News Of Western Pennsylvania And The World
Sept 4 (Reuters) – Bed Bath & Beyond Inc’s (BBBY.O) chief financial officer fell to his death from New York’s Tribeca skyscraper known as the “Jenga” tower on Friday afternoon, police said on Sunday, days after the struggling retailer announced it was closing stores and laying off workers.
Source: Bed Bath & Beyond CFO plunges to death at New York’s Jenga tower | Reuters
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Another movie theatre in our area is closing.
Phoenix Theatres North Versailles 18 is closing on Tuesday, September 6. Current employees will be offered jobs at the Bridgeville location.
If you have gift cards, you can use them there, or go to the website for a full refund.
Source: Another Pittsburgh movie theater is closing – CBS Pittsburgh
The decision, to take effect by 2035, will very likely speed a wider transition to electric vehicles because many other states follow California’s standards.
The new policy, detailed Wednesday morning in a news conference, is widely expected to accelerate the global transition toward electric vehicles. Not only is California the largest auto market in the United States, but more than a dozen other states typically follow California’s lead when setting their own auto emissions standards.
If those states follow through, and most are expected to adopt similar rules, the restrictions would apply to about a third of the United States auto market.
Source: California to Ban the Sale of New Gasoline Cars – The New York Times
Ford Motor Co. F -5.04%▼ confirmed Monday it is laying off roughly 3,000 white-collar and contract employees, marking the latest in its efforts to slash costs as it makes a longer-range transition to electric vehicles.
Ford sent an internal email Monday to employees, saying it would begin notifying affected salaried and agency workers this week of the cuts. The email was viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
The 1% reduction in Ford’s workforce of about 183,000 mostly targets employees in the U.S., Canada and India. About 2,000 of the targeted cuts will be salaried jobs at the Dearborn, Mich., auto maker. The remaining 1,000 employees are working in contract positions with outside agencies, the company said.
Source: Ford Confirms Layoffs, Says It Is Cutting About 3,000 Jobs – WSJ
A summer rally was halted last week as fears of aggressive interest rate hikes from the Federal Reserve resurfaced on Wall Street.
U.S. stock futures fell Monday following a halt in the summer rally last week, as fears of aggressive interest rate hikes returned to Wall Street.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 321 points, or by 0.95%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 1.22% and 1.57%, respectively.
Those moves come as European markets experienced steep declines, driven in part by worries of rising inflation and higher interest rates around the world.
On Friday, the S&P 500 closed down 1.29%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 292 points, or 0.86%, and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 2.01%. The major averages also posted weekly losses.
Source: Dow futures drop 300 points to start the week as Wall Street rally continues to fizzle
Sorry, DC universe fans: the movie, which starred ‘In The Heights’ actress Leslie Grace in the title role, will not be released theatrically or on HBO Max.
In a move that shocked Hollywood observers for the amount of money wasted, Warner Bros. Discovery announced Tuesday that it is shelving all plans to release the nearly finished film Batgirl, starring actress Leslie Grace.
The film had originally been planned with a $75 million budget that had rocketed up to $90 million, due to COVID-related delays. It was directed by the duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, whose credits include the 2020 Will Smith and Martin Lawrence vehicle Bad Boys for Life as well as the recent Disney+ series Ms. Marvel.
In a statement reported by multiple media sources, a Warner Bros. spokesperson wrote: “The decision to not release Batgirl reflects our leadership’s strategic shift as it relates to the DC universe and HBO Max. Leslie Grace is an incredibly talented actor and this decision is not a reflection of her performance.”
Warner Bros. has not replied to requests from NPR for comment.
Source: Warner Bros. kills off ‘Batgirl’ movie, $90 million in : NPR
Family Dollar is recalling more than 430 products. Items like toothpaste, and over-the-counter drugs, were stored at the wrong temperature before being shipped to stores across the country.
See the full list of recalled items here.
