NJ Transit engineers could walk off the job Friday, leaving some 350,000 commuters in the lurch

• May 14, 2025

By BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI

Some 350,000 commuters who work in New Jersey and New York City could soon be scrambling for other ways to reach their destinations if New Jersey Transit engineers walk off the job early Friday.

NJ Transit — the nation’s third largest transit system — operates buses and rail in the state, providing nearly 1 million weekday trips, including into New York City. A walkout would halt all NJ Transit commuter trains, which provide heavily used public transit routes between New York City’s Penn Station on one side of the Hudson River and communities in northern New Jersey on the other as well as the Newark airport, which has grappled with unrelated delays of its own recently.

Wages have been the main sticking point of the negotiations between the agency and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. The union claims its members earn an average salary of $113,000 a year and says an agreement could be reached if agency CEO Kris Kolluri agrees to an average yearly salary of $170,000.

NJ Transit leadership, though, disputes the union’s data, saying the engineers have average total earnings of $135,000 annually, with the highest earners exceeding $200,000.

“I cannot keep giving money left and right to solve a problem,” Kolluri recently said. “It all comes down to, who is going to pay for this? Money does not grow on trees.”

Tom Haas, the union’s general chairman, has said NJ Transit has adopted a “take it or leave it” approach to salaries during the negotiations.

“We have sought nothing more than equal pay for equal work, only to be continuously rebuffed by New Jersey Transit,” Haas said during a news conference Friday. ”New Jersey Transit engineers want to keep the trains moving, but the simple fact is that trains do not run without engineers.”

If the walkout does happen, it would be the state’s first transit strike in more than 40 years.

Strike contingency plans

If the engineers do walk off the job, the agency plans to increase bus service, saying it would add “very limited” capacity to existing New York commuter bus routes in close proximity to rail stations and will contract with private carriers to operate bus service from key regional park-and-ride locations during weekday peak periods.

However, the agency notes that the buses would not be able to handle close to the same number of passengers — only about 20% of current rail customers — so it is has urged people who can work from home to do so if there is a strike.

The potential strike is already causing some disruptions. On Monday, NJ Transit said it will not operate train or bus service to MetLife Stadium for Shakira concerts scheduled for Thursday and Friday, and said it’s not clear yet if it will be providing service for Beyonce fans planning to attend her shows scheduled at MetLife from May 22 to 29.

Commuter options if there is a strike

If a walkout does occur, NJ Transit has said the chartered buses will run from four satellite lots across the state to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan or to PATH train stations in north Jersey, starting Monday. The PATH system is operated by a subsidiary of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and its services would not be affected by the potential strike.

As many as 1,000 passengers are on a full train each day, and roughly 70,000 commuters take the trains each day. NJ Transit says each chartered bus could carry only about 100 passengers, and no buses would run on the first day of a potential strike.

Officials expect some train customers will switch to existing NJ Transit bus routes or use the chartered carriers. Others may choose to drive into New York City, where they would have to pay congestion pricing fees.

Negotiations ongoing

The potential walkout comes a month after union members overwhelmingly rejected a labor agreement with management. Both sides had earlier said the tentative agreement included a “reasonable wage increase” for union members as well as the resolution of a long-standing grievance.

Kolluri has said the offer would have raised the average annual pay of full-time engineers to $172,000 from $135,000, but union leaders say those figures were inflated.

Since that proposal was rejected, the two sides have traded jabs over the labor dispute, which goes back to 2019, when the engineers’ contract expired. Union leaders say train engineers have gone without a raise over the past five years and are just seeking pay parity with engineers who work for other rail agencies.

The parties met Monday with a federal mediation board in Washington to discuss the dispute, but both sides and the board have declined to comment on whether any progress was made or if more talks have been scheduled.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, says all options are on the table if a strike occurs, including declaring a state of emergency. The governor, though, remains optimistic an agreement can be reached.

​ Orange County Register 

7 tips to help dig your way out of debt

• May 14, 2025

By Amy Sorter, Bankrate.com

Getting rid of debt is a goal many Americans have. Not only does eliminating debt improve your financial health, but it is also likely to have a positive impact on your mental health. Assessing your outstanding balances, selecting a debt payoff strategy, and formulating a game plan are good starting points for getting out of debt once and for all.

Once you have a clear view of what you owe, you take steps to start making progress and pay down your balances. You can use the following tips to get out of debt.

1. Re-examine spending habits

Your spending should be divided between need to have and nice to have. “Need to have” refers to essential necessities, including food, shelter, utilities, transportation and clothing. “Nice to have” is everything else.

While whittling down your debt, you can’t slack off on your “need-to-have” expenditures. But you can decrease your “nice-to-have” spending and use that extra toward paying down a credit card or loan balance.

Cancel that gym membership or streaming service you don’t use. Cut back on meals out or the daily coffee shop visits. Get rid of that streaming subscription you don’t use. Eliminating a $15-per-month streaming subscription gives you an extra $180 a year, which you can dedicate to debt.

2. Determine the right payoff approach

The common approaches to paying down debt are snowball and avalanche.

Debt snowball – smallest first

Through the debt snowball strategy, you make minimum payments on all credit accounts and loans — except for the account with the smallest balance, where you put all extra dollars. Once you’ve paid that balance, turn to the account with the next-smallest balance and work on that. Continue this approach until your debt is gone.

As you pay off balances, the amount available to pay off debt “snowballs” into a larger sum, allowing you to pay accounts down more quickly.

The snowball strategy’s main benefit is the quick wins. Seeing a credit card balance at zero within a few months can motivate you to continue. But while you’re paying off smaller amounts, your higher-interest-rate account balances continue to grow, making this method potentially costlier.

Debt avalanche – starting big

With the debt avalanche strategy, you make minimum payments to all accounts. Your primary focus and all extra money go to the highest interest-rate balance. Once the balance reaches zero, concentrate on the card or loan with the next-highest interest rate and whittle that down.

The debt avalanche approach eliminates the most expensive debts first, which helps you save on interest payments. However, this strategy requires motivation and perseverance. Your higher-interest-rate accounts could also be the largest balance accounts, which generally take longer to pay off.

3. Go beyond the minimum

Paying more than the minimum on a credit card or loan means the account hits a zero balance faster, and you can save interest on the outstanding balance. For example, consider a credit card with a $5,000 at a 20 percent interest rate. Even a small bump in the monthly payment you make can shave significant time off your repayment period (and save you hundreds in interest).

Paying more than the minimum can also lower your credit utilization ratio. This percentage represents how much credit you use relative to how much you have. A lower utilization ratio improves your credit score.

Bankrate’s credit card payoff calculator can help you determine minimum payment amounts, interest accrual and how long it takes to pay off a balance.

4. Earmark extras to the balances

Reducing spending is one way to generate extra cash. You can also use unexpected amounts, large and small, toward getting out of debt where you can.

Using the windfall

If you’ve received a windfall like a large cash infusion from a tax return, work bonus or money from a generous relative, put some of it toward the debt you owe and keep a little to treat yourself to a night out or other fun activity. Every little bit helps when working toward your debt-payoff goals.

Generate small savings

You can also make a dent in debt with the debt snowflake strategy. This method requires you to find small savings and direct those little extras toward debt. There are plenty of ways to do this, like:

• Buying generic products.
• Using coupons for purchases.
• Carpooling to save on gas.
• Limiting water and electricity usage.

A few dollars a week won’t clear your debt overnight, but small savings can help reduce what you owe and help you move toward debt freedom more quickly.

5. Consider debt consolidation methods

Using a debt consolidation loan or transferring what you owe to a 0 percent APR credit card is one way to handle your debt. Both of these methods let you pay off multiple creditors and lenders, leaving you with a single monthly fee that goes toward the balance of the loan or card.

This approach can make budgeting easier (you’re eliminating multiple payments for one). You could also find yourself with more funds to make that payment, as you’ve eliminated multiple credit card and lender interest rates.

However, pay attention to information like interest rates and loan terms (i.e., origination fees and the time you have to repay) before signing on the dotted line.

6. Embark on a debt management plan

A debt management plan (DMP) can help you in the following ways:

• You work with a credit counseling agency to develop a budget to manage your finances.
• That agency works with creditors to negotiate concessions like fee waivers or reduced interest rates.
• If the creditors agree to cooperate, you make one monthly payment to the credit counseling agency, which pays each creditor.

There are a couple of caveats here. First, reputable DMP agencies are nonprofit, but you’ll likely pay a fee attached to your monthly payments.

Second, it’s not a good idea to open new lines of credit or take out loans while on the plan. You’re using the DMP to pay off debt, not accrue more. Also, if you recently entered a DMP (which might be reflected on your credit report), lenders and creditors might be reluctant to give you a loan or credit card. Those that do might only offer rates for bad credit, which means a higher annual percentage rate (APR) or fee.

