7. President-elect Donald Trump nominated tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, CEO of Shift4, to lead NASA, following his spaceflights with SpaceX, including the first private spacewalk. Isaacman, who has strong ties to Alabama, including a $10 million donation to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, expressed excitement about the opportunity to lead NASA into a new era of space exploration. If confirmed, Isaacman will replace Bill Nelson, focusing on NASA’s plans for lunar missions and further space exploration.
6. The Retirement Systems of Alabama has reported its most successful investment performance in its 85-year history, with the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 delivering exceptional returns. The Teachers’ Retirement System saw a 21.1% return on investments, while the Employees’ Retirement System and Judicial Retirement Fund achieved 22.21% returns. These results are expected to significantly boost RSA’s funding levels over the next five years, highlighting a banner year for the pension fund serving Alabama’s public employees. A reminder, there are major unfunded liabilities constantly looming in Alabama’s future.
5. Prattville Pride’s LGBTQ float, where a drag queen would be dancing at a parade for Christmas, was removed from the city’s Christmas parade after reported threats, with Mayor Bill Gillespie citing “safety concerns” as the reason for the decision. Despite the group’s request for police protection, including officers to monitor the float, the city chose to prioritize public safety over the rights of the participants. The removal has sparked controversy, with local group Clean Up Alabama protesting the float’s inclusion, and Prattville Pride considering legal action in response. A lawsuit has been filed, they likely will win, and be allowed in the parade but they could have just not planned for a drag queen in a Christmas parade.
4. Alabama Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth strongly condemned advocates of gender-affirming care for minors, calling their actions “absolutely insane” and labeling such treatments as “child abuse.” His comments came as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over a Tennessee law restricting sex-change procedures for minors, which the Biden Administration has challenged as unconstitutional, a position they are poised to lose. Ainsworth vowed to do everything in his power to stop these practices, stating that those responsible “deserve prison time” for their actions.
3. Mexico is seeking a deal with President-elect Donald Trump to limit the number of non-Mexican deportees it receives, with President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasizing that Mexico’s primary responsibility is to accept its own citizens. But it is rather amusing to see Mexico be concerned about unwanted immigrants. While Mexico has an agreement with the Biden administration to send deportees directly to their countries of origin, Sheinbaum’s government is preparing for the possibility of mass deportations and has initiated talks with Mexican border state governors. The discussions follow a recent conversation between Trump and Sheinbaum about border security and the fentanyl crisis, during which Trump claimed Sheinbaum agreed to stop migration through Mexico, a statement she has denied, and Trump threatened tariffs.
2. Recent TikTok posts have sparked controversy by labeling Cullman, Ala., as a “sundown town,” a term historically used for towns that excluded black people after dark. These claims, including one by TikTok user Charlie Desi who referred to Cullman as a “Sundown town” that “was, is, and forever will be,” have been strongly rejected by local leaders. Former State Rep. James C. Fields Jr., a black Democrat and lifelong Cullman resident, stated that while Cullman did have a history of discrimination, it would be an “injustice” to suggest that the town is still discriminatory, emphasizing the city’s diversity and progress over the years. State Sen. Garlan Gudger and former Vinemont Councilwoman Shirley Arnett echoed these sentiments, calling the claims unfair and inaccurate.
1. U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) have officially endorsed Pete Hegseth as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Defense, despite allegations of past misconduct and concerns over his qualifications. Britt praised Hegseth’s commitment to military reform and emphasized Alabama’s key role in national defense, including advocating for Space Command HQ at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. Tuberville defended Hegseth as the leader needed to address issues at the Pentagon, signaling strong support for his nomination.
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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 Talk Radio 103.9 FM/730AM WUMP from 3-4 p.m.
