• In Pennsylvania, the National Guard has been deployed to Philadelphia as more riots took place for a second night following the police shooting of Walter Wallace, who charged police officers with a knife. Riots took place on Monday and Tuesday nights as police warned residents that looting was taking place in the city and to stay indoors to remain safe.
• Several hundred members of the National Guard have been sent to assist local law enforcement in “protecting life, property and the right to peacefully assemble and protest,” according to Lieutenant Col. Keith Hickox.

5. State of Emergency declared in Alabama

• Ahead of Tropical Storm Zeta making landfall, Governor Kay Ivey has declared a State of Emergency. The Mobile and Dauphin Island area are most likely to be impacted by the storm, and it’s likely that the system will be a hurricane by the time it reaches land.
• In a statement, Ivey said that Zeta “is not expected to have an impact as large as storms we’ve seen move through the Gulf earlier this year.” But she explained the State of Emergency is there so we can “be in the best place possible to respond to anticipated rain, storm surge and mass power outage.”

4. A monumental price

• Madison County Commission Chair Dale Strong has made some of his first public statements on the Confederate monument outside of the Madison County Courthouse being moved to the Maple Hill Cemetery.
• Strong maintained that the county “operated legally” in the removal, but Attorney General Steve Marshall has said the move is under review. For the actual removal, though, the City of Huntsville paid $33,250 for the almost nine-hour process. Strong did clarify that if they’re ordered to pay the $25,000 for violating state law, Madison County would cover that, not the City of Huntsville.

3. The gatekeeping on Hunter Biden continues 

• Last night, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson interviewed former Hunter Biden business partner Tony Bobulinski, who laid out in detail, and with proof, the interactions he had with Hunter and Joe Biden about peddling influence to foreign nations both when Joe Biden was vice president and leading up to his run for president.
• If you expected to wake up this morning and see media coverage of the Bobulinski story, you haven’t been paying attention to the media over the last 20 years. This is classic gatekeeping, and they all know exactly what they are doing.

2. Mayor Randall Woodfin wants Election Day to be a holiday

• Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has announced that he’s “officially making Election Day a city holiday in Birmingham,” because he wants to “make voting easier, not harder.” He’s even cited that the “US Census Bureau survey found that 14% … said the main reason they do not vote was because they were too busy to do so.”
• In a thread of tweets, he explained, “Making Election Day a day that is free from work should help those who are normally unable to take time off to go vote, particularly employees who work long shifts, have more than one job, and often must balance all of that with childcare.”

1. It’s almost over for Doug Jones

• The American media has spent most of 2020 covering the race between U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville like it is a close race, but with one week to go and a 14-point poll showing Tuberville leading, it appears that they have changed their tune.
• CNN released a list of U.S. Senate seats most likely to flip with Jones on top. a Wall Street Journal headline declared, “Doug Jones Faces Long Odds in Keeping Alabama Senate Seat.” NBC News is reading his political obituary by acknowledging, “Alabama Senate race offers GOP its best chance to gain a seat as Democrat Doug Jones battles Tommy Tuberville.”

• While campaigning in Pennsylvania, President Donald Trump brought up former Vice President Joe Biden’s stance on energy policies, telling the crowd that Biden would destroy the state’s economy.
• This is in reference to during the final presidential debate when Biden said he would “transition from the oil industry,” which is in addition to his pledges to end fracking. When Trump brought this up, he simply stated that Biden “blew it,” adding that getting rid of the entire industry “mean no fracking, no jobs, no energy for Pennsylvania families.”

5. Ainsworth is well-liked

• New polling data released by Cygnal shows that Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth is one of the most popular officials with Republicans in Alabama. While Ainsworth’s name ID with voters is significantly lower than Governor Kay Ivey’s, his likability ratio is much higher.
• Ivey was viewed as favorable by 71% of Republicans, 39.8% of Democrats and 59.2% of independents, while Ainsworth was viewed as favorable by 30.3% of Republicans, but was only viewed as unfavorable by 5.4%. Ivey’s ratio was 3.51:1, while Ainsworth was at 5.61:1.

4. The Jones campaign doesn’t know when ballots are due

• U.S. Senator Doug Jones’ (D-AL) reelection campaign recently had an ad taken down by Facebook because it had the incorrect dates for returning absentee ballots for Alabama, stating that they should drop off ballots by October 29 or mail them in by November 2.
• Turns out, the last day to return a ballot to a county absentee election manager is on November 2, and the last day to request a ballot is October 29.

3. We may need to look at absentee voting

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has brought up concerns about how “the left” could be using the pandemic to gain an advantage in the election. According to Marshall, this is due to courthouses being open over the weekend in Mobile and Jefferson counties for in-person absentee voting.
• Marshall also predicted that in the “upcoming legislative session, as we kind of look at the pandemic and what has been the consequences of that, I would not be surprised if the legislative body looked a little bit about where we are on voting and how it is taking place.”

2. A judge created voter suppression in Alabama

• Much has been made about voter suppression in Alabama, but actual voter suppression efforts have been harder to nail down, until now. Judge Abdul K. Kallon was able to change the rules by declaring absentee ballots no longer require witness signatures or notarization and waive the voter ID requirement for those 65 years or older who have pre-existing conditions,
• This obviously did not stand, and the United States Supreme Court, giving us a preview of the future, put Alabama law back in play and reinstated absentee ballot requirements. This puts the ballots cast incorrectly in a situation where they will not be counted.

1. Notorious ACB confirmed

• On Monday night, Judge Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become the next U.S. Supreme Court justice along almost party-line vote where only U.S. Senator Susan Collins (D-ME) being the only Republican to vote against Barrett. Alabama’s junior Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL) voted no, while Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) voted yes. Jones’ opponent, former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville said, “Instead of standing up for our conservative Alabama values and voting to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Doug Jones voted against her nomination and represented the liberal beliefs of his high-dollar campaign donors in California and New York.”
• Not surprisingly, the reaction to the confirmation was swift and angry, with Democrats declaring that Republicans will “regret” this, that there will be consequences and the court will be expanded. Even former Vice President Joe Biden declared that he may set up a new rotational Supreme Court.

Now, many are worried that their votes won’t count if they show up without their witness signatures and copies of their photo IDs.

They are right. Judge Kallon disenfranchised these people. He suppressed their vote and robbed them of their franchise.

Unlike Buzzfeed, I spoke to Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill about these decisions, and all is not lost.

According to Merrill, the ballots that were collected from the moment of the errant ruling to the moment it was overturned will be counted. The rules the judge created out of thin air will stand for those ballots, but those received after will be held to Alabama’s actual absentee balloting laws, not Kallon’s ruling.

In my opinion, this is arguably the correct decision.

But Judge Kallon should have never changed the rules mid-election, while votes are being counted, because now we have a fiasco on our hands.

