White House

By Chris Durden (WICHITA, Kan.) The White House says a lack of a Secretary of Health and Human Services is not hurting the government's response to the swine flu outbreak. At least 40 people in the U.S. have the new strain of Influenza A H1N1. While the cases in the U.S. have been mild, more than 100 people have died in Mexico. Thousands more are sick and the Obama administration has called for Americans to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico. Other countries have issued similar warnings.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama says BP has agreed to establish a $100 million fund to compensate unemployed oil rig workers affected by a six-month moratorium on deepwater drilling imposed in the wake of the Gulf oil spill. Obama said the fund is in addition to $20 billion the company will set aside to pay victims of the massive Gulf spill, the nation's worst environmental disaster. Obama imposed a six-month moratorium on new deepwater drilling last month while a commission reviews the April 20 explosion of the Deepwater Horizon rig. ------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama has named longtime spokesman Robert Gibbs as White House press secretary. Gibbs went to work for Obama's Senate campaign in 2004 and was communications director while Obama was in the Senate. Obama rounded out his White House communications team Saturday with one outside and one insider. The outsider is Ellen Moran, who will be director of communications at the White House - in charge of getting Obama's message out. She is executive director of the Washington group EMILY's List - a group that backs female candidates who support abortion rights.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama is naming his longtime friend and supporter Valerie Jarrett to be his White House senior adviser. Jarrett, who hired Michelle Obama for a job in the Chicago mayor's office years ago, is one of the president-elect's closest friends and advisers. Her name has been floated for several top administration jobs. But Obama settled on the senior adviser role, said a person close to the president-elect and willing to speak only on background because the decision has not been officially announced.

Campuses like Wichita State could see fewer soldiers enrolling next semester unless changes are made in Washington. Military moms like Tammy Cruz are fighting for their kids to go to college. Her son is Spc. Chris Schmidt. He joined the National Guard in high school, hoping the sacrifice would get him an education. She and other moms started a White House petition to reinstate the tuition assistance. It now has more than 109,000 signatures. After the sequester, Chris, who is now working two jobs, volunteered for deployment.

by Cindy Klose   (WICHITA, Kan) The Mayor of Greensburg is back in Kansas after a visit to the nation's capital. Mayor Bob Dixson says he was proud to represent Greensburg and Kiowa County at the President's address to Congress Tuesday night. President Obama mentioned Dixson and Greensburg's efforts to rebuild the town in environmentally friendly ways after the May 2007 tornado. Dixson was invited to the speech by the White House and sat with first lady Michelle Obama.

PERSONAL Birthdate: Nov. 29, 1959; Chicago, Illinois EXPERIENCE Congressman representing Illinois, 2003-present Investment bank Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, Chicago, 1999-2002 Various Clinton administration positions including senior policy adviser, director of special projects, political director, White House, 1993-1998 National finance director, Clinton presidential campaign, 1991-92...

NEW YORK (AP) - President-elect Barack Obama planned to announce the leaders of his economic team Monday, naming Timothy Geithner as treasury secretary and Lawrence Summers to direct the National Economic Council, transition officials said. If confirmed by the Senate, Geithner, 47, president of the New York Federal Reserve, would be the top Cabinet official in charge of leading the administration's response to the global economic crisis. Word of his likely selection Friday helped send the Dow Jones Industrials soaring 500 points after several days of steep losses.

45 protestors were arrested outside of the White House Sunday. They were part of a protest against a seven-billion dollar pipeline expansion project. Trans-Canada built a 36-inch pipeline that extends from Canada to Oklahoma.  That pipeline passes through Kansas. The company wants to expand the pipeline if the president approves the project. Protestors are working to convince President Obama not to approve it. A meeting to discuss the Kansas part of the pipline project is set for tonight in Abilene. 

President Barack Obama gave the highest honor to a Kansas war hero Thursday.  The family of Father Emil Kapaun was at the White House to accept his Medal of Honor. The President called Father Kapaun's story amazing.  He recounted the time Father Kapaun spent as a Chaplain during the Korean War.  He says the men that served along with Kapaun called him a Shepard in combat boots.  Click here to read transcript of President Obama's speech Kapaun pulled wounded soldiers to safety and attended to their injuries during the battle of Unsan.