Morning Headlines - Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

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

U.S.-Iran Accord Hits Early Snag After Swiss Talks Fail To Proceed As Planned

News that the U.S. and Iran had reached an interim deal may have brought some initial relief to markets, but fresh uncertainty emerged on Friday after planned follow-up talks in Switzerland were called off, underscoring the challenges of turning the agreement into a lasting peace settlement.

Switzerland’s foreign ministry said U.S.-Iran talks scheduled to take place at Bürgenstock on Friday would not proceed as planned.

Researchers Find "Pink Planet" Has Salty Clouds: "We Were Very Surprised"

Researchers studying the universe's "Pink Planet" have discovered an unexpected feature in its atmosphere: clouds made of salt.

A team of astronomers led by Northwestern University used the James Webb Space Telescope to discover a salty cloud atmosphere unlike anything previously observed. The findings were published Thursday in The Astronomical Journal.

Corporate Honchos Are Earning 200x The Pay Of Their Employees

Employees at big US companies earned an average of $89,744 last year. And how much did the typical CEO earn? Nearly $17.7 million.

Put another way, the annual earnings of CEOs were approximately 200 times that of employees, on average - according to a new report from the Associated Press and executive data firm Equilar.

This yawning gap raises difficult questions about the disconnect between executives and ordinary employees.

Minor-League Baseball Team Forfeits 'Pride Night' Game After Players Refuse To Wear Themed Jerseys

The York Revolution, a minor-league team playing independent baseball in Pennsylvania, announced Wednesday "with great disappointment" that it forfeited its "Pride Night" game set for Thursday because several of the club's players refused to wear the scheduled "Pride Night" jerseys.

The themed jerseys are adorned with rainbow-patterned sleeves.

What’s Closed On Juneteenth 2026?

Friday will mark 161 years since slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

Juneteenth, created to celebrate that pivotal day, was established as a federal holiday by former President Biden in 2021.

While President Trump said last Juneteenth that the U.S. is losing money to “too many non-working holidays in America,” June 19 remains a federal holiday. That means several services will be closed on Friday.

Wisconsin Headlines

State Supreme Court Rules Wisconsin Minority College Grant Program Unconstitutional

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the state's Minority Undergraduate Retention Grant program is unconstitutional.

The program is administered by the Higher Educational Aids Board (HEAB). The HEAB's website says the program provides financial aid to Wisconsin resident minority undergraduates, excluding first-year students, enrolled at least half-time in independent, tribal or technical colleges in Wisconsin. It offered grants of $250 to $2,500.

Democrats Vying For 3rd US House District Face Off In Candidate Forum

Two Democrats vying for a shot at defeating Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden courted party activists Thursday during a Democratic Party forum in Platteville.

The 3rd Congressional District race is considered a tossup and seen as key to Democrats’ hopes of ending the Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and slowing President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Eric Toney: Abolish The Police Will Make Wisconsin Less Safe

The Republican candidate for attorney general in Wisconsin is making it clear: The state needs prison, and dangerous criminals need to be locked up.

Eric Toney, the current Fond du Lac County District Attorney and Republican candidate for A-G, on Thursday said he cannot believe that the frontrunner in Wisconsin’s Democrat race for governor wants to defund the police and end incarceration.

“Somebody with the ‘abolish the police’ mentality is clueless, and wants to make places like Wisconsin less safe,” Toney said during an interview on News Talk 1130 WISN. “It’s not a hard concept.”

Columbia County Deputies Arrest Two Drivers In Separate Owi Crashes Within 20 Minutes

Deputies with the Columbia County Sheriff's Office arrested drivers in two OWI crashes that happened within 20 minutes of each other Wednesday night.

The first crash happened around 6:10 p.m. near the intersection of Highways V and 113 in the Town of Lodi. The sheriff's office says a vehicle went off the road and got stuck on train tracks.

The driver, a 37-year-old woman from rural Lodi, was arrested for her 1st OWI offense.

Two Gang Members Sentenced To Life In Prison Plus Ten Years For Murder-For-Hire, Firearms, And Fraud Convictions

Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that United States District Judge J.P. Stadtmueller sentenced Lawrence Turner and Ronnell Bowman, both of Milwaukee to life in federal prison for conspiracy to commit murder for hire plus ten years consecutive imprisonment for using a firearm during a crime of violence.

A federal jury convicted Bowman and Turner of the murder and gun charges on March 5, 2026. Before trial, Bowman and Turner — both members of the Wild 100s street gang — also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for submitting numerous fraudulent COVID‑19 unemployment insurance claims involving multiple states. Bowman was responsible for theft of approximately $863,844 in benefits. Turner stole approximately $203,148.83. Both were sentenced on fraud-related charges to prison sentences to run concurrently with their life sentences.