News For Reasonable People
2,490 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 18 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 7 ratingsDedicated to providing Alternative News and Unbiased Reporting for those tired of the mainstream media. Our Real Stories, Live Coverage, and Pressing News cover topics from social unrest to true crime. We feature Documentary Pieces and In-Depth Interviews that the media avoids, embracing Citizen Journalism and highlighting under-reported events. Tune in to our channel for daily updates on the most pressing news, and become a part of our growing community that values truth and transparency. Don't forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to never miss an episode!
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Episodes
#1,792 - Tech Industry Rethinks San Francisco As Conference Destination
July 11, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.9 MBIn a surprise move that has set tongues wagging, major tech behemoths Red Hat and Meta have reportedly withdrawn their conferences slated for 2024 at San Francisco's Moscone Center. This unanticipated decision traces its roots to the concerning conditions of the city's streets. You'd think these corporations would just push through the hiccups, but no. They've thought better of it, looked at the tea leaves, and decided they'd rather not have their teams experience the delights of San Francis...
#1,791 - Kansas Attorney General Speaks Out: The Rising Tide of Retail Crime
July 11, 2023 10:00 - 23 minutes - 16.7 MBIn the heart of America's breadbasket, Wichita, Kansas, a wave of organized retail theft is gripping the city. Notable for its rich entrepreneurial heritage, as the birthplace of Pizza Hut and the Coleman Company, Wichita is also earning an unsettling reputation for skyrocketing retail theft. With local retailers such as Victoria's Secret and Cabela's suffering hefty monthly losses, the Midwest city is a testament to the nationwide uptick in retail crime. Unlike the Grand Canyon or the Great...
#1,790 - Is San Francisco Still a Tourist Destination? The Airbnb Decline
July 10, 2023 11:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBBookings on Airbnb are taking a nosedive in San Francisco, and some are wondering whether the city's tarnished image or actual unsafe street conditions are to blame. For nearly 30 years, Catherine Bloom has let her Potrero Hill home on Airbnb. However, this year, her calendar for the summer is eerily empty, a sharp contrast to the bustling activity of previous years. She's not the only one feeling the pinch; her fellow hosts have also reported a similar downturn. The plummet in bookings isn...
#1,789 - California Reparations Task Force Calls to Ban Police from Enforcing Public Urination Laws
July 10, 2023 10:00 - 21 minutes - 15.5 MBIn the latest development from California, the state's reparations task force seems set on pushing the boundaries of societal norms to a new, strange frontier. They have put forth a proposition that might leave many scratching their heads – the call to ban police from enforcing public urination laws. As puzzling as it sounds, they insist that such matters of public disorder should be handled by a public health and safety institution, sans any criminal prosecution. This potentially puts a who...
#1,788 - Eviction Moratoriums: The Hidden Price Paid by Oakland Landlords
July 09, 2023 11:00 - 27 minutes - 19.7 MBLandlords in Oakland, California, are on the brink of despair as tenants exploit eviction moratoriums to dwell rent-free. This situation has driven property owners deep into debt, with retiree Pamela Haley, among many others, fretting over her retirement plan being crippled due to unpaid rents amounting to more than sixty thousand dollars. This mess, coupled with tenants damaging her property, showcases a dire side-effect of eviction bans. Now, landlords' frustration is boiling over, as sm...
#1,787 - RV Urban Campers Threaten to Park by Stadium for Seattle's ALL Star MLB Weekend
July 08, 2023 10:00 - 22 minutes - 16 MBAs the tension over RV homeless camps in Seattle heats up ahead of the All-Star game, there is an air of rebellion amidst the motorhome owners. The city, usually reeking of urban struggle and complications, is witnessing an unexpected twist. A self-proclaimed revolt by the RV owners is about to be in full swing. The rebellion intends to park their motorhomes by the stadium, in a defiant response to being pushed out of their usual haunt, the Soto area. As the city prepares for the big day, th...
#1,786 - Exposing the Massive Scale of Shoplifting: A $100 Billion Dollar Empire
July 07, 2023 11:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MBPilfering, swindling, purloining – call it what you will – the organized theft crisis in America is now a colossal industry, surpassing the $100 billion mark. Today, we're peeling back the layers on this syndicate from the perspective of a former professional booster turned author who's no stranger to skid row or the dark abyss of addiction. The walkways and aisles of Walmart, Nordstrom, Whole Foods, and numerous others are swiftly becoming the highways of professional shoplifters. Store clo...
#1,785 - Southeast Portland: A Real Estate Market Paralyzed by Homeless Camps
July 07, 2023 10:00 - 30 minutes - 21.6 MBIn the humble neighborhoods of Southeast Portland, residents seem to be entangled in an unwanted dilemma. A maze of tents and ramshackle RVs characterizes the face of the city, casting a gloomy shadow on the picturesque homes that are fighting to preserve their curb appeal. Homeowners, like a local woman whose quaint three-bedroom house has been in the market for three months, are starting to feel the sting of policies that prioritize inclusivity over regulation. The idyllic charm of the str...
#1,783 - California City Nearly Eliminates Homeless Population with Zero-Tolerance Policy on Encampments
July 06, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 13.8 MBThe modest city of Coronado, California, has made a decisive move towards combating homelessness, their solution as simple as it is resolute - a zero-tolerance policy on encampments. Coronado's Republican mayor attributes their success to their refusal to encourage destructive behavior. They offer compassion, yes, but not the kind that tolerates a homeless individual's descent into lawlessness and drug addiction, but one that genuinely uplifts them from their plight. It's a straightforward m...
#1,784 - San Francisco Office Tower Snapped Up for a Mere $62 Million; Originally Worth $100 Million!
July 06, 2023 10:00 - 27 minutes - 19.3 MBIn a surprising turn of events, the concrete jungles of Downtown San Francisco are seeing a shocking slump in commercial real estate prices. Soaring skyscrapers that once commanded sky-high prices are being traded for dimes on the dollar, if not less. So, if you've been keeping an eye on the 180 Howard Street building, you'd know that Ellis Partners and Bob House Group snagged this once coveted piece of prime estate for just $62 million, a bargain compared to its anticipated $85 million pric...
#1,782 - Lost in the Fog: Chicago's Innovative Answer to Shoplifting
July 05, 2023 11:00 - 17 minutes - 12.7 MBRetail theft has escalated to never-before-seen heights, leaving store owners desperate for creative solutions. One such innovation hails from the windy city. Chicago has seen business owners employ a unique method to combat thieving hands - deploying fog machines in stores. A simple truth informs this strategy: a burglar can't steal what they can't see. As the old adage goes, 'necessity is the mother of invention' and in this case, fog is the latest brainchild. Businesses are banking on th...
#1,781 - HRD Coffee Shop Closes its Doors After More Than 60 Years in San Francisco
July 05, 2023 10:00 - 24 minutes - 17.6 MBAfter six decades of serving tech titans and breakfast lovers, the HRD Coffee Shop, a cherished establishment in the heart of San Francisco, is shuttering its doors. While the restaurant was a celebrated local hero for decades, with its unique Chinese and Mexican fusion fare winning the approval of culinary celebrities like Guy Fieri, the owner cited the city's lack of business support amid surging homelessness and the pandemic aftermath as key contributors to its demise. The eatery, born in...
#1,780 - Former Cop Unmasks the True Culprits Behind California's Homelessness
July 04, 2023 10:00 - 17 minutes - 12.6 MBCalifornia, the Golden State, carries a grim medal for accommodating over half of America's homeless population. A former Oceanside police officer and eye-witness to the escalating crisis holds a different perspective to Governor Gavin Newsom's stance. He asserts the lack of affordable housing is not the root cause of California's homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues, but the state's lax stance towards drug abuse and crime is. An op-ed penned by the ex-cop in Newsweek unfolds ho...
