Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Apr. 11, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

South Korea Will Demand 'Appropriate Measures' After Pentagon Documents Leak

South Korea will demand that the U.S. take "appropriate measures" once the investigation into leaked Pentagon documents detailing U.S. intelligence has concluded, a senior South Korean official said.

The comment comes as leaked classified Defense Department documents posted online revealed U.S. intelligence gathering on allies, including South Korea.

The South Korean official also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the documents, saying there are suggestions that some of the information might be fabricated. A senior U.S. official has also said that some of the documents may have been altered.

What Are The Chances Biden Extends The Student Loan Pause Again?

President Biden faces a ticking timer on the resumption of student loan payments by the end of the summer — but will he allow it to go off?

The payments, paused amid the coronavirus pandemic, are set to begin either 60 days after the Supreme Court makes a ruling on Biden’s student debt forgiveness program or 60 days after June 30, the White House has said.

Biden had also previously said the payments would resume at the beginning of 2023, and that there would not be another extension of the pause, which began under then-President Trump in 2020.

5 Killed, 8 Injured In Downtown Louisville Shooting; Suspected Gunman Dead

At least five people were killed in a shooting Monday at an Old National Bank branch in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, and at least eight others were hospitalized, officials said. The suspected gunman was also dead, police said.

Police identified the five slain victims as Joshua Barrick, 40; Thomas Elliot, 63; James Tutt, 64; Deana Eckert, 57; and Juliana Farmer. Police provided two ages for Farmer, and it wasn't immediately clear which was the right one.

Louisville Metro Police Department interim Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel identified the gunman as Connor Sturgeon and said he worked at the bank. Police later said on Twitter that he was 25 years old.

DOJ Asks Appeals Court For Emergency Stay Of Abortion Pill Ruling

The Justice Department on Monday filed an emergency stay motion with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals seeking to block Friday's order from a federal judge in Texas striking down the FDA's approval of the widely-used abortion medication drug mifepristone.

"Rather than preserving the status quo, as preliminary relief is meant to do, the district court upended decades of reliance by blocking FDA's approval of mifepristone and depriving patients of access to this safe and effective treatment, based on the court's own misguided assessment of the drug's safety," the DOJ said.

A Sex Scandal Tanked A Presidential Front-runner In The 1980s. Why Not Today?

It’s spring of the year before the presidential primaries, and an unprecedented scandal involving a clear front-runner in the polls has caused a media firestorm and wall-to-wall coverage.

No, we’re not talking about former President Donald Trump, who was arraigned last week on criminal charges stemming from a hush-money payment he allegedly made related to his 2016 campaign, purportedly to hide an affair with a porn star. In May 1987, former Sen. Gary Hart, the leading contender for the Democratic Party’s 1988 presidential nomination, faced a media “feeding frenzy” over his alleged marital infidelity — a scandal that led Hart to suspend his campaign and ultimately ended his political career.

Now, let’s be clear: These are not apples-to-apples cases. Although both involved alleged personal misconduct, Trump is facing felony charges under New York state law, while Hart was never accused of breaking the law. And though Hart led the early primary polls, he was not a former president, like Trump. Call it “apples to pears,” perhaps.

Wisconsin Headlines

Republican Bill Would Allow School Staff Members To Carry Guns In Wisconsin

A new proposal would allow some school staff members to carry guns in Wisconsin.

The bill would grant school boards the ability to adopt a policy allowing employees who are licensed gun owners to carry on school grounds. It was released Monday by a pair of Republican lawmakers, including State Rep. Scott Allen of Waukesha.

"When minutes matter, and we're talking about the precious lives of our children, I think some school boards will want to have some options other than simply calling the authorities," Allen said.

Bill Would Help 'Innocent Purchasers' In Wisconsin Clean Up Contaminated Land

When Ken Koeppler first heard the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wanted to visit his property, he didn’t think he had anything to worry about.

Koeppler, a Madison resident, bought the building in 1987 and lived there for 17 years before turning it into a rental property. In 2015, the DNR asked Koeppler if it could drill into the basement to check for contamination.

Prior to the DNR’s inquiry, Koeppler had no idea his property once housed a now-defunct dry cleaning business — or that it was contaminated.

Rep. Mike Gallagher Introduces Safe Routes Act Following Logging Truck Ride-Along

On Monday, Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher participated in a ride-along with members of the logging industry to highlight what he calls, outdated regulations that prohibit logging trucks from driving on federal highways, forcing them to use state and local roads to reach destinations.

“It’s crazy how inefficient it is,” Gallagher said. “It’s bad for the truck, it’s bad for the trucker, it’s bad for the road, it’s bad for the environment, it’s less safe, so it absolutely makes no sense which is why I’ve been working with loggers, and district stakeholders to arrive at a lasting solution to a decades-old problem.”

Now Recruiting: Wisconsin State Patrol Troopers, Inspectors

The Wisconsin State Patrol is now accepting applications from individuals with a passion to serve Wisconsin. Hiring begins today for the 69th Recruit Class.

Troopers and inspectors are assigned to counties throughout the state to enforce traffic laws and keep Wisconsin’s highways safe. As a division of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the sworn officers of the State Patrol play a key role in creating a safe and efficient transportation system for all.

“Safety is vital to our mission as a state agency, which is why we invest in our State Patrol employees. We rely on our troopers and inspectors to lead our public safety initiatives, working throughout the state to ensure every driver, passenger, and road user can travel safely in Wisconsin. It’s the exceptional service and integrity of each officer that truly makes a difference in our communities,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said.

In addition to enforcing traffic and criminal laws across Wisconsin, State Patrol officers may serve in specialized roles including pilots, K-9 officers, crash reconstruction experts, and commercial motor vehicle inspectors. Other special units focus on combatting human trafficking and drug interdiction, and services like Honor Guard and dignitary protection.

'Wait-And-See Mode': Wisconsin Businesses Hesitant To Lay People Off, Despite Likely 'Mild Recession'

The unemployment rate in Wisconsin remains low, but with the Federal Reserve expected to increase interest rates again to curb inflation, any rosy picture of the state's economy is temporary.

That's according to Steven Deller, a professor of agriculture and applied economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He spoke on a panel broadcast by Wisconsin Eye, a nonprofit media network, on Monday.

Deller said it's not a matter of if the economy will start showing signs of slowing — but when.

"The question that economists are debating right now is the degree of the downturn and when will it hit," Deller said.

Deller said there's a general consensus that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates two more times to tamp down inflation.

"What's driving the Fed right now is the inflation rate. And inflation is still too high, but it's starting to come down," he said.