Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Dec. 10, 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

Federal Reserve Poised To Cut Rates As Trump Plots New Course For Bank

The Federal Reserve will make its final interest rate decision of 2025 on Wednesday, setting up a pivotal year for both the U.S. economy and the central bank as President Trump prepares to install a new leader.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the panel of Fed officials responsible for monetary policy, is expected to slash rates Wednesday for the third consecutive meeting.

Here’s Where The Minimum Wage Is Going Up In 2026

Americans are feeling the strain of rising living costs, but millions of workers will start the new year with some relief as higher minimum wages take effect.

Workers in 19 states and 49 cities and counties will see the minimum wage increase Jan. 1, according to a new report from the National Employment Law Project, a nonprofit worker advocacy group. Another four states and 22 localities are set to raise their wage floors later in the year.

Facebook Redesign Focuses On Friends, Photos, Marketplace, And More

Is the metaverse out and Facebook back in? That’s one way to look at Tuesday’s announcement from the company formerly known as Facebook: Meta is revamping its flagship app with a number of features focused on connecting friends, along with design changes, including a renewed focus on what still works, like its popular Facebook Marketplace.

As Facebook’s population ages, the app remains in heavy use among boomers and Gen Xers. That’s led Meta to try to find a footing among a younger demographic.

Teens, Social Media And AI Chatbots 2025

Even as teens express mixed feelings about social media’s impact, these sites remain a key part of their lives, with some using them “almost constantly.”

Now, AI chatbots, like ChatGPT and Character.ai, are getting teens’ attention. Roughly two-thirds report using chatbots, including about three-in-ten who do so daily, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of 1,458 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17.

Supreme Court Weighs Role Of IQ Scores In Debate Over Execution Of Disabled People

More than 20 years ago, the Supreme Court outlawed the execution of intellectually disabled people convicted of capital crimes as "cruel and unusual" punishment forbidden by the Eighth Amendment.

In a major case from Alabama before the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the justices are asked to clarify who qualifies as "intellectually disabled" and what role intelligence quotient -- also known as IQ -- test scores play in making the determination.

Wisconsin Headlines

Why Wisconsin Supreme Court Elections Are So Expensive

A quarter-century ago, the total cost of every state Supreme Court race in the country reached an unprecedented $45.6 million.

That figure was so high that it prompted the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University to warn that “a new and ominous politics of judicial elections” posed a “threat to fair and impartial justice.”

Yet in 2025, spending on a single Wisconsin Supreme Court seat exceeded $114.2 million.

Community Leaders Speak Out Against Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Using Facial Recognition

Community leaders in Milwaukee are raising concerns about the potential use of facial recognition technology by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

The law enforcement agency is proposing to use the technology for active investigations. Chief Deputy Brian Barkow said it would not be used to charge someone with a crime.

“It is a tool that’s utilized to point an investigator, potentially, in the right direction,” Barkow said during a Tuesday county board committee meeting.

The software would search booking photos or sex offender registry entries, not social media or other websites, according to Barkow.

Northwoods Policy Network Launches To Promote State’s Rural Northern Region

A new advocacy group called the Northwoods Policy Network has formed to promote the state’s northern region, with a focus on business attraction and economic viability for rural communities.

Paul Schecklman, the nonprofit’s executive director, says the group aims to drive conversations around what’s important for northern Wisconsin and help achieve regional goals. That will include conducting “unique, thorough” research on issues of importance for the region, as well as lobbying efforts.

“It’s connected to Wisconsin and our work is going to benefit the state as a whole, but from the perspective of rural, outstate northern Wisconsin, what barriers can we remove?” he said yesterday in an interview. “How can we drive more interest? And how can we get the people in our region to tune in a little bit more, and demand some of these opportunities … [and] have a voice at the table.”

Evers Signs 34 New Laws

Wisconsin has nearly three-dozen new laws.

Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday signed 34 pieces of legislation into law. The list includes new laws that do everything from getting tougher on child traffickers, to changing Wisconsin’s labor laws to allow some minor league baseball players to get paid, to allowing for purple lights on cars during funerals.

Evers signed most of the laws without comment, but he did single-out the new anti-human trafficking law.

“Crimes of this nature—most especially when it comes to our kids—should be punishable by the full extent of the law,” Evers said. “With this bill, we are helping ensure that we’re protecting some of our most vulnerable youth and holding predators accountable, most especially when they prey on our kids.”

Barnes Aims To Raise $50M For Governor Campaign, Says Big Money In Politics Is A Concern

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mandela Barnes says he’s shooting to raise “closer to $50 million” for his campaign cycle, which would be a significant uptick from his 2022 bid for U.S. Senate.

Barnes didn’t share how much he’s raised since formally announcing his campaign last week, but told reporters at Black Saddle Bicycle Shop in Madison Monday he’d had a “strong haul” that would “make (his) mom proud.”

Despite that, Barnes called his fundraising goal “not a good sign” for Wisconsin and said state officials should be taking more steps to reduce the impact of money in politics.