Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2026

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

Israel Launches Fresh Dawn Strikes At Tehran And Beirut

The US embassy in Saudi Arabia was attacked with drones as Americans in more than a dozen countries across the Middle East were urged to evacuated.

The building in Riyadh has shut today as officials asked people to stay away following the attack last night.

It comes as the US State Department appealed for Americans to leave 15 countries across the Middle East because of safety risks.

Israel has launched fresh strikes in the Iranian capital Tehran and in Lebanon after Donald Trump warned the 'hardest hits were yet to come' as the fighting entered the fourth day.

Supreme Court Could Loosen Law Barring Marijuana Users From Owning Guns

The Supreme Court seemed likely Monday to loosen a federal law that bars marijuana users from owning guns in a case that crossed typical political lines.

A majority of justices appeared to lean toward a narrow ruling in favor of a Texas man who argued he shouldn’t have been charged with a crime just because he owned a gun and smoked marijuana a few times a week.

The Trump administration asked the high court to revive a criminal case against Ali Danial Hemani under a law that bans all illegal drug users from owning guns. But both liberal and conservative justices seemed skeptical.

Supreme Court Bars Redrawing Only Republican-Held NYC Congressional District For 2026 Election

The Supreme Court effectively barred the redrawing of the boundary lines of the only congressional district in New York City currently held by a Republican for the 2026 midterm elections.

The decision is a victory for the incumbent, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, the Staten Island Republican, who had asked the Supreme Court to hear her bid to block the new lines for November’s election.

The GOP has a majority in the House of Representatives by just four seats.

Supreme Court Rules For Parents Demanding California Disclose Kids’ Gender Identities

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled California is likely violating the constitutional rights of parents who object to policies preventing teachers from disclosing when their child changes their name or pronouns in school.

The decision marks a major victory for parental rights advocates at this early stage of the case — and a blow to the state’s efforts to shield the privacy of LGBTQ students.

The justices have yet to definitely resolve the fiercely disputed issue, and the case could ultimately return to the high court.

Justice Department Moves To Drop Defense Of Trump's Executive Orders Targeting Law Firms

The Justice Department on Monday moved to drop its legal defense of President Trump's executive orders that targeted several high-profile law firms, according to court filings.

In papers filed with the U.S. appeals court in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration said it would be voluntarily dismissing appeals of lower court decisions that found the executive orders punishing the four firms were unconstitutional. The firms are Perkins Coie; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP; Susman Godfrey and Jenner & Block.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin National Guard Serving In Middle East Recognized During Pentagon Briefing

Wisconsin Air National Guard forces are playing a significant role in operations in the Middle East. Troops from Wisconsin are involved in ongoing military efforts in the region.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine praised Wisconsin troops during a briefing on Monday.

"The integrative reserve and National Guard forces have continued to demonstrate the value of America's reserve forces, including the Wisconsin Army National Guard operating in Kuwait and Iraq, and international guard units from a variety of states to include Vermont and Virginia," said Caine.

NFIB: Energy Costs Rising, Troubling In Wisconsin

There is another warning about the skyrocketing costs of electricity in Wisconsin.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses is out with the results of its Small Business Energy Survey, and they are not good.

The NFIB’s report states:

• 80% of small business owners reported that energy costs significantly (very or moderately) impact the business.
• Small business owners have few good ways to manage increased energy costs.
• Two-thirds of small business owners report that energy efficiency is at least somewhat important when replacing vehicles. However, adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles remains very limited.

Man Accused In Wisconsin Poisoning Plot Made Nearly 300 Secret Calls From Jail Laptop

A man accused in a plot to poison women in two Wisconsin counties allegedly used a jail-issued laptop to make nearly 300 secret phone calls to his co-defendant, according to a search warrant obtained by WMTV.

Court documents show Paul Van Duyne also used a fake identity to target co-defendant Andrea Whitaker’s mother — all from inside the Dane County Jail.

Authorities revealed Van Duyne and Whitaker were at the center of a poisoning plot following multiple hazmat investigations across Madison over the summer.

Wisconsin Senate Republicans To Meet On Tribal Online Sports Betting Bill

Wisconsin Senate Republicans are set to meet Tuesday to discuss a bill that would legalize online sports betting in the state.

If the caucus proceeds as planned, the bipartisan bill could advance to a full vote before the Senate session ends in March.

The state constitution requires that any legal gambling be managed by Wisconsin’s 11 tribes, which have endorsed the bill.

Report: Nearly Half Of Wisconsin’s Lowest Performing Schools Are On Milwaukee’s North Side

Nearly half of Wisconsin’s lowest-performing schools are located on Milwaukee’s north side, according to a new report.

City Forward Collective analyzed Wisconsin’s schools and found that only 18 percent of the 55,000 students living on the city’s north side attend “high quality” schools.

Milwaukee schools serve only 10 percent of Wisconsin’s school-age children, but 57 percent of the state’s Black students. The vast majority of those students either live or attend school on the city’s north side.