Again, this judge actually disenfranchised people — some cast votes that will not be counted, and he is solely responsible.

Alabama law was clear and simple. Judge Kallon made it more complicated.

Because of this, there will be votes not counted. He made things worse.

This right here is the problem with how litigious we have become in dealing with our electoral system. Instead of following and changing the law through the appropriate legislative process, there are those who — like in this case — opt to seek out judges that will unilaterally give the plaintiffs what they want.

Be prepared for more of this as we move forward with courts and the Supreme Court dealing with these issues during the 2020 election and the days that follow. This is an area rife for misinformation and manipulation.

Maybe judges and other officials shouldn’t be screwing around with how votes are counted right before an election?

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• There is yet to be an agreement met on a potential coronavirus stimulus package, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has said that it “could happen” sometime this week. She is blaming Republicans for the delay.
• Pelosi said that Republicans are “moving the goalposts,” but she said that for something to happen this week, it’s up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) “as to whether it would happen in the Senate and go to the president’s desk, which is our hope and prayer.”

5. Barrett nomination advanced

• The nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court was advanced in a 51-48 Senate vote. The final vote is expected to take place Monday.
• From Alabama, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) voted to advance Barrett, but U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) voted not to, which was expected from both senators based on previous statements.

4. Alabama can avoid another shutdown

• As coronavirus cases continue to grow in Alabama and record numbers are seen nationwide, UAB’s Dr. Rachael Lee has discussed the issue of countries in Europe shutting down again as they’re experiencing a second wave of the coronavirus, but Lee has said that there are simple ways to avoid a situation that forces states like Alabama to shut down again.
• Of course, there has to be strict mask-wearing, social distancing and other general precautions taken to avoid another shutdown. Lee also said that as a precaution, people should pay attention to avoiding large indoor gatherings with groups of people.

3. Some Democrats are fundraising off Lt. Gov. Ainsworth having the coronavirus

• The Alabama Democratic Victory has made it their mission to fundraise off Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth testing positive for the coronavirus, but they’re also spreading false information about where he stands on the mask issue.
• While Ainsworth has been opposed to a statewide mask mandate, he still advocates for people to wear masks. The email states that Ainsworth “doesn’t believe in science and doesn’t understand that wearing a mask is about social responsibility and public safety.” Previously, Ainsworth has plainly stated that “Masks should be worn to combat further outbreaks,” and even said that wearing masks “and maintaining social distancing are among the best ways to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

2. Vote totals have already surpassed 2016

• We are more than one week from Election Day and more people have cast ballots than they did in all of 2016 in early voting, with 58 million+ votes already by mail or in-person with one-third of those votes coming from California, Texas and Florida.
• Even U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is pointlessly complaining about the election system in Alabama. The state has surpassed its record of absentee voters with 145,000+ already voting and an additional 70,000 that have not been mailed back yet.

1. Trump shows Alabama candidates love at Florida rally

• While at a campaign rally in Pensacola, Florida, President Donald Trump took time to mention the state of Alabama, U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Tuberville and congressional candidate Jerry Carl. Carl also spoke during the event.
• Trump said that Tuberville is a “great candidate” and made sure to mention that he’ll “be a fantastic senator.” Trump told Carl before he gave his own speech, “You have my total endorsement. Go get ‘em.”

Jackson and Handback are joined by Secretary of State John Merrill to discuss the latest Supreme Court ruling about voting in Alabama and the absentee voting currently taking place.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” at those who think judges should be deciding the rules for voting and not the legislators who were elected to do just that.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• The United States Food and Drug Administration has announced the first fully approved treatment for the coronavirus is remdesivir, which was produced by Gilead Science. This decision will allow the usage to expand.
• Remdesivir was discovered and tested at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and is for patients that have been hospitalized. President Donald Trump was treated with the drug during his hospital stay after testing positive for the coronavirus.

5 Democrats don’t actually want to do anything

• As coronavirus stimulus package talks have failed, again, proving that there won’t be any relief delivered before the general election on November 3, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) voted against all stimulus.
• U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) said that they “could have done better,” but ultimately, “the Democrats don’t want anything.” Shelby even indicated that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is likely “looking down the road, maybe, until after the election.”

4. Jerry Carl to appear at a Trump rally

• Mobile County Commissioner Jerry Carl will speak at President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Pensacola today. Carl, a candidate for Alabama First Congressional District, has been endorsed by Trump.
• Carl plans to talk about “economic development” during his allotted time. Carl said, “The last four years, the job market has gotten so good and, around the whole state, we got below 3% (unemployment) before Covid hit.” He’s also crediting Trump with this improvement.

3. Alabama is prepping for civil unrest

• In anticipation of riots and civil unrest after the November 3 general election, people across Alabama have been stocking up on ammunition, and the concerns have just been reinforced by the general unrest the country has seen in recent months.
• At The Gun Shop in Gadsden, employees said that ammunition for a 9mm is becoming harder to get, which drives the price up to three times what it normally is in some areas. The owner of Stone Arms Inc., Jeff Stone, has said that sales usually increase during an election year, but this year is “[n]ot even comparable” with previous election years.

2. Doug Jones must be trying to lose

• Former Vice President Joe Biden was featured in a new campaign email sent out by U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), where Biden calls Jones an “old friend,” adding he needs “Doug’s help in the Senate.”
• The email from Biden continues on to say, “I always say this election is a battle for the soul of our country. In a few places are those stakes as clear as in Alabama.” Biden also emphasizes Jones’ record in the Senate. It states, “Every time we needed him to stand up for us, Doug Jones was there.”

1. Final presidential debate

• Last night, the final presidential debate was held in Nashville, Tennessee, and it was a much more substantive debate because the candidates allowed it to be. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden spent the evening declaring he never wanted to ban fracking (he did), he would end the oil and gas industry, and that no one lost their health insurance under Obamacare (they did). President Donald Trump’s sale’s pitch consisted of praising the economy he built and wants to rebuild, hammering Biden as a do-nothing politician and forcing Hunter Biden’s laptop into the conversation.
• Moderator Kristen Welker refused to bring up Hunter Biden’s laptop and even asked if it was real, even as President Trump pushed the story. The former vice president declared the whole thing as Russian misinformation in spite of the fact that Hunter Biden’s former business partner held a press conference prior to the debate accusing Joe Biden of being involved in selling access, released text messages affirming that and is prepared to head to Washington, D.C. for hearings.

Democrats in Alabama had no business winning the Senate seat that Jones will lose in less than two weeks and their behavior, which mirrors national Democrats, only marginalizes them further.

Look at Macon County Democrats: They are placing signs telling voters that “Racism is on the ballot.” It’s not, and this divisive messaging doesn’t stay in Macon County anymore.

All over the state, voters were told that Alabama Democrats can’t stop calling everyone “racist.”

