Morning Headlines - Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 | Recent News

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

‘Huge Relief.’ CEOs Exhale After Trump Taps Scott Bessent To Lead Treasury

Business leaders say they are relieved President-elect Donald Trump made a safe choice to lead the Department of Treasury after more unconventional selections to other cabinet posts.

Hedge fund executive Scott Bessent survived an internal squabble over the role of Treasury secretary, a key position that will face almost immediate deadlines and pressures.

Bessent’s pedigree as a global investor who has worked with legendary money managers, and his history of supporting both Republicans and Democrats, have eased the worries of business leaders.

The Auto Industry Is Pulling Back On Its ‘Capital Junkie’ Tendencies After Unprecedented Spending On EVs, Self-Driving

After years of spending capital freely on all-electric and autonomous vehicles, automakers are starting to pull back.

It takes a significant capital investment every time an automaker launches a new product or updates current models, causing a spending ripple effect throughout the global supply chain.

Now, General Motors and Ford Motor are cutting billion in fixed costs, including laying off thousands of workers, while others such as Nissan Motor, Volkswagen Group and Chrysler parent Stellantis are taking even more drastic measures to reduce headcounts and trim spending.

Menendez Brothers' Bid To Be Freed: Where Does Their Resentencing Effort Stand?

Erik and Lyle Menendez’s efforts to reduce their life-without-parole prison terms remain in limbo after the ouster earlier this month of Los Angeles County’s top prosecutor, who recommended a new sentence that could clear the way for the brothers’ release.

But those efforts will inch forward Monday when the siblings appear for a status conference to determine if a Dec. 11 resentencing hearing should remain on the schedule, a lawyer for the brothers told NBC News.

A Team Of Researchers Has Warned About "Pink Cocaine" For Over A Year

The death of music star Liam Payne. Sex trafficking allegations against Sean "Diddy" Combs. A deadly car crash involving an Instagram model. Many Americans have only recently learned of the drug known as "pink cocaine" from a deluge of celebrity horror stories. Joseph Palamar, an associate professor of population health at NYU Langone, would say they are late to the party.

"A lot of people just think it's this new powder that's going around," Palamar said. "It's a pretty pink powder, and everyone's starting to use it, when it really started increasing was around mid-2023."

Thanksgiving Travel And Traffic: Best And Worst Times To Drive And Fly

AAA forecasts 79.9 million people will travel by car, plane or another mode of transportation for Thanksgiving -- up 1.7 million people compared to last year.

Here’s what you need to know before you head to the airport or hit the highway:

Wisconsin Tees Up High-Stakes Supreme Court Race With Partisan Control On The Line

Wisconsin is bracing for a high-stakes state Supreme Court election that will determine its balance of power just months after President-elect Trump flipped the battleground state.

Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and former state Attorney General Brad Schimel (R) are vying for retiring liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s seat on the high court, which currently has a 4-3 liberal tilt. Bradley’s departure brings the partisan balance to a 3-3 split.

Republicans are eager to net a seat on the court after losing a consequential Wisconsin Supreme Court race two years ago, handing Democrats control for the first time in 15 years.

Husband Who Faked His Death Before Fleeing Overseas With Lover Reveals Exactly How He Did It

A Wisconsin father-of-three who faked his own death before fleeing overseas to be with his mistress has revealed exactly how he nearly pulled off the unbelievable stunt.

Ryan Borgwardt, 45, who mysteriously vanished after he sent off on a solo fishing expedition back in August, has finally shared how he was able to execute the ridiculous plan.

The Watertown-native said he intentionally overturned his kayak and dumped his phone while 'out fishing' on Wisconsin's Green Lake, he told Green Lake County Police in a video conference call earlier this month - the first time he had been heard from since his disappearance.

State Senate Minority Leader Says Budget Surplus Should Be Used In Part For K-12 Education

Wisconsin ended its 2024 fiscal year with a larger-than-expected surplus of $4.6 billion. Wisconsin Senate minority leader Dianne Hesselbein says she’d like to use that money to invest in K-12 schools.

She also said she’d be open to providing a targeted middle-class tax cut.

“I would like to put a large portion of that money to the school districts so that they can decide what they need,” Hesselbein told WPR’s “Wisconsin Today” last week. “We also need to be funding special education. That is a huge issue that we are not funding right now in our state.”

Josh Jacobs Runs For 3 TDs As Packers Roll To 38-10 Triumph Over Short-Handed 49ers

Josh Jacobs rushed for 106 yards and matched a career high with three touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers trounced the short-handed San Francisco 49ers 38-10 on Sunday.

This marked the first time in the past 55 regular-season games that any individual had rushed for 100 yards against the 49ers. That represented the longest a team had gone without allowing a 100-yard rusher since at least 1955.

Badgers Secure Commitment From 4-Star Quarterback In 2025 Class

The Wisconsin football team added a four-star quarterback to its 2025 recruiting class on Sunday.

Carter Smith, who plays for Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers, Florida, announced his commitment to the Badgers on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.