Thursday, August 1, 2019

Walmart Crime Report July 2019



Walmart had at least another eleven shootings, including two at Sam's Club, last month killing at least five and injuring about as many. One of them made the national news, although it only got a modest amount of time, which is more than they usually get. This one was a shooting by a disgruntled employee killing two co-workers including one manager. CBS only provided about 30 seconds on the evening after this happened; in the same broad cast they provided almost as much time in a follow up to the Gilroy shooting several days earlier, and more time on another follow up story about the rapper that was arrested in Italy. They provide obsession coverage about a small number of stories while ignoring almost all others, including another shooting at a Walmart in Arkansas that happened the same day and one two days earlier killing another person in Maine, or another two fatal shootings earlier in the month.

On the internet there was much more coverage, although they don't reach most people; including one report about the FBI claiming this was the fifth active shooter on their list since 2000. This criteria is very limited; Walmart had over 100 shootings for each of the last three years; going back to 2000 will add up to well over a thousand shootings. Most of these weren't classified as "active shootings," since many include accidents, suicides or shootings that ended quickly; however there were also many more false alarms, including a few caused by police, one of which was started when they used flash bang grenades at a Colorado Walmart a couple months ago. No explanation has been given for that, that I know if.

The media has reported much more extensively in the past when the Post office had a series of employee shootings leading to the phrase "Going Postal" giving many people the impression that Postal workers are more violent than other workers. However, despite the unfortunate reputation gained by the US Postal Service as a result of these murders, statistics measured over the longer term show that the service is no more stressful than other comparable occupations and the number of incidents of workplace rage no worse than other forms of employment. The total number of deaths is clearly higher at Walmart with more than a hundred people dying for one reason or another, each of the last several year, many of them from the shootings. Going back over the same time period, if you limit the deaths to those caused by co workers, even though there are few if any with the highest body count at the Post Office, which was fourteen, there were almost certainly more people killed by Walmart co-workers, although I only have data gong back about six years, with a handful going back farther and it's not organized enough to know for sure.

A few years ago a employee was arrested after threatening to blow the place up in Reno and shoot it a year up after another employee did go on a shooting spree and this month a "man claiming to be a disgruntled former Walmart worker called in a bomb threat to the Salisbury (NC) store."

A USA local affiliate reported Evanoff: How do we tame episodes of workplace violence, like we saw at Southaven Walmart? 07/31/2019 this article doesn't even discuss the activities that lead up to the shooting, including an argument about who moved some merchandise, or tried to figure out if the pressure employees, including union busting, are putting on workers might be a contributing cause of the problem. They seem to consider gun control, which might be a reasonable part of the solution, and repeat recommendations that "If you see something say something," but Walmart is famous for suppressing worker complaints about working conditions.

If they had looked through a long history of past incidents they would have found many more cases where there is some indication that pressure from management or union busting might be a contributing factor. When there are potential signs of this they almost certainly don't get reported in the news, one of the most obvious case was the arrest of someone that shot up the Reno Nevada store which was followed up by another disgruntled worker making a bomb threat, but there may be many more; although the signs might be very subtle and in some cases depending on the biases of the people interpreting it they could be either dismissed when they might be legitimate concerns or blown out of proportion when they aren't. But in order to know they need to eliminate or minimize pressure to cover up union busting or oppressive working environments to increase profits at the risk of safety, to increase profits.

There were also at least another nine or so other gun related crimes, including several robberies, road rage incidents, two of which involved a person impersonating a police officer; at least one of these people claimed to have been a former police officer although they didn't confirm it, and the other might have had ties to police as well, but there was little follow up on that either.

There was one more death as a result of a car accident at Walmart, and six more bodies found in their parking lots or in the woods nearby. this is a growing trend and there's little or no effort to understand why, although there's little or no doubt that most of them are poor people often homeless or drug addicted, which is a sign of a decaying society, with one exception this month a twenty-year-old girl was found at one of their parking lots with no follow up as to why, but this one spread many rumors in the area which the police say are mostly false. This comes to a total of twelve dead at Walmart last month.

There was another death near by in a fatal hit-and-run; and two separate murders in Ohio, that both resulted in dramatic arrests in Connecticut and West Virginia, which is a very unusual coincidence, although it may not be the only coincidence this month.

Albuquerque NM adds to the long list of cities that are reporting that Walmart is among their worst crime hotpots, with six Walmarts and two malls listed as the eight most popular places for crime there. This is routine throughout the country, although it's only reported on low profile locations without mentioning that the pattern repeats itself over and over again, yet many people figure it out despite medias refusal to report on it. Their high crime problem has led to increasingly authoritarian practices, including treating all shoppers like they're guilty until proven innocent with growing policies of asking for receipts even if people head straight from the register to their cars.

They've also had at least three attempts to kidnap children from their stores last month, several brawls, an employee recording a boy in the bathroom, and a wife of the mayor getting off easy for shoplifting.



I have no doubt that lots of employees might be willing to talk more about what they know about their high crime problems; however they're under pressure from management to keep silent about anything that harms their reputation even firing someone for posting corporate documents on Reddit recently, which backfired and led to many more workers posting union memes, some openly but most anonymously; presumably additional people getting fired will become martyrs, but in most cases they probably won't be reported as widely as this person was. Ironically the documents outline their "Great Workplace Program" (GWP) which seems to mean that they must call it a "great workplace" or else risk losing their job!





There were close to two dozen major crashes, hit and runs, police chases, carjackings, stolen cars, and other automobile incidents including a fire, and a man trying to deflate a cops care at Walmart; this doesn't count small fender benders which almost never make the news. They only had about five knife related crime reported including at least one stabbing and several threats or robberies, which would have been on the high side a few years ago, but not now. Arson and fires are also down with only about four of them, which would have also been above average a few years ago but no longer.

In another unusual coincidence both Kentucky and Georgia Walmarts had escaped inmates captured at Walmart. Other crimes include assaults, thefts by suspects posing as police or employees, robberies, and a boy who was charged with mixing chemicals to cause a hazardous waste situation at Walmart. their gift cards were compromised again, which seems to happen every few months if not more often.

Large thefts from Walmart have always been routine; but robberies adding up to over twelve or ninety thousand dollars are also becoming more common place especially thanks to high priced items like iPhones which are being stolen in large volumes.

A man was arrested for burning a flag as part of a protest, although it wasn't articulated well in the media and they found another charge to press against him that isn't related to speech; and they also tracked undocumented immigrants to Walmart where they made mass arrests, but as usual they look the other way at the corporations that provide demand for workers that are willing to do menial tasks without protection from abusive tactics so they can drive down wages for the working class. the people that profit off of human trafficking are millionaires or billionaires but the ones taking the blame are the victims.

Walmart had another five recalls this month, including eye drops, hamburger and hot dog rolls, protein bars, taco seasoning, and Rhododendron bushes due to potential diseases either for people or plants, or a choking hazards. As usual these recalls are only reported in low profile manners so if there's a big problem many people won't know until it's too late, yet they continue lobbying to prevent tougher accountability. They also had a women that thinks her baby formula may have been tampered with, although this didn't lead to a recall, just an investigation until another baby gets sick if there is a problem.

Walmart is continuing their lawsuits to try to get their property tax bills reduced in their dark store strategy which seems to mean that they claim they should be taxed as if their property wasn't being used since it wouldn't be so profitable otherwise. They already got many tax breaks to move into many areas driving out businesses paying more taxes, which is a massive tax subsidy, and if they leave their stores empty communities are stuck with the blight, which is more subsidies; since they're making a fortune and a growing number of communities like those in Maine and Missouri this isn't working as well as it has in the past. But they're still trying and their political connections is giving them a lot of success.

One of the states that is complaining about this tactic is now Arkansas where they have the most political clout, or at least they used to; but if they can't get a way with this there it may not work anywhere in the future.

Walmart ties to other business or the government continues to grow which would be a clear violation of antitrust practices if they didn't have control of the government. this political clout is also enabling them to suppress lawsuits form workers; however, this may backfire since their own workers are now among the strongest supporters of Bernie Sanders If enough people wake up to how Wall Street oligarchies are corrupting the entire political establishment then they can bring about major reform although it won't be easy!

A Walmart baker didn't hear a customer right when she asked him to write "Happy Birthday Lizard" on her cake since that was a toddlers nickname, so she got a cake that said "Happy Birthday Loser" which went viral on the internet and even made it onto a late night comedy; however in another example of how they avoid connecting Walmart to these mistakes they referred to him as a baker without saying where he worked.



The police had an interesting time when they caught someone masturbating in the Walmart parking lot; and he "grabbed deputy's rear end," saying, "Let me just feel it." I don't know how the police reacted to that but it might not be in the report.

Walmart also had a flash mob of kids that did a crazy song and dance while also knocking things over as the latest trend at which has less people concerned than a growing amount of people licking products then putting them back on the shelf including ice cream which was done on at least two occasions and a woman who gargled mouth wash before putting it back on the shelf for the camera and walking away. supposedly she returned and bought it showing the receipt. Walmart claimed they got all the products that were tampered with, or at least the highest profile reports that made the news. However there are numerous references to additional vague incidents, and there's no way of knowing whether or not they're just rumors.

Another report from Wisconsin claims that a women was losing her hair because the conditioner she bought at Walmart was tampered with by adding Nair hair removal.

It doesn't stop there.

......

Somethings I could make up, but even though I didn't, I don't even want to think about.

.......

On two separate incidents, in Pennsylvania and Texas, teenagers pissed on the merchandise, including potatoes and perhaps beverages.

Walmart claims they got all the merchandise that was contaminated.

That's what they say.

According to one article they didn't view the video of the woman pissing on potatoes until the next day.

Did you buy potatoes at a Pennsylvania Walmart last week? Just because they didn't view the video until the next day doesn't man they didn't clean it up until then, does it?

If they weren't sure do you think they would say "we think we got it all, or at least we hope so; don't worry about it."

It's not like they've ever been caught blatantly lying before; is it?

The Nair hair removal causing a women's hair to fall out and powdered baby milk that made him sick are still being investigating so they shouldn't count, should they?



Strange things happen at Walmart!





In 2006 Wake Up Walmart did a study, "Is Walmart Safe?" based on incidents in 2004, (PDF) about crime at Walmart which showed that it increased when Walmarts opened up and that crime was higher at Walmart than at other retailers. Since then Walmart Shootings began compiling a list of gun related incidents at Walmart and demonstrated that they have a large number of them, including on average more than one shooting per week somewhere in the country; now after counting them for several years that average is over two per week. In January of 2014 another study, "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" provided additional statistical research indicating that Walmart might be contributing to higher crime rates or at least a slowing of the decline in crime. The study found that. “on average, communities with Walmarts had 17 more property crimes and two more violent crimes per 10,000 people than those communities without Walmarts.” I reviewed this more in Walmart’s crime problem, Rolling Back Safety more than prices? where I explained that although this study is helpful they could have done better with additional data that is available and I reviewed some of that. I also added my own review about why I think that Walmart policies have been contributing to higher crime in a previous blog, Walmart high crime rate continues un-investigaterd and have provided additional information under the author tag Walmart Crime Watch.

Stacy Mitchell has also compiled a list of other studies about Walmart and how they impact society, Key Studies on Big-Box Retail & Independent Business. To the best of my knowledge Walmart has done as little as they seem to get away with, often relying on rhetoric that isn't backed up with action, when it comes to addressing any of their critics concerns, including crime. One of the responses they’ve come up with is what they call "Restorative Justice" which gives first time shoplifters a chance to avoid being arrested or any criminal record if they take an on line course which costs $400 up front or $500 in payments, plus perhaps, reparations. This has been part of the privatization process and often denies suspects of the due process or access to a lawyer, perhaps even intimidating and extorting from some people that might not even be guilty. Walmart seems to be trying to find a way to turn crime into a profit making situation instead of looking for the most effective ways to reduce it. Making Change at Walmart is asking If you or someone you know has gone through @Walmart's "Restorative Justice" program for first-time suspected shoplifters, send us a DM. 03/30/2017 to ensure that it isn’t doing more harm than good. I did my own review of this program as well at Walmart’s “Restorative Justice” Endangers Public Without Reducing Crime. The following are a list of incidents that occurred in July 2019. According to the "Is Walmart Safe?" the average store in their sampling had 250 incidents per year, indicating that these are only a fraction of the crime reports at Walmart, and presumably, the ones most likely to make the news on the internet nationwide. This isn't statistically representative, as the 2006 or the "Rolling Back Prices and Raising Crime Rates?" study or some of the studies cited by Stacy Mitchell; but it does provide some additional information that may help recognize how many problems there are at Walmart.





Carjacker captured by good Samaritans, Walmart security after he attacked 83-year-old woman, cops say 07/02/2019

Good Samaritans and Walmart security captured an accused carjacker and held him until police arrived Monday after the man knocked down an 83-year-old woman, took her car and crashed into a tree as he tried to escape a Freehold Township shopping center, police said.

Maxim Kuropatkin, 24, of Springfield, Massachusetts, faces multiple charges including carjacking, robbery and weapons offenses and is being held at the Monmouth County jail.

Kuropatkin initially tried to rob a 52-year-old Freehold Township woman in the parking lot of the Sam’s Club in the Freehold Marketplace, but she scared him off by jumping in her car and honking the horn, police said. The blaring horn drew the attention of other customers in the parking lot, police said.

Kuropatkin then approached an 83-year-old Freehold Township woman who was getting out of her car, demanded her keys and knocked her to the ground, police said. He tried to flee in her vehicle, but lost control and hit a tree, police said. He then fled on foot toward the nearby Walmart. Complete article


BPD: Suspects attempt to kidnap baby at Walmart parking lot in South Bakersfield Ca. 07/01/2019

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — According to the Bakersfield Police Department, an attempted kidnapping of a one-year-old allegedly happened at a Walmart parking lot in South Bakersfield.

Cops say on Monday at around 2:45 p.m. they were dispatched to the Walmart located at 6225 Colony Street. When officials arrived on the scene the one-year-old's mother told them that a man and a woman approached her car. She claimed that the man assaulted her while the woman attempted to take the child from her arms.

The mom told police she was able to get away from them, and drive off in her car. The mother allegedly suffered minor injuries and the baby was unharmed. Complete article


Walmart official nominated for federal judgeship in Arkansas 07/01/2019

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A Walmart official and former top attorney for the state of Arkansas has been nominated for a federal judgeship.

President Donald Trump on Monday announced his intention to nominate Lee Rudofsky to serve as a U.S. district court judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Rudofsky is senior director for global anti-corruption compliance at Bentonville-based Walmart Inc.

Rudofsky resigned as state solicitor general last year to take the job with Walmart. He had previously served since 2015 as state solicitor general, a position Attorney General Leslie Rutledge created to assist with multi-state consumer protection cases and appeals at the state and federal level. Complete article


Walmart exec named CIO of Memphis company 07/01/2019

A 30-year veteran of Walmart Stores Inc. is joining a local company’s C-Suite.

Memphis-based Comprehensive Pharmacy Services (CPS) announced Karl Bedwell as its new Chief Information Officer July 1.

While at Walmart, Bedwell spent nine years in pharmacy operations and then spent two decades on the executive leadership team of Walmart’s Technology Division.

“With Karl onboard, we are well-positioned to define the future of this company and our ability to support excellence in hospital and health system pharmacies across the country,” said Frank Segrave, chairman and CEO of CPS, in a release. “Karl’s passion for aggressively supporting health care operations with technology will help us differentiate our capabilities for our clients and the patients they serve.” Complete article


Walmart is using VR to determine who should get promotions 07/01/2019

When some Walmart Inc. WMT, +0.28% store workers want to apply for a higher-paying management role, the company fits them with a $250 virtual reality headset to see if they are the right candidate for the job.

The country’s largest private employer is using a VR skills assessment as part of the selection process to find new middle managers, watching how workers respond in virtual reality to an angry shopper, a messy aisle or an underperforming worker.

VR training is becoming more common in a variety of industries to educate a large number of workers quickly or assess the technical ability of high-skilled workers like electricians or pilots. But Walmart’s use of the technology to gauge a worker’s strengths, weaknesses and potential is significant because it pushes VR evaluation out to a massive hourly workforce and in some cases helps determine who gets raises and who gets demoted. Complete article


Walmart is investing $1.2 billion in China 07/02/2019

Walmart is pouring more than a billion dollars into its China business as it faces growing competition from local rivals and online retailers.

The US retail giant plans to invest around 8 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) in distribution centers in China over the next two decades, it said in a statement sent to CNN Business.

Walmart is planning to spend the money to boost grocery deliveries. Complete article


Walmart adding electric vehicle charging stations to 6 Illinois stores 07/01/2019

Walmart to install electric vehicle charging stations at four NM locations 07/01/2019

New electric vehicle charging stations available at Missouri Walmart Supercenters 07/02/2019

Walmart announces rollout of electric car charging stations across Arkansas 07/03/2019

Electric vehicle charging stations installed at Moore Okla. Walmart 07/04/2019

Electric vehicle charging stations installed at Oregon Walmart stores 07/13/2019

NC Walmart to offer station for charging vehicles 07/05/2019

Two large televisions taken from Salina Kansas Walmart store 07/01/2019

Nestle Toll House is selling edible cookie dough. Wait, we weren't supposed to eat it before? 07/01/2019

Truckers parked in a Walmart lot wake up to boots, a $500 fine, and a 1 hour time limit to pay up 07/01/2019

Collision Victim Says Walmart Exec Hiding Assets 07/01/2019 A Tulsa man who was hit by a car while walking in a Bentonville crosswalk alleged the driver is hiding assets to avoid paying him a $350,000 judgment.

