Morning Headlines - Monday, Feb. 12, 2024

U.S. and World Headlines

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin In Critical Care After Being Hospitalized With "Emergent Bladder Issue," Pentagon Says

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Sunday afternoon following symptoms of an "emergent bladder issue," according to the Pentagon. He has since transferred his duties to his deputy.

"Today, at approximately 2:20 pm, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was transported by his security detail to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to be seen for symptoms suggesting an emergent bladder issue," Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement Sunday afternoon.

Biden Disparages Netanyahu In Private But Hasn’t Changed U.S. Policy Toward Israel

President Joe Biden has been venting his frustration in recent private conversations, some of them with campaign donors, over his inability to persuade Israel to change its military tactics in the Gaza Strip, and he has named Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the primary obstacle, according to five people directly familiar with his comments.

Biden has said he is trying to get Israel to agree to a cease-fire, but Netanyahu is “giving him hell” and is impossible to deal with, said the people familiar with Biden’s comments, who all asked not to be named.

House GOP Eyes A Redo On Mayorkas Impeachment

House Republicans are eyeing a redo on impeaching Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week after the conference fell short of penalizing the embattled cabinet head in a stunning — and embarrassing — fashion.

The House is slated to hold another vote on impeaching Mayorkas on Tuesday, which Republicans expect to be successful as Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) returns to the Capitol following cancer treatment. If all members are present and vote the same way as last week, and Scalise is supportive of impeachment, the effort will just squeak by.

Democrats Might Need A Plan B. Here’s What It Looks Like

So far, Democrats have vigorously avoided any discussion of a Plan B for their presidential nominee. But special counsel Robert Hur’s report may have forced their hand.

Fairly or not, Hur’s stinging characterization of President Joe Biden as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” and “diminished faculties” has thrust the president’s age and mental fitness into the debate. Coupled with the widespread perception that Biden is too old for another term and the fact that he frequently trails former president Donald Trump in swing state polling matchups, it’s raised serious questions about whether Biden is positioned to lead the party in November — and whether Democrats need a contingency plan.

Patrick Mahomes Rallies The Chiefs To Second Straight Super Bowl Title, 25-22 Over 49ers In Overtime

They’re already thinking three-peat.

First, they had to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in 19 years.

Mahomes made sure of it, leading another super comeback on the NFL’s biggest stage in America’s showcase capital.

Mahomes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman in overtime, and the Chiefs rallied to beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 on Sunday, becoming the NFL's ninth repeat Super Bowl champs.

With pop star Taylor Swift watching boyfriend Kelce from a suite, the Chiefs captured their third title in five years, a run that puts them among the league's greatest franchises.

Wisconsin Headlines

Gallagher Announces He Won't Run For US House Seat In 2024

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher, a key Republican Congressman who has spearheaded House pushback against the Chinese government, announced Feb. 10 that he won’t run for a fifth term. The announcement comes just days after he angered his fellow Republicans by refusing to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The GOP has been looking to oust Mayorkas as a way to punish the Biden administration over its handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. A House impeachment vote on 6 fell just one vote short. Gallagher was one of three Republicans who opposed impeachment. His fellow Republicans surrounded him on the House floor in an attempt to change his mind, but he refused to change his vote.

Texas Roofing Company Charged With Fraud Related To Asbestos Removal At Federal Prison In Wisconsin

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of a criminal information and deferred prosecution agreement on February 7, 2024, charging Brazos Urethane, Inc. Texas City, Texas, with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).

Brazos contracted in 2014 with the BOP to replace roofs on buildings located at the Oxford Federal Correctional Institution (FCI Oxford) located in Oxford, Wisconsin, at a contract price of nearly $4,000,000. The roofing project involved the abatement of asbestos containing materials that required the use of special removal and disposal procedures to guard against asbestos contamination. As part of the BOP contract, Brazos certified that it would maintain a safe work environment, follow all federal and state laws regarding the removal and disposal of hazardous waste materials, and obtain all necessary permits from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Parts Of Wisconsin Will Be A Lot Louder This Summer. The Culprit? Cicadas

The sounds of summer could be a lot louder this year depending on where you live in Wisconsin.

That’s because for the first time since Thomas Jefferson was president, two rare broods of cicadas will emerge at the same time. PJ Liesch, an extension entomologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said this event only occurs once every 221 years.

“It’s something that is really unique and special for us,” Liesch said.

Wisconsin’s Presidential Primary Ballot Finalized

Wisconsin’s Presidential Primary ballot is finalized. Last week, the Wisconsin Elections Commission sent to county clerks the finalized, certified list of candidates qualified to have their names appear on the April primary ballot.

That’s determined not by WEC, but by Wisconsin’s Presidential Preference Selection Committee and any applicable court decisions.

WIAA State Girls Basketball Tournament Brackets Revealed

The brackets for the 2024 State Girls Basketball tournament are set.