Obama says no good reason to continue shutdown

President Barack Obama, seated next to Hester Clark, president and chief executive officer of the Hester Group, speaks during a meeting with small business owners to talks about the government shutdown and debt ceiling, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama, seated next to Hester Clark, president and chief executive officer of the Hester Group, speaks during a meeting with small business owners to talks about the government shutdown and debt ceiling, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. talks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, upon his return from a two-hour meeting at the White House between President Barack Obama and Republican senators, trying to come up with a bipartisan solution to the budget stalemate. Republicans from the House of Representatives were offering to pass legislation to avert a potentially catastrophic default and end the 11-day partial government shutdown as part of a framework that would include cuts in benefit programs, officials said Friday. But the impasse was not yet over. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. passes at left as Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., right, talks with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, as Republican returned to the Capitol after a two-hour meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama, trying to come up with a bipartisan solution to the budget stalemate. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Republican senators, from left, Mike Lee of Utah, Mike Enzi of Wyo., Tim Scott of S.C., Ted Cruz of Texas, David Vitter of La,, John McCain of Ariz. walk back to their bus at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, after they met with President Barack Obama regarding the government shutdown and debt ceiling. After weeks of ultimatums, President Barack Obama and congressional Republicans are exploring whether they can end a budget standoff that has triggered a partial government shutdown and edged Washington to the verge of a historic, economy-jarring federal default. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. laughs as he walks to his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Oct. 11, 2013. Republicans from the House of Representatives were offering to pass legislation to avert a potentially catastrophic default and end the 11-day partial government shutdown as part of a framework that would include cuts in benefit programs, officials said Friday. But the impasse was not yet over. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — With talks having stalled between the White House and House Republicans, a bipartisan group in the Senate is polishing a measure that would reopen the government and prevent a first-ever default on the country's bills.

The negotiations in the Senate come as the chamber meets in a rare Saturday session to vote on a Democratic measure to lift the government's borrowing cap through the end of next year. Republicans are poised to reject it amid talks among the group of rank-and-file senators — talks monitored with the full attention of Senate leaders.

The group's focus is on a proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and others that would pair a six-month plan to keep the government open with an increase in the government's borrowing limit through January.

House Republicans, meanwhile, are slated to meet Saturday morning to get an update from their leaders as matters come to a head.

President Barack Obama on Friday privately turned away a House plan to link the reopening of the government — and a companion measure to temporarily increase the government's borrowing cap — to concessions on the budget.

Publicly, top House Republicans said negotiations were on track. Obama called House Speaker John Boehner at midafternoon Friday, and Michael Steel, a spokesman for the leader of House Republicans, said, "They agreed that we should all keep talking."

Privately, the channel between the White House and the House wasn't bearing fruit, said aides on both sides. The aides required anonymity because the talks were private and they weren't authorized to discuss them by name.

"It wouldn't be wise, as some suggest, to just kick the debt-ceiling can down the road for a couple months, and flirt with a first-ever intentional default right in the middle of the holiday shopping season," Obama said in his Saturday radio and Internet address.

On Friday, a daily briefing by White House press secretary Jay Carney was delayed until after the stock market closed, and Carney said Obama "appreciates the constructive nature of the conversation and the proposal that House Republicans put forward." Yet, the spokesman said, "He has some concerns with it."

A House GOP aide and a White House official cast developments in a more pessimistic light, both requiring anonymity because of the secret nature of the talks. Among the options to be presented to a House GOP conference was a condition-free debt limit increase for just a few weeks and a continued closure of the government in hopes of concessions from Obama.

In the face of disastrous opinion polls, GOP leaders have signaled that they will make sure the debt limit is increased with minimal damage to the markets. But they're still seeking concessions as a condition for reopening the government.

Obama met Senate Republicans on Friday and heard a pitch from Collins on raising the debt limit until the end of January, reopening the government, and cutting the health care law at its periphery. It would also strengthen income verification for people receiving subsidies through the health care law and set up a broader set of budget talks.

The Collins plan would delay for two years a medical-device tax that helps finance the health care law, and it would subject millions of individuals eligible for subsidies to purchase health insurance under the program to stronger income verification.

At the Capitol, Collins said Obama said the proposal "was constructive, but I don't want to give the impression that he endorsed it."

___

Online:

Obama address: www.whitehouse.gov

GOP address: http://www.gop.gov/

Associated PressSource: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-10-12-Budget%20Battle/id-b38dff553355439fb6b7ff1590b2511c
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Conservation Officer Report | Sports & Recreation | Central MN News

The Minnesota DNR provided the following summaries of recent activities by Conservation Officers:

CO Scott Staples (Carlton) attended a fur committee meeting in the Brainerd area and also spoke to a local college class about the hiring process and job duties of a conservation officer. Complaints of hunting over bait and trespassing are being looked into in the area. More training continues with K9 Schody.

