PepsiCo plans to close four U.S. bottling plants, affecting nearly 400 workers. The closures will impact employees in Cincinnati, Chicago, Harrisburg, and Atlanta. The Chicago plant will fully close, while operations will continue at the other locations. This decision comes as PepsiCo faces lower sales and net income. (AP)
An 18-year-old was arrested for wielding a machete outside a Florida polling location, targeting older voters. Accompanied by other teens, he intimidated voters holding differing political views. The incident led to charges of aggravated assault and improper weapon display. The investigation is ongoing. (ABC News)
The U.S. economy showed robust growth over the summer, easing concerns about a slowdown. The GDP grew at a 2.8% annualized rate, driven by increased consumer spending, exports, and federal government expenditure. Despite inflation remaining slightly higher than the Fed’s target, the labor market remains strong. (ABC News)
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Virginia’s voter roll purge, allowing the removal of 1,600 individuals. The state’s Republican governor signed an executive order to expedite the removal of noncitizens from the rolls. Challenges alleged that the purge violated federal law by removing eligible voters within 90 days of the election. (NPR)
After a toddler was bitten by a rattlesnake, he received expensive antivenom treatment resulting in a medical bill of over $297,000. The high cost of antivenom is attributed to hospital markups, as seen in varying prices charged by different hospitals despite the actual manufacturing cost being lower. (CBS News)