#1,779 - "30 cars a day" rental agencies in San Fran reporting crazy high levels of window break ins
July 03, 2023 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.8 MBBefore the pandemic, Tylan Vinson mostly fixed windshields damaged by flying debris or broken in accidents. But nowadays, at Super Auto Glass, his auto glass repair shop in South San Francisco, half of his work is replacing windows broken by thieves. “It’s been a busy day,” Vinson said over the phone Friday between fix-it jobs. Vinson mainly works on private vehicles but occasionally fixes rental cars too, and rental car companies in the Bay Area, in particular, are feeling the pain. Emplo...
#1,778 - Giant Foods CEO says stores will be closed if shoplifting continues at current rate
July 03, 2023 10:00 - 21 minutes - 15.2 MBAnother retailer is threatening to close stores due to theft. This time, it's Giant Food, which operates about 170 stores in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Giant President Ira Kress told Washington DC radio station WTOP on Monday that thieves are stealing "everything," from shrimp to deodorant, at Giant's stores. In response, the chain has placed more items under lock and key, forcing customers to ask for an employee's help. Kress said he's worried about violence at Gian...
#1,777- Shop Owner's Disturbing Comparison: San Francisco Vs Afghanistan
July 01, 2023 10:00 - 22 minutes - 16 MBIn a sobering perspective on urban life, a San Francisco shop owner from Afghanistan has called the crime situation in his new city "worse than Afghanistan." The increase in brazen smash-and-grab thefts has small businesses caught in the crossfire. This new crime trend involves large groups simultaneously targeting businesses, resulting in the loss of significant merchandise. San Francisco’s safety concerns have escalated to a point where people are apprehensive about shopping in certain ar...
#1,776 - Not Your San Francisco – Beating Housing Crises Before They Begin!
June 30, 2023 11:00 - 27 minutes - 19.3 MBStates across the nation are stirring into action, gazing warily at the urban predicament of San Francisco and preemptively strategizing to avoid such a fate. Here's a little insight into their whirlwind of thoughts: What if the housing affordability crisis, spurred by the City by the Bay, starts chewing at our own turf? Well, they've got a plan. And it's all about remaking, rethinking, and restructuring the housing landscape, all while maintaining a sense of self-awareness and a grain of sa...
#1,775 - Amazon Go Closes Shop: What Went Wrong in Seattle?
June 30, 2023 10:00 - 16 minutes - 12.2 MBHere's another one biting the dust. Amazon Go has thrown in the towel and shuttered yet another store in the heart of Seattle. Originally placed at the epicenter of city life, these digital stores were supposed to represent the future of retail. But alas, just three months ago, Amazon announced the closure of eight high-tech outlets across the United States. And now, another casualty. This time, it's the five-year-old store at the Madison Center office tower's base, barely ten days since its...
#1,774 - San Francisco Grocers Reinvent Store Security to Battle Shoplifting Epidemic
June 29, 2023 15:00 - 21 minutes - 15.4 MBUnprecedented steps are being taken in the San Francisco Bay Area as local grocery stores fortify their entrances with metal gates to curb an escalating shoplifting crisis. Many are left slack-jawed, me included, witnessing the measures they've had to resort to. And why is this happening? Let's just say, laws and leadership have rendered shoplifting a misdemeanor offense, effectively opening a Pandora's box of opportunity for would-be thieves. California’s relaxed laws and our dear leadersh...
#1,773 - Why 4 Out of 10 Californians are Seriously Pondering the Big Move?
June 29, 2023 14:00 - 28 minutes - 20.3 MBAn LA Times poll recently revealed a shocking number: four out of ten Californians are seriously contemplating ditching their sunny west coast lifestyle. Frustrated, bewildered, and caught in a conundrum of sky-high living costs and growing discontent, they are looking at greener pastures. Political ideologies sway on a pendulum that seems to be leaning more towards the left, and unsurprisingly, this doesn't sit well with the state's silent conservative demographic. Some may argue Californi...
#1,772 - Chicago Mayor Johnson Has Zero Plan to Fight Ongoing Violence in His Own City
June 28, 2023 11:00 - 20 minutes - 15 MBAs the summer season unfurls, Chicago’s crime rates seem to be taking a nasty hike. Mayor Brandon Johnson, though heavily criticized for his hands-off approach to this escalating issue, stays adamant. "It's a long-term project, can't expect miracles overnight", he retorts, creating a maelstrom of skepticism and doubt among the city’s weary residents. His police staffing plan is also earning him quite some flak. While Johnson peddles the long game, strategizing to root out crime by adding mor...
