7. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, reeling from her defeat in the 2024 presidential election to Donald Trump, is facing reports of marital tension with Doug Emhoff, whom she reportedly blames for damaging her campaign with alleged scandals involving infidelity and workplace misconduct. While the couple presented a united front during Trump’s inauguration, rumors of divorce and Emhoff’s career relocation have fueled speculation about their strained relationship. As Harris considers a political comeback, she is reportedly focused on repairing her public image, potentially at the expense of her marriage.
6. Republican lawmakers from Alabama, joined by their conservative colleagues, sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to reinstate and expand pro-life policies early in his second term. The letter, led by Pro-Life Caucus chairs, criticizes the Biden administration’s “weaponization” of government against pro-life Americans and highlights the need for a supportive approach for pregnant women and their children. U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) introduced the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which mandates penalties for healthcare providers who fail to provide medical care to infants born alive after failed abortion attempts, sparking debate over its necessity and implications.
5. Winter weather issues across the state as a major water main break in Ensley, Alabama, disrupted services amid freezing weather, leaving residents and businesses with low water pressure. In Mobile, heavy snow caused the collapse of the roof of the Mobile Civic Center, which was already demolished, so no injuries were reported. Cancellations and school closures continue as winter weather effects are still being felt in the southern parts of the state.
4. Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) defends the overtime tax exemption, citing its $343 million return on investment through higher workforce participation, tax revenue, and consumer spending, despite a $230 million shortfall to the Education Trust Fund. North Alabama labor leader Jacob Morrison suggests alternative approaches, including repealing or capping the CHOOSE Act, which diverts up to $100 million annually to private school tuition, or ending federal tax deductions for Alabama’s wealthiest residents to generate up to $833 million in additional revenue. Both perspectives emphasize finding sustainable solutions before the exemption expires on June 30, 2025.
3. As speculation grows around a possible run from U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) for governor in 2026, the Senator is discussing the possibility of a lottery in the state. Tuberville said he anticipates that Alabama voters will get another opportunity to decide on legal gaming, including a statewide lottery, as lawmakers prepare for the 2025 session. While recent legislative efforts have stalled due to disagreements between the Alabama House and Senate, public interest in a lottery remains high. Tuberville is confident the issue will return for debate and potentially reach the ballot in the near future.
2. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of 1,500 additional active-duty U.S. military personnel to the southern border with Mexico, other plans for the border include new water barriers in the Rio Grande. This follows a directive to increase support for U.S. Customs and Border Protection as part of the ongoing border security mission, which is already paying off with far fewer illegal aliens making it across the border. The troops will assist with logistical tasks like monitoring, intelligence analysis, and providing airlift support for migrant repatriation flights. The first wave includes 500 Marines from Camp Pendleton, with more troops expected to follow.
1. The Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student murdered by an illegal immigrant, has passed Congress and is set to be signed by President Trump as his first act of the new term. Introduced by Alabama U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery), the bill requires ICE to detain undocumented immigrants accused of crimes such as theft, assaulting law enforcement, and causing serious harm, to prevent further offenses. The bill has received increasing Democratic support, marking a shift from last year when a Democrat-controlled Senate blocked it.
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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.
