State announces mandatory testing in Lauderdale and Colbert Counties for Chronic Wasting Disease
On Wednesday, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced that under Alabama’s Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Management Zone Regulation (220-2-.167), all deer harvested in Lauderdale and Colbert Counties during specific weekends of the 2023-2024 white-tailed deer season must have samples submitted for CWD testing. The mandatory sampling weekends in the High-Risk Zone of the CMZ are November 18-19 and December 2-3, 2023. The mandatory sampling weekends in the Buffer Zone of the CMZ are November 18-19, 2023, and January 6-7, 2024. The mandatory CWD sampling weekends apply to all of Lauderdale and Colbert counties in northwest Alabama. To find the sampling locations within the CMZ, visit ADCNR’s webpage. The dates of the mandatory weekends for the High-Risk Zone and Buffer Zone were selected because they correspond with peaks in Alabama’s deer harvest. Nov. 18-19 is the opening weekend of Alabama’s deer season in Northwest Alabama. The selection of Jan 6-7 is timed with the rut in northwest Alabama. The rut is when the most does (female deer) are most likely to be in estrus; thus, the deer are focused on mating and are less cautious about possible threats – like hunters. Outside those weekends, hunters are encouraged to voluntarily drop off samples for testing at the self-service freezers in the appropriate CMZ zone. All deer harvested by hunters on public land in the CMZ must be sampled throughout the season. Those public lands include the Freedom Hills WMA, Lauderdale WMA, Seven-Mile Island WMA, Cherokee Physically Disabled Hunting Area, and Riverton Community Hunting Area. To prevent the spread of CWD, there are also restrictions in place under the CWD regulation that prohibit the transport of deer carcasses and deer parts in the CMZ. Deer harvested within the High-Risk Zone must remain and be disposed of within the High-Risk Zone. Deer harvested within the Buffer Zone must remain and be disposed of within the CMZ. Deboned meat, cleaned skull plates, and raw hides with no visible brain or spinal cord tissue may be taken outside of these zones. Transporting deer carcasses out of the management zone can potentially spread CWD to currently unaffected areas. To hunt deer in any part of Alabama requires being in possession of a valid hunting license. There are also reporting requirements under Game Check in place statewide. CWD is a contagious neurological disease of white-tailed deer and other deer species such as elk, axis deer, mule deer, etc. CWD is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy disease similar to scrapie in sheep and mad cow disease (bovine spongiform encephalopathy – BSE) in cattle. The disease is caused by a mutated protein called a prion. Chronic Wasting Disease is 100% fatal in white-tailed deer. The prions accumulate in the brain, leading to the onset of symptoms that grow progressively worse over time. Based on the experience with BSE in Great Britain, there is a potential risk to humans who consume the prion-contaminated meats. For this reason, it is not recommended that anyone consume the brain or spinal cord tissue of any deer. The carcass of a known CWD-positive deer should also not be consumed as a precaution. To date, there has not been any known instance of a human becoming sick from CWD. The first CWD-positive deer in Alabama’s deer herd was detected in Lauderdale County in January 2022. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. Mike Rogers warns that China and Russia are working together to weaponize space
On Wednesday, Congressman Mike Rogers (R-AL03) released a statement following reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for greater cooperation between Russia and China on the development and deployment of military space weapons. “Our adversaries are working to rapidly weaponize space,” said Rep. Rogers. “The possibility of Russia and China joining forces against us in space is only the latest example of why we must continue our efforts to strengthen and expand our space capabilities. We must ensure freedom of action in space and counter efforts by those like China and Russia who seek to attack our forces in and through space.” Mike Rogers is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. On Wednesday, Putin met with Chinese General Zhang Youxia, China’s second-ranking military official and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission. In his televised remarks, Putin emphasized the importance of developing closer military links, noting that cooperation in high-tech spheres now takes priority. “I mean space, including high-orbit assets, and new prospective types of weapons that will ensure strategic security of both Russia and the People’s Republic of China,” Putin said without elaboration. Putin emphasized that while “Russia and China aren’t building any military alliances based on Cold War patterns,” their cooperation is a “serious factor in stabilizing the international situation.” Space weapons have the potential to greatly impact the next major war. Communications, weather forecasting, navigation, global surveillance, early warning systems, and even weapons guidance all rely on a sophisticated network of satellites. An adversary who was capable of killing their opponent’s satellite network would quickly make their enemy blind and with limited command and control of their forces – particularly those forces on other continents. It could prove to be a decisive advantage in a major conflict. China has already tested an antisatellite weapon, and all major powers are rushing to gain mastery of the space battlefield. A bipartisan commission on the strategic posture of the United States recently prepared a report warning that the U.S. must be prepared to deter a future nuclear war against both China and Russia at the same time. “For the first time in history, the United States must deter two near-peer nuclear adversaries at the same time,” Rogers said in a statement on Thursday. “The goal of the Strategic Posture Commission was to examine the long-term strategic posture of the United States. The results of their report detailed the gravity of the situation we face and emphasized that the current trajectory of the U.S. nuclear deterrent is insufficient to deter the looming Chinese and Russian threat. I want to thank the commission for producing a clear-eyed, sobering consensus report. The details of this report should serve as a wakeup call for our strategic posture – we need to rapidly make changes now if we want to deter tomorrow.” Rogers is in his 11th term representing Alabama’s Third Congressional District and has qualified with the Alabama Republican Party to run for a twelfth term. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Rep. Gary Palmer says Mike Johnson is “the right person” to lead the House
