hour span. For the impatient, it’s interminable wait on incremental minutes before we notice extra light. To pass time, let’s bask in glowing Christmas decor brightening our prairie villages.

For those who call North Central and Northwest Kansas home, residents can thank small town leadership for honoring this season with festive street decorations. Depending on the size of the village, those lights can include an illuminated bell, wreath, or star hanging from each Main Street light post. A central focus like a giant Christmas tree or manger scene frequently accents community crossroads.

Bogue, WaKeeney, and Phillipsburg showcase Christmas trees in the middle of Main. In the first two, that centerpiece stands literally in the middle of an intersection. Anyone cruising by gets the full effect of driving past a triangle of colored lights. In Phillips County, the signature tree occupies the courthouse square. It’s so large, it brightens the entire block. In addition, other decorations add festive flair. If you drove downtown in a grumpy mood, you’d leave smiling.

Once you exit Interstate south into Ellis, illuminated poles guide folks to the center of town where a manger scene and other décor punctuates the old green where light-draped trees and bushes highlight this old railroad town. After you reach this peaceful park, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of flyover country. It’s a Kansas Mayberry. On the east side of the street, an historic depot lit up in garland-wrapped lights welcomes riders to the community’s aerotrain.

After dark, Christmas lighting adds to the charm of Damar’s quaint French village-style main street. Once dusk descends, it’s hard to remember you’re in Kansas as you look south toward the silhouettes of old-world cathedral spires or see French words painted on the sides of tiny shoppes.

Further north on Highway 9, the burg of Edmond electrifies and wreathes its tiny city park. Coming into town from either direction after dark gifts an aha moment to help you realize you don’t need much population to string lights and hang greenery. What a pleasant surprise on a lonely road!

Fifteen miles east down the same road, you run into Logan. Bright bulbs zigzag up Main Street, linking one radiantly decorated light pole to another. Residents add personal touches that add warmth to cold December nights, establishing that this is a special time of year.

Continue driving east another fifteen miles to hit Glade and count all four Christmas stars brightening the quadrants of the main drag before leaving town. If you stay on 9, Kirwin’s colorfully lit town square would charm Scrooge and you as well.

No matter what direction you drive across the prairie, you’ll find Christmas alive and well in towns big and small. Residents ante up their change to buy bright decor and pay for extra kilowatts that celebrate this time of year.

Yes, prairie folk desire longer days. Fortunately, we know how to add our own light while we wait for Mother Nature to hit the on-switch

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734558455405.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINLovers of sunlight, rejoice, the winter solstice soon marks another year’s end. Following it, days grow longer by accumulating seconds per day, until in a couple of months, we enjoy more sunshine than darkness during a 24-hour span. For the impatient, it’s interminable wait on incremental minutes before we notice extra light. To pass time, let’s bask in glowing Christmas decor brightening our prairie villages.For those who call North Central and Northwest Kansas home, residents can thank small town leadership for honoring this season with festive street decorations. Depending on the size of the village, those lights can include an illuminated bell, wreath, or star hanging from each Main Street light post. A central focus like a giant Christmas tree or manger scene frequently accents community crossroads.Bogue, WaKeeney, and Phillipsburg showcase Christmas trees in the middle of Main. In the first two, that centerpiece stands literally in the middle of an intersection. Anyone cruising by gets the full effect of driving past a triangle of colored lights. In Phillips County, the signature tree occupies the courthouse square. It’s so large, it brightens the entire block. In addition, other decorations add festive flair. If you drove downtown in a grumpy mood, you’d leave smiling.Once you exit Interstate south into Ellis, illuminated poles guide folks to the center of town where a manger scene and other décor punctuates the old green where light-draped trees and bushes highlight this old railroad town. After you reach this peaceful park, it’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of flyover country. It’s a Kansas Mayberry. On the east side of the street, an historic depot lit up in garland-wrapped lights welcomes riders to the community’s aerotrain.After dark, Christmas lighting adds to the charm of Damar’s quaint French village-style main street. Once dusk descends, it’s hard to remember you’re in Kansas as you look south toward the silhouettes of old-world cathedral spires or see French words painted on the sides of tiny shoppes.Further north on Highway 9, the burg of Edmond electrifies and wreathes its tiny city park. Coming into town from either direction after dark gifts an aha moment to help you realize you don’t need much population to string lights and hang greenery. What a pleasant surprise on a lonely road!Fifteen miles east down the same road, you run into Logan. Bright bulbs zigzag up Main Street, linking one radiantly decorated light pole to another. Residents add personal touches that add warmth to cold December nights, establishing that this is a special time of year.Continue driving east another fifteen miles to hit Glade and count all four Christmas stars brightening the quadrants of the main drag before leaving town. If you stay on 9, Kirwin’s colorfully lit town square would charm Scrooge and you as well.No matter what direction you drive across the prairie, you’ll find Christmas alive and well in towns big and small. Residents ante up their change to buy bright decor and pay for extra kilowatts that celebrate this time of year.Yes, prairie folk desire longer days. Fortunately, we know how to add our own light while we wait for Mother Nature to hit the on-switch

