This edition of&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/salina-sees-you">Salina Sees You</a>, brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://local.demandforce.com/b/visionsource-drscoleandcooper">Drs. Cooper &amp; Banninger, LLC Family Vision Care</a>&nbsp;(1000 E. Cloud) presents:

Mutaz Abakar (45) originally Sudan, Africa who tells his story of how he overcame obstacles as a former refugee in Ghana. Abakar is currently a beloved employee of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.salinaymca.org/">Salina Family YMCA</a>.

A man who grew up away from the country has impacted others within the country and continues to do so genuinely, without wanting anything in return.&nbsp;

Mutaz Abakar (45), originally from Sudan, Africa is a beloved employee at the Salina Family YMCA. Many employees and individuals who attend the YMCA, talk highly of Abakar as he is described as a 'man of the people.'

"Mutaz is a man of the people," said&nbsp;Director of Human Resources and Communications, Cherie Grigsby." "Each day I walk in and he’s standing there prepared to greet me, get members signed in,and share a joke with a guest whose on their way out. Mutaz is the type of human that remembers special occasions and notices the return of members who’ve been gone for a while. People feel seen when they interact with Mutaz and the Y is grateful to have such a superhero on our team."

This edition of Salina Sees You is brought to you by&nbsp;<a href="https://local.demandforce.com/b/visionsource-drscoleandcooper">Drs. Cooper &amp; Banninger, LLC Family Vision Care</a>&nbsp;(1000 E. Cloud).&nbsp;

Abakar grew up in Sudan with his family before receiving his U.S. citizenship in 2014. He lived in a village, attended school and worked with his family on a farm they owned in Sudan. Back in 2005 in his early 20's, Abakar was sent to a refugee camp in Ghana without his family after war conflicts within the country of Africa.

He talked about life within the refugee camp was 'tough,' but overcame the obstacles by building relationships with others.

"Life was tough, but it helped when I built relationships with other people," said Abakar.

After Abakar spent 5 years in the refugee camp, he went through an 18-month long process to get a travel visa in order to work in the U.S. He then arrived in Kansas City, where he improved and worked on speaking English. Abakar was not able to find a job in Kansas City, but moved to Salina where he got his first job at Sunflower Bank, where he also received his GED and earned a <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/news/articles/lists/su15/">Bachelor's Degree from KSU Salina in Engineering Technology.</a>&nbsp;

Abakar then started working at the Salina Family YMCA in 2018 and is currently a manager and membership staff member.

"I love my job and I love meeting new people," said Abakar. "I have to continue to work, I love to stay busy and I cannot imagine myself just not working. I also love to stay positive and be nice to other people."

"We’re lucky to have Mutaz on our team and in our community," said CEO, Chris Lehecka. "The only time he missed opening the Y was during a snowstorm in December 2024, so he bought a truck to make sure it wouldn’t happen again. He’s dependable, well-respected and always brings a fun personality (along with giving us a hard time when we deserve it)."

"Mutaz embodies the YMCA and truly loves his job," said Wellness Director, Hope Varela. "Every year members get him a card and generously donate to his Christmas present. If this isn’t the very definition of someone with great integrity, I do not know who is."

"Mutaz is the face of the YMCA," said Sports Director, Jonathan Barajas. "He is the unsung hero and makes that first brew of coffee for all who walk in at 4:30 am. He always makes sure that you are seen and he is a hard working man, with a sincere heart."

Abakar opens the YMCA everyday before 4:30 am and has been doing so for 7 years.&nbsp;

If you would like to share your personal story or know anyone who may have a story that will inspire each reader, please email Salina Post News Director, Nicolas Fierro:&nbsp;nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com&nbsp;or&nbsp;newstips@salinapost.com&nbsp;(during regular business hours)

You can also contact:&nbsp;(785) 656-9856&nbsp;(during regular business hours)

Salina Sees You: Mutaz Abakar

Kansas US Senator Jerry Moran has announced access to funding for a $50 billion&nbsp;Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program, giving rural healthcare providers assistance to overcome struggles.

According to <a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/">Moran News</a>, this funding was created in the Reconciliation Bill to direct the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), to work with states to identify the root challenges facing rural health providers.

“The Rural Health Transformation Program is a significant investment in rural health care and will help improve outcomes for struggling hospitals, invest in new technology and bolster rural communities,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“I worked with my colleagues to establish this critical fund, and every state will have the opportunity to submit a one-time application tailored to the needs of the state, with no match required by the state. I look forward to working with our health care leaders and Governor Kelly to make certain Kansas providers can receive the resources they need to improve the long-term success of rural providers.”

