On this new morning: Dawn broke in New Orleans with lighter winds, and people in one Uptown neighborhood came out in intermittent rain to begin cleaning up and just walk around. Police cars patrolled, but no city or power company crews were evident there early today. Sixty-seven-year-old Hal Mumford wasn’t waiting for city workers to clean up the street outside his house. Feeling cooped up after two nights without power, he raked fallen branches away from a catch basin so that water could drain out of the gutters. There were signs of life in other parts of the city as well. Read the full story here.
Ring it up: Americans kept spending this summer, despite widespread and escalating fears about the slow economic recovery and surging gas prices. A group of 18 retailers ranging from discounter Target to club-operator Costco reported monthly sales today that rose 6%—the industry’s best performance since March—according to trade group International Council of Shopping Centers. The results come as the government released numbers showing that Americans spent in July at the fastest clip in five months. More details are available in the full story here.
Tonight’s the night: Republican Mitt Romney is stepping up for the most important speech of his life, to an audience of millions, after a rousing warm-up from a running mate who vowed the days of dodging painful budget choices will end if Americans vote President Barack Obama out of office. Having grasped the nomination on his second try, after years spent straining toward this moment, Romney will use his speech tonight to introduce himself to a large portion of voters and claw for advantage in a race that could scarcely be any closer. The full story is here.
Today’s poll question: Which news outlet has been your primary source of information on Hurricane Isaac?
Editor’s note: Daily Report is continually updating a list of Isaac-related cancellations and closures, as well as providing emergency contact information. See the complete rundown here; and send any updates/additions to be considered for inclusion by email to editors@businessreport.com.
