MITCH MCCONNELL (R-Kentucky) Senate Majority Leader, is now acknowledging Joe Biden as president-elect (Chris Halloran/Shutterstock).

Republican leaders who resisted the idea that Joe Biden had actually won the presidential election are starting to acknowledge the former vice president’s new status as president-elect.  According to the Associated Press, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) congratulated Biden in remarks from the Senate floor on Tuesday. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (a former Orange County resident) is meeting with Biden’s nominee for that post, and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina) has discussed Cabinet choices with Biden.

Even Russian President Vladimir Putin, an ally of President Trump, sent his congratulations, as did Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Orbador.

Trump, however, has not done so. He tweeted that, despite the Electoral College’s vote on Monday, he would continue his efforts to overturn the results of the election. “Tremendous evidence pouring in on voter fraud. There has never been anything like this in Our Country,” it read.

The News: Another vaccine likely coming soon

• Another coronavirus vaccine, from the American biotech firm Moderna has been declared safe and effective for emergency use in the U.S. by scientists at the Federal Food and Drug Administration. A committee will make the final determination on Thursday, according to United Press International.
• Pete Buttigieg, a one-time rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, has been selected by President-elect Joe Biden to be the next secretary of transportation. Biden is also choosing Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan to be secretary of energy.
• The advent of the coronavirus vaccine perked up the health of the investment community on Tuesday. All three major stock indexes showed some strong gains. The Dow Jones Average leaped 337.76 points (and reached 30,199.31) and the S&P 500 rose by 47.13 points. Tech-heavy Nasdaq increased by 155.02.

The Weather: Up and Down and Up and …

The next few days in the West Orange County area should see temperatures bounce up and down a bit, but still stay in a pleasant autumn range. Wednesday will be sunny with a high of 72 and an overnight low of 48.  With the advent of clouds, Thursday’s high will drop to 65 (45 overnight). By Friday, the sun returns and the high will rise to 68 (44 overnight) and then to 70 on Saturday.

Sports: Will the Top Four be the Final Four?

The top five teams in the College Football Rankings remain the same as last week, according to Sports Illustrated. Alabama (10-0) remains on top, followed closely in second by Notre Dame (10-0). In third is Clemson (9-1) with Ohio State (5-0) in fourth with Texas A&M (7-1) in fifth. Of course, just the top four will make the playoff. The biggest complication is coming up on Saturday, when the Fighting Irish host the Tigers. A second loss by Clemson could give the Aggies a chance to crack the top four. The final announcement will be made on Sunday.