Losing Walmart pulls community together 07/01/2019 The City of Corning Arkansas lost their local Walmart nearly one year ago, and the community has united since the loss.

Man accused of pleasuring himself in front of mother and child inside Tx. Walmart store 07/02/2019

Arsenic found in bottled water sold by Whole Foods and Walmart 07/01/2019 Update: This article has been updated to include a statement from Starkey Water. In April, however, Consumer Reports noted that it had found levels of arsenic in Starkey water that were dangerously close to — and even over — the federal limit.

Walmart will no longer sell guns in New Mexico 07/02/2019 A new state law kicked off Monday. It requires background checks on all private gun sales and for businesses that sell guns to offer those transactions to private parties. Walmart says it’s not equipped to handle the changes and that it will surrender its licenses in New Mexico. Some New Mexicans aren’t sold on the decision.

Bernie Sanders' campaign says more of his donors work for Walmart than any other company 07/03/2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders' attacks against Walmart may be helping fundraising efforts for his presidential campaign.

Sanders' campaign said Tuesday that it raised $18 million during the second fundraising quarter of the year, and that Walmart was the top employer of his donors for the period.

Other leading employers of Sanders' donors included Amazon, Starbucks, Target, and the US Postal Service. More than 99% of donations were $100 or less, according to the campaign. Complete article


Lowe's, Walmart continue dark store legal campaign in new lawsuits against Plover Wisc. 07/02/2019

PLOVER - Big-box retailers in Plover signaled Monday they'll continue to challenge the village in court, claiming they're being taxed too much.

Lowe's and Walmart filed lawsuits Monday challenging the property assessments the village made for their Crossroad Commons locations in 2019. The two retailers had filed similar lawsuits in 2018. Each retailer is seeking a court judgment to lower the value of their properties by more than $2.5 million.

Lowe's and Walmart claim the value of its occupied store should be similar to its vacant buildings in other parts of the state. Their argument is sometimes known as the dark store loophole and it's used by retailers across Wisconsin to lower property values of stores and, by extension, their local property taxes.

Plover valued its Lowe's location at about $7.4 million in 2018 and 2019. The company believes the correct value is about $4.6 million. Across Meridian Drive to the south, Walmart argues the near-$11 million evaluation from the village should actually be $8.3 million for 2018 and 2019.

Local officials say state law lets national chains get out of paying their fair share of taxes. Complete article


Inside the conflict at Walmart that’s threatening its high-stakes race with Amazon 07/03/2019

Walmart bought Jet.com to compete with Amazon, but Jet founder Marc Lore is feeling the heat as e-commerce losses surpass $1 billion. In September of 2016, Walmart made a giant, risky bet.

The country’s most dominant brick-and-mortar retailer agreed to the largest-ever acquisition of an e-commerce company: a $3.3 billion purchase of a fast-growing but money-sucking online shopping site called Jet.com.

There were no other bidders for Jet back then, but Walmart was desperate to close the huge gap between itself and Amazon, the online shopping wrecking ball. And CEO Doug McMillon had become convinced that Jet founder and CEO Marc Lore, who previously founded Diapers.com and sold it for a fortune to Amazon, was perhaps the only person who could do it. Complete article


Walmart pulled Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' after selling the book online for $14.88 — but they're not the only online bookseller to stock fascist texts from a mysterious publisher 07/01/2019

Walmart ignited a controversy on Monday after the retailer's books Facebook page published a sponsored post prominently featuring Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf."

The sponsored post — which encouraged followers to "start reading with Walmart eBooks today" in exchange for a $10 coupon — featured a painting of Hitler. The since-deleted ad lives on in screenshots taken by social media users.

The retailer responded to the outcry by scrapping the ad and pulli the book in question from its website. Complete article


Man gets 4 years in prison for stealing from Marion Ill. Walmart 07/01/2019

Man Accused of Taking Upskirt Video of Woman Inside NJ Walmart 07/02/2019

Baby rescued from hot, locked car at SC Walmart; mom charged 07/03/2019

Dalton Ga. Police Investigate Theft At Walmart 07/02/2019

Police: Man runs out of Ga. Walmart trying to steal computers, label-marker 07/02/2019

Earthquake makes big mess in Ridgecrest Ca. Walmart 07/04/2019

Brush fire burns near Hawaii Walmart 07/04/2019

Man kills himself in Dublin Ga. Walmart parking lot 07/04/2019

DUBLIN, Ga. — An East Dublin man apparently committed suicide in a Wal-Mart parking lot Thursday.

Laurens County's deputy coroner Nathan Stanley says it happened around 12:30 p.m. outside the store on Highway 80 in Dublin.

He said Mike William Coney, age 45, had been involved in a domestic dispute and apparently shot himself inside his car. Complete article


Man tells police he was shot while leaving Evansville Ind. Walmart parking lot 07/05/2019

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Evansville Police are investigating a July 4th shooting.

It happened just before 11:00 a.m.

Officers say they were called to a business on Burkhardt Avenue because someone was shot.

Police say the victim told them he was shot while he was inside his car, leaving the east side Walmart parking lot.

They say he had at least two visible gunshots wounds. Complete article


Angry panhandlers try to snatch baby from mom at Walmart, California cops say 07/03/2019

Two people accused of trying to snatch a 1-year-old Monday from a Walmart parking lot in California had become “upset” when the mom refused their panhandling, KGET reported.

“The suspects had initially asked her for a number of things, cigarettes and for a ride,” said Sgt. Nathan McCauley of the Bakersfield Police Department, KERO reported.

“When the victim refused, one suspect got angry and he struck the victim and mentioned taking the child away from her and he reached out and tried to grab for the child,” McCauley said, according to the station. Complete article


Pa. Walmart shoppers pin man who jumped on moving vehicle, shattering windshield, police say 07/03/2019

Customers at the Shrewsbury Walmart held down a man who was screaming and had jumped on a moving vehicle, shattering the windshield, until officers could arrive Tuesday evening, state police said.

Keven Kurzmiller, Jr., 27, of Delta, has been charged with criminal mischief — damaging property; marijuana —small amount personal use; possession of drug paraphernalia, and disorderly conduct, according to court records.

He was committed to York County Prison after being unable to post $5,000 bail.

Troopers were dispatched to the Walmart in Shrewsbury Township just after 7 p.m. for a report of a man being disruptive inside the store, state police said. Employees had asked Kurzmiller to leave. Complete article


'I'm Not Afraid of You': Mystery Woman in Orange Punched Another Woman, 81, in Head After Dispute Over Electric Scooter at Ind. Walmart 07/04/2019 Not reported for two and a half weeks.

Police in Indiana have thanked the public for their help in finding a female suspect accused of attacked an 81-year-old woman over a dispute about an electric shopping scooter in Walmart.

Portage Police Department said they were called to reports of an elderly woman being punched in the head at the supermarket on June 18.

The 81-year-old victim told police that the suspect became irate towards her after she accused her of taking a motorized shopping cart in the parking lot that she "thought was entitled to her," according to The Times of Northwest Indiana.

The victim then proceeded to go inside the Walmart. In the middle of the store she was once again approached by the suspect who said to her "Look (expletive) I'm not afraid of you," before allegedly hitting the elderly woman on the head. Complete article


Blue Bell removes ice cream carton licked in viral video at Lufkin Tx. Walmart 07/03/2019

LUFKIN, Texas — Blue Bell has identified the store where a viral video shows a woman licking the top of a half-gallon of ice cream before putting it back in the freezer.

The company said it also found the carton itself.

It happened at a Walmart in Lufkin, the company said in a statement Wednesday.

The company said it identified the location in the video, inspected the freezer case and found a Tin Roof half-gallon that appears to have been compromised. Complete article

Employee Guards Blue Bell Ice Cream At Texas Walmart After Licking Incident 07/04/2019

Woman Who Licked Bluebell Ice Cream In Walmart Store Faces 2-20 Years In Prison 07/04/2019


Man arrested after burning flag outside Yorktown Va. Walmart 07/04/2019

YORK Co., Va. - A local man was arrested Thursday after burning a flag in front of the Walmart in the 2600 block of George Washington Memorial Highway, the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook.

Authorities say Mitchell Lee Stauffer threw an American flag on the ground, put gas on it, set it on fire and drove away. They say he was yelling while doing so, which reportedly made bystanders "very nervous."

Stauffer was arrested for burning an object in a public place with the intent to intimidate. The sheriff's office made it clear that he was not arrested for his First Amendment right to burn the flag. Complete article

EXCLUSIVE: Man who burned American flag outside Walmart in York County says he doesn't hate America or flag 07/06/2019


South Union Pa. supervisors vote yes on Walmart liquor license 07/0/2019

SOUTH UNION TWP. — Supervisors unanimously approved a request to transfer a Redstone Township liquor license into the township, paving the way for the township’s Walmart to become the first in Pennsylvania to sell beer and wine.

There was little opposition as the supervisors held a public hearing in the midst of their regular meeting to consider the request Wednesday. Complete article


The Man Who’s Putting More Sex Toys on Walmart’s Shelves 07/03/2019

Eastside Decatur Ill. Walmart open after police evacuate following bomb threat 07/04/2019

2 men suspected of stealing merchandise from La. Walmart store 07/03/2019

Man accepts plea in abeyance for threatening to shoot Walmart customers 07/03/2019 A northern Utah man pleaded guilty Thursday to three misdemeanor charges after making threats to shoot customers at an unspecified Walmart location in December.

CommUNITY Champion: Nebraska Walmart employees receive award for flood efforts 07/06/2019

1 dead after shooting at Walmart on White Horse Rd in Greenville Co., SC, suspect in custody 07/05/2019

GREENVILLE COUNTY, SC (WSPA) – Greenville County Coroner’s Office officials confirmed that one person is dead and another person is in custody after a shooting at an area business Friday afternoon.

According to a Greenville County Sheriff’s Office officials said deputies responded to Walmart, located at 6134 White Horse Road, in regards to a shooting.

When deputies arrived on-scene, they found a man suffering from at least one gunshot wound. That person was pronounced dead.

Deputies were able get a description of the suspect and took him into custody a short distance away from the scene.

Investigators have since learned that this was an isolated shooting and said that the suspect and the victim were familiar with each other. The shooting was reportedly a result of some type of dispute. Complete article

Man charged with murder in SC Walmart shooting death 07/05/2019

SC Walmart murder suspect tells victim’s father why he pulled trigger 07/06/2019

Where's the gun? Report reveals weapon in deadly Berea Walmart shooting never found 07/13/2019

Walmart shooting: In wake of crimes, here's what Berea store is doing to protect shoppers 07/12/2019 It was the second homicide at the store on White Horse Road in Berea in less than eight years. A man stabbed his wife there in 2011. ....

According to figures provided by the sheriff's office and analyzed by The Greenville News, the Berea store had nearly double the number of violent crimes between 2014 and July 2019 compared to a comparable store on Woodruff Road. This includes 55 assaults and 38 robberies at the Berea store. During that same period, violent crimes at a comparable Walmart in Taylors were a third that in the Berea store. .....

Still, within a three-mile radius of the store near the intersection of White Horse and Saluda Dam roads, a third of all property and violent crimes reported so far this year happened at Walmart, according to the Lexis-Nexis Community Crime Map. Since 2016, deputies have been called to the Berea store on average two to three times a day, records show. .....

...... And Walmart is a hub of shoplifting in the Berea area. Within a three-mile radius of the store so far this year, 81% of shoplifting reports came out of the Walmart, according to Lexis-Nexis.

The Berea Walmart's property crimes — 1,443 incidents of shoplifting and fraud since 2014 — were also far higher than the other two Walmart stores the newspaper looked at. Woodruff Road had 987 incidents and Taylors had 585.


Police Identify Suspect In Shooting Inside North Versailles Pa. Walmart 07/05/2019

NORTH VERSAILLES (KDKA) — A woman from Penn Hills is wanted on charges related to a shooting inside a Walmart in North Versailles.

Allegheny County Police say the victim is a 25-year-old woman, who was shot multiple times around 9:30 p.m. Friday. Police said she was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

Saturday morning, police announced they identified 22-year-old Rojanai Alston as the shooter and obtained an arrest warrant for her. .....

“I was inside the store in the back by the TVs and I heard gunshots,” they said. “The first one that I heard, I thought it was an M-80, somebody playing a joke. After that they were consecutive, at least nine or ten shots and then everyone started running.” Complete article

Victim in North Versailles Walmart shooting said she got wrapped up in 'beef' 07/07/2019

Self-defense at issue in shooting at North Versailles Walmart 07/08/2019

First responders saved woman's life after Walmart shooting 07/09/2019

Pa. woman, 22, fires 12 shots inside Walmart after being 'jumped' by 2 females in electronics section: cops 07/10/2019 Police tell KDKA a store video shows the shooting victim and her cousin walking up behind Alston and “jumping” her.

Video shows shooting in North Versailles Walmart came in response to an assault, but woman who opened fire will stand trial 07/18/2019
The video shows Alston having her hair pulled by the victim and the other woman in the electronics section of the store. During the fight, an unknown man who was with Alston tries to break it up, to no avail.
That’s when Alston reaches into her purse and pulls out a gun. The eventual shooting victim and her cousin run away in different directions.


Handgun found hidden in comforter set at Polk County Fla. Walmart 07/05/2019

HAINES CITY, Fla. — An early-morning Walmart trip left a 19-year-old in Polk County shocked after she found a mysterious gun stashed away in a comforter set.

Shakier Gamble, a 19-year-old Haines City woman, says she was at the store around 2 a.m. shopping for a new comforter with her niece.

When they grabbed a heavy set off the shelf, it fell to the ground and that's when Gamble says she was looking down the barrel of a black 9mm.

“By me finding it and it dropping, that gun could have went off,” Gamble said. Complete article


Your View: Presumption of innocence? Not at Tenn. Walmart stores 07/05/2019

If you have visited a local Walmart recently, you know that your region has been profiled by this company — and profiling is a very demeaning action. Not that a company like Walmart would ever care, but you, the customer, should.

Bristol is a small town, in a small region. And as such, there is a wage gap. There are residents who are upper middle class, but many, many more who are lower middle class, or poor. A true middle class doesn’t actually exist anymore, even though some people are drowning in debt with a nice house and two cars to “appear” middle class. Does that mean that the residents of the region are more likely to steal? Who knows? But what cannot happen is the presumption of guilt.

At local Walmart stores, if you have items in your cart that have not been scanned, a buzzer sounds and a prerecorded voice asks you to return to a cashier. Now, however, Walmart has started giving every customer the equivalent of a pat-down. Once you pay for your items, via cashier or self-service, only a few feet away you must present your receipt to a Walmart employee, and that employee must verify your purchases on that receipt. It is, in effect, socio-economic profiling. Complete article


Walmart Shopper Gargles Mouthwash Before Spitting It Back Into Bottle 07/06/2019

You've probably watched some pretty disgusting things recently, chances are that you saw the viral video of a woman who licked ice cream directly from the tub before putting it back into the freezer in Walmart.

Well now another shopper has decided to go a step further by gargling mouthwash before spitting it back into the bottle and returning it to the shelf. Don't believe me? Video evidence is below: Complete article

Then Smith adds: "Mmm, nice and minty and fresh," before waving 'thank you guys' and walking off down the aisle.

You just can't unsee this...

If there is one thing that she does which makes marginally better (emphasis on marginally) is that Smith later tweeted with some receipts so it seems she did buy the mouthwash after using it - and spitting it back into the bottle... (Video doesn't show her go back and take the same mouth wash, although it's implied.)

A Walmart Shopper Gargled Mouthwash, Spit It Back in the Bottle, and Returned It to the Shelf 07/18/2019 Bameron followed up the original tweet with literal receipts, writing, "I love ice cream and mouthwash :). Walmart also confirmed via surveillance footage that the mouthwash was in fact purchased, but that doesn't mean it's completely legal. A copycat ice cream licker from Louisiana coughed up proof of purchase after his own prank, but was still charged with unlawful posting of criminal activity for notoriety and publicity, according to Insider.


Walmart, Target offer to help the government investigate archrivals Amazon and Google 07/02/2019

A retail association, whose members include Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, has thrown its support behind the U.S. government’s antitrust investigations into Big Tech’s dominance of the online marketplace. Currently, the FTC is investigating Facebook and Amazon, while the Department of Justice is handling inquiries into Apple and Google.

The Retail Industry Leaders Association, or RILA, specifically name-drops Amazon and Google in its 10-page letter, dated June 30, which addresses “competition and consumer protection in the 21st Century.” In particular, the memo urges the FTC to prioritize control of information—primarily through data collection—just as much as market power and price control.

At times, the information collection is underhanded, says RILA, such as when Amazon “pretends” to sell directly from other retail brands, even when these brands aren’t technically on the platform. An example the association points to is the Williams-Sonoma lawsuit, which claims the tech giant makes it seem as though the traditional retailer is the source of the goods. Complete article


Eye drops sold at Walgreens, Walmart recalled 07/05/2019

(WAND) - Eye drops sold at Walgreens, Walmart, and some other stores have been recalled due to possible sterility issues.

The recall includes 91 lots of over-the-counter ointments.

Another 59 lots of prescription eye ointments made by Altaire Pharmaceuticals for Perrigo Company were included in Wednesday’s announcements. Complete article


Retail Store Cannibalization: Walmart Latest to Fall Prey 07/05/2019

The retail space is currently passing through turbulent times despite a relatively healthy U.S. economy with record-busting equity market performance by benchmark indices. Dwindling sales by several underperforming stores have led to a surge in brick-and-mortar store closures, following the principle of ‘survival of the fittest’.

