Morning Headlines - Monday, Sept. 23, 2024

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

Israel Launches Deadly Strikes On Hezbollah In Lebanon, Warns People In Beirut And Elsewhere To Evacuate

Missiles slammed into southern Lebanon, shattering the early-morning silence Monday as Israel said it was targeting Hezbollah weapons hidden in residential buildings.

The explosions came as Israel heralded a new wave of attacks on the Iran-backed group in Lebanon, warning civilians to flee from any areas where the organization had weapons or fighters positioned.

Capsule Carrying 2 Russians And 1 American Heads To Earth From Space Station

A Russian space capsule undocked from the International Space Station on Monday to take three astronauts back to Earth, two of them completing a record-long stay on the orbiting laboratory.

The capsule carrying Russians Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub and American Tracy Dyson is expected to land in the vast Kazakhstan steppe about 3 1/2 hours after the undocking.

Harris Mum On Her Past Pledge For "Dreamers"

Vice President Kamala Harris is backing away from her past promise to use presidential power to unilaterally give a path to citizenship to 2 million "Dreamers" — undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

It's part of a pattern in which Harris and her team have changed her positions or declined to say whether she still supports some of the progressive policies she ran on during her presidential campaign in 2019.

Lobbyists Exploit Massive Loophole To Wine And Dine Lawmakers, Aides At Fancy Getaways

In 2007, after one of the biggest scandals in K Street history, Congress cracked down on lobbyists’ ability to wine and dine lawmakers and aides with a host of reforms — including limits on extravagant, all-expenses-paid trips.

In the nearly two decades since, the influence industry has blown a hole through those rules, according to a new analysis of House travel disclosure data by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland in partnership with POLITICO.

Democrats Fear Pollsters Are Undercounting Trump

Senate Democrats are worried pollsters are once again undercounting the Trump vote and say Vice President Harris’s slim lead in battleground states, especially Pennsylvania, is cause for serious concern.

After getting shocked by Hillary Clinton’s upset loss in 2016 and surprised by former President Trump’s stronger-than-expected performance in 2020, Democratic lawmakers are bracing themselves for another Election Night surprise.

Wisconsin Headlines

Thousands Polka In Monroe As Wisconsin Event Quintuples Previous World Record

Thousands arrived Saturday at Monroe’s Green County Cheese Days festival to try to break a record: the world’s largest polka.

The record to beat was 802 dancers in Germany in 2013, according to Guinness World Records. On Saturday, organizers said more than 4,000 people registered for the dance. And a little after 2 p.m., in over 80-degree heat, polka they did.

Arrest Made In Waupun Correctional Institution Overdose Death

A 37-year-old Madison woman faces a criminal charge for a 2022 overdose death in the Waupun prison. Janelle Hill was arrested Thursday and booked into the Dodge County Jail for First Degree Reckless Homicide.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office says the charge stems from an investigation that started in June 2022 when an inmate at the Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI) died from a drug overdose.

Harris Draws Large Crowd In Madison At Her Fourth 2024 Campaign Rally In Wisconsin

Vice President Kamala Harris’ rally on Sept. 20 in the Democratic stronghold of Madison continues a long tradition of that party’s candidates for president drawing huge crowds in the capital city of the swing state.

Before the rally, some voters said they’re eager to hear more about where she stands on issues.

Wisconsin Man Sentenced To 25 Years In Federal Prison For Sexual Exploitation Of A Minor

Zachary A. Zastawniak (age: 24) of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach.

According to court records, Zastawniak pled guilty to knowingly persuading a minor to send him a sexually explicit video. In his plea agreement and at the sentencing hearing, Zastawniak acknowledged that he had victimized numerous minors in Oconto County and Northeast Wisconsin by employing coercive techniques to force them to engage in sexual activity. Much of the coercive activity was accomplished using various social media applications.

Malik Willis Shows The Titans What They Gave Up, Leading The Packers To A 30-14 Rout

Malik Willis ran for a touchdown and threw for a score in his best performance in the NFL, leading the Green Bay Packers to a 30-14 rout of the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Willis not only won his second straight start subbing for Jordan Love, he got a sweet measure of revenge against the team that traded him to Green Bay (2-1) in August.