7. The $232 million micro-modular reactor assembly plant planned for Gadsden is currently on hold due to Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp.’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The City of Gadsden remains committed to the project. Initially announced in 2023, the facility aimed to manufacture non-radiological reactor modules, with operations expected to begin by 2027.
6. Alabama’s new manslaughter law, targeting drug dealers whose actions lead to overdose deaths, is being tested for the first time in DeKalb County. Brandon Lee Croft, 31, has been indicted for manslaughter after allegedly supplying a fentanyl-laced dose of heroin that caused Zachary McClendon’s death in March 2023.
5. Alabama’s truest sundown town, Birmingham, has set a grim record with 149 homicides in 2024, surpassing a 91-year-old high from 1933, despite a significantly smaller population today. The latest victim, found shot in Titusville, died after an argument escalated to violence, highlighting the personal and community toll of each loss. With a homicide rate of 7.5 per 10,000 people, the city faces urgent challenges in addressing escalating violence and bringing justice to grieving families.
4. An explosive Wall Street Journal report confirms that White House aides shielded President Joe Biden’s mental decline since the start of his presidency, rescheduling meetings to accommodate “good days and bad days” and restricting his interactions with staff and press. The report highlights aides’ efforts to simplify his schedule, provide large-print directions, and control access to information. The media is in on it to, with former CNN pundit Chris Cillizza admitting he failed to push harder on concerns about President Biden’s mental decline, blaming a “shame campaign” from the White House for influencing his journalistic rigor.
3. Both of Alabama’s U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) and Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) have criticized the failed 1,547-page spending bill released just before a funding deadline; and are advocating instead for a “clean, stand-alone” government-funding measure. Aligning with President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, Britt promoted the need to end reliance on continuing resolutions and omnibus bills, which she says harm Americans and create chaos. She called for immediate action to support family farmers through a straightforward and more transparent funding approach.
2. House Republicans failed to pass a spending bill to avert a government shutdown, marking an early legislative defeat for apparently-President Trump as 38 GOP members joined Democrats in opposition. The bill faced criticism from fiscal conservatives like Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) for adding $5 trillion to the national debt and punting funding deadlines while Democrats opposed its extended debt ceiling suspension. The failure is the latest example of deep divisions within the 118th Congress’ Republican caucus and signals potential challenges for Trump in uniting his impending congressional majority.
1. Despite all of Alabama’s Republicans voting to avert a government shutdown (the lone Democrat voted no), President-elect Donald Trump’s streamlined spending bill to avert a government shutdown failed in the House of Representatives. The defeat marks a significant setback for Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, who face mounting challenges in uniting their party amid fiscal debates and political turmoil. With a shutdown looming, the bill’s failure highlights deep divisions within Congress and previews the contentious dynamics likely to define Trump’s return to Washington.
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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.
