Morning Headlines - Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025 | 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

Man Accused Of 'Maliciously' Igniting Fire That Caused The Deadly Palisades Fire: DOJ

Months after the Palisades Fire devastated parts of Los Angeles County and killed a dozen people, officials announced the arrest of a man they say "maliciously" lit a fire that grew into the monster blaze.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, is accused of igniting a fire on Jan. 1 in the Pacific Palisades that ultimately erupted into the Palisades Fire, the Department of Justice said.

Customers Crown Kwik Trip Nation’s Top Convenience Store Chain

There’s a new king of American convenience.

Midwest chain Kwik Trip has claimed the top spot in the 2025 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rankings of U.S. convenience stores, edging out regional favorites like Wawa and Sheetz.

The Wisconsin-based company’s “food-focused” model and commitment to “building a positive culture” struck a chord with customers, helping it rise to No. 1 on this year’s list, the report said.

Gay 'Throuple' Adopts Three-Year-Old Child In Legal Battle Over Three Dads

A gay 'throuple' who adopted a little girl have launched a lawsuit demanding that their home province of Quebec legally recognizes all three of them as her parents.

Eric LeBlanc, Jonathan Bédard, and Justin Maheu, said they had been trying to become fathers for years until they were finally matched with a child this week.

The trio, who live together in Montreal as a 'throuple', said they adopted the three-year-old girl through the Quebec Youth Protection Services (DPJ) on Thursday.

Dozens Of Bob Ross Paintings Will Be Auctioned To Help Public TV After Funding Cuts

Dozens of Bob Ross paintings — many of them created live on the PBS series that made him a household name — will be auctioned off in the coming months to support public television.

Ross, with his distinctive afro, soothing voice and sunny outlook, empowered millions of viewers to make and appreciate art through his show The Joy of Painting. More than 400 half-hour episodes aired on PBS (and eventually the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) from 1983 to 1994, the year before Ross died of cancer at age 52.

The Browser Company’s Dia Is Now Available On Mac, No Invite Needed

The wait(list) is over for The Browser Company’s Dia, its AI-powered follow-up to Arc. If you have a Mac, that is.

The Browser Company, which was acquired by software giant Atlassian for $610 million last month, said “Dia is now open to everyone on MacOS.” It’s the first time Dia has been widely available since launching in June. It’s one of several tools from firms making AI central to surfing the web with features like chatbot assistants and AI-powered shortcuts.

There’s still no word on when or if The Browser Company plans on making Dia available on Windows.

WILL Sues Over Milwaukee Common School Fund Carve-Out

There is a new lawsuit that challenges Milwaukee’s special deal that allows the city to keep all of its traffic fine money.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Wednesday filed a suit against what it’s calling the Cream City Carve-Out.

"Under a provision tucked away in the current state budget, Milwaukee County may take 100% of all traffic fines and forfeitures, while other counties must deposit most of this money into the Common School Fund. Milwaukee County is now the only county that benefits from this carve out in the state budget," WILL said in a statement.

Wisconsin GOP Bill Aims To Clamp Down On Credit Card Campaign Contributions

Republican lawmakers are pushing a bill to bar any political party or candidate from accepting online credit card donations unless the contributor provides a verification code and U.S. address.

The bill is part of growing right-wing scrutiny of the Democratic fundraising juggernaut ActBlue, fueled in large part by President Donald Trump. ActBlue has called the allegations politically motivated.

During a public hearing before the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections on Wednesday, questions were raised about how the state could enforce the requirement and whether it would stop potential foreign contributions. The measure’s sponsors, Rep. Dave Murphy, R-Greenville, and Sen. Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee, touted their bill as an election integrity measure.

Governor Evers Touts Education Investments During Boyceville Elementary School Tour

Governor Tony Evers was in western Wisconsin Wednesday morning to talk about his continued investments in education.

Evers visited Tiffany Elementary School in Boyceville to meet with students and staff. The governor started his tour taking questions from second grade students before learning about geography and science with fifth graders.

Evers has made education funding a priority during his administration. He secured $1.4 million in spendable revenue in the state's biennial budget. He said investing in Wisconsin schools sets up communities for success.

Kaul Says He’s Seeking Reelection As AG To Continue Legal Fights Against Trump Administration

Josh Kaul said he decided to seek reelection as attorney general to continue his efforts to fight the Trump administration in the courts.

In a phone interview with WisPolitics, Kaul said personal reasons also factored into his decision to pass on a run for governor next year.

“I think this is a pivotal time for the nation,” Kaul said. “Some of our most basic rights are under threat. I think it’s really critical that we have an AG that will protect our freedoms and the rule of law.”

Many viewed Kaul as a likely Dem frontrunner if he got into the race to succeed Tony Evers, thanks in part to winning statewide elections as AG in 2018 and 2022. He also reported $470,972 in the bank at the end of June, more than double the cash on hand of any other Dem who’s looked at the race.

Cybersecurity Threats Rise In Wisconsin As AI Empowers Hackers, Experts Warn

Cybersecurity threats are escalating, and experts warn artificial intelligence will only make it easier for hackers to access secure information.

“Simply put, cybersecurity is hard,” Corey Lee, the CTO of Security at Microsoft said. “And it’s getting harder.”

By 2027, the International Data Corporation predicts 95% of countries will have experienced a major cyberattack with generative AI, and only 30% will be ready to defend against those attacks.

On Wednesday, experts from Microsoft, Google, the Wisconsin Department of Justice and more testified at the State Capitol about the threat of future cybersecurity attacks.