Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

Seven Dead In Walmart Store Shooting: Virginia Police

Seven people have been killed, including a shooter, and others injured in a shooting at a Walmart store in Chesapeake, Virginia, according to police.

“Chesapeake Police confirm 7 fatalities, including the shooter, from last night’s shooting at Walmart on Sam’s Circle,” the city wrote on its Twitter account.

At about 10:12pm local time on Tuesday (03:12 GMT on Wednesday), Chesapeake police responded to reports of a shooting in Walmart that resulted in “less than 10” people dead, including the suspected gunman.

Public information officer Leo Kosinski declined to give the exact number. It was not clear if the shooter, who has not been identified, died because of self-inflicted injuries. But several media outlets have identified the shooter as a manager at the store.

Colorado Gay Club Shooter Is Non-Binary And Uses They/Them Pronouns, Lawyer Says

Colorado gay club shooter Anderson Lee Aldrich previously changed their name and now identifies as non-binary, using they/them pronouns.

Aldrich, 22, is suspected of murdering five people and injuring others at Club Q on Saturday - meanwhile, it was revealed that their dad is a pornstar who goes by the name 'Dick Delaware.'

The suspect's original name is Nicholas Franklin Brink before they changed it to Anderson Lee Aldrich in 2016, a petition signed by their biological grandmother and step-grandfather, as well as mother.

In a court filing, Aldrich's public defenders said that their client is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, referring to the client as 'Mx. Anderson Aldrich.'

According to a petition, which was signed when Aldrich still identified as male, the name change was meant 'to protect himself and his future from any connections to birth father,' Aaron Brink.

Jerusalem Bombings: Teenager Killed In Rare Twin Attacks At Bus Stops

A teenage boy has been killed and 14 other people have been wounded in two suspected bomb attacks at bus stops in Jerusalem, Israeli police say.

The explosions happened at two busy areas on the outskirts of the city as people were heading to work.

The boy who died was among 12 people wounded by the first blast. Three others were wounded by the second.

Israel's internal security minister said at one scene that this was "an attack we haven't seen in a long time".

This year has seen a spate of deadly gun and knife attacks targeting Israelis, triggering waves of Israeli military raids in Palestinian cities in the occupied West Bank. But the use of explosives in Jerusalem would be the most significant attack of its kind in years.

McCarthy Calls On DHS Secretary Mayorkas To Resign, Threatens Impeachment Inquiry

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) called on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that GOP lawmakers will consider impeachment next year if he does not step down.

“If Secretary Mayorkas does not resign, House Republicans will investigate, every order, every action and every failure will determine whether we can begin impeachment inquiry,” McCarthy said at a press conference in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday.

McCarthy cited the Department of Homeland Security head’s statements to Congress that the border is under control, record border crossing numbers and his ending of the “Remain in Mexico” asylum policy instituted during the Trump administration as reasons for resignation.

“Our country may never recover from Secretary Mayorkas’s dereliction of duty,” McCarthy said.

The World Cup's New High-Tech Ball Will Change Soccer Forever

When the 2022 World Cup made its debut on Sunday, it kicked off one of the most significant in-game uses of technology in sports history.

All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been. Combining these two forms of tracking has long been a holy grail of sorts in technology circles, and FIFA’s use of the ball sensor in particular will serve as a highly public test case over the next four weeks.

Like so many other parts of the burgeoning world of sports tech, the setup used at the World Cup is both an endpoint and the foundation of a whole new era. Years of research and testing were needed to get here — this particular ball sensor was in development and testing for six years before receiving full FIFA certification — but events like this could quickly catapult emerging technology into the public eye through applications that stretch well beyond officiating.

Wisconsin Headlines

Why Did So Many Wisconsin Towns Have Referendums About Clerks In 2022?

Along with statewide and local candidates, there were nearly 250 ballot referendums scattered around Wisconsin in the fall 2022 election.

These referendums asked voters about how they wanted to fund their school districts, where all-terrain vehicles should be allowed to drive, the frequency of garbage collection and if weed should be legal, among many other issues.

But there was also a question posed to more than 60 of the state's smaller communities about how they select one of their key municipal managers: the town clerk.

While there was some minor variation in the exact wording, the referendums generally asked this question: Should the town change from having its clerk elected by voters to having the position appointed by the town board?

Overwhelmingly, most of these towns' voters answered yes.

Top Wisconsin Republican Calls For Lowering Income Taxes On Wealthiest Residents

The Republican leaders of the state Legislature said Tuesday that they want to use a record budget surplus to enact "transformational, once-in-a-generation tax changes," including lowering tax rates for the state's wealthiest residents.

But the proposal is likely a non-starter with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who signed a Republican-authored tax cut last year but has his own ideas for cutting taxes in the next budget.

The comments from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, are the latest signs that divided government over the next four years might look a lot like it did the last four when GOP lawmakers were frequently at odds with Evers. They could also be a sign that when it comes to the next state budget, more money means more problems.

Evers' Department of Administration announced Monday that the state was projected to end the current two-year budget with a massive, $6.6 billion surplus. That money is on top of an additional $1.7 billion in the state's Budget Stabilization Fund, often referred to as the rainy day fund. That means that when Evers and lawmakers draw up the next budget, they'll begin with that money in the bank.

Wisconsin Ranks Number One During Fall Drug Take Back Day

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) today announced that Wisconsin ranked number one throughout the country for the most prescription medications collected during the fall 2022 Drug Take Back. Wisconsin collected 54,040 lbs. of unwanted medications this fall.

“Safely disposing of unwanted medications ensures that prescription drugs won’t be diverted and lead to substance-use disorder,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to everyone who helped Wisconsin again lead the nation in Drug Take Back.”

Wisconsin has collected a total of 1,093,445 lbs. of unwanted medications since Drug Take Back began in 2010 under the leadership of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Wisconsin ranks third in the nation for the most medications collected since inception, falling only behind California with 1,303,800 lbs. and Texas with 1,290,420 lbs. collected. Nationwide, since inception, 16,636,729 lbs. of unwanted medications have been collected during Drug Take Back events.

The DEA leads two Drug Take Back days a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. DOJ partners with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to organize and promote Drug Take Back throughout Wisconsin. Drug Take Back provides a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposal, while also educating the community about the potential abuse and consequences of improper storage and disposal of these medications.

Kaul Seeking $95.7M Budget Boost, 67 More Positions At DOJ

Dem AG Josh Kaul says he hopes Republicans will live up to their campaign promises to improve public safety as he focuses on increased funding for community policing, violence prevention, mental health services and other resources.

Kaul in an interview with WisPolitics.com said the newly projected $6.6 billion budget surplus provides a “once-in-a generation opportunity.” In all, Kaul wants $95.7 million more in general purpose revenue and 67 more positions.

“And I’m hopeful that we will see Republicans in the Legislature live up to what they were talking about on the campaign, and make the kinds of investments with this budget surplus that will make our communities safer,” Kaul said.

He said he hasn’t yet met with lawmakers to discuss increasing funding for DOJ, but added he plans to soon. Increasing shared revenue so local governments can improve their public safety resources is also a top priority.

More emergency detention funding would also help local police, he said.

Milwaukee Bucks Partner With Amazon To Launch Store Using First-In-Wisconsin Technology

New technology is helping Milwaukee Bucks fans return to the action faster when purchasing beverages at the Fiserv Forum.

Last week, the arena opened The Market by Michelob ULTRA using Amazon's "Just Walk Out" shopping experience on the main concourse. The Bucks are the first in Wisconsin to use the technology, which allows fans to grab drinks and snacks without waiting in line to check out.

Shoppers insert a credit card before they enter and select their items. When they exit the store, fans are automatically charged for the items they took. 

"It's a camera-based system, and ties you to your credit card," said Sharlan Edmonds, the vice president of hospitality for Fiserv Forum and the Deer District. "You can walk in the store with your whole family, everybody can shop and the technology knows everyone who's with you. But it all gets tied to the one credit card that was inserted."

Customers also have the option to sign up for Amazon One, which allows them to use their palm to pay.

Edmonds said the new technology was a hit with fans when it launched last week and has reduced the amount of time spent waiting in line.