7. Three states target vaping
- Even though the Center for Disease Control has downgraded the number of people impacted by vaping-related illnesses, we are still in the middle of a full-blown moral panic with California, New York and Michigan getting in on the action to solve the crisis.
- Michigan and New York have targeted all flavored vaping flavors, while California is targeting black market vape sales, instituting a $20 million state-run advertising campaign and looking to raise taxes on it.
6. Iran could be to blame for Saudi Arabia attack
- President Donald Trump has said that he wants to “avoid” a war with Iran, but it’s likely that Iran is responsible for the recent attacks on Saudi Arabia’s oil supply.
- Iran has denied any involvement with the attacks, and Trump said that there won’t be any retaliation from the United States until there’s “definitive proof” that Iran is at fault.
5. Tommy Tuberville says he is running for the right reasons — Bradley Byrne disagrees
- While appearing on Fox Business’ “Varney & Co.” former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville said that in Alabama, “they trust football coaches a heck of a lot more than they trust politicians,” and he emphasized that he’s running for Senate “for the right reasons.”
- His primary opponent U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) disagrees and believes voters will as well because he is trying to draw a contrast between Tuberville’s reasons for running and his saying, “I’m not running for this seat because I got bored and needed something to do,” and, “I’ve spent most of my life serving. I want to help the people of this great state.”
4. More jobs for Alabama through Lockheed Martin
- On Monday, Lockheed Martin announced that its Courtland facility will get two new buildings for assembling and testing hypersonic programs, which will add 72 new jobs in Courtland.
- Huntsville will see 200 new management and engineering jobs through Lockheed Martin for the new hypersonic programs, and it’s expected that there will be more jobs created in the future through this program.
3. Tommy Battle has made a new case for Space Command
- After it was announced that Lockheed Martin will be locating its hypersonic defense program in Huntsville, Mayor Tommy Battle reemphasized why Redstone Arsenal is the best choice for the new U.S. Space Command.
- Battle said that Redstone has the “world’s most advanced capabilities in aerospace, space and missile defense, and space exploration are already here.” He added that Huntsville has “become the nation’s epicenter for rocket engines, cyber security, and soon – hypersonics.”
2. Doug Jones silent on New York Times correction on Kavanaugh
- U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) eagerly appeared on MSNBC where he said that the push for impeaching Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh is “inevitable” but he has been silent on the issue since the New York Times corrected their story to add that the alleged victim doesn’t think the allegation is true. Both of the earlier allegations against Kavanaugh were sketchy as well.
- Though Jones hasn’t been shy about expressing his support of nearly every far-left Democratic effort, Jack Panel, the communications director of the Senate Leadership Fund, said that Jones’ support for impeachment on uncorroborated accusations “demonstrates Jones is merely a faithful soldier for Chuck Schumer and national Democrats, not a Senator for the people of Alabama.”
1. Tuscaloosa police officer killed on duty
- Army veteran and 13-year Tuscaloosa Police Department veteran Dornell Cousette was shot and killed while serving a warrant, which marks the ninth police officer to be shot and the fourth police officer killed in Alabama this year.
- The unnamed 20-year-old suspect fled after the shooting and was later arrested when he showed up at the hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound he received. He was being persuaded for failure to appear in court on previous felony charges for robbery and assault.
