вторник, 19 юли 2011 г.
STS-135 MCC Status Report #16
Somalis flock to world's largest refugee camp
NFL wins lock-out ruling in court
ND0713116
SEATTLE ? Starbucks has expanded its food offerings with the launch of Bistro Boxes, small compact meals boasting less than 500 calories, USA Today reports. The coffeehouse is following up its Petites bite-size desserts line with the addition. Sales of its Petites line of eight small desserts have ?exceeded expectations,? said spokeswoman Lisa Passe.
Other restaurant chains also are toning down calorie counts, such as Chipotle?s Chicken Wraps and Sesame Noodles, which clock in less than 500 calories. Food manufacturers also are launching new, low-calorie offerings, such as Kraft?s SnackWell?s in 100- and 150-calorie packets and Cola-Cola?s 7.5-ounce minicans with 90 calories. Coke added minican versions of Sprite, Cherry Coke and Fanta Orange recently.
While foods with fewer calories might be good for American waistlines, one nutritionist thinks we no longer know how much food to eat and are relying on food makers and restaurants to tell us. ?Americans don't want to think about it,? said food psychologist Carolyn Costin. ?We'd like to be able to stop in a place and have our food made, packaged and certified for us as just enough.?
Around 5,400 U.S. Starbucks locations will have the Bistro Boxes, which come in four choices, such as Sesame Noodles and Chicken Lettuce Wrap. The chain is targeting American ?wellness seekers ? [those who are] constantly looking for healthy options,? said Annie Young-Scrivner, global chief marketing officer for Starbucks.
ND0715117
ALEXANDRIA, VA ? More than 90,000 of the 146,300 convenience and fuel retailing sites in the U.S. are operated by independent operators. As this segment of the industry continues to flourish, competition and the economy have necessitated the organization of groups supporting the independent operator community.
The Virginia Asian American Store Owners Association (VAASOA) is one of the newest ethnic American trade associations (EATA) to join like independents together. A vision of Vipul Patel, NACS Board member and executive director of the Asian American Store Owners Association, and Minesh Patel, chairman of VAASOA, the association offers store owners doing business in Virginia the opportunity to compete with larger chains. �
?Ours is a simple concept?; Minesh Patel said. ?By strengthening the relationship between store owners and suppliers we strive to create business partnerships that allow all of us to grow.?
Patel added, ?VAASOA is proud to be hosting its first Virginia C-Store Expo on July 28 at the Richmond Raceway Complex. It is amazing that in its first year, the association has been able to assemble more than 70 participating vendors covering every aspect of the convenience store business.?�
In fact, for an expo organized in just the last four months, the 70-plus vendors is a testimonial to the business community that is striving to get in front of the growing number of independent convenience store owner operators in Virginia and across the nation.�
?NACS is an important part of our success. Whether you are looking for information on products and services or having a voice in government regulations, membership in NACS is invaluable,? said Patel, adding, ?Through VAASOA?s collaboration with NACS, our members can attend training sessions, workshops and become a part of a global network of store owners. Like NACS, VAASOA understands the meaning behind strength in numbers. I consider attendance at the NACS Show a requirement for my success and we urge all store owners to attend.? �
Mark your calendars for October 1 to 4 and register today to attend the NACS Show this year in Chicago. Learn more about VAASOA at vaasoa.com.
(Editor?s note: NACS Vice President of Member Services Michael Davis is the author of this article and is leading the association?s engagement with independent and ethnic-American c-store operators. He can be reached at mdavis@nacsonline.com.)
Forest complete Greening deal
Somalis flock to world's largest refugee camp
Williams F1 to reunite with Renault
Official: 7 Afghan policemen poisoned, killed
STS-135 MCC Status Report #18
ND0719111
CHICAGO ? Food trucks are here to stay reveals a new study by Technomic, noting that 91 percent of consumers polled are familiar with food trucks and agree that they have staying power. Only 7 percent of consumers polled who frequent a food truck said they expect their visits to decrease over the next year.
?The key for long-term success is getting the non-user to come on board," said Technomic Director Kevin Higar. "One in five individuals is not aware of or has not seen a food truck, and one-third of individuals who are aware of them still haven?t purchased from one.?
According to Technomic, 70 percent of non-users are hesitant to purchase food from a mobile vehicle, which it cites as the biggest growth challenge.
To combat this resistance, Technomic has published its ?Food Trucks Innovation Report,? which includes the following details:
- Location, location, location: 61 percent of consumers find out about food trucks ?just happening up on them,? not by social media. Of consumers who follow food trucks on social media, 84 percent visit a food truck at least weekly.
- QSRs are impacted more by food trucks than other restaurants, with 54 percent of respondents indicating that had they foregone a food truck purchase, they would have eaten at a QSR.
- Contact information for nearly 70 food truck and trailer operators, along with menus and pricing information.
Read more about food trucks in NACS Magazine.�
Alonso claims first victory of season
England's White set to carry on
Broady 'must deal with pressure'
Forest complete Greening deal
Pedrosa wins as Lorenzo closes gap
ND0714111
ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? Find out who?s attending the NACS Show from your inner circle with NACS Show eventSocial, an online tool that allows Show-goers to connect with each other via email and set up meetings onsite or network before arriving in Chicago.
