Morning Headlines - Friday, Aug. 19, 2022 | Recent News

U.S. and World Headlines

War In Ukraine: Calm Is An Illusion In Odesa

The signs of war are everywhere in Odesa, but it feels like there’s little fear of death or destruction from Russian attacks.

Air raid sirens ring out almost daily, but rocket and missile strikes largely appear to fall far from the city center — a far different reality from neighboring cities such as Mykoliav to the northeast, which suffers daily, devastating bombardment.

Ukrainian forces are trying to claw back this territory since it was first seized by Russia in the earliest days of its February invasion, while resistance fighters inside Kherson have carried out high-profile attacks with car bombs targeting collaborators or Russian forces.

McConnell Says Republicans May Not Win Senate Control, Citing ‘Candidate Quality’

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday downplayed expectations of Republicans capturing control of the Senate in the fall elections, describing “candidate quality” as an important factor.

“I think there’s probably a greater likelihood the House flips than the Senate. Senate races are just different — they're statewide, candidate quality has a lot to do with the outcome,” he said in Florence, Kentucky.

“Right now, we have a 50-50 Senate and a 50-50 country, but I think when all is said and done this fall, we’re likely to have an extremely close Senate, either our side up slightly or their side up slightly.”

NYC, DC Sanctuary City Policies Come Back To Haunt Them Amid Feud With Texas, Arizona

As New York City and Washington D.C. feud with the governors of Texas and Arizona over the border states’ busing of migrants to their cities, their own sanctuary city policies are the subject of a reignited debate -- as the Republican governors cite the liberal policies as justification for the buses.

Thousands of migrants have been sent from Texas and Arizona to the two Democratic-run cities, both of which have repeatedly proclaimed and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting illegal immigrants from deportation and making their states welcoming havens.

James 'Whitey' Bulger: Three Men Charged In Mob Boss Murder

Three men have been charged over the prison killing of infamous Boston gangster James "Whitey" Bulger.

The 89-year-old Bulger was discovered unresponsive in October 2018 at a maximum-security facility in West Virginia.

Fotios Geas, 55, Paul J DeCologero, 48 and Sean McKinnon, 36, were all charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, the Justice Department said.

Bulger was captured in California in 2011 after a 16-year manhunt.

Apple Warns Of Security Flaw For iPhones, iPads And Macs That Allows Hackers To Access Devices

Apple disclosed a serious security vulnerability for iPhones, iPads and Macs that could potentially allow attackers to take complete control of these devices.

Apple released two security reports about the issue on Wednesday, although they didn't receive wide attention outside of tech publications.

Apple's explanation of the vulnerability means a hacker could get "full admin access" to the device. That would allow intruders to impersonate the device's owner and subsequently run any software in their name, said Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security.

Judge Clears Gableman Of Contempt Order, Fines Election Probe Office $24K

A Dane County judge has ordered the Assembly’s Office of Special Counsel to pay $24,000 in fines for the days it took former Justice Michael Gableman to prove he had done a thorough search and turned over records stemming from his review of the 2020 election.

While Judge Frank Remington yesterday found Gableman has now done enough to purge his contempt order, he also revoked the office’s out-of-state attorneys’ ability to participate in the case. He found they have engaged in a “a pernicious and selfish attempt to repaint the truth” in their attempts to force him off the case.

School Staffing Crunch Prompts Rural Districts To Make Cuts And Shuffle Staff, Survey Shows

With the first day of school only weeks away, rural districts in the state are scrambling to fill positions, prompting many to cut electives, increase class sizes and hire unlicensed teachers.

In a new Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance survey of 80 rural school districts, 74 percent said they’re still struggling to fill at least one support staff position, and 69 percent are still looking for at least one teacher. More than16 percent are still short three or more teachers.

"I don't want to be doom and gloom," said Jeff Eide, the executive director of WiRSA. "Because support staff are stepping up big time and doing things that have to be done just because they love what they're doing."

WisDOT Recycling Signs To Save Taxpayers Big Bucks

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) maintains thousands of informational and directional highway signs across the state which can cost a lot of money but one WisDOT supervisor is helping to conserve costs.

Wisconsinites know where they're going and how fast they can drive, thanks to a state warehouse full of highway signs.

"The signs are very important for motorists' safety and making sure that we convey clear messages to the motorists on traffic regulations," said Matt Rauch, WisDOT Traffic Design Unit Supervisor.

Abortion Policy In Wisconsin And Divergent Outlooks On Freedom Of Religion

A question that the U.S. Supreme Court addressed in its Dobbs v. Jackson decision was whether or not there is a historical right to abortion in the Constitution. The conservative majority of justices ruled that the is no explicit protection for abortion, and therefore policy should be delegated to the states. Benesh said it is not surprising that the specific word "abortion" is no where in the constitution.

"Had they instead focused on the historical right to bodily integrity," said Benesh, "they should have been able to find a historical understanding of our situation that would support those kinds of claims."

Religious leaders across the country have spoken out about the ruling, including those in support of abortion rights.

Changes At Lambeau Field: What You Need To Know For Game Day

As Lambeau Field prepares to welcome fans back for football season, Packers fans are reminded of several changes and updates to note ahead of game days. Including: