Morning Headlines - Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

McDonald's And Chipotle Confirm They Will Hike Menu Costs In California To Off-Set New $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage

Mega-chains McDonald's and Chipotle have announced they will raise menu prices in California to pay for the minimum wage hikes recently signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom.

Certain fast-food workers in the Golden State will be paid at least $20 per hour next year under new regulations passed into law in September.

McDonald's chief executive officer Chris Kempczinski said on an earnings call that the law will have 'a wage impact for our California franchisees' - and implied that price hikes would follow.

Kempczinski did not specify how much McDonald's prices could go up as a result of the new state law.

The Democrats' Quiet Campaign To Succeed Biden

Democratic governors and senators are quietly moving to boost their national profiles and position themselves to run for president in 2028 — or in 2024, if President Biden unexpectedly drops out.

The ambitious, next-generation Democrats all support Biden's re-election — but they're drawing battle lines for the next race for the White House.

In recent months, more than half a dozen Democratic lawmakers have established national political organizations, embarked on resume-building foreign trips, and visited states that traditionally hold early presidential primaries.

Abortion Rights Are On The Ballot In Ohio This Election Day

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, supporters of abortion rights came out on top in every statewide ballot measure on abortion. And even in races where abortion was only implicitly on the ballot, abortion rights generally won out.

This year, abortion is literally on the ballot once again, and this time, all eyes are on Ohio.

So far in 2023, we have less data on how voters are feeling about abortion more than a year removed from the Dobbs decision. The closest thing to a vote on abortion rights was an August ballot measure in the Buckeye State that technically dealt with requirements for passing constitutional amendments but was popularly framed as a battle over abortion. Supporters of abortion rights won that fight, but that was far from the main act — rather, it was preparation for a Nov. 7 ballot measure that could enshrine abortion rights into Ohio's Constitution.

Effort To Expel George Santos From The House Fails

A Republican-led effort to oust Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) from Congress failed Wednesday, allowing the embattled GOP lawmaker to remain in the House despite mounting legal and political troubles.

The chamber voted 179-213-19 on a resolution to oust Santos from office, far short of the two-thirds threshold needed to expel a member of Congress. Twenty-four Republicans voted to expel Santos while 31 Democrats voted to keep him in place. Nineteen lawmakers voted present, 15 of them Democrats.

Santos wasted no time claiming a victory for due process and vowing to fight the criminal and ethics charges to the very end.

Man Charged With Killing Tupac Shakur In Vegas Faces Murder Arraignment Without Hiring An Attorney

The former street gang leader charged with orchestrating the 1996 drive-by killing of Tupac Shakur in Las Vegas is expected to plead not guilty Thursday to murder, amid questions of whether he’ll hire a defense lawyer or a judge appoints a public defender.

Duane Keith “Keffe D” Davis, who is described as the only person still alive who was in the vehicle from which shots were fired that night, killing Shakur, is due for arraignment in a Nevada courtroom despite losing his bid to hire local defense attorney Ross Goodman.

Wisconsin Headlines

Republicans Introduce Bill To Create Mental Health Crisis Centers

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate and Assembly are introducing legislation that would target areas of mental health, substance abuse and family crisis.

The bill aims to develop regional crisis centers throughout the state, implementing Wisconsin's "Crisis Now" model.

The Department of Health Services would provide certifications for those centers, and people would have 24/7 access.

Republican Sen. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) criticized the current process for treating mental health crises.

After New Lisbon Judge Was Murdered, Wisconsin Chief Justice Says She Pushed For New Judicial Police Force

After a retired judge in New Lisbon was murdered last year, Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice Annette Ziegler said she sought to create a new police force to protect judges throughout Wisconsin. But state lawmakers, she said, wouldn't fund it.

In June 2022, retired Juneau County Circuit Court Judge John Roemer was zip-tied to a chair and murdered in his home. The alleged shooter, Douglas Uhde, was found in the basement and later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Uhde had previously been sentenced to six years in prison by Roemer.

As she gave her State of the Judiciary address Wednesday, Zeigler referenced the slaying and another judicial murder last month.

"The recent horrific execution of a Maryland judge, as he stood in his own driveway in his own home, continues to remind us that we have to be vigilant at all times and we need to enhance judicial security," Ziegler said.

Evers Says Blocking UW Pay Raises Last Straw That Prompted Suit Against Legislature

Dem Gov. Tony Evers says he was compelled to sue the state Legislature after GOP lawmakers decided to “stick it” to UW employees by holding up their pay raises over a policy dispute.

The suit, which asks the state Supreme Court to take the case directly, seeks to overturn three committee actions, including the move to block the raises at the behest of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester.

In it, Dem AG Josh Kaul denounced the “current system of government-by-legislative-committee” and accused lawmakers of exceeding their constitutional authority.

Lawmakers Consider Changes To Wisconsin’s Missing-Child Alerts

A state senator is working on a bill to update Wisconsin’s missing-child alert system.

LaTonya Johnson, a Milwaukee Democrat, started discussions after 5-year-old Prince McCree was found dead in a dumpster earlier this week. She says the case is close to her, living just doors down from the McCree family.

A family friend who knew Prince is asking why an Amber Alert wasn’t issued when he went missing. In order to send an Amber Alert, the state Department of Justice has to have information about the missing child and a potential suspect.

Public Service Commission To Start Announcing Electric Rate Increases This Week

State regulators are about to decide how much Wisconsin electric power companies can raise their rates in 2024.

Between now and the end of the year, the Public Service Commission (PSC) is expected to act on rate increase petitions from five electric power companies.

Two requests include proposals to charge ratepayers for the cost of putting coal-fired power plants out of commission. Two include changes in how power companies will charge and compensate homeowners who install solar power arrays.

“The PSC is setting prices for customers as a proxy for competition because these utilities are monopolies,” says Tom Content, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board (CUB). CUB is authorized by Wisconsin law to represent consumers in rate cases before the commission.