Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 | 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

Democrats Wobble As Pressure To End Shutdown Ramps Up

Senate Democrats are taking a close look at a Republican proposal to pay all federal employees — including essential and furloughed workers — as they’re under new pressure from the nation’s largest federal workers union to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government.

They also plan to introduce legislation to pay for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and extend funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), which provides essential nutrition assistance for lower-income mothers.

Shutdown Pain Intensifies As Air Traffic Controllers Lose Pay, And Food Assistance Is Drying Up

The pain of a U.S. government shutdown is poised to intensify this week as the funding lapse nears a full month with no resolution in sight.

A series of deadlines in the coming days could have negative consequences for ordinary Americans, cutting off food assistance for low-income Americans, raising health insurance premiums for millions on Obamacare and depriving air-traffic controllers, TSA agents and other federal workers of paychecks.

Here are four ways the pain is about to hit Americans:

Jamaica Declared A 'Disaster Area' After Hurricane Melissa Wreaked Havoc On The Island

Jamaica has today been declared a 'disaster area' after Hurricane Melissa wreaked havoc on the island leaving a trail of destruction before the storm slammed into Cuba.

Entire towns have been left underwater and tens of thousands of tourists remain trapped after Melissa, the most powerful storm in the Caribbean's modern history, tore into the nation yesterday.

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the island was a 'disaster area' as he seeks to 'prevent any exploitation at a time when citizens are securing food, water and supplies' in the midst of the tragedy.

Some 15,000 Jamaicans are hunkered down in shelters and as many as 530,000 people are without power, officials said.

Mortgage Rates Drop To The Lowest Level In Over A Year, Pushing Refinancing 111% Higher Annually

Mortgage interest rates dropped for the fourth straight week last week, spurring both current homeowners and potential homebuyers to call their lenders. Total mortgage application volume increased 7.1% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances, $806,500 or less, decreased to 6.30% from 6.37%, with points falling to 0.58 from 0.59, including the origination fee, for loans with a 20% down payment. That is the lowest level since September 2024.

Blue Jays Even World Series With 6-2 Win Over Dodgers In Game 4

Dodger Stadium was still shaking with joy when Monday turned to Tuesday as the Toronto Blue Jays trudged into their clubhouse. Their 18-inning loss in Game 3 felt like a monumental setback that might have already decided the World Series.

That’s when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stepped up and told his team exactly what it needed to hear.

For all its drama, Game 3 was no more important than Game 4.

Wisconsin Food Banks Brace For End Of SNAP Funds As Federal Shutdown Continues

Four times a month, the Feed My People food bank hosts a distribution night in Eau Claire, handing out food to anyone in need. On a typical night, about 300 people pass through, according to the group’s executive director, Padraig Gallagher.

This past Monday night, 464 people showed up — a more than 50 percent increase.

Food service providers across Wisconsin say they’ve felt a squeeze in recent months, as household costs have increased and federal programs for the needy have been canceled. Now, with the prospect of a pause in federal food assistance looming, they’re bracing for an acute spike in need.

WILL Asks For Federal DOJ Review Of Unmatched Wisconsin Voters

Wisconsin’s voter rolls could soon be under a federal microscope.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Tuesday asked the U.S. Department of Justice to look into thousands of registered voters who do not have a Wisconsin driver's license.

“We know that there are at least 11,000 people on the active voter registration list whose driver's license number doesn't match the DMV database,” WILL’s Lucas Vebber told News Talk 1130 WISN’s Jay Weber. “It could just be a simple mistake. They could have just written a number wrong, or perhaps as they entered it into the system, it was entered wrong. But it’s certainly worth a follow-up.”

Evers, Dems Knock Republicans Over Obamacare Premium Hikes

Gov. Tony Evers and Dem Congress members criticized Republicans for not renewing enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies as some Wisconsinites could see their premiums more than double when open enrollment begins Saturday.

Those hardest hit would include senior couples, who could see hikes of more than $30,000 in some counties, according to numbers from the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance.

Evers joined a virtual press conference yesterday with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, and Mark Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, as Democrats push to renew enhanced ACA tax credits, which have lowered insurance costs for millions, amid the government shutdown.

State Building Commission Votes To Proceed With Evers Plan To Overhaul Wisconsin's Prison System

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ sweeping plan to overhaul Wisconsin’s aging prison system, which includes closing a prison built in the 1800s, moved forward on Oct. 28 with bipartisan support despite complaints from Republican lawmakers that their concerns weren’t being addressed.

The bipartisan state building commission unanimously approved spending $15 million to proceed with planning for the Evers proposal. Republicans objected, saying his plan was “doomed to failure,” but they voted for it in the hopes it could be changed later.

DNR Awards Brownfield Grants To Douglas County, City Of Evansville And Kenosha County

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) today announced that it has awarded brownfield assessment services to Douglas and Kenosha counties and the city of Evansville to assist with investigating potential contamination.

The awards are through the DNR's Wisconsin Assessment Monies program, which provides contractor services to communities to assess environmental conditions at eligible brownfield sites. A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment or reuse is complicated by real or potential contamination. Brownfields vary in size, location, age and past use.