Morning Headlines - Monday, Oct. 2, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

5 Takeaways From A Near Shutdown And Washington’s Dysfunction

The government did not shut down Sunday, surprising just about everyone.

Instead, lawmakers rallied around a 47-day “clean” stopgap measure that did nothing to support Ukraine or deal with the border crisis.

The result is that the House and Senate will have to figure out a way to keep the government open again in a little more than a month if they want to prevent a Thanksgiving shutdown.

They’ll also have to prevent a closure as Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) works under repeated threats to his job.

Here are five takeaways.

California Gov. Newsom Will Appoint Laphonza Butler To Fill Feinstein’s Senate Seat

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will appoint Laphonza Butler, the president of EMILY’s List, to fill the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, his office confirmed Sunday evening.

Butler will become the sole Black female senator serving in Congress and only the third in US history. Feinstein, the longest-serving female US senator in history, died last week at 90.

Leaked U.S. Strategy On Ukraine Sees Corruption As The Real Threat

Biden administration officials are far more worried about corruption in Ukraine than they publicly admit, a confidential U.S. strategy document obtained by POLITICO suggests.

The “sensitive but unclassified” version of the long-term U.S. plan lays out numerous steps Washington is taking to help Kyiv root out malfeasance and otherwise reform an array of Ukrainian sectors. It stresses that corruption could cause Western allies to abandon Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s invasion, and that Kyiv cannot put off the anti-graft effort.

This One Chart Explains The Teacher Shortage

Public school teachers have long made less money than other professionals, but last year the gap hit its widest level since 1960, according to a new analysis of federal data.

The report from the Economic Policy Institute helps explain why the nationwide teacher shortage has grown so acute.

The immediate culprit is inflation, which eroded teachers' real pay considerably in 2022.

Student Loan Payment Requirements Have Resumed. Here's What To Know

Millions of Americans with student loans need to resume payments.

The pause on student loan payments began in March of 2020 as part of a series of pandemic-related economic relief measures. Since then, the pause was extended several times, but Congress earlier this year blocked additional extensions.

Some had wondered whether a potential government shutdown might lead to further delays, but Education Department officials said that was not the case, since servicers would still be able to process payments. In any case, Congress voted Saturday to extend government funding, averting a shutdown for now — though another funding standoff could loom in November.

Here's what to know about where things stand.

Wisconsin Headlines

Republicans On Wisconsin Senate Committee Vote Against Confirming Four Of Gov. Evers’ DNR Appointees

Republicans, who control the state Senate’s sporting heritage committee, voted last week against confirming four of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees to the Department of Natural Resources policy board, a move that could delay a board vote on the agency’s contentious wolf management plan.

The committee voted against confirming Sharon Adams, Dylan Jennings, Sandra Dee Naas and Jim VandenBrook on a 3-2 vote for each appointee.

Former Supreme Court Justice Declines To Name Others On Panel Considering Protasiewicz Impeachment

The makeup of a panel of former Supreme Court justices advising Republican leadership on a possible impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz is no less opaque after a court hearing Friday.

The liberal watchdog group American Oversight is asking a Dane County judge to find that what it's calling a "secret panel" advising Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos must follow requirements of open meeting law.

"We do not have secret panels in Wisconsin, the work of government isn't secret, and I don't think this is a very heavy lift, what we are asking," American Oversight attorney Christa Westerberg said.

Attorney General Kaul Urges Biden Administration To Do More To Protect Borrowers As Student Loan Payments Resume

Over 40 million borrowers are set to resume making payments in October following a three-and-a-half-year pandemic payment pause. In that time, most loans were transferred to new servicers. Congress passed a law in June barring further extensions of the payment pause.

“The resumption of student loan payments after more than three years is going to cause serious challenges,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Sufficient protections must be in place to ensure that folks making payments are treated fairly.”

Wausau Man Sentenced To 7 Years For Possessing Methamphetamine For Distribution

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Trenton McCorkle, 27, Wausau, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. McCorkle pleaded guilty to this charge on May 23, 2023.

On December 14, 2021, officers attempted to stop McCorkle for reckless driving after a trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol observed him weaving and speeding through heavy traffic during poor winter weather conditions. McCorkle lost control of his car and crashed into a traffic pole, which fell over. McCorkle then unsuccessfully tried to flee from the crash site. Prior to the crash, a witness observed McCorkle’s passenger throw a black bag from the car. Officers located the bag, which contained approximately half a pound of methamphetamine, a .45 caliber handgun, three loaded magazines, and several rounds of ammunition. McCorkle later admitted to officers that he had been dealing a significant amount of methamphetamine in the Wausau area over the previous year.

Brewers Will Face The Diamondbacks In NL Wild Card Starting Tuesday

The National League Central Champions Milwaukee Brewers will be competing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in the National League Wild Card Series playoffs.

In the best-of-three playoffs, game 2 will be held on Wednesday, and (if necessary) game 3 on Thursday.

All games will be played at American Family Field at 6:08 p.m. CT.