Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Oct. 1, 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

Vance-Walz VP Debate: Where, What Time, And How To Watch The Candidates Face Off

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio will go head-to-head on Tuesday for the first and only scheduled vice presidential debate ahead of the Nov. 5 election.

The debate comes after former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sparred onstage at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia about immigration, abortion, the economy, climate change and overseas conflicts.

The high-stakes event could be the last face-off for all the candidates before Election Day.

Embattled MLB Legend Pete Rose, All-Time Hits Leader, Dies At 83

Pete Rose, baseball's career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, has died. He was 83.

Stephanie Wheatley, a spokesperson for Clark County in Nevada, confirmed on behalf of the medical examiner that Rose died Monday. Rose was found by a family member. The coroner will investigate to determine the cause and manner of death, but there are no signs of foul play, according to ABC News. Over the weekend, Rose had appeared at an autograph show in Nashville with former teammates Tony Perez, George Foster and Dave Concepcion.

East And Gulf Coast Ports Strike, Stranding Billions In Trade And Threatening U.S. Economy

Approximately 50,000 ILA union longshoremen were walking off the job at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports from New England to Texas starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on October 1 after failing to reach an agreement with ports ownership on a new contract, the union’s first strike since 1977.

Between 43%-49% of all U.S. imports and billions of dollars in trade monthly move through the U.S East Coast and Gulf ports.

The International Longshoreman’s Association rejected an offer from the port management group USMX on Monday that included a wage hike over six years near 50%.

Israel Announces Invasion Of Southern Lebanon Targeting Hezbollah

Israel announced the invasion of southern Lebanon, launching what it calls a "limited, localized and targeted" ground operation aimed at pushing Hezbollah forces farther away from the border.

It follows weeks of escalating conflict with the Iran-backed militant group, which is reeling from the killing of its powerful leader Hassan Nasrallah. Both the U.S. and Israel warned Iran, which has vowed to respond to the expanding Israeli attacks on its proxies across the Middle East.

Arkansas Sues YouTube Over Claims That The Site Is Fueling A Mental Health Crisis

Arkansas sued YouTube and parent company Alphabet on Monday, saying the video-sharing platform is made deliberately addictive and fueling a mental health crisis among youth in the state.

Attorney General Tim Griffin's office filed the lawsuit in state court, accusing them of violating the state's deceptive trade practices and public nuisance laws. The lawsuit claims the site is addictive and has resulted in the state spending millions on expanded mental health and other services for young people.

Wisconsin Headlines

Trump Heads To Wisconsin's Critical Democratic Stronghold Ahead Of Vice Presidential Debate

Former President Donald Trump plans to spend the hours ahead of Tuesday night's vice-presidential debate campaigning in Wisconsin, stopping in a critical Democratic county that is crucial to Democrat Kamala Harris' hopes for winning the key battleground state.

Trump is scheduled to appear at a manufacturing facility in Waunakee, a suburb of Wisconsin's capital city of Madison in the Democratic stronghold of Dane County. Trump has never campaigned in Dane County before and didn't visit as president.

Republicans Rewrote Wisconsin’s Fundraising Laws. Democrats Have Used Them To Their Advantage

When the Wisconsin Assembly met to debate a complete overhaul of the state’s campaign finance laws in October of 2015, some Democrats were sounding the alarm. Others predicted doom.

Their party had been in the minority for about five years by this point, and then-Gov. Scott Walker and Republicans who ran the Legislature had already left their mark on state government. The GOP had passed laws that weakened the power of unions, long an ally of Democrats. Republicans had also redrawn the state’s legislative map to entrench their power.

Wisconsin City Replaces Ballot Drop Box After Mayor Carted It Away

An absentee ballot drop box that the mayor of a central Wisconsin city removed a week ago was back in place on Monday.

The Wausau city clerk said the box was available outside of city hall “for residents to submit absentee ballots, payments, and other important city requests as was intended.”

Mayor Doug Diny removed the drop box on Sept. 22 without consulting with the clerk, who has the authority under a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling legalizing drop boxes to make one available. They are not mandatory in the state.

Wisconsin State Law Library Renamed For Lavinia Goodell, State's First Female Lawyer

The Wisconsin State Law Library is now named for the state's first female lawyer, Lavinia Goodell.

Goodell became the first woman to practice law in Wisconsin in June of 1874. At a renaming ceremony Monday, state Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley encouraged everyone to continue Goodell's legacy by supporting the next generation of female lawyers.

Libertarian Group Asks SCOTUS To Let Unmarried Wisconsin Man Adopt Partner’s Child

An advocacy group is asking the nation’s highest court to overturn a Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that barred an unmarried Ashland County man from adopting the child of his longtime partner.

The libertarian Goldwater Institute filed a petition last week asking the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene. It argues Wisconsin violated the Equal Protection rights of the Ashland County man, and of the child who was deprived of adoption.