K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 26th, 2017 – Morning

WASHINGTON (AP) - CHALK UP ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IN HOW PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP RUNS THE WHITE HOUSE. HE'S SET TO BE THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN NEARLY A CENTURY NOT TO HOST AT LEAST ONE STATE DINNER DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE. SUCH VISITS BY A FOREIGN HEAD OF STATE, WITH SHOWY ARRIVALS AND ELABORATE MEALS, ARE SEEN AS IMPORTANT DIPLOMATIC TOOLS. THE WHITE HOUSE OFFERS NO PARTICULAR REASON TRUMP HAS YET TO EXTEND AN INVITATION FOR A STATE VISIT, BUT SAYS TO EXPECT ONE EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR.
MOSCOW (AP) - AN ANTI-CORRUPTION CRUSADER IN RUSSIA IS CALLING ON HIS SUPPORTERS TO BOYCOTT NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY MADE THE CALL AFTER RUSSIAN ELECTION OFFICIALS FORMALLY BARRED HIM FROM RUNNING. A CONVICTION IN A FRAUD CASE -- WHICH HAS BEEN SEEN AS POLITICAL RETRIBUTION -- MAKES NAVALNY INELIGIBLE. VLADIMIR PUTIN IS RUNNING FOR A FOURTH TERM AND IS EXPECTED TO EASILY WIN.

UNDATED (AP) - THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SAYS IT HAS NEGOTIATED A SIGNIFICANT CUT IN THE UNITED NATIONS BUDGET. IN A STATEMENT SUNDAY, THE U.S. MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS SAID THAT THE U.N.'S 2018-2019 BUDGET WOULD BE SLASHED BY OVER $285 MILLION. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. NIKKI HALEY SAID THAT THE "INEFFICIENCY AND OVERSPENDING" OF THE ORGANIZATION IS WELL-KNOWN, AND SHE WOULD NOT LET "THE GENEROSITY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF OR REMAIN UNCHECKED."

NEW BEDFORD, MASS. (AP) - EAST COAST FISHERMEN ARE TURNING A WARY EYE TOWARD THE OFFSHORE WIND INDUSTRY. IN NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, FISHERMEN SAY THEY DREAD THE THOUGHT OF NAVIGATING HUNDREDS OF TURBINES. SCALLOPERS FROM MAINE TO NORTH CAROLINA ARE SUING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HALT A WIND FARM PROPOSED OFF LONG ISLAND. FISHERMEN IN MARYLAND AND NORTH CAROLINA ARE VOICING SIMILAR CONCERNS. A RHODE ISLAND COMPANY OPERATING THE NATION'S ONLY OFFSHORE WIND FARM SAYS THE TWO INDUSTRIES CAN COEXIST.

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BILL CONTE, A CASPER COLLEGE THEATER INSTRUCTOR AND DIRECTOR OF A GROUP CALLED THEATER OF THE POOR, SAID AN ABANDONED CENTURY-OLD LIVERY STABLE ON SOUTH ASH STREET WOULD MAKE A GREAT PUBLICLY OWNED HOME FOR THEATER AND OTHER CULTURAL EVENTS.

CONTE SPOKE TUESDAY DURING A CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING ABOUT WHETHER TO SELL TWO NEARBY PROPERTIES INSTEAD OF CONSIDERING A HOTEL CONFERENCE CENTER, AND TOLD CITY COUNCIL HOW THE ARTS AND BUSINESS ARE CLOSELY CONNECTED.

HE LATER SAID HE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CITY OWN THE LIVERY STABLE, AND HAVE VOLUNTEERS DO THE MAINTANANCE AND PUT ON SHOWS.

THE CITY ACCEPTED BIDS FOR TWO PROPERTIES, BUT NO ONE BID ON THE LIVERY STABLE.

THAT CHANGED TWO DAYS LATER.

CASPER COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR LIZ BECHER SAID BY THEN THE CITY HAD RECEIVED THREE SERIOUS PURCHASE INQUIRIES ON THE LIVERY.

BECHER SAID THE CITY WON'T BE DEALING WITH THE FUTURE OF THE LIVERY STABLE UNTIL AFTER THE NEW YEAR.
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MONTANA WILDLIFE OFFICIALS ARE PROPOSING A SPECIAL DEER HUNT IN A SECOND AREA OF THE STATE AS THEY SCRAMBLE TO CONTROL A NEWLY-FOUND DISEASE THAT'S FATAL TO DEER, ELK AND MOOSE.

CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IS A NEUROLOGICAL ANIMAL DISEASE THAT APPEARED IN MONTANA THIS FALL.

IN WYOMING, IT'S CAUSING A 21 PERCENT ANNUAL DECLINE IN MULE DEER POPULATIONS THAT RESEARCHERS SAY COULD CAUSE THE ANIMALS TO BECOME LOCALLY EXTINCT.

ONE SPECIAL HUNT IS ALREADY UNDER WAY IN CARBON COUNTY, MONT.

OFFICIALS SET A QUOTA TO HARVEST 200 WHITE-TAILED DEER AND 200 MULE DEER, AND THEY PLAN TO TEST THE ANIMALS TO GAUGE THE DISEASE'S PREVALENCE.

MONTANA FISH WILDLIFE AND PARKS IS PROPOSING SELLING AN ADDITIONAL 335 DEER HUNTING LICENSES TO HARVEST 135 MULE DEER NORTH OF CHESTER ON THE CANADIAN BORDER.