USA Today International - 22.08.2019

6A ❚ THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019❚ USA TODAY MONEY

It’s a battle of the chicken sand-
wiches.
A week after Popeyes’ first nation-
wide chicken sandwich was released,
the fast-food chain started a Twitter
feud with chicken competitor Chick-
fil-A.
On Monday, Chick-fil-A, which
launched a new item of its own last
week with its Mac & Cheese, tweeted:
“Bun + Chicken + Pickles = all the
(heart emoji) for the original.”
Popeyes retweeted the tweet and
wrote “... y’all good?”
The Twitterverse was a flurry, with
some saying they preferred Popeyes’
new sandwich to Chick-fil-A’s, which
is best known for its chicken sand-
wiches and has been voted as Amer-
ica’s favorite fast-food chain in
surveys.
Popeyes sandwich features its New
Orleans-style fried chicken on a toast-
ed brioche bun and starts at $3.99.
Like Chick-fil-A’s sandwich, it is
topped with pickles and comes with
either a spicy Cajun spread or classic
mayo.
There were some tweets about be-
ing able to get a Popeyes sandwich on
Sunday, a day when Chick-fil-A is
closed.
“Chick-fil-A feeling the pressure??”
@bigbusiness tweeted Monday.
Popeyes has offered chicken sand-
wiches at select locations in the past,
but this is its first nationwide chicken
sandwich, which will be a permanent
offering, the company said.
“Customers in our test markets
loved the product, and we knew it was
time to bring it to Popeyes fans across
the nation,” the company said.
Contributing: Rebekah Tuchscherer

Popeyes’ sandwich has a brioche bun
and starts at $3.99. POPEYES

Feathers fly

in Chick-fil-A,

Popeyes battle

Kelly Tyko
USA TODAY

within a 24-hour period regardless of
weapon.

Kroger’s gun policy
challenged in court

Cincinnati-based Kroger’s policy, like
many retailers, is to follow local and
state laws on whether to permit gun
owners to carry a firearm slung over
their shoulder or holstered on a hip.
In states such as Ohio and Kentucky
that don’t explicitly ban the open carry
of firearms, it’s up to the property owner
to establish what’s permissible in
stores.
A lawsuit filed Aug. 7 by Charlotte
Stallard in Jefferson Circuit Court in
Louisville singles out Kroger’s “open
carry” policy as a contrib-
uting factor in her late
husband Maurice Stal-
lard’s death. It also said
store security made no
attempt to prevent the
shooting and has no pol-
icy to ensure someone
with a gun is legally per-
mitted to have firearms.
The lawsuit claims Kroger was negli-
gent considering 25 shootings since 1991
have taken place at its stores – all but
two occurred since 2012.
One of those shootings happened in
2007 at the same Kroger store where
Stallard was murdered.
Besides Stallard, there were seven
shootings at other stores that killed
eight people.
“Kroger permitted customers to carry
firearms inside its stores and elsewhere
on the property. No effort was made to
prevent (Stallard’s alleged murderer)
Gregory Alan Bush from bringing a load-
ed firearm into the Kroger store,” the
lawsuit says.
Kroger officials declined to comment
on the lawsuit, but extended their
“deepest sympathies to the families af-
fected by this senseless violence.” They

ignored multiple requests to discuss

their open carry policy.

Bush, 51, of Louisville, is awaiting

trial in Kentucky on state murder

charges, pending a judge’s competency

ruling and also faces trial on federal hate

crime and weapons charges.

On Oct. 24, Bush entered a Louis-

ville-area Kroger, apparently seeking

black victims to shoot. Before going to

the supermarket, he tried to enter a pre-

dominately African-American church.

Bush is accused of shooting Stallard,

69, in front of his grandson in the statio-

nery aisle as the two shopped for sup-

plies for the youngster’s school project,

according to court documents.

Outside, Bush allegedly shot another

African-American victim, Vickie Lee

Jones, 67, in the parking lot as he left the

store.

In the parking lot, Bush encountered

two armed bystanders, one (who was

African-American) exchanged shots

with him (no one was injured). The oth-

er confronted Bush who said: “I won’t

shoot you. Whites don’t shoot whites,”

before speeding away in a car, according

to the Louisville Courier Journal.

Kroger, like many retailers, has faced

pressure from both sides of the gun de-

bate.

Last year, it exited the gun business

entirely when it stopped selling firearms

at its Fred Meyer stores that sell both

food and general merchandise.

But over the years, Kroger has stuck

by its deference to state and local laws

with regard to open carry.

