Ron Burkle buys 7% of Whole Foods, Stop and Shop deploys 50 "Scan it" units, Wal-Mart pays another fine, and Friday Morning One Liners...

Image by tattoodjj via FlickrStop and Shop deploys 'Scan it!' in 50 stores....More from Supermarket News.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, said fourth-quarter profit will miss its forecast and predicted January revenue may be little changed as customers curb spending globally.

Greater Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. reported a fiscal third-quarter loss of $13.6 million, or $1.61 a share.

Billionaire Ronald Burkle bought 7% of Whole Foods. Here's more from Progressive Grocer.

Stock in Whole Foods Market here was up more than 22% Thursday after funds associated with Ron Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. revealed they had acquired 7% of the retailer on the open market.
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Stuart Applebaum released a statement in response to a Thursday's announcement by Macy's Inc. that it will close 11 stores in nine states. The stores to be closed are in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Nashville and other locations.

BJ's Sales are up single digits.

Wal-Mart has paid the Southern District of Texas a &637,000 fine to resolve numerous alleged record-keeping violations of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act.

Wal-Mart's private label could increase by 40%.

Fresh & Easy here has introduced 98-cent Produce Packs in response to a sharp spike in its sales of canned foods over the past few months, particularly canned fruits and vegetables, according to a company release.
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Wegman's is now offering free antibiotics.

Supervalu on Wednesday said it would close 50 struggling stores by next month and slash its capital budget for the coming fiscal year, as it continues to adjust to a rough economy.
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Politics
Adirondack Daily Enterprise mentioned UFCW Local 1500's praise of Patterson's State of the State.

Sarah Palin declares war against Tina Fey, Caroline Kennedy & Katie Couric.

Long Island could get an additional $104M in federal stimulus.

More on Patterson's 'soda tax'

Trader Joe's set to open Brooklyn store, Wednesday Morning One Liners...

Trader Joe's will open it's first Brooklyn store next week.

The store will reflect and incorporate "Brooklyn's rich history"

More here at the Daily News.

A Suffolk proposal to ban plastic shopping bags came under fire yesterday from the grocery and plastics industries, who said the county should instead give plastic recycling laws that take effect Jan. 1 time to work.   John Woods was quoted in the article.

The Teamsters union is poised to ratify a new contract with the city, having reached a tentative agreement yesterday.

The Brooklyn Paper covers the new "upscale" Gristedes in Brooklyn.

Wal-Mart was forced to close a store in Cleveland which was built on a landfill.

Fresh & Easy workers are pushing for union talks.

A&P Assures Shareholders Lehman Brothers Bankruptcy Won't Hurt 

Politics Politics

Lynn Forester de Rothschild, a prominent Hillary Clinton supporter and member of the Democratic National Committee’s Platform Committee, will endorse John McCain for president on Wednesday, her spokesman tells CNN.

Katie Couric will get a one on one with Palin.

A Republican group is taking responsibility for a poll that has roiled the Jewish community by asking sharply negative questions about Senator Barack Obama.