Friday News Roundup

Transcript

Friday News Roundup

WMDX News · Fri Oct 16, 2026

Kathryn Lake

92.7 FM WMDX, Madison's Real News and Great Conversation.

Here's your Daily News

Connie Fellman

Roundup.

Despite national debates over election rules and security, Wisconsin election officials say voters can't expect the same procedures at the polls this November as in the past.

At a forum hosted Wednesday by Keep Our Republic and UW-Stevens Point, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Megan Wolfe outlined safeguards already in place.

Those included paper ballots, public testing of voting equipment, and post-election audits to verify results.

The discussion also addressed possible federal changes.

Former U.S.

Attorney John Votery pointed to the proposed SAVE Act, which would require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.

The legislation has passed the U.S.

House but has not become law.

With yesterday's rainy, gloomy weather moving in, it can be easy to forget much of our state is in a serious to severe drought right now.

As Civic Media's Maddie Schaefer tells us, the wildfire risk doesn't go away with just a few drops of rain.

The

Maddie Schaffer

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is warning of increased wildfire danger across northern Wisconsin as drought conditions continue.

The lack of rain has left much of the region an extreme or exceptional drought, making it easier for wildfires to start and spread.

The DNR says nearly 20 wildfires have occurred across the state in the past week, most caused by sparks from equipment and downed power lines.

Warm, dry and windy conditions are expected to keep fire danger elevated.

is reminding residents to check daily burning restrictions before starting outdoor fires and to avoid operating machinery during the hottest part of the day.

Campfires and debris burns should also be completely extinguished as hot embers can start fires hours later.

Elevated fire danger is expected to continue until the state receives significant rain or snow.

For Civic Media News, I'm Maddie

Connie Fellman

Schaefer.

Nearly a thousand wildfires across Wisconsin this year alone have already burned more than one

thousand acres.

A prominent Wisconsin businessman has been identified as one of the six people killed in Tuesday's plane crash near Wisconsin Dells.

Menominee Airport Commission Chairman Daniel Johnson says Ron Reek, an experienced pilot and local warehouse owner, was killed in the crash after ice built up on the wings during a thunderstorm.

Reek owned the plane that went down, killing five others, ranging in age from 13 to 67.

All six in the plane were from West Central Wisconsin.

The National Transportation Safety Board said

preliminary information indicated the plane was flying at 24,000 feet when the pilot reported icing and requested to descend.

The plane crashed in a densely wooded area in the town of Delona, just southwest of the Dells.

Just weeks before Wisconsin's midterm elections, mail with a white powdery substance is showing up at election offices around our state.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission just reported their office received the suspicious mail on Wednesday afternoon, and a staffer noticed the white powder that appeared to match mailings in other states.

Election officials say staff did not open the mail, and the commission alerted authorities.

The FBI is among the agencies investigating.

Authorities say they believe there are more than 100 letters in circulation that appear to be designed to scare officials.

Game times were just announced for the highly anticipated frozen tundra face-off college hockey doubleheader at Lambeau Field this coming February.

The Wisconsin Badgers women's hockey team will take on the Ohio State Buckeyes at 2 p.m.

on Saturday, February 20.

Later that day, it's the men's turn to face the Michigan Wolverines under the lights at 6 p.m.

This marks the first hockey event at Lambeau Field in more than two decades.

Wisconsin defeated Ohio State back in 2006 for the inaugural

in Tundra hockey classic.

And that's your state news update.

I'm Connie Feldman for Civic Media News.

Mike Clemens

It's on to the World Series.

I am Mike Clemens with Sports Baseball.

It was the top of the fifth at Dodger Stadium.

The score tied four to four when the Brewers Garrett Mitchell went to

bat.

Mike Clemens

Another home run by David Hamilton in the ninth as the Brewers beat the Dodgers six to four completing a four game sweep winning the National League pennant Dodgers manager Dave Roberts after the loss.

Honestly, they just outpitched us.

They out hit us.

They play defense better.

You know, they didn't make any mistakes and they didn't walk many guys and you know, whether it's Bowers, Contreras.

We got the Brewers

Mike Clemens

manager

Pat Murphy

right now.

They got a bunch of Hall of Famers.

We got a bunch of games.

Mike Clemens

That's Pat Murphy.

The World Series begins a week from tonight in Milwaukee with sports on Mike Clemens,

lingering showers, mostly cloudy and a little breezy this morning, becoming partly cloudy and not as windy by later this afternoon.

Our high today upper 40s to near 50.

Tonight, it is going to be frosty, mostly clear with a low dropping into the mid to upper 20s.

Tomorrow, mostly sunny with a high in the mid to upper

Kathryn Lake

50s.