Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Mar. 29, 2023

U.S. and World Headlines

Media Mockery Of Prayer, 'Subtle Smears' Against Christianity Marks Coverage Of Nashville Massacre

Pastors and conservative leaders weighed in on reaction by journalists and entertainers who have mocked prayer and brought attention to Tennessee's drag show ban amid the Christian elementary school massacre that took six lives Monday.

As the nation grapples with the murders of three adults and three children at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, faith leaders responded to the criticism by journalists, commentators, entertainers and activists who have mocked prayer and blamed conservatives for outlawing drag shows for kids and not guns.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins reiterated that people should still turn to prayer as a way to combat the "spiritual battle" that "is raging for our country and our culture" which "is targeting our children."

McCarthy Tries To Drag Biden To Negotiating Table On Debt Limit

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is trying to ramp up pressure on President Biden to negotiate a package of fiscal reforms in exchange for raising the debt limit, but Democrats still refuse to sit down with him, setting the stage for a high-stakes standoff this summer.

McCarthy on Tuesday tried to kickstart negotiations by laying out his first broad proposals for spending reforms in a letter to Biden.

He called for cutting nondefense discretionary spending, reclaiming unspent COVID-19 relief funding, strengthening work requirements for social safety net programs and creating policies to lower energy costs and secure the U.S.-Mexico border to stem the flow of illegal drugs.

Israeli Leaders Lash Out At Biden's Criticism As Judicial Overhaul Sparks A Rare Public Rift

Israeli leaders engaged in a rare public clash with the United States on Wednesday after President Joe Biden criticized their contentious judicial overhaul plan.

Biden ignited a political firestorm with his suggestion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should "walk away" from his proposal to weaken the country’s Supreme Court and warned that Israel “cannot continue down this road.”

Netanyahu and his allies responded defiantly to the direct rebuke from Washington, asserting that Israel would make its own decisions. Opposition leaders seized on the open feud as a sign that the now-paused reforms threatened the country's crucial friendship with the U.S. — and with it Israel's security.

Microsoft To Reportedly Focus On Security And AI In Next Version Of Windows

Microsoft is working on a new “modern” version of Windows with better security and faster updates. The initiative, called CorePC, would allow Windows to scale better for different devices while still supporting legacy apps.

CorePC would aim for many of the same goals as the scrapped Windows Core OS (including the also canceled Windows 10X), which Microsoft billed as a modular modernization of its OS. CorePC would use “state separation” and split Windows into multiple partitions, similar to iOS and Android. This could make it harder for malware to infect the system while making updates faster.

Many Mass Shooters Acquire Guns Legally

The suspected shooter who killed six people at a Nashville school on Monday is believed to have bought seven guns legally, including three used in the attack.

From 1966 to 2019, 77% of mass shooters purchased at least some of the weapons used in the shootings legally, per data compiled by the National Institute of Justice, a research agency of the Department of Justice.

• Many mass shootings in the U.S. after 2019 have also underscored the same reality.
• Illegal purchases were made by just 13% of mass shooters, per the data, which also notes that 32.5% of mass shooting cases could not be confirmed.
• More than 80% of the assailants responsible for K-12 shootings stole their guns from family members, per the National Institute of Justice.

Wisconsin Headlines

DNA Led To Arrest In 2022 Attack On Wisconsin Anti-Abortion Organization, Authorities Say

A Wisconsin man was arrested Tuesday in connection with a 2022 firebombing attack on an anti-abortion organization’s office in the state’s capital after DNA evidence linked him to the crime scene, prosecutors said.

Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, was arrested at Boston Logan International Airport on one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive, the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Wisconsin said in a news release. Roychowdhury had purchased a one-way ticket for a flight that was set to depart Boston for Guatemala City on Tuesday morning, according to the news release.

Protasiewicz Outraises Kelly In Wisconsin Supreme Court Campaign

The Democratic-funded candidate in Wisconsin’s pivotal state Supreme Court contest has raised more than five times as much money as her Republican-backed opponent ahead of the April 4 election.

Liberal Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz raised nearly $12.4 million in the final campaign finance reporting period between Feb. 7 and March 20, reports filed late March 27 show. Her conservative opponent, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, raised $2.2 million during the same period.

Research Shows Wisconsin Sees More Political Conflict In School Board Races Than Nearly Every State Nationwide

Next Tuesday, several school board races will be decided across Wisconsin. State law claims these races should be non-partisan, but in some cases, it appears there's a growing outside political influence from local parties, non-profits and political action committees (PAC).

Political analysts are pinpointing the pandemic as the turning point for local, non-partisan elections.

The sound of gym shoes and boots shuffling through hallways, lockers slamming and keyboards clacking. Sounds we didn't hear much of 2020, but as the pandemic eased, students trailed back into classrooms sparking new hurdles for some.

Joint Finance Committee Begins Hearings On State Budget

The state Legislature's budget-writing committee started its hearings on the next state budget.

On Tuesday, members of the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) heard testimony from representatives from the Department of Corrections and Department of Transportation.

One thing communities are watching in this budget process is what happens with shared revenue. Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) wants to send 20% of the state's sales tax back to communities for shared revenue.

Report: Wisconsin Funding For Conservation And DNR Dropped

A new report suggests Wisconsin is lacking in its funding for conservation.

The review by the non-partisan Wisconsin Policy Forum found that despite being the 16th highest in outdoor recreation impact on the economy and top ten for number of fishing and hunting licenses bought.

The state itself has decreased funding for the DNR by almost 69% when adjusting for inflation. This despite the state’s long and storied reputation for conservation and outdoor past times.