<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=9D31309A-85EA-4109-8439-A032707003A8">Back on July 1</a>, Moran added this fund as part of the Reconciliation Bill and was then signed into law by President Trump on July 4. One of Moran's top priorities, after voting to support the Senate budget reconciliation legislation is to protect rural hospitals.

<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?ID=963EE236-E4A1-4FB0-BFB1-A307C85172A7">On September 15</a>,&nbsp;CMS approved Kansas’ 2025 provider tax preprint,&nbsp;increasing the hospital provider tax to 6% from 3%.

According to the <a href="https://www.kha-net.org/AboutKHA/">Kansas Hospital Association</a> (KHA), states were allocated dollars and the state determines the programs in which the facilities (in their state) can apply for. The KHA added, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/">Kansas Department of Health and Environment</a> (KDHE) will make this determination, along with certain parameters and the rural hospitals will be able to apply from there.

State employees, health care providers and interested members of the public will be able to participate in several webinars with CMS to learn how to strengthen and aid in the submission of their state’s one-time application for federal resources.

The deadline for states to apply is November 5, 2025; awardee decisions will be made by December 31, 2025.

More information on the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program and details on how to apply can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cms.gov/files/document/rural-health-transformation-frequently-asked-questions.pdf">HERE.</a>

Sen. Moran announces access to $50 billion in funding, giving rural healthcare providers assistance to overcome struggles

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman talks with&nbsp;Christina Hayes of Western Cooperative Electric.

🎤 Forward Ever: Christina Hayes, Western Cooperative Electric

HAYS — The Volga German Centennial Association has released the full schedule of events for the 2025 Oktoberfest Hays, a two-day festival celebrating the region's deep-rooted history, heritage and homecoming traditions.

The free to attend event is scheduled for Friday, September 26, and Saturday, September 27, in Municipal Park, located in downtown Hays.

The celebration begins September 26, with grounds opening at 9:00 am. Official festivities commence with the Opening Ceremony at 10:30 am, followed by the traditional Tapping of the Keg at 11:00 am.

The afternoon is dedicated to a series of spirited, adults-only competitions, with registration for all games starting at 1:00 pm at the Oktoberfest HQ tent. At 2:00 pm, contestants will test their strength in the Masskrugstemmen, a traditional stein-holding contest.

This is followed by the Deutsche Hops Contest at 4:00 pm, a timed relay race. At 5:00 pm, teams of two will compete in the OktoberFEAST Contest. The first day of the festival will conclude at 7:00 pm.

The festivities continue Saturday, September 27, starting at 10:00 am.

The morning will be highlighted by the Fort Hays State University Homecoming Parade at 11:00 am, followed by the official Oktoberfest Day 2 Welcome at 11:45 am.

The afternoon will feature a Cornhole Tournament at 12:00 pm. Registration at 11:00 am at Oktoberfest HQ.

Family-friendly activities are a focus for Saturday, with kids' games and entertainment running from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, including a German Freeze Game, Pumpkin Pass and a Pumpkin Rolling Contest.&nbsp;Bounce houses will also be available for children on Saturday only, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

A major new addition to this year's festival is the inaugural “Battle of the Bierock,” sponsored by Lewis Automotive of Hays. The competition, which invites Oktoberfest vendors to vie for the title of "Best Bierock," is scheduled for 1:30 pm.

"We are incredibly excited to introduce the 'Battle of the Bierock' to this year's festivities," said Emily Knowles, event coordinator. "It's a great way to celebrate a beloved local food and add a new layer of friendly competition and bragging rights to the event. We can't wait to see which vendor is crowned as the winner."

Live entertainment will be featured throughout the two-day event. Friday's musical guests include the Ron Werth Band, German Tuba, Rice County Line, and Steel Skarecrow. On Saturday, the Ron Werth Band and Rice County Line will return to the stage.

In addition to the scheduled events, attendees can enjoy activities throughout the park, including the Beer Puppeteers, a High Striker game, and Mug Toss.

"Oktoberfest is a time-honored tradition in Hays, and we are proud to continue to host this event for the community," said Amanda Rupp, president of the Volga German Centennial Association. "We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the food, music, and festivities as we celebrate our shared heritage. There truly is something for everyone to enjoy."

