Jim Beam workers reject offer, strikeCLERMONT, Ky. — More than 200 union workers walked off their jobs at Beam distilleries at Clermont and Boston in Kentucky after voting Friday to reject the latest contract offer from the world’s leading bourbon producer. As the old contract expired, Beam said its contingency plans would keep operations running to maintain the flow of whiskey to distributors and consumers.As passing motorists honked in support Saturday, striking workers outside the Clermont distillery vented their frustrations.They said staffing shortages often extend work weeks to 60 to 80 hours to keep up with growing demand for Beam whiskey. The company has turned increasingly to temporary workers, they said, and disregards seniority when assigning veteran employees to new roles or shifts.

Toll from Matthew in N.C. set at $1.5B RALEIGH, N.C. — Flooding spawned by Hurricane Matthew has caused $1.5 billion in damage to 100,000 homes, businesses and government buildings in North Carolina, according to a state estimate.The figure represents one of the first detailed analyses of damage from the storm. With floodwaters yet to recede in some communities, officials say the number could fluctuate. “I do think that there may be more out there,” John Dorman, an assistant state emergency management director, said.Dorman said the state’s computer modeling combines property records, topography and stream gauges to estimate how many feet of water have affected a building — and how much damage that water caused. The state also used aircraft and drones to verify projections.