Morning Headlines - Wednesday, May 20, 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

Trump’s Midterm Retribution Crusade Crescendos With Massie Primary Defeat: Key Takeways

President Trump’s retribution crusade reached a crescendo Tuesday when the president’s endorsee, Ed Gallrein, prevailed in the GOP primary to unseat Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), extending his winning streak against Republicans who have defied him.

Massie, a libertarian-leaning lawmaker whose opposition to key Trump priorities has long drawn the president’s ire, is the latest victim of Trump’s revenge campaign after foes in Indiana and Louisiana lost races earlier this month.

“Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said in a post on the social platform X after Massie’s race was called. “F— around, find out.”

Southwest Bans Humanoid Robots From Its Flights

Southwest Airlines has taken a stand against robots on its planes.

The popular carrier has instituted a new policy banning “human-like or animal-like robots” from all its flights.

“Southwest Airlines does not allow human-like or animal-like robots to be transported in the cabin or as checked baggage, regardless of size or purpose,” the policy reads.

“A ‘human‑like robot’ is a robot designed to resemble or imitate a human in its appearance, movement, or behavior. An ‘animal-like robot’ is a robot designed to resemble or imitate an animal in its appearance, movement, or behavior.

SpaceX Picks Goldman Sachs For Lead Left Position On Record-Breaking IPO

SpaceX, which is getting set to publicly disclose its IPO prospectus, has picked Goldman Sachs to lead what’s likely to be a record offering, according to people familiar with the matter.

Goldman will have the lead left position on the prospectus, followed by Morgan Stanley, and then Bank of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase, said the people, who asked not to be named due to confidentiality.

Elon Musk’s reusable rocket company could make its prospectus public as soon as Wednesday after confidentially filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month.

Google Search As You Know It Is Over

The era of the “ten blue links” is officially over.

At its Google I/O conference on Tuesday, Google unveiled an AI-powered overhaul of Search centered around a reimagined “intelligent search box” — what the company describes as the biggest change to this entry point to the web since the search box debuted more than 25 years ago.

Instead of returning a simple list of links, Google Search will drop users into AI-powered interactive experiences at times. Google is also introducing tools that can dispatch “information agents” to gather information on a user’s behalf, along with tools that let users build personalized mini apps tailored to their needs.

Dan Le Batard Declares Sports Journalism ‘Dead’

Sports journalism is an endangered species. But according to Dan Le Batard, it’s already gone extinct.

The debate around sports journalism has been accentuated in recent years as more leagues become business partners with media entities and any critical or negative coverage encounters obstacles. But the practice of reporting is facing a squeeze from not just media companies being in business (or even being partly-owned) by the leagues they cover. It’s also squeezed by networks and modern media valuing entertainment and debate and theatrics over real reporting.

Wisconsin Labor Market Update: March 2026

We're a little more than a year into the "Trump economy" and many Americans are unsure how it's been performing. All the talk of DOGE cutting waste and rooting-out fraud, tariffs and "fair" trade deals, and the ongoing Iran war that has closed? opened? reopened? the Strait of Hormuz has engendered a great deal of economic uncertainty that spans the political divide. Despite reports of a bustling stock market, improving employment conditions and rising wages, many have yet to benefit these positive developments personally. What's really going on?

Federal Judge Punts Immigration Detainer Lawsuit Back To State Supreme Court

A federal judge has sent back to the Wisconsin Supreme Court a lawsuit challenging the practice of local sheriffs holding people at the request of federal immigration officials.

In a ruling, Judge William Conley found the sheriffs of Walworth, Kenosha, Brown, Marathon and Sauk counties waited too long to file their petition to have the case moved to federal court.

Typically, respondents have the option to move a case out of the state courts if it originally could’ve been brought in federal court. But they must file the petition within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

Wisconsin Joins Lawsuit After Nursing Degrees Redefined As Not ‘Professional’

Just weeks after changes to federal student loan policy officially reclassified nursing and other programs as no longer “professional” degrees, Wisconsin has joined two dozen other states in suing the Trump administration over the policy.

Under President Donald Trump’s signature “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” Congress redefined what constitutes a professional degree and placed lower borrowing caps on nonprofessional graduate programs.

In the multistate lawsuit filed in federal court in Maryland on Tuesday, a coalition of Democratic attorneys general and governors said that the Department of Education imposed further restrictions on the congressional limits. The lawsuit argues that that goes beyond the agency’s authority.

Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Receiving Child Pornography

Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Adam Gurney, 30, Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced earlier this month by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Judge Conley also ordered Gurney to pay a $5,000 assessment. Gurney pleaded guilty to this crime on February 17, 2026.

In June 2025, Gurney met via Discord a 17-year-old female who lived in North Carolina. After learning she was a minor, Gurney travelled to North Carolina twice to engage in sex with her. After his second trip, Gurney brought the minor back to Janesville with him. Gurney told others online that he was grooming the minor. During his contact with the minor, he received pornographic images of her via Discord.

Gov. Evers Names 24 Members To New Wild Rice Stewardship Council In Wisconsin

Gov. Tony Evers announced he has appointed 24 people to serve on the state's new Wild Rice Stewardship Council.

Evers created the council through Executive Order #277 on Indigenous Peoples' Day in October 2025. The group aims to preserve wild rice stewardship practices across Wisconsin and support Tribal treaty rights.