Update on the latest news, sports, business and entertainment at 11:20 p.m. EST

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN-THE LATEST

The Latest: Democrats plan to pass a bill funding Treasury

WASHINGTON (AP) — As government shutdown talks remain at an impasse, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says House Democrats plan to start approving individual bills to reopen shuttered departments.

Pelosi said Saturday that they would start with Treasury to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds on schedule.

In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that will air Sunday, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney says the president is willing to deal.

Mulvaney says Trump is willing to forego a concrete wall for steel or other materials.

Trump has already suggested his definition of the wall is flexible. But Democrats have made clear they see a wall as immoral and ineffective and prefer other types of border security funded at already agreed upon levels.

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN-NATIONAL PARKS

National parks struggle to stay open, safe during shutdown

Nonprofits, businesses and state governments nationwide are putting up money and volunteer hours in a battle to keep national parks safe and clean for visitors as the partial U.S. government shutdown lingers.

But such makeshift arrangements haven’t prevented some parks from closing and others from being inundated with trash.

Support groups say donations of money and time could run short if the budget impasse between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats lasts much longer.

Some are calling for parks to close for the duration of the standoff. Trump said Friday that it could last “months or even years.”

National Park Service spokesman Jeremy Barnum says the agency has reached deals with more than 60 partner groups, concessionaires and states to handle basic tasks at more than 40 parks.

GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN-AIRPORTS

Airports seeing rise in security screeners calling off work

NEW YORK (AP) — The federal agency tasked with guaranteeing U.S. airport security is acknowledging an increase in the number of its employees calling off work during the partial government shutdown.

The Transportation Security Administration said in a Friday tweet that call outs that began over the holiday period are on the rise but the impact has been “minimal.” The agency said wait times may be affected but so far “remain well within TSA standards.”

TSA employees are expected to work without pay during the shutdown because they are considered essential.

The Department of Homeland Security and President Donald Trump pushed back Saturday on suggestions that the absences represented a “sickout” that was having significant consequences on U.S. air travel.

CALIFORNIA-SHOOTING-THE LATEST

The Latest: Parents ID 2 killed in bowling alley shooting

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — Family members have identified two of the three people killed in a shooting at a bowling alley in Southern California late Friday.

The grieving mother of 28-year-old Robert Meekins told KABC-7 her son left behind a 5-year-old son. Angeline Hubbard said her son doesn’t deserve to die and pleaded for the gunman to surrender to authorities.

Meanwhile the father of 28-year-old Astin Edwards said his son was trying to break up a fight before the shooting erupted. Dwayne Edwards told the news station the shooting was senseless, and that he shouldn’t have to bury his own son.

Police in the coastal city of Torrance are trying to determine what led to the shooting. No suspects have been identified.

RUSSIA-US-SPYING

Russia: Too early to consider exchange of US spy suspect

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s deputy foreign minister is brushing back suggestions that an American being held in Moscow on suspicion of spying could be exchanged for a Russian.

Paul Whelan, who also holds Canadian, British and Irish citizenship, was detained in late December. His arrest has led to speculation that Russia could be using him as a pawn to exchange for Maria Butina, the Russian who pleaded guilty last month to acting as a foreign agent in the United States.

But deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that discussing the issue would be premature because Whelan hasn’t been formally charged, according to Russian news agencies.

Some Russian news reports earlier had cited unnamed sources as saying Whelan had been indicted on charges that could bring 20 years in prison if convicted.

MILITARY BASES-CONTAMINATED GROUNDWATER

Some fear groundwater near Georgia military bases is toxic

(Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, http://www.ajc.com)

ATLANTA (AP) — There are fears that groundwater near Georgia military bases could remain contaminated from a toxic firefighting foam used for decades by the U.S. Air Force.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that recent tests at Georgia’s three air bases show extensive environmental contamination of groundwater.

Environmentalists say that contamination from the foam exposed Georgia communities to chemicals linked to cancer and a variety of other health problems.

The Air Force has said that Georgia’s drinking water is safe for the thousands of people living around its installations.

But experts and nearby residents question those findings, saying the military’s review was too narrow and failed to test water off-base.

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