7. Settle for less than what you owe

A debt settlement program means contacting creditors to settle for less than what you owe.

You can either do the job yourself or go through a third-party debt relief company that negotiates with creditors on your behalf. Depending on the terms of the agreement, you could end up paying less than what you owe or see your interest rates and fees reduced or waived.

“Debt settlement is beneficial to many, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right option for everyone,” says Adem Selita, co-founder of The Debt Relief Company. “It’s not as innocuous as a debt consolidation loan, but it’s not as harmful as a bankruptcy. In terms of impact, there aren’t many other options that can help you get out of debt quicker and save you more money than debt settlement. However, [you] could be liable for tax payments, and your credit score could be negatively affected.”

If you choose to pursue debt settlement on your own, you will need to be prepared to negotiate directly with creditors and pay a set amount toward your debt. A debt settlement program can simplify this process — at the expense of added fees.

Bottom line

Although it takes diligence and consistency, getting out of debt is possible. Following the above strategies can help you reduce your debt while improving your financial health. While you’re paying down debt, examine and modify behaviors that got you there in the first place to prevent going down the same road once your balances are paid in full.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the problem with having too much debt? Too much debt is a concern if you rely on credit cards for everyday purchases or use them to pay off other debts. It’s also troublesome if you can only make minimum payments on those cards.“Debt makes us as consumers more complacent,” says Selita. “It can be harmful to accrue too much debt simply because, after a while, there becomes a breaking point where the debt you’re carrying is no longer as easy to get rid of as it once was.”
• Does a lot of debt automatically mean a bad credit score? Not necessarily, but don’t let that stop you from taking steps to get out of debt as soon as you can.When determining credit health, the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) emphasizes your payment history, which represents 35 percent of an entire credit score. Meanwhile, 30 percent of that score is your credit utilization, or what you owe vs. how much credit you have.Even if you pay everything on time, your credit score could suffer if you’ve maxed out your credit cards. Use no more than 30 percent of all available credit to build your credit score. For example, if your total credit is $5,000, keep your debt below $1,500.
• What is the best budget to pay off debt? One effective budget for paying off debt is the 50/30/20 method. With this approach, 50 percent of your net income goes to your needs and 30 percent goes toward discretionary spending. The remaining 20 percent is used to build savings and reduce debt.If you want to pay off debt more quickly, consider taking part of that 30 percent and putting it toward your credit card or loan balances.
• What do I do if I’m in debt and have no money? The first consideration you’ll want to make is designing and following a budget. If you have a steady income but never seem to have money in your account, you’ll want to start tracking your expenses and spending carefully. Once you know where your money is going, you can trim expenses and direct your resources with the intention of getting out of debt.You may also want to consider picking up a side hustle to supplement your income. If you find that your current paycheck doesn’t accommodate a timely debt payoff plan, pick up some extra hours and earmark that income toward lowering your debt.

Key takeaways

• There are multiple ways to pursue debt relief and reduce the amount you owe — or at least make it more affordable.
• The cost of debt relief will depend on the route you choose and whether you decide to negotiate with creditors on your own.
• Be prepared to take three to five years to complete any debt relief or debt reduction program.

©2025 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump surgeon general pick praised unproven psychedelic therapy, said mushrooms helped her find love

• May 14, 2025

By MICHELLE R. SMITH

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s new pick for surgeon general wrote in a recent book that people should consider using unproven psychedelic drugs as therapy and in a newsletter suggested her use of mushrooms helped her find a romantic partner.

Dr. Casey Means’ recommendation to consider guided psilocybin-assisted therapy is notable because psilocybin is illegal under federal law. It’s listed as a Schedule 1 drug, defined as a substance “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Oregon and Colorado have legalized psychedelic therapy, though several cities in Oregon have since banned it.

The surgeon general’s job is to provide Americans with the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury. Past surgeons general have used their position to educate Americans about health problems like AIDS and suicide prevention. The surgeon general’s warning in 1964 about the dangers of smoking helped change the course of America’s health.

Some, like Dr. C. Everett Koop, surgeon general under President Ronald Reagan, became widely known with substantial impact on policy, and others slipped easily from memory.

Means’ nomination follows a pattern from Trump to select people known for their public personas more than their policy positions. In the case of Means, the Republican president said he chose her solely on the recommendation of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Bobby thought she was fantastic,” Trump said, adding that he did not know her.

