Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Oct. 15, 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

Trump: Hamas Will Disarm, Or ‘We Will Disarm Them’

President Trump said Tuesday he expected Hamas to decommission its weapons as stipulated in the negotiated peace agreement, or the U.S. would step in.

“They’re going to disarm, because they said they were going to disarm,” Trump said. “And if they don’t disarm, we will disarm them.”

Trump later clarified he did not communicate directly with Hamas, but the message was delivered “through my people, at the highest levels.”

“They know I’m not playing games,” Trump said.

Los Angeles County Declares State Of Emergency Over Immigration Raids

Los Angeles County officials voted on Tuesday to declare a state of emergency over ongoing federal immigration raids.

The proclamation gives the county the power to assist residents they say have been impacted financially by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action.

The declaration was introduced by County Supervisors Lindsey P. Horvath and Janice Hahn and passed by a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger opposing.

Jeep Parent Stellantis Announces $13 Billion U.S. Investment Plan

Stellantis plans to invest $13 billion in U.S. auto manufacturing operations over the next four years.

The trans-Atlantic automaker said the investments will add more than 5,000 jobs to its domestic workforce and involve new products at plants in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio through 2029.

It’s not immediately clear how many of the investments and jobs are new or have been previously announced.

Is Low Earth Orbit Getting Too Crowded? New Study Rings An Alarm Bell

Hundreds of satellites may soon be flying in orbital regions that are already too packed to allow safe and long-term operations, a new study suggests.

The study found that, while in 2019 only 0.2% of satellites in Earth orbit were forced to perform more than 10 collision-avoidance maneuvers per month, that percentage had risen sevenfold by early 2025, to 1.4%. That number might still seem low, but it means that some 340 satellites spend a lot of time dodging debris and other spacecraft.

Moreover, the satellite population is set to keep growing.

Windows 10 Support Has Ended, But Here's How To Get An Extra Year For Free

Still running Windows 10 on your PC? Did you know that as of October 14, Microsoft moved the software to its "end of life" phase? So while Windows 10 PCs will continue to work, they'll stop getting important security updates by default. The good news is you still have three options to make sure your computer remains secure.

1. You can choose to upgrade to Windows 11 for free if your computer is compatible.
2. You can buy a new PC that already has Windows 11 pre-installed (or opt for an alternative, like a Mac or a Chromebook).
3. Forget about Windows 11 right now and sign up for the Extended Security Updates (ESU), which lets you kick the can down the road for a year.

Option three is pretty easy — and can now be done for free in many cases — so we'll focus on that one here. We'll walk you through the steps of keeping Windows 10 on your PC… for now, at least.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Senate Approves School Cell Phone Ban

Wisconsin schools are a step closer to being cell phone free.

The Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday approved a plan that will require schools to ban all “non-educational wireless devices” in their classrooms.

"The legislature passed a bill that nearly 90% of Wisconsinites support: getting cell phones out of our classrooms so our kids can focus on learning,” Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Fox Crossing, said.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all state mandate, the legislature’s plan will leave the specifics up to individual school districts.

Assembly Sends Bill To Evers Barring Prosecutors From Dropping Certain Charges Without A Judge’s Approval

The Assembly today along party lines sent a bill to the governor that would require prosecutors to get an OK from a judge before dismissing or amending a charge for certain crimes, such as domestic abuse, sexual assault or a crime against a child.

SB 76 passed 53-43 along party lines after lawmakers clashed over an amendment from Democrats to order the release of documents, files and records related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Before the amendment was rejected, Majority Leader Tyler August condemned Assembly Dems for the effort. The Walworth Republican said today was “one of the more embarrassing days for the Assembly minority than I’ve seen in a really, really long time.”

State Senate Bill Honoring Charlie Kirk Sparks Heated Debate

The State Senate reconvened Tuesday for the first time since July to tackle a packed agenda.

Among the items was a resolution honoring the life of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on what would have been his 32nd birthday, which sparked colorful debate among state lawmakers. 

Testimony from one Democratic lawmaker led Senate President Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) to question the relevance of his remarks and order his microphone to be turned off.

Senate Backs Bill To Allow Candidates To Withdraw From Ballot

The Senate today approved three election-related bills, sending one to the governor that would allow candidates to be withdrawn from the ballot without first having died.

The withdrawal proposal, which passed 19-14 was prompted by former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s inability to get his name off the ballot in Wisconsin after turning in nomination papers that qualified him to be listed. Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim, D-Appleton, was the only Dem who voted in favor.

Current law prohibits candidates from being removed from the ballot after submitting nomination papers unless they die. AB 35 would create a new path for candidates to withdraw from the ballot after submitting nomination papers.

Gov. Evers Tours New UWEC History Exhibit Highlighting The Families Migrant Workers Leave Behind

Governor Tony Evers visited the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus on Tuesday as part of ongoing statewide campus visits.

During his visit, he toured a new exhibit at McIntyre Library celebrating the conclusion of Latinx Heritage Month. The “Chicāhuac Exhibition: Women’s Stories of Strength & Sacrifice from Rural Mexico to the Midwest” highlights the women who stay home while their husbands, fathers, and sons work at Wisconsin's dairy farms.