Morning Headlines - Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025

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

Trump Signs Epstein Bill Into Law, Releasing Files From DOJ

President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law, officially directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release all unclassified records and documents connected to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The move marks a stunning reversal for the president, who until days ago was adamantly against releasing the files. Trump called on House Republicans to pass the bill on Sunday evening in a Truth Social post, saying it was time to move on from the controversy.

Democratic Congresswoman Charged With Stealing $5M In FEMA Funds, Making Illegal Campaign Contributions: DOJ

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, of Florida, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of stealing $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds, which she is accused of laundering to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

The indictment was announced by the Justice Department on Wednesday.

The indictment alleges Cherfilus-McCormick. 46, and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, 51, received a $5 million overpayment in FEMA funds directed to their family health care company in connection with a contract for COVID-19 vaccination staffing in 2021.

Not Of This World: Mystery As NASA Discovers ‘Sculpted’ Alien Rock On Surface Of Mars

NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover has made another strange discovery.

While investigating the Vernodden area of Jezero Crater – the crater where the rover first landed on the Red Planet in February 2021 – it found an unusually shaped rock that is not meant to be on the surface of Mars.

Where it may have come from is anyone’s guess, but the “unusually shaped rock” – possibly a meteorite – has elements typically associated with iron-nickel meteorites formed in the core of large asteroids, the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a blog post.

Major League Baseball Announces New Media Rights Deals For NBC, ESPN And Netflix

NBC will now have Sunday Night Baseball from 2026 to 2028.

ESPN opted out of its Sunday Night Baseball rights earlier this year. It had been paying $550 million for the deal.

MLB is receiving about $250 million for the same games previously paid for by ESPN, representing a haircut of about $300 million.

ESPN has a new deal to sell and distribute MLB.TV as well as a new 30-game midweek package. ESPN is paying $550 million for its new bundle of rights and games.

Amazon Sending Out Payments In $2.5B Prime Settlement

If you’re one of the millions of people who were signed up for Amazon Prime without your permission, you may want to check your email inbox. The company has started providing automatic refunds from a $2.5 billion settlement it reached with the Federal Trade Commission earlier this year.

The FTC previously accused Amazon of using “deceptive methods” to register millions of customers for paid Prime subscriptions, then making it difficult for those customers to cancel. In September, the FTC said Amazon would not only have to pay the $2.5 billion settlement but “cease unlawful enrollment and cancellation practices for Prime.”

Wisconsin Headlines

Online Sports Betting Plan Dead, Till Next Year

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are delaying the vote to bring online sports betting into the state, and keep it with the tribes.

Assembly second in command Rep. Tyler August, R-Walworth, told reporters that the proposal won’t be called for a vote until after the new year.

“There's really no rush on this,” August explained. “The Senate is not coming back this week. I had a conversation with a couple members over the weekend that brought up some points that I hadn't considered yet, so we're going to work through those. I expect we will be voting on it early next year.”

Wisconsin Assembly Passes Republican School Consolidation Bills

Republicans in the state Assembly approved more than a dozen education-related bills Wednesday, including a series of bills aimed at consolidating school districts.

The move comes as Wisconsin’s population is due to decline and as public schools have lost more than 50,000 students in the last decade.

The GOP bills would offer financial incentives when districts merge in the next three years and if they participate in grade sharing. That’s when the same classes from two or more underpopulated schools combine — a practice that is authorized under state law but not currently used, according to the Department of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin Lawmakers Pass Erin's Law To Educate Kids On Recognizing Sexual Abuse

Lawmakers spent Wednesday afternoon debating a proposal known as Erin's Law, which proponents say could protect thousands of Wisconsin children.

The proposal has already passed in 38 states and mandates schools to teach students how to recognize abuse, train staff, and provide resources to parents. However, opponents argue the bill is insufficient.

Democratic Rep. Lee Snodgrass of Appleton questioned the limited scope, arguing against the requirement applying only to public schools.

Parent Sues Public Wisconsin School District For Not Providing Material Created By Christian Publisher

An Oconomowoc mother plans to sue the Two Rivers Public School District over its charter school’s refusal to provide curriculum material created by a Christian publisher.

Karen Sharkey says she chose the Lighthouse Learning Academy because it provided more flexibility than a traditional school. The online charter school has been in existence since 2015 and is operated by the Two Rivers Public School District.

The school allows parents to have input on selecting curriculum materials for their own children.

Hunter Shoots Himself With Crossbow, Crashes While Driving To The Hospital

The Grant County Sheriff's Office says a man who shot himself in the ankle with a crossbow tried to drive himself to the hospital, but passed out and crashed his vehicle.

The sheriff's office received a 911 call about the crash just after 6 a.m. on November 17. The caller said a vehicle went off of Highway 35/81 in the town of South Lancaster, just west of Lancaster.

When deputies arrived, they learned the 73-year-old man had been preparing to hunt on property just outside of Cassville. While he was getting ready, the crossbow he was using discharged, shooting a bolt into his right ankle.