This isn’t 1965 or even 1995. This kind of inflammatory nonsense gets spread to suburbs and rural areas via the internet.

Non-racists don’t like this.

Witness the completely asinine push for a debate by Senator Jones with Tommy Tuberville. This does nothing but scream, “I am going to lose.” We are 12 days out, and all we are getting from Jones is that Tuberville was a bad coach (he wasn’t), swindled people (it appears that is untrue) or that he’s a “coward” for not debating.

Now email me at dale@yellowhammernews.com, and tell me a single candidate that lost a race because he refused to debate. I’ll wait.

Oh, and a Joe Biden endorsement? That’ll really help in Alabama. Was Hunter not available?

You know what Jones, the state’s highest-profile Democrat, can’t do? Explain how he is in touch with the politics and culture of Alabama.

His campaign is one long explanation about how the way he feels is different than what we have all seen with our own eyes.

On guns, he believes Alabamians are ready for gun control. Alabamians aren’t.

On abortion, he has said he is pro-choice until birth, but now he isn’t — and the media is going right along. Alabamians aren’t.

One of two things has to happen for Democrats to be more than a party of Birmingham, the Black Belt and a shrinking media-PR arm that can’t move the needle outside of their congratulatory tweets to each other:

1. The state has to change.
2. They have to convince people they are something they are not.

I don’t think the state is going to become a liberal hotspot anytime soon, so it might be time to just start attempting to change people’s minds by being honest about what you want as Alabama Democrats.

Run people that will tell you what they actually believe and not require an untrusted media to repackage your positions.

Yes, Democrats in other states will send you money, but they can’t vote for you.

Go all in. Stop trying to be Republican-lite. No one believes you and November 3’s election results in Alabama will make that point again.

Learn nothing.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• A statement released by the City of Birmingham shows that they’re currently $179 million in debt, but refinancing so that they can lower their interest and save about $44 million, which has become an important part of Mayor Randall Woodfin’s proposed budget for 2021.
• Woodfin said that when he initially took office, “the city was not on sound financial footing,” but with this decision, they “have dramatically increased our payment to the pension” that wasn’t being paid on previously. He went on to say that they “have reduced the cost of borrowing money and have strengthened our financial position.”

5. Alabama voting laws restored

• In a sign of things to come after Amy Coney Barrett is confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States, District Judge Abdul K. Kallon’s flippant decision to allow curbside voting is the latest voting-related ruling the Supreme Court has overturned. The vote was 5-3.
• Secretary of State John Merrill responded by reminded people who make laws in America, saying, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have worked diligently with local election officials in all 67 counties to offer safe and secure voting methods — including through the in-person and mail-in processes. I am glad the Supreme Court has recognized our actions to expand absentee voting, while also maintaining the safeguards put into place by the state Legislature.”

4. More Biden corruption — media doesn’t care

• The American media is disinterested, but more Hunter Biden/Joe Biden revelations have surfaced. Delaware Attorney General has forwarded child endangerment concerns to the FBI as former Vice President Joe Biden calls the information a “desperate smear campaign.”
• The New York Times is trying to sell a “both sides do it” story about a bank account the Trump Organization had in China since 2013 that has been inactive since 2015. The media only stopped pushing that when they started pushing an unverified, debunked Giuliani scandal.

3. Ainsworth tests positive for COVID-19

• Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth has announced he tested positive for the coronavirus Wednesday afternoon but is asymptomatic currently. In his statement, Ainsworth said that he’s been taking the proper precautions, adding this shows “that even those of us who are the most cautious can be at risk.”
• Ainsworth has quarantined and will remain quarantined “for the appropriate period and seek follow-up tests to ensure the virus has run its course before resuming public activities.”

2. “Racism is on the ballot”

• The Macon County Democratic Party has been putting up signs across the area that say “Racism is on the ballot.” The sign portrays a Confederate flag next to a Trump 2020 flag.
• The bottom of the signs being distributed say “Vote the straight Democratic ticket on Nov 3 and make a difference.” Macon County has regularly voted Democrat. It is known as one of the counties in Alabama that heavily supports U.S. Sen. Doug Jones (D-AL).

1. Election interference is happening and Trump isn’t benefiting

• Last night, Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe held a press conference to let Americans know that the Russians and the Iranians have interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election with Iran being behind the obviously faked “Proud Boys” emails that targeted registered Democrats with threats of harm.
• Russian interference has not yet materialized in any quantitative way, but DNI Ratcliffe said both Iran and Russia have obtained voter data and may use it. He advised, “This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information to registered voters that they hope will cause confusion, sow chaos, and undermine your confidence in American democracy.”

• The proposed $15 per hour minimum wage by former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign would make a big impact on Alabama, but not in a positive way. Estimates done through economic analysis show Alabama could lose 53,227 jobs over six years.
• The report by Employment Politics Institute shows that across the country, there would be 2 million jobs lost, with most of them being in “Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation and Accommodation and Food Services.”

5. Trump administration investing in Alabama

• The Economic Development Administration will be granting the University of West Alabama $1.7 million to improve the Port of Epes Industrial Park in Sumter County, which is an inland port on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
• This federal grant will be matched with $540,000 in local funds. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross advised, “The Trump Administration is committed to helping communities in Alabama and across the nation grow through strategic investment.”

4. Vote to confirm Amy Coney Barrett scheduled

• U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced that next Monday, they will “be voting to confirm Justice-to-be” Amy Coney Barrett.
• McConnell also said that he thinks confirming Barrett “will be another signature accomplishment in our effort to put on the courts, the federal courts, men and women who believe in a quaint notion that the job of a judge is to actually follow the law.”

3. Shelby isn’t sure a stimulus deal will happen

• Constant negotiations over a new coronavirus relief or stimulus package seem to have gotten nowhere, and now with another deadline here, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) has expressed skepticism on a deal happening.
• Shelby said that he and his staff have been working on the language of the bill, adding, “You never know what’s going to happen around here at the last minute … it’s getting to be toward the last minute and the clock keeps ticking away. I’m not optimistic about doing anything.”

2. Nothing wrong with church donation advertisement

• An advertisement was published in the Choctaw Sun on October 14 that promoted early voting, saying those who did “your church will get $6.00 per person. We will verify if they have registered and checks will be dispersed after October 29^th.” This is a new effort led by the Alabama New South Coalition.
• Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has clarified that this is not “illegal, immoral or unethical,” but it’s still “not a best practice or something that should be encouraged.” If individuals themselves were being paid or if the ad was specifically advocating for a specific party or candidate, then this activity would be illegal.

1. Investigating Hunter

• President Donald Trump is now requesting and insisting that U.S. Attorney General William Barr investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, and his dealings with Burisma Holdings, the natural gas company in Ukraine. Trump made these statements on “Fox & Friends.”
• Trump has also called on the FBI to investigate the Bidens, saying that they’re an “organized crime family.” This also continues Trump’s narrative that Joe Biden “should be in jail” as he is a “criminal.”

