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Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Hot, sunny, same. 97-98. ☀️
Poll results:
We received 263 votes on the Tuesday poll, “Should Oklahoma airports allow people without tickets to meet family and friends at the gate?”
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Yes. Bring it back! (104)
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ No. Keep gates 'passengers only'. (94)
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Only in limited situations (50)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Not sure (15)
New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)
Not Your Average Joe acknowledges compliance failures, disputes key claims in federal labor lawsuit
By Oklahoma Memo
Not Your Average Joe says it intends to repay employees any money they are legally owed while disputing key allegations in a federal lawsuit accusing the Oklahoma nonprofit of withholding tips and violating wage-and-hour laws.
The U.S. Department of Labor filed the complaint Sept. 11 against Not Your Average Joe Inc. and founder and Executive Director Tim Herbel. The organization operates under the trade names Not Your Average Joe, ABE’s and Stella Nova.
The lawsuit alleges the company pooled employee tips without a defined distribution formula and that Herbel determined how much employees received. The government further alleges the company distributed only cash tips while keeping all credit-card tips.
NYAJ disputes those claims, saying historical tip allocations were calculated using spreadsheets based on hours worked and that multiple people handled distributions. The organization acknowledged, however, that it improperly deducted some business-related costs from tips, delayed some distributions, and kept inadequate historical records.
“We have owned any procedural error, corrected it, and will make employees whole for amounts legitimately owed,” NYAJ said in a statement.
The federal complaint also alleges NYAJ generally treated hours employees worked beyond 40 per week as unpaid “volunteer time” and that at least four minors, ages 15 to 17, were directed to operate industrial dough mixers in violation of federal child-labor rules.
NYAJ said it had been in settlement discussions with the Labor Department before the lawsuit was filed and has since strengthened its payroll, timekeeping, tip, recordkeeping and equipment procedures.
The government is seeking unpaid wages and tips, plus liquidated damages. The allegations have not been proven in court.
The Surprising Kindle Hack 15 Million Readers Already Know About
Every day, the ebook editions of huge New York Times bestsellers are discounted to just $2. While most are unaware, readers with the inside scoop are filling their libraries with these deals.
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It sends you deals on bestselling ebooks – starting at $2. No subscriptions. No monthly fees. Just books you actually want to read, at prices that don’t make you do a double-take.
You can expect:
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• Flexibility to buy from all major ebook retailers
Given a single ebook can cost $15 or more – and avid readers can spend over $100 on ebooks a year – these savings add up fast.
BookBub’s deals are only available for a limited time. Sign up to see what’s on sale today.
The Oklahoma Rundown 📰
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:
As trials near, document dispute in State Farm roof claim cases crawl along (NonDoc)
Tulsa’s new police chief addresses past issues, lays out plan for first 100 days (The Oklahoma Eagle)
Edmond City Council approves 2 TIF deals to renovate 19 Broadway, develop townhomes (NonDoc)
U.S. Supreme Court prevents mail election ballot changes just days ahead of Oklahoma election deadlines (Gaylord News)
Train derails in Woods County near Alva (KOCO)
Tulsa police investigate deadly shooting near Admiral and Sheridan (News On 6)
Duncan man arrested after allegedly attacking woman with knife, on $250,000 bond (KSWO)
Ponca City man killed in construction accident in Indiana (Kay News Cow)
Dewey freshman suffers broken neck while making tackle during football game (News On 6)
OU Board of Regents approves Sooners football coach Brent Venables' contract extension (The Oklahoman)*
Is OU football offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle coaching for his job? How he responded (The Oklahoman)*
'A huge difference': ARPA grant gives millions for Eufaula hospital - more than first thought (KJRH)
Oklahoma sees fewer teen births, moves out of top 5 worst states (Oklahoma Voice)
Stillwater parents push for limits on classroom technology (News 9)
Tulsa firefighters sue city on overtime issue (Tulsa World)*
Lawmakers seek solutions to lower cost of building homes in Oklahoma (Oklahoma Voice)
Heartland Flyer funded through 2027, will need Oklahoma lawmakers' support beyond (OPMX)
Oklahoma board OKs unpermitted dam. Property owner offers his own solution. (Oklahoma Voice)
MAPS 4 Improvement Program brings interstate signs and pedestrian bridge remodels (KGOU)
Oklahoma voices expand Indigenous visibility at New York Fashion Week (Gaylord News)
City buys parcel for Military History Center expansion (Broken Arrow Sentinel)
Durant manager faces embezzlement charge after missing cash traced to casino (KXII)
Old Ardmore High School apartment plan clears first hurdle (KXII)
Wednesday Poll
Should Oklahoma schools limit students’ use of technology in the classroom?
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