UFCW Local 1500 Blog

Morning Read

David Wild, who was said to be heading up the development of Wal-Mart’s small-format Marketside concept, is leaving to join British retailer Halfords Group as chief executive officer, Halfords said Friday.
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The King Kullen Supermarket chain has plans to build a superstore in the Tuckahoe Hills area within the next few years.

A new study has found that New York City needs at least seven new dry docks like that one that Ikea turned into a parking lot in Red Hook. Experts say it could cost about $1 billion to replace the 730-foot-long former graving dock. The Port of New York has 18 dry docks, including four larger graving docks. The study estimated the port would lose $50 million to $150 million in revenue over the next five years because it does not have enough docks. Opponents of the Ikea, which opened last week, want the city to take back its dock because they say it would be less costly than building a new one.

A&P Press Release; MONTVALE, N.J.-- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc. (A&P, NYSE Symbol: GAP) has published on it’s website, unaudited prior year quarterly information for Pathmark Stores Inc, acquired in December 2007, in response to shareholder inquiries concerning the effect of the acquisition on Pathmark’s prior year results including summarization of Pathmark’s results to conform to A&P’s quarterly reporting calendar, the impact of purchase accounting adjustments and classifications of certain non operating items consistent with A&P practices.

Supervalu Inc. hired the CEO of online grocer Fresh Direct to become its new chief marketing officer.

A permanent fresh food market will open on South Street this summer, as part of the long-term redevelopment plans for Pier 17 and the Seaport. The 16-stall market is the first of General Growth Properties' plans, which call for a 495-foot tower, hotels and condos, retail buildings, and the relocation of the landmark-protected Tin Building. A community center and a public plaza are also in the works. Read the entire story here.

The soaring price of food has complicated efforts by Whole Foods, the nation's largest natural and organic grocery store, to move toward provide "more sustainable" products, a company official said on Friday.

Here's more on how Whole Foods & Wal-Mart are coping with high food costs.

Ed Ott, the executive director of the New York City Central Labor Council, an umbrella group for the city’s labor unions, has an unexpected and unnerving warning for New York’s more than one million union members.

There already are vending machines outside most so-called big-box stores that dispense soda cans. But similar machines may soon be collecting them. A bill that cleared the state Senate last week and is now before the Assembly for a vote will, if it passes, require large retail stores such Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's Wholesale Club and Wal-Mart to install reverse vending machines, or RVMs.

Politics

Francis H. Powers, a retired Wall Street executive who was recently selected by Republican leaders on Staten Island as their candidate for the Congressional seat being vacated by Representative Vito J. Fossella, died on Saturday at his home on Staten Island.

When the numbers were finally and officially tallied a little over a week ago, Anthony Como had won a special election for a City Council seat by a mere 41 votes. Mr. Como’s razor-thin victory in a four-candidate race is not only a triumph for him, but also a victory that brings bragging rights for the Queens County Republican Party’s leadership.

Rep. Anthony Weiner has sworn off special interest money for his mayoral campaign next year - but he's raking it in for his congressional reelection bid this fall, federal records show.

Brooklyn community activists are putting up candidates for the borough's Democratic county committee.

Community Board 2 is set to vote on the Hunts Point new mega-development.

Hillary Clinton made her first major public appearance in New York yesterday.

In addition to Obama and McCain, Clinton will speak at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials