AN INCREASE IN THE FEDERAL debt limit was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday (Pexels photo).

A short-term increase in the federal government’s debt limit was approved on Tuesday by the House of Representatives, making certain that the nation’s debts can be paid into December.

The $480 billion “raise” has already been approved by the Senate and will be signed quickly by President Joe Biden, according to the Associated Press.

The vote was 219-206, along party lines. The deadline to raise the limit was Monday, Oct. 18.

That decision will now shift the battle to President Biden’s proposed $3.5 trillion package on the social safety net and climate change. According to The New York Times – because of some opposition from centrist Democratic senators – it may need to be trimmed down to $2 trillion in order to pass.

U.S. vs. red states on vaccine mandates

A “VACCINE OR TEST” policy for employees is controversial (Shutterstock).

In the continuing controversy over whether employees can be required to get vaccinated against the coronavirus is ratcheting up this week.

On Monday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order seeking to block President Joe Biden’s earlier order that companies with 100 or more employees enforce a requirement of inoculation or weekly testing for COVID-19.

“No entity in Texas can compel receipt of a COVID-19 vaccine by any individual … who objects to such vaccination,” wrote Abbott. The Arkansas legislature has passed a law for exemptions and over a dozen states have announced they plan to challenge Biden’s order in court.

Sports: Dodgers win, force 5th game

UPDATE: The Dodgers defeated the Giants 7-2 Tuesday night to knot their NL Division Series at two games each and send it into a fifth and decisive game on Thursday in the Bay Area. Mookie Betts drove in three runs and Will Smith had two RBIs for Los Angeles.

After losing a pitching duel Monday to the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Dodger Stadium, the Blue Crew faces a must-win situation this evening. Trailing two games to one, they need a victory to tie the best-of-five National League Division Series and sent it into a deciding fifth game up north. The Dodgers will send Walker Buehler to the mound and the visitors will start Anthony Desclafani. Game time is 6:07 p.m. We will post the results later tonight.

Ducks ready to start: The Anaheim Ducks will begin their 2021-22 season on Wednesday, hosting the Winnipeg Jets at Honda Center. The Los Angeles Kings will start season on Thursday, hosting the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Weather: Heading to a warm weekend

In the West Orange County area, the windy days are giving way to a more summer-like experience. Wednesday should be sunny and warm with a high of 77 (53 overnight) and then climb the thermometer up to 80 degrees on Thursday and 89 on Friday. The heat will start to recede on Saturday to 87, then tumble to 77 on Sunday. In the coastal areas of Huntington Beach, daily highs are forecast to be four to seven degrees cooler.