Morning Headlines - Monday, Aug. 7, 2023 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

The White House Plays It Cool As ‘Bidenomics’ Struggles To Catch On

President Joe Biden is risking a lot on “Bidenomics.” But, about two months in, his efforts to sell his sweeping economic agenda don’t appear to be working.

Poll numbers show persistent voter skepticism about the state of the economy, and Republicans are working aggressively to take back the term, dubbing it as synonymous with tax hikes and inflation.

Inside the White House, aides remain confident the bet will pay off, adopting the mantra of the hockey legend Wayne Gretzky: Skate to where the puck is going, not where it is now.

Everything You Need To Know About The Ohio Ballot Measure That Could Block Abortion Rights

The campaign over Issue 1 in Ohio has been provocative, to say the least. One ad argues that the ballot measure is necessary to prevent children from getting gender-affirming care without their parents’ consent. Another features a steamy sex scene — interrupted by a Republican congressman who steals a condom out of a couple’s hands.

Based on this, you might be confused about what Issue 1 is about — but it would seem safe to assume that it must be pretty spicy. Not so: It’s actually a procedural question about whether amendments to the Ohio Constitution should require a 60 percent supermajority of the vote to pass.

But as you can tell from those ads, Issue 1 has become a proxy fight over a more contentious topic:

Think Tanks File Suit To Block Biden Administration's Plan To Cancel $39B In Student Loans

Two think tanks are urging a federal court to block the Biden administration’s scaled-back plan to cancel $39 billion in student loans, arguing that the plan exceeds the administration's authority.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in Michigan by the New Civil Liberties Alliance on behalf of free market think tank Mackinac Center for Public Policy and libertarian think tank the Cato Institute.

The groups accused the administration of overstepping its power in announcing student loan debt relief for 800,000 borrowers worth $39 billion – a plan the Department of Education rolled out shortly after the Supreme Court struck down a broader student loan handout plan pushed by President Biden.

Legal Experts Predict Supreme Court Won’t Spare Trump From Trial And Verdict

Legal experts say the Supreme Court is unlikely to intercede in the criminal cases against former President Trump to stave off convictions on multiple felony counts, even though Trump appointed three of the six justices on the conservative-leaning court.

The experts The Hill spoke with are more divided, however, on the question of whether the Supreme Court is likely to hear an appeal if Trump is indeed convicted in the District of Columbia’s federal court or Southern Florida’s District Court.

The likelihood of Trump’s legal team getting a conviction or multiple convictions thrown out by the Supreme Court or the D.C. Circuit Court will depend largely on the procedural decisions handed down by D.C. District Judge Tanya Chutkan and Southern Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon.

Covid-19 Cases And Hospitalizations Are On The Rise Again

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again as the world enters its fourth year of living with the highly contagious disease.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control shows upticks in hospital admissions, emergency room visits, and positive tests. The data is concerning, but the good news is that the rise isn’t as high as previous summers.

Blistering heat continues to punish large parts of the U.S. while Summer travel is still humming along and COVID-19 infections are up, especially in the South.

People Behind Bars In Wisconsin May Again Access Taxpayer-Funded Education Grants

For the first time in nearly three decades, people who are incarcerated in Wisconsin may receive federal student aid to help pay for higher education.

Their eligibility to receive Pell Grants was restored this summer after Congress passed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Simplification Act in December. Pell Grants are awarded to students with "exceptional financial need."

The U.S. Department of Education estimates 760,000 more participants who enroll in prison education programs nationwide could be eligible to receive grants for higher education under the Pell Grants expansion. In Wisconsin, incarcerated workers are typically paid less than $1 per hour.

Suspect In Killing Of Lily Peters Due Back In Court Monday

The 15-year-old suspect accused of killing 10-year-old Lily Peters is due back in court on Monday morning.

Monday is the first day of what is known as a "Reverse Waiver Hearing." It is scheduled to last until August 14. A judge is expected to decide whether to move the suspect's case to juvenile court.

Peters' body was found last April in Chippewa Falls, one day after her father reported her missing. An autopsy showed she died of blunt force trauma and strangulation.

Body Of Wisconsin Marine Who Died Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Returns Home

The body of a Wisconsin Marine returned to his home state on Friday. The Madison native died suddenly last month near his base in North Carolina.

Dozens of motorcycle riders, some veterans and some not, gathered at the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to honor Marine Corps Lance Corporal Tanner J. Kaltenberg from Madison.

Reedsburg Woman Sentenced To 7 Years For Methamphetamine Trafficking In Central Wisconsin

Marra Lundeen, 34, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Lundeen pleaded guilty to this charge on April 10, 2023.

Lundeen was investigated by central Wisconsin law enforcement for involvement in methamphetamine trafficking for a number of years, going back to 2019. For purposes of reaching an appropriate sentence, based on facts in the investigation, Judge Conley estimated that from 2019 to 2022 when she was arrested, Lundeen had conservatively been involved in the distribution of up to 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Wausau/central Wisconsin area.

WEC Deactivates 108,378 Voter Records

The Wisconsin Elections Commission announced it has deactivated 108,378 voter records through the Four-Year Maintenance process required by law.

WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe said the individuals who were deactivated by the WEC have not voted in the past four years and do not have a record of responding to a mailing from the agency regarding their registration status.

“The Four-Year Maintenance process helps keep our voter registration database as clean and updated as possible,” Wolfe said. “The deactivations are a combination of voters who have moved to a new address without re-registering, voters who have died, others who have asked to have their registrations deactivated, and those who simply have not voted.”