#1,771 - Mayor Breed's Cry for Help: Can Developers Revive San Francisco's Downtown?
June 28, 2023 10:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBIn a bizarre twist, San Francisco's Mayor London Breed is seemingly playing a game of Simon Says with downtown office developers, crying, "help us, help you!" Despite her valiant effort to tame the urban wilderness that has become the city center, a huge chunk of commercial space demands attention. A cynical smile creeps across one's face when considering the monumental task of repurposing the idle office towers—like trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Alas, the urban knights of th...
#1,770 - The Grim Reality of Midwest Cities in the Age of Remote Work
June 27, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13.5 MBStrolling through the urban landscapes of the Midwest, it's hard to ignore the creeping sense of decay. In cities once teeming with bustling businesses and vibrant downtown scenes, we now see echoing silence, a ghostly testament to a time before our world was consumed by the realm of remote work. Central Business Districts across Middle America are struggling as their once booming workforces dissipate into a stream of home office nomads. With corporations realizing the financial benefits of ...
#1,769 - San Francisco Golden Gate University Law School Faces Imminent Bankruptcy, Closure
June 27, 2023 10:00 - 19 minutes - 14.1 MBThe once revered Golden Gate University law school is staring down the barrel of bankruptcy and closure, and the irony is hard to ignore. Struggling to stay afloat, the institution pinned their hopes on a real estate deal that was meant to be their lifeboat. But as luck would have it, the downtown San Francisco commercial real estate market has taken a nose-dive, leaving the school's administrators at a loss. Their primary contingency plan, selling some property, now seems like wishful think...
#1,768- Businesses are moving OUT of Washington State at higher rate than any other state
June 26, 2023 11:00 - 23 minutes - 16.7 MBApproximately 9% of America’s corporations moved headquarters since the beginning of 2022, the highest rate since 2017, with most corporations moving to Florida, Texas, and Arizona. The states that corporations were most likely to abandon were Washington, New York, and California. “Florida had 86% more corporations move their HQ there, compared to the number of companies that chose to move their head office out of Florida — the highest net gain of any state,” according to Hire A Helper, ...
#1,767 - San Fran in "Unprecedented Hiring Crisis" crippling the city
June 26, 2023 10:00 - 22 minutes - 16 MBFewer buses along Muni routes. A longer wait for a 911 response. An overcrowded hospital. San Francisco has thousands of city jobs unfilled and finds itself in an “unprecedented hiring crisis,” according to a report published Wednesday by the civil grand jury that paints a grim picture of public services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The City has twice as many vacancies — about 4,800 in total — than it did entering the pandemic. It has struggled to recruit and retain employees, the...
#1,766- Longtime Developer Pulls Out of Portland After 4 Decades of Investment
June 25, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15.2 MBJust when you thought things couldn't get any more bizarre, another seasoned property developer, investing in the heart of Portland for the last four decades, has finally given up. After grappling with an unprecedented string of property violations, from the so-called homeless habitually breaking into his properties to a sluggish bureaucracy seemingly deaf to his pleas for help, the real estate veteran has decided it's game over. In an incident that would be hilarious if it weren't so tragi...
#1,765- San Francisco's Ugly Truth: Beyond the Tenderloin District
June 24, 2023 10:00 - 21 minutes - 15.1 MBIf you thought the city by the Bay was on a highway to heaven, think again. San Francisco seems to be taking a detour through the valleys of Sodom and Gomorrah, according to this columnist from Hot Air. Shockingly, it seems that the residents of this once-proud city are more concerned about the plight of their "unhoused" drug addicts than they are about the hardscrabble taxpayers who are footing the bill for this tragic social experiment. Despite the soul-tugging weepy articles from the San...
