Morning Headlines - Friday, Sept. 1, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

Disney Blocks ABC And ESPN From Charter Spectrum Viewers

Disney has blocked its channels from being accessed by the nearly 15 million subscribers to Charter’s Spectrum service, the second-largest cable TV provider in the US. The blackout means that viewers in major markets like New York and Los Angeles can’t access ABC, ESPN, FX, Freeform, National Geographic and a dozen other Disney-owned channels.

Carriage disputes happen with some frequency when network owners, like Disney, renegotiate contracts with service providers, like Charter. Disney is seeking higher fees, Charter doesn’t want to pay them, and so Disney has yanked its programming as a negotiation tactic.

It Seems Like Everyone Has Covid-19. Here’s Why This Wave Is Probably Worse Than Official Data Suggests

Covid-19 certainly didn’t take a vacation this summer. Virus levels in the US have been on the rise for weeks, but it’s hard to know exactly how widely it’s spreading.

Federal data suggests that the current increases have stayed far below earlier peaks and notable surges. But judging by word of mouth among family, friends and coworkers, it can seem like everyone knows someone who’s sick with Covid-19 right now.

"Shocking": More Mothers Are Working Than Ever Before

Defying all expectations, the percentage of women in the workforce with young children is significantly higher than it's ever been, says a new report from the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution.

This could represent a "level shift" for working mothers — with potential lifetime consequences in terms of higher earnings and improved career trajectories.

In June, 70.4% of women with children under 5 were in the workforce — compared to a peak of 68.9% before the pandemic, per the report.

Donald Trump's Election Fraud Trial In Georgia Will Be Livestreamed

Donald Trump's trial in Georgia over charges of election fraud will be livestreamed and televised, a judge has ruled.

All the hearings will be available live on Fulton County Court's YouTube channel, said Judge Scott McAfee.

A date for the trial has not yet been set, but it could be next year when Mr Trump is running for re-election. Mr Trump and 18 people are charged with a conspiracy to overturn the state's 2020 presidential election results.

The former Republican president, who faces three other criminal trials, has pleaded not guilty to the 13 charges he faces in Georgia.

Interest On Student Loans Is Back: Here’s What To Know

After more than three years, interest on student loans is back on beginning Friday, part of the Biden administration’s “on-ramp” repayment plan.

The start of September brings the return of interest on the loans, which unlike other types of debt accrues daily instead of monthly.

Like payments on the loans, the interest had been on a pause that began at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and was renewed several times.

While payments themselves don’t resume until October, here is what borrowers need to know as interest resumes...

Wisconsin Headlines

Microsoft Breaks Ground On $1B Data Center In Wisconsin

Microsoft has broken ground on a $1 billion data center in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin.

Plans for the facility were first announced in March 2023 at the 315-acre parcel of land at 90th Street and Highway KR, which was previously set aside for a Foxconn manufacturing hub.

Along with the groundbreaking process, Microsoft has also announced that the lead contractor for the project will be Walsh Construction.

FBI Releases Age-Processed Photos Of Leo Burt, Wisconsin Campus Bomber Wanted For 53 Years

More than 50 years after a Vietnam War-era bombing on the University of Wisconsin campus that killed a researcher, the FBI on Thursday released age-processed photographs of a suspect who has thus far evaded law enforcement and been referred to as "Wisconsin's state ghost."

Leo Burt was placed on the FBI's most wanted list immediately after the 1970 bombing of Sterling Hall and remains the last fugitive sought by the FBI in connection with radical anti-Vietnam War activities.

Green Bay Pastor Pleads Guilty To Online Crime Targeting A Venezuelan Child

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 31, 2023, Cory J. Herthel (age: 40) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).

Herthel will receive a federal prison sentence of at least 15 years when he is sentenced on December 4, 2023. He will also be required to register as a sexual offender under state and federal law.

Vos Says Republicans Will 'Take A Look' At Pursuing Protasiewicz Impeachment

Even before the newly elected justice who gave liberals a one-seat majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court has heard a case, Republican lawmakers are talking about taking the unprecedented step of impeaching and removing her from office.

And they have the votes to do it.

Republicans worry that the legislative districts they drew in 2011, which are widely viewed as among the most gerrymandered in the country, will be undone in one of the court’s first actions under liberal control.

Public Defender Shortage Overwhelming Wisconsin's Justice System: 'More Cases Than Lawyers'

 It was Wednesday morning when the preliminary hearing for a recent homicide case was delayed because the defendant did not have representation.

Police believe William Pinkin shot and killed a man at a gas station in Milwaukee. However, the case is now delayed because there wasn't a public defender assigned to him before the hearing. He was assigned one Thursday morning.

Since the depths of the pandemic, public defender’s offices throughout the state have run into issues with the shortage of attorneys.