THE MAN who accused Joe and Hunter Biden of taking bribes from a Ukrainian company was charged with making false statements Thursday (Shutterstock).

The accusation that President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, were involved in a bribery scheme took a hit Thursday when the FBI informant who made the claim was charged in a Las Vegas court with make a false statement and creating a false and fictitious record.

Alexander Smirnov made the accusation that a Ukrainian energy company paid the Bidens $5 million each to “protect them.”

According to federal prosecutors, Smirnov only had minor dealings with the company and bribery accusations were made after he “expressed bias” against Biden as a candidate for president.

Thursday’s development could deal a blow to a impeachment inquiry against Biden in the House of Representatives.

Argument spurred Kansas City shootings

Two teenagers are in custody, suspects in a shooting incident that killed one person and wounded at least 22 people at a celebration in Kansas City of the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl.

Police say the shootings were the result of an argument between at least two people and not acts of terrorism or extremism. The person killed was identified as Elizabeth Galvan, 42.

Police praised the role of citizens at the event who pursued, tackled and subdued one person armed with a gun.

Sports: Ducks and Kings post victories

A pair of road games resulted Thursday in wins for the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings. The Ducks defeated the Ottawa Senators 5-1 in the Canadian capital.

Cam Fowler and Frank Vatrano each tallied a goal and had a pair of assists. Mason McTavish scored two goals, his 14th and 15th. With the win, the Orange County team is 19-32-2, good for 14th place in the NHL Western Conference.

The Kings slipped by the New Jersey Devils, 2-1, with Quinton Byfield scoring the winning goal late in the third period. The other Kings goal, scored in the first period, was by Anza Kopitar, his 16th. The win improves the LA team’s record to 25-16-10, good for seventh in the NHL Western Conference.

Weather: It’s still winter time

The forecast for our West Orange County area reminds us that – despite the sunshine – it’s still wintertime. Friday and Saturday will have morning clouds and afternoon sun, with daytime highs ranging from 66 to 68. Partly cloudy skies will move in on Sunday with a high of 65 and a low of 54, but there’s rain predicted for Monday with a high of 65 and a low of 55.