7. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban has called the current Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) model in college football “unsustainable,” citing growing financial disparities between programs. He emphasized the need for standardized regulations to ensure fairness, warning that allowing some schools to spend significantly more than others undermines competitive balance. Saban has taken an active role in advocating for reforms, including meeting with lawmakers to address these challenges and promote long-term sustainability in the sport.
6. After day 1 of the Trump administration brought us fake news of Elon Musk being a Nazi because he raised his arm during a speech, day 2 brought us false allegations of domestic violence against Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth via affidavit. Supporters of Hegseth are comparing the current allegations against him to those made against Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh. The allegations have been dismissed by the alleged victim, Samantha Hegseth.
Hegseth’s second wife told NBC News, “I do not believe your information to be accurate.” Despite the clarification, the media is running with the false story anyway because they are liars.
Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s attorney has called this latest smear out.
“Belated claims by Danielle Dietrich, an anti-Trump far-left Democrat who is divorced from Mr. Hegseth’s brother and never got along with the Hegseth family, do nothing to change that,” Parlatore said. “After an acrimonious divorce, Ms. Dietrich has had an axe to grind against the entire Hegseth family. Ms. Dietrich admits that she saw nothing but is now falsely accusing Sam of lying to both the Court and to the FBI because of private, undocumented statements that she allegedly made 10 years ago.”
5. During the National Cathedral inaugural prayer service following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde urged compassion for LGBTQ children and illegal immigrants, prompting backlash from U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and others, while some pretended this takedown mattered. Tuberville criticized her comments on social media, calling the support of “trans children” a form of child abuse and applauding Trump’s executive order defining only two genders. Tuberville, a long-time advocate for banning transgender athletes in women’s sports, praised Trump’s actions and called for further legislative measures to address the issue.
4. The Laken Riley Act, a landmark immigration enforcement bill, passed the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support in a 64-35 vote and now heads to the House for a final decision. Sponsored by Alabama U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), the act mandates the detention of illegal immigrants who commit specific crimes and allows states to take legal action against federal officials who fail to enforce immigration laws. If passed, it will likely become the first bill signed by President Donald Trump.
3. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on immigration includes targeting the use of schools and churches as sanctuaries for illegal immigrants, a move that has angered advocates of the status quo of unfettered illegal immigration. Meanwhile, 24 Democratic-led states and cities have filed lawsuits against his executive order to end birthright citizenship, arguing it violates the 14th Amendment’s guarantee of citizenship for those born in the U.S. Critics, including the ACLU, label the policy unconstitutional, warning it could leave children stateless and deny access to federal services, setting the stage for a landmark Supreme Court battle.
2. It is cold in every part of Alabama. It is so cold Mobile broke its 130-year-old all-time snow record with 7.5 inches of snow reported by the National Weather Service, surpassing the previous record of 6 inches from 1895. The city also set a new one-day snowfall record, with treacherous conditions impacting travel and prompting a winter storm warning through Wednesday morning. As the storm exits, bitterly cold temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees, with wind chills as low as 0, are expected, posing life-threatening risks for people and animals outdoors.
1. 22 Alabama residents have been pardoned on President Donald Trump’s first day in office. They were convicted for their roles in the January 6 Capitol riots, sparking praise and silly complaints. Among those pardoned were Russell Dan Alford, a body shop owner who decried his conviction as “a Broadway play,” and Kaleb Dillard, a Marine veteran who expressed gratitude for regaining his rights despite serving time. The pardons also included Joshua James, an Oath Keepers leader, and Dillon Herrington, who faced additional unrelated charges, underscoring the varied and contentious legacy of the Capitol riot participants.
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Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast on WVNN at 10 p.m.
