Friday's News Bites

Press Release from UFCW Local 342: Members Say Cutbacks in Staff Hours, Budget Causes Resident Neglect at Catholic Nursing Home in Queens

Mayor Bloomberg vetoed NYC's prevailing wage bill.

Crain's NY Business: Despite Scandal, Walmart pushes on in NYC.

Elsewhere, a human torso was sent to BJ's Wholesale Club on accident, what?

Why? NYC is still the only municipality in New York to require finger printing when applying for Food Stamps.

Elsewhere, a human torso was sent to BJ's Wholesale Club by mistake, what?

And a reminder, Target in Valley Stream will be closing their doors for 'renovations' Saturday April 28.  We're calling this union-busting.

This Saturday is Workers' Memorial Day.  What's Workers Memorial Day? Check out this blog post: "Why Workers Memorial Day is Important to Me"  We're honoring and remembering all fallen and injured workers throughout the world.  To find an event near you, head here.

When will Wal-Mart close the Union Shop?, Friday One-Liners...

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Happy Friday, here's what's in the news12/12/2008

The Island Harvest is holding a few food drives at some Local 1500 stores this weekend.

Lee Scott will address the nation including the economy on Meet the Press Sunday

There has been a call for a state probe in the Black Friday stampede

WakeupWal-Mart is wondering how long it will take for the recently unionized Wal-Mart [Canada] to close.

Delhaize Group said it has named Stefan Descheemaeker as its new chief financial officer, effective Jan. 5.
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BJ's Wholesale Club here on Thursday made it official: Laura Sen will be its next chief executive officer.
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A coalition of food safety, science and consumer groups has urged President-elect Barack Obama to appoint a Secretary of Agriculture "who has had experience with or has been an advocate of the USDA's nutrition, food safety, and conservation programs" and who "has had experience providing leadership to a large and diverse organization."
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Stuart Applebaum released a statement regarding the idea of Caroline Kennedy taking Hillary's vacant Senate seat.

Applebaum also released a statement responding to a Labor Department report that the number of Americans collecting unemployment benefits has soared to 4.43 million.

Christine Quinn announced, No rebate checks for Christmas

Betsy Gotbaum is meeting with her potential successors.

Whole Foods calls FTC pursuit a waste of time, BJ's Wholesale Club finds a new CEO, more one liners...

via FlickrImage by Storm Crypt via Flickr

Study shows an 84% increase in shoplifting.

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey said that the Federal Trade Commission's pursuit of antitrust claims in his company's acquisition of Wild Oats is "almost a vendetta" and is wasting time and money

Here's another story about getting locally grown food to Long Island schools.

Black Friday Death

Crain's reports the results from the Wal-Mart 'Black Friday' hearing yesterday.

Wal-Mart Organized in Canada

If you didn't hear another Wal-Mart was organized in Canada, the Mayor of the town is worried Wal-Mart will close the store.

Wal-Mart to purchase more from India

Wal-Mart spokesperson: "We will purchase around $630 million worth of goods directly from India this year - mostly apparel, home furnishings, textiles, shoes and jewelry. This is about 40% more than 2005. In addition, we purchase another $1.2 billion worth of goods from suppliers who source from India. We anticipate similar growth in the next year or two.”

The Asia Times questions if WakeupWal-Mart's advertising strategy is too aggressive....Their latest ad is available here.

BJ's Wholesale Club has a new CEO.

Fresh Market is opening a store in New Hampshire. They're still active in looking to open a store in either Long Island or upstate NY.

And Anthony Weiner is still running for Mayor.

Vornado named in Wal-Mart suit, Jobless rate increases, BJ's and Wal-Mart Sales are up more news...

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The LA Times gives an in depth look at the lawsuit filed by Jdimytai Damour's family, the Real Estate firm 'Vornado' was named in the suit.

BJ's Wholesale Club continues to gain. Wal-Mart sales also were up. Both retailers continue to make money in this economy

Jobless Rate Rises to 6.7% as 533,000 Jobs Are Lost.

Rite Aid names a former Pathmark Exec a senior VP.

The Queens Tribune ran a story saying the death at Wal-Mart could have been avoided, Bruce Both quoted.

Whole Foods continues to buy-out their competition.

Whole Foods also just opened a new store in Union, NJ.

Fresh Market coming to NY, Wal-Mart scales back growth, Wednesday Morning One Liners...

