HAMMOND, La. – In an article published yesterday, The Daily Star in Hammond, Louisiana, provided a detailed account of Tuesday’s NACS In Store event with U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA). The event was particularly notable because, as House Majority Whip, Scalise holds the third most powerful position in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In a visit arranged by NACS and Lard Oil, Scalise spent an hour at an On the Run location in Hammond, so the congressman could experience firsthand this part of daily life for the much of the public.
“Convenience stores are the anchor of communities across the country, and they are also where community conversations take place,” said Henry Armour, NACS President and CEO. “More than half of the country visits a convenience store on a daily basis, whether to buy fuel, use the ATM, wash their cars or quickly buy snacks, drinks or meals.”
According to The Daily Star, Scalise (and his secret service detail!) happily pulled on an On the Run staff t-shirt and went behind the counter where sales clerk Tracy Cousain showed him the ropes and watched as he rung up a few sales.
"Yes, he did ask to see IDs of those who came in to buy cigarettes," store manager Sandra Brown told the publication. "We also showed him how to do a reading on the gas tank to see if we need gas."
Other members of the On the Run team, including supervisor Jerry McKinney, and Henry Leach from Lard Oil, showed Scalise around the store and described daily operations.
The Daily Star also published an opinion piece on Thursday, authored by L.S. Beaulieu, placing Scalise’s visit in the larger context of politicians’ relationships with their constituents and the issues they care about. Beaulieu writes:
“Scalise’s visit to the On The Run store, which also sells gasoline, allowed the congressman to meet with constituents who may not normally be on the congressional visitation calendar. They are convenience store clerks, some of whom may in fact be the same minimum wage workers who’ve found their professions in the news a lot lately. … Scalise’s time at the store likely provided him — and his Secret Service detail — an opportunity to see firsthand what workers in the service industry must contend with. They are individuals who daily must face a public often in a hurry, on a cell phone, needing gasoline for their car or SUV and occasionally looking for a meal or a cup of coffee.”
He writes that “the image of the photos accompanying today’s story are powerful ones, showing an engaged member of Congress experiencing what millions of Americans do everyday in order to feed their families and pay their bills. These workers work very hard. … [Scalise’s] time at On The Run demonstrates, at least from a public relations and photo op standpoint, that the congressman is aware of what the workers face.”
See more coverage of this week’s NACS In Store events on Facebook and Twitter.