Morning Headlines - Friday, July 18, 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

Trump Orders Bondi To Release Jeffrey Epstein-Related Grand Jury Testimony

President Trump late Thursday ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein — as his administration faces pressure to disclose more details on the late sex offender.

"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval," Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. "This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!"

How Will PBS/NPR Cuts Impact Your Local Stations?

Congressional Republicans stripped more than $1 billion in funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) this week, a move that could force local radio and television stations to consolidate, cut services or shutter altogether, particularly in rural areas.

CPB is a publicly funded nonprofit that subsidizes more than 1,500 NPR, PBS and local radio and television stations across the country. Congress has typically earmarked $535 million annually for the corporation.

Americans’ Support For School Cellphone Bans Has Ticked Up Since Last Year

As the new school year approaches and lawmakers across the country decide whether to enact cellphone bans in schools, Americans’ support for such bans is inching up.

Today, 74% of U.S. adults say they would support banning middle and high school students from using cellphones during class, up from 68% last fall. Far fewer (19%) oppose classroom bans and 7% are unsure, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June.

Colbert Says The Late Show Will End After 33 Years

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026 after 33 years on air, the CBS television network announced in a surprise statement on Thursday.

The move "is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night [television]," and "is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters," CBS said.

As Trump Pushes For Cane Sugar In Coca-Cola, Is It Really Better Than Corn Syrup?

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said Coca-Cola agreed to start sweetening its products with cane sugar, rather than high-fructose corn syrup. Whether that will indeed happen remains to be seen; a Coca-Cola spokesperson did not confirm the president’s assertion.

Still, Trump said on Truth Social, “You’ll see. It’s just better!”

Is it, though?

Supreme Court Race Spending Hit $115 Million, Doubling Record

Candidates and outside groups dropped nearly $115 million on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court race this spring, more than doubling the previous national record set just two years earlier, a WisPolitics tally shows.

With ideological control of the court again on the line, out-of-state money flowed into Wisconsin on both sides. More than 40% of the money Justice-elect Susan Crawford raised came from out-of-state donors. Meanwhile, Elon Musk poured some $25 million into a losing effort to bolster conservative Brad Schimel.

Early Fundraising Totals Show US Rep. Derrick Van Orden, Challenger Rebecca Cooke Neck And Neck

Early fundraising numbers in Wisconsin’s competitive 3rd Congressional District show Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden and second-time Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke are virtually tied.

But in Wisconsin’s other competitive congressional seat, 1st District U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil has raised substantially more than Democratic challenger Randy Bryce.

The latest fundraising reports show Van Orden raised just more than $2 million for his reelection bid as of June 30, and Cooke brought in around $1.95 million. The Republican has spent about $1 million more than her during the period as he defends his seat.

Wisconsin’s New Vape Law Could Put Local Shops Out Of Business

A new state law set to take effect on September 1 could put hundreds of vape shops out of business. The law mandates that vaping products can only be sold if they are FDA-approved and are state certified. If the products don’t meet these requirements, store owners would face fines of $1,000 per unit.

In response to the new law, a Wisconsin trade group called WiscoFAST has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Revenue. The lawsuit argues that the law interferes with the FDA’s responsibility to regulate vaping products at the federal level. With the state’s heavy fines and limited time to comply, the group is pushing for an injunction to stop the law from going into effect, fearing it could devastate local businesses without a fair chance to adapt.

Judge OKs Release Plan For Woman Who Stabbed A Classmate To Please Slender Man

A judge has approved a conditional release plan for a Wisconsin woman who nearly killed her classmate years ago to please the fictional horror character Slender Man.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Scott Wagner signed off Thursday on the plan to release Morgan Geyser, now 22, from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, a psychiatric hospital where she has spent the last seven years.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Accepts Findings That Madison City Clerk Broke Election Laws

Wisconsin elections officials declared July 17 that the former clerk of the state’s capital city broke several laws related to not counting 193 absentee ballots in the November 2024 presidential election, but they stopped short of recommending criminal charges be brought.

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission voted 5-1 to accept a report finding that the former Madison clerk broke five election laws. The commission delayed a vote on ordering the city of Madison to take additional steps to improve election security.