Good day to all, except to those raising taxes

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Jury Awards $25M to Ex-Regional Manager of Starbucks, Citing Race as Reason for Termination

Shannon Phillips, a white woman and former Starbucks regional manager, won a civil rights lawsuit alleging that she was fired due to her race.

A federal jury awarded her $25 million in punitive damages and $600,000 in compensatory damages. The case links back to an incident five years prior when two black men were controversially arrested in a Philadelphia Starbucks.

Despite not being involved in the incident, Phillips claimed she and other white employees were made scapegoats to show Starbucks' response to the situation.

After refusing to suspend a manager against her judgment, she was fired.

Starbucks maintained that Phillips was dismissed due to inadequate leadership during the crisis. Phillips indicated she still intends to seek back pay from Starbucks.

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Pottsgrove School Board Approves $73M Budget, Introduces 2.5% Increase in Taxes

The Pottsgrove School Board has unanimously approved a $73.4 million budget for the upcoming school year, which will result in a 2.5% increase in property taxes. This decision means that homeowners with a house assessed at $120,000 will pay an additional $117 per year. The increased taxes will boost the millage rate to 39.8952 mills.

The budget was primarily influenced by the district's "fixed costs," such as salaries, which constitute around 94% of the total budget expenses. For example, the district has agreed to provide a 3.5% salary increase each year as part of the teachers' contract established the previous year. This adjustment was made to make the district's teacher salaries more competitive.

In addition, the district anticipates $50 million in building projects in the upcoming years, including a $10 million roof and heating system project at West Pottsgrove Elementary School, which will significantly deplete the district's capital reserves.

The decision to raise taxes was also influenced by the expected disappearance of $1.6 million in federal COVID aid next year. To cover this loss, the district would need to increase taxes by more than 4% next year, which is why the administration decided to spread out the increase over a few years.

Despite the tax increase, school board member Charles Nippert stated that compared to other districts, Pottsgrove's increase is on the lower end. He noted that the district has been fortunate to have minor increases in the past eight years, but acknowledged that everyone is feeling the financial strain.

Business

Instagram Expands Global Rollout of 'Channels' Feature, Following WhatsApp's Lead

WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, has recently introduced a new feature called "Channels" on its messaging platform. This functionality, similar to Telegram's broadcasting feature, allows users to send messages to multiple recipients simultaneously. Encouraged by its potential, Meta has decided to expand the concept by globally launching Instagram Channels.

In a recent blog post, Meta revealed that Broadcast Channels on Instagram will now be accessible worldwide. Initially, this feature was only available to a limited number of users in select regions such as India and Brazil. Similar to WhatsApp, Instagram Channels enable users to disseminate messages quickly to others on the platform.

Meta elaborated on the expansion, stating, "Today, we are extending the reach of Instagram broadcast channels globally, offering countless creators a novel means to directly engage with their extensive follower base." The post also highlighted a few existing channels in India that users could opt to join.

According to Meta, broadcast channels act as a "one-to-many messaging tool" empowering creators to share text, videos, photos, voice notes, and polls with all their followers simultaneously. While creators have the ability to send messages in broadcast channels, followers can react to the content and participate in polls.

Meta clarified that once a creator gains access to broadcast channels and sends their first message from the Instagram inbox, their followers will receive a one-time notification to join the channel. Although anyone can access the content of a channel, only those who choose to follow it will receive notifications about new updates.

Alongside the global expansion of Instagram Channels, Meta has introduced new collaborative tools tailored for creators on the platform. To access these features, users must ensure they have the latest version of the Instagram app installed on their devices.

Pottstown PA Weather

Sports

PHILLIES

The Philadelphia Phillies have taken their time to find their stride this season, but recent history suggests they are content with the gradual improvement. In a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Bryson Stott showcased his hitting prowess with his second home run in three games, while Aaron Nola delivered a solid performance on the mound, helping the Phillies secure a 5-4 victory and achieve a winning record for the first time in over a month.

The team's catcher, Garrett Stubbs, expressed his excitement, remarking, "It's awesome. I guess June really is the month for the Phillies." This statement alludes to the Phillies' surge in June last year, which dramatically altered their fortunes and propelled them to the World Series.

The Phillies' recent success mirrors their previous season's trajectory. They have won 10 of their last 12 games, improving their record to 35-34 and surpassing the .500 mark for the first time since May 13. This week, they emerged victorious in three out of four games against the leading team in the NL West, the Diamondbacks.