CO Jeff Humphrey (Cromwell) worked waterfowl, OHV, big and small game enforcement. CO Humphrey patrolled local Wildlife Management Areas, Carlton County managed land, and the Ditchbank’s area in the Fond Du Lac State Forest. A report of vandalism to a stand and theft of property on a bear bait station is under investigation. CO Humphrey worked a shining detail with CO Duncan and an 1854 CO resulting in two misdemeanor arrests. CO Humphrey followed up on bear registration and baiting violations. Wolf depredation complaints continued. Assistance from USDA Wildlife services was requested. A nuisance bear complaint was received. Deer baiting complaints are being reported. Big and small game violations were encountered throughout the week.
 
CO Dustie Heaton (Willow River) handled trespassing complaints, nuisance beaver calls, ATV complaints, and followed up on ongoing investigations.

CO Bret Grundmeier (Hinckley) spent some time at Camp Ripley completing annual firearms and defensive tactics training. Station activity included continued monitoring of bear baiting activity, waterfowl hunting, small game hunting and a few archery deer hunters were checked. Burning activity was also monitored due to high fire danger in the area. Fire enforcement included citations and warnings for burning without a permit and burning prohibited material. Time was also spent near Mille Lacs Lake checking boats and trailers for invasive species.

CO Luke Croatt (Wealthwood) checked waterfowl and small game hunters during the week and seen limited success. A work detail for invasive species was conducted near Mille Lacs Lake and training was attended at Camp Ripley for fall firearms qualification.

CO Greg Verkuilen (Garrison) worked increasing hunting activity as leaves are starting to come off the trees. Boats and docks are getting taken out for winter but fall fishing is picking up. Verkuilen also assisted with the DNR confiscated materials auction.  

CO Chris Tetrault (Isle) reports increased hunting activity. Small game hunters hunting activity has increased but has not seen as much success. Turkey hunters have not been active this opener as well. Fishing reports on Mille Lacs Lake have been better as the water cools this fall. The officer investigated a report of a potential deer baiting site and a deer that was illegally taken. Hunting law related questions were fielded.

CO Scott Fitzgerald (Malmo) reports checking small and big game hunters over the week and weekend. Some waterfowl hunters were out as well but most were reporting seeing light numbers of birds. The Officer also attended annual in-service training at Camp Ripley where rifle, shotgun and handgun qualification was done. Lots of fishing, hunting and Aquatic Invasive Species law questions were fielded throughout the week. The Officer assisted at an Aquatic Invasive Species checkpoint in Malmo Area over the weekend. ATV traffic was monitored throughout the Malmo station over the week. Assistance was given to a neighboring Officer on a TIP complaint of someone taking a deer with a rifle out of season and assistance was also given to the Sheriff’s Office on a call of a property dispute.  Enforcement action for the week included various AIS violations.  

WREO Rob Haberman worked a roadside check with D10 officers near Malmo and Mille Lacs Lake. WREO Haberman also attended the annual aquatic plant management meeting in St. Cloud. WREO Haberman also worked on AIS enforcement and wetland conservation act cases throughout his work area.

CO Bob Mlynar (Aitkin) worked small game, bear, waterfowl and archery deer enforcement during the week. He also attended training.

CO Karl Hadrits (Crosby) reported that activity included investigation of illegal trapping, ATV / dirt bike related trespass and operation complaints. Also, checking waterfowl, bow deer, and small game hunting activity, investigation of license fraud, and serving a restoration order and other work associated with an ongoing case involving a person who dug a channel to lower the water level of an area lake.  

CO Mike Lee (Crosslake) assisted with training at fall in-service held at Camp Ripley. All Officers throughout the state attend per the Minnesota Police Officer Standard and Training requirements.

CO Tim Collette (Pequot Lakes) investigated calls of untagged deer, and deer baiting. Waterfowl activity slowed down considerably, but more grouse hunters are out. ATVs continue to use the Foothills State Forest with violations seen consisting of riders without required safety certificates, operating on public roads, and underage operators without helmets.

CO Jim Guida (Brainerd) worked migratory waterfowl enforcement. Some complaints of shooting too close to residences are being investigated. Other violations addressed including unsigned stamps and insufficient life jackets. Big game baiting investigations are beginning and hunters are reminded that hunting with the aid of bait is illegal and carries substantial penalties including potential revocation of hunting privileges. Officer Guida also coordinated with a non-profit organization leader to get a community archery program started.

CO Randy Posner (Brainerd) worked on fishing enforcement this last week. The bite is slow. The most cooperative fish have been the bass and sunfish. The walleye bite is getting better. Violations he found were not enough life jackets. He worked on complaints of aquatic vegetation cutting without a permit. He worked with WREO Haberman on AIS violations checking boats at various public accesses. Complaints of vehicles on closed trails in the Pillsbury Forest were investigated and he checked horse passes and camping registrations in the Pillsbury Forest.

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