Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026 | 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

Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Icon And Former US Presidential Candidate, Dies Aged 84

Civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84.

Though a cause of death was not immediately given, Jackson's family said he died peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday morning.

In a statement, the Jackson family said: 'Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world.

'We shared him with the world, and in return, the world became part of our extended family. His unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions, and we ask you to honour his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.'

DHS Shutdown Has No Clear Off-Ramp: 5 Takeaways

There’s no end in sight for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown as both sides point fingers while seemingly moving no closer to a resolution.

The Senate left town on Thursday after Democrats decided against supporting a stopgap spending bill over concerns that talks about the full-year funding measure haven’t advanced far enough. They are demanding reforms to immigration enforcement tactics after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis amid enhanced operations in the city.

DHS funding lapsed on Saturday, leaving much of the department — particularly the agencies not involved in border efforts — working without pay.

Here are five takeaways as the shutdown drags on.

Hyatt Chairman Pritzker Leaves Board Over Epstein Ties

Hyatt Hotels Chairman Thomas J. Pritzker said he would retire in a letter to the chain’s board.

Pritzker, who has held the role for more than two decades, said he regretted maintaining contact with sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

Hyatt said its board appointed CEO Mark Hoplamazian to succeed Pritzker as chair starting immediately.

Former NPR Host Accuses Google Of Copying His Voice For AI Offering

Podcaster David Greene is accusing Google of using his voice without permission to create one of the AI voices in the company’s research and note-taking tool NotebookLM.

Google added Audio Overviews in the second half of 2024, allowing NotebookLM users to make brief podcast episodes out of pages of notes and documents of any kind. The AI-generated podcasts typically have one male and one female cohost. Greene is now claiming that the male co-host was clearly trained on hours of his hard work, which it allegedly now mimics, and he is suing the company for failing to get his permission or offering him any compensation.

Olympic Curling Controversy Grows, US Secures Wins

The Olympic curling rink has delivered some dramatic finishes and heated moments at the Milan Cortina Winter Games as several teams point fingers at each other over potential "double touch" infractions.

The typically calm and precise Olympic event has instead been full of outbursts and officiating debates in recent days, making the sport one of the most talked-about events of the Games.

Gov. Evers To Deliver Final State Of The State Address Tuesday

Governor Tony Evers will deliver his eighth and final State of the State address Tuesday night. The speech is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CST at the Wisconsin State Capitol.

The address also comes as the Assembly is wrapping up for the year, making major legislative action less likely.

“It’s tough to get things done in an election year,” Mike Wagner, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison said. “It’s tough with this timing. And as we’ve seen over the last decade, it’s tough in Wisconsin to get things done in divided government.”

New Court Advocacy Model For Child Victims Emerges In Central Wisconsin

Marathon County is testing a new approach to supporting child victims in criminal court by appointing trained advocates through CASA of Marathon County — a step only a handful of Wisconsin counties have taken.

CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, is an organization that recruits and trains community volunteers who represent the best interests of children in the courtroom. Volunteers undergo 30 hours of training before they are sworn in as an independent voice for children, primarily within the child welfare and foster care system.

Lemahieu Tells ‘UpFront’ ‘Quite A Few’ Assembly Republicans Back His Rebate Plan

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, left out of talks between Gov. Tony Evers and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, says his pitch to give Wisconsinites rebate checks has support from some GOP Assembly reps.

“The irony is, since introducing the bill, I’ve had quite a few members of the Assembly Republican caucus reach out to me and either want to be the number one on the bill, support the bill,” LeMahieu told WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “I think it’s the cleanest path forward, so it’ll be interesting to see how the next four or five days go.

Apostle Islands Ice Caves Open For First Time Since 2015, Drawing Thousands Of Visitors

Thousands of visitors flocked to the Apostle Islands ice caves on Lake Superior Monday, marking the first time since 2015 that these stunning natural formations have been accessible to the public.

The Bayfield, Wisconsin Chamber and Visitors Bureau shared photos of the spectacular ice formations that draw visitors from across the region.

Executive Director Carol Fahrenkrog later announced in a Facebook post that the caves would need to be closed temporarily starting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, due to an approaching winter storm.

Marquette University Accused Of Pushing Lower-Income Families Toward Risky Loans

Marquette University allegedly offers wealthier families scholarships while pushing lower-income families into high-interest student loans.

Marquette was one of 41 colleges named in a report by the progressive think tank New America, which alleges the schools encourage low-income families to take out Parent PLUS loans while at the same time offer financial aid to upper-income students.

“Each year, tens of thousands of low- and lower-middle-income families are encouraged to borrow hefty Parent PLUS loans they likely won’t be able to repay to send their children to selective public and private research universities,” says the report released Feb. 12.