Doug Jones will lose. My two-year-old could beat him.

The idea that Jones is leading Tuberville comes from one source — Doug Jones. It was then amplified by many sources.

These same sources pushing this clearly unrealistic situation refuse to cover the clear wrongdoing by former Vice President Joe Biden and his son. But, they ignore these stories for the same reason.

Tuberville responded with four polls of his own refuting Jones’ poll.

I have obtained @TTuberville internal polling memo that strongly rebuts the below internal from Jones camp.

(Note: Moore Information'd polling was very accurate for Tuberville in primary & runoff. This latest tracks w/ all independent polling in the general.) #ALSen #alpolitics https://t.co/kuOkslr6k1 pic.twitter.com/G3pNvqmbwR

— Sean Ross (@sean_yhn) October 19, 2020

Tuberville is now fundraising off of the Jones poll, while the folks at Alabama Media Group tell you they don’t understand what is happening.

He’s trolling and fundraising.

Seriously, they are telling you they don’t get it. Believe them.

The media and their Democrats need to build a narrative of inevitability for Joe Biden winning the presidency.

Every year, Georgia is in play, but for real this time.

Every year, Texas is in play, but for real this time.

Now, even Alabama’s Senate seat is in play. Of course, it is not.

What exactly is the reason that an Alabama voter would go from voting for Donald Trump’s reelection to voting for Doug Jones’ reelection?

What issues do they share in common?

Taxes? No.

Abortion? No.

Healthcare? No.

Gun rights? No.

Supreme Court picks? No.

Hunter Biden’s laptop? Doubtful.

This is embarrassing and simple.

Trump vs. Biden in Alabama:

Tuberville vs. Jones in Alabama:

Doug Jones will lose. Period.

It will be a double-digit loss; if it is any closer, consider that a win for the Democrats. Then, we can all get ready for the media to tell you that Walt Maddox, Randall Woodfin or Steven Reed will be the next governor because the state is turning purple. For real this time. Honest.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• The mute button has worked its way into a presidential debate after all as the rules for Thursday’s debates are becoming clearer, and we will witness President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden have their mics cut for two minutes each at the beginning of each round. However, this does still leave 11 minutes for the moderator and former VP to attack the president and keep him from asking Biden about what he knew about Hunter’s business dealings with America’s enemies.
• For the second debate in a row, the moderator, Kristen Welker, appears to have a set of biases that have been ignored, including familial Democratic ties, previous behavior and her “deep Democrat ties.” Welker’s questions for the debate appear to omit foreign policy for what was originally scheduled as a foreign policy debate.

5. More jobs coming to Alabama

• In Alabama, International Automotive Components (IAC) will be investing $55.9 million to expand two vehicle parts manufacturing facilities in Tuscaloosa and Calhoun Counties.
• This expansion will create 182 new jobs. President of IAC Nick Skwait said, “Alabama was the logical choice due to its skilled workforce and proximity to the customer.”

4. ACB cannot be confirmed soon enough

• With Chief Justice John Roberts casting the tying vote, the U.S. Supreme Court said election officials in Pennsylvania may accept absentee ballots received three days after the election. This move ignores the will of Pennsylvania legislators and changes how elections may be conducted in the future.
• The path to confirming Supreme Court justice nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett has become clear. It could happen as soon as Sunday but Monday is more likely.

3. Even more information about Hunter Biden emerges

• As the American media and Big Tech continue to offer nothing but dismissals and silence on the latest issues surrounding former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter, new reporting shows the younger Biden did put his signature on paperwork from the Delaware computer repair shop.
• Additional documents obtained by Fox News include FBI paperwork that details the bureau’s interactions with John Paul Mac Isaac, the owner of The Mac Shop who reported the laptop’s contents to authorities. Fox News reporting says that the emails were legitimate after speaking to one of the people who was copied on the email. Other sources confirmed that the  “the big guy” referenced in the emails is the former vice president.

2. DNI: Hunter Biden laptop story isn’t Russian disinformation

• Former Vice President Joe Biden’s alleged involvement in his son’s dealings with Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma Holdings has been forced to the spotlight, but some, including U.S. Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), have attempted to disprove reports by alleging that it’s “Russian disinformation.”
• Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe has cleared this issue up, at least, and said that in no way is the story involving Hunter Biden’s laptop “part of some Russian disinformation campaign,” and even added that “some of the people who complain the most about intelligence being politicized are the ones politicizing the intelligence.”

1. Tuberville is actually up in the polls

• Recently, internal polling data showed that U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has a 1% advantage over former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville in the U.S. Senate race in Alabama, but now, the Tuberville campaign has released their own data.
• Internal polling from Tuberville shows that Jones is actually at 40%, while Tuberville leads with 55%. Another 4% are undecided or voting for another candidate. The data from Tuberville’s campaign was obtained through the Moore Information Group.

• There will be a vote in the U.S. Senate this week on a “skinny” coronavirus relief bill of $500 billion, as announced by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The funding will be for vaccine production, schools, the Paycheck Protection Program and unemployment benefits. The vote will be held on Wednesday. 
• But Nancy Pelosi doesn’t seem to be sold on this and has set a deadline for Monday for anything to get done, saying that she and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin need to reach an agreement within 48 hours if they want to pass a coronavirus stimulus relief bill before the nation votes on November 3.

5. Social media continues to do itself no favors while helping Biden

• Former Vice President Joe Biden has recently been criticized after the New York Post released a report on Hunter Biden and their dealings with Burisma Holdings in Ukraine. After Twitter and Facebook censored the story, there’s been renewed criticism of Biden as his ties to social media have been revealed with a relationship between Democrats and the companies. 
• Former Facebook executive Jessica Hertz and former Twitter executive Carlos Monje have both been hired for the Biden transition team. Both of these hiring decisions were made just days after the campaign asked Facebook to censor President Donald Trump’s posts and days after Twitter censored the Hunter Biden story. 

4. Voting is apparently super-hard, so you need to register to vote today

• To qualify to vote in the general election on November 3, you have to be registered by the end of the day on October 19 in Alabama. Voter registration is closed for the last 14 days leading up to the election, and you have to be 18 years or older to register. 
• Meanwhile, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has said that there have been a record number of voters request absentee ballots with 1,000 absentee ballots cast, which surpasses the previous record of 89,000. It’s expected that by Election Day, 150,000 people will have voted absentee; overall, we’ll have a record 2.8 million voters participate in this election. 

