A FEDERAL COURT has ordered a stop to construction of a ballroom on the White House campus (Shutterstock).

Construction must stop on a $400 million White House ballroom, a federal appeals court ruled on Friday, because Congress hasn’t given its approval.

According to the Associated Press, a three-member judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia stated that the president doesn’t have the unilateral authority to build the structure, which would stand on the site of the White House’s East Wing. That was was ordered demolished by President Donald Trump.

Trump denounced what he called an “unjust decision” and vowed it would be appealed to the U.S Supreme Court.

The vote was 2-1 by the appeals court. In the ruling, the court wrote “Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help.”

Job total slipped by 23,000 in July

In a surprise, the U.S. job market shed 23,000 non-farm jobs in July, according to a report released on Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The report from the Department of Labor also showed a slight decrease in the national unemployment rate from 4.2 percent to 4.1percent. Four percent is considered “full employment.”

Analysts had expected the economy to add 88,000 jobs in July, reported United Press International.

The reduction in jobs came mostly from local government and education, retail and the financial industry. On the other hand, health care added 22,000 jobs.

Blanche has enough votes for AG

Republicans in the U.S. Senate now have enough votes to confirm Todd Blanche as attorney general.

The New York Times is reporting that Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana would now vote for Blanche in the closely-divided upper house of Congress.

When Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced her opposition to Blanche, it looked as if there wouldn’t be enough votes to confirm him.
But Cassidy, who had been skeptical of Blanche and who had lost his re-election bid to a candidate backed by President Donald Trump, said he chose Blanche on the grounds that he might be able to tone down some of the chief executive’s more unusual legal moves, including having the Justice Department target the president’s opponents and critics.

Weather: Warming, then cooling (so to speak)

It will be a warm weekend for our West Orange County cities’ with daytime temperatures in the high 80s and low 90s. Saturday is forecast for a daytime high of 89 with an overnight low of 68 and a 19 percent chance of rain. Sunday will be mostly sunny at 90 (70). Monday will cool a bit to 86 (70) and Tuesday further to 84 (69). As usual, temps drop closer to the beach by as much as five degrees.

Great Thoughts (envy)

“Envy is the art of counting other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.”
– Harold Coffin

“Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Envy shoots at others and wounds itself.”
–English proverb