7. McDonald’s is the the latest company to announce that it is scaling back some of its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, including ending specific diversity goals for suppliers and participation in external diversity surveys, citing a Supreme Court ruling and broader corporate reevaluations. Despite these DEI changes, the company emphasizes its continued commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace and supporting diverse leadership, suppliers, and franchisee networks. McDonald’s achieved notable diversity milestones in 2024, such as 30% of U.S. leadership from underrepresented groups and meeting its supplier diversity spending target, while affirming it remains dedicated to pay equity and inclusive practices.
6. Yordy Centeno-Melchor, an illegal alien previously deported five times, was arrested in Elmore County, Ala., for attempting to kidnap a 17-year-old girl in a store parking lot. The suspect fled after a passerby noticed the girl’s distress, but was later apprehended by Clanton Police after a BOLO alert was issued. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has yet to comment on his repeated illegal reentries into the U.S., and his bond is set at $100,000, but this comes days after 158 U.S. House Democrats voted against deporting illegal immigrants who had committing violence against women.
5. Kyle Nathan Carlisle of Phenix City, Ala., was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for wire fraud and money laundering related to fraudulent COVID-19 relief loans. Between July 2020 and April 2021, he applied for multiple EIDL loans using false information, securing around $600,000, with a total of $3.47 million sought, and spent the funds on personal expenses, including a vehicle. Carlisle was also ordered to pay $547,846.54 in restitution and forfeit the same amount, with three years of supervised release following his prison term.
4. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) has helped launch the “Make America Healthy Again” caucus, aimed at promoting nutrient-rich foods, reducing chronic diseases, and improving the healthcare system alongside President-elect Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tuberville has also been vocal about banning harmful food dyes like Red 3, which is linked to cancer and still permitted in U.S. foods despite being banned in cosmetics and restricted in other countries. He continues advocating for safer food policies and criticized a New York Times fact check regarding his stance on food dyes.
3. The Alabama Policy Institute as introduced its 2025 “BluePrint for Alabama,” a 30-point legislative agenda focused on promoting free markets, limited government, and strong families during the upcoming state legislative session. Key proposals include eliminating the overtime tax, occupational licensing reform, increased transparency in federal funding, and protections for minors such as prohibiting sexually explicit materials in public. The agenda also introduces new initiatives like criminal justice reforms, regulatory transparency, and expanded healthcare access through “Right to Try 2.0.”
2. The Birmingham Crime Commission released a 67-page report highlighting the city’s violent crime crisis, with a homicide rate seven times the national average and a record-breaking number of homicides in 2024. The report calls for legislative reforms, including tougher gun laws, banning firearm conversion devices, and making shooting into occupied dwellings a Class A felony, alongside strategies to address police staffing shortages, poverty, and fragmented public safety coordination. Immediate interventions proposed include focused deterrence, hospital-based violence intervention programs, and hotspot policing, with the Birmingham City Council expected to review the report soon, but real action is still lacking.
1. Alabama’s Republican congressional delegation celebrated the certification of Donald Trump’s presidential election victory, with Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance officially confirmed in a 312-226 Electoral College win. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) praised Trump’s “historic victory,” emphasizing the public’s desire for leadership that prioritizes national prosperity and security. Reps. Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), Dale Strong (R-Monrovia), Robert Aderholt R-Hayesville), and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) echoed the significance of the event, while Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) declared it was time to “Make America Great Again.” The only drama of the day was the snow in Washington, D.C., and some guy with a cane not shaking Vice President Kamala Harris’ hand.
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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.