Means, who received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Stanford University, began a medical residency in Oregon but did not complete it. Her medical license is listed as inactive. Contacted by phone, Means declined to comment on the record.

She made the recommendation about psychedelics in her 2024 book, “Good Energy,” which she wrote with her brother, Calley Means, an entrepreneur who now works in the Trump administration as a health adviser and who has said he invested in biopharmaceutical companies that specialize in psychedelics.

Much of the book focuses on metabolic health, what Casey Means calls “good energy.” She suggests a number of strategies to help people “manage and heal the stressors, traumas, and thought patterns that limit us and contribute to our poor metabolic health and thriving.”

One such strategy is to “consider psilocybin-assisted therapy,” referring to the compound found in psychedelic mushrooms. She details her thinking on the subject in a 750-word passage.

“If you feel called, I also encourage you to explore intentional, guided psilocybin therapy,” she wrote. “Strong scientific evidence suggests that this psychedelic therapy can be one of the most meaningful experiences of life for some people, as they have been for me.”

Though there have been some studies suggesting benefits from psychedelics, it has not been shown that benefits outweigh the risks. Psilocybin can cause hours of hallucinations that can be pleasant or terrifying. When paired with talk therapy, it has been studied as a treatment for psychiatric conditions and alcoholism, but very little research has been done in healthy people. Side effects can include increased heart rate, nausea and headaches. Taking it unsupervised can be dangerous. Hallucinations could cause a user to walk into traffic or take other risks.

Means wrote that psilocybin and other psychedelics have been stigmatized. She touted the benefits of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, for helping people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. The Food and Drug Administration last year declined to approve the use of MDMA as a therapy for PTSD after a panel of advisers found the research was flawed and there were significant risks in using it.

Means refers to psychedelics in her book as “plant medicine.” She describes how she took mushrooms for the first time around Jan. 1, 2021, after she was inspired by “an internal voice that whispered: it’s time to prepare.”

“I felt myself as part of an infinite and unbroken series of cosmic nesting dolls of millions of mothers and babies before me from the beginning of life,” she wrote, adding that in her experience “psilocybin can be a doorway to a different reality that is free from the limiting beliefs of my ego, feelings, and personal history.”

In a newsletter she published in October, Means said she had also used psychedelics to help her make “space to find love at 35.” She wrote that she “did plant medicine experiences with trusted guides” to become ready for partnership, punctuating the line with a mushroom emoji. She noted she was not necessarily making recommendations that others do the same.

In a post this month about her White House health policy wish list, Means said she wanted more nutritious food served in schools, suggested putting warning labels on ultra-processed foods, called for investigations into vaccine safety and said she wanted to remove conflicts of interest. She did not specifically mention psychedelics but said that researchers have little incentive to study “generic, natural, and non-patentable drugs and therapies” and that a portion of research budgets should be devoted to alternative approaches to health.

Calley Means has also advocated for the use of psychedelic drugs, writing in a 2021 blog post that he first tried psilocybin during a challenging time in his life and “it was the single most meaningful experience of my life — personally, professionally, and spiritually.” He said in 2022 that he had “sold all of my 401k” and bought stocks in two companies that are developing and researching psychedelics. He did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Casey Means’ confirmation hearing has not been scheduled. Trump chose Means after questions were raised about the resume of his first pick for surgeon general, former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat, and he withdrew her nomination.

Associated Press Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson in Washington state and AP writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers designate Austin Barnes for assignment, call up Dalton Rushing

• May 14, 2025

The Dodgers are parting ways with longtime catcher Austin Barnes to make room for top prospect Dalton Rushing.

Barnes, 35, was designated for assignment Wednesday. In his 11th season with the Dodgers, the two-time World Series champion was hitting .214 with three doubles and two RBI. He held a .992 fielding percentage over 3,813 innings, many seasons serving as the backup to Will Smith.

The Dodgers acquired Barnes, along with pitchers Andrew Heaney and Chris Hatcher and utility player Kiké Hernández, in a 2014 trade the Miami Marlins in exchange for infielders Dee Strange-Gordon and Miguel Rojas and pitcher Dan Haren.

Rushing, 24, has been regarded as one of the top up-and-comers in the Dodgers’ minor leagues after he was selected in the second round of the 2022 draft out of Louisville.

The catcher, who also started playing outfield last season, was hitting .308 with five homers and 17 RBI this season in Triple-A Oklahoma City. The No. 1 prospect in the Dodgers’ organization has been in the organization four seasons, clubbing 54 homers and driving in 185 runs with a .931 OPS.

Last season, Rushing was named the 2024 Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year by the Dodgers after he hit 26 homers and drove in 85 runs between Double-A and Triple-A.

More to come on this story.

​ Orange County Register 

Wisconsin judge argues prosecutors can’t charge her with helping a man evade immigration agents

• May 14, 2025

By TODD RICHMOND

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin judge charged with helping a man who is in the country illegally evade U.S. immigration agents who were trying to detain him at her courthouse filed a motion to dismiss the case Wednesday, arguing that there’s no legal basis for it.

Attorneys for Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan argue in their motion that her conduct on the day in question amounted to directing people’s movement in and around her courtroom, and that she enjoys legal immunity for official acts she performs as a judge. They cite last year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in President Donald Trump’s 2020 election interference case that found that former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority” and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts.

“The problems with the prosecution are legion, but most immediately, the government cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts,” the motion says. “Immunity is not a defense to the prosecution to be determined later by a jury or court; it is an absolute bar to the prosecution at the outset.”

The judge overseeing her case is Lynn Adelman, a former Democratic state senator. Former President Bill Clinton appointed him to the bench in 1997.

A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Milwaukee didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Federal prosecutors charged Dugan in April with obstruction and concealing an individual to prevent arrest. A grand jury indicted her on the same charges on Tuesday. She faces up to six years in prison if convicted of both counts.

Her attorneys insist Dugan is innocent. She’s expected to enter a not guilty plea at her arraignment Thursday.

Dugan’s arrest has escalated a clash between the Trump administration and Democrats over the Republican president’s sweeping immigration crackdown. Democrats contend that Dugan’s arrest went too far and that the administration is trying to make an example out of her to discourage judicial opposition to the crackdown.

Dugan’s case is similar to one brought during the first Trump administration against a Massachusetts judge, who was accused of helping a man sneak out a courthouse back door to evade a waiting immigration enforcement agent. That case was eventually dismissed.

According to prosecutors, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz illegally reentered the U.S. after being deported in 2013. He was charged in March with misdemeanor domestic violence in Milwaukee County and was in Dugan’s courtroom for a hearing in that case on April 18.

Dugan’s clerk alerted her that immigration agents were in the courthouse looking to arrest Flores-Ruiz, prosecutors allege in court documents. According to an affidavit, Dugan became visibly angry at the agents’ arrival and called the situation “absurd.” After discussing the warrant for Flores-Ruiz’s arrest with the agents, Dugan demanded that they speak with the chief judge and led them away from the courtroom.

She then returned to the courtroom, was heard saying something to the effect of “wait, come with me,” and then showed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a back door, the affidavit says. The immigration agents eventually detained Flores-Ruiz outside the building following a foot chase.

Dugan’s dismissal motion also accuses the federal government of violating Wisconsin’s sovereignty by disrupting a state courtroom and prosecuting a state judge.

“The government’s prosecution here reaches directly into a state courthouse, disrupting active proceedings, and interferes with the official duties of an elected judge,” the motion states.

The state Supreme Court suspended Dugan from the bench last month, saying the move was necessary to preserve public confidence in the judiciary. A reserve judge is filling in for her.

​ Orange County Register 

Maryland loses triple-A bond rating from Moody’s rating agency

• May 14, 2025

By BRIAN WITTE

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lost its triple-A bond rating from Moody’s on Wednesday, a rating the state has cited for more than 50 years as a sign of strong fiscal stewardship.

Moody’s downgraded the state’s credit rating to Aa1. Maryland had received a triple-A bond rating from Moody’s since 1973. The state has benefitted from the higher rating by paying the lowest rates when it sells bonds to pay for infrastructure, likes roads and schools.

“The downgrade was driven by economic and financial underperformance compared to Aaa-rated states, which is expected to continue given the state’s heightened vulnerability to shifting federal policies and employment, and its elevated fixed costs,” Moody’s said.

Gov. Wes Moore and other leading Maryland Democrats blamed President Donald Trump’s mass layoffs of federal workers, which is having a big impact on the region. The District of Columbia also recently received a credit-rating downgrade.

“To put it bluntly, this is a Trump downgrade,” Moore said in statement made jointly by the presiding officers of the state’s legislature, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and Treasurer Dereck Davis, who are all Democrats. “Over the last one hundred days, the federal administration’s decisions have wreaked havoc on the entire region, including Maryland.”