MADORIN: Lighting the prairie at Christmas

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.

Tony Diaz, 41, Raymore, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.

His brother and co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, 40, of Belton, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.

On April 9, 2024, Serjio and Tony Diaz each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Tony Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Serjio Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.

Serjio Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of the drug-trafficking organization during the conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.

The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Serjio Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of Tony Diaz.

During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.

In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.

On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.

Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.

Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tony Diaz has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.

Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.

Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to 16 months in federal prison without parole.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and for illegally possessing firearms, according to the United State's Attorney.Tony Diaz, 41, Raymore, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to nine years in federal prison without parole.His brother and co-defendant, Serjio Diaz, 40, of Belton, Mo., was sentenced on Oct. 9, 2024, to 15 years in federal prison without parole.On April 9, 2024, Serjio and Tony Diaz each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Tony Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. Serjio Diaz also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.Serjio Diaz admitted that he was the primary organizer of the drug-trafficking organization during the conspiracy that lasted from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 22, 2021.The investigation began on March 18, 2019, when federal agents interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to Serjio Diaz’s residence. On the same day, federal agents also interdicted and seized a package from California that contained more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, which was addressed to the residence of Tony Diaz.During the course of the investigation, investigators conducted 23 controlled transactions from Serjio and Tony Diaz, utilizing an FBI confidential source. Over the course of these controlled purchases, law enforcement purchased more than seven kilograms of methamphetamine, more than six kilograms of heroin, and 468.6 grams of cocaine from Serjio and Tony Diaz for a total of $243,900.In one transaction, for example, the confidential source purchased a kilogram of methamphetamine for $9,000 from Tony Diaz. In another instance, the confidential source purchased 222.4 grams (7.5 ounces) of cocaine from Serjio Diaz for $7,000.On June 22, 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Serjio and Tony Diaz and searched Serjio Diaz’s residences and vehicles. Officers found almost nine kilograms of heroin, 166 grams of cocaine, six bags of pills that contained fentanyl and weighed a total of 78 grams, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and $82,250 in cash.Officers searched Tony Diaz’s residence and found 1,128 grams of suspected heroin, 28 grams of suspected cocaine, a Zastava Arms 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, a Romarm Cugir 7.62x39mm semi-automatic rifle, and $5,461 in cash in Tony Diaz’s bedroom. Officers also found a Remington Arms .22-caliber rifle in a shed, one pound of suspected marijuana in his Lincoln Navigator SUV, and a Ruger 9mm semi-automatic pistol and 3.4 grams of suspected marijuana in his BMW X5.Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Tony Diaz has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance.From May 1, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2020, Serjio Diaz deposited 93 money orders, totaling $82,145, into either his personal bank account or the bank account of his business, Imperial Window &amp; Gutter Cleaning, LLC. Serjio Diaz went to multiple post offices on the same date to purchase money orders; 21 of those purchases occurred soon after a controlled drug purchase was made by law enforcement in this investigation. Serjio Diaz limited his purchase to a maximum of $2,000 at each post office in order to avoid federal reporting requirements.Co-defendant Maria Jasmin Lopez, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, also pleaded guilty to her role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2023, to 11 years and two months in federal prison without parole.Co-defendant Vicente Aguilera pleaded guilty to using a cell phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2024, to 16 months in federal prison without parole.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.

KC brothers sold heroin, cocaine to confidential FBI source

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.

<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a> 1500 page budget bill

Trump's sudden decision to make new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It leaves House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;scrambling to salvage a new plan, days before Friday's deadline to keep government open.

“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement.

