The Zellman Group Supports the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund

The Zellman Group, LLC and the Loss Prevention Foundation are teaming up at NRF PROTECT 2022 to support the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund. The Zellman Group, a doctorate-level partner with the Loss Prevention Foundation is donating 100% of the proceeds from a sports memorabilia silent auction at NRF PROTECT 2022 in Cleveland, OH.

An example of some of the items being auctioned includes an Alex Morgan autographed jersey, a Bobby Knight autographed photo of a chair toss, a Mariano Rivera autographed “Sandman” jersey, and a rare Joe DiMaggio autographed baseball. The silent auction table will be in The Zellman Group’s booth #4009.

The Zellman Group and the Loss Prevention Foundation are looking forward to seeing how the LP community shows their support for the Loss Prevention Benevolent Fund at NRF PROTECT 2022.
 

Summer 2022 Weekend Shooting Analysis
America's Crime & Violence Surge Continues

337 Shootings - 121 killed - 366 Injured in 15 Big Cities Over Last 3 Weekends
The D&D Daily's Big City Weekend Violence Study - Memorial Day to Labor Day

The Daily's study analyzes weekend shooting data in 15 major U.S. cities from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend 2022

Starting Memorial Day Weekend, the D&D Daily began compiling and analyzing data from 15 major U.S. cities to get a snapshot of summer gun violence.

This past weekend, from June 10th through June 12th, there were 81 shootings recorded in these same cities, resulting in 30 deaths and 94 injuries

The chart below shows the totals for each of the past three weekends dating back to Memorial Day weekend.

The D&D Daily will continue to track this data throughout the summer to capture the weekend violence trend in our nation's big cities as warm weather typically brings about more crime and violence.

Click here to see the list of incidents per city and follow along each week as this spreadsheet will be updated every Monday. docs.google.com

Read more coverage about America's crime and gun violence epidemic in the section below
 

The U.S. Crime Surge
The Retail Impact

Retail 'CEOs for Gun Safety'
Dick’s, Levi’s and other retail CEOs urge Senate to take action on guns
The chief executive officers of more than 200 companies signed an open letter to the U.S. Senate asking it to “take bold urgent action to address our gun violence epidemic” in the wake of deadly mass shootings in Buffalo, New York; Uvalde, Texas; and other cities.

Among the signers were the heads of retail and apparel companies, including Dick’s Executive Chairman Ed Stack and CEO Lauren Hobart; J. Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle; Kenneth Cole, chairman and CEO of the eponymously named apparel company; Levi Strauss & Co. CEO Chip Bergh; Lululemon Athletica CEO Calvin McDonald; Poshmark CEO and founder Manish Chandra and others.

Throughout the letter, the corporate leaders — who dubbed themselves “CEOs For Gun Safety” — did not advocate for any specific measures or gun reforms but rather painted a bleak picture of the heavy toll of endless gun violence in the U.S.

They cited research showing that 110 people are killed by guns daily and another 200 are wounded. “These shootings happen in homes and at cookouts, in schools and houses of worship, in local businesses and big box stores, and on the streets our children travel every day,” the letter states. “Among the affected are our employees, our customers, and the communities we work in. And our kids: guns are now the leading cause of death among children and teens.”

They also pointed to research showing that gun violence costs the country $280 billion per year, while employers lose a collective $1.4 million per day in productivity and revenue from gun violence.

With the persistence of mass shootings and gun violence over the years, and the lack of legislation to address the issue, some large retailers moved to limit their sales. Walmart has stopped ammunition sales for handguns and military-style rifles, raised the minimum age for gun purchases to 21, and stopped selling assault-style rifles and handguns. The retailer has also asked customers not to openly carry firearms in its stores in markets where the law allows.

Dick’s also has been gradually pulling back from gun sales, removing the hunting department from hundreds of its sporting goods stores and paring back its Field & Stream banner. Dick’s has also lobbied the government for more gun control measures. retaildive.com

7 Mass Shootings in the U.S. Over the Weekend
At least 5 dead, 27 injured as wave of weekend mass shootings in US continues
At least seven mass shootings have occurred across the country since Friday night, making this the fourth consecutive weekend in which U.S. law enforcement officers have responded to multiple incidents involving four or more victims shot.

Shootings this weekend have left at least five people dead and 27 injured in seven cities, according to the Gun Violence Archive, a site that tracks shootings across the country. The website defines a mass shooting as a single incident involving four or more victims.

The string of consecutive weekend mass casualty incidents began over the Memorial Day holiday, when at least 17 shootings left a total of 13 dead and 79 injured in cities across the country, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Memphis and Chattanooga, Tenn. Last weekend, at least 11 mass shootings erupted, leaving a total of 17 dead and 62 injured across the nation.

Since a May 14 suspected racially motivated attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket left 10 Black people dead and 18-year-old white teenager charged with multiple counts of murder, there have been at least 63 mass shootings nationwide, an average of two per day, including the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Adding to the carnage were mass-casualty shootings this weekend in New Orleans, Detroit, Louisville, Kentucky; Decatur, Georgia; Antioch, Tenn.; Gary, Indiana; and for the third straight weekend in Chicago. yahoo.com

Deal Reached for Modest New Gun Restrictions
Senators strike bipartisan gun deal, heralding potential breakthrough
A bipartisan group of senators announced Sunday that it had reached a tentative agreement on legislation that would pair modest new gun restrictions with significant new mental health and school security investments — a deal that could put Congress on a path to enacting the most significant national response in decades to acts of mass gun violence.

Twenty senators — 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans — signed a statement announcing the framework deal. That indicated that the agreement could have enough GOP support to defeat a filibuster, the Senate supermajority rule that has impeded prior gun legislation.

Under the tentative deal, a federal grant program would encourage states to implement “red flag” laws that allow authorities to keep guns away from people found by a judge to represent a potential threat to themselves or others, while federal criminal background checks for gun buyers under 21 would include a mandatory search of juvenile justice and mental health records for the first time.

Other provisions would prevent gun sales to domestic violence offenders beyond just spouses, closing what is often called the “boyfriend loophole”; clarify which gun sellers are required to register as federal firearms dealers and, thus, run background checks on their customers; and establish new federal offenses related to gun trafficking.

The agreement does not include a provision supported by President Biden, congressional Democrats and a handful of Republicans that would raise the minimum age for the purchase of at least some rifles from 18 to 21. Handguns are already subject to a federal 21-and-over age limit. washingtonpost.com

NY's Effort to Fight Climb Explosion
New Push in NY to Force Gunmakers to Adopt Microstamping

Microstamping is a type of technology that imprints codes to ammunition as it is fired, creating a unique signature police could use to help solve crimes

New York this week became the second state to enact a law intended to force firearms manufacturers to adopt microstamping, a technology in which guns imprint tiny codes on ammunition cartridges as they are fired — creating a unique signature police could use to help solve crimes.

Big questions remain, though, about whether the new law will actually result in such guns being offered for sale. California passed a similar law 15 years ago, and since then no handgun capable of microstamping has been introduced for sale in that state.

Instead, gunmakers have pulled new handgun models from the California market rather than equip them with the technology, which critics say is costly, unworkable and of questionable valuable as a crimefighting tool. Both states are now trying new tactics to pressure manufacturers. Backers of New York’s new law say it has a chance to succeed where California initially failed.

A pair of engineers in New Hampshire are credited with inventing microstamping as a potential law enforcement tool three decades ago. The process involves engraving a serial number inside the firearm, on the tip of the firing pin or breech face.

When the gun fires, that unique number or code is stamped on the shell casing. Law enforcement investigators could then pick up casings at crime scenes and turn to a database that could indicate which gun fired the round and where that weapon was last sold by a licensed firearms dealer. nbcnewyork.com

'We Have to Harden our Stores'
Starbucks may close its bathrooms to the public again amid crime & safety concerns
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says his company might not be able to keep its bathrooms open to the general public.

The coffee company opened its bathrooms to the public in 2018 after two Black men were denied use of the bathroom in a Philadelphia Starbucks while they were waiting for a friend to arrive. When they then sat down in the store without ordering anything, a Starbucks employee called the police, and they were arrested for trespassing. No charges were ever filed.

The incident sparked protests and negative publicity. The company apologized and closed all of its stores for a day to hold racial bias training for employees.

But Schultz said at a New York Times DealBook conference in Washington, DC, Thursday, that the company may have to change its policy once again. He said that a growing mental health problem was posing a threat to staff and customers and making it difficult for Starbucks employees to manage its stores with the current policy in place.

"We have to harden our stores and provide safety for our people," the Times quoted Schultz as saying at the conference. "I don't know if we can keep our bathrooms open."  cnn.com

New Robbery & Crime Trend
Austin police warn of 'jugging' crime trend
The Austin Police Department (APD) is warning of a new robbery and crime trend called "jugging" in which suspects follow victims after they leave a bank or ATM.

"There, they are approached, threatened with violence, or assaulted while the suspect demands the money or aggressively takes the cash bag," APD said in a Friday statement posted to Facebook. "This crime happens when cash bags are visible as the victim leaves the bank or ATM."

Over the last year, APD has counted at least 62 juggings at Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Chase bank locations. APD is warning Austin residents to be aware of their surroundings and "try not to be distracted" while going to banks or ATMs; notice vehicles that may be following them; secure cash in a purse, briefcase or other bags before leaving a financial institution; lock car doors; and call 911 or drive to a police station if they believe someone may be following them. foxnews.com

Carolina Place Mall introduces firearm-detecting dog as new security measure

Cheyenne, WY: Some crimes in city on downward trend for 2022

 

COVID Update

591M Vaccinations Given

US: 87.3M Cases - 1M Dead - 83.1M Recovered
Worldwide: 540.6M Cases - 6.3M Dead - 515.9M Recovered

Former Senior Loss Prevention Executive
Know of any fallen LP exec? Let's remember & recognize.

Private Industry Security Guard Deaths: 358  
Law Enforcement Officer Deaths: 780
*Red indicates change in total deaths

Mall Biometrics Market Expected to Surge After China's COVID Lockdown
Hot market seen for biometrics & temperature scanning after Shanghai lockdown
As China pursues the ‘zero Covid’ strategy that locked down Shanghai for two months, analysts quoted by the South China Morning Post say there is a great appetite for biometric cameras that detect signs of infection.

The newspaper cites a report from brokerage Everbright Securities that suggests as many as 2 million devices for detecting infections and confirming test results and vaccination status could be placed in public venues like hospitals, shopping centers, office buildings and entertainment venues in the coming weeks.

Everbright anticipates a $7.5 billion market to emerge, an opportunity for vendors of face biometrics and surveillance systems like SenseTime, Dahua and Hikvision to fill in the void. Another player is Telpo, which makes a facial recognition terminal for multi-person temperature checks to find signs of fever, which is sometimes a symptom of Covid.

The so-called digital sentry biometric devices would primarily employ facial recognition to determine a person’s vaccination status, Covid test results and recent movements before granting access to public venues. Everbright says the price per device would range from 2,000 yuan (about US$300) to 10,000 yuan (about US$1,500).

The Morning Post quotes Wang Feng, chairman of Shanghai-based financial services group Ye Lang Capital, saying, “The market potential here cannot be matched anywhere else in the world, because these smart devices will be widely used in big cities to meet stringent virus control rules. Operators of shopping malls and cinemas will buy the machines to improve efficiency of their verification processes.”

It may be a boon for China’s biometrics industry, which has faced setbacks in recent months. An investigative report from Caixin Global in November 2021 found that four of China’s biometrics unicorns have struggled to meet market expectations. biometricupdate.com

The Post-COVID Struggle to Get Employees Back into the Office
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz says 'I'll get on my knees' and 'do whatever you want' pleading with workers to return to the office

"I've pleaded with them. I said I'll get on my knees. I'll do push-ups. Whatever you want," Schultz said.

Despite doing "everything" to get employees to come back to the office, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said they're not returning "at the level" he wants.

Speaking at The New York Times's DealBook policy forum in Washington, DC, on Thursday, Schultz — who returned as interim CEO in April after Kevin Johnson stepped down from the role — said swaying staffers away from remote work and back to the office hasn't been productive.

Despite his frustration, Schultz has not mandated that corporate employees return to the office, instead offering "flexible options for eligible, non-retail roles" in the form of hybrid and remote positions, according to the Starbucks website.

Schultz's hesitancy to demand full-time office work runs counter to recent efforts among other executives, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who reportedly told staffers to return to the office or resign. Musk has been openly critical or remote work, stating on Twitter that employees who are against working in the office "should pretend to work somewhere else." businessinsider.com

High-Traffic Tourism Destinations Become COVID Hot Spots
Major tourist draws of San Juan, and Miami-Dade and Honolulu counties, have become virus hot spots
The three sizable urban centers in the United States where the coronavirus is spreading fastest right now have something in common: They are major warm-weather tourist destinations.

Miami-Dade County, Fla., Honolulu County, Hawaii, and San Juan, P.R., are all averaging at least 85 new cases a day per 100,000 residents, with test positivity rates above 20 percent, according to a New York Times database. By contrast, the nation as a whole is averaging 34 newly reported cases a day per 100,000 residents, with a positivity rate of 13 percent.

As of Wednesday, new confirmed cases in the United States have been roughly flat at around 110,000 a day on average over the past two weeks, according to a New York Times database, after rising from lower than 30,000 a few months ago. And those are just the reported cases; widespread use of at-home testing means that many positive test results never make it into official tallies, experts say, and many people with mild or no symptoms may never be tested at all. nytimes.com

New Variants & Reinfections Fueling Latest COVID Uptick
Climbing COVID cases remind us pandemic not over
As we head into the summer travel season, experts from Monument Health are cautioning that the emergence of several new subvariants to the COVID-19 virus is causing a spike in unexpected cases.

“Reinfection is the main (cause), and the other one is the unvaccinated folks; that’s what’s causing it,” said Dr. Shankar Kurra, vice president of medical affairs for Monument Health. “These subvariants are very aggressive, 30% to 40% (reinfection rate), which is kind of an astonishing rate for a population that has mostly been infected. We were kind of surprised by that.”

“So what’s happening is these folks are getting antibodies from (the Omicron variant), but those antibodies are not effective against the subvariants, which is kind of an interesting phenomenon in itself because we didn’t anticipate or expect that to happen,” Kurra said. bhpioneer.com

CDC: 67% of Americans Should Be Wearing Masks Indoors or Considering It
The percentage of Americans who should be wearing masks in public indoor spaces under CDC guidance is increasing as the U.S. averages more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases each day.

This Covid wave might be the start of our ‘new normal,’ experts say

You Can Get Covid Again. Here’s What to Know About Reinfection.

Covid: Dozens of Covid cases linked to Beijing bar

 

Black Lives Matter-Home Depot Complaint Dismissed by Judge
Judge dismisses complaint from Home Depot employees who claimed company violated workers' rights by prohibiting them from wearing BLM imagery
A judge on Friday ruled to dismiss a complaint from Home Depot employees who claimed the company violated workers' rights by prohibiting them from wearing Black Lives Matter imagery on the job.

In the complaint, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claimed Home Depot violated federal labor law by barring employees from placing BLM logos on their aprons. The company gave staffers an ultimatum to either remove the messaging or quit.

The NLRB complaint further alleged that the retailer threatened and retaliated against employees for participating in the collective action, including a Minneapolis staffer who said he was suspended after wearing the logo on his apron and encouraging colleagues to join him.

Administrative law judge Paul Bogas wrote in his ruling on Friday that BLM messaging did not have "an objective, and sufficiently direct, relationship to terms and conditions of employment," as first reported by Bloomberg.

He continued: "[The messaging] originated, and is primarily used, to address the unjustified killings of Black individuals by law enforcement and vigilantes. To the extent the message is being used for reasons beyond that, it operates as a political umbrella for societal concerns and relates to the workplace only in the sense that workplaces are part of society." businessinsider.com

'National Outlet Shopping Day'
As inflation surges, mall owner creates new sales holiday

Simon Property Group said the event is for people seeking deep discounts – like an Amazon Prime Day but for retail outlets.

As consumers feel the pinch of inflation, the biggest shopping mall owner in the country, Simon Property Group, has devised a new annual sales event dubbed National Outlet Shopping Day (NOSD), which kicked off on Saturday, June 11.

This campaign aims to raise efforts to increase in-person shopping – like an Amazon Prime Day but for retail outlets. It will run at the real estate owner's 90 premium outlets and Mills-branded outlet properties in the United States.

"Our sales have actually exceeded pre-COVID numbers for several of our brands last year and that's we've seen that consistently throughout this year as well," said Monica Esparza, director of marketing at Round Rock Premium Outlets. kvue.com

Walmart's Redesign Prepares to Roll Out Nationally
Walmart launched a lot of apparel and home brands. Now, that strategy will be put to the test

Walmart has launched style-forward brands, added national brands and debuted a new store design to try to sell more discretionary merchandise.

Walmart’s redesigned SuperCenter, located just 16 miles from its Northwest Arkansas headquarters, reflects the retailer’s ambitions to get more customers to turn to its stores and website to fill their closets and living rooms, along with their fridges.

It is the retailer’s new model, and it will soon spread across the country. Walmart plans to open 30 more redesigned stores by late January and and hundreds more in the following fiscal year, Chief Merchandising Officer Charles Redfield said.

He said the locations will vary slightly and will have different elements of the pilot store. They’ll be used to test and learn before Walmart rolls out the look more widely, he said. cnbc.com

Stitch Fix lays off 15% of its salaried workforce

Americans flock to warehouse clubs for cheap gas & groceries as inflation gets worse

FDA investigated up to nine infant deaths linked to baby formula


Last week's #1 article --

These Two Popular Chains Are Closing Stores, Starting June 15