Morning Headlines - Thursday, May 15, 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

Supreme Court Decisions: Top Cases To Watch

Decision season starts Thursday for the Supreme Court, kicking off a race against the clock to release this term’s opinions before the court’s summer break begins.

The justices are set to hand down major decisions implicating the role of religion in public life, efforts to restrict gender-affirming care and a host of environmental issues.

Here’s a look at the major cases this term:

Inflation Is Dropping But These Prices Are Still Soaring

Inflation cooled in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's "Liberation Day" levies last month, dropping to a four-year low and defying fears of tariff-driven price hikes, government data this week showed.

Even egg prices -- a symbol of rising costs -- fell about 10% in April compared to the previous month.

Still, prices for some products continued to soar, including everyday items such as coffee and beef.

Dick’s Sporting Goods To Buy Foot Locker For $2.4 Billion

Dick’s Sporting Goods has agreed to buy smaller rival Foot Locker for $2.4 billion, the companies said on Thursday.

Shares of Foot Locker surged 75% to $22.50 premarket after the announcement, while Dick’s Sporting fell 9%.

The sporting goods retailer has offered $24 per share of Foot Locker, representing an 86% premium to the stock’s last close. Foot Locker has lost about 40% of its value so far this year.

Cut-Price Magna Carta 'Copy' Now Believed Genuine

A manuscript once considered an unofficial copy of Magna Carta is now believed to be a genuine version and ''one of the world's most valuable documents'', according to UK academics.

Harvard Law School paid $27.50 (then about £7) for it in 1946 and for years it has remained tucked away in its library, its true identity unknown.

But two medieval history professors have concluded it is an extraordinarily rare and lost original Magna Carta from 1300, in the reign of King Edward I, that could be worth millions.

UnitedHealth Under Criminal Probe For Possible Medicare Fraud

The U.S. Department of Justice is carrying out a criminal investigation into UnitedHealth Group for possible Medicare fraud, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

UnitedHealth said it had not been notified by the DOJ about the "supposed criminal investigation reported," and the company stood by "the integrity of our Medicare Advantage program." The stock fell 6% in premarket trading before the bell on Thursday.

Wisconsin Judge Argues Prosecutors Can’t Charge Her With Helping A Man Evade Immigration Agents

A Wisconsin judge charged with helping a man who is in the country illegally evade U.S. immigration agents who were trying to detain him at her courthouse filed a motion to dismiss the case Wednesday, arguing that there’s no legal basis for it.

Attorneys for Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan argue in their motion that her conduct on the day in question amounted to directing people’s movement in and around her courtroom, and that she enjoys legal immunity for official acts she performs as a judge. They cite last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case that found that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority” and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts.

Wisconsin DMV Identified Nearly 6,000 Vehicles With Odometer Rollback; $37 Million Fraud Loss Last Year

On National Odometer Day, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's (WisDOT) Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) reminds car buyers to verify vehicle mileage before they buy. Fraud through “odometer rollback,” changing the mileage shown on the vehicle’s odometer, is becoming more common.

Last year, investigations by Wisconsin DMV’s Dealer and Agent Section identified 5,961 vehicles which showed signs of having odometer rollbacks. This marked a sharp increase from 2023 when the DMV investigators identified 1,736 vehicles.

Vos Says GOP Tax Plan On Hold Until Evers Agrees To In-Person Meeting

Speaker Robin Vos said the Republican tax cut plan is “on pause” until Gov. Tony Evers agrees to meet with GOP leaders in person, adding he’s frustrated the Dem governor hasn’t agreed to another meeting.

Evers, Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, met in person March 26 to discuss a possible deal on a tax cut. Since then, meetings have been limited to their staff.

DNR Urges ATV Riders To Complete Safety Course

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) encourages off-road recreationists to earn their ATV/UTV safety certification by taking an approved course.

In 2024 alone, 40 people died in ATV/UTV crashes in Wisconsin, with most of them not wearing helmets. Simple steps can prevent fatalities, highlighting the importance of a safety course.

“The primary focus of our safety education course is preventing crashes that lead to injuries and fatalities,” said Lt. Jacob Holsclaw, Wisconsin DNR off-highway vehicle administrator. “We want folks to create positive memories and have a great experience on our trails, and that only happens if everyone returns home safely at the end of the trip.”

NFL Releases Full 2025 Schedule For Green Bay Packers

The 2025 NFL schedule is here.

The Green Bay Packers’ schedule will feature eight home games and nine road contests and is highlighted by four prime-time contests. Of the 17 games on the schedule, nine will be against teams that made the playoffs last season, including four versus division champions.