Morning Headlines - Thursday, Oct. 31, 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

Police Officer Helps Escort Couple in Labor to Hospital After Trying to Stop Them: 'Our Family Hero'

A Michigan police officer helped escort a pregnant mom and her fiancé to a local hospital after learning the woman was in labor.

Mary Weertz went into active labor on Thursday, Oct. 17. So she and the baby’s father, Austin Sadowski, set off for the hospital.

The couple was near Hall Road and Van Dyke Avenue when Officer Liz Demuynck of the Utica Police Department spotted them making an illegal turn. But Sadowski did not want to stop, so he called 911 and explained the situation. Eventually, he pulled over and met Demuynck, who quickly understood the couple’s urgency.

Billionaires Have Business Interests Hinging On Election Outcome

Billionaires who have funneled tens of millions of dollars into the 2024 election or who have made key decisions affecting the race have a lot riding on the outcome.

Two of the biggest names to get attention this fall are Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of The Washington Post.

Also in the mix are Bill Gates, the former CEO of Microsoft who donated $50 million to a nonprofit that supports Vice President Harris, and Reid Hoffman, the billionaire founder of LinkedIn, who is also backing Harris.

North Korea Test-launches Long-Range Missile

North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time in almost a year Thursday in a test of what may be a new, more agile weapon targeting the mainland U.S., its neighbors said.

The launch came as Washington warned that North Korean troops in Russian uniforms are heading toward Ukraine, likely to augment Russian forces and join the war.

It also was likely meant to grab American attention days ahead of the U.S. election Tuesday.

Elon Musk Ordered To Attend Philadelphia Court Hearing Over $1 Million Giveaway To Voters

Elon Musk has been ordered by a judge to attend a Philadelphia court hearing on Thursday after he was sued by District Attorney Larry Krasner over his $1 million giveaway to voters.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in a courtroom at City Hall in Center City, according to a court document.

According to the Associated Press, Judge Angelo Foglietta of the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas wrote that "all parties must be present at the time of the hearing."

Los Angeles Dodgers Win The 2024 World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series on Wednesday.

Dodgers clinched their second World Series title in the last five years by beating the Yankees 7-6 during Game 5 at Yankee Stadium.

After a historic season, including setting a home run record, Freddie Freeman was named the series' Most Valuable Player.

The Top 10 Donors By Party In The Swing State Of Wisconsin

Here are the top political donors in Wisconsin in the 2024 election cycle, according to data provided by the campaign finance nonprofit OpenSecrets.

These individuals had given the most money to federal political causes – not just candidates’ campaign committees, but also political parties, political action committees and outside groups.

Harris And Trump — And Their Surrogates — Pour Into Wisconsin In Final Stretch

In Green Bay, former President Donald Trump took the stage in a bright orange safety vest and promised to protect women — whether they “like it or not.” In Madison, 140 miles away, Vice President Kamala Harris touched on her parents’ stint teaching at the flagship university here and invoked the state’s motto — “forward” — as a stand-in for her own “we’re not going back.”

It was all part of the candidates’ closing messages in their battle over 10 potentially crucial Electoral College votes.

More Deer, Late Start Could Yield Mixed Results For Hunters This Gun Deer Season

State wildlife regulators say a warm winter and dry weather this fall could improve hunters’ chances during the nine-day gun deer season, but they’re expecting a similar harvest to last year due to a late start.

The season begins Saturday, Nov. 23 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 1. Last year, hunters killed 175,101 deer statewide — down about 17 percent from 2022. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources said a lack of snow during the nine-day season and preceding harsh winter likely reduced hunter success last year.

Wisconsin's Role In The Civil War Origins Of Absentee Voting

The fate of the Civil War hinged on the 1864 election between President Abraham Lincoln and former Gen. George McClellan, and Union soldiers from Wisconsin contributed to the outcome by being among the first absentee voters in American history.

Packers’ QB Love Doesn’t Practice But Says There’s A ‘Realistic’ Chance He Plays Against Lions

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love didn’t practice Wednesday. However he remained hopeful about the possibility of playing Sunday after a strained groin prevented him from finishing a 30-27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I’ve made progress,” Love said. “It’s definitely feeling better. I think every day there will be some improvements to it, but definitely feels better than it did on Sunday.”