7. Some pipelines are better than others
- After five-plus years of accusations that former President Donald Trump was too kind to Russia, or a flat-out Russian asset, imagine a scenario where his administration lifted sanctions on a Russian project that is “sanctionable.” But the current occupant of the White House, President Joe Biden, appears to be doing just what Vladimir Putin wants when it comes to a pipeline that would give Russia a huge geopolitical win.
- The Biden administration is planning to lift sanctions on the “corporate entity and CEO overseeing the construction of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline into Germany,” according to Axios, because the United States has national interests in a pipeline that helps Russia to the detriment of allies Poland and the Ukraine.
6. A vicious attack on the First Amendment from an American president
- While test-driving a Ford F-150 Lightning on a tour of a Ford plant in Michigan, President Joe Biden passed reporters and one reporter asked, “Mr. President, can I ask you a quick question on Israel before you drive away since it’s so important?”
- Biden gave a response of “No, you can’t. Not unless you get in front of the car as I step on it.” While it’s clear that Biden was attempting to tell a joke, this is something that never would’ve been tolerated under the former administration.
5. Leeds school employees are getting a bonus from Charles Barkley
- Former NBA player Charles Barkley graduated from Leeds High School in 1981, and now he’s giving every employee of Leeds City Schools a $1,000 bonus. The district announced the donations, adding that Barkley has previously “provided over $3 million in scholarships to Leeds graduates” to help them attend college.
- There are about 226 employees in the district. Leeds City Schools said in the announcement that they’re “thankful to know our hometown hero and benefactor, Charles Barkley, recognizes the hard work and dedication of the Leeds staff, even under the toughest circumstance.”
4. January 6 and all political violence should be investigated
- The media and their Democrats have spent the last 24 hours implying that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is “opposed” to a “bipartisan” commission to investigate the U.S. Capitol riots on January 6. As usual, this is only half of the story. McCarthy has made it clear he wants more from the commission than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wants.
- McCarthy and other Republicans want the scope of the investigation to include other types of political violence that have occurred over the last few years in America, specifically Black Lives Matter riots, the attack on Republicans at a baseball field and an April attack on U.S. Capitol police, as well.
3. Brooks endorsed by Rand Paul
- U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is the first senator to endorse U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) for Senate. This is the next in a list of big-name endorsements that Brooks has received, including President Donald Trump.
- Paul said that Brooks “has proven time and time again he will stand up for liberty and do what he thinks is right” and mentioned how Brooks will help fight against increased spending and fight to “cut the size and power of government, curtail foreign aid, and stop our endless wars overseas.”
2. Amazon fulfillment center coming to Huntsville
- More than 500 new jobs are coming to Huntsville as it’s been announced that Amazon will be building a new fulfillment center in the area. Production is likely to begin in the fall, and the facility will be in close proximity to the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing facility.
- Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle spoke about the announcement for the center, adding, “Huntsville is a good fit to partner with Amazon as we ‘change the way the world does business.'”
1. 35% of adult Alabamians are vaccinated
- In Alabama, the rate of people getting vaccinated against the coronavirus has fallen with 35.2% of adults in the state fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- The vaccination rate has been falling for some time, but now it’s at half of what it was at the peak of vaccinating. The peak of vaccination doses administered every weekday was 40,400, but now it’s recorded at under 17,000 per weekday. This decline of more than 50% happened over a one-month period.
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