Maryland Republicans described the downgrade as “a harsh indictment of the state’s current direction under Governor Wes Moore.”

“Donald Trump didn’t downgrade Maryland’s bond rating — Annapolis Democrats did. And now they’re scrambling for someone else to blame,” Republican Sen. Steve Hershey, the Senate minority leader, said in a statement. “This is the result of reckless spending, bloated budgets, and an economy that’s been hollowed out by overregulation and overreliance on the federal government.”

Moody’s had noted earlier this year that federal cuts pose a greater threat to Maryland than any other state.

Maryland lawmakers recently concluded a challenging legislative session to balance the state’s budget. They closed a $3.3 billion budget deficit for the next fiscal year with a combination of tax increases, budget cuts and fund transfers.

Maryland lawmakers also directed the governor’s budget office to keep track of the impact of federal cuts, alert them if it reaches $1 billion and make recommendations on how to deal with the impact.

The Democrats’ statement noted that Moody’s acknowledged that the state had closed its budget gap, even as it remains exposed to the economic consequences of federal funding cuts and layoffs.

“Maryland still holds one of the highest possible credit ratings in the nation,” the joint statement said, “and as we have for decades, we will always pay our debts.”

​ Orange County Register 

DoorDash delivery driver pleads guilty to stealing $2.5 million in deliveries scam

• May 14, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A former food delivery driver pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to steal more than $2.5 million from DoorDash by getting the company to pay for deliveries that never occurred, federal prosecutors said.

Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in San Jose to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

Devagiri, 30, of Newport Beach, California, admitted to working with three others in 2020 and 2021 to defraud the San Francisco-based delivery company, federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Devagiri used customer accounts to place high-value orders and then used an employee’s credential to gain access to DoorDash software and manually reassign the orders to driver accounts that he and others controlled. He then caused the fraudulent driver accounts to report that the orders had been delivered when they had not, and manipulated DoorDash’s computer systems to pay the fraudulent driver accounts for the nonexistent deliveries, officials said.

Devagiri would then use DoorDash software to change the orders from “delivered” status to “in process” status and manually reassign the orders to driver accounts he and others controlled, beginning the process again, prosecutors said.

Devagiri is the third defendant to be convicted of his role in this conspiracy. Two co-defendants previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, authorities said.

Devagiri faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 16, 2025.

​ Orange County Register 

More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas go on strike to protest new dress code

• May 14, 2025

By DEE-ANN DURBIN

More than 1,000 Starbucks baristas at 75 U.S. stores have gone on strike since Sunday to protest a new company dress code, a union representing the coffee giant’s workers said Wednesday.

Starbucks put new limits starting Monday on what its baristas can wear under their green aprons. The dress code requires employees at company-operated and licensed stores in the U.S. and Canada to wear a solid black shirt and khaki, black or blue denim bottoms.

Under the previous dress code, baristas could wear a broader range of dark colors and patterned shirts. Starbucks said the new rules would make its green aprons stand out and create a sense of familiarity for customers as it tries to establish a warmer, more welcoming feeling in its stores.

But Starbucks Workers United, the union that represents workers at 570 of Starbucks’ 10,000 company-owned U.S. stores, said the dress code should be subject to collective bargaining.

“Starbucks has lost its way. Instead of listening to baristas who make the Starbucks experience what it is, they are focused on all the wrong things, like implementing a restrictive new dress code,” said Paige Summers, a Starbucks shift supervisor from Hanover, Maryland. “Customers don’t care what color our clothes are when they’re waiting 30 minutes for a latte.”

Summers and others also criticized the company for selling styles of Starbucks-branded clothing that employees no longer are allowed to wear to work on an internal website. Starbucks said it would give two free black T-shirts to each employee when it announced the new dress code.

Starbucks said Wednesday that the strike was having a limited impact on its 10,000 company-operated U.S. stores.

“Thousands of Starbucks partners came to work this week ready to serve their customers and communities,” the company said in a statement. “It would be more productive if the union would put the same effort into coming back to the table to finalize a reasonable contract.”

Starbucks Workers United has been unionizing U.S. stores since 2021. Starbucks and the union have yet to reach a contract agreement, despite agreeing to return to the bargaining table in February 2024.

The union said this week that it filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board alleging Starbucks’ failure to bargain over the new dress code.

​ Orange County Register