7. President Joe Biden has spent his last few weeks in office trying to cement his legacy with more student loan forgiveness, bans on drilling, more money for Ukraine aid, removing Cuba from a terrorism list, setting records on clemency and pardons, agreeing to bad labor deals, and declaring an oligarchy is taking over America after honoring George Soros. He commuted sentences for long-serving drug offenders, some are cop-killers, and declared the Equal Rights Amendment ratified … falsely. He is sadly aiming to solidify his legacy but his record as the worst president in modern history is cemented.
6. The Alabama Supreme Court has issued directives declaring that breastfeeding mothers qualify for jury duty exemptions, mandating judges to issue written instructions excusing them when necessary. This decision follows complaints from Jefferson County women, like Kandace Brown, who faced threats for bringing children to court due to a lack of childcare while breastfeeding and the revelation that the room she was sent to was unsanitary. Before this ruling, Alabama did not include breastfeeding in its list of jury duty health exemptions, though 22 other states have similar protections.
5. The Alabama Literacy Act has failed as it has now been reported that Alabama schools only retained 452 third graders in the 2023-24 school year under the Alabama Literacy Act, representing less than 1% of the 55,100 students statewide. This outcome is significantly lower than initial fears that 24% could be held back. Despite improvements in reading scores, with 91% of third-graders meeting sufficiency benchmarks in 2024 compared to 83% in 2023, concerns remain about students promoted without adequate reading skills. Advocates worry this practice perpetuates academic struggles, while state officials emphasize ongoing support and the need for sustained funding for intervention programs.
4. TikTok has restored U.S. service after President-elect Trump assured service providers they would not face penalties, temporarily delaying the app’s ban and vowing to negotiate a solution to keep it operational. Although Trump supports TikTok’s continued availability, the app’s future remains uncertain as the law requires ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations to a non-Chinese owner. Trump has proposed a joint venture to resolve the issue, but legal hurdles remain, including ownership restrictions under the current legislation.
3. President-elect Trump’s administration, under the leadership of Border Czar Tom Homan, is set to launch immigration raids targeting sanctuary cities and undocumented migrants, prioritizing those with criminal records while resuming worksite enforcement. The initiative marks a shift from prior guidelines, raising concerns about potential family separations and impacts on long-standing residents with no criminal history. The administration faces logistical challenges, anticipated lawsuits, and scrutiny over its approach to immigration enforcement.
2. Due to dangerously cold temperatures, President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration will be moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, accommodating only 700 VIPs and members of Congress. Other attendees can watch from the Capital One Arena or designated viewing locations, as the outdoor parade is canceled. Security agencies are rapidly adjusting plans, with the event now echoing State of the Union protocols, and Trump cited safety concerns for attendees, referencing Reagan’s 1985 indoor inauguration under similar conditions when the windchill was -8 degrees, in 2021 the temperature was 34 degrees.
1. President-elect Donald Trump plans to enact over 200 executive actions on today, targeting border security, energy independence, DEI program elimination, and bureaucratic reform. Key measures include declaring a national border emergency, reinstating “Remain in Mexico,” abolishing the Green New Deal, pausing offshore wind leases, and reasserting presidential control over the federal workforce. Dubbed “promises made, promises kept,” the actions also aim to reduce living costs, suspend security clearances of officials tied to Hunter Biden laptop claims, and rename the Gulf of Mexico to the “Gulf of America,” marking an unprecedented wave of policy shifts. Additionally, President Joe Biden issued preemptive pardons for Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, members of the Jan. 6 committee, and others, aiming to shield them from potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration. These unprecedented pardons, announced in Biden’s final hours as president, “protect” individuals who have not been accused of crimes but could face “politically motivated investigations.” Biden justified the move as necessary to uphold public servants’ reputations and counter threats to democracy, emphasizing that the pardons do not imply guilt or wrongdoing.
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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.