On Wednesday, Congressman Gary Palmer (R-AL06) recently updated his constituents on the recent events leading to the selection of a new Speaker of the House. Palmer, who had been a candidate for Speaker himself at one point, said that Mike Johnson is “exactly the right person to lead the House.” “It has been a busy few weeks in Washington, D.C., with most of the activity revolving around selecting a new Speaker of the House,” Rep. Palmer wrote. “I am glad to report we selected Mike Johnson of Louisiana to serve in this role. Mike and I knew each other before either of us were elected to Congress. He is the real deal and, I believe, exactly the right person to lead the House at this very difficult time. He is someone committed to making the changes we desperately need to make. He is also committed to a conservative policy agenda that is long overdue in Washington.” “For the first time in history, the Speaker of the House was removed from their position using the motion to vacate,” Palmer said. “During our search for a new Speaker, several options were considered. I was a strong supporter of Jim Jordan due to his leadership abilities and conservative principles. Unfortunately, not all Republicans were willing to unite around him for Speaker. After this, I put my name in the hat for Speaker. Our party doesn’t need a personality as a leader; we need a plan and steady, conservative leadership. I introduced the ‘Palmer Principles,’ my plan for major changes to our appropriations process to prevent the introduction of big omnibus appropriations bills. Once the remaining candidates committed to similar principles, I removed my name from consideration in efforts to help us find a majority candidate as soon as possible.” “Speaker Mike Johnson is a principled, unwavering conservative who will live out his faith in God as he serves the country,” Palmer concluded. “I am looking forward to working with him to help lead our country forward.” Mike Johnson is 51 years old and was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, the eldest of four children. His father was a firefighter who was disabled on the job. He graduated from Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from LSU, and then a law degree from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert Law Center. Johnson became a constitutional lawyer and rose to become a senior attorney and partner at Kitchens Law Firm in Minden, Louisiana. He was also a litigator and spokesman for the Alliance Defense Fund (later Alliance Defending Freedom; ADF). From 2004 to 2012, Johnson was a trustee of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. Johnson also was a college professor and a conservative talk radio host. In February 2015, Johnson was elected to the lower chamber of the Louisiana legislature. In 2016, Johnson was elected to represent Louisiana’s 4th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was reelected in 2018, 2020, and 2022. He entered Congress in the same election that elevated Republican Donald Trump to the White House. Johnson soon became a member of the president’s inner circle, regularly joining the entourage that flew with the president on Air Force One. He has a 92 percent rating from the Conservative Political Action Conference (formerly American Conservative Union) and an A” rating from the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America organization. Gary Palmer has qualified for a sixth term in the United States Congress, representing Alabama’s Sixth District. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Gov. Kay Ivey announces that Kenneth Eugene Smith will be executed on January 26
On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced that she had set the timeframe for the execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith to occur beginning at midnight on Thursday, January 25, 2024, and expiring by 6:00 a.m. on Friday, January 26, 2024. Smith was one of two men who were each paid $1000 to kill Elizabeth Sennett on behalf of her husband, a preacher who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on her life insurance. The execution will be the first person ever to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia. This is the method previously requested by the inmate as an alternative to lethal injection. Smith was scheduled to be executed by lethal injection back on September 22, but the state of Alabama called off the execution when Alabama Department of Corrections workers were not able to access Smith’s veins before the deadline passed. Proponents argue that nitrogen hypoxia is more humane than electrocution or lethal injection. The Alabama Supreme Court has approved allowing the state to begin executing people by nitrogen hypoxia. Nitrogen hypoxia is a method of suffocating a person by forcing them to breathe pure nitrogen, starving them of oxygen until they die. Nitrogen is an inert gas that makes up 78 percent of the air we breathe, passing in and out of the body harmlessly with every breath. A person can breathe pure nitrogen and not immediately realize there is a problem, but their cells and organs are slowly being deprived of the oxygen needed to function and will rapidly start to break down. Someone deprived of oxygen will pass out in minutes and die soon after when the heart stops beating. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Three Republicans have qualified in Congressional District 2