#1,764 - Ron DeSantis Claims "Leftist Policies' Have Ruined San Francisco, Mayor London Breed Responds
June 23, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBSan Francisco's urban glamour once drew crowds, but Florida Governor Ron DeSantis argues that the city has seen better days. In a recent visit, DeSantis observed firsthand the degradation of the once-booming metropolis. San Francisco's crumbling status is a direct result of leftist policies, DeSantis posits, pointing to defecating pedestrians, rampant drug use, and the disappearance of the city's vibrant energy. The city's leadership has lost its way, according to DeSantis, and the proof is...
#1,763 - Crime Surges an Incredible 38% Under Chicago's New Progressive Mayor
June 23, 2023 10:00 - 18 minutes - 13.4 MBThe Windy City finds itself swept up in an unprecedented 38% spike in crime, under the watch of its latest helmsman, Mayor Brandon Johnson. As we enter a month since his election, Chicagoan's concerns continue to grow, their safety hangs in the balance, and the city's leadership seems to provide nothing more than lukewarm responses. Johnson's time in office, short as it is, already signals an alarming trend. He might argue that his policies are still brewing, but the mug is overflowing with...
#1,762 - Woke Police watchdog grills San Fran Police Chief about crackdown on dealers and addicts
June 22, 2023 11:00 - 17 minutes - 12.5 MBPolice commissioners held a lengthy and testy probe with SFPD Chief Bill Scott on Wednesday night, questioning him over the mayor’s promise to arrest drug users and dealers through a recently announced unified command center. The center, formally called the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, was established Monday at an undisclosed location in Civic Center as a hub for agencies to strategize and implement a recently announced crackdown on “open-air drug markets,” which includes arrest...
#1,761 - San Francisco's Grim Transformation: Candy Locked Away & Shops Shuttered
June 22, 2023 10:00 - 36 minutes - 25.8 MBWelcome to the new reality of San Francisco, where even the joy of a sweet treat is safeguarded behind lock and key. Streets where once enthusiastic shoppers and tourists tread have been surrendered to the vagabond tide, its former vibrancy a shadow of the past. Empty storefronts, scant crowds, and desolate hotels paint a grim portrait of a city seemingly losing its battle against destitution and criminality. And yet, the ghostly specter of San Francisco's once bustling Union Square and down...
#1,760 - Protest Breakout at Dodger Stadium: The Controversy Behind the Award
June 21, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15.3 MBUnprecedented scenes of protest ensued at Dodger Stadium ahead of the Pride Night celebrations, as thousands flocked outside the venue. The participants had amassed to vent their dissatisfaction over the award to be presented to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. A group that some perceive as taking a dig at Catholic values by being men dressed as female nuns, the Sisters are at the center of quite the controversy. This move has ruffled many feathers, leading to the pertinent question - wh...
#1,759 - Molly Moons Seattle's Woke Ice Cream Parlor Sues City for Damages it Sustained During CHOP
June 21, 2023 10:00 - 28 minutes - 20.2 MBEmerging from the hip, progressive corners of Seattle, the tale of Molly Moons, an ice cream parlour turned protest supporter, churns on. They were vocal backers of the Black Lives Matter movement, they endorsed defunding the police, and yet, they're suing the city for losses endured during the CHOP protests. How does one reconcile that? Well, it seems the parlour might just be serving two flavours of narrative. Molly Moons, a 'woke' ice cream company, recently filed a lawsuit, seeking comp...
#1,758 - E-mails show nasty side to why San Fran's Westfield Mall was foreclosed
June 20, 2023 17:00 - 22 minutes - 15.9 MBAs Beege pointed out earlier this week, the owners of Westfield Mall in downtown San Francisco have announced that they’ll be giving the property over to the lender. The mall had already lost Nordstoms last month and this week the Cinemark movie theater also announce it was closing. In fact, today is the theater’s last day. The Cinemark movie theater complex sent an email to its customers announcing its final films would play Thursday, and the complex would close on Friday. In a statement ...