The 2025 Oktoberfest will close at 6:00 pm on Saturday.

For a complete schedule of events and further details, visit: <a href="http://oktoberfesthays.com">oktoberfesthays.com</a>.

Full schedule announced and released for annual Oktoberfest in Hays 

Scattered storms are possible to develop this evening across Central Kansas.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS), these storms have a chance of occurring late tonight with stronger storms capable of producing hail up to quarter size. However, the severity is marginal and chances are low throughout the region.

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Scattered storms possible to occur late tonight in Central Kansas

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 19 - September 21

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE: Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Linaweaver, Amberlee June

REQUESTED CHARGES: Failure to appear (2 requested charges);&nbsp;Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Richardson, Anthony Darrell

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Return for court testimony

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Probation Violation; Failure to appear (4 requested charges); Disorderly conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct to cause resentment

Saline County Jail Bookings, September 19

The Salina Police Department (SPD) are seeking tips concerning a stolen UTV.

According to SPD between Friday, September 12 at 2:00 pm and Tuesday, September 16&nbsp;at 6:00 am, an&nbsp;unknown suspect(s) allegedly stole a camouflage colored 2004 Yamaha 660cc side by side, from the 600 block of&nbsp;S. Broadway.

If you have any information concerning this incident or identification of the individual involved, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS. You can also make an online tip at: <a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#">https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=950#</a>.

You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000. 

Tipsters may also contact the Salina Police Department at (785) 826-7210, case 2025-25125.

Salina Police seeking tips concerning stolen UTV

Theatre Salina is proud to announce the arrival of a new traveling art exhibit, “The Art of Humanity,” on loan from the University of Kansas School of Medicine - Salina.

This special exhibit will be available for public viewing in the lobby alcoves of Theatre Salina during the theatre’s 65th Season opening production of Come From Away, running September 5-28.

"On behalf of KUSOM-Salina, I want to thank Theatre Salina for giving our students the opportunity to publicly express themselves. We are extremely grateful for the Salina community's incredible support of our campus and students. Our students genuinely look forward to these opportunities for community engagement," Dr. Scott Owings, current Dean of the Salina campus.

Each year, KU School of Medicine - Salina students submit original artwork and poetry for an annual competition celebrating the intersection of medicine and the humanities. Over the past 9 years, 17 pieces have been collected and displayed on campus. This exhibit showcases a curated selection of these works - each piece offering a unique reflection and perspective on the human experience through the eyes of future physicians.

Dr. William Cathcart-Rake, founding Dean of the KU School of Medicine – Salina, explains the inspiration behind the initiative, “Our goal was to get students thinking about creative arts in relation to medicine, and in doing so, a connection between art and the healing arts is established."

In his article “Healing Art and the Healing Arts,” Dr. Cathcart-Rake notes that “medical and nursing schools often are sterile educational institutions that overlook the value of art. However, there is no better place to display and enjoy art than in the school and/or workplace, where students, educators and staff spend a majority of their waking hours.” 

Another faculty member remarked, "Having major art around, and having a campus philosophy that values art, reminds us all in subtle ways every day that we are treating a mother or father or child, and that it is our goal to bring the art of human existence into medical care."

This year, the exhibit makes a special appearance at Theatre Salina in conjunction with Come From Away, a powerful production that tells the true story of how a small town in Gander, Newfoundland opened its arms to stranded airline passengers in the wake of 9/11.

“The connection between Come From Away and the students' art is that both explore the core of humanity, offering compassion and care to complete strangers, regardless of background,” says Cathcart-Rake, who saw the play live in New York in 2017. “That’s what medicine is about. We care for anyone and everyone.”

Theatre Salina invites the public to experience “The Art of Humanity” exhibit alongside the heartwarming story of "Come From Away." 

Together, they serve as a tribute to empathy, resilience and the enduring spirit of community. 

Tickets can be purchased in advance at:&nbsp;<a href="https://salinatheatre.com/buy-tickets/">https://salinatheatre.com/buy-tickets/</a>

KU School of Medicine's art exhibit portrayed at Theatre Salina to share powerful messages

Over 1,000 participants have been registered for this year's Fe For a Cure Race/Walk, with a total&nbsp;1,005 so far.

This marks Fe For a Cure, as the third race in Salina to reach that milestone. Last year's race had a record 834 registered participants. The Fe for a Cure is excited to have runners registered from 38 communities in Kansas.

