Morning Headlines - Friday, Jan. 10, 2025

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 and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Biden's Last Chance To Tackle Tobacco: Limiting Nicotine Levels In Cigarettes

In its last few days of power, the Biden administration is expected to officially propose a limit on nicotine in cigarettes. It’d be a last-minute move to push back against the tobacco industry after President Joe Biden failed to finalize a long-standing pledge to ban menthol cigarettes.

The proposal, which could come as soon as Monday, is not expected to include tobacco products like e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement patches and lozenges.

US Adds Whopping 256K Jobs In December

The U.S. added 256,000 jobs and the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.1 percent in December, according to data released Friday by the Labor Department.

The December jobs report showed the U.S. economy blowing past expectations to end the year. Economists projected the U.S. to gain 155,000 jobs and hold the jobless rate at 4.2 percent, according to consensus estimates.

The new jobs data caps off another year of sturdy job gains since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

10 People Have Died In The Wildfires Spreading Across Southern California

Fires continue to rage on in Southern California, as tens of thousands of acres of land have been decimated, and the flames have been partially contained.

More than 35,000 acres have been burned, with the Palisades and Eaton fires driving the destruction, according to the California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

A Wave Of Significant Menu Changes Is Reshaping Fast Food

It’s not just McDonald’s that is giving its menu a budget-friendly makeover. Other chains have also recently rolled out discounts, signaling that the fast food value meal wars are from over.

Dunkin’, KFC, Subway, Taco Bell and Wendy’s have all debuted new promotions this month, continuing last year’s theme that affordability rules in enticing inflation-weary consumers turned off by rising prices back to their restaurants.

Ford Reveals A Special Edition Of Its $325,000 Mustang GTD Called ‘Spirit Of America’

Ford Motor revealed a special edition of its $325,000 Mustang GTD called “Spirit of America.”

The Mustang GTD features a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine that produces 815 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque.

The GTD models are part of Ford’s plans to expand the Mustang nameplate into the higher echelons of the sports car and racing worlds.

Wisconsin Headlines

Slender Man Stabbing Assailant To Be Released From Mental Health Facility

Morgan Geyser, one of the two assailants in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing case, will be released from a mental health facility, a judge ruled Thursday.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren ordered the state's Department of Health Services to come up with a plan for her supervised released within 60 days. Geyser will be returned to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute until the plan is finalized, after which she is expected to reside in a group home.

Geyser -- now 22 -- was 12 when she and a classmate lured their friend into the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and stabbed her 19 times to please the online fictional character Slender Man, according to authorities, in a case that continues to generate national headlines.

Juneau Co. Authorities Take Man Wanted For Triple Homicide Into Custody

A tip regarding a suspicious person is what brought Juneau County authorities to find a man wanted for homicide in the deaths of three people in New Lisbon, police said Thursday.

The Juneau County Sheriff’s Office reported on Thursday that officials took Virgil Thew into custody in the City of Elroy.

New Lisbon Police Department explained that someone called Juneau Co. Communications Center and reported seeing a suspicious individual around 11:50 a.m. in Elroy.

American Red Cross Of Wisconsin Sends Volunteers To Southern California To Help With Wildfire Relief Efforts

The American Red Cross of Wisconsin is sending help to southern California to aid in the wildfire relief effort.

Jen Warren, the Regional Communications Director for the American Red Cross Wisconsin Region, said, as of Thursday, the Wisconsin chapter had four volunteers and one employee on the way to California.

Warren said more volunteers are expected to deploy in the days ahead.

A New Pro Women’s Volleyball Team Is Coming To Madison

A new professional volleyball league, LOVB Pro, launches its inaugural season this week, including a Madison team with decorated players like star Badger alumni Sarah Franklin and Lauren Carlini.

The LOVB (pronounced “love”), or League One Volleyball, professional season will run 14 weeks, from January through April. LOVB Madison is one of six teams.

LOVB Madison is made up of decorated athletes from Sun Prairie to Brazil.

Kalahari Unveils $76M Waterpark Expansion In Wisconsin Dells

One of Wisconsin Dells' most popular resorts is making its indoor waterpark even bigger.

Construction is underway at Kalahari Resorts & Conventions Wisconsin Dells resort.

The $76 million project includes a glass-enclosed, open-air waterpark with a retractable roof and three new water slides: The Wild Wildebeest and Green Python, both six-person raft slides, and the Cheetah Mat Racers, a four-lane racing slide.