#1,757 - Portland bans open air drug use - but no real plan either to enforce
June 20, 2023 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.6 MBDuring Thursday’s Portland Business Alliance meeting between politicians and business executives, Mayor Ted Wheeler hinted at a plan to ban open drug use in the city. “We’ll also be announcing in the near future a partner, time, place and manner restriction focusing on open drug use in the city of Portland and I believe this will help us get at the withering fentanyl crisis that we’re also experiencing as a community,” said Wheeler. With the approval of Measure 110 in 2020, the personal po...
#1,756 - San Francisco's Struggling Retail Sector: Can It Rebound by 2024?
June 19, 2023 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.9 MBAs "retail experts" point out a hopeful forecast of recovery for downtown San Francisco and Westfield Mall by 2024, a hearty laugh ensues from real estate aficionados who are privy to the ground reality. Picture this - Westfield Mall, once the crown jewel of downtown San Francisco, now echoes with the whispers of abandonment. Nordstrom has shut down, leaving a glaring vacancy, while the Century Cinema, a once-loved but quiet theater, has permanently closed its doors. The glossy sheen of opti...
#1,755 - Mayor’s rebuke could signal end of 'Democratic Socialist, radical politicking' in this city, activist says
June 19, 2023 10:00 - 29 minutes - 20.9 MBSan Francisco Mayor London Breed's verbal sparring match with a city official over the role of police in fighting the drug crisis could signal a tone shift, according to one cautiously-optimistic activist. "It sent a message, I think, to San Franciscans that the age of this kind of Democratic Socialist, radical politicking in San Francisco is coming to an end," recovering addict-turned-activist Tom Wolf told Fox News. Breed recently committed to cracking down on open-air drug markets in Sa...
#1,754 - San Francisco Retail Exodus Continues as AT&T Shuts Flagship Store
June 18, 2023 11:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBBusiness closures continue in downtown San Francisco as the city's retail and commercial property market struggles, with AT&T joining a long list of companies that have recently shut down their flagship stores in the City by the Bay. The telecommunications giant has told the San Francisco Standard that it will be closing its flagship store in Union Square, in the city's downtown, on August 1 to better serve its customers. "Consumer shopping habits continue to change, and we're changing wit...
#1,753 - Portland Exodus: City Struggles Amid Skyrocketing Vacancy Rates
June 18, 2023 07:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBThe ongoing outflow from Portland has been highlighted in a new report from international real estate firm Colliers. This comprehensive study depicts a grim near-term scenario, with escalating downtown office vacancies and a significant shift in money flow as individuals and businesses retreat from the city center. The causes for these dramatic shifts, the report suggests, are deep-rooted issues like homelessness, rising crime rates, and an overall feeling of lawlessness, coupled with a chan...
#1,752 - Good Morning America' won't film live from downtown San Fran 'Simply too dangerous'
June 17, 2023 10:00 - 25 minutes - 18 MBAn ABC News reporter admitted he was advised against appearing live in downtown San Francisco for his "Good Morning America" segment due to the rise in crime on Wednesday. Chief national correspondent Matt Gutman reported on the news that Westfield Mall would be shutting down, one of the latest in a series of major store closings in the city. Though the shopping center cited a decline in sales and foot traffic as the reason, Gutman noted that San Francisco was at risk of becoming a "so-call...
#1,751 - San Francisco's hotel industry squeezed by crime & homelessness driving convention bookers away
June 16, 2023 10:00 - 18 minutes - 13.1 MBConvention bookers are choosing cities such as Las Vegas for events rather than San Francisco due to the crime and homelessness that are rife in the City by the Bay. That is one of the main reasons that the city's lodging industry continues to struggle in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic with revenue close to 23 percent lower per available room than it was in 2019, reports the Wall Street Journal. The Journal's report mentions that Yotel San Francisco hotel was sold at a foreclosure auc...
#1,750 - San Francisco Mayor’s terrible idea to convert abandoned Westfield Mall into Science Lab Space
June 15, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15.6 MBAt a San Francisco Chamber of Commerce breakfast last month, Mayor London Breed made a curious pitch for the future of the troubled Westfield San Francisco Centre in Downtown. “We have to look at Westfield mall, not as a mall losing stores, which probably most people didn't even shop in, but as a place ripe for reimagining from science to technology to lab space,” Breed said. She echoed those statements during a radio interview last week, noting the potential for the property—a 1.2 millio...
