Morning Headlines - Friday, Jan. 16, 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

Florida Republican Candidate Suggests ‘Sin Tax’ For OnlyFans Creators

A Republican candidate vying to be Florida’s next governor has suggested imposing a 50% “sin tax” on OnlyFans incomes.

James Fishback, a hedge fund manager and gubernatorial hopeful, brought up the idea during an interview with Joel Webbon, the host of conservative podcast, NXR Studios.

According to People, Fishback suggested that all OnlyFans creators in Florida should pay 50% to the state on all earnings procured through the online platform. Fisback said the purpose of the tax would be to “disincentivize and deter a behavior,” while calling OnlyFans an “online degeneracy platform.”

'Gigantic' Refunds Promised In Bumper Tax Season... Here’s What You’ll Get And How It Hits The US Economy

Tax season is just weeks away — and Americans are being told to look forward to the biggest refunds the US has ever seen.

Senior Trump officials say millions of households could receive unusually large checks in early 2026 after unknowingly overpaying taxes throughout last year.

As well as a boost for families, refunds will also lift the wider US economy as Americans spend the extra cash in shops and restaurants. But there are fears that could stoke inflation.

Ex-Wife Of Sinema Aide Accuses Former Arizona Senator Of Wrecking Her Marriage

Former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) has been sued by the ex-wife of a former congressional aide who is accusing the onetime Arizona senator of breaking up her 14-year marriage through “intentional and malicious interference,” according to a lawsuit filed in Moore County, N.C.

The plaintiff, Heather Ammel, is accusing Sinema of seducing her ex-husband, who served as a member of her security detail beginning in April 2022 and then as a salaried member of her Senate staff as a defense and national security fellow, according to the complaint.

Amazon Threatens ‘Drastic’ Action After Saks Bankruptcy, Says $475M Stake Is Now Worthless

Amazon filed an objection to Saks Global’s bankruptcy financing plan on the grounds it could harm creditors and push the tech company further down the repayment pecking order.

The tech company invested $475 million into Saks’ acquisition of Neiman Marcus, a stake it said is now effectively “worthless.”

Amazon threatened more “drastic remedies” if Saks doesn’t heed its concerns, including the appointment of an examiner or a trustee.

The Long Wait To Change Your Gmail Address Is Now Over

A few weeks ago, a stray change on a Hindi Google support page gave us hope that we'll soon be able to change our '@gmail.com' suffixed email addresses into different '@gmail.com' suffixed addresses.

Now, that dream seems to be coming closer to reality.

The same support page that highlighted the incoming email address change option is now natively available in English, highlighting that the Hindi support page update wasn't a stray documentation or translation mistake.

Democrats Are Seeking A Trifecta For Wisconsin In The 2026 Elections

Talk to any Wisconsin Democrat about their hopes for 2026 and it’s not long before the T-word comes up.

No, not Trump.

Trifecta.

Democrats think new district boundaries in the Senate and Assembly ordered by the liberal-controlled state Supreme Court, an open race for governor and a favorable midterm election cycle in 2026 may allow them to take back total control in the statehouse for the first time in 16 years.

Wisconsin Assembly Passes Bill To Eliminate State Tax On Tips

The Wisconsin Assembly passed a bill Thursday to eliminate state income tax on tips, advancing legislation that mirrors federal law signed last summer by President Donald Trump.

The bill passed 61-33, with only Democrats voting against it. If signed into law, workers could claim a state income tax subtraction for tips earned from 2025 through 2028.

The Department of Revenue estimates the state will lose about $6.7 million annually if the bill becomes law.

Wisconsin Democrats Introduce Slew Of Election-related Bills Ahead Of Midterms

State Democratic lawmakers introduced a package of 25 bills Thursday that they say are aimed at protecting voters and elections in Wisconsin.

One of the bills would require the Wisconsin Elections Commission to automatically register everyone to vote if they're eligible.

Automatic voter registration is not a new concept. According to the Voting Rights Lab, 25 states and Washington, D.C. already automatically register people to vote unless they opt out.

Alliant Energy Plans To Build $730M Wind Farm In Columbia County

Alliant Energy hopes to build a new roughly $730 million wind farm in Columbia County that will provide enough electricity to power about 100,000 homes annually.

The utility, through a limited liability company, filed an application with the Public Service Commission to build the project in late December. Alliant also plans to seek commission approval to acquire the project from the LLC and construct the facility.

The Columbia Wind project would be a 277-megawatt wind farm with more than 40 wind turbines. More than 300 landowners have signed lease agreements for the project.

Proposed Bill Promotes Butter And Supports Farmers By Tightening Wisconsin’s Laws On Margarine

Some may say “butter” late than never. A new bill is trying to “spread” where butter is served across Wisconsin.

Under current law, restaurants can’t serve margarine as a substitute for table butter unless a customer specifically requests it, and that goes for schools as well.

Margarine first showed up in the U.S. in the late 1800s as a cheap substitute for butter, and the dairy industry quickly saw it as a threat.