Morning Headlines - Monday, Nov. 28, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

The GOP's Great Trump Reckoning Begins At The State Party Level

For years, Lou Barletta counted himself among Donald Trump’s most diehard allies. The former Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial candidate and congressman endorsed him at a time in 2016 when many GOP elected officials saw Trump as radioactive. He served as the co-chair of his first presidential campaign in Pennsylvania.

Six years later, Barletta is finally disembarking from the MAGA train.

“I’m not supporting him,” he said of Trump’s 2024 campaign in an interview with POLITICO. “I was one of his most loyal supporters in Congress. But loyalty was only a one-way street.”

Barletta may have personal reasons for ditching Trump. The former president endorsed his opponent in the GOP primary for governor in May. But his sentiments reflect a broader reckoning happening after Republicans underperformed expectations across the country in November.

"Collapse" In Home Prices Is Coming, Experts Say

The residential real estate market has screeched to a halt, and some economists believe home prices are about to drop significantly.

Existing home sales have fallen for nine straight months. The supply of single-family homes is growing. And with mortgage rates near 7%, experts say a large-scale housing slowdown is becoming increasingly likely.

"In one line: Collapse in prices is coming," wrote Kieran Clancy, senior U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

• Pantheon estimates that existing home prices will keep falling, ultimately dropping by about 20% from their June peak of around $414,000.
• Goldman Sachs analysts also recently cut their outlook for home prices, from roughly flat next year to down 4%, noting that "unsustainable levels of housing affordability to continue weighing on housing demand."

Until recently, economists had pooh-poohed the prospect of a nationwide price slump, suggesting that persistently low inventories of houses to buy would put something of a floor under the market.

Another Tech Bubble Bursts: 2022 Has Been Brutal For Silicon Valley Workers

The tech industry has enjoyed seemingly unstoppable growth over the past five years, but in 2022 it finally hit an immovable object: a slowing worldwide economy.

Tech companies big and small have eliminated tens of thousands of jobs this year as executives cite inflation, rising interest rates and lower sales in digital advertising as all putting pressure on their financial outlooks.

The breadth of the layoffs has been breathtaking, affecting every part of the tech sector from farming robots and cryptocurrency to social media and semi-autonomous vehicles.

The tech industry has been hit harder than other sectors during this economic slowdown. In a count of layoffs at companies that cut more than 100 people this year, NBC News estimated about 89,000 people have lost their jobs.

The Most Dangerous Roads In America Revealed

The American Automobile Association has compiled a list of the country's most dangerous roads.

It comes as some 49 million people are thought to have hit the road this past weekend for the Thanksgiving break.

Researchers used information gleaned from government websites and news reports to generate the list which covers every corner of the nation.

It includes a Florida interstate with almost one death for every mile of road, to an Alaskan highway with no gas stations or rest stops for 240 miles.

‘There’s No Rules. It’s Crazy’: New Money In NCAA Recruiting Leaves Elite Athletes Ripe For Exploitation

A year after the rule change, so-called NIL deals, named after the initials for Name Image Likeness, have become increasingly common for elite student-athletes like Cunningham, who can now begin profiting from their talent before they play a minute of pro sports.

But with that potential for great reward comes great risk. There are few guidelines for young athletes — kids — who are entering this chaotic new marketplace. Many are from low-income homes or difficult circumstances. In pursuit of their dreams or financial security for their families, they can wind up violating state-level restrictions that still pertain to high school athletes, and they can also find themselves exploited by adults who want to get rich off their skills.

NBC News has reviewed a dozen written offers to high schoolers that experts have described as exploitative, including marketing contracts claiming exorbitant commissions of up to 40% and booster contracts with complex fee structures and legal jargon, reducing the athletes’ freedom to transfer or enter outside deals. One “contract” was just a $100,000 loan.

Wisconsin Headlines

November 28 Is Snowplow Driver Appreciation Day In Wisconsin

Governor Tony Evers has proclaimed Monday, November 28 as Snowplow Driver Appreciation Day in Wisconsin to remind motorists to give snowplow drivers plenty of space to complete their jobs safely.

