It's a good question. A few ideas: - The use of noncompetes in low- and even un-specialized roles has risen a lot. We're hearing about landscapers getting thre

It's a good question. A few ideas: - The use of noncompetes in low- and even un-specialized roles has risen a lot. We're hearing about landscapers getting threatened over noncompetes as a way to keep wages low. This is a real change, but over the last ~decade so it doesn't explain the recent spike of articles. - "Low unemployment, stagnant wages" articles are catching on, and noncompetes are a plausible factor in that. - A few states have discussed banning noncompetes recently. Chicken and egg, but that would make it timely for news stories. Possibly a few politicians have emphasized this and offered to do interviews? - Everyone is just borrowing the same story from everyone else.