The following is a statement by Daniel Craig, MS, TTS, Cancer Outreach Coordinator for the Tammy Walker Cancer Center:

I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped get the word out about this year's Fe for a Cure. We have 1005 registered participants so we are excited to be only the third race in Salina&nbsp;to reach that milestone. We are looking forward to an amazing event on Saturday and appreciate all of your support!

Fe For a Cure will be held on&nbsp;Saturday, September 20th, starting and finishing at the Tammy Walker Cancer Center.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;5K race&nbsp;will be starting at&nbsp;8:00 am&nbsp;with the&nbsp;one mile fun run&nbsp;following at&nbsp;8:10 am.&nbsp;Registration is&nbsp;$25.00&nbsp;for anyone&nbsp;12 and older&nbsp;and&nbsp;$10.00&nbsp;for anyone&nbsp;11 and younger&nbsp;and includes a race t-shirt and breakfast food provided by Salina Regional Health Center Food Services.

Register today at&nbsp;<a href="http://feforacure.com/">feforacure.com</a>.

Those wishing to volunteer can do so, by going to:&nbsp;<a href="http://feforacurevolunteers.srhc.com/">feforacurevolunteers.srhc.com</a>.

For more information, go to: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/9d52e809-ce11-4a41-b13b-77f82b1ba4ec">Registration open for annual Fe For a Cure in September, volunteers needed</a>

Fe For a Cure surpasses over 1,000 runners registered, well over last year's total 

On Friday, September 19, first responder agencies from across the state of Kansas will host the first ever Kansas Women in Public Safety Symposium at the Tony's Pizza Event Center. 

This groundbreaking event is dedicated to celebrating, empowering, and connecting the incredible women serving in fire, EMS, law enforcement, and beyond throughout Kansas.

Attendees will have a chance to learn from inspiring speakers, ask questions to a powerful women's panel, discuss career-building resources, and an opportunity to network with women in public safety fields across the state.

WHAT: Kansas Women in Public Safety Symposium

Location: Tony's Event Center, 800 The Midway, Salina, Kansas 67401

This event is being hosted by the Kansas State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Highway Patrol, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Reno County Emergency Medical Services, Kansas Fire and Rescue Training Institute, and Kingman, KS Fire Department.

KS First Responder agencies hosting first ever Women in Public Safety Symposium in Salina 

Showers and thunderstorms expected to continue today and into Thursday throughout the Central Kansas region.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS), scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms have impacted central and north-central Kansas this morning. Locally heavy rainfall will be the primary hazard. However, activity should tend to gradually dissipate as the morning progresses.

A few strong to marginally severe thunderstorms are possible after 4:00 pm today, mainly along the west of Flint Hills.&nbsp;

These showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue into Thursday.

Showers and thunderstorms expected to continue into Thursday, heavy rainfall anticipated

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 17 - September 19

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 15 - September 17

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 12 - September 14

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 10 - September 12

The US National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Saline County, that has officially taken into effect now and will remain until Wednesday of this week.

According to Saline County Emergency Management, water levels for rivers and creeks have continued to rise from Monday's heavy rainfall. It was estimated between 4 to 10 inches of rain have already fallen across the county, leading to&nbsp;flooded roadways in Brookville&nbsp;and&nbsp;many rural routes that are waterlogged or impassable.

Additional rainfall is expected to occur late tonight (Monday, September 8) into Tuesday morning.&nbsp;Scattered showers and storms are possible, mainly east of Saline County.

Moreover, additional showers and storms are expected to develop from the west on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, bringing extra heavy rainfall.

Then late Wednesday night into Thursday morning, another round of storms are possible.

Residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel, allow extra time for commutes and use alternate routes where needed.

Expected to crest at 26.5 feet late tonight into Tuesday afternoon (Moderate Flood Stage). At this level, widespread agricultural flooding is expected. If high flow continues on the Saline River, water could back up on Mulberry Creek, flooding properties including the KOA campground.

Expected to crest at 26.6 feet late Wednesday morning or early afternoon (Minor Flood Stage).

UPDATE: Flood warning issued through Wednesday in Saline County

Storms from this morning throughout Central KS are expected to now continue past noon.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS) the scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout Central KS are expected to now continue past noon on Monday.

The National Weather Service also expects a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms to occur tonight in Salina.

Please be aware of the roads as localized flooding is possible.

