Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Mar. 19, 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

Last Batch Of JFK Assassination Files Released

The US government has released the final batch of documents on the assassination of President John F Kennedy - a case that still sparks conspiracy theories over 60 years later.

The release follows an executive order in January by President Donald Trump that required unredacted files in the case to be made public.

Experts are combing over the documents, but have said they do not expect many ground-breaking revelations. Trump expected 80,000 pages of records to be unsealed.

Judge Temporarily Blocks EPA's Effort To Cancel $20 Billion In Climate Grants

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a move by the Environmental Protection Agency to cancel more than $20 billion in climate grants awarded under the Biden administration, stating that the EPA had failed to provide sufficient evidence the grants were examples of waste and fraud.

The ruling comes after EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin claimed in February that the agency found that "roughly twenty billion of your tax dollars were parked at an outside financial institution" by the Biden administration.

Lawmakers Approve Ban On Devices That Convert Semi-Automatic Weapons

Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday approved a ban on Glock switches and other conversion devices that convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns, after a deadly year that included multiple mass shootings.

A bipartisan coalition pushed the Alabama legislation after several multiple mass shootings last year, including the shooting deaths of four people outside a Birmingham nightclub in September. The devices are already banned under federal law, but there’s currently no state law that bans them.

Judge Blocks Trump’s Effort To Ban Transgender Troops

The Pentagon cannot enforce President Donald Trump’s order banning transgender people from serving in the military, a federal judge ruled Tuesday, saying it is “soaked in animus” and unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of sex.

“The cruel irony is that thousands of transgender servicemembers have sacrificed — some risking their lives — to ensure for others the very equal protection rights the Military Ban seeks to deny them,” U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes wrote in a 79-page opinion.

Meta’s Potential Exit From Delaware Had Governor Worried Enough To Call Special Weekend Meetings

Delaware lawmakers are debating a bill that would change the state’s corporate law after Tesla CEO Elon Musk reincorporated his companies elsewhere.

After news broke in late January that Meta was considering following Musk’s lead, Democratic Governor Matt Meyer sprung into action.

The governor invited Meta’s corporate secretary and policy director to an urgent Sunday meeting, according to public records obtained by CNBC.

Wisconsin Headlines

Early Voting Turnout In 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court Race To Gauge Enthusiasm On Both Sides

Wisconsin voters began casting ballots on March 18 in a state Supreme Court election that has become a proxy for the nation’s political battles while attracting a massive amount of spending, led by groups affiliated with Elon Musk and other billionaires.

Voters at the polls on the first day of early voting said they were motivated by the role the court will play in issues such as abortion and immigration. Some also mentioned concerns about how national money and influence could sway the outcome of a race that will determine whether the court remains under liberal control or flips to a conservative majority.

Chippewa Indian Chairman Delivers 21st Annual State Of The Tribes Address

Members of Wisconsin’s 11 federally recognized tribes, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin legislature gathered at the State Capitol for the 21st State of the Tribes Address on Tuesday.

“Today’s gathering is proof of the strong relationship that exists between tribal nations and greater Wisconsin,” St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin Chairman, Thomas Fowler, said during the address.

Similar to the governor’s State of the State Address, the State of the Tribes gives legislators and Wisconsinites a chance to hear the goals, successes and challenges Native Americans are facing in Wisconsin.

750-Acre Big Island Fire In Green Lake County Now 100% Contained

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that the 750-acre Big Island Fire in the White River Marsh State Wildlife Area in Green Lake County is now 100% contained as of midnight.

The fire broke out at 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 17. It burned primarily in cattails and marsh grass.

Six homes were evacuated and saved, and approximately 12 outbuildings were saved. No structures were lost and there were no reported injuries.

State Assembly Passes Bill Requiring Sheriff's Departments To Cooperate With ICE

The State Assembly passed a bill 51-43 on Tuesday that impacts decisions made by local law enforcement agencies.

The Republican-authored legislation, AB-24, requires people held in county jails on felonies to show proof of U.S. citizenship. The county sheriff's offices will have to notify ICE if a person’s immigration status can’t be verified.

If county sheriff's offices don’t comply, a 15 percent penalty is applied to the department’s shared revenue for the next year.

Tim Walz Says Pushing Back Against President Trump, Elon Musk Starts With Wisconsin Supreme Court Election

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told Democrats at an Eau Claire town hall Tuesday that the road to fighting back against President Donald Trump and Elon Musk starts with getting liberal Dane County Judge Susan Crawford elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on April 1.

The 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee also criticized Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden of Prairie du Chien for halting in-person town halls, suggesting he’s “scared” of hearing from constituents angry over federal cuts initiated by Trump and Musk.