Morning Headlines - Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 | Recent News

Start your day informed with today’s must-read headlines from around Wisconsin and the world. And don’t forget to check out our Meme of the Day at the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Kamala Harris May Yet Be The Democratic Nominee In 2028

Kamala Harris is topping some new polls of Democratic White House contenders, a sign the former vice president and 2024 presidential nominee has staying power despite her defeat to President Trump.

It’s a reality that flies in the face of some of the talk after that race, in which Democrats talked about turning the page, with some calling for the party to move on from a stale playbook and to look for new leaders.

Trump Could Attack Iran In Days — What’s At Stake For The Oil Market

U.S. strikes on Iran could precipitate a big oil price spike if the Islamic Republic is able to make the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic.

More than 14 million barrels per day of oil passed through the strait in 2025, about a third of total worldwide oil exports transported by sea.

What Worked And What Didn't With A Cellphone Ban At A Kentucky School

How do you get teenagers to put their phones away for hours at a time? That is the question many schools are trying to solve as bans on cellphones sweep the U.S. — more than 30 states so far now restrict their use during the school day.

One of those states is Kentucky, where all public school classes must now be cellphone free. Districts can set their own policies to achieve that goal. Some collect phones at the start of each class; others allow students to have them only during their lunch period.

Household Cat Could Hold The Key To Understanding Breast Cancer

The first study of multiple cancer types in cats has identified genetic changes that could help treat the condition in humans and animals. By analyzing different types of tumors from almost 500 pet cats across five countries, experts at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Ontario Veterinary College in Canada, the University of Bern, and their collaborators, discovered the genetic changes that drive cancer formation in cats and found similarities between these and ones seen in humans.

Cats are exposed to some of the same environmental cancer risks as their owners, which means that some causes could, at least in part, be shared.

Google’s New Gemini Pro Model Has Record Benchmark Scores — Again

On Thursday, Google released the newest version of Gemini Pro, its powerful LLM. The model, 3.1, is currently available as a preview and will be generally released soon, the company said.

Google’s new model may be one of the most powerful LLMs yet. Onlookers have noted that Gemini 3.1 Pro appears to be a big step up from its predecessor, Gemini 3 — which, upon its release in November, was already considered a highly capable AI tool.

Data Centers And Wisconsin's 2026 Candidates For Governor

Utility companies in Wisconsin are asking the Public Service Commission to approve the largest rate hikes in history, and that’s before any impacts from data centers being proposed around the state.

Here & Now asked the leading candidates what role the state should play in approving or facilitating these data centers.

Agriculture Committee Approves Bill Regulating Solar, Wind Power Projects

The Assembly Agriculture Committee approved a bill that would regulate solar and wind power.

The bill authorizes community solar programs in Wisconsin and requires local government approval for certain large solar and wind projects before the Public Service Commission (PSC) can grant final approval.

The bill sets the cap for community solar projects with a statewide capacity of 1,750 megawatts.

Wisconsin Assembly Passes ‘Gail’s Law’ With Overwhelming Support

The Wisconsin Assembly overwhelmingly passed “Gail’s Law” with a vote of 96 to zero, with three members not voting, as the family of Gail Zeamer of Neenah watched from the gallery.

The legislation was inspired by Gail’s fight against breast cancer and would require insurance companies to cover follow-up breast cancer screenings for women with dense breast tissue and other high-risk factors.

Republicans Send ‘400-Year Veto’ Constitutional Amendment To Voters

Wisconsin voters will be asked whether the state’s constitution should be amended to prevent the governor’s powerful partial veto from increasing taxes or fees under a measure that cleared the state Assembly Thursday.

It’s a direct response to a partial veto from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ in 2023 authorizing school districts to raise property taxes to bolster their budgets through the year 2425.

No Ice Is 100% Safe: Be Extra Careful On Frozen Waterbodies

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages all heading out on ice to use caution and remember that no ice is safe ice.

Recent warmer temperatures can cause ice to thin. Snowmobiles, UTVs and vehicles can weigh thousands of pounds, increasing the risk of falling through the ice.