Morning Headlines - Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 | 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 and the end for a little humor to go with your news!

U.S. and World Headlines

7 Takeaways From Kamala Harris's CNN Town Hall

Vice President Kamala Harris held a town hall on CNN Wednesday in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, where she went after former President Donald Trump and laid out her vision for how she would govern if elected.

Hosted by Anderson Cooper, the town hall, a stand-in event for what would have been the second presidential debate of the 2024 campaign had Trump not declined to participate, featured questions from undecided voters and offered some of the least scripted exchanges of the campaign.

Here were the key takeaways from the town hall.

McDonald's Takes Quarter Pounder Off The Menu At 1 In 5 Restaurants Due To E. Coli Outbreak

McDonald's has stopped selling Quarter Pounder hamburgers at about one-fifth of its U.S. restaurants as federal health officials investigate an outbreak of E. coli that has sickened nearly 50 people in 10 states, killing one.

The fast-food chain sold about 1 million Quarter Pounders in the timeframe that the illnesses occurred, a McDonald's spokesperson said Wednesday. The company said it believes more people would have been sickened if the contamination stemmed from the patties themselves, adding that onions used on the burgers may be the culprit.

Thousands Of Bottles Of Popular Antidepressant Recalled

Thousands of bottles of a popular antidepressant medication are being recalled due to the presence of what the National Library of Medicine describes as a toxic chemical, according to a notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The recall involves the medication duloxetine, which is sold under the brand name Cymbalta, according to the FDA's notice of the voluntary recall, which began Oct. 10.

Striking Boeing Workers Reject 35% Pay Rise Offer

Striking Boeing workers have rejected a new offer from the plane-making giant, which included a 35% pay rise over four years.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union said 64% of its members voted against the proposed deal.

More than 30,000 of Boeing's employees have joined the walkout, which started on 13 September, after an initial offer was rejected.

Presidential Election Is A Dead Heat Though Trump Leads Harris Big On Economy, Says CNBC Survey

Former President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris 48%-46%, according to the CNBC All-America Economic Survey, within the poll’s 3.1% margin of error.

Voters say they will be better off financially if Trump wins by a 42% to 24% margin.

The survey was conducted from Oct. 15-19 and had a total sample of 1,000 voters nationwide.

Wisconsin Crop Harvest Is Weeks Ahead Thanks To Dry, Warm Weather

Jerry Clark, crops educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension, said harvest is at least two weeks ahead of schedule in the western Wisconsin counties of Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire where he works.

“Since corn silage started to be harvested in the early part of September right through today, it’s been excellent conditions for getting the crop off,” Clark said on Wednesday.

Wisconsin farmers have seen abnormally warm and dry weather this fall, with this September coming in as the third warmest on record for the state. It’s a significant shift from the rainy spring that delayed planting for some farmers at the start of the year.

Packers Bring In Fired Jets Coach Robert Saleh As Consultant

The Packers already have a defensive-minded former head coach on their staff in coordinator Jeff Hafley. And now the Jets’ fired coach Robert Saleh is in Titletow to help the Packers. But Matt LaFleur explains that Saleh will not be working on the defensive side of the ball. He will instead be helping LaFleur with the offense.

New State Literacy Law Faces Uncertain Future As Lawmakers Withhold Funds

State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly is calling on state lawmakers to release nearly $50 million and fund a new literacy program in Wisconsin schools.

Wisconsin Act 20 passed with bipartisan support last year. The law is aimed at increasing reading proficiency in third graders by addressing curriculums and identifying struggling students in earlier grade levels.

Wisconsin Man Indicted For Assault With Intent To Murder, Burglary, And Domestic Violence Offenses On Menominee Indian Reservation

Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on October 22, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Nee Gee J. Cloud, a 31-year-old from Neopit, Wisconsin, with intent to murder, burglary, and a domestic violence assault on the Menominee Indian Reservation.

The indictment charged Cloud as follows:

Wisconsin Sees High Turnout On The First Day Of In-Person Absentee Voting In 2024

More than 97,000 people in Wisconsin cast absentee ballots in person on the first day they could, leading to long waits at some polling sites that were made worse by an overwhelmed computer system that clerks use to process ballots.

Republicans and Democrats have been pushing voters to cast ballots early, leading to the surge and reports of people waiting in line for hours at clerks’ offices and other polling places around the state on Oct. 22.