In 2018, the retail sector reportedly witnessed 5,864 store closures as low customer footfall generated soft turnover, rendering most brick-and-mortar stores financially unviable. With online shopping fast becoming the preferred mode of transaction, about 5,994 store closures are in the cards this year as retail sector bankruptcies are piling up. Notably, online shopping is likely to swell from 16% of retail sales at present to 25% by 2026, bringing on the chopping block an estimated 75,000 stores. (Read More: Retail Bankruptcies Soar: Esports & Gym Chains to the Rescue)

Dog-Eat-Dog Market

In addition to the evolving customer preferences and preeminence of the online shopping platform, much of the lackluster performance is attributable to retail store cannibalization, whereby one store undercuts another store of the same company. In order to survive in a cut-throat market, various companies often resort to increasing their physical footprint in every nook and corner of the locality. This often ended up putting stores into direct competition with one another, and became an unsustainable model with rising rents and other operating costs adding to the woes of declining store traffic. Complete article

Walmart to open 10 Chinese distribution centers over next two decades 07/05/2019


Walmart in Cumberland County restocks refrigerated foods after electrical issue 07/05/2019 Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, shoppers at one Cumberland County Walmart had a hard time filling their picnic and party lists. The refrigerated coolers at the store at 3400 Hartzdale Drive in Lower Allen Township stopped functioning on July 3, said Payton McCormick, a Walmart spokesman. Shoppers were unable to purchase items such as milk, cheese, meat and produce. McCormick emphasized there was not a power outage, but the main refrigeration unit went down due to an electrical issue. Unfortunately, most of the cold products had to be discarded and replaced, which is a lengthy process, he said.

PHOTOS: Food falls from Yucca Valley Ca. Walmart shelves during powerful quake 07/06/2019

UPDATE: All clear given by Bentonville Arkansas police after suspicious package located 07/08/2019 According to Sergeant Gene Page, it has been determined the package was an unmarked gas meter locator device.

Anna Ill. Police looking to ID suspect connected to Walmart theft 07/07/2019

Woman arrested at Missouri Walmart 07/0/2019

Body found in woods near Beaumont Tx. Walmart 07/07/2019

BEAUMONT, Texas — Beaumont Police found a body in a wooded area near Walmart Saturday night.

An autopsy has been ordered, Sgt. Cody Guedry said. Right now, police said they are ruling this as an "unattended death."

Guedry said the name of the person is not going to be released at this time or further information about the death. Complete article

'I was in shock,' Family of man found dead near Beaumont Walmart speaks out about his last moments 07/09/2019


Man Arrested on Suspicion of Arson in Kahului Hawaii Fire Behind Walmart 07/07/2019

A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire burned an estimated five acres in a field behind Walmart in Kahului on Wednesday.

The incident was reported at around 1:17 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, 2019 for the fire reported at the rear of Walmart and south of the Airport Access Road.

Crews from the Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety were able to extinguish the fire.

Maui police Lieutenant Gregg Okamoto tells Maui Now that homeless witnesses in the area claimed a man had intentionally set the fire. Complete article


Police arrest man for DUI in Pa. Walmart parking lot 07/06/2019

TILDEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Tilden Township Police were dispatched to the Walmart at 1800 Tilden Ridge Drive, for a possible overdose involving a male, later identified as Robert Miller, 52, of Orwisgburg.

Miller was reportedly slumped over the steering wheel of his vehicle.

Upon arrival, Emergency Medical Services advised police that Miller had a bottle of vodka in between his legs in the driver’s seat and had been attempting to start the vehicle and drive away. Complete article


Woman injured in pedestrian crash in Va. Walmart parking lot 07/07/2019

WAYNESBORO – A woman was injured in a pedestrian-vehicle crash outside a Walmart Saturday, according to Waynesboro police.

Police received a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle at the Walmart on Lucy Lane around 1:30 p.m., said Waynesboro Sgt. Brian Edwards. When officers arrived, they found 66-year-old Stuarts Draft resident Debra Sue Moran on the ground near the pharmacy entrance, being tended by bystanders.

Witnesses told officers Moran was struck by a pickup truck, Edwards said. The driver, Waynesboro resident Lawrence Hamilton Meeks, 63, had driven out of a parking lane and was attempting to cross the lot in front of the store when he allegedly struck Moran. Complete article


Orlando man jailed after quilt-return scheme goes awry at Summerfield Wal-Mart 07/08/2019 After being read his rights, Zawadzki told the deputy he is homeless and is “having a difficult time,” which is why he made the fraudulent return.

Mesa Ariz. PD: Man arrested after crawling on a Walmart floor to look up women's dresses 07/09/2019

Warwick RI Walmart thief suspected in other robberies 07/09/2019

Attorney demands to know how defense got gun used in Sept. 2018 Ind. Walmart shooting 07/10/2019

Tega Cay SC police charge Rock Hill man with indecent exposure in Walmart parking lot 07/10/2019

Suspected shoplifter hits police officer with car fleeing from Independence Missouri Walmart 07/09/2019

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — A suspected shoplifter is in jail and an officer is recovering after being hit by the shoplifter's car as she fled from a Walmart in Independence.

The officer was working off-duty Tuesday night at the Walmart at 4000 S. Bolger Road.

He tried to stop the suspect, but she fled into the parking lot and got into a car, according to Independence police. Complete article


Man wanted in murder investigation in Ohio arrested at Southridge WV Walmart 07/09/2019

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — A man wanted for the murder of another man in Akron, Ohio, was captured Monday at Walmart in South Charleston.

Eugene Wells, 24, was arrested in the Walmart at Southridge Centre parking lot by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals CUFFED Task Force, U.S. marshals said Tuesday.

Wells is accused of fatally shooting Walter Matthews Jr. on June 3. Complete article


Men swiped keys from St. Paul woman’s walker at Minn. Walmart then stole her car and burglarized her apartment, charges say 07/08/2019

Two men stole keys from a 72-year-old woman inside a St. Paul Walmart last week and took off in her vehicle, according to criminal charges.

It didn’t stop there. The two drove the stolen vehicle to her apartment, and were rummaging around inside when a St. Paul police officer who escorted the woman home opened the door to her unit, according to St. Paul police officer Tom Reis.

Startled, one of the men jumped out the third-floor apartment’s window and landed on concrete below before taking off on foot. The second, Joseph Smith, 30, was found hiding in the woman’s bathroom and was arrested, Reis said. Complete article


Police: Man threatens Mass. Walmart employee with knife, flees with stolen item 07/08/2019

SEEKONK, Mass. (WJAR) — Police in Seekonk are searching for a man who they said threatened a Walmart employee with a weapon and fled the scene with a stolen item.

Officers responded to the Walmart store on Fall River Avenue around 1:30 p.m. Monday.

The man allegedly threatened an employee with a knife before leaving the store with a flat screen TV, authorities told NBC 10 News. Complete article


Police searching for women who fought in Pa. Walmart, damaged merchandise 07/09/2019

Manheim Township Police are searching for two women seen fighting in the Walmart at 2030 Fruitville Pike in Manheim Township.

According to police, the fight happened just before 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 4.

During the fight, one of the women threw a glass-encased candle at the other woman, causing it to smash on the floor.

Both women then left the store without being identified or paying for the damaged proparty. Complete article


Man in viral Wash. Walmart video appears in court 07/10/2019 Media didn't report this until two weeks later.

ASOTIN — A Clarkston Walmart employee who wound up being subdued with a stun gun and arrested after refusing to provide identification to police during an investigation made his first municipal court appearance Tuesday.

Mark A. Domino, 52, was arrested June 25 in the Walmart parking lot after Clarkston police were called about a suspected vehicle prowler who matched the defendant’s description. Domino allegedly refused to comply with orders during questioning and now faces charges of resisting arrest and obstructing a law enforcement officer.

Domino, who has a college education, told the court he plans to represent himself and seek a change of venue as the case moves forward. His next court appearance is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday before Judge Tina Kernan at Asotin County District Court. Prosecutor Todd Richardson, who is handling the case on behalf of the city of Clarkston, has offered a possible resolution that could end with the charges being dismissed. .......

Domino believes his arrest is “one of the fruits from a poisonous tree.” A woman dialed 911 after seeing a black man open the doors of one car in the parking lot, he said, and Whitcom Regional Dispatch Center informed police a man matching his description had opened the doors of three separate cars.

According to Domino, his wife, who also works at Walmart, had driven his car to work that day, and he opened the doors of his own car before walking to his motorcycle to drive home.

“Everyone goes in and out of cars all day at Walmart,” he said. “Why was she watching me? The vehicle prowl report was a malicious statement. The caller was thinking negative from the get-go, and dispatch compounded it by giving more misinformation.” Complete article

Trial date scheduled in Walmart parking lot case 07/24/2019


VIDEO: Jail staff chases escaped inmate in Ky. Walmart parking lot, 3 still on the run 07/09/2019

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT/Gray News) - Four inmates escaped from the Kentucky River Regional Jail in Hazard around 6 p.m. Monday.

"We were picking up trays and somewhere in that area a set of keys were dropped," said Lonnie Brewe the jail administrator.

A viewer submitted a video to WYMT of jail employees chasing down one of the inmates in the Walmart parking lot. The witness said the inmate dropped a set of keys and lost his shoes outside the viewer’s vehicle before running off in his socks. Officials caught him a short time later. Complete article


Man Tries To Deflate Police Car's Tire At Walmart: Hamden Conn. Police 07/09/2019

HAMDEN, CT — A Hamden man is accused of attempting to deflate a police car's tire while the officer was inside Walmart investigating a shoplifting incident. Officer Gabriel Garcia responded to Walmart at about 5 p.m. on July 6 on the report of shoplifting, according to Capt. Ronald Smith.

Smith said while Garcia was meeting with a loss prevention officer inside the store, a concerned citizen reported that a man removed a tire valve cap from the marked police vehicle. The man then attempted to remove air from the tire.

Moments later, officers located and arrested the man, identified as Ryan Kiekel, who was taken to police headquarters, according to Smith. Complete article


Vermont Walmart Arrests Show Why Undocumented Farmworkers Are Leery of Food Shopping 07/10/2019

Zully Palacios stood out at the July 2 rally on Burlington's Church Street that drew hundreds to protest the Trump administration's child internment centers in the Southwest. Her sign showed the faces of local victims of the crackdown on illegal immigration: three Vermont dairy workers who had been arrested last month after shopping at Walmart.

"As we read about what's happening on the southern border, we must not forget what's happening here, on the northern border," Palacios, a spokesperson for Migrant Justice who herself faces possible deportation, told the crowd through a Spanish interpreter.

"These three members of our community were going about their lives, fulfilling their daily needs, shopping for food, sending money to their families in Mexico," she said. "For that, they were detained and now find themselves behind bars." Complete article


Salina man arrested at Kansas Walmart for alleged domestic battery 07/10/2019

A Salina man was arrested early Wednesday on recommended aggravated domestic battery and criminal threat charges as the result of an incident outside of Walmart, 2900 S. Ninth.

According to a report by Capt. Paul Forrester of the Salina Police Department, officers were sent to Walmart about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a domestic incident outside the store. Officers made contact with George Reizer, 45, of Salina, and a 54-year-old woman, both of whom had been sleeping in the grass north of the store.

Reizer allegedly was struck in the face by the woman because he was snoring, Forrester said. Following that, according to a witness at the scene, Reizer allegedly began repeatedly striking the woman on the back of the head while she was face down, then turned her over and began strangling her while uttering threats. Complete article


$50k bond set for mother accused of leaving her 2 kids in hot car at Florence SC Walmart 07/09/2019

FLORENCE, S.C. (WMBF) – Florence police rescued two children from inside a hot car on Tuesday.

Officers received called just before 2:30 p.m. to the Walmart on South Irby Street about children left inside a vehicle.

They managed to get the children out of the car. They were taken to the hospital where they underwent an evaluation.

Chief Meteorologist Jamie Arnold said the outside temperature around the time of the incident was 90 degrees in Florence.

Florence police Lt. Mike Brandt said the children’s mother, Alyssa Oliver, later returned to vehicle and she was arrested. She is charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child and taken to the Florence County Detention Center. Complete article

Court hearing scheduled for mother accused of leaving her 2 children in hot car at Florence SC Walmart 07/09/2019


Hamburger, hot dog buns sold at stores like Walmart, Aldi recalled over choking hazard 07/10/2019

A Georgia-based food company has voluntarily recalled hamburger and hot dog buns sold at stores like Walmart and Aldi in several states, including in Ohio.

Flower Foods Inc. initiated the recall following the discovery of small pieces of hard plastic in production equipment. Consumption could cause a choking hazard. No related injuries or illnesses have been reported.

The products being recalled were distributed to retail customers under a variety of brand names and distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Complete article

Recall: Hot dog, hamburger buns sold at Walmart, Publix could contain plastic 07/10/2019


Walmart Got a $10 Billion Surprise After Buying Flipkart 07/03/2019

When Walmart Inc. paid $16 billion for control of India’s e-commerce pioneer Flipkart Online Services Pvt. last year, the American retail giant got a little-noticed digital payments subsidiary as part of the deal. Now the business is emerging as one of the country’s top startups, a surprise benefit for Walmart from its largest-ever acquisition.

Flipkart’s board recently authorized the PhonePe Pvt Ltd. unit to become a new entity and explore raising $1 billion from outside investors at a valuation of as much as $10 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, asking not to be named because the discussions are private. The funding may close in the next couple of months, although the talks are not finalized and terms could still change, they said. The unit would then become independent with a distinct investor base, although Walmart-owned Flipkart would remain a shareholder. Walmart and Flipkart didn’t respond to emails seeking comment. Complete article


Huntsville Alabama police: Help identify man who stole woman's purse in Walmart 07/09/2019

14-year-old charged in Utah Walmart stabbing 07/10/2019

Suspect Steals Entire Cash Register From Walmart In Aberdeen, Md. Police Say 07/10/2019

Marietta Ga. mom accused of leaving children home alone to go shopping at Walmart 07/10/2019

Escaped state inmate spotted in south Georgia Walmart 07/10/2019

BEN HILL COUNTY, Ga. -- A Georgia state prison inmate has escaped from custody and has been spotted at a Fitzgerald Walmart, the Georgia Department of Corrections said.

Tommy Shane Morton, Jr. should not be approached. Anyone with information leading to his capture could receive a $1,000 reward.

According to the GDC, Morton has been serving time in Carroll County Prison for manufacturing marijuana and theft. He also has been convicted on entering auto charges.

The GDC and US Marshal Service Southeastern Regional Fugitive Task Force ask anyone with information to call 1-877-WANTED-2. Complete article


Cardboard catches fire behind Oxnard Ca. Walmart 07/10/2019

Fire crews were called to an Oxnard Walmart on Wednesday afternoon to extinguish burning cardboard behind the store.

The fire was reported at 4:34 p.m. at the supercenter in the 2001 block of North Rose Avenue.

Arriving crews reported that several bales of cardboard behind the store were burning.

Oxnard police were called to the scene to direct traffic as firefighters attacked the blaze. A fire investigator was also called to investigate the cause of the fire. Complete article


Walmart in Asheboro NC evacuated after report of fire 07/10/2019

ASHEBORO, N.C. -- The Walmart in Asheboro was evacuated after a report of a fire Wednesday night.

Firefighters were dispatched to the store at 1226 E. Dixie Drive at 10:30 p.m.

Firefighters did not see flames but there was the smell of smoke in the building.

There is no word on what caused the fire. Complete article


Man charged with impersonating cop at Rib Mountain Wisc. Walmart 07/10/2019

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) -- A 32-year-old man has been ordered to stay out of Walmart in Rib Mountain following an incident June 20.

The Marathon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the store around 2 p.m. that day for the report of an upset man in the electronics department.

According to court documents, Joseph Patterson was causing a disturbance. An employee reported Patterson was wearing bullet proof vest, had a badge and a holstered gun. He reportedly pulled out the badge and yelled he ‘wanted his s*** back’.

When deputies arrived Patterson was exiting the store. He was detained.

Deputies say the employee said Patterson came to the electronics section looking for a phone. He reportedly said he had been working for 14 hours and couldn’t be monitored. The employee perceived Patterson's tone and attire as working for law enforcement. Patterson said he needed a phone with a SIM card slot. The employee sold Patterson a phone he believed had a SIM card slot.

Patterson later returned to the store and threw the phone on the counter because it did not have a SIM card slot, according to the employee. Court document state a manager then became involved. Complete article


Church says Walmart gift card numbers were stolen & used 07/10/2019

Cards were purchased as thank you gifts for Bible school volunteers.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The youth director of a Jacksonville church said he and his wife purchased 17 Walmart gift cards, later learning there was no balance on the cards.

The church leaders said the cards never left their sight and didn't appear to be tampered with, so it's unknown how the money was taken off the cards. They said 16 of the 17 card numbers were stolen, and the church spent about $85 it likely won't get back. Complete article


Walmart Workers Rebel Against Retailer’s Robot Push in Chile 07/10/2019

Walmart Inc. is facing a strike by thousands of workers in South America amid the retail giant’s push to increase automation at its physical stores.

About 17,000 Walmart workers in Chile went on an indefinite strike on Wednesday after labor talks between the company and the union failed. As many as 124 of the retailer’s 375 stores across the country closed as a result of the strike.

At the heart of the dispute is the demand by workers to be compensated for the increase in automation that’s forcing them to multitask in their daily jobs, for example, with cashiers now having to restock shelves next to cash registers. Walmart initially offered a 3% real wage increase and a one-time payment of $72, while the union asked for a 4% salary rise. Walmart says that it later increased the offer to as much as 8.14% but that union leader Juan Moreno refused to discuss the offer. Complete article


Walmart No Longer Lets Sellers Charge Restocking Fees 07/10/2019

Walmart revised its returns policy on its Marketplace, and a seller told us that what concerns him the most is the following: “No Restocking fees may be applied.”

Previously sellers could charge a restocking fee for any reason, not to exceed 20% of the item’s price.

Note that last fall, Walmart began allowing customers to return Marketplace items to local stores. Interestingly that was after Amazon set up a test pilot with Kohl’s in 2017 to allow customers to return Amazon goods to Kohl’s stores; in April, Amazon rolled out the returns policy to all Kohl’s stores. Complete article


Walmart Flies Employees to Top Hospitals for Surgeries in a Bid to Cut Healthcare Costs 07/10/2019

Case study in Harvard Business Review showcases retailer’s blueprint for employer-generated healthcare reform and shows clinical laboratories that employers are price-shopping

Healthcare reforms that curb costs while improving outcomes have been an elusive goal at both the federal and private insurance levels. Now, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) may have found a plan that works, and it may have implications for clinical laboratories.

In an effort to curb healthcare spending while ensuring workers have access to the best quality care at competitive costs, Walmart is paying the travel costs to send sick employees to out-of-state hospitals and doctors that are top-ranked.

If the retail giant succeeds where other stakeholders have failed, clinical laboratories may find major employers in their communities decide to pursue lower prices for other types of healthcare, including medical laboratory test services. Complete article


Man makes unwanted advances on Walmart greeter: Brooklyn Ohio Police Blotter 07/11/2019

Walmart in Central La. sells out of water, bread 07/10/2019 With the threat of potential Tropical Storm Barry looming, south Louisiana residents in Central have been stocking up on water and bread.

Photo of Corvette parked in handicap spot at Cape Coral Fla. Walmart sparks outrage online 07/10/2019

Deputies: Two caught dealing drugs in Rockford Ill. Walmart parking lot 07/10/2019

Ada man arrested for shoplifting from Minn. Walmart 07/10/2019

Salisbury NC Walmart evacuated after pipe bomb threat 07/11/2019 A man claiming to be a disgruntled former Walmart worker called in a bomb threat to the Salisbury store late on Tuesday night, according to police.

19-year-old reported missing last seen at Walmart in Lancaster SC found safe 07/11/2019

2 charged in connection to shooting in Walmart parking lot in Indian Trail NC 07/11/2019

Police respond to women, kids stealing from West Milwaukee Wisc. Walmart 07/11/2019

Suspects drive toward off-duty deputy working security at Norfolk Va. Walmart; deputy opens fire 07/11/2019

NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk Police are searching for two women who were shot at by an off-duty deputy on June 2.

Police were called to the Walmart on North Military Highway in Norfolk at around 1:30 a.m. for a shoplifting call.

The off-duty deputy was working security at the Walmart.

Court documents state that while the suspect was being questioned about the larceny she provided a name and address. They say she couldn’t remember her social security number and asked for a cell phone charger so she could retrieve her social security number in her phone, but go on to say she bolted out the door.

Records state law enforcement chased her into the parking lot.

Police say she got into a vehicle operated by another woman, then drove toward the deputy, striking her in the knee. The records say the deputy opened fire on the car as the suspects drove off. Complete article


Police: Fayetteville man charged after spitting on NC Walmart employee, threatening another with gun 07/11/2019

A Fayetteville man has been charged after police said he spit on a Walmart employee's face and threatened another one with a gun after he was told to leave the store's vision center.

Michael Godwin, 41, is facing charges of second degree trespass and assault on a female. He was arrested on July 8 and was released on a $2,000 unsecured bond. His court appearance is Aug. 5 at the Cumberland County Courthouse.

Fayetteville police said they responded to the Vision Center at Walmart, located at 4601 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville, on July 8 at around 12:43 p.m. They were called for a reported verbal disturbance. When officers arrived, the suspect had fled the scene. Complete article


Woman arrested after dragging officer through Bartlett Tenn. Walmart parking lot 07/12/2019

BARTLETT, Tenn. — A woman was arrested after being accused of dragging an officer with a stolen car.

Authorities said it all started when the officer spotted a stolen vehicle at the Walmart on Highway 64 in Bartlett on Thursday.

The officer was in the middle of questioning the individual inside when a woman ran out of the store and jumped into the driver’s seat. She then took off, dragging the officer who had by then grabbed the door handle in an attempt to stop her. Complete article


Walmart Employees Realize the Company Is Monitoring Them on Reddit, Retaliate With Union Memes 07/12/2019

On Monday morning, the Reddit user bdonvr wrote a post bidding his fellow users on the Walmart subreddit farewell. “Well /r/Walmart, it’s been great. But HO caught up with me,” he wrote. “Not something I wanted. Entirely my fault though.” Bdonvr had, by his own account, been fired for sharing Walmart corporate documents with the subreddit.

“I was terminated because of a post I made here detailing a confidential pilot program. At the time I was terminated I agreed to remove all confidential information and I will not be providing it now, so that’s all I’ll say about the post that got me terminated,” bdonvr said in a direct message on Reddit. We don’t have to guess about the contents of the document he shared, because we have a copy. Mirrored on Imgur by someone else, the document outlines a new version of Walmart’s Great Workplace (GWP) program, which sorts employees into different pay tiers. The new program condenses the four current GWP classifications into two, among other pay-scale adjustments.

The firing of bdonvr has set off a small firestorm on the subreddit, where Walmart associates go to complain about various workplace problems. Browse posts and you’ll come across plenty of acronyms and Walmartese. “They like to use acronyms,” one former employee and subreddit user, zigaliciousone, said. APA: asset protection associate. MHRM: market human-resource manager. By far, the most repeated shorthand is HO, which stands for “home office.”

The recent firing, for sharing confidential info on Reddit, reiterated the fact that Walmart’s corporate employees keep tabs on associates, and monitor their online communications for anything that might reflect poorly on the company. “What draws people to that subreddit is that there’s an expectation of privacy,” zigaliciousone said. “You can’t go on Facebook and be critical about your store.” Complete article

Walmart Employees Flood Reddit With Pro-Union Memes To Protest Firing 07/11/2019


An Alleged ‘Ice Cream Licker’ Spotted at Rockwall Tx. Walmart 07/12/2019

Dallas-Fort Worth (WBAP/KLIF) – A Rockwall woman claims she has witnessed another person licking ice cream inside its container and putting it back on a grocery store shelf.

According to a Facebook post, the incident happened at a Rockwall Walmart, and it was reported to the store’s manager.

Several North Texans chimed in to say they don’t think this trend will last very long.

One woman says people should stop doing it; yet another said that she thought it was a social media trend .. “just kids being kids.”

The trend started last week when a girl in Lufkin licked the inside of a Blue Bell carton and put it back — police have since identified her as a minor.

Since the incident copycats have been seen on social media licking ice cream; other food tampering incidents involved a man who opened a jug of Arizona ice tea and spit in it before putting it back on the shelve. Complete article


Walmart truck crashes on Interstate 5 north of Myrtle Creek Oregon 07/11/2019

A Walmart truck crashed off Interstate 5 Thursday afternoon north of Myrtle Creek.

Officials with the Oregon Department of Transportation said the crash, which occurred near milepost 113, is causing minimum to no delay. Complete article


Food desert gets bigger on Indy's northeast side as Walmart Neighborhood Market prepares to close 07/12/2019

Professor says part of Walmart’s FCPA settlement was ‘excessive’ 07/11/2019

Man wanted for stealing several Bose headphones at Richlands NC Walmart 07/12/2019

Getting Answers: What’s Next For The Toddler Left At A Walmart Parking Lot? 07/11/2019

2 Houghton residents arrested in Escanaba Mich. after Walmart parking lot welfare check 07/12/2019

Sheriff’s office seeks man in theft from Nevada Walmart 07/11/2019

Podcast: Walmart Infighting Could Derail Plans to Challenge Amazon 07/11/2019

Albuquerque NM PD responding to bomb threat at South Valley Walmart 07/12/2019

Missing 13-year-old boy found safe at north Spokane Wash. Walmart 07/12/2019

Body Found Inside Vehicle In Brewton Alabama Walmart Parking Lot 07/13/2019

Officials in Brewton say that foul play is not currently suspected after a body was found inside a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot.

About 7:10 p.m. Wednesday, the Brewton Police Department was dispatched to Walmart on Douglas Avenue. Emergency personnel responded and pronounced the individual deceased inside the vehicle.

Brewton Police said late Friday afternoon that no foul play is suspected at this time. Complete article


Man in court in theft of security guard’s vehicle at Vancouver Wash. Walmart 07/12/2019

A 20-year-old Beaverton, Ore., man is accused of stealing a security guard’s vehicle while fleeing the scene of an alleged shoplifting in June 2018 at a Vancouver Walmart.

Brandon David Rivera Castro made a first appearance Friday in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of first-degree robbery and vehicle theft. Castro was recently transferred to the Clark County Jail from the Snake River Correctional Institution in Oregon, where he is being held on a nearly six-year prison sentence for a second-degree robbery conviction.

Judge Bernard Veljacic did not set bail in Castro’s case because the defendant is already incarcerated elsewhere. An arraignment hearing was set for July 26.

The alleged robbery and car theft in Vancouver happened June 4, 2018. Vancouver police were dispatched to Walmart at 221 N.E. 104th Ave., for a report of a woman who tried to steal alcohol, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Complete article


Dairy activists invade Walmart milk section 07/12/2019 They don't specify what the alleged "lies" are, nor do they provide facts to refute them, which a good debunker would do.

Imagine while you are grocery shopping at Walmart, you hear yelling coming from the aisle over. When you go to investigate, you see dairy activists blocking the way of the last item on your list — milk.

With the recent media attention to dairy farms, this activist outburst does not come as a surprise. However, when the disruption includes shouting lies, that is when it crosses the line. These particular protesters acted out a “skit” with props and held signs and a TV.

Thankfully, during a second video, police can be seen escorting the protesters out of the building. While everyone has the right to protest, Walmart also had the right to set rules for what happens inside its stores and on its grounds, since it is private property. Complete article


Charleston police, Southridge Walmart partner for junior police academy 07/12/2019

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — The Charleston Police Department is teaming up with the Walmart at Southridge Centre for a week-long police academy for kids.

The Junior Police Leadership Academy is a one week law enforcement program for 6th to 8th graders. They learn how to work a crime scene investigations and rappelling, along with other police skills.

It's all done with hands-on instruction by police officers. The Southridge Walmart donated $2,000 worth of food items for the camp. Complete article


Bernie Sanders said a huge percentage of Walmart workers are black. He was off by a lot 07/12/2019 He mistook minorities for black, other than that he was apparently correct.

Racial and economic inequality are key issues for Bernie Sanders. In a Washington Post op-ed on the disparities between blacks and whites, the Democratic presidential candidate brought the two themes together. He said "the black-white wealth gap could be closed by targeting the extreme wealth at the very top."

"The straightest path to racial equality is through the one percent," Sanders wrote July 10. "A system where we don’t address both racial and economic disparity is a system in which some people, especially African Americans, are going to be left behind."

Sanders sharpened the point with the example of Walmart.

"Walmart is the largest private employer of African Americans in the country," Sanders wrote. "42 percent of its associates are black. And it pays its employees below a living wage — even while the Walton family owns more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of Americans." Complete article


Report: Walmart could sell off ModCloth 07/12/2019

Retail giant Walmart may jettison its investment in ModCloth, the e-commerce fashion startup founded out of a Carnegie Mellon University dorm room.

After buying the fashion e-commerce firm three years ago to boost interest from a new generation of online shoppers, Walmart is now pursuing a possible sale of ModCloth and perhaps other e-commerce holdings as it works to overcome losses in its e-commerce division, according to a new Recode report in Vox.

Arkansas-based Walmart is working to grow its e-commerce business through such acquisitions as Jet.com, Bonobos, and others e-commerce players to better compete with Amazon. Complete article


Teachers can score free goodies at Walmart this weekend 07/12/2019

TAMPA, Fla. — Teachers across Tampa Bay can stock up with some free supplies at Walmart.

Walmart locations in the Tampa Bay area are joining stores across the country to host Teacher Appreciation events Saturday, July 13.

The event starts at 12:30 p.m. and will last through 4:30 p.m. Complete article


N.Y.U. student’s missing credit card used at N.J. Walmart 07/12/2019

Man wanted for questioning after pricey headphones stolen from NC Walmart 07/12/2019

Winona Minn. police calls for Friday, July 12: Thefts from Walmart, China King Buffet 07/12/2019

Foley Alabama Walmart reopens after bomb threat 07/14/2019

Local man calls for more carts at Tx. Walmart on Loop 288 07/13/2019

Two people hurt in shooting at bus stop near Missouri Walmart along 40 Highway 07/14/2019

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- Two people were shot and hurt on Sunday at a bus stop near Walmart, one of them is critically injured.

Kansas City and Independence officers responded to the shooting at about 12:45 p.m., details about a suspect or suspects haven't been released yet.

Police dispatchers tell FOX4 that one person shot should recover, and the other is hurt more seriously. Independence police are taking the lead on the investigation, and FOX4's Rebecca Gannon is at the scene. Complete article


Odessa Tx. PD: Man found dead in Walmart parking lot 07/14/2019

ODESSA, Tx. (KOSA) -- Odessa Police are investigating after a person was found dead on Friday inside a vehicle at the westside Walmart.

Investigators said that foul play is not suspected.

No other information has been released at this time. Complete article


Cops swarm murder suspect in dramatic arrest at Conn. Walmart parking lot 07/13/2019

An Ohio truck driver accused of killing his wife, her parents and aunt was swarmed by officers in a Walmart parking lot and pinned to the ground in a dramatic arrest captured on video.

Gurpreet Singh, 37, was walking through the parking lot of the Branford, Connecticut, store on July 2 when four cop cars cornered him at a median, dashcam footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows.

As officers clad in SWAT gear rushed toward Singh with their guns drawn and a police dog in tow, Singh put his hands in the air and dropped to the pavement on all fours.

Cops, some of them wearing bulletproof vests and toting rifles, thrust him to the ground and handcuffed him before leading him into a police car.

Singh is accused of fatally shooting his wife and her three family members in April in his apartment in the Cincinnati suburb of West Chester, Ohio. Complete article


Protein bars sold at Walmart and Target recalled due to possible undeclared allergens 07/15/2019

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - This morning you’ll want to check that pantry. A popular protein bar sold at Walmart and Target is being recalled.

Pro-Bar issued a recall about the possible presence of undeclared milk and soy allergens. Popular flavors being recalled are Chocolate Coconut, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Original Trail Mix.

If you have one of the effected products you can return it for a full refund. Complete article


UPDATE: Caretaker in relation with Emily Drive WV Walmart bathroom incident charged with neglect 07/15/2019

Phoenix man accused of stealing $100K worth of cell phones from Ariz. Walmarts 07/15/2019

Walmart to hire 40 new Porterville Ca.-based truck drivers 07/15/2019

Blown fuse caused Ariz. Walmart-area outage 07/16/2019

Police Need Help Finding Lower Hudson Valley NY Walmart Peeping Tom 07/16/2019

Pedestrian, 89, dies after being hit in Tega Cay SC Walmart parking lot, police say 07/15/2019

TEGA CAY, S.C. (Rock Hill Herald) - An investigation is ongoing after an 89-year-old man walking in a Walmart parking lot in Tega Cay died after a collision with a truck, police said.

The man had walked out of the store around 7:30 p.m. Sunday when he was struck, said Lt. James Parker of the Tega Cay Police Department.

The man was airlifted to a Charlotte hospital from a nearby church Sunday after the incident, a Tega Cay police report showed. Complete article


Missouri Walmart theft leads to vehicle chase, arrest 07/15/2019

Two people have been charged in connection with the theft of over $1,000 worth of merchandise from a Jefferson City Walmart on Monday.

Kevin Jones, 33, of Fulton, and Chelsey Evans, 30, of Vichy, are each charged with one count of stealing.

Authorities were called to Walmart on West Stadium Boulevard just before 6 a.m. Monday, Jefferson City Police Department probable cause statements Complete article


High-speed chase ends in crash; one of two wrecks reported overnight near Iowa Walmart 07/12/2019

DAVENPORT, Iowa-- Police confirm a crash happened Friday, July 12, just after 1 a.m., near the intersection of West Kimberly Road and Fairmount Street, near the Walmart.

Our photographer on scene said at least one car was towed away, and that area was blocked off by police for several hours. Police say a southbound Hyundai Sonata crossed the center line and struck a northbound Toyota Camry head on. Two adults in the Sonata and one adult in the Camry were taken to the hospital with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Prior to the crash, police say the Sonata was driving at a high rate of speed by a state trooper who attempted to stop it. The driver failed to stop, resulting in the crash. Complete article


Car strikes woman, 5 vehicles in Friday crash at RI Walmart 07/16/2019

WESTERLY — A Connecticut woman suffered minor injuries following a Friday afternoon accident in the Walmart parking lot involving an elderly woman who struck the victim and five cars when her foot became stuck on the gas, the police said.

The victim, a 51-year-old from Greenwich, Conn., was taken to Westerly Hospital following the incident with cuts and bruises but was thrown by the car into the only open parking spot in the row, Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey said. He called the timing “fortunate,” and said had the victim been struck just a moment earlier or later, she would have suffered far more serious injuries.

“When you see the (Walmart surveillance) video, it really makes you wonder how her injuries weren’t considerably worse,” Lacey said on Monday.

According to a police report, officers were called to Walmart around 1:30 p.m. for reports of a serious crash involving a pedestrian and five parked cars. The police arrived to the find the driver, 88-year-old Peace Dale resident Mary Condry, still in her 2004 Subaru Forester with the back of her car pressed against two others. Complete article


Asheboro NC Walmart evacuated due to fire 07/15/2019

The Walmart store in Asheboro was evacuated Sunday at about 10:30 a.m. due to a small fire in the rear of the store, according to witnesses.

Police and firefighters were on the scene, but no one was injured. Unconfirmed reports indicated it was an electrical fire. The store was reopened after about 90 minutes.

In the photo, firefighters walk out of the store after putting out the fire. This was the second time in a week the store had to be evacuated.

The first time was due to an overheated electric motor. Complete article


Man wanted after assault in a Winston-Salem NC Walmart parking lot 07/15/2019

Winston- Salem, N.C. -- Winston-Salem Police are looking for a man accused of assaulting a woman in a Walmart parking lot Friday evening.

The woman, who didn't want to be identified, told FOX8 the assault happened at the location off Parkway Village Circle.

She said a man approached her at her vehicle, lifted her dress above her back and shoved her towards the car. .....

“I’m just shocked and surprised something like that would happen during the day like with tons of people being around,” said Gwyneth Goobreau, a shopper. Complete article


Police: Man ran from Walmart with merchandise - in full view of Eugene Oregon detective 07/15/2019

EUGENE, Ore. - A man pushed past Walmart employees to leave the West 11th Avenue store with merchandise Sunday in full view of a Eugene Police detective on scene investigating an unrelated incident, police said.

"The detective continued to observe the suspect in the bank parking lot on the corner of West 11th Avenue and Commerce Street with a pile of items in new packaging scattered around him," according to Eugene Police. .....

The man "continued to disregard direction from the patrol officer and progressed toward the gas station, an area with several people, and was eventually taken into custody with the use of a taser," police said. Complete article


As Walmart fights to lower taxes in Pulaski County, school officials worry about fairness 07/15/2019

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — An unprecedented tax battle is brewing this week in Little Rock as Walmart, the world's largest retailer appeals its property tax assessment in Pulaski County.

Arkansas' biggest corporation has joined other big box stores across the country in the effort to reduce their property tax bills, and it puts millions of dollars are at stake at an appeal hearing this week.

“The concern is, at least for me, is just the notion of fairness,” said Dr. Charles McNulty, the superintendent of the Pulaski County Special School District. “Essentially we are looking at appraised value and how we're going to judge what is a fair market value.” ......

If the judges agree, that would mean about $4.5 million less in taxes, with about 75 percent of that coming out of school budgets, according to the assessor’s office.

Critics say Walmart and other retailers rely on a disputed accounting method.

“It's called ‘Dark Store’ theory,” McNulty said. “In essence, you reach an appraisal value as if [the store] was vacant. It is appraised at the same level as a store that is active and bringing in revenue as if it was vacant.”

McNulty said another argument corporations make is that large properties are hard to utilize after they are closed. The counter-argument McNulty says is that a restrictive lease agreement is often the reason for that. Complete article


Walmart has added virtual reality to its assessment of an employee’s potential 07/12/2019

For Walmart employees, seeking a promotion within the company has typically meant undergoing a comprehensive vetting process that included a detailed “paper-based assessment.”

Combined with in-person interviews, the written component has traditionally helped managers judge how effectively someone might function in a new role with more responsibility.

But for the past few months, Walmart — the nation’s largest employer — has begun replacing paper-based assessments with an experimental tool: virtual reality.

Using a $250 Oculus Go virtual-reality headset, employees have their wits and instincts tested inside a simulated environment, allowing managers to see how well they know the store’s departments and how they react in everyday scenarios, according to the company. Those scenarios can range from motivating an underperforming employee to resolving a conflict with a difficult customer. Inside the simulated environment, candidates might find themselves standing in a busy aisle facing multiple problems, such as spills, misplaced items and trash, and being given 30 seconds to figure out which to resolve first.

When combined with conventional interviews and replicated across thousands of employees, the virtual assessment helps eliminate bias from the internal hiring process, according to Michelle Malashock, Walmart’s director of media relations. Malashock said the VR assessment tool was rolled out in April and has already been used in considering about 10,000 employees for new jobs across the country. Complete article


Walmart Chile to resume talks with union amid strike 07/15/2019

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Walmart Chile said on Monday it would resume talks with a union of 17,000 workers who walked off the job last week amid a major push by the global retail giant to automate jobs and slash costs.

The walkout has closed at least one fourth of the approximately 400 stores that Walmart Inc (WMT.N) operates in Chile. Striking workers carrying protest signs have blocked access to many stores around Santiago.

The company said in a statement that it hoped to continue with constructive dialogue but said it also worried about “the illegal blockades of outlets that have occurred throughout the strike.” ....

Union leaders said the key sticking point was a salary increase. As automation in stores has increasingly replaced workers, workers say they are forced to juggle more tasks among fewer employees. They have demanded the company boost salaries by 4 percent. Walmart Chile has offered 3 percent, the union has said. Complete article

Walmart rolls out next-gen employee scheduling system to 4,600 stores 07/15/2019 Walmart has made it easier for its employees to view work schedules, swap shifts and pick up unfilled ones.

Bossanova robot at Walmart 04/19/2019

Walmart On The Hunt For New E-Commerce Executive Amid Online Revenue Losses 07/15/2019


Tenn Ag reports disease on Walmart Rhododendron bushes in Tennessee 07/15/2019

NASHVILLE (WDEF) The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is warning gardeners about a problem with some shrubs brought in from the northwest.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) detected a deadly water mold pathogen on Rhododendron plants shipped to 18 states. They found it on a plant bought in Dickson, Tennessee.

So if you bought a plant from April until now Walmart or Rural King stores, watch for the signs of infection. Complete article

Walmart, Rural King recall plants sold at Ohio stores that cause 'sudden oak death' 07/16/2019


Md. Walmart employee accused of pulling gun in store 07/16/2019

A Walmart employee was accused by Hagerstown police on Monday of pulling a handgun on another man inside the store.

Rodney Willis Harrison, 53, of Liberty Street in Hagerstown was charged with first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun in a crime of violence and carrying a handgun in the 12:21 a.m. incident, the charging document said.

During Harrison's bond hearing on Tuesday, Assistant State's Attorney Brock Shriver and Assistant Public Defender Stephen Musselman both noted that he was employed at the Garland Groh Boulevard store when the incident occurred. Complete article


Suspect sought in Aiken SC Walmart assault 07/16/2019

AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) – Aiken Public Safety is searching for this man.

They say he grabbed a woman’s buttocks and made a grunting noise in her ear at the Walmart on Whiskey Road back on July 7th.

If you know who he is or where he might be, you’re asked to call Aiken Public Safety or Crimestoppers. Complete article


West Bend Wisc. Mayor rips Walmart tax suit as 'frivolous' 07/17/2019

WEST BEND — The city’s mayor on Tuesday blasted Walmart’s latest effort to cut its property tax bill, calling the retail giant’s third dark store-related lawsuit in as many years a “frivolous” matter that demanded state lawmakers’ prompt attention.

“I can’t even believe we have to spend time making these childish arguments,” Kraig Sadownikow told a reporter by phone Tuesday afternoon, noting elected lawmakers in Madison had been elected to “fix loopholes exactly like this.”

The Arkansas-based retailer a day earlier sued West Bend in what’s become a common litigation tactic by Walmart and companies like it. For three years now, the company has sought help from local courts to knock down its property taxes using a legal argument known as the “dark store loophole.” A previous lawsuit challenging Walmart’s 2017 and 2018 tax bills here is still working its way through local circuit courts.

Stores across Wisconsin and other parts of the country have increasingly argued local governments have been overvaluing — and, thus, overtaxing — their properties. The companies have sought courts’ help in reducing assessments by claiming their stores should be valued no differently than nearby empty, or “dark,” outlets. Complete article


Walmart employees reveal how much they really make 07/17/2019

Walmart has gotten its share of criticism for its salary policies.

Sen. Bernie Sanders lambasted the retail giant's pay rates for store employees as "starvation wages." Walmart has countered that its average store employee makes close to $15 an hour, despite the fact that its minimum starting hourly wage is $11.

Business Insider reviewed self-reported salaries for many roles on both PayScale and Glassdoor. Not all of the data was necessarily collected within the past year or so, so there may be a lag that explains why certain roles have average pay rates less than the chain's minimum starting wage of $11 an hour. Complete article


Police search for woman caught on camera stealing $350 worth of cigarettes at Winter Haven Fla. Walmart 07/17/2019

Portage Co. Wisc. Crime Stoppers: Walmart theft 07/17/2019

Suspects allegedly shoplift $4,000 in electronics from NM Walmart 07/17/2019

Man in prison 18 months for Fla. Walmart theft 07/17/2019 For petty theft & drug charges.

Police seize heroin, gun in double-arrest after crash outside Southwest Michigan Walmart 07/17/2019

BERRIEN COUNTY, MI -- Police arrested two men outside of a Niles area Walmart during a heroin-distribution investigation and seized drugs, a gun and scales.

Police with the Southwest Enforcement Team, Berrien County Sheriff’s Department and state police moved in Wednesday, July 17 to make the arrests at the Walmart store at 2107 S. 11th St. in Niles Township.

The driver of a vehicle crashed into a detective’s car while trying to flee the area. Complete article


Pensacola man masturbating outside Fla. Walmart grabbed deputy's rear end, ECSO says 07/17/2019

A Pensacola man who was being arrested for allegedly masturbating in a Pensacola Walmart parking lot is accused of grabbing a deputy's rear end and saying, "Let me just feel it."

Trenton James Rich, 19, was arrested Saturday and charged with battery of an officer, assault on an officer, resisting an officer and exposure of sexual organs. ......

The deputy informed the man that he matched a witness description of a suspect who had allegedly been seen masturbating in the parking lot and asked for his name. The man provided his name and said "suck my d---," the report states.

When the deputy moved to detain him, Rich allegedly resisted and pulled his hands away from the deputy, pulled his pants down, exposed himself and said, "Suck on it." Complete article


Man arrested after allegedly assaulting officers at Okla. Walmart 07/17/2019

OKLAHOMA CITY – Authorities say what started as a simple trespassing call ended with several officers allegedly being assaulted by a suspect.

Around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, officers were called to the Walmart in the 2200 block of N.W. 23rd St. after a man was reportedly yelling at customers and staff members in the store.

When officers arrived, they found Scotty Mouton.

According to the arrest affidavit, Mouton was “in an aggravated state” and “would not stop yelling” at a Walmart employee.

As officers were trying to take Mouton into custody, they say he became verbally abusive toward police at the scene. After getting Mouton inside a patrol car, the affidavit states that he began kicking the back passenger side window.

Officers were trying to place violent prisoner restraints on Mouton when he allegedly spit in an officer’s face, kneed another officer in the chest twice and then grabbed one officer’s genitals through his pants. The affidavit states the suspect also tried to bite an officer and kick three officers at the scene. Complete article


Man taken down by police in Wash. Walmart parking lot wants complete dismissal 07/17/2019

CLARKSTON, WA — Marc Domino is facing charges of resisting and obstructing a police officer after being suspected of car prowling in a Walmart parking lot.

Now, the city of Clarkston prosecutor says he's offered Mr. Domino a deferment of only 90 days, but he refuses to take it.

Although Tuesday’s court hearing resulted in a rescheduling, the man at the forefront of the controversial video gone viral, he’s still opting to represent himself. .....

"When I got approached by the officer I was like, I know I haven't done anything. Period. So, whatever you're here for it's not for me,” Domino said.

Those were the thoughts running through Domino’s head the day he was approached by Clarkston police officers in the Walmart parking lot.

"I went to my vehicle to get something and was going about my merry day. Got out of work,” Domino said.

A caller phoned in about a man she believed could be car prowling.

According to the 911 transcript sent to KLEW by the prosecutor’s office the woman said:

Caller: "Hi, I'm at the Clarkston, Clarkston Walmart right now and I just saw a gentleman stop and get in three different doors of a car, looking around And I was kinda watching to see if it was his, now he's walking clear away."

Dispatch: "OK, and this was at Clarkston Walmart, you said?"

Caller: "Yeah. So I couldn't see if he took anything OK So I'm going to watch and see if he comes back here. He was holding his keys in his hand, I think more making it look like to other people like he had keys to it. OK I'm trying to watch him to see if he [unintelligible] .....

When police arrive and question him, he was enever charged for car prowling. Complete article


Ill. Walmart Thief Posed As An Employee: Cops 07/18/2019

DARIEN, IL — A man apparently posed as an employee at the Walmart in Darien to steal a vest worth $13. Darien police responded to the unusual call at 5:34 p.m. on July 10, nearly 24 hours after the man came into the store.

Loss prevention workers at the store located at 2189 75th St. told police that at 6:43 pm. on July 9 a black man entered the store and told an associate that he was a new employee and needed a Walmart vest.

He was given one, along with the code to a register, before leaving with the $13 vest. Complete article


Woman allegedly robbed at Mechanicsville Va. Walmart 07/17/2019

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. — Police are investigating after a woman says she was robbed at a Mechanicsville Walmart.

On Wednesday, deputies responded to the Walmart at 7430 Bell Creek Rd, where a victim said that a woman stole money from her.

Surveillance footage shows the suspect was wearing a black-and-white colored sleeveless shirt and black leggings. An unidentified male suspect was observed in the store on video with the female suspect. He was wearing a Dallas Cowboy’s jersey and a white hat. Complete article


Walmart scoring execs against one another on security performance 07/18/2019

In 2018, Walmart experienced over 6 trillion cyber events. Of those, Walmart director of global cybersecurity DeWayne Hixson said almost 14 million were actual attacks.

He told RSA Conference 2019 Asia Pacific and Japan in Singapore on Wednesday that during the 12-month period, Walmart also blocked over 2 billion spam emails. .....

The company has access to lot of information, a lot of it in real-time.

"It is said what gets measured gets managed. With all this information, how in the world do we process that? How do we get it out to the people who need it without drowning in data -- or starving them of information?" he said.

Walmart started on a project to give executives actual insight into the security landscape. It began a few years ago when senior management asked Hixson a few questions, such as how one market was operating and what its cybersecurity footprint looked like, but he was unable to pull all the information together for a succinct view that they could actually understand. Complete article


Man previously banned from Ky. Walmart arrested for burglary at the store 07/17/2019

Unknown man pulled ‘quick change’ scam at Pa. Walmart stores 07/17/2019

Deputies: Woman switches price tags on Macon Ga. Walmart items before shoplifting 07/18/2019

Police: Suspects Nearly Ran Over Employee While Stealing A/C From Fairfield Ca. Walmart 07/18/2019 Not reported until over two weeks after incident.

FAIRFIELD (CBS13) – Police in Fairfield are asking for help in finding two suspected thieves who nearly ran over an employee on their way out.

Fairfield police say two men stole an air conditioning unit from the Walmart on North Texas Street on July 2.

An employee tried to stop the pair, but was knocked down and almost run over. Complete article


Tractor trailer catches fire in Missouri Walmart parking lot 07/18/2019

MEXICO, Mo. - A tractor trailer caught fire on Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of a Walmart in Mexico, Missouri.

Fire crews responded to the area around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and when they arrived, they found a tractor trailer that was hauling hay burning in the parking lot of the business.

One of the fuel tanks erupted just before fire units arrived, according to a news release from the Mexico Public Safety Department.

The driver told authorities he was driving on Highway 54 near Mexico when he heard a "pop." When he pulled off of the road, he saw a fire near the driver's side rear wheels of the tractor, the release said. Complete article


Handcuffed man escapes police custody at Bennettsville SC Walmart 07/18/2019

BENNETTSVILLE, S.C. (WPDE) — A man who escaped police custody while handcuffed Thursday night at the Walmart on Highway 9 in Bennettsville has turned himself in, according to Lt. Larry Turner with Bennettsville Police.

Turner said the officer arrested the man for shoplifting at the store, handcuffed him and put him in the patrol car.

He added the officer then went back inside the store and that's when the man escaped. Complete article


UPDATED: Weapon charge filed in purported shoplifting incident at Missouri Walmart store 07/18/2019

Joplin police arrested a 31-year-old man Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly tried to steal some items from the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 1600 E. Seventh St. and displayed a knife and threatened store employees in the process.

Capt. Nick Jimenez of the Joplin Police Department said Richard A. Turpin, of Joplin, was taken into custody by police a short distance west of the store following the alleged shoplifting attempt at 1:36 p.m. Jimenez said that, prior to fleeing the store, Turpin dropped the items store employees believed he was trying to steal.

A robbery charge was sought on Turpin, but the Jasper County prosecutor's office filed a count of unlawful use of a weapon instead. Complete article


Centra bases ambulance at Forest Va. Walmart to alleviate high call volumes 07/18/2019

FOREST, Va. (WDBJ7) At the Walmart Neighborhood Market along Route 221 in Forest, in a parking lot where shoppers fill their carts with merchandise, an ambulance is often idling nearby.

"This is a strategic location," explained Jimmy Mitchell, ground transport manager for Centra.

Centra operates a handful of medical practices and a large assisted living facility in western Lynchburg and Forest. Those facilities add to an already high number of calls for ambulance service in the area.

