7 Things: Mayor Peter finally addresses toxic train, Alabama abortion law sees unlikely legislative challenge, and more …

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February 16, 2023

7. Dale Strong supports a TikTok ban, Josh Hawley wants a social media age-limit

Alabama U.S. Rep. Dale Strong (R-Monrovia) says that he fully supports a ban on the Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok, but doesn’t think it should come to that in an ideal world. In ideal world, parents would lead the way, “But the thing that we need is parents and people from here just to stop using it. You don’t need government to tell you that TikTok is a threat to America. Everybody here knows that is a platform that is taking U.S. information to the Chinese government, to the Chinese people. And again, they’re watching everything that we do. But it shouldn’t take government making this move. The people of America ought to take the move themselves.”
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) also wants the app banned, but he want to go further, he wants an age limit for social media. The “Making Age-Verification Technology Uniform, Robust, and Effective Act,” would require social media platforms verify the ages of users and restrict them from allowing those who don’t meet the age-requirements from getting accounts. Many have argued that kids will try to find a way around the limits, but that doesn’t deter us from limits on smoking and drinking.

6. Britt slams Democrats and Biden over letting illegals vote

Last year the D.C. City Council already voted 12-1 to allow illegal immigrants to vote in local elections. The Republican-controlled House passed a resolution condemning their decision, but Democrats and President Biden are largely in favor of it, likely because most non-citizens would vote for them.
U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) condemned Biden’s support of this policy saying, “D.C. would even allow official representatives of the Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries to vote in local elections in our nation’s capital when their stated interests run counter to America’s interests. This is a dangerous, illogical policy that Congress has a duty to block.”

5. Another released prisoner makes the news

A program to release prisoners who are nearing the end of their term in Alabama prisons has come under fire in the state with Republican lawmakers and the Republican governor fighting over whether the newly-implemented program should end. While those who want the plan to carry on will never get points for non-offenders, the scoreboard will only go up for those who want it ended as more prisoners are released and re-offend.
The latest is 27-year-old Paul Alan Brown who was arrested as part of a scheme to smuggle fentanyl, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and marijuana into the Limestone Correctional Facility. Maybe he missed his friends? Two others arrested, Emmanuel Jamal Olds and Javonte Simons, both 19, aren’t re-offenders… yet.

4. Two dead in Tennessee National Guard crash in north Alabama

A Tennessee National Guard Black Hawk helicopter crashed on state road 53 killing both people on board. The crash left a path of fiery destruction which will close the highway for an unknown number of days.
Neither the Tennessee National Guard or Alabama authorities are commenting on possible causes until the investigation is completed.

3. Severe weather warnings in Alabama

Forecasters are warning of the likelihood of tornadoes, wind gusts up to 70 mph, hail and heavy rain on Thursday across west and central Alabama. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center raised the severe weather risk to Level 3 (out of 5), enhanced risk, for parts of west and central Alabama. Areas which may be hit include Florence, Decatur, Huntsville, Birmingham, and Tuscaloosa.
So far 8 school districts across the state have announced they are closing school, releasing early, or utilizing virtual learning on Thursday because of the risk of severe weather.

2. Legislature could take on changes to Alabama abortion law

State Rep. Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa), introduced HB17 which would remove the misdemeanor penalties for inducing or attempting to induce an abortion, miscarriage or premature delivery. The penalties are measly. Perpetrators would face a fine of $100-$1,000 and up to 12 months of hard labor or jail.
Prior complaints about the Human Life Protection Act focused on the fact that no exceptions are made in the cases of rape and incest. However, it seems like “women’s rights” are not the priority of Alabama Democrats, but flexibility and protection for abortion providers.

1. 10 days later, where is Mayor Pete

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has finally addressed the train derailment in Palestine, Ohio which saw days of fires, the controlled release of toxic chemicals into the air, and the evacuation of hundreds of people. Upon finally addressing the mess, Buttigieg blamed the train derailment on former President Donald Trump for revoking an obscure rule about electric brakes.
This did not persuade the people at a town hall in Palestine, they asked repeatedly where Mayor Pete was and what the Biden administration was doing. The stay-away order was lifted 5 days after the incident and the air quality of 241 homes has been checked so far, but locals say the air still burns their throats, and water has been contaminated.