Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Aug. 12, 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

What’s Next As Trump Takes Over DC Police, Deploys National Guard

President Trump on Monday announced he was putting the Washington, D.C., police department under federal control and deploying the National Guard in what he portrayed as a crackdown on crime in the nation’s capital.

“This is liberation day in D.C. and we’re going to take our capital back,” said Trump, who has long floated plans to overhaul the District, which is governed by a council of elected representatives and a mayor.

“Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged-out maniacs and homeless people, and we’re not going to let it happen anymore,” the president told a packed White House press briefing room.

With D.C. police now under federal control, here’s what to expect next.

Tropical Storm Erin Could Become Atlantic Season's 1st Hurricane Later This Week

Tropical Storm Erin formed Monday in the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean and could become the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season later this week, forecasters say.

In the Pacific Ocean, Hurricane Henriette strengthened well away from Hawaii. But the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said no coastal watches or warnings are in effect for either storm.

By Monday afternoon, Erin was about 430 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, according to the hurricane center. It said Erin was moving westward at 20 mph and is expected to continue on that general path for several days.

Dollar Store Food Shopping Isn't Derailing American Diets: Study

Dollar stores tend to sell less healthy food, but households that shop there appear to compensate by making healthier purchases elsewhere, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Tufts University in Boston analyzed more than a decade of household food purchasing data from 183,000 U.S. households between 2008 and 2020.

The study, published Monday in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, found that dollar stores now account for 6.5% of household calories, double the 3.4% they made up in 2008.

ESPN, Fox To Bundle Upcoming Streaming Services For $39.99 A Month

Disney’s ESPN and Fox Corp. are teaming up to offer their upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming services as a bundle, the companies said Monday.

The move comes as media companies look to nab more consumers for their streaming alternatives, and draw them in with sports, in particular.

Last week, both companies announced additional details about the new streaming options. ESPN’s streaming service — which has the same name as the TV network — and Fox’s Fox One will each launch on Aug. 21, ahead of the college football and NFL seasons.

Taylor Swift Announces New Album, ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’

Taylor Swift announced Tuesday she’s dropping a new album: “The Life of a Showgirl.”

The surprise announcement of the Grammy-winner’s 12th original studio album came in dramatic fashion, as a countdown clock on her website ticked down to 12:12 a.m. Eastern.

In a video posted on Instagram, giving a sneak peek of Swift’s upcoming appearance on Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, co-hosted with his brother Jason Kelce, Swift pulled out a mint green briefcase with her initials “TS” written in orange, saying: “This is my brand new album.”

Gov. Evers Declares State Of Emergency After Flash Flooding

Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency on Monday after touring storm damage in Wauwatosa.

Gov. Evers said the flooding that happened over the weekend is unprecedented.

“We are committed to making sure communities have access to every available resource to help local folks and families in need and secure critical infrastructure,” said Gov. Evers. “We are incredibly grateful to the dedicated law enforcement, emergency response teams, and utility workers who have been working around the clock to uphold and restore critical services to impacted area residents in the wake of these events and stand ready to ensure this important work continues.”

Racine County Democrat Launches Bid For Congress, Challenging Rep. Bryan Steil

A Racine County nurse is the latest Democrat challenging U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil in the 1st Congressional District.

Mitchell Berman, a political newcomer, announced his bid for the congressional seat early Tuesday morning.

In a statement, Berman introduced himself as a Veterans Affairs and emergency room nurse, a first-generation college graduate and union member from the village of Raymond.

Wisconsin Union Group Shares Approval Of Gig Worker Bill Getting Vetoed

On Friday, Gov. Tony Evers took action on 21 bills, including one that would have given benefits to people working for Uber and DoorDash.

Assembly Bill 269, a gig worker benefits bill, would have allowed apps like Uber and DoorDash to offer benefits to their drivers and classify them as independent contractors.

It would have made Wisconsin one of the first states in the nation to create portable benefits for app-based drivers.

Wisconsin Free/Reduced Lunch Income Requirements Jump 3%

Families across Wisconsin can now earn a bit more money and continue to qualify for free or reduced price school lunches.

The state’s Department of Public Instruction on Monday released the updated income guidelines for the new school year.

“A household of four, with income of $41,795 per year or less, qualifies for free school meals,” DPI announced. “If a household’s yearly income is between $41,795.01 and $59,478, children can receive reduced-price meals.”

The $41,795 is 3% higher than last year’s $40,560. It’s the same 3% increase for the upper threshold for reduced price lunches as well.

Milwaukee’s Schlitz Was On Top Of The Beer World. Then A Corruption Scandal Helped Bring It Down

It might be hard to believe in this age of artisan microbreweries, but Schlitz beer was once the most popular in the country.

For decades, the Milwaukee brewery battled for the top-selling beer spot with Budweiser.

“In the ‘50s, (Schlitz) had years where they were making billions in revenue. Billions with a ‘B,’” David Bourgeois, a writer and film producer, recently told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today.” “For a family-run brewery — the Uihlein family ran it for decades — that obviously is a lot of money. It was just an economic juggernaut.”