"It puts a tremendous strain on resources in each direction, unless you share the load," Mitchell said. Complete article


Nevada Walmart puncher gets felony sentence 07/18/2019

Man identified in Poplar Bluff Missouri after Walmart theft 07/19/2019

Walmart Supercenter in Round Rock Tx. to add fueling station later this year 07/19/2019

Boxes of fireworks, flat-screen TV stolen from Springville NY Walmart 07/19/2019 It's estimated that more than $1,100 of merchandise was stolen from the store.

Beaverton Oregon police search for man accused of trying to lure girl in Walmart parking lot 07/19/2019

BEAVERTON, Ore. – The Beaverton Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a man who tried to get an 11-year-old girl to come over to his vehicle in a Walmart parking lot.

Police say the incident occurred on July 6 at 2:41 p.m.

They say the man and girl were in the Walmart parking lot at 9055 S.W. Murray Blvd. The man reportedly tried to get the girl to come over to his pickup truck twice, but the girl told the man “no” and found help from an adult leaving the store. Complete article


Seller Finds Walmart Portal Rife with Issues 07/18/2019

Dear Ina, We're a newly approved seller on Walmart.com and I have never experienced a more buggy, slow and unstable seller site. I was pretty shocked (and disappointed) and not what I was expecting. Anyone else report this?

From our standpoint I'm seeing a host of functionality issues in their Walmart seller portal that was recently opened up to us. Constant random system errors, crashes, indecipherable system hangs from their platform ... the site is essentially not stable yet, and I'm shocked they would release and push this to sellers, it's in need of serious overhaul and debugging.

I tried to email Walmart support about the problems we keep having and their contact app kept crashing lol. They aren't going to be a serious player unless they can offer a stable site for sellers. Complete article


Alabama’s Pension Sold AT&T, GM, and FedEx Stock, and Bought Walmart 07/20/2019

The Retirement Systems of Alabama made some bold stock trades in the second quarter.

RSA, as the pension plan is known, slashed its investments in AT&T (ticker: T), General Motors (GM), and FedEx stock (FDX), while adding to its position in Walmart (WMT). Two of those trades are beating the market.

The plan, which includes the Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama (TRS), the Employees’ Retirement System of Alabama (ERS), and the Judicial Retirement Fund (JRF), isn’t free of issues. As of Sept. 30, 2017, the date of RSA’s most recent actuarial valuation, its funding came up significantly short. Complete article


Eugene Scalia has defended Wall Street, Walmart and SeaWorld. Now he’s Trump’s pick for labor secretary 07/19/2019

When a court ruled that blackjack and other card dealers at Steve Wynn’s Las Vegas resorts did not have to share their tips with supervisors, the casino turned to a renowned corporate attorney in Washington: Eugene Scalia.

The son of the late Supreme Court justice successfully got the ruling reversed in Nevada’s Supreme Court, forcing dealers to split their tips with floor supervisors at the casino. .......

Scalia, President Trump’s pick for the next labor secretary, has for years worked on behalf of America’s biggest businesses, including Wall Street banks, Walmart and SeaWorld, amassing a legal record that critics say leaves him a poor choice to enforce the nation’s labor laws. .......

Scalia represented Walmart against a Maryland law that would have made companies with more than 10,000 workers spend at least 8 percent of their payroll costs on health care, or pay into a state Medicaid fund. Scalia successfully argued that the federal government should tackle rising health-care costs. Complete article


Laredo couple arrested after purse stolen from shopping cart at Tx. Walmart 07/19/2019

Eugene Oregon Walmart theft suspect needs mental health treatment, husband says 07/19/2019

Police: 4 charged in NC Walmart $9.94 chicken salad theft 07/19/2019

Suspect fled police officer right into a Fla. Walmart parking lot with more police 07/19/2019

Police arrest mother after they say she left 3-month-old baby in hot car while in WV Walmart 07/21/2019

Police seek suspects who shoplifted from Conyers Ga. Walmart, pointed gun at manager 07/21/2019

Officials are offering a reward for information leading to the people who they say stole from a Walmart store and pointed a gun at a manager.

Three people — a man and two women — shoplifted from a Walmart in Conyers about 4 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.

When the man was confronted, he chambered a pistol and pointed it at a store manager, officials said. The three suspects got into a dark 4-door sedan and fled, authorities said. Complete article


Fuquay-Varina NC police find suspect car in Walmart parking lot after fatal hit-and-run 07/21/2019

FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C. — Fuquay-Varina police have arrested a suspect in a fatal hit-and-run crash after a body was found in the road Sunday morning.

Nicholas David Bunch, 37, of Garner, was being held Sunday afternoon at the Wake County Jail, where he has been charged with felony hit-and-run. It was not immediately clear if a bond amount has been set for Bunch.

According to police, a person called 911 around 5 a.m. to report a body on the side of the roadway near the 2900 block of N. Main Street near Inline Auto Sales. .....

Officers searched for the suspect's car, which was believed to be a silver sedan with passenger side damage, early Sunday morning. Before 9:30 a.m., the car had been located in the Walmart parking lot, located at 1051 E. Broad Street. The driver was arrested before noon. Complete article


Mixup at Missouri Walmart leaves toddler with ‘Happy Birthday Loser’ cake 07/21/2019

A 2-year-old girl in Missouri got a bad case of the birthday blues after she received a cake with a rather sassy birthday message, a photo shows.

Melin Jones went to Walmart to get a birthday cake made for her daughter Elizabeth, she wrote in a Facebook post. The cake was meant to have a message with her daughter’s nickname.

“I got her a cake at Walmart and asked the lady to write ‘Happy birthday, Lizard,’” she wrote. .....

“The lady didn’t hear ‘Lizard,’ she heard ‘loser,’” Jones wrote. Complete article


Conn. State police seek Walmart purse snatcher 07/21/2019

Police Looking for Two Men Who Scammed Ind. Walmart Out of $1,500 in Gift Cards 07/22/2019

Men steal over $1k in Mississippi Walmart electronics, got away 07/21/2019

Shallotte NC police looking suspect in Walmart theft 07/22/2019

Mason City Iowa Walmart thieves sentenced 07/21/2019 Investigators say the two used a self-checkout line and scanned a package of dental floss over and over in place of other items.

Man who huffed 18 cans of dusting spray found outside Fla. Walmart 07/21/2019 A sheriff's deputy found a man who had huffed 18 cans of dusting spray sitting in the driver's seat of his car in the parking lot of a Walmart in Flagler Beach, Fla., staring blankly out of the front window. He was conscious but unable to answer simple questions like what city they were in.

Police: Fake bar codes used in Ill. Walmart thefts 07/22/2019

Guy discovers his stolen truck at Walmart 07/22/2019

After a Tx. Walmart Shoplifting Incident, Getaway Driver Led Police on a High-Speed Chase and Swallowed Cocaine Hitting Two Vehicles 07/22/2019

Suspects fleeing a Walmart from which they were accused of shoplifting led police on a chase Saturday that ended in a fiery crash.

Converse Police Department Chief Fidel Villegas told KSAT that two women were suspected of shoplifting from a Walmart around 12:30 p.m. Saturday. They were reportedly seen stuffing large bags with items that they didn't pay for and walking out of the store.

A manager tried to stop the women and was assaulted by one of them, according to authorities. The suspects then fled in a Buick Enclave that was being driven by a male accomplice.

Converse police attempted to pull over the SUV, but the driver led them on a chase that reached 80 mph. The Enclave driver hit another vehicle but kept driving, finally striking a Mazda and catching fire. Complete article


Galesburg Ill. PD report: $12k worth of iPhones taken from Walmart 07/22/2019

GALESBURG — More than $12,000 worth of iPhones were stolen out of Walmart recently.

According to a Galesburg police report, authorities responded to the Galesburg retail store at 659 Knox Square Drive at about 11:50 p.m. July 17 for the report.

According to employees and surveillance video, two men were seen around a locked drawer in the electronics department of Walmart. Then one of the two used a crowbar that was for sale at Walmart to break open the drawer and take out 11 iPhones worth an estimated $12,589.

This comes more than two years after the U.S. Cellular Store in Galesburg was broken into and 52 smartphones were taken in a burglary. That case did not lead to local charges. Complete article


Walmart shoplifting suspect runs across I-10 in Breaux Bridge La. to escape arrest, hides in camper 07/22/2019

A shoplifting suspect took his chances running across I-10 in Breaux Bridge over the weekend instead of facing arrest, Police Chief Rollie Cantu said.

34-year-old Luke Martin fled from a Walmart loss prevention officer after he allegedly took several items from the store, ran through a car dearlership lot, and across I-10.

According to Cantu, the officer gave chase as the suspect left the store without paying for the items.

“He soon took off toward I-10, running through the car lot, crossed over the interstate, dodging traffic and hid inside a camper at a local business.” Complete article


Candidates are blasting big brands on the campaign trail, and it could be especially bad for the likes of Walmart and the big tech companies 07/23/2019

Democratic candidates are taking shots at big companies on the campaign trail, testing which messages resonate with voters and creating adversaries out of legacy companies that don't have much political wiggle room to fight back.

Why it matters: There's more pressure on companies to stand for social policies today than ever before. But unlike candidates, brands risk losing trust if they hit back too hard on certain issues, which is why they tend to respond more slowly. More progressive candidates are taking advantage of that dynamic this cycle.

Driving the news: Certain companies are more likely to wind up in the crosshairs of a campaign battle due to their proximity to hot-button issues, according to data pulled for Axios by the social intelligence firm Zignal Labs.

The companies most likely to be called out are the ones facing criticism over the minimum wage, jobs, taxes, and competition — like Walmart and the big tech companies. Complete article


Mich. Township Overvalued Walmart Store, Land, Tribunal Says 07/22/2019

A Michigan township significantly overvalued a Walmart store and the two parcels of land it was on, and the taxable values and assessment of the property must be reduced, the state... Complete article


Ugg Sued Walmart Two Months Ago; Now It’s Suing Target 07/22/2019

Two months after Deckers Outdoor Corp. sued Walmart for allegedly copying its popular Ugg boot design, the sheepskin shoemaker’s parent company is attempting to take two other major retail players to court.

Late last week in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Deckers filed suit against Target Corp. and Iconix Brand Group for trade dress infringement and unfair competition as well as patent infringement over the design of its Bailey Button boots. It brought the same allegations against the companies over the use of Sanuk’s Yoga Sling design. Complete article


Police: 2 take off with SUV full of tires from south Georgia Walmart 07/22/2019

Police look for suspects who use fake credit card at Lebanon Tenn. Walmart 07/22/2019

Walmart hiring 20 drivers to support Grantsville Utah Distribution Center 07/22/2019

Mitchell Woman Arrested After Stealing From Ind. Walmart 07/22/2019

Two men wanted in connection to electronics stolen from Clinton Twp. Mich. Walmart 07/23/2019

Police Searching For Man Who Stole Speakers From Porter Walmart 07/22/2019

Investigators looking for man who used debit cards with stolen numbers at North Augusta SC Wal-Mart 07/23/2019

Suspicious item found at Concord NC Walmart 'not an explosive device' 07/23/2019

Death under investigation; body found in NC Walmart parking lot 07/23/2019

A woman was found dead in a vehicle at the Conover Walmart on Monday.

According to Lt. Robert Clark with the Conover Police Department, officers responded to a call of a medical emergency around 8:30 p.m.

“The family has been notified, but the deceased person’s name is being withheld pending an investigation,” Clark said. ......

“I can tell you this: Probably 90 percent of rumors going around are false,” Clark said.

When asked if the case is being investigated as a possible suicide, homicide or natural causes, Clark declined to comment since the chief of police was not working on Tuesday and he is the only one who is authorized to answer that question. Complete article

UPDATE: Police confirm identity of woman found dead in Conover Walmart parking lot 07/24/2019


‘I’ll blow your head off’: Road Rage incident ends with gun pulled in Conway SC Walmart lot 07/23/2019

A weekend road rage incident spilled into a Conway Walmart parking lot where the suspects pulled out a long gun, according to a police report.

The incident happened on Saturday as the victims were driving in Conway and then cut off by the suspect’s vehicle, according to the report. The suspect then pulled alongside and started to flip off the victims and yelled at them.

Both cars pulled into the Church Street Walmart lot, and one of the suspects asked if the victims had a “staring problem,” according to the report. One of the victims said it was the suspects who had the issue.

The suspect in the passenger seat then went to the trunk and pulled out a black, long gun and said “you see what I got, I’ll blow your head off,” according to the report. The same suspect also made reference to having another gun in the car. Complete article


Teen left with broken jaw after apparent random attack in Auburndale Fla. Walmart parking lot 07/23/2019

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (FOX 13) - A teen is in need of major oral surgery after he claims he was randomly attacked by a group of men in a Walmart parking lot in Auburndale, Florida.

According to Mikael Griffey, 17, he was jumped sometime around 11 p.m. Saturday. He remembers walking toward the store entrance with his two friends and their mom when a pick-up truck pulled up next to them.

Griffey said three men and a woman got out of the pick-up truck and one of the men became confrontational. Complete article


Deputies: Man shoplifted from Macon Ga. Walmart while carrying gun 07/23/2019

MACON, Ga. -- Deputies arrested a man for Shoplifting from a Macon Walmart and Carrying a Concealed Weapon without Permit.

Bibb County Sheriff's Office says that on Saturday at 3:15 p.m., deputies were called to the Walmart at 6020 Harrison Road for a person shoplifting.

Upon arrival, deputies were informed by the Loss Prevention Officer that 38-year-old Joshua Glenn Childers, of Gray, stole items totaling $138.

When deputies checked Childers for weapons, they found a 9mm handgun hidden under his shirt inside the waistband of his pants. Childers did not have a permit for the weapon. Complete article


DPS: Man charged with stealing $90,000 in phones from Ariz. Walmart 07/23/2019

PHOENIX — A DPS task force targeting professional criminals arrested a man in Phoenix earlier this month on nearly 40 felony counts.

Troopers first started looking into 28-year-old Lewis Martinez when an Arizona ID card was found inside a vehicle during a traffic stop in early May. He was subsequently connected to vehicle burglaries and store thefts, primarily of electronics. DPS says Martinez stole an estimated $90,000 worth of Apple and Samsung phones from Walmart stores and made plans to sell them overseas.

Martinez was located July 9 near 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road and apprehended a short time later, DPS said in a news release. Complete article


Cerritos Ca. boy's stolen bike replaced by Walmart, sheriff's deputies 07/2/2019

Employees aid in arrest at Tx. Walmart 07/23/2019

Three charged, accused of stealing 47 phones from Missouri Walmart 07/23/2019

Suspect Identified In Walmart Retail Theft In Indiana Co. Pa. 07/24/2019

Police break window, pull baby out of locked car outside Alabama Walmart; 2 arrested 07/24/2019

Salem County NJ Walmart Evacuated Due To Bomb Scare, Police Say 07/24/2019

Police: Woman repeatedly stole from Decatur Ill. Walmart 07/24/2019

District Court News - Man accused of trying to use fake $100 bill at Crookston Minn. Walmart 07/24/2019

Suspected shoplifter arrested at Fla. Wal-Mart after stealing fishing lures and vodka 07/24/2019

Sheriff: Pair Arrested For Drug Sales Found Smoking Heroin In Ca. Walmart Parking Lot 07/24/2019

L.A. County sheriff's deputy involved in fight near Palmdale Ca. Walmart; suspect is injured 07/25/2019

A suspect was injured in a fight with a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy Wednesday evening near a Palmdale Walmart.

According to a department spokesman, the sheriff's deputy pursued and apprehended a suspect about 7:50 p.m. at East Avenue S and 47th Street.

The suspect resisted arrest, resulting in a fight during which the suspect was injured. Sheriff's deputies remain on-scene, and paramedics have been requested for the suspect.

The condition of the deputy is unknown, and no other injuries have been reported. Complete article


Hagerstown woman charged with assaulting son outside Md. Walmart 07/24/2019

A Hagerstown woman was charged with second-degree child abuse Tuesday after witnesses told police she choked and hit her preteen son in the parking lot of Walmart.

Stephanie Lauren Wheatley, 32, of East North Avenue, was also charged with first- and second-degree assault in the incident, which was called in to 911 by a witness at about 6:30 p.m.

Wheatley was standing next to her vehicle when an officer arrived, the document said. She told him her son had been talking back and saying inappropriate things to her and she “lost her cool.”

The son told the officer Wheatley had earlier choked him in another store before going to Walmart where she was calling him names, the document said.

Another officer spoke with several witnesses, some of whom said they saw Wheatley hit and choke the child, the document said. Complete article


Walmart self-checkout thefts: How Jackson Tenn. police and local courts enforce shoplifting laws 07/24/2019

Jackson Mayor Scott Conger's wife Jessica "Nikki" Conger received a citation for shoplifting at a Walmart self-checkout Sunday, drawing attention to Walmart's loss prevention policies and how those policies are enforced by local police and courts.

Scott Conger issued a statement on his Facebook page Tuesday, defending his wife and detailing how she and their young daughter "were detained for hours."

"This particular Walmart has a very strong anti-theft policy and they can be overzealous with their accusations," Scott Conger wrote, stating that his wife would go through the usual booking process for those accused of shoplifting.

Jessica Conger's citation alleges she failed to ring up and pay for 28 items, totaling $84.77 in value. .....

The Jackson Police Department used to arrest everyone accused of shoplifting, transporting them to the Madison County Criminal Justice Complex. This policy changed on March 27, according to a JPD patrol department memorandum. .....

JPD responded to 1,705 calls for service at Walmart North on Emporium Drive in the last two years, according to data compiled by the department. Which boils down to 2.3 calls per day. Complete article


Buckeye Ariz. Walmart employee accused of recording teen boy going to the bathroom 07/24/2019

BUCKEYE, AZ (3TV/CBS5) -- A Goodyear man has been arrested for allegedly taking a cell phone video of a teenage boy going to the bathroom at a Buckeye Walmart.

Police say 33-year-old Alan Joseph Kaufman is a district manager for Regis Corporation, which runs the salons in Walmart stores and other low cost salons.

Kaufman now faces felony charges of unlawful recording and voyeurism. Complete article


Hazmat situation over at Reno Nevada Walmart 07/24/2019

RENO, NV (KOLO))-- 10:20 p.m. update: The Reno Fire Department is leaving after determining a gas leaking at a Reno Walmart was not explosive.

The Walmart, which was evacuated, is expected to be open by 10:30 p.m.

Crews found a faulty pipe that was leaking refrigerant.

There were no injuries.

9:30 p.m. update: The Reno Fire Department found elevated levels of an explosive gas at the back of the Walmart on at 4855 Kietzke Lane and evacuated the building Wednesday night, Battalion Chief Seth Williams said. Complete article


Wal-Mart at Buffalo Ridge Fla. evacuated due to a bomb threat 07/25/2019

Police: Tipsters ID 2 Ga. Walmart shoplifting suspects, so they turned themselves in 07/25/2019

Customers evacuate after ‘suspicious package' reported inside Shelby County Tenn. Walmart 07/25/2019 Investigators said customers left the building as a precaution. They were outside the store for around three hours as crews investigated. No Bomb

Hammond Ind. Walmart Supercenter closes while crews work to restore power to store 07/24/2019

Man found dead in parking lot at Jacksonville Arkansas Walmart 07/26/2019

JACKSONVILLE, Ark. — An investigation is underway after a man was found dead in the Walmart parking lot of John Harden Drive in Jacksonville, Ark.

Police say they responded to a call about a man inside a car in the parking lot around 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 25.

No other information is being released at this time. More on this story as it develops. Complete article

JPD identify man found in vehicle unresponsive in Walmart parking lot 07/26/2019


Police: Man Impersonates Officer, Pulls Gun On Woman And Children After Road Rage Incident In Md. Walmart Parking Lot 07/25/2019

CATONSVILLE, Md. (WJZ) — A 57-year-old Baltimore County man was charged with impersonating police following a road rage incident at a Catonsville Walmart.

Gregory Sumter of the 7300 block of Kathydale Road in Lochern was arrested after police were called to the Walmart in the 6200 block of Baltimore National Pike for a weapon-related call around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday.

When officers arrived the victim told them she honked her horn at Sumter who was blocking the entrance to the Walmart parking lot. She eventually drove around the truck and parked, but Sumter followed her and block her in with his vehicle. He then allegedly identified himself as an officer and showed a silver badge, threatening the woman and her children with a gun.

An officer working secondary employment as Walmart security spoke with Sumter who denied the allegations. But witnesses confirmed the victim’s account to police.

A Special Police State of Maryland badge and a loaded revolver were recovered and confiscated. Sumter later stated he was retired Special Police and did not return his badge upon retiring. Complete article


Report: Walmart stores, malls are highest retail crime spots in Albuquerque NM 07/25/2019

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- Several business in Albuquerque are attracting more crime than others.

Albuquerque Business First compiled a list of the highest retail crime spots in Albuquerque.

The list includes six Walmart stores, Cottonwood Mall and Coronado Center. Complete article


Blountville man arrested in Tenn. Walmart robbery 07/25/2019

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn.—A Blountville man has been charged with aggravated robbery following an incident at a Johnson City Walmart.

Daniel W. Brown, 39, had also been charged with driving on a revoked license and unlawful possession without a prescription. Police said a loss prevention associate confronted him at the Browns Mill Road store after he selected merchandise and proceeded to leave the store.

When the woman confronted Brown, she said he presented a knife and turned the blade toward her. He then fled the scene, but was later arrested. Brown is being held on $10,000 bail at the Washington County Detention Center. Complete article

Johnson City man arrested after allegedly pulling knife on Walmart worker 07/25/2019


Sheriff's Office: Boy charged in Andover Minn. Walmart evacuation case 07/25/2019

A juvenile male faces charges in connection with the June 22 evacuation of a Walmart store in Andover.

The boy, who is charged with threats of violence, allegedly admitted to officers that after seeing the recipe online he had mixed a concoction of chemicals that created an obnoxious cloud of smoke in the Walmart, according to Lt. Daniel Douglas with the Anoka County Sheriff’s Office.

Customers were evacuated from the Walmart after a report of a noxious smell and smoke coming from within the store. Deputies and customers reported burning sensations in the eyes and throat after coming in contact with the smoke, according to a Sheriff’s Office report to the Andover City Council.

Two customers were transported to the hospital. One had lingering concerns up to a week after the incident, Douglas said. Complete article Reported last month with only partial details.


Walmart employees terrified after company fires an employee for anonymously posting confidential information on Reddit 07/25/2019

(BY; HAYLEY PETERSON, BUSINESS INSIDER) -- Some Walmart employees are fearful that the company is spying on their social-media activity after a worker was fired this week for anonymous Reddit postings.

The fired employee was a regular contributor to a highly active Walmart-focused forum on Reddit with more than 54,000 subscribers.

He was fired earlier this month for sharing confidential information, including internal company documents about a new Walmart initiative called "great workplace" that is being tested in some stores.

The employee announced his termination on Monday in a post on Reddit that advised Walmart workers to "be mindful" of the company's confidentiality policy. He said the firing was "entirely" his fault and that Walmart officials presented him with printouts of his Reddit profile during a meeting before his termination. Complete article


Walmart In Bounds to Fire Protesting Workers, Labor Board Says 07/26/2019

Walmart Stores Inc. legally disciplined and fired workers who took part in protests six years ago to improve wages and working conditions at the retail giant, a divided National Labor Relations Board ruled July 25.

The workers’ “Ride for Respect” protest was an intermittent strike—a series of short-term work stoppages with a common goal—that isn’t protected by federal labor law, the NLRB said in its 2-1 ruling. The opinion overturned an administrative law judge’s earlier decision against Walmart.

“This is one of those rare straightforward cases” in which it’s clear that the strike was intermittent and thus not protected by... Complete article


Walmart marries AI and human intelligence for in-home grocery delivery 07/25/2019

At Transform 2019, Walmart’s VP of customer experience engineering Aanan Contractor and Walmart ecommerce’s VP, Lucinda Newcomb sat down with FEM CEO Rachel Payne to discuss Walmart’s latest forays into blending the online and offline worlds using AI and automation.

The fastest-growing illustration of this is grocery pick-up of orders made online; by the end of the year, the service will be available in 3,000 out of Walmart’s 5,000 stores.

“Think about a family,” says Newcomb. “You have two little kids strapped in the back seat, and instead of having to get them in a cart and push them around, you can just roll up and have somebody bring out everything you wanted.”

The goal is to enable Walmart customers to do this as efficiently and easily as possible. Their data shows that 65% of a customer’s order will be a repeat basket, re-stocking things they buy regularly. “It shouldn’t take, every week, 30 to 40 minutes to build that basket,” says Aanan. “How do we leverage voice commerce? Walmart has a very good partnership with Google in terms of launching our voice ordering system. It’s as easy as saying, hey, Google, talk to Walmart.” Complete article


This Robo-Van Startup Will Handle Walmart's 'Middle Mile' 07/26/2019

ARKANSAS SHOPPERS WHO like ordering their groceries online and picking them up at their local Walmart will soon get a bit of extra help from a self-driving robot—though few will realize it. In a deal announced this week, Walmart will use robo-vans from startup Gatik to help move goods from its Supercenter in Rogers, Arkansas, to a Neighborhood Market in nearby Bentonville, where customers can get their bags with laundry detergent, paper towels, potato chips, and whatever else. Complete article


Search for shoplifting suspect at Conyers Ga. Walmart 07/26/2019

Man accused of making meth in car parked at Massena NY Walmart 07/26/2019

Sentence handed down for Minnesota woman accused of stealing from Menomonie Walmart 07/26/2019 Dunn County Judge Roderick Cameron sentenced Maxwell to three years of probation as well as 100 hours of community service. She must also pay $2,305.94 in restitution.

Breaking News: Bomb threat at Walmart in Jasper Alabama 07/26/2019

Person found dead in parking lot of High Point NC Walmart 07/26/2019

HIGH POINT, N.C. — A person was found dead in a Walmart parking lot in High Point, according to police.

At about 8:20 a.m. Friday, officers responded to a medical call at the Walmart at 2628 S. Main St.

Police have not identified the person.

Multiple officers and an ambulance were on scene through the morning.

Police said the incident “does not look criminal.” Complete article


Shooting near Sam's Club in Corona Ca. injured man 07/25/2019

CORONA, Calif. (FOX 11) - One person has been injured in a shooting near a Sam's Club store in the city of Corona Thursday evening, police say.

The shooting happened in the area of Ontario Avenue and California Avenue.

Corona police say the gunman left the scene before officers arrived. The victim, a man in his 30s, was located suffering from a gunshot wound and taken to a local hospital.

Police say the victim is not cooperating with authorities and is not providing vital information. No suspect description is available at this time. Complete article

Deadly Shooting Reported In Pomona 07/25/2019


Walmart and CVS are among the retailers being sued for aiding the spread of opioids 07/23/2019

Plaintiffs are seeking billions of dollars in restitution.

Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid are among the superstores and chain drugstores named in what will be a major trial regarding corporate complicity in the opioid epidemic.

As reported by the New York Times, the lawsuit filed in federal court last Friday seeks billions of dollars in restitution from corporations that inundated the market with prescription opioids, and consists of almost 2,000 individual cases brought by cities, counties, and Native American tribes around the country where opioid addiction levied heavy death tolls. The lawsuit is expected to go to trial — the biggest civil trial in US history, per the Washington Post — in October.

The case is the latest in a years-long public reckoning over the prescription painkillers that have wreaked havoc in the US, getting millions hooked, killing hundreds of thousands, and leaving vulnerable communities devastated. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, more than 130 people die per day from opioid-related overdoses. In 2017, more than half of the reported 47,600 opioid overdose deaths were attributed to synthetic opioids, like fentanyl. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention puts the prescription opioid mortality rate — from painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet — at 218,000 between 1999 and 2017. In 2016, HHS reported that 11.4 million people were misusing prescription opioids, prompting the US government to declare a public health emergency the following year.

While pharmaceutical companies like Purdue Pharma have faced litigation over the mass production of painkillers, this is the first legal action taken against retailers that distribute those pills. The suit seeks to hold Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, and others accountable for not abiding by laws that mandate pharmacies alert the Drug Enforcement Administration of suspicious orders, and for creating a “public nuisance,” which the New York Times characterizes as “a continuing crisis that affects the far reaches of public health, including neonatal intensive care, foster care, emergency services, detox and rehabilitation programs and the criminal justice system.” Complete article


Walmart investigating after Ariz. mom claims baby formula tampered with 07/26/2019

(KPNX) A Phoenix, Arizona mom is warning others to check their baby formula after she says her 9-month-old daughter got sick drinking formula that she believes was tampered with.

Madeline Roque says she bought baby formula from a Valley Walmart a few days ago. She prepared a bottle for her baby on Wednesday and noticed her daughter, Adeline didn't want to drink it.

She made two more bottles before she started to notice something was not right.

"On the fourth bottle, when I was making it, I did realize something was definitely wrong. The color was different, the texture was different, so I just knew it wasn't milk,” said Roque. Complete article


Taco Seasoning Sold At Walmart Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination 07/26/2019

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Taco seasoning sold at Walmart stores across the country, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, has been recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination. The taco seasoning is sold under the Great Value brand.

The recalled products are 1 ounce and are labeled “Great Value Mild Taco Seasoning Mix.” They have a “Best if used” date of July 8, 2021, or July 9, 2021. The item number is 0 78742 24572 0 and the product UPC is 0 78742 24572 0.

Williams Foods LLC is also recalling “HEB Taco Seasoning Mix Reduced Sodium” which are sold at HEB stores in Texas. The 1.25 ounces of seasoning have a “Better by” date of July, 10, 2021, July, 11, 2021, or July, 15, 2021. The item number is 050215 and the product UPC is 0 41220 79609 0. Complete article


Customer alleges Tx. Sam's Club negligence caused her to fall in store 07/26/2019

HOUSTON — A Houston woman is suing Sam's Club, alleging she was caused to slip and fall on a substance in one of the defendant's stores.

Angela Dewalt filed a complaint on July 22 in Harris County District Court against Sam's Club East Inc., alleging gross negligence and liability.

According to the complaint, Dewalt was a guest at a Sam's Club, 7950 F.M. 1960 W., in Houston on July 15. The suit alleges Dewalt slipped and fell on an unknown liquid substance in an aisle, causing her to sustain serious injuries and leading to pain, suffering, disfigurement and medical expenses.

Dewalt seeks more than $1 million in damages, trial by jury, court costs, interest and all other just relief. She is represented by attorneys Anjali Sharma and R. Clive Markland of Roberts Markland LLP in Houston. Complete article


Attorney alleges discrimination against employee of WV Sam's Club 07/26/2019

A Sam’s Club employee who greeted customers at the door of the store from her wheelchair is still an employee, a Sam’s Club corporate spokeswoman said Thursday.

Sam’s Club managers are currently hammering out a plan to have the worker “back in the store” as early as next week, Sam’s Club spokeswoman Carrie McKnight said.

“We recognize, as the community does, that she is incredibly valuable,” said McKnight. “She is now and always has been an associate. Complete article


Thieves use stolen credit card at Tx. Home Depot, Walmart 07/29/2019

Worthington Minn. man arrested for Walmart theft 07/27/2019

Man dies after shooting outside Walmart in Auburn Me. 07/28/2019

AUBURN — The man who was fatally shot Saturday evening in the parking lot of Walmart has been identified as Jean Fournier, 41, of Turner.

Fournier was shot twice in the back over an apparent road rage dispute, according to police.

He died at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said detectives worked well into the night questioning a man involved in the shooting, along with several others who were nearby. Complete article

Police still investigating, no one yet charged after man was shot and killed in Walmart parking lot 07/29/2019

Victim’s girlfriend says petty dispute precipitated shooting at Walmart 07/31/2019


One person injured in shooting at Sam's Club parking lot in Franklin Wisc.; Milwaukee resident arrested 07/27/2019

One person is injured and another is in custody after a shooting Saturday in the parking lot of a Franklin Sam’s Club.

Franklin police responded about 12:15 p.m. to the store, 6705 S. 27th St., for a report of a person who was shot.

Paramedics took that person to a hospital and police arrested a 56-year-old Milwaukee resident. Complete article


Motorcyclist hospitalized after wreck at Tx. Walmart 07/28/2019

VICTORIA, Texas - The Victoria Police Department along with Victoria Fire Department responded to a call of motorcyclist losing control at Walmart.

According to a bystander the motorcyclist was popping a wheelie before losing control and wrecking but that information is not confirmed by police.

Vpd says the motorcyclist ran his bike onto the curb and lost control of it. The bike then tipped over on top of him. Complete article


Child Hit By Car at Walmart in Manchester Conn. 07/28/2019

A child was hit by a car in a Walmart parking lot in Manchester Sunday afternoon.

Police said they responded to Buckland Hills Drive at around 2:45 p.m.

The 3-year-old's mother said a car knocked over her child while backing out of a parking spot, according to police.

The car then fled the scene, police said. Complete article


Walmart anti-theft tactic holds up shoppers in Mount Pleasant SC store 07/29/2019

Shoppers at at least one Charleston-area Walmart store may have noticed a couple of changes near the front doors lately. ....

Walmart patrons on two Saturdays this month encountered clerks who asked to inspect their receipts as they headed for the doors.

The issue has raised some discussion online about whether the added delay is legal and whether consumers must comply. A web search of “Walmart asking to see receipt” generates a raft of varying opinions on the matter.

At the Mount Pleasant store, Keene said, the “customer host” was most likely trying to reduce shoplifting through the company’s “More at the Door” program in 3,300 U.S. stores since 2016. Complete article


Walmart Sex Bias Case Dealt Blow 07/29/2019

A federal judge in Florida ruled earlier this month that 79 women with claims of sex discrimination against Walmart must file their cases against the Bentonville retailer as individual lawsuits, rather than as a group.

The ruling is the latest blow to the plaintiffs, who allege they didn’t receive the same pay as men for the same jobs at Walmart. Some of the women also allege they weren’t promoted because of their sex.

Walmart has argued for years that allegations involving pay discrimination should be tried individually and not as a class action or as a group of women. Complete article


Apple and Amazon become top U.S. solar users, besting Target and Walmart 07/25/2019

Apple has spent nearly a decade dramatically expanding its use of solar energy across the United States, and the effort has paid off: The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) reports today that Apple now has the most installed solar capacity of any U.S. company, followed by Amazon, as both companies vaulted over prior industry leaders Target and Walmart. But there’s a catch.

In the Solar Means Business 2017 report, Apple ranked fourth behind both of the top brick-and-mortar retailers and Prologis, an industrial warehouse company, while Amazon ranked tenth, below such retailers as Kohls, Costco, Ikea, and Macy’s. The SEIA’s just-published 2018 report showed Apple and Amazon surging as measured by megawatts of installed solar capacity, with Apple at 393.3MW to Amazon’s 329.8MW. Target jumped from 203.5MW in 2017 to 229.7MW in 2018, and Walmart from 149.4MW to 208.9MW, but the year-over-year gains from their digital-first competitors were comparatively huge. Complete article


‘Unjustified and unreasonable’: Navy, Walmart, Va. attorney general and legal aid workers oppose Dominion’s profit 07/28/2019

Federal and state agencies, Walmart and a group advocating on behalf of low-income Virginians have emerged as unlikely bedfellows in an effort to push back against a proposal by Dominion Energy Virginia to increase the profits that its shareholders can reap.

