NANCY PELOSI, Speaker of the House of Representatives (Wikipedia).

Seeking to enshrine access to contraceptive devices in case the conservative Supreme Court declares it a state decision – as it has in the case of abortion – the House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would create a national standard.

According to The Associated Press, the vote was 228-195 on what was nearly a party-line vote with Democrats in favor and Republicans generally opposed. The proposed bill not only protects the rights of couples to use contraception but it would allow the federal government to sue states that attempt to enforce a ban.

The bill is not given much chance in the closely-divided Senate.

Also in the news …President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing “mild symptoms.”

Sports: Cards’ Murray hit jackpot; Dodgers win

Kyler Murray, the Arizona Cardinals star quarterback will get a five-year, $230.5 million extension, according to Sports Illustrated.

KYLER MURRAY (Wikipedia).

Last season, Murray’s team roared out of the gate, winning its first seven games, but stumbled later, losing four of five games.

The Cards finished 11-6, one game behind the Rams, who beat them 34-11 in a first round playoff game.

In 2021-2, Kyler passed for 481 yards with 24 TDs and 10 interceptions.  He also ran for 423 yards and five touchdowns.

In Major League Baseball action, Mookie Betts hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 9-6 win over the San Francisco Giants Thursday night  at home.

The Dodgers jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but the Giants rallied to tie the game, helped by a grand slam homer by Darif Ruf.

Trailing  6-5 in the eighth, the Blue Crew tied it up on a triple by Trayce Thompson, setting up Betts’ 21st home run of the season.

The Dodgers (61-30) take on the Giants again Friday at 7:10 p.m.

Weather: It’s back to the Seventies

The temperature, not the decade. Right through Friday of next week, daytime highs in the West Orange County area are forecast to be in the 70s, with nighttime lows in the 60s.

For this Friday, the daytime high is predicted to be 79 with an overnight 65 under partly cloudy skies. Saturday will be mostly Sunday with a 79/64  forecast. After that the thermometer will bounce up and down a little with daytime highs ranging from 79 to 77 into Wednesday.