UPDATE: Central KS storms continue past noon

W. Old 40 Highway between S. Reese and S. Wyman roads in Saline County, are reportedly closed due to flooding.

According to the Saline County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has placed road-closed barricades on W. Old 40 Highway between S. Reese and S. Wyman due to flooding.

The Sheriff's Office will update Salina Post once the highway reopens.

Flooding causes Saline County highway to close

WASHINGTON (AP)— The fate of TikTok’s U.S. operations are still somewhat uncertain after Trump’s call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

The U.S. president wants an American buyer of the social media site’s U.S. operations for national security reasons and his post on social media about his call with Xi acted like a deal was ready.

Trump posted on Truth Social: “appreciate the TikTok approval.”

But it’s unclear just what Xi approved regarding the sale of the assets by the Chinese company ByteDance.

The Chinese government statement said the Chinese government “would be happy to see productive commercial negotiations in keeping with market rules lead to a solution that complies with China’s laws and regulations and takes into account the interests of both sides. The U.S. side needs to provide an open, fair and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese investors.”

Fate of TikTok in the U.S. still uncertain

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate rejected competing measures on Friday to fund federal agencies for a few weeks when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, increasing prospects for a partial government shutdown on that date. The final vote was 44-48. Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted against the bill. Eight Senators missed the vote.

Leaders of the two parties sought to blame the other side for the standoff. Democrats accused Republicans of not negotiating with them to address some of their priorities on health care as part of the funding measure, even though they knew some Democratic votes would be needed to get a bill to the president's desk.

Republicans said Democrats were making demands that would dramatically increase spending and were not germane to the core issue of keeping agencies fully running for a short period of time while negotiations continued on a full-year spending measure.

“The Republican bill is a clean, nonpartisan, short-term continuing resolution to fund the government to give us time to do the full appropriations process. And the Democrat bill is the exact opposite," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said shortly before the votes. “It’s what you might call, not a clean CR, a dirty CR – laden down with partisan policies and appeals to Democrats’ leftist base.”

The Democratic proposal would extend enhanced health insurance subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, plus reverse Medicaid cuts that were included in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-republican-trump-tax-bill-f65be44e1050431a601320197322551b">Republicans’ big tax breaks and spending cuts bill</a>&nbsp;enacted earlier this year.

“The American people will look at what Republicans are doing, look at what Democrats are doing, and it will be clear that public sentiment will be on our side,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who has repeatedly threatened a shutdown if health care isn’t addressed.

The Senate action came after the House earlier in the day passed the Republican-led funding bill. The measure would extend government funding generally at current levels for seven weeks. The bill would also add about $88 million in security funding for lawmakers and members of the Supreme Court and executive branch in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-conservative-activist-shot-546165a8151104e0938a5e085be1e8bd">Charlie Kirk.</a>

The vote was 217-212. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the lone Democratic member to support the bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said he knew he had few votes to spare as he sought to persuade fellow Republicans to vote for the funding patch, something many in his conference have routinely opposed in past budget fights. But this time, GOP members see a chance to portray the Democrats as responsible for a shutdown.

"The ball is in Chuck Schumer’s court. I hope he does the right thing. I hope he does not choose to shut the government down and inflict pain on the American people,” Johnson said.

President Donald Trump had urged House Republicans to pass the bill and put the burden on Democrats to oppose it. GOP leaders often need Trump’s help to win over holdouts on legislation.

“Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!” Trump said on his social media site.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that in opposing the continuing resolution, Democrats were working to protect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-republicans-funding-schumer-congress-trump-0c1973b2d0aad76aa5a3ec3749965edd">the health care of the American people</a>. He said that with Republicans controlling the White House and both branches of Congress, “Republicans will own a government shutdown. Period. Full stop."

The Senate moved quickly after the House vote to take up the measure plus the Democratic counter. Both fell short of the 60 votes needed for passage. Now, it's unclear how things will shake out.

Senators could then potentially leave town until Sept. 29 — one day before the shutdown deadline. The Senate has a scheduled recess next week because of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. Meanwhile, Johnson said Republicans were discussing whether to stay back in their home districts through the rest of September, essentially forcing the Senate to approve the House-passed measure or risk a shutdown. He said lawmakers have a lot of work to do in their districts.

Democrats on both sides of the Capitol are watching Schumer closely after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-trump-musk-doge-democrats-1aa4edf64103b0cf49dd26a0487ea9e6">last-minute decision in March</a>&nbsp;to vote with Republicans to keep the government open. Schumer argued then that a shutdown would be damaging and would give Trump and his White House freedom to make more government cuts. Many on the left revolted, with some advocates calling for his resignation.

