Latest news with #WANE
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Coca-Cola workers reach deal after three-week strike over labor disputes: 'Best and final offer'
Coca-Cola workers recently went on strike over alleged unfair labor practices, including rising health care costs, low wages, and unsafe working conditions. The protests notably come as the company faces growing criticism for rolling back its environmental promises. Coca-Cola workers in Fort Wayne, Indiana, recently went on strike after negotiations with the company turned sour. The workers' union said the strike soon expanded to Toledo, Ohio, because the company sent a negotiator from Toledo to Fort Wayne to bargain on its behalf. According to Toledo news station WTOL, the strike involved drivers, merchandisers responsible for stocking products on store shelves, and employees at the bottling facility. Workers first went on strike after the company allegedly proposed increasing health insurance costs during contract negotiations but refused to provide workers with information regarding the specifics of the increase. During the early days of the strike, the company reportedly made a "last, best, and final offer" to Fort Wayne employees of a minimum wage increase of 1 cent per hour in Years 2, 3, and 4 of employment. Union members unanimously rejected the proposal, according to WTOL. Fort Wayne Union President Ehren Gerdes told WTOL the offer was a "smack in the face," adding that the union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, accusing Coca-Cola of bargaining in bad faith. The strike ended after nearly three weeks when a deal was made, according to Fort Wayne news station WANE. The beverage company is making further concessions to its workers that were not fully disclosed in the report but included a four-year cap on health care costs. "We are satisfied with the contract," Gerdes told WANE. "It moves Coke forward to meet the other area standards of the other beverage companies." The strike comes at a challenging time for Coca-Cola, especially regarding environmental progress and commitments. The company recently quietly abandoned its pledge to make 25% of bottles returnable or refillable by 2030 and reduced its recycled material target from 50% by 2030 to between 35% and 40% by 2035. Additionally, nearly 900 cases of Coca-Cola Original Taste were recalled last month after customers found plastic in their soda cans. The incident raised concerns about product safety and quality control. Would you work for a company that doesn't have a sustainability strategy? No Only if the pay is good Only if I couldn't find another job Only if the company is working to develop a plan Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. The company is also under fire for being named the world's biggest polluter of plastic waste for the sixth year in a row. Despite these challenges, Coca-Cola has made progress on its environmental initiatives, including the development of hydrogen-powered vending machines and the incorporation of recycled plastics into its bottles. The company has also made strides to improve its water management and accessibility and switched to renewable energy at some facilities. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Teen Posted YouTube Video Allegedly Bragging About Murder Right After Shooting Man: ‘Gotta Finish the Beef'
An Indiana man has been arrested in connection with a murder months after he allegedly shared social media posts, including a YouTube video, referring to the crime. The victim, 20-year-old Jathen Maxwell, was shot and killed in Fort Wayne, Ind., on July 25, the Fort Wayne Police Department said in a statement. Following a months-long investigation, police charged Cameron Kizer, Jr., 19, with murder in connection with the killing, Fort Wayne authorities announced this week. Court documents obtained by WANE and 21 Alive News allege Kizer made posts on social media seemingly in reference to the killing. On one social media account, which is not specified by the outlets, he posted the phrase 'head shot' right after the shooting took place, per court documents. He also posted a YouTube video of himself rapping, allegedly making references to ending a 'beef.' 'I gotta finish the beef they started. You get a low on bro then call me,' he rapped in the video, per an affidavit cited by the outlets. Investigators spoke with a witness who claimed Kizer had allegedly made threats against Maxwell on social media up until a week before the killing, WANE reported. Kizer allegedly told police he had gotten into an altercation with the victim a few days before the shooting, per 21 Alive. He also allegedly messaged two witnesses on Instagram claiming he wanted to kill Maxwell, per court an online obituary, Maxwell's family and well-wishers remembered him as a cherished brother and son. "I remember him as a proud, brilliant young man who loved his Family," wrote one person. Fort Wayne police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comments. Online court records did not indicate any plea or attorney information as of Friday afternoon. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senate approves electronic pull tabs for charity gambling as House OKs immigration notice mandate
Paper pull tabs are a fan favorite for charitable gaming events, but veterans service organizations have long sought an electronic option. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Indiana's Senate on Tuesday approved legislation allowing electronic pull tabs for charity gambling, in a 37-13 vote that split party caucuses. Charitable, civic, veteran and other groups can earn money off bingo, raffles, and more — like paper pull tabs. Senate Bill 209 would let them use electronic versions of pull tabs, which could come on freestanding cabinet-style devices, tabletop versions and tablets. 'Allowing these groups … to grow and flourish will pay dividends to our state that simply cannot be measured by dollars alone,' said author Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence. 'This bill is a responsible modernization of an already-established method of gaming that is very narrow in its application.' Republicans and Democrats spoke against the legislation. 'This is a huge loophole we're walking through,' said Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne. She argued that gambling integrity is heavily enforced at casinos but not charitable organizations, calling that sector the 'Wild, Wild West.' Brown alleged that 'figurehead' charities are running multiple gambling organizations to operate more days of the week than is allowed, and recalled a charity casino in her district that regulators have accused of racketeering, according to WANE. Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, complained that organizations are sending small fractions of the money raised to charitable purposes. He added, 'We should all be concerned about that.' The legislation also had staunch defense. Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette, said other counties shouldn't be penalized because of bad actors in one county. 'When's the last time one of you walked into an American Legion … and you thought you were in Las Vegas? Give me a break,' he said. Veterans' groups are 'barely hanging on,' he continued, and need the help electronic pull tabs could bring. A proposal blocking student identification cards use in voting also passed muster, in a 39-11 vote. Under current law these ID's, with expiration dates, are valid to confirm a person's identity. The voter already has to meet registration requirements separately. Senate Bill 10 also has provisions removing a longstanding requirement that Bureau of Motor Vehicle employees ask customers about registering to vote, increasing county voter list maintenance to twice a year and asking other states to join Indiana's election data-sharing party of one. 'This bill is about controlling who gets to vote, not protecting elections,' argued Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis. He noted the state already conducts voter roll cleanup and the 'duplicative' requirements for counties could confuse voters receiving multiple mailed notices. Ford and other Democrats said the legislation would drive down student turnout. 'Let me make it perfectly clear: I do not want to reduce voter turnout,' author Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, said. He asserted the legislation would further secure elections, and said some counties 'haven't done a good job' maintaining their rolls. Senate GOP priority legislation adding regulatory oversight to big water transfers and long-haul water pipelines additionally earned approval. Senate Bill 4 — a reaction to controversial water plans for the Limitless Exploration/Advanced Pace Innovation District — moved on a unanimous, 48-0 vote. So did a priority bill for Gov. Mike Braun: Senate Bill 146, raising minimum public teacher pay from $40,000 to $45,000 and bumping the minimum percentage of tuition support that schools must spend on teacher pay. It passed unanimously, in a 50-0 vote. All will head to the House for consideration. Senators also combined two contentious bills cracking down on diversity, equity and inclusion in schools and state government. Senate Bill 289 now contains amended language from Senate Bill 235, and will be eligible for a vote beginning Wednesday. In the Indiana House on Tuesday, lawmakers gave their stamp of approval to a bill that could require Indiana law enforcement to give federal authorities notice when they arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally. Immigration notice proposal raises racial profiling fears amid border security push The chamber voted 67-26 – mostly along party lines — to send House Bill 1393 to the Senate. Bill author Rep. Garrett Bascom, R-Lawrenceburg, maintained his legislation 'does not authorize an officer to go up and start questioning anybody off the street,' and only intends to 'standardize' collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement. 'It is flexible, but the system, the actual process of who is going to be notified and who's going to be notifying ICE, that's the standardized process,' Bascom said. A slew of Democrats who spoke out against the bill disagreed. 'This bill ultimately falls short in protecting our communities. Instead, it fosters profiling, by prompting law enforcement to seek out individuals they suspect may be in the country illegally — often based on appearance or language, driven by fear and bias,' said Rep. Maureen Bauer, D-South Bend. 'The fundamental issue with this bill is the lack of trust that this bill would enable between law enforcement and the migrant community or refugee communities in our districts.' According to the bill, if a law enforcement officer arrests someone on misdemeanor or felony charges, and has probable cause to believe the arrestee doesn't have legal permission to be in the country, the officer or their agency would have to notify the county sheriff during intake. The sheriff would then report the information to federal authorities, like the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster, emphasized that there are already 'processes and guidelines' in place for law enforcement to share information. 'We have urgent matters to address, but yet we continue to bring culture war policies to our state, instead of focusing on the Hoosiers that we represent, and ensuring that they have the resources and tools to succeed — to improve everyone's quality of life,' Andrade said. 'But yet, we decide to target a small group of people who are contributing to our community, who contribute to our state, and through generations have made a difference in our country.' The House also voted to withdraw a controversial bill that would ban no-fault divorces. House Bill 1684 had been tied to Project 2025 though Rep. Tim Wesco, R-Osceola, said he filed it after sitting in divorce court for a day. House Speaker Todd Huston explained that the House has a 10-bill limit and Wesco filed 11 bills. As a result, the divorce bill was to be withdrawn since it was improperly filed. 'You know, this is one of those things we always try to make sure we honor all the rules. Our rules are very important to us.' The legislation would have required proof of the 'irretrievable breakdown' as grounds for divorce if a couple had one or more children. The House additionally reversed course and gutted a bill that would have moved municipal elections to presidential election years. House Bill 1633 was amended to delete the entire bill and instead assign the secretary of state to study the topic. Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, said there is a problem with voter turnout for municipal elections but there isn't consensus on what to do about it. CONTACT US 'Instead of just doing something, we're doing the right thing,' he said. The secretary of state is to analyze cost savings of various options as well as the impact on turnout. He is required to have three public meetings around the state and report recommendations by November 2025. A similar Senate bill moving municipal elections is still moving through that chamber. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