Phil Cook, a public policy and eco-

nomics professor at Duke University,

says Kroger and other retailers are faced

with a balancing act between custom-

ers’ conflicting beliefs –including how

to best maintain safety.

“Customers are going to want to feel

safe,” Cook says.

While Walmart has been threatened

by a walkout by its employees because it

continues to sell guns, the retailer has

restricted its gun policies this year to al-

lay customer concerns.

In July, Walmart dropped gun sales in

Utah stores due to a new state law that

would have required the retailer to run

background checks for customers sell-

ing firearms to other buyers. Walmart

balked at the prospect of customers

bringing their guns into stores for non-

Walmart gun sales.

“Walmart customers do not generally

expect to see individuals walking

through the store potentially carrying

multiple firearms, which can lead to

confusion and potentially putting both

our customers and associates at risk,” a

Walmart spokesperson told a local TV

station.

Mass shootings have struck

other retailers

The Walmart shooting in El Paso is

the deadliest mass killing in 2019 (the

shooting at a Dayton entertainment dis-

trict was the third-deadliest), but so far,

Walmart and other retailers are promis-

ing no changes to their gun policies.

Still, several retailers across America

have been affected by mass shootings,

including:

❚This year, a gunman walked into a

SunTrust Bank and killed five people in

Sebring, Florida. The suspect in the

shooting, Zephen Xaver, 21, had recently

moved to Florida to live with his mother

and resigned as a corrections officer a

few weeks before the incident. A SWAT

team was sent to the bank, and Xaver

eventually surrendered.

❚In 2018, four people were killed in a

Waffle House in Nashville, Tenn. The

suspect in that shooting, Travis Reink-

ing, 30, sprayed bullets from an assault

rifle while he was naked except for a

green bomber jacket. He was arrested

following a 34-hour manhunt.

❚Five were killed in a Burlington,

Washington, Macy’s shooting in 2016.

Arcan Cetin, 20, an immigrant from

Turkey and fast-food worker, killed five

at the Cascade Mall. A year after being

arrested, Cetin hanged himself in his

cell.

❚Then-Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Gif-

fords became a staunch gun-control ad-

vocate after she survived a 2011 shoot-

ing at a Safeway supermarket near Tuc-

son that killed six. Jared Loughner, then

22, went to an event for Giffords and

shot her and constituents waiting to

speak with her. Six died and 13, includ-

ing Giffords, were hurt. Loughner plead-

ed guilty in 2013 to avoid the death pen-

alty.

The Enquirer contacted more than a

dozen top U.S. retailers this week to ask

about their open carry policies, but so

far only Walgreens has responded.

“Our policies are designed to provide

a safe environment for our customers

and team members,” Walgreens said in

a statement, noting it prohibits workers

from bringing weapons.

As for customers, Walgreens said:

“Our store policies for customers com-

ply with the applicable laws and regula-

tions in each location.”

Walmart, Kroger, Costco, Home De-

pot, CVS, Target, McDonald’s, Star-

bucks, Chipotle, Wendy’s and Yum!

Brands (the parent company of Pizza

Hut, KFC and Taco Bell) did not respond

to queries about their open carry or gun

policies.

Only five states prohibit the open

carrying of handguns: California, Flori-

da, Illinois, New York and South Caroli-

na. Four generally prohibit long guns:

California, Florida, Illinois and Massa-

chusetts. The District of Columbia gen-

erally prohibits both.

Gun advocates, such as the National

Rifle Association, criticized “politiciz-

ing” the latest carnage, pledging to “pur-

sue real solutions that protect us all

from people who commit these horrific

acts.”

They did not specifically address

open carry policies, nor return mes-

sages seeking commentary on the sub-

ject.

Laura Cutilletta, a spokeswoman for

the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun

Violence in San Francisco, said most re-

tailers cop out on their gun policies,

seeking to avoid the polarizing debate.

States and municipalities that don’t

ban the open carrying of firearms leave

it up to property owners to forbid weap-

ons, but most retailers don’t exercise

that right.

“It’s nonsensical,” she said. “Having

private property permits the owner to

decide what happens on that property.”

Guns

Continued from Page 5A

Stallard

gram were deceased. The GAO also was

unable to confirm the eligibility of

about 1.2 million subscribers, more

than one-third (36%) of the subscribers

it reviewed.

Begun in 1985, the Lifeline initially

subsidized landline service for low-in-

come individuals but over the years has

expanded to cover other connectivity.

Qualifying individuals and families get

a $9.25 monthly discount on their bill.