Nola, the Phillies' veteran right-hander, delivered an impressive performance, with the exception of a four-run third inning. Despite allowing four runs on six hits and a walk, he struck out nine batters over 6 2/3 innings. Craig Kimbrel, despite incurring three pitch-clock violations, secured his 10th save in the ninth inning.

On June 2, the Phillies held a lackluster 25-32 record following a five-game losing streak. However, their star-studded lineup has shown remarkable improvement in recent weeks. Against the Diamondbacks, the team scored an impressive total of 32 runs in just four games.

In Thursday's game, all nine of the Phillies' starters contributed at least one hit. Bryson Stott, Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner, and Alec Bohm led the offensive charge with two hits each. Stott kicked off the second inning with a solo home run, his second in the series and seventh of the season. Turner later added an RBI infield single, contributing to the Phillies' early lead.

The Diamondbacks responded in the third inning with a four-run rally, highlighted by Ketel Marte's three-run homer. This gave the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead, but it proved short-lived. The Phillies quickly regained the advantage in the fourth inning with run-scoring hits from Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, making it 5-4 in their favor.

The struggling Diamondbacks couldn't mount a comeback and lost their second consecutive one-run game. Despite the team's effort, their manager, Torey Lovullo, emphasized the importance of securing wins rather than settling for moral victories. Christian Walker, the Diamondbacks' first baseman, acknowledged the Phillies' strong performance, stating, "The Phillies are playing well right now, they're swinging it well. We had some chances, stayed in a couple of the games, but they didn't go our way."

Overall, the Philadelphia Phillies have demonstrated significant improvement in their recent games, echoing the trend of their successful June surge from the previous season. With their lineup firing on all cylinders and their pitchers finding their groove, the Phillies are poised to continue their ascent in the league standings.

USMNT

USA 3 - MEX 0

TRES A CERO!

The United States secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Mexico on Thursday night, propelling them to the CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada. Christian Pulisic, making his first start since April 15, showcased his prowess by scoring twice, while Ricardo Pepi added a late goal to seal the win.

Goal #1

Pulisic opened the scoring in the 37th minute and extended the lead just after halftime in the 46th minute. With a total of 25 goals in 59 international appearances, Pulisic has proven to be a formidable force, especially against Mexico, with four goals to his name. Pepi joined the scoring spree in the 79th minute, netting a goal only five minutes after stepping onto the field.

Goal #2

The match grew increasingly contentious in the second half, resulting in red cards for Weston McKennie, Sergiño Dest, César Montes, and Gerardo Arteaga from both teams. The referee, Iván Barton from El Salvador, had to temporarily halt the game in the 90th minute due to anti-gay chants from the crowd. Although play resumed, the offensive chants persisted, prompting Barton to conclude the match prematurely during the 8th minute of the scheduled 12 minutes of stoppage time.

As a consequence of their red cards, McKennie and Dest will be suspended for the final showdown on Sunday. With this resounding victory, the United States not only achieved a three-goal triumph over Mexico for the first time in 23 years but also extended their unbeaten streak against their rivals to six matches (three wins, three draws), matching their previous record set from 2011 to 2015.

The game marked B.J. Callaghan's debut as the interim coach for the United States, following Anthony Hudson's departure to a Qatari club. Folarin Balogun also made his debut, starting as the forward for the team after choosing to represent the United States over England and Nigeria.

The opening goal for the United States came through Giovanni Reyna, who dispossessed Montes and, while on the ground, managed to poke the ball forward off Jorge Sánchez. Pulisic capitalized on the opportunity, sprinting past the defenders and coolly slotting the ball past goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa from the edge of the 6-yard box.

McKennie initiated the move for the second goal with a long pass down the flank to Timothy Weah, who delivered a cross. Pulisic showcased his speed once again, evading Israel Reyes and Sánchez, and scored with his left foot from close range.

Montes received a straight red card in the 69th minute for kicking Balogun during a battle for the ball. McKennie's red card followed two minutes later, as he placed a hand on Sánchez's neck during an ensuing argument and subsequently shoved him.

Pepi rounded off the scoring with his seventh international goal, receiving a pass from Dest, taking a touch, and rounding Ochoa to find the back of the net. Dest and Arteaga were both sent off in the 86th minute for engaging in above-the-neck altercations.

Goal #3

Giovanni Reyna, sporting blond-dyed hair, made his first start for club or country since March 27, which coincided with the last appearance for Dest and goalkeeper Matt Turner in any match.

Canada secured their spot in the final by defeating Panama 2-0, courtesy of goals from Jonathan David in the 25th minute and Alphonso Davies in the 69th minute. Mexico and Panama will now face off in the third-place match.

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