Three Republicans have qualified to run for Alabama’s Second Congressional District (CD2). State Senator Greg Albritton of Atmore, former State Senator Dick Brewbaker of Pike Road, and prominent real estate attorney Caroleene Dobson of Montgomery have all qualified with the Alabama Republican Party to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in the redrawn CD2. The Second District is currently represented by Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise), but the court-appointed special master redrew the First and Second Congressional Districts in such a drastic way that Moore’s native Coffee County is now in CD1. Rep. Moore is thus challenging incumbent Congressman Jerry Carl (R-Mobile) for the First Congressional District. This has created a rare open seat in CD2, which now includes all of Montgomery County, the eastern half of the Blackbelt, the northern half of the Wiregrass, the counties to the north of Mobile, and most of Mobile. While the voters in the old CD2 were just 28% Black, the new CD2 is 48.7% Black. Analysis of recent elections shows that had CD2 been in its current configuration, Democrats would have won 16 of the last 17 congressional elections. Instead, Republicans won 16 of the previous 17 elections in CD2 as it was drawn then. Undeterred by the challenging demographics of the new CD2, three Republicans have qualified. Greg Albritton has served in the Alabama State Senate, where he is the chairman of the General Fund Finance & Taxation Committee. Albritton is a retired naval officer who served on destroyers and cruisers. His last post in the Navy was as commander of the recruiting station in Mobile. Albritton is an attorney, but he has stopped practicing to focus on his state legislature duties. Albritton lives in Atmore, which is in CD1, but he has a residence in Range in Conecuh County, where he will move back to if he wins the congressional election. “Since I was in Mobile and in the Navy, I’ve lived in the current borders of CD2 for the last thirty-some-odd years,” Albritton said. “So, I know the district. I know what the problems are. I know what the challenges are.” Dick Brewbaker is a native of Montgomery who served two terms in the Alabama Senate from 2010 to 2018. Brewbaker owned a string of automobile dealerships in Montgomery and surrounding areas for decades. “The Democrats have charted a horrible course for this country, and we need to make sure that we continue to have someone in Congress who will stand up for our values and not let the left continue to destroy the fabric of our country.” “The fact of the matter is that spending is out of control, and inflation continues to harm working people,” Brewbaker said in a press conference announcing his candidacy. “The situation in the Middle East is a disaster, and we must have someone in office who will stand with Israel. The border is an open avenue for illegal immigration, drugs, and who knows what else.” Caroleene Dobson is a real estate attorney. She grew up on a cattle farm in Beatrice and excelled in high school rodeo. She has a degree from Harvard and a law degree from Baylor University Law School. “As a member of Congress, I will fight for our families, our farms, and our faith and preserve the bedrock values and moral backbone that have made our nation the greatest ever known,” Dobson said. “It is time to give Washington, D.C. a good dose of Alabama common sense and go to battle against those on the far left who want to control how we use our property and what we do, think, and say.” Dobson is a member of the Alabama Forestry Commission, the Southeast Livestock Exposition, and the Birmingham Chapter of the Federalist Society. Dobson has promised to protect property rights and free speech rights if she is elected to Congress. The Republican primary is scheduled for March 5. The eventual Republican nominee will face the Democratic party nominee in the general election a year from now. To this point, five Democrats have already qualified to run in CD2, with more reportedly considering entering the race. Major Party qualifying ends at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Megyn Kelly tapped to host Alabama Presidential debate
On Thursday, the Hill announced that NewsNation, the cable news channel launched in 2021 by Nexstar Media Group, will host the fourth Republican presidential primary debate next month in Tuscaloosa at the University of Alabama. Megyn Kelly will be one of the hosts of the debate, along with Elizabeth Vargas and Eliana Johnson. The December 6 debate will air from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on NewsNation and be simulcast in the Eastern and Central time zones on Nexstar’s broadcast television network, The CW. The debate will have three moderators, including Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News and TODAY show host who has started a popular podcast since leaving the television business. Elizabeth Vargas hosts a show in prime time on NewsNation. Eliana Johnson is the editor-in-chief of the conservative website The Washington Free Beacon. Kelly has moderated five Republican primary debates during her career in the media, including the first GOP primary debate of the 2016 election cycle while at Fox. That debate was watched by a record 24 million viewers. Donald Trump famously said to Kelly that he could see “blood coming out of her eyes … blood coming out of her wherever,” as she questioned him. Kelly said that no ill will exists between her and the former President. Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl said that bringing the debate to Alabama has involved a lot of work and planning. “I am extremely excited that the national Republican Party is working on a debate for the state of Alabama,” Chairman Wahl said just prior to the official announcement. “This has been in the works for months, and I am thrilled we are getting close. Seeing Alabama host its first-ever official presidential debate is something that has been very important to me as ALGOP Chairman, and I am incredibly thankful for Debate Committee Chairman David Bossie and RNC Chairman Ronna McDaniel for their efforts to make this happen. There is still some work to be done, but I hope this historic event can be finalized soon.” Trump is the front-runner for the Republican nomination in 2024. He has skipped the previous three debates and is not expected to participate in the fourth, even though he is still wildly popular in Alabama. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie participated in the third debate on Thursday. The Republican National Committee requires that candidates be polling at six percent or better in the four early primary/caucus states to participate in the Tuscaloosa debate. NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar Media Group. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