The vote in the spring also caused a temporary schism with Jeffries, who opposed that particular GOP spending bill and said he would not be “complicit” with Schumer’s vote.

The two Democratic leaders now say they are united, and Schumer says things&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schumer-government-shutdown-budget-democrats-deadline-a0a24afe93f4a1d596fdf9093db58e3d">have changed since March</a>. The public is more wary of Trump and Republicans, Schumer says, after the passage of Medicaid cuts.

Most Democrats appear to be backing Schumer's demand that there be negotiations on the bill — and support his threats of a shutdown, even as it is unclear how they would get out of it.

“Look, the president said really boldly, don’t even talk to Democrats. Unless he’s forgotten that you need a supermajority to pass a budget in the Senate, that’s obviously his signal he wants a shutdown,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.

While the Democratic measure to fund the government had no chance of passage, it does give Democrats a way to show voters their focus on cutting health care costs. Unless Congress act, tax credits going to low- and middle-income people who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will expire. That will mean a big increase in premiums for millions of Americans.

“There are some thing we have to address. The health insurance, ACA, is going to hammer millions of people in the country, including in red states,” said Sen. Angus King, I-Maine. “To me, that can’t be put off.”

Republicans have said the tax credit issue can be dealt with later this year. They're also using Schumer's previous arguments against shutdowns to make the case he's playing politics.

“Democrats voted in favor of clean CRs no fewer than 13 times during the Biden administration,” Thune said. “Yet now that Republicans are offering a clean CR, it’s somehow a no-go. It’s funny how that happens.”

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Friday passed a short-term spending bill to extend government funding for seven weeks and avoid a partial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/government-shutdown">government shutdown</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 1, but prospects looked dimmer in the Senate, where the two parties show no signs of budging on the matter.

The bill would generally continue existing funding levels through Nov. 21. Democratic leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-budget-shutdown-republicans-johnson-schumer-809cefc8beb367cbeb67a905ba4633d7">are adamantly opposed</a>&nbsp;and are threatening a government shutdown if Republicans don't let them have a say on the measure, as some Democratic support will be needed to get a bill to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana had few votes to spare as he sought to persuade fellow Republicans to vote for the funding patch, something many in his conference have routinely opposed in past budget fights. But this time, GOP members see a chance to portray the Democrats as responsible for a shutdown.

"The ball is in Chuck Schumer’s court. I hope he does the right thing. I hope he does not choose to shut the government down and inflict pain on the American people,” Johnson said after the vote.

In a sign the vote could be close, Trump weighed in, urging House Republicans to pass the bill and put the burden on Democrats to oppose it. GOP leaders often need Trump’s help to win over holdouts on legislation.

The House vote now sends the bill to the Senate where Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said the Senate will vote on the measure along with a dueling Democratic proposal. But neither is expected to win the 60 votes necessary to advance.

Senators could then potentially leave town until Sept. 29 — one day before the shutdown deadline. The Senate has a scheduled recess next week because of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

“The American people will look at what Republicans are doing, look at what Democrats are doing, and it will be clear that public sentiment will be on our side,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, who has repeatedly threatened a shutdown if health care isn't addressed.

While the Democratic measure to fund the government has no chance of passage Friday, it does give Democrats a way to show voters their focus on cutting health care costs.

Republicans say the blame would be clearly on the other side if they can’t pass a bill — and are using Schumer's previous arguments against shutdowns.

Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said: “Senator Schumer himself said that passing a clean CR will avert a harmful and unnecessary shutdown. Now he wants to cause a harmful and unnecessary shutdown.”

Now that the House has passed the measure, Johnson said Republicans were discussing whether to stay back in their home districts through the rest of September, essentially forcing the Senate to approve the House-passed measure or risk a shutdown. He said lawmakers have a lot of work to do in their districts.

Asked whether he was open to negotiating with Schumer and Jeffries, he said that “if Chuck Schumer's negotiation is that he wants to add $1.4 trillion in new spending, the answer is no.”

Moran, Marshall vote against bill to avoid government shutdown

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A driver involved in a&nbsp;&nbsp;fatal crash that killed a Kansas Sheriff's Deputy will learn his fate Friday.

