Morning Headlines - Monday, Mar. 9, 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

Stocks Plunge And Oil Prices Soar As War Rages With No End In Sight

Stock markets plunged Monday after benchmark oil prices surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022 on fears that the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran will drag on, after Iran's military said it had enough weapons to continue attacking Western interests at the current pace for six months.

As the U.S. military announced a seventh fatality from the war, the death toll from Israel's blistering assault in Lebanon neared 400, according to the country's health ministry, with Israel's assault on Iranian-backed Hezbollah forcing tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes.

Iran Names Ayatollah Khamenei’s Son, Mojtaba, As New Supreme Leader

Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei its new Supreme Leader on Sunday, the Associated Press and Reuters reported, citing Iranian state media.

Khamenei is the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening salvos of the war. He was considered a top contender for the role. The elder Khamenei had ruled Iran since 1989 until his death.

Khamenei’s appointment will hand him control of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and other hardline groups.

Noem’s Ouster Could Pave Way To Reopen Shuttered Homeland Security Department

The ouster of Kristi Noem opens the path for a potential deal to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, according to Senate sources familiar with negotiations.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Noem’s departure from Homeland Security is a “major step” that he said should move the negotiations closer to a deal.

A Senate GOP source familiar with the talks said Republican leaders hope it will be enough to persuade a group of centrists to break with their leadership and vote for a bill to reopen the government.

Jesse Jackson Jr. Lashes Out At Obama, Biden For Using Father's Memorial Service To Bash Trump

Jesse Jackson Jr. lashed out at former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Bill Clinton for using the moment to bash Donald Trump during his father's memorial service, saying their tributes strayed from the civil rights leader's legacy.

Speaking at a private memorial in Chicago, Jackson Jr. said the former presidents who delivered eulogies 'do not know Jesse Jackson' and framed his father's life through a political lens he did not share.

'Yesterday, I listened for several hours to three United States presidents who do not know Jesse Jackson,' he said at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters.

Teens Are Sleeping Less Than Ever And Screens Aren't Primarily To Blame

The spring time change can mean waking up a little groggy. But the situation may be worse for many teenagers who appear to be getting less sleep than ever, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

That's concerning because adolescents really need their beauty rest.

"Sleep plays a crucial role in adolescent brain development," says Tanner Bommersbach, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. "It's important for emotional regulation in teenagers and important for their overall physical and mental health."

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Lawmakers Debate Crypto ‘Staking’ As Bankers Warn Of Fraud, Consumer Risks

In the ever-changing cryptocurrency industry, states are scrambling to understand the risks and rewards. One example is playing out right now in Wisconsin over a practice known as “staking.”

Staking lets users lock their digital assets — like Bitcoin or Ethereum — onto the blockchain for a set period of time, with the hope of earning more rewards.

Current state law forbids the practice, defining it as a form of unauthorized securities trading. A Wisconsin bill would change that, exempting digital asset staking from that definition.

From The Rivers To The Lakes, And Beyond

With the left, the march to total control can sometimes look and feel benign and even fair, at least at first before the hammer drops.

In Wisconsin right now, it’s not so much a march as a stroll. Literally—it’s a walk on the beach that looks innocent enough. But the footsteps of that walk are leading us into litigation about the state’s public trust doctrine and its possible expansion in a way that would seriously endanger private property rights.

The legal dispute involves a man who walked along a Wisconsin lakeshore above the waterline but below the ordinary high-water mark (OHWM). As I wrote last week, a property owner objected, a municipal trespass citation followed, and Paul Florsheim was found guilty.

Wisconsin Bill Requiring Warning Labels On Explicit Content Draws Concern From Literacy Advocates

A proposal that would require warning labels on certain explicit content sold commercially is drawing concern from some literacy advocates and booksellers in Wisconsin.

Assembly Bill 961 passed the Wisconsin State Assembly last month on a 61–34 vote after debate among lawmakers over how to address explicit material accessible to children.

During the Feb. 19 Assembly session, lawmakers described the bill as an effort to increase transparency around explicit content.

This Wisconsin School District Could Soon Start Randomly Drug Testing Students

The School District of Waukesha could soon be the next district in Wisconsin to start randomly testing students for drugs.

A Waukesha district board of education committee recently discussed the possibility of drafting a policy to start a random drug testing program for students, which could apply to student-athletes or those who participate in extracurricular activities.

If a policy is approved, the School District of Waukesha would join several other area communities with similar measures in place for students.

Effort To Revive Kewaunee County Site Comes Amid Rising Interest In Nuclear Energy

A new effort to rekindle a former nuclear power site in northeastern Wisconsin comes amid growing bipartisan interest around nuclear energy in the state.

One of Wisconsin’s major utilities, WEC Energy Group, is working on the project with Utah-based EnergySolutions. The companies earlier this year announced plans to explore options for new nuclear generation at Kewaunee Power Station on Wisconsin’s northeastern coast. The power station has been offline since the plant was decommissioned in 2013, leaving just one nuclear plant in nearby Two Rivers.

Nuclear power currently makes up about 15% of the state’s energy mix, but advocates are pressing for more.