LAWYERS for Donald Trump made their case for acquittal of their client before the U.S. Senate Friday in the former president’s second impeachment trial (Shutterstock).

Donald Trump’s defense team on Friday attempted to refute accusations that the former president incited the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by far-right supporters. According to The New York Times, the impeachment charge brought against the defendant was a “preposterous and monstrous lie.” Speaking to the U.S. Senate, which serves as the jury in impeachment trials, Trump’s lawyers used just three of the 16 hours allotted to them.

“This trial is about far more than President Trump,” said Bruce Castor. ”It is about silencing the speech the majority does not agree with. It is about cancelling the 75 million Trump voters and criminalizing political viewpoints.”

A key allegation by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is that Trump’s urging supporters to “fight like hell” at a rally just before the attack, constituted incitement to insurrection. Castor noted that when the riot was underway, he sent a tweet telling supporters to “stay peaceful.”

News: CDC urges reopening of schools

THE CORONAVIRUS

When should schools reopen? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines Friday stating that K-12 schools can be opened safely if certain mitigation measures were enacted. Among those measures were universal masking, frequent hand-washing, the widespread use of hand sanitizers, the frequent cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and insisting that staff and students who have had close contact with a person with COVID019 stay home and get tested for the virus.

Business: Stimulus talk is stimulating

Buoyed by the prospect of a big stimulus package from Washington, the stock market rallied on Friday, with all three major stock exchanges showing nice jumps. The Dow Jones Average was up 27.70 points to 31,458.40. The S&P 500 rose 18.45 points to 3,934.83. The Nasdaq climbed 69.70 points to 14,095.47. The final trading stats for S&P and Nasdaq were record highs.

Cheap, cheap chicken: McDonald’s will replace its Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a less expensive line of chicken sandwiches as of Feb. 24, according to Reuters. The crispy version was around $5; the replacements will sell for from $3.49 to $4.69. Guest visits to what is still the world’s largest fast food operation have been declining since 2017.

Sports: J.J. says bye-bye to Texans

J.J. WATT

J.J. Watt, star defensive lineman for the Houston Texans, was granted his release on Friday. Justin James has been named NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Watt played for the Texans from 2011 to the present.

Over the course of his career, he’s made 531 tackles, had 101 sacks and even scored four defensive touchdowns. The team has won six division titles over the period, most recently in 2019. He’s now a free agent.

Weather:  Breezy and cloudy

Hang on to your hats this weekend in the West Orange County area. Winds of up to 13 miles an hour are forecast along with partly cloud conditions. Saturday’s daytime high should be around 65, with an overnight low of 45. Sunday will be a bit warmer at 69 (47 overnight). Chance of rain ranges from 2 to 6 percent. In the coastal areas (Huntington Beach), daytime highs are expected to be four to five degrees cooler.