Morning Headlines - Wednesday, Oct. 30, 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

Air Force Overpaid Nearly 8,000% For Soap Dispensers On Military Aircraft, Watchdog Report Says

The Air Force overpaid for soap dispensers used in the bathrooms of C-17 military aircraft by 7,943% — or more than 80 times the price of similar commercially available dispensers — according to a Defense Department inspector general report released Tuesday.

The dispensers were one of about a dozen spare parts for which Boeing overcharged the Air Force, according to the report, resulting in nearly $1 million in additional and unnecessary costs.

Police Take Down Crime Group Accused Of Making Illegal Cannabis Edibles Packaged Like Name-Brand Candy

Police in Canada said they have arrested six people and taken down an organized crime group believed to have produced tens of thousands of counterfeit cannabis-laced candy bars and edibles resembling popular name-brand products.

The takedown began early this month when the Pacific Region Royal Canadian Mounted Police federal policing investigators executed search warrants at two dispensaries and five separate residences on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

China Declares Success As Its Youngest Astronauts Reach Space

A Chinese spacecraft with a three-person crew, including the country's first female space engineer, has docked after a journey of more than six hours.

The crew will use the homegrown space station as a base for six months to conduct experiments and carry out spacewalks as Beijing gathers experience and intelligence for its eventual mission to put someone on the Moon by 2030.

Supreme Court Docket Heats Up With Election Disputes

The Supreme Court is increasingly being pulled into the upcoming presidential contest.

With a week to go until Election Day, the justices this week are dealing with four election-related applications on their emergency docket.

Mortgage Demand Stalls As Interest Rates Surge Higher Ahead Of Election

Mortgage rates rose last week for the fourth time in five weeks, causing another pullback in refinancing. Total mortgage application volume was essentially flat, falling 0.1% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index.

The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) increased to 6.73% from 6.52%, with points rising to 0.69 from 0.64 (including the origination fee) for loans with a 20% down payment. That is the highest level since July of this year.

Wisconsin Headlines

Attorney General Kaul Joins Coalition To Protect Undocumented Family Members Of U.S. Citizens

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Texas v. DHS in support of the federal program “Keeping Families Together” which allows certain undocumented spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residence.

The brief, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, argues that the federal government has the authority to implement this program to protect family unity. The coalition also argues that protecting family unity has been a hallmark of U.S. immigration policy for decades and should be upheld.

Wisconsin To Receive Nearly $73M In Federal Funds To Support Freight, Passenger Rail

Wisconsin will receive nearly $73 million in federal funding for a project that could allow for more passenger trains between Milwaukee and Chicago by creating a bypass for freight trains.

The project would reconfigure rail facilities to reroute most freight trains out of the Milwaukee Intermodal Station to the nearby Muskego Yard, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

US Supreme Court Rejects Push To Remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. From Michigan, Wisconsin Ballots

The Supreme Court on Oct. 29 rejected an emergency appeal to remove Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from the presidential ballot in two battleground states.

Kennedy wanted to get off the ballot in Wisconsin and Michigan after dropping his independent bid and endorsing Republican Donald Trump in the tight contest. He argued that keeping him on violated his First Amendment rights by wrongly implying he still wanted to be elected president.

Grant County Man Sentenced To Prison For Transporting Minors For Prostitution

A man from Cassville, Wisconsin will spend 11 years in federal prison after he transported two teenagers across state lines with the intent to engage in prostitution.

U.S. Attorney Timothy O'Shea's office says 29-year-old Raymond Armour pleaded guilty in July to two counts of transporting an individual in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in prostitution. His prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release.

Who Is Mailing The 'Catholic Tribune' To Voters In Wisconsin And Other States?

One by one, Catholic dioceses in key presidential swing states are putting out unusual statements: Newspapers whose titles include the word Catholic that are showing up in people’s mailboxes aren’t what they seem and aren’t connected to the church.

With a classic typeface and traditional newspaper design, the mass-mailed “Catholic Tribune” newspapers carry signposts of legitimacy. But most of the articles in the papers are inflammatory and overtly partisan, focusing on culture-war issues that resonate with conservative voters.