Weatherman Bob Van Dillen likely knew it was going to be an eventful night covering Hurricane Helene for Fox as the Category 4 storm made landfall, but he couldn’t have imagined just how eventful it would get.
Van Dillen was doing a live national standup in Atlanta early this morning with a flooded roadway as a backdrop.
“You can see right here we’ve got this lady that drove into the area that’s flooded out and she’s screaming right now,” he told the Fox & Friends studio hosts. After describing the scene for a few more seconds with the sound of the woman’s voice in the background, Van Dillen told the audience, “I just called 911. The fire department is coming.”
He then turned to try and comfort the woman assuring her help is on the way before cutting his live shot short, telling the studio, “It’s a situation. We’ll get back to you in a bit. I’m going to see if I can help this lady out.”
Cut to video of Van Dillen carrying the woman on his back through chest deep floodwaters before literally giving her the shirt off his back so she could get warm.
Van Dillen wasn’t the only hero who braved the storm.
A U.S. Coastguard rescue helicopter flew out into the hurricane to save a man and his dog on a disabled sailboat.
Elsewhere, on Atlanta resident was caught on video using a sleeping air mattress as a life raft as rescue workers patrolled the chest-high floodwaters saving people.
Major Retailer To Slash 3.5% Of Jobs And Close 5 Mall Anchor Locations
A Major Retailer Will Close Five Mall Anchor Stores And Cut 3.5% Of Jobs
Macy’s unveiled a strategic restructuring strategy as a major step in reviving its image and adjusting to the constantly shifting retail scene. The venerable department store chain plans to close five of its full-line locations and reduce staff by 3.5%. This occurs as incoming CEO Jeff Gennette’s successor, Tony Spring, a new leader with new ideas, gets ready to assume over.
A corporate spokeswoman acknowledged the employment reduction, citing the necessity to become a more nimble and efficient organization in order to meet changing market and customer needs. This action is in line with Macy’s resolve to maintain its leadership in the cutthroat retail sector.
It is noteworthy that activist investors hoping to profit from Macy’s real estate holdings had made a bid that the retailer had been considering. Tony Spring will soon take over as CEO, thus this reorganization may indicate that Macy’s will once again prioritize its core competencies and long-term growth plans.
The outgoing CEO, Jeff Gennette, had earlier stated that the major shop reductions that had been going on since 2016—which included the closure of over 170 locations—had come to a stop with the announcement of the closures a year ago. Analysts for the sector have speculated that there may be more closures to come.
Increased presence in smaller, off-mall sites is one of Macy’s proactive efforts. In order to accommodate changing consumer tastes, executives have stressed the significance of striking the correct balance between in-store and off-mall establishments. Five full-line stores will be closed in the upcoming year as part of a broader initiative to maximize Macy’s shop portfolio.
The first publication to report on these changes was The Wall Street Journal, which referenced an internal memo to staff members that disclosed intentions to remove some 2,350 corporate roles in the upcoming month. Initiatives like supply chain automation, outsourcing, and quicker decision-making procedures targeted at boosting competitiveness and efficiency are predicted to be the main drivers of these reductions.
Apart from shutting down its locations, Macy’s is also planning to sell and move two of its furniture stores. This calculated move demonstrates Macy’s dedication to maximizing its asset base and reallocating funds where they will have the biggest impact.
The Macy’s anchor stores in the impacted malls—which are situated in Virginia, Florida, Hawaii, and California—will close. Although there may be some short-term interruptions, this is in keeping with Macy’s goal of building a network of stores that is more dynamic and effective.
Macy’s is setting out on this revolutionary journey with a conservative mindset, intent on upholding its heritage while adjusting to the reality of the new retail environment. Tony Spring’s new team is well-positioned to lead the business into a more promising future and maintain Macy’s position as a mainstay of American retail.
It will be interesting to watch how these developments pan out and how Macy’s redefines its position in the cutthroat retail market as this retail behemoth keeps changing. Watch this space for further information about Macy’s makeover and its attempts to remain competitive in the retail industry.
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