Walmart Scraps Plan to Have Robots Scan Shelves – WSJ

The retail giant is ending its push to have machines developed by Bossa Nova Robotics rove stores to keep track of inventory, after discovering during the coronavirus pandemic that humans can help get similar results.

Walmart Inc. has ended its effort to use roving robots in store aisles to keep track of its inventory, reversing a yearslong push to automate the task with the hulking machines after finding during the coronavirus pandemic that humans can help get similar results.

The retail giant has ended its contract with robotics company Bossa Nova Robotics Inc., with which it joined over the past five years to gradually add six-foot-tall inventory-scanning machines to stores. Walmart had made the robots a frequent topic of conversation…

Source: Walmart Scraps Plan to Have Robots Scan Shelves – WSJ

Westmoreland commissioner claims county pay raises result of political threat | TribLIVE.com

Acting as the county’s salary board, Republican commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew, along with Republican Controller Jeff Balzer, approved the financial package for the auditors. It’s a move Balzer said was needed to retain a quality staff and was recommended by the county’s human resources department.

Gina Cerilli, a second-term Democrat, claimed Balzer threatened to shutter his auditing department and hire outside staff to complete those mandated functions should the proposed raises be rejected.

Balzer denied that a threat was made but conceded that during a private meeting last week he suggested that the hiring of an outside firm to perform the county’s routine auditing would be costly.

“It was a talking point and I don’t have the authority to do that,” Balzer said. “Once again, she’s exposed her inexperience in government and claims she knows everything.”

Kertes and Chew, first-term Republicans, supported the raises and said they were cheaper than hiring private auditors.

Source: Westmoreland commissioner claims county pay raises result of political threat | TribLIVE.com

Surge in COVID-19 cases creates another roadblock for office workers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

By Mark Belko

It’s 15 minutes past noon on a sunny October weekday — typically a bustling time for the food court at Fifth Avenue Place, Downtown.

But with the pandemic still raging and much of the city’s office staff working from home, the lunch counters are dark — and it’s eerily quiet.

Instead of the chattering din of a crowd, the only sound that can be heard is the whirring of the escalators rotating in a ghostly, endless loop. A sign declaring “Line Starts Here” at the end of a retractable rope at the shuttered Rosso Pizzeria stands as a mocking reminder of normal times.

Just outside, despite the unusually warm weather, the sidewalks are sparsely peppered with pedestrians.

Let’s talk: High office vacancies forcing landlords to wheel and deal, report finds

Across the street, there are no lines at McDonald’s, while the swanky Eddie Merlot’s restaurant is closed except for takeout until dinnertime. Down the street at the Sly Fox Taphouse, just two outdoor tables are occupied. There are no customers inside.

During these unsettling times, parking garages sit nearly empty, and many restaurants and businesses that rely on the regular swarm of office workers into town have been forced to close, at least temporarily.

Amid a fall surge in COVID-19 cases and with the governor’s mandate to work remotely still in force, the scene is unlikely to change any time soon.

Image Description
“Closed until further notice” sign posted in a store window in the deserted Fifth Avenue Place on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, in Downtown.(Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette)

One of Pittsburgh’s signature skyscrapers, Fifth Avenue Place is the headquarters for health care giant Highmark Health, which occupies 26 floors in the now largely empty 31-story building.

“We continue to plan for a safe, phased and gradual return to work for our non-clinical employees after Jan. 1, subject to re-evaluation … as we draw closer to that date,” spokeswoman Janice Maszle said recently in an email. “The health and safety of our employees remain paramount.”

Source: Surge in COVID-19 cases creates another roadblock for office workers | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Paid Extras Wanted For New Netflix Series Filming In Pittsburgh Area – CBS Pittsburgh

A Netflix series that will start filming in the Pittsburgh area next month is looking for paid background actors.

The series is pitched as a “supernatural, mystery that follows two star-crossed lovers – Dan Turner and Melody Pendras – whose dual investigations unearth an inter-dimensional portal which puts them in the crosshairs of rival factions engaged in a battle for control of its power.”

No experience is necessary, and a press release says there will be opportunities for multiple days of work.

You can visit Movie Casting PGH’s website for more information.

Source: Paid Extras Wanted For New Netflix Series Filming In Pittsburgh Area – CBS Pittsburgh

What’s the status of a second $1,200 stimulus check? – CBS News

Stocks tumbled on Monday amid dimming hopes for a stimulus bill and rising coronavirus cases.

The White House and Democrats have failed to agree on a new aid package. White House economics adviser Larry Kudlow on Monday told reporters that talks were continuing, but declined to say whether he was optimistic or pessimistic about a deal.

Shares fell on Monday as investor hopes faded that lawmakers would deliver more emergency financial support for the economy anytime soon. Rising coronavirus cases added concerns about headwinds for the U.S. economy, sending the Dow down more than 650 points, or 2.3%.

Source: What’s the status of a second $1,200 stimulus check? – CBS News

Former Jeannette hemp processor leaves behind empty building, unpaid fine, jilted workers | TribLIVE.com

 

Patriot Shield started operating in the warehouse in September without getting an occupancy permit or building inspection from the city. Farmers brought their hemp crop there to be dried into smokable hemp flowers, which taste like marijuana but lack the THC necessary to get users high.

Neighbors complained about the odor that emanated from the warehouse for weeks. It brought up to 200 jobs, but many workers started protesting outside of the building after not receiving paychecks.

That issue still has not been rectified, two former employees told the Tribune-Review. The state Department of Labor and Industry’s Bureau of Labor Law Compliance performed an audit of the company, according to a letter obtained by the Trib. The department did not respond to a request for comment about the pay situation.