3. Journalists against journalism

• While Joe Biden and his son deal with issues with a laptop in Delaware, the American media is in full-blown defense mode with the New York Times covering the way the story was published at the New York Post instead of the stories that were uncovered.
• Even with all the attacks on the story, the facts are pretty simple: Neither Hunter Biden nor Joe Biden claims the hard drive isn’t real or his. A business partner of the younger Biden confirmed it, and the repairman has gone on the record. But, the media’s decision that unverified sources don’t count is a new standard in the Trump era, and hilariously, the media is now pushing a completely unverified angle of the whole thing being Russian misinformation with no evidence of that being true.

2. Saban never had the coronavirus after all

• University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday last week, and it was initially expected that he wouldn’t be able to coach the game against Georgia. However, through following Southeastern Conference (SEC) testing protocols, it was determined Saban had a false positive. 
• On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Saban received three consecutive negative coronavirus tests after his initial positive. By protocol standards, it was determined that his initial test was a false positive, and he was able to coach on the sidelines for Saturday’s game. 

1. Jones cites one poll to claim the race is tight

• In a series of emails sent to his supporters and then echoed in the media, U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) claims polling shows that he has either pulled into a statistical tie, is within the margin of error or is leading former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville in the race for U.S. Senate in Alabama. 
• The poll being cited has him with a 48-47 lead over Tuberville and represents the only poll showing him with a lead or within 10 points at fivethirtyeight.com.

Jackson and Handback are joined by executive director of United Women of Color Angela Curry to discuss voting issues in Alabama and the 2020 election.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” at journalists who seem to have a problem with journalism when they don’t like the outcome of the story.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

Biden angrily claims the answer to that is no. His son is just a misunderstood 50-year-old kid.

The New York Post has printed multiple stories and photos in recent days that purport to show Hunter Biden was doing more than was known and was involving his father and mother-in-law in the matters as well.

The American media seems uninterested in this story. They don’t even want to discredit it, and the Biden camp doesn’t even dispute it.

Big Tech has decided they will either block the story or limit its spread through their platforms because of the “hacked” information that was never hacked in any way.

We all obviously know what this really is: it’s a story that hurts the Democratic presidential candidate for; the media and Big Tech want Joe Biden to win.

For that reason, Joe Biden must lose, according to former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Jay Town.

Town appeared Friday on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” and expressed his dismay that the media is covering up this story. He also said that if Trump loses, we may never get to the bottom of the tale.

Many were concerned that Biden appeared at a town hall with former Clinton spokesperson turned straight-news journalist George Stephanopoulos, and the issue was not even mentioned in passing.

Town noted, “[T]his is real news, this is the New York Post.”

He added that ABC didn’t even have to talk about the actual story because they could have asked about Twitter and Facebook’s use of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and whether it still applied.

Town emphasized that the NY Post is “the fourth-largest distribution in the country for a newspaper” and ABC didn’t touch it.

“[I]t really is astounding, and to think that there is no coordination here would be naive,” he lamented.

Most acknowledge the liberal media bias. The media and their Democrats are working together in the open, and have been for years, but what Town found more alarming is that with the American media taking a pass on this story, the only hope for an investigation is the government to look into this. He said if Trump loses, that won’t happen.

Asked if this goes away if Trump loses, Town asserted, “Oh yeah, for sure.”

“I think the American people deserve to know whether the vice president was giving access to his office through his son and through the rest of his family in sort of a straw man capacity in 2014 and later on throughout the last two years of the Obama administration,” he added.

My takeaway:

Town clearly knows that if Biden were to become President of the United States, the Department of Justice will not pursue this case. We all know that the DOJ was politicized under the Obama/Biden regime, and we have seen that bleed into the transition with the Trump administration, so why would we expect any different if Joe Biden were to win on November 3?

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign has come out with a weak defense against the allegation that he met with an executive member of Burisma Holdings, a Ukrainian natural gas company, which his son Hunter worked for.
• Twitter and Facebook have both shut down the distribution of this story, and now the Biden campaign is saying that they’re “glad” the social media sites have done this, adding that it “makes clear that these purported allegations are false.”

5. The media and their Democrats strike again

• Political editor for C-SPAN Steve Scully has been suspended indefinitely after he finally admitted that he lied about his Twitter being hacked when he tweeted, “@Scaramucci should I respond to Trump.”
• In a statement to CNN, Scully said he “was subjected to relentless criticism on social media and in conservative news outlets” as he was meant to be the moderator for the second presidential debate. He claims that he sent the tweet to Anthony Scaramucci “out of frustration” after President Donald Trump “falsely” attacked him.

4. Special session possible

• Governor Kay Ivey has announced that the legislature could be called into a special session soon, mostly to deal with how to protect businesses from coronavirus related lawsuits and bringing business to Alabama.
• Ivey said that for the state “to get back on track … it is imperative that our businesses are able to operate safely and efficiently to serve the needs of their communities on a permanent basis,” which makes liability protection for businesses even more important.

3. Trump and Biden town halls

• Thursday night, former Vice President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump held separate town hall events instead of attending the second presidential debate, and to no one’s surprise, Biden received softballs while Trump sparred with the moderator.
• NBC moderator Savanah Guthrie did not allow an audience question until the town hall was 20 minutes in. She was aggressive and combative with questions about white supremacy, transition, QAnon and his debt load. ABC moderators couldn’t get an answer from Biden on court-packing and refused to ask him about the New York Post reports about his son’s trading on the Biden name and setting up meetings with foreigners while Biden was VP.

2. Sessions endorses Tuberville

• Former U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) has come out in support of former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville against U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL), saying that he supports Tuberville “100%.”
• Sessions said in the video of his endorsement released on Twitter that “Alabama must send” Tuberville “to represent us in the Senate.” He added, “We cannot allow a Chuck Schumer acolyte – Doug Jones – to represent Alabama in the Senate.”

1. First coronavirus vaccines coming to Alabama this year

• In a media briefing, State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris spoke about what Alabama can expect in terms of a coronavirus vaccine and said that the first doses of the vaccine should be distributed “by the end of the year.”
• States are allowed to distribute the vaccine how they see fit, and Harris said that Alabama’s detailed plan on how to distribute the vaccine has been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Harris also mentioned that there’s no “question the vaccine will be a scarce resource” when first available.

• Every year, U.S. News releases a list of the “Best Places to Live” in the United States, and for the 2020-2021 list, several Alabama cities were ranked. To qualify for the list, U.S. News said cities have “to have good value, be a desirable place to live, have a strong job market and a high quality of life.”
• Huntsville was ranked highest of all Alabama cities at 15th, and the next on the list from the state was Birmingham at 109th, followed by Montgomery at 123rd and Mobile at 135th. The four largest cities in the state all made the list.

5. Birmingham will host March Madness

• In 2023, Birmingham will be hosting the first two rounds of March Madness, the NCAA Tournament for Division 1 men’s basketball. This will take place at the BJCC. In 2025, the BJCC will also host the Division 1 women’s basketball southern regional.
• Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin said that this decision “is a perfect example of cooperation between public and private partners to elevate Birmingham’s position as a great place to host world class events like March Madness.” The BJCC is currently undergoing renovations and will reopen in 2022.

