UPDATE—Breaking News Frazier Park, CA (Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020 at 5 p.m.) — President Donald Trump has finally signed the covid-19 relief and government funding bill this evening at 7:48 p.m. EST, from his Mara Lago resort in Florida. Trump vetoed the military defense portion of the federal omnibus spending bill prior to Christmas, despite raises for military personnel he said he supported. He then refused to sign the covid-19 relief bill, which led to 12 million people losing unemployment benefits and millions of families falling into risk of being evicted from their homes because emergency relief measures were allowed to run out by leaving the new relief bill unsigned.
The $2.3 trillion federal omnibus bill was negotiated over nine months, with input from the Trump administration, then was passed by supermajorities in the U.S. House and Senate. Observers said the president’s refusal to sign the bill was a fit of temper by President Trump over losing the November presidential election. Signing will allow covid-19 relief measures to roll forward as designated by Congress.

By Patric Hedlund, TME (first published Friday, Dec. 23, 2020)

Just in time for Christmas, the new federal covid-19 stimulus and relief package has passed both houses of the U.S. Congress. It is now on President Trump’s desk.

As we go to press, Trump has not signed the bill. It passed the Senate 92-6 and the House 359-53. These are veto-proof majorities in Congress. The need in the country is great.

$2.3 Trillion Spending Bill

The bipartisan funding bill would keep the federal government running through the end of September 2021. Of the total $2.3 trillion, $740.5 billion is for defense, $664.5 billion funds normal domestic federal agencies and…(to view full story, please subscribe or purchase a copy of The Mountain Enterprise at locations [see list] throughout the Mountain Communities. Call 661.245.3794 for a subscription).

Photo captions:

ABOVE are images of Saturn and Jupiter by Jonathan Gilliam and the moon by Liz Buchroeder, both taken west of Pine Mountain Club near Apache Saddle this week. [See actual photos on pages 2 and 13 of the print edition]

This composite photo samples the lights that raise spirits in this Christmas season—from the universe, and from our own Mountain Community neighbors. The cheerful front yard display is by the Graves family in Frazier Park.

California Bank and Trust branch manager Sherri Dumin Timm is proud to have helped 52 local small businesses to obtain Payroll Protection Program aid and to navigate forgiveness applications during the pandemic of 2020.

Jonathan Gilliam’s image of Saturn and Jupiter—complete with two of its most prominent moons—was taken at 5:27 p.m. near Apache Saddle on Hudson Ranch Road west of Pine Mountain Club on December 21.

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The e-Edition is available now with full photos and stories at The Mountain Enterprise e-Edition. Select the 2020-1225 edition.

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This is part of the December 25, 2020 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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