Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Jul. 20, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

House Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill, With 47 Republicans And Every Democrat Voting In Favor

The House on Tuesday passed the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect marriage equality by repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and providing federal protections for same-sex and interracial couples.

The bill passed 267-157, with 47 Republicans joining every Democrat voting in favor of the bill.

What To Watch In The Maryland Primary

After a busy May and June, July is a lonely month for primaries. Maryland is the only state holding a primary election for Congress or a major statewide office this month. Here’s a look at the three contests we’re watching closely today, with interesting primaries in two U.S. House seats and competitive races in both parties’ primaries for governor.

CDC Recommends Novavax Covid Vaccine, Triggering Rollout Of 3.2 Million Doses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday recommended Novavax’s two-dose Covid vaccine, paving the way for 3.2 million doses to get shipped to states.

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the Novavax vaccine for emergency use last week, but the CDC had to sign off before doses could be distributed to the public. An independent advisory panel to the CDC voted unanimously to recommend the vaccine on Tuesday, then CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky endorsed the panel’s recommendation shortly after.

Netflix Feels The Heat

Netflix on Tuesday predicted that its streak of losing subscribers will end soon — suggesting the broader streaming slowdown may not be as bad as investors were expecting, although headwinds still persist.

The proliferation of streaming services is threatening Netflix's dominance, but its performance is still seen as a bellwether for the larger entertainment industry

Crew Member Shot Dead On ‘Law & Order’ Set In NYC: Cops

A crew member working for “Law & Order: Organized Crime’’ was fatally shot at the TV show’s Brooklyn set early Tuesday — in a scene that could have been pulled straight out of the script, authorities said.

Johnny Pizarro, a 31-year-old married dad of three, had just started his shift and was sitting in the driver’s seat of a 2008 red Honda Civic that was saving a parking space in Greenpoint around 5:15 a.m. when another man suddenly opened the driver’s door and blasted him, officials and pals said.

Wisconsin Headlines

Marquette Law School Poll Shows Approval For U.S. Supreme Court Has Fallen To 38%

A new Marquette Law School Poll national survey was released Wednesday morning, revealing slipping approval of the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as strong differences over abortion and gun rights.

According to the survey, approval of the U.S. Supreme Court has fallen to 38% and 61% disapprove of how the court is handling its job. In May, 44% approved and in March, 54% approved. This is much different than September 2020 when approval of the court was 66%. The most recent Supreme Court survey was conducted July 5-12, 2022. Marquette says the sharp decline in approval comes after the Roe v. Wade decision.

Vos Says Former President Trump Called Him In Another Push To Decertify 2020 Presidential Election

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says former president Donald Trump called him last week, in another attempt to pressure Republicans in Wisconsin to decertify the 2020 election.

The call came after the Wisconsin Supreme Court court ruling that declared absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal. Speaker Vos says he told Trump he couldn't decertify the election.

WEC Redesigned Website Puts Emphasis On Usability

Starting today, election officials and voters across Wisconsin will notice a new look and feel for the Wisconsin Elections Commission website. The URL – elections.wi.gov – remains the same, but the updated site is intended to be easier to use for both the state’s 1,800-plus election clerks and for the many thousands of Wisconsin residents who use the site.

The new site debuted Tuesday morning. 

“We’re very pleased with the many improvements to the website,” said WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe. “The new design will make it much easier for both clerks and citizens to find what they are looking for on our site.”

Stevens Point PD Quashes Viral Facebook Sex Trafficking Rumor

The Stevens Point police department is having to stamp down a rumor about sex trafficking that went viral on Facebook last week.

The post claimed that 5 girls had been drugged and kidnapped at a local nightclub. Assistant Chief Mike Rottier says it was nothing more than a rumor from start to finish.

“People are claiming that something happened and but they weren’t there and they didn’t see it firsthand but they heard it they heard about it. It can be a huge waste of our time.”

Growing Demand, Higher Costs Challenge Wisconsin's Booming Dairy Goat Industry

A merger of Wisconsin's two largest dairy goat operations is highlighting the evolution of the state's industry as consumer demand for goat cheese and related products continues to build amid rising costs for producers.

Wisconsin has for years been the epicenter of the American dairy goat industry. As of 2017, the state topped the nation in number of dairy goats and the value of sales from goat dairy farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Wisconsin's industry is also the nation's largest in terms of how big dairy goat farms are — in 2017, the state's average herd size was 81, compared to a national average of 15.