7. Hoover saw its first gun homicide in over two years and Anthony Keith Russell, 29, has been charged with murder following the Christmas Eve shooting of 35-year-old Brandon Montez McIlwain during a struggle over a handgun. Police responded to the scene, where McIlwain was found critically injured; he died at UAB Hospital. Russell was arrested on-site, and investigators determined the altercation occurred while both men were visiting the apartment’s resident.
6. While Alabama will not get a cut of the lottery tickets purchased, many residents will be making the trek to all four border states to buy tickets for tonight’s Mega Millions jackpot $1.15 billion prize, the fifth-largest in the game’s history, with a cash option of $516.1 million. The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 302.6 million with ticket sales disproportionately occurring in impoverished communities.
5. U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) voiced strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal to regain control of the Panama Canal, emphasizing its importance for U.S. security and economic interests in a piece in Yellowhammer News. Carl highlighted that over 70% of the canal’s traffic benefits American ports and stressed its strategic value for rapid naval deployment, as Trump and U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) have noted. He criticized past decisions to transfer control to Panama and warned about growing Chinese influence and security threats in the region, including terrorism and mass migration through the Darien Gap, advocating for decisive action to protect U.S. interests.
4. Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen announced plans to implement a yet-to-be-designed process in 2025 for removing non-citizens from voter rolls after the prior program was blocked by a federal judge in October. The court ruled that the original program, launched shortly before the 2024 general election, violated the National Voter Registration Act by occurring too close to the election. Allen’s office and the Department of Justice have agreed to pause litigation as the state redesigns its voter removal process.
3. While President-elect Donald Trump continues joking about making Canada the 51st state, Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly traveled to Palm Beach, Fla., to meet with members of Trump’s incoming administration. Their discussions with Tom Homan, Trump’s designated “border czar,” focused on border security, combating fentanyl trafficking, and mitigating the impact of potential tariffs on Canadian goods. These meetings follow Trump’s recent tariff threats, annexation references, and slams on the leaders, but Canada is seeking to safeguard its trade relationship with the U.S., which accounts for $2.7 billion in daily cross-border commerce.
2. As Birmingham prepares to welcome 2025, with a historic number of homicides but a decrease in reported violent crime in the rearview mirror, authorities warn against celebratory gunfire, emphasizing its dangers and illegality. The Birmingham Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office caution that shooting guns into the air poses significant risks, including injury, death, and property damage, with potential legal consequences escalating from misdemeanors to felonies. The cities ShotSpotter technology will allow the police to detect and respond swiftly to gunfire incidents, urging residents to prioritize safety and not start shooting in the early hours of 2025.
1. President-elect Donald Trump’s DOGE team and MAGA have found disagreement and a rift a over highly-skilled immigration. Telsa CEO Elon Musk and other tech leaders advocate for boosting the number of skilled immigrants to address engineering shortages and maintain U.S. competitiveness, but some in Trump’s base are accusing tech billionaires of self-interest. GOP lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.), are signaling openness to reforms, such as granting green cards to STEM Ph.D. graduates, setting the stage for potential policy shifts in the upcoming administration.
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.