Tops rolls out 'We Proof Everyone' Policy for Alcohol/Tobacco products.

Gristedes Brooklyn Heights update...Hiring begins Nov. 5

The Fresh Market Eyes N.Y. Entry

Southern-bred specialty operator The Fresh Market appears to be heading north to the home turf of Golub Price Chopper in New York State, according to a report in the Schenectady Daily Gazette, which identified The Fresh Market as a tenant in a redevelopment in the town of Colonie, bordering Schenectady County, N.Y.

The LA Times covers UFCW's campaign against Fresh & Easy

Wal-Mart presents a more scaled back growth strategy to analysts.

Wal-Mart's Sam's Club is planning to test a new warehouse store catering specifically to Hispanics and featuring products from Mexico, executives of the chain said at the company's annual analyst meeting here yesterday.
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Wal-Mart U.S. CEO Says Cutting U.S. Store Openings

During day one of a two-day meeting with analysts, Eduardo Castro-Wright said the mega retailer is attempting to adjust to a down economy

Stop & Shop and Giant Stores are introducing a new shelf label to point out healthy foods, said Jim Dwyer, chief business development officer, Ahold USA, speaking at the Ahold USA "Media Days" meeting here Monday.
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Bankrupt shopping-cart maker Rehrig-United, backed by Woodside Capital Partners, is suing three of its customers, including the Home Depot Inc. and BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., for neglecting to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars of products....

Great Editorial:
It's tempting to say “it's the economy's fault” in describing shortfalls in retail financial results. But recently, both Supervalu and A&P took at least partial blame for errors in pricing that hurt performance. It was further proof that a lot of things can go wrong in this economy if you don't get strategies exactly right.

A trial date of Dec. 23 has been set for four former executives of Ralphs Grocery Co. following their filing earlier this week of not guilty pleas in U.S. District Court here on charges that they hired locked-out workers during the 2003-2004 labor dispute in Southern California.
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Several food retailers were among those companies that saw their stocks rise in double digits yesterday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average soared 10.9%, reportedly in anticipation of interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.
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King Kullen here, and its subsidiary Wild by Nature, have joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, a voluntary program to promote green refrigeration technologies and practices.
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Vermont farmers in search of mutually beneficial professional partnerships will get their chance to do some networking today at a "Matchmaker" event consisting of a series of brief meetings with food buyers from supermarket operators, restaurants, food co-ops, and colleges.

Politics

Betsy Gotbaum, the New York City public advocate, will not run for re-election next year, she said in an interview on Monday

Jimmy Vacca's term-limit vote is a disappointment
East Bronx City Councilman Jimmy Vacca's last-minute switch to vote for extending term limits - a bill he bitterly opposed down to the wire - has a lotta folks sadly shaking their heads.

Newsday (James Madore): Economic downturn expected to cost 160,000 New York jobs

Pathmark celebrates 40th anniversary, Solar Panels expanding in stores, Primary Results and Wednesday Morning One Liners...

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Morning Read: 09/10/2008

All 139 Pathmark stores will celebrate the chain’s 40th anniversary this Saturday with special giveaways and discounts, according to A&P here.
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Online grocer FreshDirect has partnered with LaGuardia Community College to offer 60 plant workers free weekly English classes. The 30-hour program will end on Oct. 23.

The Food Emporium will host a “Taste of Africa” food sampling from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at its BridgeMarket store at 405 East 59th St.
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The New York Times writes about new grocery store trends.

Wal-Mart, Macy's, Kohl's, BJ's Wholesale Club, Target, Staples and Whole Foods are among the chains that have begun putting solar panels on their roofs.

As Wal-Mart Stores prepares to open its first Marketside locations in the Phoenix area, the company is reportedly scouting locations in Southern California as well, the Financial Times of London reported yesterday.
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Newsday writes on the continuing rise of food prices & declining fuel prices.

Wal-Mart is being sued for many violations in NJ.

The Dubai Balducci's is revolutionary for the Middle East, being cited as "unbelievable".

The Illinois Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Wal-Mart in federal court on behalf of a Rockford woman who claims she was fired because she had epilepsy.

Politics

Here are the 2008 Primary Election results.

Mike McMahon, 74 percent
Steve Harrison, 26 percent

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver soundly beat challengers Paul Newell and Luke Henry by capturing 68 percent of the vote with 6,743 ballots. Newell received 2,301 votes and Henry 879.