Kelvin Burgett, 28, Prescott Valley, Arizona is scheduled for sentencing in Judge William Wooley's courtroom, acording to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. In July Burgett pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter, according to the district attorneys office.

He was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and&nbsp; driving while suspended, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.

In October of 2022, a&nbsp;2016 Dodge Charger driven by Sedgwick County Sheriff's Deputy Sidnee Carter, 22, Bel Aire, was southbound on 135th Street at 29th Street north one mile west of Northwest Wichita and Maize responding to a disturbance, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.

A westbound 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Burgett failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the drivers side of the Dodge Charger, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Deputy Carter was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported Burgett to a local hospital.

Deputy Carter had only worked in the field alone for a week, according to Sheriff Easter. She began field training in the summer of 2022 and completed that training Oct. 1.&nbsp;

Deputy Carter had served the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office for one and a half years in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility before transferring to the Law Enforcement Bureau in February 2022. She graduated the Law Enforcement Academy on July 21, 2022.&nbsp;

Sentencing Day for driver in crash that killed Kan. deputy

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a double homicide in Kansas City have released the name of the second victim as 17-year-old Delvyon Q. Carmichael, according to Jackson County Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Just after&nbsp;7a.m. Sunday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 6800 block of Longview Road on a reported shooting.

Upon arrival officers were directed to the front of a grocery store where they located 49-year-old Gande A. Salamed, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. He was suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers began to render aid as KCFD Medics simultaneously arrived. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

Other officers arriving were directed to the north side of the grocery store parking lot where they located Carmichael also suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance, with life threatening injuries. Just before 9 a.m., investigators were notified that he died of his injuries at the hospital.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Preliminary information indicates there was an interaction outside of the grocery store between multiple individuals just prior to the shots being fired.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide, and no one is in custody.

Police ID second victim in KC grocery store parking lot gunfight

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/audrey-mcavoy">AUDREY McAVOY</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/hallie-golden">HALLIE GOLDEN</a> Associated Press

Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon opened their late-night shows Thursday using a mix of humor and solidarity with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">suspended ABC host Jimmy Kimmel</a>.

Stewart opted for satire to critique ABC suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely following comments he made about the assassination of conservative activist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/charlie-kirk-shooting-suspect-things-to-know-dcde3f792f4d6636d44fb9f4fa53569c">Charlie Kirk</a>. Colbert took a more serious approach, calling his suspension “blatant censorship.” Fallon praised Kimmel and vowed to keep doing his show as usual. Then an announcer spoke over him and replaced most of his critiques about President Donald Trump with flattery.

Their guests the day after Kimmel’s suspension — which also came two months after CBS said it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stephen-colbert-late-show-cbs-end-8bad9f16f076df62c0ffc50e9c8adbab">cancel Colbert’s show</a>&nbsp;— varied widely. Fallon’s guests were actor Jude Law, journalist Tom Llamas and actor and singer Jonathan Groff — none of whom addressed Kimmel’s situation.

Stewart and Colbert interviewed guests who could address censorship concerns raised by Kimmel’s suspension. Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/maria-ressa">Maria Ressa spoke to Stewart</a>.

When Stewart asked Ressa, the author of “How to Stand Up to a Dictator,” tips on coping with the current moment, Ressa recounted how she and her colleagues at the news site Rappler “just kept going” when she was faced with 11 arrest warrants in one year under Philippine then-President Rodrigo Duterte.

“We just kept doing our jobs. We just kept putting one foot in front of the other,” Ressa said.

Stewart makes special appearance to skewer Kimmel suspension

“We have another fun, hilarious administration-compliant show,” it said.

He lavished praise on the president and satirized his criticism of large cities and his deployment of the National Guard to fight their crime.

“Coming to you tonight from the real (expletive), the crime-ridden cesspool that is New York City. It is a tremendous disaster like no one’s ever seen before. Someone’s National Guard should invade this place, am I right?” Stewart said.

“The Daily Show” set was refashioned with decorative gold engravings, in a parody of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-white-house-decor-flagpoles-gold-bd95330220d2d6af43d3a08281f8ccce">gold accents Trump has added</a>&nbsp;to the fireplace, doorway arches, walls and other areas of the Oval Office.

Stewart fidgeted nervously as though he was worried about speaking the correct talking points. When the audience members reacted with an “awww” he whispered: “What are you doing? Shut up. You’re going to (expletive) blow this for us.”

He took on a more stilted tone when he started describing Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom, calling the president “our great father.”