USE OF THE J&J VACCINE has been cleared to resume (Shutterstock).
Inoculations against the coronavirus with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may resume, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Friday.
According to the Associated Press, only 15 people out of the almost 8 million people who have received the one-dose vaccination have developed the clots. All of these were women, of which three died and seven are hospitalized.
All those “jabs” will now come with a warning, and the J&J vaccinations could resume as soon as Saturday.
The New York Times is estimating that 27 percent of all adult Americans have been fully vaccinated and that 41 percent have received at least one dose.
News: Caitlin’s in recall race
CAITLIN JENNER (Wikipedia).
The celebrity formerly known as Olympic star Bruce Jenner has tossed her hat into the ring in the expected recall election of California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
A transexual now named Caitlin, Jenner made her announcement on her website. “I’m in!,” she wrote and promised – as a lifelong Republican – to combat “one-party rule that places politics over progress and special interests over people.”
If the recall effort to remove the Democratic incumbent qualifies for the ballot, voters will decide whether to replace Newsom, and with whom. Polls so far have made the recall effort an underdog if it goes to an election.
Business: Good news revives stock market
THE BULLS had a good day on Wall Street (Shutterstock)
Factory activity is up sharply across the U.S. and new homes sales are hot, according to Reuters news service. A survey of economic indicators shows new home sales nearing a 15-year-high.
Additionally, American manufacturing hit 60.6 percent of the purchasing managers index (PMI), a key measure that’s the best since May 2007. Retail sales hit a record high in March and hiring is speeding up.
Economic good news was reflected in Friday’s Wall Street results. All three major stock indexes showed big jumps. The Dow was up 227.59 points to 34,043.49. The S&P 500 rose 45.19 points to 4,180.17 and Nasdaq closed up 198.40 to 14,016.81.
Sports: College football playoff expansion?
THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL playoff could be expanded (Shutterstock).
It took decades to get a Division I college football playoff off the ground. Now the folks behind the four-team tournament are considering expanding that to anywhere from six to 16 teams.
According to Sports Illustrated and ESPN, the College Football Playoff management committee is mulling options, but the earliest such a change could go into effect would be the 2023 season.
The current system, involving the top four-ranked teams in the nation, dates from 2014. Alabama won the 2021 title game, defeating Ohio State, 52-24.
Friday’s games
- Houston Astros 5, Angels 4 (10): Andrew Heaney’s excellent start was wasted as the Halos lost in extra innings. He worked 6.1 innings, giving up just two hits while striking out 10 batters. The loss was the seventh in eight games for the Angels (9-9). The Astros at 9-10. The two teams play again today.
- San Diego Padres 6, Dodgers 2: Fernando Tatis, Jr. hit two home runs as the Padres evened the series with the Dodgers at a game apiece. The Dodgers are 14-6 and the Padres 12-10. Clayton Kershaw (3-2) started for the LAD, working seven innings and giving up five hits and three runs. He struck out seven batters, walked three and was tagged for three solo home runs.
- Clippers 109, Houston Rockets 104: Paul George scored 33 points as the Clips overcame an 11-point third quarter to win in Texas. LAC is now 43-19 and has won four straight games and nine out of 10. The Rockets are 15-45.
- Minnesota Wild 4, Kings 2: Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitor scored for the Kings, but it wasn’t enough as LAK lost at Staples Center. The Kings are now 17-21-6, seventh in the NHL West.
Weather: Still under a cloud
A bunch of them, actually. The forecast for the West Orange County area calls for partly cloudy skies for the next three days. Saturday’s daytime high is predicted for 67 (overnight low of 55), edging down to 66 on Sunday and 64 on Monday. There’s a slight chance of rain the first two days, followed by a 20 percent chance on Monday. For the coastal areas of Huntington Beach, daytime highs will be three or four degrees cooler.