Family Dollar stores that received the recalled products have been notified and told to stop selling them, the company said. People can return any of the recalled products to the Family Dollar store where they were purchased without a receipt. Customers with questions can contact Family Dollar at (844) 636-7687.
Source: Family Dollar issues recall for products stored at wrong temperature | WHEC.com
A consumer alert has been issued for a popular downtown chocolate company.
The Health Department says the business had committed several violations, including the areas of cleaning and sanitation, waste and refuse storage, and that there was active pest infestation.
In the latest report from Health Department inspectors, bags of trash were observed in the hallway of the business, dead mice were seen on sticky traps and on the floor, and a roof was seen leaking over a prep area, among other violations.
The Health Department will provide an update on its website once the consumer alert has been lifted. Click here for more information.
Source: Allegheny Co. Health Dept. Issues Consumer Alert For Sinful Sweets’ Downtown Pittsburgh Location
The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an alert that various products purchased within the last year from Family Dollar Stores across six states may be contaminated and unsafe to use.
(CNN)The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday issued an alert that various products purchased within the last year from Family Dollar Stores across six states may be contaminated and unsafe to use.
Items ranging from dietary supplements and medication to cosmetics and pet foods may have been exposed to insanitary conditions at Family Dollar’s distribution facility in West Memphis, Arkansas, federal officials said in a news release. An FDA inspection found that a rodent infestation could have potentially contaminated the products.
Family Dollar on Friday issued a voluntary recall of particular items that were sold after January 1, 2021, at hundreds of stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee, according to a news release.
Source: Family Dollar issues recall after FDA inspection reveals rodent infestation at Arkansas facility
OAKMONT, Pa. —
An SUV barreled through a wall of Oakmont Bakery early Saturday morning, sending workers inside scrambling.
Just after midnight, crews were assessing the damage from silver Ford, which hit the building right under a bakery sign on Sweet Street.
People were working inside at the time, making donuts. One employee, who was five feet from where the SUV came through, also said he feared a few of his coworkers died after they were covered by debris.
However, he was able to get them out, and said none of them were injured.
“I knew three of our guys were down where the debris came down,” Jared Glaser, a bakery employee, said. “So I just ran over started tearing it all out, screamed their names and they didn’t answer me. So I kind of turned into the Hulk. My adrenaline rush went through the roof.”
Dispatchers said crews took one person to the hospital. There was no word what caused the crash.
Source: SUV crashes through wall at Oakmont Bakery
KEY POINTS
- “It has been another good quarter for the company,” BP CEO Bernard Looney told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Tuesday.
- A surge in global gas markets through the final months of 2021, coupled with an oil price rally to seven-year highs, has seen the world’s largest fossil fuel giants rake in bumper revenues.
- It comes at a time when millions of U.K. households are facing a record-breaking increase in their energy bills amid a cost of living crisis.
Source: Oil giant BP reports highest profit in 8 years on soaring commodity prices
PITTSBURGH —
Pittsburgh Police were investigating after a man armed with a knife robbed a Rite-Aid store in the city’s Morningside neighborhood.
The robbery happened around 8:15 p.m. Wednesday at the store on Morningside Avenue.
A Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson said an employee told police that the man showed the knife and demanded cash and then ran off after getting the money. The suspect was described as wearing dark pants and a dark jacket. No injuries were reported and no arrests have been announced.
Source: Rite-Aid in Pittsburgh held up by man with knife
In a court filing late Tuesday, investigators stated the office “intends to make a final determination about who is responsible for those misstatements and omissions,” adding that “OAG requires the testimony and evidence sought herein to determine which Trump Organization employees and affiliates — and which other entities and individuals — may have assisted the Trump Organization and Mr. Trump in making, or may have relevant knowledge about, the misstatements and omissions at issue.”They write that “witnesses closest to the top of the Trump Organization have asserted their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Certain others have professed faulty memories or asserted that they were following instruction from more senior employees.”