The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal for a continuation of government funds along with a much more controversial provision to raise the nation's debt limit — something his own party routinely rejects.

Democrats decried the GOP revolt over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">stopgap measure to keep federal offices running</a>.

“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support. You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”

Already, the bill was on the verge of collapse, as hard right conservatives and Trump's bilionaire ally Elon Musk rejected the plan.

Rank-and-file lawmakers decried the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">1,500-page bill</a>&nbsp;over its increased spending — which includes their first pay-raises in more than a decade — a shock after one of the most unproductive chaotic session in modern times. A number of Republicans were waiting for Trump to signal whether they should vote yes or no.

“This should not pass,” Musk posted on his social media site X in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to convince his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/kevin-freking-vivek-ramaswamy-mike-johnson-mike-johnson-elon-musk-c3565451f1794b24b6f03f77d21b1aaf">would prefer to slash</a>.

Even the addition of much-needed disaster aid, some $100.4 billion in the aftermath of hurricanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">Helene</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-milton">Milton</a>&nbsp;and other natural calamities that ravaged states this year, plus $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers failed to win over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">budget-slashing GOP</a>.

It all shows just how hard it will be for Republicans next year, as they seize control of the House, Senate and White House, to unify and lead the nation. And it underscores how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Johnson and the GOP leaders must depend on Trump’s blessing</a>&nbsp;to see any legislative package over the finish line.

“What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns,” said retiring Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitt-romney">Mitt Romney</a>, R-Utah, in a sly post on X.

The president-elect had yet to weigh in on what the lawmakers should do.

But Musk, who is heading the his new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;was leading the charge against it, warned that “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”

It's not an idle threat coming from Musk, the world's richest man,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">who helped bankroll Trump's victory</a>&nbsp;and can easily use his America PAC to make or break political careers.

Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamie-raskin">Jamie Raskin</a>&nbsp;of Maryland said this is the problem with “an oligarchy a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them; and their wealth becomes an instrument of coercive power over everything.”

Democrats, who negotiated the final product with Johnson and Senate GOP leadership, will be expected to provide enough support to help Johnson ensure passage, as is often the case on big bills. Federal government funding runs out at midnight Friday.

“The sooner Congress acts, the better,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said as he opened the upper chamber. “As always, bipartisan cooperation must lead the way – we can’t have last minute delays or grandstanding.”

The final package extends existing government programs and services at their current operating levels for a few more months, through March 14, 2025.

