Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Apr. 9, 2024

U.S. and World Headlines

The Memo: Trump Bets Anti-Abortion Evangelicals Have No Choice But To Back Him

Former President Trump tried to thread the needle on abortion on Monday — with apparently limited success.

But Trump, for once, appears to be playing a longer game with an eye on November’s election. He appears willing to take short-term pain, in the shape of criticism from anti-abortion voices, in the hope that his position will pay off with more moderate voters seven months from now.

Trump distanced himself from any suggestion of a national abortion ban in his Monday video statement, instead asserting that the issue should be left to the states.

“This is all about the will of the people,” Trump said.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Plots To Oust Johnson As House Speaker

The House is back in session Tuesday after a two-week-long Easter recess, and Speaker Mike Johnson is returning with his speakership under threat after fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene filed a motion to oust him just months after he ascended to the position.

The Georgia Republican filed a motion to vacate Johnson just before the chamber broke for recess. She made the move after a vote to fund the government to prevent a shutdown -- which Johnson needed Democratic votes to pass.

NAIA, Small Colleges Association, Approves Ban On Trans Athletes From Women's Sports

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Monday it will ban transgender women from participating in women's sports.

The national small-college organization's Council of Presidents approved in a 20-0 vote a policy that only students who were assigned the female gender at birth could compete in women's sports. The new policy also blocks transgender women or nonbinary students who are receiving masculinizing hormone therapy.

Highlights From The Total Solar Eclipse

That's a wrap for one of the most anticipated celestial events of the year.

A total solar eclipse — nicknamed the Great North American Eclipse for its long path over North America — was visible in the sky today over parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states and eastern Canada.

Tens of millions of people were treated to stunning views as the moon passed between Earth and the sun and temporarily blocked the sun’s light.

Uconn Routs Purdue To Win First Back-To-Back Men’s NCAA Basketball Titles Since 2007

There is Connecticut. Then there is a massive gap. And then there is everyone else. 

The Huskies have no peers. We saw it for weeks; it only needed to be made official on Monday night when they scheduled a 40-minute basketball game for the final victim, Purdue, to join the rest who have been hounded into obliteration by the Huskies. The best team in college basketball — and the best program in college basketball — won the national championship (75-60) for the second year in a row in its signature bulldozing fashion.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Senate Republican Rob Cowles Will Not Run In 2024

Sen. Rob Cowles, the longest-serving incumbent in the Wisconsin Legislature, announced April 8 he will retire rather than run in a district now more favorable to Democrats or move under new district boundaries that take effect in November.

Cowles, 73, had originally said he planned to move and run again to represent the bulk of the district he currently serves that is more Republican. He was first elected to the Senate in 1982 after serving four years in the Assembly.

Biden Touts Student Debt Relief Plan On Madison Stop

President Joe Biden in Madison Monday touted his plan to provide student debt relief to more than 30 million Americans, saying it would help ensure Americans don’t have to put their lives on hold to pay off their school loans.

“Too many people feel the strain and stress wondering if they’re going to get married, have their first child, start a family because even if they get by, they still have this crushing, crushing debt. That’s not it’s not just a drag on them, it’s a drag on our local economy,” Biden said at Madison College on his 10th visit to the state since taking office.

Former Owner Of Gas Station Chain Gets Trump's Endorsement In Wisconsin Congressional Race

The former owner of a dinosaur-themed gas station chain in northeastern Wisconsin announced a run for Congress in a heavily Republican district on Monday after receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump over the weekend.

Tony Wied, who owned six Dino Stop gas stations and convenience stores, joined the race for the open 8th Congressional District seat caused by the surprise early retirement of Rep. Mike Gallagher. Two other Republicans and one Democrat have already announced their candidacies.

New Scarecrows: Lasers Aim To Deter Wild Birds And Reduce Disease On Wisconsin Farms

When the human eye examines one of Craig Duhr’s lasers at a Wisconsin farm, only a green dot is visible. But to birds, a variety of green beams and shifting patterns appear.

“They see it as a threat, like a stick coming at them or a predator moving in,” Duhr said. “As they see that, they just want to avoid the area altogether.”

Duhr works for a company called Bird Control Group, which sells lasers to deter wild birds and limit the spread of avian influenza among livestock. Duhr recently appeared on WPR’s “The Morning Show” to discuss the technology amid Wisconsin’s spring bird migrations when the risk of spreading avian flu is higher.

Car, Pickup Truck Collide On Central Wisconsin Highway, Killing 5

A pickup truck and a car collided on a highway in central Wisconsin, leaving five people dead.

The head-on crash happened about 11:25 a.m. Sunday on Highway 60 in the town of West Point, the Columbia County sheriff’s office said in a post on social media.

The car is believed to have crossed the center line of the highway into the path of the pickup.