Food supply shortages impacted local businesses
The Charley family owns three Shop ‘n Save locations in Westmoreland County.
“It’s something that we’re fighting every day,” Tom Charley said. “We’re sourcing from multiple vendors. We’re using more vendors today than we ever have.”
Charley said his store only received half of their weekly order from their distributors this past week. It’s an issue stores have faced with various products throughout the pandemic.
“People have been very understanding and they know now what to expect at the store, but it’s very frustrating when you put in an order to fill up the store and you only get half the order,” Charley said.
National experts have cited staffing, rising COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant and winter weather across the country as the reasons behind the latest stretch of supply chain problems.
Those concerns, coupled with recent inflation trends have also caused the price of groceries to jump.
“All of the costs are going up and it’s hitting us with cost increases too,” Charley said. “We are being very deliberate in trying to find the best deals we can possibly find and it’s a challenge.”
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to a spokesperson for U.S. Foods, one of the area’s largest suppliers, but did not hear back.
Source: Grocery stores in Pittsburgh area struggling to keep shelves stocked
It’s about to be last call for the Harris Grill downtown.
Source: Harris Grill Downtown Permanently Closing – CBS Pittsburgh
CHURCHILL, Pa. —
UPDATE: Churchill Borough Council voted 5-2 to approve the proposed Amazon Warehouse during a special meeting Tuesday night.
Hillwood Development wants to create a $300 million Amazon warehouse at the former Westinghouse site. There will be more than 1,000 employees and nearly 700 truck trips per day.
For months, there has been a debate in the borough over it.
“Please do no harm,” said Sandy Fox, who said she lives less than 1,000 feet from the site. “Please protect our lives and protect our environment.”
Supporters said the facility will bring new jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenues that would help Woodland Hills School District.
Others put signs in their yards and protested in front of the borough building,
Those in opposition said there are more than 400 homes surrounding the site and two nearby schools. Their top concerns are excessive pollution and traffic.
“This development will be harmful to people and that’s all they need,” Fox said.
On Tuesday, the Churchill Borough manager declined to talk on the record but said the special meeting was virtual. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reached out to the developer.
Fox said if the council votes to move forward with the plans for the Amazon site, she and a group of neighbors will appeal the decision.
“We’re not giving up because this is too important,” she said.
Source: Churchill Borough set to vote on Amazon facility
PITTSBURGH — PNC Financial Services Group Inc. is closing another 18 branches across eight states, according to regulatory filings that surfaced on Wednesday.
Two are in Pennsylvania, including one in Millvale. The other is in Blue Bell, on the other side of the commonwealth.
PNC (NYSE:PNC) said the closures will occur on March 18. The Millvale branch is being consolidated with the Shaler Plaza location at 880 Butler Street, about 2.5 miles away.
Source: PNC shuttering 18 branches including one in Pittsburgh region – WPXI
CNN said Saturday that anchor Chris Cuomo has been “terminated” by the network, “effective immediately.”
Source: CNN fires Chris Cuomo for helping his brother, ex-New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in scandal
Raising Cane’s, the popular fast-food chain known for its chicken tenders, Texas toast and special Cane sauce, could be coming to the Pittsburgh area.
Dustin Shearer, the vice president of company restaurants for Raising Cane’s, said they don’t know exactly where the restaurant may settle, but it will bring more than 200 jobs with it.
He said the company will also put 10% of its proceeds back into the community. The Johnstown native is hoping to make Pittsburghers “Caniacs.”
He said beginning next year, 20 restaurants will open in Pennsylvania, starting with one in Philadelphia.
The Raising Cane’s in the Pittsburgh area could open by the end of 2023.
“We do one thing. We are very focused,” Shearer said. “We say we do one thing, and we do it better than everybody else. We serve quality chicken meals — fast, friendly, clean — and we have fun doing it.”
Source: Raising Cane’s is coming to Pennsylvania
The deal, which is subject to approval by the NHL Board of Governors, is expected to close before the end of the year.
