<p class="p1"><strong>How is a federal government shutdown possible, and how many have occurred?</strong></p><p class="p2">“When federal agencies and programs lack funding after the expiration of full-year or interim appropriations, the agencies and programs experience a funding gap,” reads a Congressional Research Service report released in November.</p><p class="p2">“If funding does not resume in time to continue government operations, then, under the Antideficiency Act, an agency must cease operations, except in certain situations when law authorizes continued activity.”</p><p class="p2">The CRS says the government has seen 18 funding gaps since 1977, excluding the current one. The fiscal years in which they happened, along with the lengths of the gaps, according to a CRS report from September:</p><p class="p3">1977 — 10 days.</p><p class="p3">1978 — 12 days, eight days, eight days.</p><p class="p3">1979 — 17 days.</p><p class="p3">1980 — 11 days.</p><p class="p3">1982 — two days.</p><p class="p3">1983 — one day, three days.</p><p class="p3">1984 — three days.</p><p class="p3">1985 — two days, one day.</p><p class="p3">1987 — one day.</p><p class="p3">1988 — one day.</p><p class="p3">1991 — three days.</p><p class="p3">1996 — five days, 21 days.</p><p class="p3">2014 — 16 days.</p><p class="p2">“Seven of the funding gaps commenced with the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1. The remaining 11 funding gaps occurred at least more than one day after the fiscal year had begun,” reads the September report.</p><p class="p2">“Ten of the funding gaps ended in October, four ended in November, three ended in December, and one ended in January.”</p><p class="p5"><strong>For more info:</strong> <a href="http://%20https//fas.org/sgp/crs." target="_blank">https://fas.org/sgp/crs.</a></p><p class="p6"> </p><p class="p7"><strong>City: Former director no longer on payroll</strong></p><p class="p1"><strong>Is Mister Edwards, the former head of public works for the city of Lake Charles, still on the city’s payroll?</strong></p><p class="p2">No, said Wendy Goodwin, the city’s human resources director.</p><p class="p5"><strong>For more info:</strong> <a href="http://www.cityoflakecharles.com." target="_blank">www.cityoflakecharles.com.</a></p><p class="p8"> </p><p class="p7"><strong>Westlake used loans, state funds on course</strong></p><p class="p1"><strong>How did the city of Westlake finance and build a golf course and subdivision?</strong></p><p class="p2">The city of Westlake received $4.2 million in state capital outlay funds, along with $9 million for roads from the state Department of Transportation and Development, said Andrea Mahfouz, city clerk.</p><p class="p2">Additionally, she said, city officials used $2 million in riverboat funds, and they borrowed $7.8 million in 2008 and $1 million more in 2009.</p><p class="p5"><strong>For more info:</strong> <a href="http://www.cityofwestlake.com." target="_blank">www.cityofwestlake.com.</a></p><p class="p4">l</p><p class="p9">The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by <strong>Andrew Perzo</strong>, an <em>American Press</em> staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.</p>