Morning Headlines - Monday, Apr. 27, 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

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting: What To Know

An armed shooter exchanged gunfire with law enforcement after rushing a Secret Service checkpoint outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night.

Officials identified the shooting suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California. He was taken to a local hospital, according to Washington, D.C., police, who said the suspect had been staying at the hotel.

Police said Allen had a shotgun, a handgun and knives, and stormed the lobby, running past security barricades as Secret Service agents raced toward him. One officer was shot in a bullet-resistant vest but was recovering, officials said.

United Airlines CEO Confirms He Approached American Airlines About Merger

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby confirmed on Monday that he approached American Airlines about a potential merger.

This Week On The Hill: Lawmakers Head Into ‘Hell Week’ With FISA And Reconciliation 2.0

The House is heading into a high-stakes week, as lawmakers juggle a budget blueprint for a second reconciliation bill alongside a measure to extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act’s (FISA) warrantless surveillance powers — all before departing for recess next week.

Most pressing on the agenda is an extension of Section 702 of FISA, which allows the government to spy on foreigners abroad without a warrant.

Prediction Markets Under Pressure To Stop Insider Trading

A soldier betting on an operation to oust Venezuela's leader. Politicians gambling on their own elections. Massive bets on the president announcing a ceasefire with Iran right before he actually did.

Are prediction markets safe places for news junkies to bet on events — or dens of insider trading?

22 Buddhist Monks Arrested At Airport After Record Drug Bust

Twenty-two Sri Lankan monks returning from Thailand were arrested on Sunday at the main international airport with a record 242 pounds of powerful cannabis, officials said.

A Sri Lanka Customs spokesman said the group, returning home after a four-day vacation in the Thai capital, had Kush -- a potent, plant-based strain of cannabis -- hidden in their luggage.

Wisconsin Headlines

Nearly Half Of Iron County Board Members Elected By Write-In Votes In Races Without Candidates

Nearly half the members of the Iron County Board of Supervisors were elected to their seats this month by write-in votes, an outcome observers say is part of an ongoing trend in local government.

That includes a man who won his county board seat with just four votes — despite telling people not to write his name on the ballot.

“It seems that we’ve had many individuals that decided not to run for another term,” said Iron County Clerk Christan Brandt in an interview with WPR. “And then (the seats) were left open because nobody else decided they wanted to put their hat in the ring.”

PSC Ruling Requires Data Centers To Cover Costs Of New We Energies Power Generation

State utility regulators rejected a proposal that would have required ratepayers to share the cost of new power plants built for data centers.

Data centers in We Energies’ coverage area will instead be expected to pay the whole cost of new “bespoke” power generation built to serve the energy-guzzling facilities, the Public Service Commission decided.

Members of the PSC also modified the utility’s proposed contract, known as a tariff, to offset transmission costs from being borne by other ratepayers and expanded the length of the proposed contract and the scope of customers to which it would apply.

Wisconsin Candidates Tout Endorsements As Primary Season Heats Up

Visit the website of most any candidate running for governor, state Legislature or Congress right now, and you’ll find — among the gleaming headshots, calls for donations and links to social media pages — a list of the people and groups that support their candidacy.

Less than four months out from the August primary, polls show that most people aren’t really focused yet on Wisconsin’s next big election. Candidates hoping to grab their attention are turning to a familiar tactic: endorsements.

Packers Emphasize Defensive Depth And Create Kicking Competition While Drafting Only 6 Players

Green Bay's confidence in its returning players was evident from the way the Packers approached this week's draft.

With virtually all their starting positions already settled, the Packers made just six draft selections to match their lowest total in franchise history.

It represented a major contrast for general manager Brian Gutekunst, who had averaged 10 picks over his previous eight drafts.

NFL Badgers Prospects Go Undrafted; Many Find Luck Post Draft

For the first time since 1978, no Badgers were selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. But many players found success as undrafted free agents (UDFA) after the draft concluded.