Source: Fenway Sports Group reaches agreement on Pittsburgh Penguins
A slew of new stores are set to open at Westmoreland Mall, including two that previously shuttered at the Hempfield site.
Charlotte Russe and Christopher & Banks, which previously occupied storefronts at the mall, will be joined by locally owned Neecs Sneaks and Rock Bottom jewelry store.
The announcements come after the mall for several years lost tenants, with 10 empty storefronts in 2019. The decline was part of a national trend that continued through the covid-19 pandemic, leading to the closure of thousands of stores — including Charlotte Russe and Christopher & Banks.
During the pandemic in 2020, more than 12,000 stores closed nationwide, according to CoStar Group, which tracks data for the real estate industry.
Now, some of those stores are making a comeback.
Charlotte Russe in March 2019 announced the closure of all of its stores, including five in the Pittsburgh region. That same month, the company was purchased by YM Inc., a Toronto-based clothing manufacturer. By April 2019, officials announced 100 Charlotte Russe stores would reopen.
At Westmoreland Mall, Charlotte Russe is expected to open next spring, said Stacey Keating, spokeswoman for CBL Properties, which owns Westmoreland and Monroeville malls. The store will reopen in its previous storefront on the upper level of the former Sears wing.
Millers’ Prom and Formal Wear, which opened in mid-January after moving from its location in Greensburg, currently occupies the space. Store officials said they are moving to first floor of the Macy’s wing where Dressbarn was located.
Christopher & Banks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February and began closing more than 400 stores nationally, including the Westmoreland Mall and Pittsburgh Mills locations. The store is slated to reopen in its former storefront at Westmoreland Mall, according to a sign posted outside the location.Keating said the store will open in early December.
The storefront is occupied by Knockerball Run, which will move to the second floor of the former Sears wing in a storefront previously occupied by Flix Up, a selfie studio.
Neecs Sneaks, which opened in Greensburg last year, will move into the former GNC storefront on the second level of the Macy’s wing.
Source: More new stores coming to Westmoreland Mall, with 2 set to reopen
Better not forget to buy the Thanksgiving turkey this year — a last-minute trip to Giant Eagle will leave you empty-handed.
The O’Hara-based company announced Wednesday that its Giant Eagle grocery stores, Market District stores and GetGo gas stations will all be closed on Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Giant Eagle said in a news release that its goal is to give its workers the chance to enjoy the holiday.
“Our team members have been working tirelessly to provide a safe shopping environment for our guests while ensuring access to essential food, fuel, and medicines,” company spokesperson Jannah Jablonowski said in a statement. “We cannot thank them enough for the dedication they have shown day in and day out.”
Giant Eagle’s transportation and retail support centers will also close for the holiday.
The company encouraged shoppers to make sure to stock up on stuffing, pumpkin pie and gasoline in advance.
Stores and offices will reopen as normal Nov. 26 for Black Friday.
First Published November 3, 2021, 8:52am
Source: Giant Eagle, Market District, GetGo locations to close for Thanksgiving
A combination of staffing shortages, vaccine mandates and fewer choices in flights may lead to a higher price tag for holiday travel.
Source: Why are so many flights being canceled or delayed? Experts say air travel could get even worse
Some Port Authority riders say they’re being left behind, and it’s a problem that’s been going on for more than a year.
Source: Port Authority Riders Frustrated With Delays And No-Shows
Often it’s not the food that’s hard to find, it’s the packaging it comes in.
Source: Could food shortages affect your Thanksgiving meal?
More than 18 months into this pandemic, shortages and delays are still everywhere.
Source: CORONAVIRUS: How long will pandemic-era shortages, delivery delays last?
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) —
Pennsylvania’s state-run liquor system will begin rationing sales of a few dozen products on Friday in response to what it describes as supply shortages beyond its control.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board notified license holders on Thursday that two-bottles-per-day purchase limits for customers at state stores, as well as well for bars, restaurants and other license holders, will remain in place indefinitely.
