Morning Headlines - Friday, Mar. 27, 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

Senate Approves Most Dhs Funding, Hours After Trump Promised To Restart TSA Pay

The Senate agreed early Friday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security in an effort to end a standoff in Congress that has led to massive lines and wait times at many airports around the country.

The lines were the result of Transportation Security Administration workers going more than a month without full paychecks, leading nearly 500 to quit and a skyrocketing number of others to call out of work.

The TSA is part of the DHS.

Trump's Signature Will Be Added To Us Currency, Treasury Says

President Donald Trump’s signature will be added to future U.S. paper currency, the Treasury Department announced Thursday.

Trump will become the first sitting president whose name will appear on currency.

It follows efforts to create two coins with his image on them, a $1 coin and a special 24-karat commemorative gold coin.

Religious Radio Across America

Faith-based radio has a long history in America, dating back to the earliest broadcasts of Sunday services at the beginning of the 1920s. Today, there are more than 4,000 terrestrial religious radio stations in the United States, according to a Pew Research Center analysis from the Pew-Knight Initiative. That’s about a quarter of the roughly 17,000 AM and FM stations in the U.S. that are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. Almost all U.S. adults – 98% – live within the local coverage range of at least one religious radio station.

Against this backdrop, we set out to study the landscape of religious radio in the U.S.

U.S. Ambassador To EU: Stop Fining Big Tech

The European Union needs to dial back regulation of U.S. big tech companies if it wants to be part of the AI economy, the U.S. ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder told CNBC on Friday.

“If the European Union is going to participate in the AI economy...They’re going to need data centers, data and access to the United States AI hardware stack, and you can’t over regulate and move the goal post on regulations and hit companies with huge fines,” Puzder told Ian King on CNBC’s “Europe Early Edition.”

The Depleted Education Department Will Move Out Of Its Headquarters

In the latest effort by the Trump administration to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, it announced on Thursday that all staff will be leaving the department's longtime, Washington, D.C., headquarters in the Lyndon B. Johnson building, which the administration estimates "is roughly 70% vacant."

"Thanks to the hard work of so many, we have made unprecedented progress in reducing the federal education footprint," said Education Secretary Linda McMahon in a statement announcing the move, "and now we are pleased to give this building to an agency that will benefit far more from its space than the Department of Education."

What A Boom In Building And Operating Data Centers Means For Wisconsin's Workforce

As data center developers stake out land in Wisconsin communities, much debate has surrounded whether the computer-packed warehouses will deliver economic benefits locally.

Waves of opposition and concerns about land, water and electricity use routinely follow data center proposals, while supporters echo that the centers will create jobs and help the economy.

But what jobs? How many of them? And will they last?

To answer those questions, Wisconsin Watch talked to three professors:

Stillbirth Tax Credit Bill Heads To Governor

A bill to provide parents with a one-time tax credit after a stillbirth death is heading to Governor Tony Evers for his signature after years of debate in the state legislature.

Angie and Troy Nielsen of Iola are sharing their personal story, hoping the bill clears this final hurdle. The couple lost their twin daughters, Greta and Harriet, in February 2018 when the babies suddenly stopped breathing during the pregnancy.

Mandela Barnes Ignores Costs, Pushes For Act 10 Repeal

Democratic candidate for governor Mandela Barnes is getting pushback on social media after his latest call for the end of Act 10.

Barnes took to X on Tuesday to urge the Wisconsin Supreme Court to scuttle Act 10.

“Wisconsin has experienced the biggest drop-off in union memberships of any state, and it's not even close. It's time to repeal Act 10 and make Wisconsin a union state again,” Barnes wrote.

Wisconsin Republicans pushed through Act 10 back in 2011. In addition to changing how some public employees, most notably teachers, can negotiate their contracts, Act 10 also ended the requirement that teachers belong to the teachers’ union.

Herb Kohl Foundation Honors 115 Wisconsin Educators With $1.4 Million In Awards

The Herb Kohl Educational Foundation has named 115 Wisconsin educators as recipients of its 2026 awards, distributing $1.4 million to honor exceptional teachers and principals across the state.

One hundred teachers will each receive $6,000 Teacher Fellowship awards, and 15 principals will receive $6,000 Principal Leadership awards. Each recipient's school will also receive a matching $6,000 grant to support student learning and school initiatives.

More Than 400 Projects Planned As WisDOT Previews 2026 Construction Season

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) today released its 2026 construction season preview, highlighting substantial infrastructure improvements designed to modernize the state's transportation system, enhance safety for all road users and continue to spur economic growth across Wisconsin. WisDOT has more than 400 highway improvement projects this season.

“As our teams get ready for another robust construction season, the safety of crews, industry partners and the traveling public remains our top priority," WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman said. “With construction projects planned in every county of the state, we urge motorists to plan ahead, know before you go with 511 Wisconsin, and always drive with caution in work zones."