#1,749 - Westfield’s Mall in San Fran Losing Movie Theaters as Owner Abandons Mall to lender
June 15, 2023 10:00 - 24 minutes - 17.5 MBJust two days after Westfield said it would give up its Downtown San Francisco Centre, the shopping mall’s movie theater has announced it will close this week. The Cinemark movie theater complex sent an email to its customers announcing its final films would play Thursday, and the complex would close on Friday. In a statement to The Standard, Cinemark confirmed the decision to permanently close the Century San Francisco Centre 9 and XD theater shortly before the conclusion of its lease ter...
#1,748 - Washington DC's Bleeding Commercial Sector: Remote Work Strikes Hard
June 14, 2023 11:00 - 19 minutes - 14.1 MBThe ongoing plight of Washington D.C's economic engine struggles as countless federal workers settle into the comforts of home, possibly forever. With their withdrawal, the capital's central offices are left echoing emptily, the vibrant hum of industry reduced to a ghostly silence. While teleworking was a government-enforced solution during the pandemic, it appears to have evolved into a longer-term reality, proving a surprising blow to the city. Washington, a city whose fortune traditionall...
#1,747 - San Francisco's Largest Shopping Center Defaults on $558 Million Loan, Returns to Creditor
June 14, 2023 10:00 - 29 minutes - 21 MBIn an event that could be aptly described as a commercial real estate 'doom loop', the owner of San Francisco's largest mall has thrown in the towel. With a notable absence of fanfare, the keys of the once-thriving establishment were handed back to the lender. Struggling under a staggering 45% vacancy rate and the relentless pull of a downward spiral, the owners decided that the property was no longer a viable investment. An example of the ripple effect of urban decay, the mall, once the pr...
#1,746 - Cracker Barrel Follows in Targets Footsteps with Rainbow Rocking Chair
June 13, 2023 11:00 - 21 minutes - 15.3 MBCracker Barrel has recently made headlines by taking a surprising and controversial step. In honor of Pride Month, they posted an image of a rainbow rocking chair on their social media channels, veering away from their traditional conservative values. This abrupt pivot into social progressiveness has led to considerable backlash, particularly among their long-standing patron base who are known for their biscuits and gravy eating habits. A loud chorus of disapproval echoes across the internet...
#1,745 - Esports Company Skillz Moves Headquarters from San Francisco to Las Vegas
June 13, 2023 10:00 - 25 minutes - 17.8 MBIn an unexpected twist, Skillz, the popular mobile gaming and eSports company, has decided to quit its San Francisco headquarters for a shiny new one in Las Vegas. Skillz, best known for their pioneering efforts to monetize mobile games through online tournaments, hasn't been particularly vocal about their departure. However, one can't help but wonder if the company's close proximity to San Francisco's notorious Tenderloin neighborhood nudged the decision-making process. But, let's not take...
#1,744 - Seattle's 'Crazy Town' Drug Policy: Council Chooses Decriminalization Over Safety
June 12, 2023 11:00 - 24 minutes - 17.6 MBIn a contentious 5-4 decision, the Seattle City Council rejected a new law that would have allowed for drug possession to be prosecuted as a gross misdemeanor, providing another chapter in the city's ongoing struggles with drug addiction and crime. The decision, which has triggered a wave of disappointment from critics, essentially keeps drugs decriminalized in the city despite the rapid spread of fentanyl addiction and associated deaths. "It's crazy town," one commentator described the city...
#1,743 - Will Portland's Daytime Camping Ban Address its Homeless Crisis?
June 12, 2023 10:00 - 32 minutes - 23.2 MBWith a daring sweep of the gavel, the Portland City Council imposed a new ordinance that bans daytime camping in public areas from 8 AM to 8 PM. Is this a sincere attempt to reclaim public spaces or a half-hearted way to appease the concerns of Portlanders about the increasing issue of homelessness, particularly in regards to crime and drug use? The legislation feels akin to a band-aid placed over a broken bone. To envision a day where drug-addled denizens willingly pack their tents at the b...