The stopgap measure is needed because Congress has failed to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund all the various agencies in the federal government, from the Pentagon and national security apparats, to the health, welfare, transportation and other routine domestic services. When the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, Congress simply punted the problem by passing a temporary funding bill that expires Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.<a href="https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf">Click here to read the</a> 1500 page budget bill<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">And here we go. <a href="https://t.co/5kjC2feSKW">https://t.co/5kjC2feSKW</a> <a href="https://t.co/MO06xafkiX">pic.twitter.com/MO06xafkiX</a>&mdash; Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeCollins/status/1869169171378102642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump's sudden decision to make new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It leaves House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-johnson/">Mike Johnson</a>&nbsp;scrambling to salvage a new plan, days before Friday's deadline to keep government open.“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement.The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal for a continuation of government funds along with a much more controversial provision to raise the nation's debt limit — something his own party routinely rejects.Democrats decried the GOP revolt over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">stopgap measure to keep federal offices running</a>.“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support. You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”Already, the bill was on the verge of collapse, as hard right conservatives and Trump's bilionaire ally Elon Musk rejected the plan.Rank-and-file lawmakers decried the massive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-government-shutdown-farmers-disaster-relief-4c6ae1e0033637bb6398b00c4799ba0d">1,500-page bill</a>&nbsp;over its increased spending — which includes their first pay-raises in more than a decade — a shock after one of the most unproductive chaotic session in modern times. A number of Republicans were waiting for Trump to signal whether they should vote yes or no.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel! They are trying to get this passed today while no one is paying attention. <a href="https://t.co/OlVJPaC4Wm">https://t.co/OlVJPaC4Wm</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869452968522928304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This should not pass,” Musk posted on his social media site X in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to convince his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/kevin-freking-vivek-ramaswamy-mike-johnson-mike-johnson-elon-musk-c3565451f1794b24b6f03f77d21b1aaf">would prefer to slash</a>.Even the addition of much-needed disaster aid, some $100.4 billion in the aftermath of hurricanes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-helene">Helene</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hurricane-milton">Milton</a>&nbsp;and other natural calamities that ravaged states this year, plus $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers failed to win over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">budget-slashing GOP</a>.It all shows just how hard it will be for Republicans next year, as they seize control of the House, Senate and White House, to unify and lead the nation. And it underscores how much&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ufc-house-speaker-johnson-madison-square-garden-995a7ee3324e04ec6da680c826136655">Johnson and the GOP leaders must depend on Trump’s blessing</a>&nbsp;to see any legislative package over the finish line.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you! <a href="https://t.co/Ek7cjGRb3u">https://t.co/Ek7cjGRb3u</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1869478770287227097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns,” said retiring Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mitt-romney">Mitt Romney</a>, R-Utah, in a sly post on X.The president-elect had yet to weigh in on what the lawmakers should do.But Musk, who is heading the his new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-ce55aa7ca8c921511d18e837c2a2db64">Department of Government Efficiency</a>&nbsp;was leading the charge against it, warned that “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”It's not an idle threat coming from Musk, the world's richest man,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-america-pac-trump-d248547966bf9c6daf6f5d332bc4be66">who helped bankroll Trump's victory</a>&nbsp;and can easily use his America PAC to make or break political careers.Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jamie-raskin">Jamie Raskin</a>&nbsp;of Maryland said this is the problem with “an oligarchy a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them; and their wealth becomes an instrument of coercive power over everything.”Democrats, who negotiated the final product with Johnson and Senate GOP leadership, will be expected to provide enough support to help Johnson ensure passage, as is often the case on big bills. Federal government funding runs out at midnight Friday.“The sooner Congress acts, the better,” Senate Majority Leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/charles-schumer">Chuck Schumer</a>&nbsp;said as he opened the upper chamber. “As always, bipartisan cooperation must lead the way – we can’t have last minute delays or grandstanding.”The final package extends existing government programs and services at their current operating levels for a few more months, through March 14, 2025.The stopgap measure is needed because Congress has failed to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund all the various agencies in the federal government, from the Pentagon and national security apparats, to the health, welfare, transportation and other routine domestic services. When the fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, Congress simply punted the problem by passing a temporary funding bill that expires Friday.But the inches-thick bill goes beyond routine funding and tacks on several other measures that lawmakers are trying to push through to passage before the end of this congressional session, especially as some elected officials will not be returning in the new year.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/anna-paulina-luna">Anna Paulina Luna</a>, R-Fla., a called it essentially a junk sandwich, using a swear word. The chairman of the Freedom Caucus, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/andrew-harris">Andy Harris</a>, R-Md., said a lot of lawmakers "are a little disappointed at how this last week has worked out.”And then there's the pay-raise.Some lawmakers expressed concern that the bill turns off a pay freeze provision that was included in the previous short-term spending measure. That change could allow a maximum pay adjustment of 3.8% or $6,600 in 2025, bringing their annual pay to $180,600, according to a Congressional Research Service report.Members of Congress last got a raise in 2009, when the salary was increased 2.8% to $174,000 annually. If member pay had not been frozen since 2009, salaries would be about $217,900.When adjusted for inflation, salaries have decreased about 31% from 2009, the research report said.“By what measure do we deserve a pay increase?” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.Among other provisions in the package, there’s full federal funding to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse">collapsed</a>&nbsp;when struck by a cargo ship that reported losing power just before the crash. Federal taxpayers will be reimbursed through proceeds from insurance payments and litigation.And there's also a provision to transfer the land that is the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-commanders-rfk-stadium-e82cb3c504dc700b30b34f8ca6924c21">site of the old RFK Stadium</a>&nbsp;from the federal government to the District of Columbia, which could potentially lead to a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.On the health care front, the legislation seeks to extend coverage of telehealth appointments for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/medicare">Medicare</a>&nbsp;enrollees and rein in how much money pharmacy benefits managers — the companies that negotiate how and what drugs are covered by insurance plans — make off those deals.The bill also includes provisions focused on countering China, including expanding on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Biden's</a>&nbsp;executive order that seeks to restrict investments into countries that pose a national security threat to the United States. Blocking China’s high-tech ambitions is one of the few issues that enjoys broad support in Washington from both Republicans and Democrats.__Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.