4. Relief is unlikely before the election

• It’s unlikely that a coronavirus stimulus or relief package could be approved before November 3, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Mnuchin said that getting something done “before the election and executing on that would be difficult.”
• Mnuchin has been in talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) over relief packages, but there are still key disagreements, particularly on the issue of a national coronavirus testing strategy. President Donald Trump and economic adviser Larry Kudlow have voiced support for a bill that would be even larger than the initially proposed $3.4 trillion.

3. Trump and Biden are both holding town halls Thursday night

• President Donald Trump has produced the results of a coronavirus test to show that he no longer has the virus and will be holding a town hall event on NBC News on Thursday night. Former Vice President Joe Biden will also hold a town hall event on ABC News at the same time.
• Savannah Guthrie will moderate Trump’s town hall. These events are taking place instead of the second presidential debate, which was canceled after campaigns continued to go back and forth over the format once the debate was going to be held virtually. The third debate, if it happens, will be on October 22.

2. Nick Saban tests positive for coronavirus

• University of Alabama head football coach Nick Saban has tested positive for the coronavirus, as announced by the University of Alabama Athletics Department. Director of Athletics Greg Byrne has also tested positive.
• Saban reported that he’s asymptomatic and said that as soon as he knew his results he “left work and isolated at home.” Ole Miss, who Alabama played on Saturday, has reported “an issue” with positive tests recently.

1. Hunter Biden’s emails are unveiled; Big Tech then hides story

• The New York Post has now published two stories about how the former Vice President Joe Biden had reportedly misled the American people about meetings arranged by his son with individuals associated with foreign entities, such as the controversial Ukrainian energy company Burisma and Chinese entities. But social media companies don’t want you to see it.
• Even though the Biden campaign itself questionably disputed the report based on his official schedule, tech giants Facebook and Twitter have chosen to “slow down the spread of the story” and forbid the House Judiciary GOP from sharing the story, even though there has been no discrediting of the story. Wednesday night, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said, “Our communication around our actions on the @nypost article was not great. And blocking URL sharing via tweet or DM with zero context as to why we’re blocking: unacceptable.” However, the link is still blocked.

• In news that shocks absolutely no one, it appears that Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden may not have been completely honest when discussing the business ties between himself, his son and Vadym Pozharskyi, an advisor to the board of embattled Ukraniain energy firm Burisma.
• The elder Biden has repeatedly denied any knowledge of his son’s international business deals, even though they clearly traded on VP Biden’s name. Still, the emails discovered recently tell a different story as Pozharskyi writes, “Dear Hunter, thank you for inviting me to D.C. and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together. It’s realty [sic] an honor and pleasure.” An earlier email asks for advice on how Hunter Biden could use his influence on Burisma’s behalf.

5. Barrett was asked absurd questions by desperate Democrats

• During the second day of confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, Democratic U.S. Senators took what they thought would be their best shot at the nominee with a series of questions that were at best campaign speeches and at worst were attempts to go viral.
• U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) asked if Barrett had “ever made unwanted requests for sexual favors, or committed any physical or verbal harassment or assault of a sexual nature.” U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) questioned if Barrett would “condemn white supremacy.” U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) sought to get the nominee to recuse herself from election disputes.

4. al.com has a reporter rewrite a New York Times “bombshell”

• Much like they did in 2017, Alabama’s most dominant media outlet is relegated to repeater status as they repackage attacks from national media entities. This week, the New York Times released a story on how former Auburn football coach and U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Tuberville founded a charity to benefit veterans. The story goes on to report that tax returns from 2015 and 2016 show only about one-third of the funds went to veterans’ causes.
• The Tuberville campaign has detailed that in 2018, half of the spending from the foundation was for charitable purposes, and the campaign has said that criticism of the spending is an unfair attack on how Tuberville is trying to help veterans.

3. Jones knows he is done and is looking for next job

• If former Vice president Joe Biden wins the general election, it’s being reported by Politico Playbook that U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is at the top of the list to be considered for the U.S. Attorney General position.
• While the list of possible appointments for the Biden administration aren’t formal yet, they are working toward becoming that. Not long after Biden announced his presidential bid, he was endorsed by Jones, and Jones has continued to be a supporter of Biden’s campaign.

2. A win for election integrity

• For the general election, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has blocked a ruling from Judge Abdul Kallon in the Northern District of Alabama that would remove I.D. requirements for some absentee voters and witness or notary signatures for others.
• The ruling does allow counties to still provide curbside voting, which Attorney General Steve Marshall says he will challenge, but they aren’t required to provide such service. Secretary of State John Merrill said this recent decision “is a win for the people of Alabama!” He added, “The stay that has been granted maintains the integrity and security of our elections in our state – thus providing that our current election laws are not an obstacle to voters in Alabama.”

1. Pandemic could be over way sooner than thought

• Operation Warp Speed has already been a massive success. In the original story of the pandemic, 2.2 million Americans were supposed to be dead by mid-October, but the total is actually 1/10th of that as Americans agreed to shut down the economy, wear masks and socially distance, which leads all sane people to realize this has actually been a success.
• New York Times science and health reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr. wrote, “Events have moved faster than I thought possible. I have become cautiously optimistic. Experts are saying, with genuine confidence, that the pandemic in the United States will be over far sooner than they expected, possibly by the middle of next year.”

• Mercedes-Benz will be expanding its operations in Alabama by adding a 500,000 square foot facility and creating 373 new jobs as they work to manufacture more electric vehicles.
• The facility will mostly assist in building Mercedes electric vehicle manufacturing capacity and will be located in Tuscaloosa County. The facility will be a $53.6 million investment.

5. Cost of Hurricane Sally around $86 million

• Estimates have been released for the damage caused by Hurricane Sally to roads, bridges, utilities and other tax-payer funded property, and the total comes in right around $86 million, but FEMA will be helping fund repairs.
• FEMA is expected to pay local governments $64 million for repairs, which is through the Public Assistance program to allow a minimum of 75% of costs to local governments to be covered by FEMA.

4. Census response at almost 100%

• Across the state, Governor Kay Ivey and other officials have been working on getting Alabama’s response to the 2020 U.S. Census up to prevent the state from being undercounted, and those efforts have been working.
• According to the most recent data, the state is up to a response rate of 99.9%. The data shows 63.4% of households responded on their own, while 36.5% were counted by Census workers. Alabama had been last in the nation for Census response.