In 2018, the Lifeline program distrib-

uted $1.14 billion to more than 9 million

U.S. households.

That figure is down from $1.5 billion

in 2016, the same year the FCC initiated

a reform plan for the program. Included

in the reforms is a national identifica-

tion program to ensure subscribers to

the programs are legitimate.

As part of its stricter review process,

the Lifeline program last year de-en-

rolled 134,000 subscribers to the pro-

gram who did not respond to queries

from reviewers, according to the 2018

annual report filed by the overseeing

Universal Service Administrative Co.

A proposed order being considered

by the commission, according to the

The Federal Communications

Commission continues to look for

ways to lessen fraud in the Lifeline

program, the low-income subsidy for

landline, cellular and broadband con-

nections.

Among new requirements that

could go into place under a proposed

order being considered by the FCC is a

stipulation that carriers can be reim-

bursed only for Lifeline subscribers

who are alive.

Yes, that is a concern, and it’s not a

new one. Fraud has been a legitimate

concern of the program, which initia-

lly let service providers certify sub-

scribers and subsequently receive the

Lifeline funds for the discounts pro-

vided to subscribers.

Yet a 2017 Government Account-

ability Office report found 6,000 peo-

ple enrolled or re-enrolled in the pro-

FCC, would attempt to further

strengthen efforts to prevent fraud

with several proposals aiming at better

identifying duplicate and fictitious

subscribers.

In addition to more stringent verifi-

cation measures, the proposal could

prohibit carriers’ agents earning com-

missions based on number of Lifeline

applications or enrollments that they

sell.

States also would have a larger role

in designating carriers that can partici-

pate in the Lifeline program.

The order does not address the

FCC’s 2017 recommendation that the

Lifeline program have an annual bud-

get that is capped.

Two years ago, FCC Chairman Ajit

Pai said after his Senate reconfirmation

hearing that “the Lifeline program is an

important component of the Commis-

sion’s efforts to bring digital opportuni-

ty to low-income Americans.”

However, senators were concerned

“that the program is in need of serious

reform,” Pai said. “For starters, we need

to crack down on waste, fraud and

abuse.”

The FCC wants less fraud

for Lifeline subsidy funds

Proposed order would

tighten eligibility rules

Mike Snider

USA TODAY

from $107,100 in the previous quarter.

It reached a high of $111,000 in the

third quarter of 2018.

The increases in the latest three-

month period reflect some of the gains

in stocks during the quarter. The Dow

Jones Industrial Average edged up

2.6% during the second quarter, while

the Standard & Poor’s 500 index rose

3.8%.

Long-term gains

The balances also include a wide

range of investors, some who are close

to retirement and others who are just

starting out.

The average doesn’t illustrate how

gains can compound over time. It’s

better to look at those with have been

saving in the same accounts over 10

years.

Those decade-long savers have an

average balance of $305,900, up 411%

from $59,900 in the second quarter of

2009. Of that increase, about 38% was
      because of continued contributions –
      which may include a company match –
      while about 62% was because of market
      performance, Fidelity found.

Employers kicking in

Another factor helping Americans

boost their retirement savings? Their

employers. More than a third of em-

ployers now auto-enroll new employees

into the company 401(k) plan, more

than doubling in the last 10 years.

More are auto-enrolling at higher

contribution rates as well. One in five

employers set the default contribution

rate at 6% or higher. About 44% set the

default rate at just 3%, the most com-

mon setting but down from 60% from

2009.

“Many employers anchored on to

that point, but it’s not really enough to

fund retirement, even with a 3%

match,” said Katie Taylor, vice presi-

dent of thought leadership at Fidelity.

Fidelity recommends workers put

away 15% – including company match-

es – during their working years to save

enough for retirement.

Worker contributions

Employees also are helping them-

selves.

Almost a third upped their contribu-

tion rate in the second quarter, the high-

est amount ever. Two in five increased

their rate themselves, while the remain-

ing three in five benefited from auto-

matic annual increases they sign up for.

The average percentage that employ-

ees contributed to their 401(k) accounts

increased to 8.8%, a record high and a

full percentage point more than 10 years

ago. Employers who matched contribu-

tions kicked in 4.7% on average.

Taylor noted that adding the average

employee contribution of 8.8% with the

average employer contribution of 4.7%,

you get a 13.5% contribution rate.

“For the first time ever, we’re getting

really, really close to that 15% rate that

Fidelity recommends,” Taylor said.

Millionaires

Continued from Page 5A