Economy

DNC Moves Convention Online, Milwaukee Businesses Lose Out

Published

2 years ago

June 25, 2020

Staff Writer

The Democratic National Committee announced Wednesday that the August convention where former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to accept his party’s nomination, is being moved mostly online and delegates should not plan to attend in person. For many businesses in the area, the decision means losing out on a highly profitable week they were banking on following COVID-19 lockdowns.

The New York Times, citing party officials, reported that the convention will be moved from Milwaukee’s professional basketball arena. Moreover, state delegates will be asked to not travel to the event over health concerns.

The Wisconsin city will still be the base for much of the live streaming and virtual events. The host site was moved from the Fiserv Forum to the Wisconsin Center.

Democrats will hold an almost entirely virtual presidential nominating convention in Milwaukee in August using live broadcasts and online streaming, party officials say. Joe Biden will accept the nomination in person. https://t.co/i2aNq7BWtE

— The Associated Press (@AP) June 24, 2020

“Milwaukee would anchor the events for the week,” the DNC press release says. “Programming would include both live broadcasts and curated content from Milwaukee and other satellite cities.”

The release adds that Biden will still travel to Wisconsin and accept the title in person. “Vice President Biden intends to proudly accept his party’s nomination in Milwaukee and take the next step forward towards making Donald Trump a one-term president,” said Biden Campaign Manager Jen O’Malley Dillon.

The drastic decrease in expected guests means a lessened need for hotel rooms, meals, and shopping.

“John Vassallo, the owner of Mo’s, A place for Steaks and Mo’s Irish Pub was expecting a sell-out week during the convention and a busy few weeks leading up to it as guests arrived,” according to an interview by local station TMJ-4. “The scaled down convention now means less guests and all auxiliary events, including state delegation parties connected to the convention, have been canceled.”

Vassallo goes on to say that he lost several buyouts, and great amounts of walk-in traffic. “We were expecting the busiest year, busiest 30 days since 2008,” said Vassallo.

With DNC downsizing, Milwaukee-area hotels and other businesses are again being clobbered by pandemic https://t.co/1SA6WHvbPs

— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) June 25, 2020

After weeks of closed inside seating and trying to survive on take-out orders, Milwaukee restaurants are struggling. In fact, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal is keeping a running list of Milwaukee restaurants that have had to close permanently. At the time of publishing, this list had ten restaurants closed forever.

As Democrats celebrate Biden in August, local businesses will see much less profit after months of struggling through lockdown orders.

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Economy

VIDEO: Thousands of packages looted as thieves rob L.A. bound trains

Published

1 week ago

January 14, 2022

Sara Carter Staff

The lawlessness of California continues to manifest itself in very visible ways. Videos are emerging on social media showing huge amounts of trash, and in particular, UPS boxes and amazon packages that were en route to residential addresses.

I’m told by law enforcement these @UPS bags are especially sought after by thieves opening cargo containers… they are often full of boxes with merchandise bound for residential addresses. More valuable than say, a cargo container full of low value bulky items like toilet paper. pic.twitter.com/Tj5bQNIeby

— John Schreiber (@johnschreiber) January 13, 2022

The trash is piling up jut next to the train tracks, where CBS Los Angeles reports train burglaries are on the rise. “There’s loot3ed packages as far as the eye can see. Amazon packages, @UPS boxes, unused Covid tests, fishing lures, epi pens. Cargo containers left busted open on trains” tweeted John Schreiber.

Schreiber added, “I’m told by law enforcement these @UPS bags are especially sought after by thieves opening cargo containers…they are often full of boxes with merchandise bound for residential addresses. More valuable than say, a cargo container full of low value bulky items like toilet paper.”

Schreiber’s multiple videos posted to Twitter show the absolute disgust resulting from the thievery. “As you can see, trains frequently slow or stop in this area as they get worked into the @UnionPacific Intermodal facility near Downtown LA. The thieves use this opportunity to break open containers and take what’s inside, I’d say every 4^th or 5^th rail car had opened containers.

In another tweet with more photos of damaged property, Schreiber writes, “missing a package? Shipment delayed? Maybe your package is among the thousands we found discarded among the tracks. This is but one area thieves have targeted trains. We were told this area was just cleaned up 30 days ago so what you see is all within the last month. @CBSLA.”