Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2025

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

Spy Chiefs To Testify Before House Intelligence Committee Amid Signal Texts Fallout

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe will return to Capitol Hill to testify before the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesday as they face blistering criticism over a group chat in which top Trump officials discussed sensitive plans to strike targets in Yemen.

Gabbard and Ratcliffe are set to appear alongside FBI Director Kash Patel, National Security Agency Director Gen. Timothy Haugh and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse to answer questions about the global security threats facing the U.S. The hearing begins at 10 a.m.

Trump Signs Executive Order Requiring Proof Of Citizenship To Register To Vote In Federal Elections

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a sweeping executive order attempting a major overhaul of American elections, requiring people to prove their citizenship when they register to vote.

The order — which also includes an array of other changes, from mail-in ballot deadlines to election equipment — could risk disenfranchising tens of millions of Americans. Election law experts questioned whether Trump had the authority to make the changes, saying the order is all but certain to be met with legal challenges.

Dollar Tree To Sell Family Dollar Business For $1 Billion

Dollar Tree said on Wednesday it will sell its Family Dollar business to a consortium of private-equity investors for about $1 billion, as the struggling discount-store chain looks to restructure its business and cut costs.

The discount-retail chain, which Dollar Tree bought in 2015 for about $9 billion, will be acquired by Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management.

Google Maps Is Getting Two Key Upgrades, For Easier Route Planning And Quicker Access To Gemini AI

Google Maps is one of the apps that gets the most love from Google in terms of regular updates, and we've spotted another couple of upgrades rolling out to the mapping app in recent days – upgrades to add some extra convenience to your travels.

Firstly, the app is changing up how it displays route overviews. As Android Police has noted, the info card you see when you select any place on the map on Android now shows you more details about parking availability and any applicable toll fees.

Parts Of America Will Experience A Partial Solar Eclipse This Weekend

Some Americans will experience a rare celestial treat this weekend when a partial solar eclipse occurs.

The eclipse will be visible in parts of North America on Saturday, according to NASA.

During a partial solar eclipse, the moon passes between the sun and Earth, but the celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned. As a result, only parts of the sun are obscured, causing the sun to appear as a crescent shape.

Here is what to know about the partial solar eclipse and how to see it.

Wisconsin Headlines

Who Has Momentum For The 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court Vote?

The outcome of the 2024 presidential vote set the stage for Wisconsin's 2025 state Supreme Court election as Republican and Democratic political activists work to elect Brad Schimel or Susan Crawford.

President Obama Endorses Susan Crawford In Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

Former President Barack Obama is weighing in on the state Supreme Court race in Wisconsin. On Tuesday afternoon, he endorsed Dane County Judge Susan Crawford.

"If you live in Wisconsin – or have friends or family who do – there’s an important Supreme Court race happening right now," he wrote in a post on X. "And there’s only one candidate ready to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of Wisconsinites: Judge Susan Crawford."

Bill To Allow Sandhill Crane Hunting Introduced In Wisconsin Legislature

A bill that would open a sandhill crane hunting season in Wisconsin has been introduced in the state legislature. The proposed legislation is called SB112 in the Senate and AB117 in the Assembly.

The bill’s language says it was created to assist agricultural producers in preventing damage to corn crops from sandhill cranes, authorize the hunting of sandhill cranes, and increase hunting surcharges that support payments to agricultural producers for crop damage caused by wild animals.

DPI Candidates Receive Millions From Political Parties

The two candidates for state Superintendent of Public Instruction have both received more than a million dollars in donations since emerging from a primary election in February, according to state filings released this week.

The DPI fundraising numbers are a fraction of what has been spent on the campaign for Wisconsin Supreme Court, which has shattered spending records. But the latest numbers show that the two candidates for Wisconsin’s top education official are also benefiting from huge donations transferred from political parties, which can give and receive unlimited donations.

Crawford Outraises Schimel 2-to-1 On Strength Of Individual Donations As Parties Chip In To Both

Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford outraised conservative rival Brad Schimel more than 2-to-1 during the most recent reporting period, largely thanks to the strength of her individual donor network, a WisPolitics review finds.

As Wisconsin’s race — which will determine ideological control of the state Supreme Court — continues to shatter previous spending records, Crawford reported raising $17.3 million between Feb. 4 and March 17. That included $10.5 million from individual donors.

Schimel, meanwhile, pulled in $7.3 million over that period with $2.3 million coming from individuals.

Both candidates also got significant boosts from the state parties ahead of the election, which is a week from today.