The U.S. Navy, testifying on behalf of the federal executive agencies, called the proposal “excessive and unwarranted.” The Virginia Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Consumer Counsel declared that it was based on “highly unrealistic assumptions.” The Virginia Poverty Law Center described it as “unjustified and unreasonable.” And Walmart, while taking a less strident stance, called it “counter to broader electric industry trends.”

The proposal in question was put forward by Dominion this spring, when the investor-owned utility asked the State Corporation Commission to increase its allowable return on equity from 9.2 percent to 10.75 percent. Complete article


2 arrested in connection to shooting death of man found in Fla. Walmart parking lot 07/29/2019

La. WalMart temporarily closed on Range Avenue due to sewer issue; reopening unknown 07/29/2019

Austintown police identify woman in connection to Ohio Walmart thefts 07/29/2019

Two dead, at least two injured in Southaven Mississippi Walmart shooting 07/30/2019

Two people were dead when authorities arrived at a Walmart in Southaven on Tuesday morning.

Officers responded to an active shooter call about 6:30 a.m., where they found the two who are believed to be employees, according to DeSoto County Sheriff Bill Rasco.

The suspect was also an employee at the Walmart until Monday, the Sheriff said. That suspect was injured and taken to Regional One Medical Center.

One Southaven officer was shot and taken to DeSoto Baptist Hospital. He is expected to be OK, the sheriff said. Complete article

Southaven Walmart shooting: Reopening of store is delayed as workers clear fire damage 07/31/2019

The Walmart in Southaven, Mississippi, where two men were shot and killed this week, remained closed as workers cleaned up damage from a fire that was set inside the business, a company spokesman said.

“We’re working as quickly as possible to get the store reopened,” Casey Staheli, a Walmart spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon. He didn’t give a specific time frame for reopening.

The fire took place Tuesday morning, around the same time that two employees at the same Walmart location, Brandon Gales, 38, and Anthony Brown, 40, were fatally shot.

Authorities identified the suspect in the fire and shooting as 39-year old Martez Tarrell Abram, who had recently been suspended from his job at the Walmart. He was shot by police at the scene and taken to a Memphis hospital.

Mississippi Walmart Shooting: Multiple People Wounded 07/30/2019 WREG’s Jerrita Patterson reports that the deceased person is a manager of the store who was shot in the head. Patterson later reported that employees of the store told her that the suspect is a “disgruntled employee,” this has not been confirmed by authorities.

Police respond to active shooting report at Walmart in North Mississippi 07/30/2019 A worker was shot to death, according to WREG reporter Jerrita Patterson. .... The shooter is also dead, according to a live report from WREG. (This report is almost certainly false; other reports claim another employee is dead and the shooter along with a cop were both injured and hospitalized.

'Disgruntled employee' kills 2 co-workers, wounds officer inside Mississippi Walmart 07/30/2019 Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite called the shooter a "disgruntled employee" with "a personal grievance with his employer."

Prosecutor: Suspect in deadly Mississippi Walmart shooting has no criminal history 07/30/2019

Neighbors describe suspected Walmart shooter as quiet and nice 07/30/2019

The Latest: Suspect in Walmart shooting showed knife at work 07/30/2019

Southaven Walmart shooting: police report describes knife incident 3 days earlier 07/31/2019 "(Name redacted) advised that he got into an argument with Martez Abram over who moved the inventory they were placing on display when Abram lifted up his shirt and showed (name redacted) a brown and green hunting knife in his waist band.


Grand Chute Wisc. police investigate Monday morning robbery at Walmart 07/29/2019

GRAND CHUTE - Police are investigating a robbery that took place Monday morning at Walmart.

Officers responded shortly after 11:30 a.m. to the Walmart at 955 N. Mutual Way, according to the Grand Chute Police Department.

A white male entered the store with his face and arms painted, walked up to the customer service desk and gave an employee a note, police said. The note had a demand for money and claimed the suspect had a gun.

"Although there was mention of a gun in the note, no gun was shown to employees," police said. Complete article


POLICE: Louisville man stole from Ky. Walmart store, threatened employees with machete 07/29/2019

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Police arrested a man authorities say stole several pieces of lawn equipment from a Walmart store.

James Parrish Jr., 47, was arrested on Sunday at his home in the 5200 block of Sprucewood Drive, which is near Billtown and Fairground Roads.

According to police, on July 4, Parrish tried to take items from the Walmart located at 2020 Bashford Manor Lane. Police say Parrish and a co-defendant loaded a cart with a lawnmower, hedge trimmer and weed eater. Parrish then pushed the cart outside and made no attempt to pay for the merchandise.

Two store employees approached Parrish and asked for a receipt. Investigators say Parrish then handed the employees a fake receipt.

According to police, he then pulled out a machete and pointed it at the employees and ordered them to back away from him as he left the store. Complete article


Police search for woman accused of urinating on produce at West Mifflin Pa. Walmart 07/30/2019

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — West Mifflin police are searching for a woman who allegedly urinated on produce at a Walmart store.

Police said the incident happened at the store on Century Drive but they did not say when the incident occurred.

Investigators did release surveillance images, asking anyone who recognizes the woman to contact them. Click the video player above to see the surveillance images. Complete article

Police Chief: Woman Accused Of Urinating On Potatoes In Walmart Facing Charges After Turning Herself In 07/30/2019

Surveillance video of woman urinating on potatoes at Walmart not seen until next day 07/31/2019


Deputies looking for teen who allegedly urinated on shelf at Tx. Walmart 07/29/2019

Deputies say the teenager was with a group of friends who also attempted to steal a case of beer.

PORTER, Texas — Deputies are looking for a teenager who allegedly urinated on a shelf in a Walmart over the weekend.

It happened Saturday at the Walmart located at 23561 US-59 and video of the incident was posted to social media, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office said. Complete article

Teen who allegedly urinated on Walmart shelf identified and charged 07/30/2019


For 17 years, he's been stealing wallets from elderly women at Kroger, Target and Walmart 07/30/2019

A 59-year-old man who has been stealing wallets from women’s purses – many of them elderly – for at least 17 years told a judge Tuesday he is a changed man after pleading guilty in his most recent case.

Since 2002, Terry McGinnis has targeted victims at Walmart, Meijer and Kroger stores throughout the area, according to prosecutors and court documents.

In March, McGinnis stole the wallet from the purse of a 75-year-old woman who was shopping at a Walmart in Westwood, court documents say. Complete article


“Flash mob” sparks police response at Ohio Walmart 07/29/2019

Sylvania Twp., OHIO (WTVG) - An overnight flash mob sparked police to show up at the Walmart on Central Avenue.

According to Sylvania Township Police a large crowd pulled into the parking lot of the store around 1:00 AM Tuesday then went inside.

Police tell 13abc employees called 911, concerned that a fight might break out. Police say the group didn’t cause any damage, they performed a dance or display inside the store and then left.

Police officers from Sylvania Twp., Toledo and members of the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office were on scene for more than an hour.

If you were inside the store or part of the “flash mob” share your videos with 13abc on Facebook. Complete article

Teens could face charges in disturbance at Walmart 07/30/2019 Twenty-four people, mostly between the ages of 13 and 18, are listed as possible suspects in a disturbance at the 5821 W. Central Ave. store in which a group of teens with selfie sticks and phone cameras were recording themselves knocking over property, a Sylvania Township police report shows.

The teens reportedly walked through freshly waxed floors, knocked over pallets of freight, and rode electric scooters into fixtures while throwing merchandise on the floor, the report said. No damages or thefts were reported, but charges are pending review of the surveillance video, according to the report.


Walmart, Nordstrom Are Building Stores Exclusively Where Shoppers Can Retrieve Online Orders 07/27/2019

Traditional brick-and-mortar stores alone are not enough to stay ahead in the digital era. America’s shoppers want convenient, hassle-free experiences.

So Walmart and Nordstrom are building physical stores that don’t actually sell anything. The two retailers are creating small hubs in big cities and dense suburban areas for shoppers to retrieve their online grocery and clothing orders. These new locations give them access to shoppers who want their stuff in a hurry without schlepping out to regular big-box stores or waiting around for home delivery. Complete article


Mobile Alabama Police respond to report of bomb threat at I-65 Walmart 07/3/2019

Maryland man charged with gun possession outside Lancaster NY Walmart 07/30/2019

Gunfire at Arkansas Walmart under investigation, police say 07/30/2019

Police in Sheridan were investigating after they received a report of gunfire at a Walmart Tuesday morning.

Officers were dispatched to the Walmart, 1308 S. Rock Street, at about 6:40 a.m., according to a news release by the department. Although the incident was initially reported as a shooting, neither a shooter nor any victims were found at the store, the release states.

Sheridan police Chief Jason Teague said investigators believe the shots were fired in the store’s parking lot, but that no injuries were reported to authorities.

An investigation into the shooting call is ongoing, the release states. Though persons of interest have been identified, Teague declined on Tuesday to release their identities. Complete article

Update: Sheridan man arrested in investigation of shooting at Walmart store, police say 07/31/2019


FBI: Southaven shooting marks 5th active shooter incident in Walmart stores since 2000 07/30/2019 This criteria is very limited; Walmart had over 100 shootings for each of the last three years; going back to 2000 will add up to well over a thousand shootings. Most of these weren't classified as "active shootings, since many include accidents, suicides or shootings that ended quickly; however there were also many more false alarms, including a few caused by police, one of which was started when they used flash bang grenades at a Colorado Walmart a couple months ago. No explanation has been given for that, that I know if.

SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (WMC) - According to information compiled by the FBI, Tuesday’s Southaven shooting is the fifth active shooter incident at a Walmart since 2000.

On Tuesday morning, two Walmart employees were shot and killed while at work and an officer was injured. The suspect -- a disgruntled employee -- was also shot by an officer.

Walmart says they are working with law enforcement to help with the investigation. The company also issued a statement via twitter saying, “Our hearts are with the victims.”

The FBI’s database reports previous shootings in Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada, Grand Forks, North Dakota and Thornton, Colorado.

The list includes 32 pages regarding active shootings that have occurred across the U.S. since 2000. Complete article


Bloody car, Walmart vest lead to suspect in Georgia machete attack 07/3/2019

AUSTELL, Ga. — Police say a machete-wielding man accused of attacking a customer in a gas station parking lot was apprehended after he left his Walmart employee vest and name badge behind, and blood stains were later found on his car.

Cellphone video captured the dramatic attack Saturday at a Texaco station in Austell, Georgia, just outside Atlanta.

A newly released Cobb County police report says Joshua Evans was cut on his back, elbow, hand and finger. Shardai Abernathy told police the man with the machete also punched her in the face. Complete article


Two People Arrested After Stabbing at 7th Street Walmart in Reno Nevada 07/30/2019

The Reno Police Department said they received a call of a stabbing at the Walmart on 7th Street on Tuesday afternoon.

They said around 3:40 p.m. a male victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. They say the victim is recovering now.

They said an unknown Hispanic male suspect left the area in a grey sedan with unknown Nevada license plates. Complete article


Missouri Board of Equalization denies Walmart, Sam's Club assessment appeals 07/31/2019

On its second and last day to meet this year, the Cole County Board of Equalization denied appeals to the assessed valuation figures for Walmart Supercenter stores on West Stadium Boulevard and Supercenter Drive in Jefferson City as well as the company's Sam's Club store on Stoneridge Parkway in Jefferson City.

Attorney Gerald Wallach, representing Walmart, asked the board Tuesday to deny the company's appeals in hopes he and the assessors could meet, as they had done in 2017, to reach an agreement before they would have to take their case to the State Tax Commission.

If dissatisfied with the board's decision, a property owner can appeal to the State Tax Commission and, thereafter, the circuit court. Complete article


Artist Sues Ellen DeGeneres, Walmart Over "Love" Logo on EV1 Apparel Line 07/30/2019

"Nothing is more antithetical to a street artist’s credibility than association with mass-market consumerism — of which Walmart is the epitome."

Walmart and Ellen DeGeneres are being sued over their collaborative EV1 line by a New York artist who doesn't love their alleged use of his design.

Julian Rivera on Monday filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the retail giant and the talk show icon, claiming his "love" design was copied without permission on the clothing.

The artist says he has carefully avoided association with corporate culture and has diligently controlled distribution of his work in order to protect his reputation. Complete article


University of California Wants a Cut of ‘Edison’ Bulb Sales from Walmart, Target, and Amazon 07/30/2019

The University of California is looking to halt imports of vintage-style LED light bulbs that are sold at five of the nation’s biggest retailers, including Walmart, Target, and Amazon.

The University of California Santa Barbara says the retailers should be paying it royalties from sales of the bulbs. Bed Bath & Beyond and Ikea of Sweden also were named in the complaint filed Tuesday with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington and in civil suits in federal court in Los Angeles.

The energy-efficient light bulbs are designed to imitate the iconic look of the ones developed by Thomas A. Edison, who invented the first mass-marketed incandescent bulb. The dangling Edison bulbs, with their old-fashioned look, glowing filaments, and sepia tones, are popular at American restaurants and with modern home designers. Complete article


Shallotte NC police seek ID of Walmart larceny suspect 07/30/2019

Police: Arrested after prowling the Tenn. Walmart Parking Lot 07/31/2019

Man left toddler in hot car while he shoplifted blender from Alabama Walmart, cops say 07/31/2019

Man arrested after he allegedly stole a shopping cart full of items from WV Walmart 07/31/2019

Benton Arkansas police searching for suspect who stole paintball gun from Walmart 07/31/2019

Tallahassee woman accused of pulling handgun on victim in Fla. Walmart parking lot 07/31/2019

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A Tallahassee woman is out on bond after being arrested for pulling a gun on a victim in the parking lot of the Walmart on North Monroe Street.

On May 16, arrest documents say Erin McNeil and another woman got into an argument in the parking lot.

The victim told investigators that she was driving down an isle in the parking lot when she and McNeil got into a confrontation.

That's when documents say McNeil brandished a handgun and pointed it directly at the victim through her windshield, stating "I'm packing! I'll shoot you!" According to the victim, McNeil later motioned for the victim to come over the her car, but the victim instead grabbed her son and went into the Walmart to call 911. Complete article


Evanoff: How do we tame episodes of workplace violence, like we saw at Southaven Mississippi Walmart? 07/31/2019

Americans own guns. They see the incessant news about gun violence. When they want to make a point, avenge a slight, what do they do? Many load their gun. But America can push back.

Work was the place you could get away from what was bothering you at home.

Wife’s ill. Bills piling up. Kids rebelling.

Get up in the morning and go to work.

Drown out the stuff bugging you at home.

That’s kind of how you grew up thinking about work in America. Work was not really a haven, though it felt like safe ground. Certainly, no one would shoot you there. Complete article


Woman loses hair ‘in clumps' after Nair was allegedly mixed into conditioner bought at Wisc. Walmart 07/31/2019

NEW RICHMOND, Wis. - In a “very, very traumatic” experience, a Wisconsin woman’s hair fell out in clumps after Nair hair removal cream was mixed in her conditioner, according to her mother.

Ashley Rose, of New Richmond, Wisconsin, had bought Pantene Pro-V Sheer Volume conditioner at her local Walmart last week. .....

Attention New Richmond Wisconsin Walmart shoppers be aware of shampoo and conditioner you buy there as my daughter Ashley Rose bought some 2 days ago and someone mixed nair in her conditioner bottle!!!! As I speak she is losing hair and crying!! Conditioner below this conditioner is supposed to be white is is a ugly...

Timm wrote that the police and detectives are going to be watching camera footage. Complete article


Milton-Freewater Oregon pastor who broke neck sues Walmart 07/31/2019

A youth pastor from Milton-Freewater who broke his neck in 2017 is suing Walmart for more than $3 million, alleging the company is responsible for his injury because a harness inside an inflatable Bubble Ball gave way during a church camp game, according to The Oregonian.

Joshua Ashley, who was immobilized and bedridden for nearly a year, seeks $2 million in noneconomic damages and $250,000 in economic damages for his June 27, 2017, injury. His wife, Katie Ashley, is seeking another $1 million in noneconomic damages for her distress and loss of care, comfort and companionship, according to the article.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, alleges that the Bubble Ball was in “an unreasonably dangerous and defective condition” and that while Walmart Inc. bought the product from China, the company failed to inspect it for any defects or warn users of potential dangers, according to The Oregonian. Complete article


Walmart’s Semi-Secret Effort to Become Internet-Cool 07/3/2019

The explosion of influencer-approved, online-only brands has led even the largest companies to attempt all kinds of experiments. One of the strangest is the new Potemkin startup Allswell, which pitches its almost entirely online-only, direct-to-consumer mattresses, and a selection of bedding, to people willing to pay more than is typical for a mattress from a deep discounter.

Allswell launched like other direct-to-consumer startups of its ilk, starting with paid mentions among social-media influencers and a wacky marketing... Complete article


Mountain Home Arkansas Walmart employee arrested for cash thefts 07/3/2019 Backowski was serving as the asset protection manager for the Mountain Home Walmart when the accusations were made.

1 stood lookout as they boosted nearly $14,000 worth of items from SC Walmart 07/31/2019 The suspects took 14 iPhones and put them into a cart covered by a shirt, according to the report.

UPDATE: Urbana Ill. Walmart reopens after unfounded bomb threat 07/31/2019



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