U.S.S. THEODORE ROOSEVELT (U.S. Navy photo).

Two top officers in charge of an aircraft carrier wracked by the coronavirus were both blamed for the spread of the disease Friday in a change from earlier expectations.

According to the Associated Press, the Navy upheld the firing of Capt. Brett Crozier, commander of the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, and delayed the promotion of his boss, Rear Admiral Stuart Baker.

Crozier made the news by making a public plea for more help in containing the outbreak on his ship, which sickened 1,000 sailors and killed one. He was dismissed but a public outcry was followed by the resignation of the acting Navy secretary who made that decision.

It appeared that Crozier might be exonerated, but further investigation led to the conclusion that the captain and the admiral had made poor decisions and acted too slowly.

“Juneteenth” takes on a new dimension

The date of June 19, long celebrated as the anniversary of the end of slavery in the United States, has now become the focus of protesters and other observances rallying against police brutality against black people.

Events were held across the nation, including Washington, D.C., New York City, San Francisco and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“Juneteenth” is the name given to June 19, 1865, when Union cavalry arrived in Texas and announced that the 250,000 slaves held in that state were now free. The Emancipation Proclamation had freed slaves in the South as of Jan. 1, 1863, but that only took effect in areas conquered by the Union army in the southern Confederacy.

Coronavirus deaths now near 460,000

The number of people who died from the COVID-19 pandemic is now at 459,468, according to the Johns Hopkins University count on Friday. The United States has the most with 119,122, followed by Brazil with 48,954 and United Kingdom/Great Britain with 42,546.

Total confirmed cases worldwide are now at 8,641,120. The U.S. leads with 2,221,079, followed by Brazil with 1,032,913 and Russia with 586,292.

Stocks wobble on coronavirus worries

Concern about the effects of “re-opening” possibly leading to a resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic is blamed for another weak day on Wall Street on Friday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 208.64 points (0.80 percent) to 25,871.46. The S&P 500 dropped 17.60 points (0.56) to 3,097.74. The Nasdaq continues to be the lone rising index, rising 3.07 points (00.3) to 9,946.12.

It’s the same old (weather} song

Just as it has been for several days, weather in the West Orange County area continues with its pattern of morning clouds, giving way to sunshine in the afternoon. Daily highs will be in the mid-70s through Sunday; night-time lows around 60. A slight warming trend heading into the new week is predicted. Temperatures near the coast are 5 to 7 degrees cooler.

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