McCain camp released an ad that claims Obama wants Sex Education for Kindergartners.

Interesting article on Palin, her plane and prepared comments.

Mayor Bloomberg is still mulling over term limits.

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A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election.
  - Bill Vaughan

BJ's in Red Hook and more top news....

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Plans to bring BJ’s Wholesale Club, potentially the second big box retailer in Red Hook, sent a shiver of excitement and mild horror through the neighborhood this week.

 Worsening product price inflation -- with many food products exceeding 5% cost increases -- is making for a "painful" environment for A&P and its shoppers, Christian Haub, executive chairman of the Montvale, N.J.-based retailer, said in remarks at the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference on Wednesday.
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Delhaize Group here on Wednesday released its first "Corporate Responsibility Report," highlighting the retailer's accomplishments in areas such as the environment and health and wellness.
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Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., said yesterday it has established a new regional headquarters for Asia here to oversee its operations in China, India and Japan and to identify new business opportunities throughout Asia.
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Wal-Mart unveiled a new Smart Network in-store TV system on Wednesday that it said will function as the first "shopper-intelligent network at retail.

Boeing Co.'s largest labor union voted to strike Wednesday night, but the union agreed to postpone a walkout for 48 hours after federal mediators urged both sides to return to the bargaining table in a last-ditch effort to reach an agreement.

Political

On the second consecutive night, a lot of the rhetoric at the Republican convention Wednesday evening seemed left over from the last cycle when the fight against terrorism dominated the race.

Stop & Shop new logo, Wal-Mart sells milk at too low of a price & Friday Morning One Liners...

After another falling profit, Target announced they will challenge Wal-Mart on low prices.

UFCW leaders are preparing to use a history-making collective agreement won by nine Wal-Mart garage workers to organize more of the retailer's Canadian stores.

"Always Low Prices" isn't always a good thing for Wal-Mart, apparently. The discounter was warned by Puerto Rican authorities on Thursday that it was selling milk too cheaply on the island.

Stop & Shop and Giant of Ladover, Md., are unveiling new logos today, part of an effort to highlight broad changes being made in the stores.

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The City Council in Oceanside California is expected to give final approval next week to what an official termed a business-friendly law that would require store owners to take more responsibility for keeping shopping carts on their premises.

Consumers looking for values drove hefty increases in sales and store traffic to BJ's Wholesale Club during the second quarter, but a relatively cautious outlook sent stock in the retailer down by more than 7% Wednesday.
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ACDC will sell their album exclusively at Wal-Mart.

Frank Yiannas, vice president of food safety for Wal-Mart Stores, encouraged other food retailers to join Wal-Mart and several other major global retailers in embracing the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), an effort to create and adopt uniform food safety standards.
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Politics

Sen. Barack Obama said he has decided on his running mate, but he's not saying who it is.
Bloomberg rethinks term limits...


 The New York Sun editorial board says David Paterson is backing the effort to extend term limits.


Business Owners Send Strong Message on Willets Point:A group of business owners opposing Mayor Bloomberg's rezoning plan for Willets Point slowed traffic around Shea Stadium before yesterday's Mets game by putting on the streets trucks carrying slogans such as "Hands Off Our Land, Bloomberg!"

A&P unveils new format, Safeway agrees to new contract, and Wednesday Morning One Liners...

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Safeway Canada here said its workers approved a new, five-year labor contract this week that covers about 8,000 employees in British Columbia.
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Queens Crap [Blog] Doesn't have a problem with our hand-billing of 'Food Cellar', but they do have a problem with No Wal-Mart in NYC.

BJ's Wholesale Club Inc said on Wednesday its quarterly profit rose as shoppers headed to the No. 3 U.S. warehouse club operator in search of low prices on food and fuel.

Anthony Weiner is back on the campaign trail.

 Whole Foods Markets will host the second annual Farmers and Food Artisans Road Tour at its Rocky Mountain region stores in September. On the tour, shoppers can meet local producers of foods sold at the organic grocer's stores, try free samples and learn how the foods are brought to market.

A&P will uncork its second “Best Cellars at A&P” store format here Friday.
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Long Island City Development

Prudential Douglas Elliman officially launched the sales campaign for L haus, a 122-unit luxury condominium in Long Island City that is being built by the Stahl Organization. When completed in next year, the building's one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will range from $500,000 to $1.5 million. The building is in Hunters Point, near the Pulaski Bridge and the No. 7 train.