Morning Headlines - Monday, Jul. 13, 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

Medical Examiner Reveals Preliminary Cause Of Lindsey Graham’s Death

Lindsey Graham, the senior U.S. senator from South Carolina, died Saturday “after a brief and sudden illness,” his office announced overnight. He was 71.

“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period,” a brief statement on the Republican senator’s X account said.

Graham died from an aortic tear due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or a hardening of the arteries, according to a preliminary examination shared by his office.

U.S. And Iran Exchange Strikes As Strait Of Hormuz Standoff Escalates

U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged strikes over the weekend and issued conflicting accounts over whether the Strait of Hormuz remains open to shipping.

Iran’s strikes targeted American military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman and Qatar, according to the country’s state media outlets.

U.S. Central Command said Sunday that American forces had successfully hit dozens of targets at multiple locations, including by using one-way attack sea drones for the first time.

Democrats Battle Over The Future Of Their Fractured Post-Platner Party

The fallout from the controversy surrounding Graham Platner’s exit from the Senate race in Maine has intensified an internal battle within the Democratic Party between progressives and a more centrist establishment.

To many moderate Democrats, Platner’s withdrawal from the race underscored a point they have been trying to make in recent years: That in its attempts to find fresh faces and so-called outsiders, the party can’t turn its back on experience and the credentials needed to win.

Apple Sues OpenAI, Accusing ChatGPT Maker Of Stealing Trade Secrets

Apple on Friday sued ChatGPT maker OpenAI and two of the firm's executives, alleging that it stole Apple's trade secrets to gain an edge in the AI arms race.

The civil suit, filed in the Northern District of California, accuses OpenAI Chief Hardware Officer Tang Tan and Chang Liu, a technical staffer at the company, of stealing Apple's proprietary information to help OpenAI develop its own hardware. Both OpenAI employees formerly worked at Apple, according to the suit.

The Pentagon Is Blocking More Than 150 Wind Projects Over Drone Fears

Wind turbines can confuse radar systems on ships and aircraft. Their massive rotating blades create a "blade flash" on radar screens, while their steel bases reflect electromagnetic waves, making it difficult to distinguish the turbines from aircraft or other objects.

That's a problem for the military, which relies on radar for threat detection and navigation. For over a decade, the Pentagon has used a permitting program to review proposed projects and mitigate the effects on radar. Wind developers are required to submit project proposals, address military requests, and in some cases pay to upgrade radar systems to tune out the turbines.

Governor Candidate Sara Rodriguez Fires Campaign Head For Finance Inaccuracies

Democratic candidate for governor Sara Rodriguez said late Sunday she had fired her campaign manager after "discovering serious mismanagement and inaccuracies" in campaign finance reports.

Rodriguez made the announcement about terminating campaign manager Kara Spencer through a news release sent to reporters about 9:30 p.m. on July 12. According to the campaign, staff discovered the errors and financial management issues late last week and brought concerns to Rodriguez.

Rodriguez then moved to acquire access to the campaign accounts and fired Spencer, according to the campaign.

The Number Of People In Wisconsin Prisons For Owis Has More Than Quadrupled Since 2000

The number of people in Wisconsin state prisons for drunken driving offenses has more than quadrupled since 2000, hitting a record high in 2024.

That’s according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum, which examined operating while intoxicated, or OWI, incarceration in the state.

In 2000, 667 people were in prisons for OWI convictions, according to the report. That number reached a record high of 2,899 in 2024 before falling slightly to 2,750 last year.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Sides With Attorney General Over Legislature In Separation Of Powers Dispute

The Wisconsin Supreme Court, in a 5-2 decision, sided with the state’s attorney general over the Legislature in who should decide how to spend settlement money the state receives.

The court had a split decision on one of the issues raised, leaving intact part of a ruling by the court of appeals.

The question at stake was, who should control settlement money, such as when the state brings a lawsuit against a company or industry: the state attorney general whose department files the lawsuits or lawmakers who control state appropriations?

Largest Donation In District History Gives La Crosse Schools 41.5-Acre Property

The School District of La Crosse is receiving a more than 40-acre property in what officials say is the largest donation in the district’s history.

The La Crosse School Board this month unanimously approved the donation from Trane Technologies, a company that makes heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration equipment.

The 41.5-acre site includes a 210,640-square-foot building. The district’s early plans for the property include athletic fields, outdoor activity areas, professional development space for staff and potentially offices for district departments.

20 800-Pound Steers Stolen From Wisconsin Farm

A herd of cattle has been stolen and they need your help, according to Premier Livestock and Auctions, LLC in a social media post earlier on Saturday.

The herd was stolen sometime between 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7, and the morning of Wednesday, July 8 from a farm located on Highway 97 between Highway N and Blueberry Road near Edgar.