“We are grateful for snowplow drivers throughout the state who work around the clock to clear Wisconsin’s state and local roadways to ensure safe driving conditions every winter season,” Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson said. “Motorists are encouraged to show their appreciation to snowplow drivers and drive carefully, give snowplows room to work and, when possible, avoid travel during heavy storms.”

For more than 100 years, Wisconsin has maintained a unique partnership with the state’s 72 county highway departments. During the winter, county highway workers help keep interstate, U.S. and state highways safe by providing snow plowing, salting and liquid brine applications. WisDOT works with Wisconsin counties year-round to establish best practices and test new tools for safety and efficiency.

Aaron Rodgers Injures Ribs In Packers' Loss To Eagles

Aaron Rodgers kept bending, wincing, the Green Bay star and reigning NFL MVP openly in pain. Rodgers was forced out by injuries in a loss to the Eagles. He’s not ready to wave the white flag on the season.

“As long as we are mathematically alive, I’d like to be out there,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers sustained rib injuries late in the third quarter to go with a broken right thumb suffered weeks ago. He was forced to leave early in another Packers’ loss that all but eliminated them from playoff contention.

Rodgers was 11-of-16 passing for 140 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Wisconsin Falls In Final Minutes In Deflating 23-16 Defeat To Minnesota

The Wisconsin Badgers finished their season in uninspiring fashion, losing 23-16 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers after having several chances to remain in the game, summing up their tumultuous 2022 season.

Playing without Braelon Allen, the Badgers implemented a balanced offensive attack that saw sparks at times, but stalled in key moments.

To begin the game, the Badgers moved the ball down the field, utilizing a variety of runs from Chez Mellusi and passes from Graham Mertz, but the latter struggled to connect with Chimere Dike, which forced a 40-yard field goal after a 3rd & 10 incompletion.

However, Wisconsin’s defense was unprepared as the Golden Gophers ran all over the Badgers' front line, while the redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis started strong, completing 6/7 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown through the first quarter.

Wisconsin Hires Luke Fickell: Badgers Make Splash Luring Cincinnati Coach With Deep Big Ten Ties

Wisconsin has made a splash hiring Cincinnati's Luke Fickell as its next head football coach, the program announced Sunday evening. The stunning development comes after the Bearcats and Fickell finished their regular season with a loss to Tulane on Friday while the Badgers wrapped up a 6-6 season with a 23-16 home loss to Minnesota on Saturday.

"This is a destination job at a program that I have admired from afar for years," said Fickell in a statement. "I am in total alignment with [athletic director] Chris McIntosh's vision for this program. There is a tremendous foundation here that I can't wait to build upon. This world-class university, athletic department and passionately loyal fan base all have a strong commitment to success and I can't wait to be a part of it."

"I am incredibly excited to announce Luke Fickell as our new head football coach and to welcome his entire family to Madison," McIntosh said. "Luke is one of the top football coaches in the country. He is a proven winner, recruiter and developer of players. Equally as important, he shares our values. Coach Fickell is focused on giving our student-athletes the best opportunities possible and is attuned to the changing landscape of college athletics. I have every confidence that he will respect and honor the foundation that has been set for our football program over the years while embracing the exciting opportunities ahead."

Wisconsin fired Paul Chryst in early October, ending a tenure that saw the former Badgers player and assistant go 67-26 across eight seasons.

From Spam To Song: Wisconsin Music Professor Transforms Spam Emails Into Music

Years ago, Michelle McQuade Dewhirst noticed she was getting more spam emails than normal.

The tone of the emails was different, too. She said they were "strangely aggressive, and some of them were weirdly charming."

Instead of filtering the emails out, she said she decided to let them in. She tapped into her talent and expertise as a music professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and over the years made the spam emails into songs for voice and cello.

"It’s just a matter of figuring out where (the email) fits in a vocal part and building an environment for that text to sing and be made clear," she said recently on Wisconsin Public Radio's "Central Time."

McQuade Dewhirst, the principal horn player with the Weidner Philharmonic and the Manitowoc Symphony, said it has been fun to see the reaction to her work, and she hopes people continue to laugh with it.

Some songs, for example, feature high-pitch vocals and string music that convey a tension and anxiety that matches spam emails that are high drama. Some are about 30 or 40 seconds, while others are a minute or two.