Source: Former Jeannette hemp processor leaves behind empty building, unpaid fine, jilted workers | TribLIVE.com

Coronavirus In Pittsburgh: Experts Believe More Than One-Third Of Restaurants May Never Reopen – CBS Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The restaurant industry, one of the biggest employers in the region, is now facing dire consequences.

KDKA’s Paul Martino reports many restaurant experts believe more than a third of area eateries may close for good. Experts he’s spoken with believe as many as 20, 30 of even 40 percent of area restaurants are closing for good.

The restaurant industry had been decimated by the pandemic. Restaurants that have been around for decades, like Alexander’s in Bloomfield, won’t survive the pandemic.

(Photo Credit: Alexander’s Italian Bistro)

Thousands of servers, bartenders, chefs and more once worked at Pittsburgh-area restaurants. But not anymore. Long time restaurant owners like Ron Sofranko say many of those jobs aren’t coming back.

The other hard reality is that folks may not feel safe to go out and dine for a long time.

One other restaurant trend to watch for: many of them may be filing for bankruptcy to hold off their creditors during the pandemic.

More information on the Coronavirus pandemic:

Source: Coronavirus In Pittsburgh: Experts Believe More Than One-Third Of Restaurants May Never Reopen – CBS Pittsburgh

New Kensington Shop ‘n Save to close at the end of April | TribLIVE.com

A family-run Shop ’n Save in New Kensington is closing after about a decade in the city.

The grocery store in the Central City Plaza will close its doors for good April 30.

Co-owner Lauren Beter of New Kensington said the move is due to decreased sales the past few years, and not because of the covid-19 pandemic.

“It’s bittersweet because it’s not something that we necessarily wanted to do,” she said. “It wasn’t the path we started down on, but we weren’t able to make it work. Our lease is coming up, and we wrestled with renewing it for five years and couldn’t take the chance. It has nothing to do with the coronavirus. It’s just an awful coincidence.”

She said big box retailers like Walmart and other competitors have made it a very expensive challenge for mom-and-pop shops.

The New Kensington grocer was previously owned by Beter’s parents, Thomas and Elizabeth Beter of Lower Burrell.

Lauren and her brother, Elliot Beter, took ownership of it about five years ago.

Source: New Kensington Shop ‘n Save to close at the end of April | TribLIVE.com

Here’s where the jobs are — in one chart

CNBC studied the net changes by industry for April jobs based on the data from the Labor Department.

The business and professional services sector alone added 76,000 jobs, with strong hiring in computer systems design, temporary help services, and building and dwelling services like pest extermination, landscaping and housekeeping. The sector also includes lawyers, accountants and consultants.

Source: Here’s where the jobs are — in one chart

Trucking company shuts down, had ties to closed auto plant

A trucking company in Ohio that had been a mover of parts for the auto industry has abruptly closed.

Youngstown-based Falcon Transport Co. told its 550 workers over the weekend that it was immediately shutting down all operations.

Falcon Transport hasn’t given a reason for its decision to close. It had been a family-run business until it was bought by a private equity firm in 2017.

Employees say they received a text on Saturday night telling them to stop the work they were doing for the company.

Source: Trucking company shuts down, had ties to closed auto plant

Toys ‘R’ Us Gets 11th-Hour Bid From Little Tikes’s Larian – Bloomberg

  • Billionaire toy marketer Isaac Larian offered to save Toys “R” Us from liquidation with an almost $900 million bid for its stores in the U.S. and Canada that relies in part on crowdfunding.

Larian is offering $675 million for the U.S. stores and $215 million for the outlets in Canada, he said Friday in a statement. The funds will come from Larian himself, other investors and bank financing. A representative for Toys “R” Us didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Isaac Larian

Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

The would-be rescuer is the chief executive officer of MGA Entertainment Inc., which sells toys including Little Tikes, Bratz and L.O.L. Surprise! Larian previouslystarted a GoFundMecampaign to help keep Toys “R” Us open, with the page showing pledges of about $200 million.

Source: Toys ‘R’ Us Gets 11th-Hour Bid From Little Tikes’s Larian – Bloomberg

Sheetz hiring 2,500 additional employees

Sheetz will hold open interviews next week for more than 2,500 jobs company-wide.

“Our employees are so important to us,” Stephanie Doliveira, vice president of human resources, said in a news release. “We are deeply committed to investing in our people, rewarding our employees and attracting the best talent for the job whether it’s in the distribution centers, food production facilities, corporate office or one of our store locations.”

Open interviews will be held Wednesday at all Sheetz locations.

Prospective employees can visit https://jobs.sheetz.com.


TRENDING NOW:

Source: Sheetz hiring 2,500 additional employees

Hundreds of schools closed as teachers rally in Oklahoma, Kentucky

 

Hundreds of schools were closed Monday morning in Oklahoma and Kentucky while thousands of teachers rallied at their state capitols, CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca reports. They’re demanding higher pay and increased school funding.

Art teacher Laurissa Kovacs says her kids aren’t even getting the basics at Puterbaugh Middle School.

“The chairs are in awful condition,” Kovacs told Villafranca. “They’re broken and they literally hurt the kids to sit down. If you look through the stacks, you can just see how many of the broken areas and cracks that will pinch you and jagged tops.”

Kovacs says she’s had to bring in folding chairs from home to give her students a proper place to sit. She can’t take the frustration any longer.

Source: Hundreds of schools closed as teachers rally in Oklahoma, Kentucky

%d bloggers like this: