7. Remington Arms will lose $3 million in incentives from the state after failing to meet hiring goals

— Remington is obligated to hire 1,868 workers in Huntsville by 2023, but there has now been a bankruptcy, and it has been reported that Remington is planning layoffs at three locations, including Huntsville. The company was to have 680 employees in Huntsville by the end of 2017, but they only had 500 and by the end of 2018 they had around 450. Local governments are now recouping some of the $12.5 million in incentives that were used to bring Remington to north Alabama while Alabama has announced it is canceling a $3 million cash incentive.

6. Catch-and-release is back at the border with Mexico

— Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was expected to release over 200 people by the end of Wednesday. Court rulings have said ICE can no longer separate adults from their children and they cannot hold families longer than 20 days. The illegal immigrants who are released are given a notice to appear in court, however, a large number never appear.

5. Alabama lawmakers are prepared to consider making it illegal to hold a phone while driving

— An Alabama House committee approves a bill that that would make the act of holding a cellphone while driving illegal. While there would be exceptions for law enforcement and emergency responders, and using a cellphone for navigation, violators would first be fined $50, then $100 and then $150. How this will be enforced should be interesting.

4. A crazed man from Australia just changed New Zealand’s gun laws

—  After last week’s terrorist attacks on two New Zealand mosques, the country completely over-hauled its gun laws. “Assault weapons” will be banned. Also, a buyback “scheme” for the 1.2 million in circulation will be created and could cost $200 million. Police will begin accepting firearms under an amnesty program for some weapons and citizens have been told by Police Commissioner Mike Bush, “I can’t emphasize enough that in the current environment it is important you do not take your now-unlawful firearm anywhere without notifying police.”

3. President Donald Trump cannot stop attacking former Senator John McCain (R-AZ)

— With absolutely no upside, Trump kept mentioning the late McCain, who has been dead for seven months, and declaring he did not like the man. Trump mentioned McCain’s state funeral and the failure of the McCain family to thank him, stating, “I gave him the kind of funeral that he wanted, which as president I had to approve. I don’t care about this. I didn’t get thank you. That’s ok. We sent him on the way, but I wasn’t a fan of John McCain.” This drew the rebuke of Republican Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) who called it “deplorable,” and said, “If my kids started talking John McCain not being a hero, or because he was a prisoner of war didn’t make any difference, they would have a serious conversation with me and I would have it with them.”

 2. Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh’s (R-Anniston) bill to repeal Common Core by a Senate committee

— Marsh acknowledges that this attempt to repeal Common Core is a difference in position for him. In the past, Marsh wanted the State School Board to hash this out. Marsh told reporters, “It’s not working. I think we have to have some radical change with education policy in this state.” Under Marsh’s proposal, Alabama would come up with its own standards. Other standards would be completely banned, but Marsh also said that his bill will be amended before final passage to allow another national standard to be used if it’s best for Alabama.

1. President Trump has said that he supports the public release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report

— From the White House lawn, President Trump said he is ready to let the people see what the 22-month-long investigation has found, saying, “Let it come out. Let people see it.” Trump continued declaring there is no collusion or obstruction. The American people agree with Trump that they want to see the report with over 82 percent of those surveyed saying it should be public. But when it comes to impeachment, the people seem to be over it, with only 36 percent thinking he should be impeached.