93-3-3-WMR Audio on Demand presents the Preston and Steve show podcast.

And now, Preston and Steve's news updates with Kathy Romano.

Today, Wednesday, July 13th. Good morning, Kathy.

Good morning in the news this morning.

Starbucks is closing 16 stores around the country because of repeated safety issues, including drug use and other disruptive behaviors that's...

The coffee giant is closing six stores in its hometown of Seattle, six in Los Angeles, two in Portland and one each in Philadelphia and Washington.

Starbucks said employees at those stores will be given the opportunity to transfer to

other stores. Starbucks said Tuesday the closures are part of a larger effort to respond to staff

concerns and make sure stores are safe and welcoming. In a letter to employees, Starbucks senior

vice presidents of Operation Debrie Stroud and Denise Nelson said the company's stores aren't immune

from problems like rising drug use and growing mental health crisis.

We know the challenges can at times play out within our stores too.

We read every incident report that you file.

It's a lot, they said.

But the company also faced criticism from some workers who said they weren't consulted or given any options besides closure.

They said they were not part of the decision making about their own working conditions.

I think they were one of the first companies or at least one of the first cafes like this to sort of provide free Wi-Fi and have couches and sort of things.

We could just sort of loiter, well, not loiter, but hopefully, I guess, in their mind, hang out and keep drinking coffee.

And I think this is kind of the environment they've created over the years.

Yeah. So the closures took on heightened significance because of an ongoing unionization effort at Starbucks U.S. stores.

More than 189 stores voted to unionize since late last year,

according to the National Labor Relations Board.

...