The PLCB said “sustained supply chain disruptions and product shortages” prompted the restrictions on certain types of alcohol.
The 43 items on the list of restricted products also will not be available through store-to-store transfers starting Friday.
Source: Pennsylvania liquor stores put 2-bottle limit on some booze
Amazon is planning to hire hundreds of new workers as it expands in the Pittsburgh area.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — KDKA has learned that Amazon is planning to hire hundreds of new workers as it expands in the Pittsburgh area.
Amazon prides itself on the fast delivery of online orders. But to do that, the world’s largest online retail store has to have fulfillment and distribution centers in most major markets. Pittsburgh is no exception.
READ MORE:Report Shows More Than $104M In Uncollected Pa. Turnpike Tolls
With the opening of its newest facility in Imperial last week, Amazon says it needs more people on its payroll in Pittsburgh. The company told KDKA’s Jon Delano that it will announce Tuesday the total number of workers it will be hiring, and it will be “substantial.”
Source: Amazon To Announce Hiring Spree In Pittsburgh, With Hundreds To Be Hired – CBS Pittsburgh
CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) —
More than $104 million in Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls went uncollected last year as the agency fully converted to all-electronic tolling, with the millions of motorists who don’t use E-ZPass having a nearly 1 in 2 chance of riding without paying under the “toll-by-plate” license plate camera system.
An internal turnpike report issued in July and obtained by The Associated Press through a Right-to-Know Law request showed nearly 11 million out of the total of about 170 million turnpike rides generated no revenue for the agency in the year that ended May 31.
“We take this issue very seriously. It is a big number, there’s no question,” turnpike Chief Executive Mark Compton said. “But we, as an organization, are leaving no stone unturned in the way in which we’re going after that leakage.”
Toll revenue “leakage” – an industry euphemism for uncollected tolls – has become the focus of turnpike agencies across the country as the use of E-ZPass transponders and license plate cameras continues to spread.
It is a particular problem for the debt-strapped Pennsylvania Turnpike, where more than half of its total revenue goes to pay borrowing costs and tolls have more than quadrupled in 12 years for the minority of motorists who don’t have E-Z Pass to pay for rides.
Last year, license plates could not be identified in 1.8 million Pennsylvania Turnpike rides, bills were undeliverable in just over 1 million instances, and motor vehicle agencies failed to provide vehicle owner addresses more than 1.5 million times. An additional 6.7 million transactions were marked as “not paid.”
After tolls and fees go uncollected for about three years, the turnpike writes them off.
Source: Pennsylvania Turnpike: Free rides take big toll on finances
The owner of an Illinois retail and wholesale meat store told FOX Business he has been increasing prices for his products as the industry grapples with higher raw material costs, global supply chain challenges and a rebound in demand.
This as the Biden administration announced it plans to take a tougher stance toward meatpacking companies the White House argues are causing higher prices for meat at grocery stores.
Richard Whittingham, the owner of R. Whittingham & Sons Meat Co., told Jeff Flock during an interview on “Cavuto: Coast to Coast” on Thursday that he doesn’t blame the processors for the spike in prices, but acknowledged that “competition never hurts anybody,” noting that “that is what built our country.”
In a Wednesday blog post, President Biden’s top aides blamed the four companies that control much of the meat processing market in the U.S. for the price spikes.
In the post, the aides acknowledged that “factors like increased consumer demand have played a role” in higher prices, but argued that “the price increases are also driven by a lack of competition at a key bottleneck point in the meat supply chain: meat-processing.”
The aides wrote that “Just four large conglomerates control the majority of the market for each of these three products, and the data show that these companies have been raising prices while generating record profits during the pandemic.”
The post pointed to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which noted that just four firms “control approximately 55-85% of the market” for beef, pork, and poultry, pointing out that the figure reflects “dramatic consolidation of the industry” over the last 50 years.