3. New documents show the media’s role in the Russian collusion hoax

• A newly declassified 94-page FBI spreadsheet shows that the FBI used media reporting that its assets were sources on to back up its claims about Carter Page, Paul Manafort and others. Inspector General Michael Horowitz noted that the discredited dossier’s author Christopher Steele gave bad intel to a Yahoo news reporter. The FBI then cited that article as supporting evidence.
• Although CBS News’ Catherine Herridge broke the story, not a single outlet (including her own) in the mainstream media has covered this angle of the story that shows there was a relationship between unfounded media speculation fed by leaks from the Department of Justice and the investigators who kept the probe going. The FBI used the media to plant evidence against its enemies.

2. Don’t bet on Jones

• Placing bets on elections isn’t legal in the United States, but there’s a gambling site called US-Bookies based in Denmark that shows the odds in the U.S. Senate race in Alabama between former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville and U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL).
• For Tuberville, they put his odds at 1/8 to be elected, but Jones is only at 9/2 to be reelected. Jones is showing the worst odds of any incumbent senator.

1. Democrats on the attack at Supreme Court hearings

• During the first day of Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, the Supreme Court justice nominee spoke about her philosophy and some of her views on the way the Supreme Court should work. She said, “I believe Americans of all backgrounds deserve an independent Supreme Court that interprets our Constitution and laws as they are written. And I believe I can serve my country by playing that role.”
• Democrats looked to score political points ahead of the election, and they came out swinging focusing their potential swing vote on the court for the striking down of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and her future impact on abortion law. However, a lot of the talk was about their convenient opinion on how this appointment shouldn’t be taking place in an election year.

Alabamians can prevent this catastrophe by keeping the Senate in Republican hands and doing their part to take out the Senate’s most vulnerable Democrat, Sen. Doug Jones.

A Biden/Harris/Jones agenda would make it easier for illegal immigrants to enter the country by defunding the wall. Jones wants this, too.

Once inside, illegal immigrants would easily be able to stay. Biden plans to “immediately” provide a path to citizenship to the nearly 11 million illegal aliens already here. And he bizarrely wants to freeze deportations for the first 100 days of his presidency.

This would lead to an influx of illegal immigrants and pit them against Alabama’s low-skilled workers, putting Alabamans at a huge disadvantage. One study found illegal immigrants work for wages that are 42% less than U.S.-born workers and legal immigrants’ wages.

This is especially concerning seeing how hard Alabama businesses have been hit. Nearly half of our state’s small businesses have reported that they are “not comfortable” with their cash flow, meaning that they’re not sure if they’ll be able to afford rent or payroll.

That aforementioned wage gap makes it enticing for unscrupulous, and hurting, businesses to hire illegal aliens instead of Americans.

Alabama’s workers need jobs. But if Biden’s proposed policies become reality, workers will face stiff competition from a wave of illegal immigrants who are willing to take jobs at below-market rates. A Democrat Senate makes this a real possibility.

Tommy Tuberville has expressed his strong support for securing our borders and his support for President Trump’s wall and border efforts have been a constant in his campaign.

Doug Jones and his fellow Democrats are hellbent on keeping the border porous with no real plan to fix it. The fact is, Alabama’s junior Senator actually introduced a bill to prevent $3.8 billion from being used to pay for construction for the border wall.

While we often hear that “Alabama is a red state and it doesn’t matter what we do in 2020,” the U.S. Senate race could possibly be the difference between a U.S. Senate maintained by Republicans or controlled by Chuck Schumer.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• As the United States and Europe see a new spike in coronavirus cases, Rehab Select at Talladega through the University of Alabama at Birmingham is opening a unit specifically for treating nursing home patients who come down with the coronavirus. It will be funded through the Alabama Coronavirus Relief Fund.
• Associate professor in UAB Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care Dr. Kellie Flood said that the “unit will continue our mission to provide evidence-based care for those vulnerable patients across the care continuum.”

5. “Security guard” involved in shooting is jailed

• Matthew Dolloff, who was working as an unlicensed private security guard for a TV station, has been jailed after he allegedly shot Lee Keltner during a “Patriot Rally” after Keltner sprayed Dolloff with mace. Keltner died at the hospital later.
• The shooting occurred after dueling protests were held in Denver, one a “Patriot Rally” and the other a “BLM-Antifa Soup Drive.” This was another pointless confrontation between opposing sides that serves absolutely no purpose.

4. Trump wants second debate rescheduled

• Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley has officially said that President Donald Trump is no longer considered at risk for transmitting the coronavirus to other people, but there hasn’t been any confirmation that Trump has tested negative. and now he wants the second debate to be back on.
• This comes just after Trump held his first public event after being diagnosed with the coronavirus, where he spoke from the Blue Room Balcony at the White House to a crowd and reiterated his support for law enforcement.

3. Calls for Confucius Institutes to end in Alabama

• Alabama Republicans, including U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) and State Representative Tommy Hanes (R-Bryant), have been raising red flags and calling for the ending of Chinese Communist Party-connected Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms that have popped up in colleges and K-12 schools across the state, and now the superintendent of Alabama schools has agreed.
• State Superintendent of Education Eric Mackey has sent a letter to schools systems across the state calling on them to “end” the curriculum “as soon as possible” and cited the “information provided by the U.S. Departments of State and Education” in calling for a goal to “end them at the conclusion of this semester.”

2. Amy Coney Barrett confirmation hearings to start

• The confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court starts Monday. The opening statement is out where she lays out her uncontroversial philosophy that judges shouldn’t be legislators. The focus will be on a few items that she will probably not give much information on to include Roe v. Wade, election law and Obamacare rulings.
• The attorney general’s office has received a letter from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee claiming that there were answers still needed for the Senate questionnaire given to Supreme Court nominees and saying that Barrett had left some answers out, leading Democrats to declare that the omission “raises more questions than it answers.”

1. Majority of Alabamians approve of the mask mandate

• A survey conducted through Auburn University at Montgomery’s (AUM) Department of Political Science and Public Administration reveals that a majority of people throughout the state support Governor Kay Ivey’s mask mandate.
• While appearing on Alabama Public Television’s “Capitol Journal,” assistant professor of political science at AUM David Hughes explained the data, saying “roughly three-quarters of respondents approve of the Governor’s measures.”

Jackson and Handback are joined by State Sen. Chris Elliot (R-Daphne) to discuss hurricane recovery, mask mandates, prisons and more.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” aimed at Gov. Kay Ivey, who Jackson implores to give Alabamians some metrics for the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.

• Now that former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) have decided to make a position out of not taking a position on Supreme Court-packing, Biden has unveiled that he will never tell you what he is planning. He stated, “You’ll know my position on court-packing the day after the election,” adding, “The moment I answer that question, the headline in every one of your papers will be about that rather than focusing on what’s happening now.”
• The ridiculousness of this position is pretty obvious, much like his refusal to tell people who he will appoint to the court. He fears his answer will make people decide against him at the ballot box, meaning he is admitting he is hiding this information from voters to keep their votes.

