7. After pressure from Alabama U.S. Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), the FDA has banned the use of Red Dye No. 3 in all U.S. food products due to concerns over its carcinogenic effects and potential harm to neurological development. This synthetic dye has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals, prompting the FDA to remove its approval for use in food and drugs. Both Tuberville and Britt have advocated for stricter food safety standards, referencing Europe’s more stringent regulations. The ban follows similar actions in other countries, including the European Union and Australia, and has been welcomed by physicians who express concerns about the dye’s impact on health, particularly in children.
6. While the media and their Democrats regularly argue illegal voting doesn’t exist as a way to combat any ballot security laws, the fact these laws are necessary and catch some people who illegally vote and are undermining election integrity. Angelica Maria Francisco, a Guatemalan national living in Alabama, was sentenced to five years in prison for voting illegally in four U.S. elections after creating a fraudulent American identity in 2011. She pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including false claims of citizenship, passport fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
5. Auburn student Taylor Colbert was arrested for felony animal cruelty after allegedly leaving her husky puppy caged without food, leading to its death over winter break. Her attorney, Richard White, claims social media outrage influenced the escalation from a misdemeanor to a felony charge, citing threats against Colbert and her military family. White has filed for a preliminary hearing within the next 30 days.
4. President-elect Donald Trump stated that a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas should be finalized before his inauguration, emphasizing his involvement in progressing the negotiations and warning the parties involved that they better get the deal done. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked both Trump and President Biden for their efforts in advancing the cease-fire and hostage release deal but Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, warned Netanyahu not to derail the Gaza ceasefire deal, emphasizing Trump’s commitment to the agreement. Meanwhile, the parents of an American-Israeli hostage killed by Hamas described the cease-fire deal as bittersweet, expressing hope that Trump’s administration will help ensure its success while criticizing Hamas for using hostage bodies as negotiation leverage.
3. Alabama State Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover) is spearheading legislation to allow nursing mothers to be exempt from jury duty in Alabama, prompted by incidents where mothers like Kandace Brown faced challenges and threats from judges while trying to fulfill jury duty with breastfeeding babies. DuBose emphasizes that at least 17 other states have similar protections and views this as a common-sense measure to support parental rights and ensure mothers aren’t subject to subjective judgments from judges. The bill, which has bipartisan support, aims to address what DuBose describes as a loophole in current state law concerning jury duty exemptions for nursing mothers.
2. All of Alabama’s U.S. House members, Republicans and Democrats, voted in favor of the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, even though U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Birmingham) voted against similar bills in 2024 and even this month. The bill, which seeks to deport illegal immigrants convicted of sex crimes, passed with mostly Republican support, with 145 Democrats voting against it. U.S. Rep. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) criticized Democrats who opposed the bill, while U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) emphasized the bill’s importance in protecting women in the country.
1. A new Fox News poll reveals that 52% of voters believe the Biden administration worsened the economy, while only 28% think it improved. Financial concerns remain high, with 89% of voters worried about inflation and 42% feeling they are falling behind financially, a 15-point increase since Biden took office. As Biden’s presidency ends, his approval rating stands at 42%, lower than Obama and Clinton but higher than George W. Bush, with personal favorability also declining from 59% in 2020 to 40% now.
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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.
