Morning Headlines - Monday, Dec. 23, 2024

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 and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

Biden Commutes Sentences Of Nearly All Federal Death Row Inmates

President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of 37 inmates on federal death row, the White House said Monday.

The move reduces the sentence for all but three of the 40 inmates on federal death row. Biden said that the commutations are "consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions," with the exception of terrorism and hate-motivated mass killings.

Debt Ceiling Woes Suggests Limits To Trump Power Over GOP

President-elect Trump wields tremendous power among GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate, but his struggle to convince Republicans to bend to his will on the debt ceiling suggest it has its limits.

Thirty-eight conservative Republicans on Thursday voted against a stopgap funding measure that included a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, arguing they could not agree to such a request without offsetting spending cuts.

The House on Friday moved forward with a stopgap that did not raise the debt ceiling at all, effectively defying Trump’s wishes. The GOP did say it would seek to deal with the debt ceiling as part of two budget bills next year that would move forward Trump’s agenda while cutting government spending.

Who's Behind The Drones? Most Americans Think Government Is Hiding Information

There's plenty of public uncertainty about who's controlling drones spotted over the East Coast. One idea does dominate, though: the public suspects the U.S. government is keeping information from them.

Americans have a range of theories about who is controlling the drones, with the U.S. government the most suspected, but no one answer dominates.

ust over half the country is paying attention to the story, and the more they're paying attention to it, the more likely they are to suspect the U.S. government is controlling the drones.

Honda And Nissan Officially Begin Merger Talks To Create World’s Third-Largest Automaker

If the deal goes through, the merged group has the potential to deliver revenue of 30 trillion yen ($191.4 billion) and operating profit of over 3 trillion yen, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe said.

Discussions are set to conclude in June 2025.

Nissan’s strategic partner Mitsubishi has been offered the chance to join the new group and will take a decision by the end of January 2025.

Trump Threatens To Try To Regain Control Of Panama Canal

President-elect Donald Trump has demanded Panama reduce fees on the Panama Canal or return it to US control, accusing the central American country of charging "exorbitant prices" to American shipping and naval vessels.

"The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair," he told a crowd of supporters in Arizona on Sunday.

"This complete rip-off of our country will immediately stop," he said, referring to when he takes office next month.

His remarks prompted a quick rebuke from Panama's president, who said "every square metre" of the canal and surrounding area belong to his country.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin DOJ Announces $1.7M Settlement With Milwaukee Landlord

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Wednesday that a $1.7 million settlement had been reached with a Milwaukee-based landlord and property management company for violating the state’s landlord-tenant law.

Kaul filed a lawsuit against Youssef “Joe” Berrada and Berrada Properties Management, Inc. in November 2021. A complaint said Berrada Properties Management illegally charged late rent fees to tenants, illegally required tenants to pay costs and attorney fees for evictions and conducted renovations in a way that “shows little to no regard for tenants living in the building.”

The company owns nearly 9,000 apartment units in Milwaukee and Racine, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice.

Wisconsin State Patrol Mourns Loss Of Two Retired K-9s

The Wisconsin State Patrol is mourning the loss of two retired K-9s who both passed away last week.

WSP said in a Facebook post Friday K-9 Cirus passed away on Dec. 12 at the age of 12.

Cirus served with the state patrol from 2015 to 2023, seizing a significant amount of illegal material during narcotics detection sweeps. He retired on April 11, 2023 with his handler’s family.

Victim Of School Shooting To Be Laid To Rest Monday

One of the victims of the Abundant Life Christian School Shooting will be laid to rest Monday.

Erin Michelle West was a teacher and a substitute coordinator for the school she had been with for four years. She is described as kind, extremely passionate and generous.

DNR Celebrates Successful 2024 Elk Hunting Season

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) celebrates a successful elk hunting season. The state’s seventh managed elk hunt opened on Saturday, Oct. 12 and concluded today, Dec. 20.

The 2024 hunt represented a milestone in Wisconsin’s elk management. For the first time, hunters had the opportunity to hunt in both the Northern and Central Elk zones. Previous hunts only occurred within the Northern Elk Zone.

Wisconsin Perfume Expert Shares Her Thoughts On Miller High Life’s ‘Dive Bar-Fume’

Milwaukee-based beer company Miller High Life decided to try its hand at something new this holiday season when it announced the creation of a signature cologne.

The cologne, aptly named Dive Bar-Fume, has notes of patchouli, cedar wood, tobacco, leather and sea salt — smells meant to evoke a bar’s worn leather stools, wooden countertops and the fries you get at the end of the night.

WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” wanted to know more about this curious scent and the perfume industry. Local perfumer Kristi Moe, founder and president of Zodica Perfumery in Madison, shared her thoughts on Dive Bar-Fume, the power of scent and why she loves perfume.