5. There was a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

• In a federal affidavit, the FBI has detailed that over the summer there was a plot formed by a group of men to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) and also a plan to try and overthrow the government through domestic terrorist attacks.
• In response to the news, Whitmer took the opportunity to blame President Donald Trump for the plot, since he’s previously tweeted things like “LIBERATE MICHIGAN” due to the coronavirus shutdowns. Former Vice President Joe Biden has supported this blame, saying that Trump’s tweet encourages these types of militant groups, which he rejected out of hand with a series of tweets declaring he rejects all violence while Democrats encourage looters.

4. Pelosi is pushing 25^th Amendment talks

• Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other Democrats will discuss the 25^th Amendment and President Donald Trump’s health, but Pelosi wouldn’t say if they’re planning to try and invoke the 25^th Amendment.
• Pelosi did question why President Donald Trump hasn’t released when his last negative coronavirus test was before he tested positive. So far, there have been 34 people in connection with Trump to test positive since he tested positive one week ago.

3. Trump won’t do virtual debate

• The Commission on Presidential Debates has announced that the next presidential debate scheduled for October 15 would be held virtually, and now President Donald Trump is saying he won’t “waste” his “time on a virtual debate. That’s not what debating is all about.”
• Trump went on to say, during an interview on Fox Business, that if he were to participate in a virtual debate, he would have to “sit behind a computer and do a debate” and they could “cut you off whenever they want.” This decision was made as Trump is still undergoing treatment for the coronavirus.

2. Tuberville hits Jones on abortion

• In a new ad released by U.S. Senate candidate Tommy Tuberville’s campaign, a woman from Chilton County, Kacy Gray, shares her first-hand experience with getting an abortion, but she says that she “asked God for forgiveness, and Doug Jones should do the same.”
• U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has made it clear that he’s pro-choice, and Tuberville’s campaign has made this a focal point in the election. Tuberville, in a statement, said that their new ad “points out that instead of representing Alabama’s conservative beliefs and moral values, Doug Jones chooses to support the Hollywood and New York values of his high dollar, out-of-state campaign donors.”

1. Schools will share coronavirus information statewide

• Alabama Superintendent Eric Mackey has recently said that schools across the state will soon be sharing information on how many positive coronavirus cases have been found in each school system. Mackey said starting the coronavirus dashboard is important, explaining, “So people take it seriously, and so they don’t overreact.”
• Mackey added that this is being done because they “want to be fully transparent so that people know that there are cases in the community,” but it will help deter rumors about how many cases there are within school systems. The data will be provided through the Alabama Department of Public Health website.

• Across the state, there’s been a rise in people being hospitalized with the coronavirus near universities, particularly in Tuscaloosa and Auburn. There are currently 69 patients hospitalized at DCH Hospital in Tuscaloosa, which hasn’t been seen since August.
• At East Alabama Medical Center in Auburn, they have 39 hospitalizations, which is lower than the peak of 62 they had in July, but more than twice what it was a month ago. A majority of patients are over the age of 65 and have preexisting conditions.

5. Clinical trials starting for drug Trump took

• UAB Hospital is working to begin a clinical trial for the antibody drug cocktail Regeneron, which was one of the treatments that President Donald Trump received for the coronavirus last week.
• Dr. Turner Overton of UAB has also been leading a monoclonal antibody treatment development, and he’s said that they’re “looking forward to being part of these studies to create a situation where we can have drugs to offer people in the outpatient setting and get our lives back to normal.”

4. Judge rules against Moore

• Former Chief Justice Roy Moore brought a lawsuit against Governor Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris over the state health orders, and especially the statewide mask mandate, claiming that these orders violate constitutional rights.
• U.S. District Judge W. Keith Watkins has shut down the request for a temporary restraining order to prevent coronavirus regulations being enforced, specifically in relation to “wearing of masks, unconstitutional regulation of houses of worship, discriminatory closings of businesses, social distancing, assembly, and stay at home orders,” as claimed by the plaintiffs. Judge Watkins detailed that this request didn’t meet the standard for issuing a temporary restraining order, since there isn’t “imminent irreparable harm.” The case will continue, but Ivey and Harris are expected to file for the case to be dismissed by the October 20 deadline.

3. Jones says climate change is not China’s problem

• U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) is in the fight for his political life and decided to play to his base by telling them that not only is America not doing enough to combat climate change but China is doing much better. He advised, “This is not a China problem,” adding, “China’s actually doing a lot to correct the problems that they’ve had in the past.” He also argued that America must rejoin the job-killing Paris accords to get on track.
• This is not true because China is by far the biggest creator of these emissions by a wide margin. The emissions are growing and based on China’s own timeline. China’s emissions won’t even peak until around 2030 while the United States is reducing its global emission in totality and cumulatively every day without the Paris Climate Accords.

2. Jones attacks Sessions’ and Trump’s Christianity 

• Senator Doug Jones made some statements against President Donald Trump and former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in a Facebook livestream campaign event. Jones said that Trump and Sessions don’t actually support Christian values.
• These statements come after a report from The New York Times unveiled that Sessions and other officials were the driving force on separating parents from their children at the border. Jones said that the views revealed in the report are “so inconsistent with the values of people in Alabama.” He added, “It is so inconsistent with the Christian values that they pretend they support…there is no way you can reconcile ripping away an infant from a mother’s arms with the Christian values we have here in the state of Alabama.”

1. VP debate 

• At the first and only vice presidential debate, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence went head to head for the first time with Pence burying Harris with a barrage of facts, corrections, Midwest politeness and pointed questions about Harris’ and former Vice President Joe Biden’s inconsistency on everything from health care, fracking, COVID-19, court-packing and even abortion.
• The American media, knowing this was a debacle for Harris, chose to focus on a fly that landed on Pence’s head for two minutes and declare that a black female couldn’t possibly win a debate in a sexist and racist America, further solidifying what everyone watching knows was a one-sided Pence victory.

He’s a loser — and not in a small way.

Now he has lost again. He didn’t want to wear a mask, and he wanted to become the face of the anti-mask movement.

A loser in court and a loser in public opinion, both once again.

Personally, the mask order is fine by me. Wear it when you go out and when you are around other people. It is simple to do and, as I have mentioned before, it is a political winner.

What Governor Kay Ivey should look to do is set some benchmarks for restaurants and other businesses to be allowed to open further, and she should include benchmarks for closing them again.

For example, the governor could loosen restrictions if Alabama’s seven-day average is under 700 new coronavirus cases for seven straight days, but the restrictions will return if the state’s average goes over 700 for seven straight days.

Set some goals. Give people some hope, and get people to buy in.

Never-ending restrictions will only test the consent of the governed, and if you lose that, every Wal-Mart will look like the Alabama gas station Dr. Deborah Birx visited where masks were scarce.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN.