Morning Headlines - Tuesday, April 22, 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

Student Loan Borrowers In Default Face Garnished Wages, Education Department Says

The Education Department will soon begin collecting payments for student loans that are in default, including through wage garnishment for potentially millions of borrowers, the department announced Monday.

Beginning May 5, the Education Department will begin involuntary collections through the Treasury Department's offset program, which claws back delinquent debts by withholding payments such as tax refunds, federal salaries and Social Security benefits.

Supreme Court Weighs Parents' Objections To LGBTQ Content In Elementary Schools

The Supreme Court on Tuesday considers the latest dispute that pits religious rights against LGBTQ rights as the justices weigh parents' objections over books made available in a school district's elementary schools that feature stories about gay and transgender characters.

At issue are books included in the English language arts curriculum in Montgomery County, Maryland. The dispute arose in 2022 after the school board in Montgomery County, a large and diverse jurisdiction just outside Washington, decided it wanted more storybooks reflecting LGBTQ stories to better reflect the people who live there.

New Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Plan Proposed, Hamas Source Tells BBC

A senior Palestinian official familiar with Israel-Hamas ceasefire negotiations has told the BBC that Qatari and Egyptian mediators have proposed a new formula to end the war in Gaza.

According to the official, it envisages a truce lasting between five and seven years, the release of all Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, a formal end to the war, and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

A senior Hamas delegation was due to arrive in Cairo for consultations.

The last ceasefire collapsed a month ago when Israel resumed bombing Gaza, with both sides blaming each other for the failure to keep it going.

This Market Downturn Is ‘Manufactured’ And Unrelated To Earnings, Jim Cramer Says

CNBC’s Jim Cramer on Monday suggested the market losing streak is “manufactured” and unrelated to the strength of companies’ earnings.

He likened recent declines to those in 2011 that were sparked by a financial crisis in the Eurozone, when many countries struggled to pay off debts and engaged in deficit spending.

“Just like 2011, it’s a very manufactured crisis — something totally man-made that can be un-made with the stroke of a pen,” Cramer said. “I think that means it will go away, but not before the market tests lower levels.”

Study Links Cannabis Use To Increased Dementia Risk

As cannabis enthusiasts celebrated 420 Day, a new study has emerged linking regular cannabis use to an increased risk of dementia.

The study, which examined more than 6 million Canadians, found that within five years of an emergency room visit or hospitalization related to cannabis, 5% of individuals were diagnosed with dementia. This figure rose to 19% within ten years.

Wisconsin Headlines

Wisconsin Republicans Look To End Holdover Appointment Loophole

A group of Republican lawmakers say they want to end the mystery over how Wisconsin’s appointment system works.

Senators Julian Bradley, R-New Berlin, and Romaine Quinn, R-Birchwood, along with state Reps. Scott Allen, R-Waukesha, and Dave Maxey, R-New Berlin, on Monday introduced a plan to close Wisconsin’s holdover appointment loophole.

“This bill is a common-sense reform that ensures our state government operates efficiently and fairly,” Sen. Bradley said in a statement. “By clarifying when a vacancy occurs, we’re making sure appointive offices are filled promptly, so Wisconsinites can rely on agencies and boards that are fully staffed and ready to serve.”

Evers Memo To State Agencies On Responding To ICE Agents Draws Backlash From Republicans

Guidance from the Democratic governor of Wisconsin’s administration to state employees about what to do if immigration officials or other federal agents show up at their workplace drew fire on April 21 from Republicans, who said it was in defiance of the law and President Donald Trump.

The memo from Gov. Tony Evers’ administration sent on the afternoon of April 18 comes as Trump’s administration has ramped up efforts to deport people living in the country illegally, setting off a string of lawsuits and resistance among Democrats.

Here are things to know about what Evers did in Wisconsin.

Pierce County Residents, Grassgroots Group Challenge Large Dairy Farm’s Permit To Expand

Pierce County residents and a grassroots group are challenging a permit for a large livestock farm’s plans to nearly quadruple in size.

Ridge Breeze Dairy currently runs a 1,700-cow dairy farm in Pierce County. Under the plan, it would grow to about 6,500 cows next year. The expansion would generate nearly 78 million gallons of manure and wastewater annually.

In February, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources granted a modified permit for the concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO.

Wisconsin's Ties To The Papal Conclave

When the College of Cardinals meets in Rome to elect the next pope, four cardinals with ties to Wisconsin will take part.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke has appeared on some shortlists of possible successors of Pope Francis, who died Wednesday at the age of 88. Burke was born in Richland Center and went to seminary in La Crosse. He served as Bishop of La Crosse from 1995-2004, during which he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Burke has been a sharp critic of Pope Francis, and the pope financially sanctioned him in 2023, accusing Burke of sowing "disunity" in the Catholic Church.

How Democrats Won Wisconsin In 2025: Turnout.

Democrats swelled with confidence after their victory in the State Supreme Court race in Trump-won Wisconsin. It seemed that public opinion swung sharply against Donald Trump and the GOP despite Elon Musk’s eight-figure investment in the state. But the full story is not so simple.

Our pre-election modeling and preview pointed to an obvious turnout advantage that Democrats enjoyed, flagging it as a sign they could win big on April 1st. This is because the higher-propensity voters who vote in off-cycle elections tend to lean left of the low-propensity voters who only show up in presidential years. The election results validate that theory, showing how an overwhelmingly blue electorate left Wisconsin Republicans in the dust.