GUN CONTROL – especially as it relates to military-style semiautomatic rifles and high capacity magazines – are back in the national conversation after several mass killings (Shutterstock)>

Responding to a series of mass shootings in the last two weeks, President Joe Biden cried “enough, enough” on Wednesday and called for action to keep everyday locations from turning into “killing fields.”

According to the Associated Press, Biden urged members of the public to press Congress to pass legislation to ban the sale or possession of military-style semi-automatic rifles and high capacity magazines.

He would also like to see measures to keep firearms from people with mental health problems and to rise the minimum age to buy those rifles from 18 to 21.

Biden sought to emphasize that these measures were not gun confiscation.

“For so many of you at home, I want to be very clear,” he said. “This is not about taking away anyone’s guns. It’s not about vilifying gun owners. In fact, we believe we should be treating responsible gun owners as an example of how every gun owner should behave.”

He quoted conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who said “The rights granted by the Second Amendment are not unlimited.”

Russia controls 20% of Ukraine?

Russia is now in control of about one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday.

According to USA Today, in his remarks to the Luxembourg parliament, 

Zelensky was referring not only to ground gained by the invaders since the war began on Feb. 24, but also to the Crimea area seized by Russia in 2014 and eastern areas which are still being battled over.

He said that while he expects his nation to prevail, “there will be a dark time for everyone on the continent,” if not.

Sports: Angels swept at Yankee Stadium

It was a day-long nightmare for the Los Angeles Angels in New York on Wednesday, losing both ends of a split doubleheader. They fell 6-1 in the first game and then 2-1 in the second. The sweep pushed the team’s losing streak to eight games in a row.

The Halos managed only two hits in the second game but were able to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the eighth on Kurt Suzuki’s RBI double. But the Yanks went ahead in the bottom of the inning on Anthony Rizzo’s two-out, two-run double.

There was one last gasp for the Orange County team. A walk and two hit batsmen loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with two out, but Luis Rengifo grounded out to short to kill the rally.

Now 27-25, the Angels – still in second in the American League West – have fallen 6.5 games behind the first place Houston Astros (33-18).

At home, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 2-0 to end a three-game losing streak. They’re now 34-17 and lead the San Diego Padres by four games in the National League West.
Tony Gonsolin pitched six shutout innings and yielded only two hits.

In Game One of the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors 120-108.

Game Two is on Sunday in the Bay Area.

Weather: It’s getting warmer here

It’s not quite summer weather and we are getting a bit of June gloom, but the West Orange County area is getting warmer days. The forecast for Friday is for a high of 77 (overnight low of 63) with morning clouds and afternoon sun. A slight dip to 75 (62) on Friday with partly cloudy skies. From there, the daytime heat slip to 74 on Saturday, and then will rise to 76 on Sunday, 79 on Monday and 80 on Tuesday.