NACS Show eventSocial scans online networks to identify other Show attendees. Networks include:
- Microsoft Outlook
- Hotmail
- Gmail
- Yahoo Mail
The tool also encourages those in a network who haven?t registered yet to do so by sending them an electronic invitation. The message is completely customizable and includes a direct link to NACS Show registration.
Access NACS Show eventSocial now.
Register Now for the NACS Show
The NACS Show, taking place October 1 to 4 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is the only place to discover proven ideas and strategies that will help retailers increase sales, attract new customers, build their brand and improve their bottom line. Register now or by July 22 and save more than 40% on registration.
понеделник, 18 юли 2011 г.
ND0713113
WASHINGTON ? On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its proposed rules on state insurance exchanges, giving states lots of leeway in setting up the marketplaces, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Many states have been dragging their feet in setting up the exchanges. Currently, only a dozen states have approved exchanged laws. Massachusetts and Utah already had such exchanges in place.
The exchanges will let small businesses and individuals to buy health insurance similar to purchasing airfare or hotel rooms online. States have until 2014 to set up the exchanges or their residents would have to use the federal version.
Exchanges will be the main way millions of consumers will be linked to federal subsidies that will assist in coverage payments. The proposed rules provide wide latitude for states, which the Obama administration hopes will spur more states to begin the exchange process.
The rules also contain flexibility for small businesses, which could select plans for employees or let workers pick their own plan. Questions not addressed in this proposal will be answered in future regulations.
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the health care individual mandate.
ND0718112
NEW YORK ? It?s no secret that each time a consumer pays for goods with their rewards card that it costs retailers more per transaction, compared to a regular credit card.
CNN Money wrote last week that 40% to 70% of credit card transactions are made with rewards cards, according to Phil Hinke, founder and president of MerchantFeeSavers.
In fact, most consumers aren?t even aware that retailers are the ones footing the bill for their free airline miles and other reward-laden perks.
"Very few consumers realize that these interchange [swipe] fees are what fund these cards," Curtis Arnold, the founder of CardRatings.Com, told CNN.
Arnold adds that most small businesses ?don?t have the bargaining power," and that the "small business owner is paying more ? not only to use a rewards card ? but just to use plastic in general."
But retailers could be on the verge much-needed change.
According to CNN, Visa says that retailers are free to dissuade customers from using rewards-based credit cards, thanks to a settlement between Visa and MasterCard and the Department of Justice. Visa and MasterCard settled with the DOJ in June, and with that decision, merchants are now able to offer consumers discounts between cards and force the cards to compete on cost.
Webber edges Vettel for Silverstone pole
Denilson set for return to Brazil
ND0712116
BOISE, Idaho ? Is the era of self-checkout ending? Albertsons has begun to take away self-checkout lanes in each of its more than 200 stores in seven states, and other grocery stores are looking into replacing the self-checkout registers, the Dallas Morning News reports.��
Kroger might change its self-checkout lanes into one customer line for multiple, staffed express lanes as it redesigns its stores. Whole Foods Market doesn?t have self-checkout, using metro-style express lanes instead.
?Our customers are our highest priority, and we want to provide them with an excellent experience from the time they park their car to when they leave,? said Albertsons spokeswoman Christine Wilcox. Albertsons will put regular staffed lanes in place of its current self-checkout lanes.
In June, Kroger took away self-checkout lanes in a high-traffic Houston location. ?This isn?t a test,? said spokesman Gary Huddleston. ?We are looking at each and every store as we remodel to determine which checkout works best.?
?Customer service and the personal touch is a prevailing theme today,? said Bob Young, managing director of the Weitzman Group.
While Home Depot is not looking to replace their self-checkout lanes, the home-improvement company has placed 30,000 First Phones in stores to let workers check out customers anywhere in the store.
One of world's most wanted Nazi suspects acquitted
ND0718112
NEW YORK ? It?s no secret that each time a consumer pays for goods with their rewards card that it costs retailers more per transaction, compared to a regular credit card.
CNN Money wrote last week that 40% to 70% of credit card transactions are made with rewards cards, according to Phil Hinke, founder and president of MerchantFeeSavers.
In fact, most consumers aren?t even aware that retailers are the ones footing the bill for their free airline miles and other reward-laden perks.
"Very few consumers realize that these interchange [swipe] fees are what fund these cards," Curtis Arnold, the founder of CardRatings.Com, told CNN.
Arnold adds that most small businesses ?don?t have the bargaining power," and that the "small business owner is paying more ? not only to use a rewards card ? but just to use plastic in general."
But retailers could be on the verge much-needed change.
According to CNN, Visa says that retailers are free to dissuade customers from using rewards-based credit cards, thanks to a settlement between Visa and MasterCard and the Department of Justice. Visa and MasterCard settled with the DOJ in June, and with that decision, merchants are now able to offer consumers discounts between cards and force the cards to compete on cost.
ND0712113
WASHINGTON ? Media businesses, food manufacturers and fast-food restaurant chains have joined together to create the Sensible Food Policy Coalition, The Washington Post reports. Anita Dunn, former White House communications director, is heading the group.�
Coalition members include Time Warner, Viacom, PepsiCo, Kellogg and General Mills. The group has shelled out $6.6 million on lobbying efforts relating to obesity during this year?s first quarter. Collectively, group members have thrown close to $60 million on lobbying since Obama took office.
The coalition was formed to lobby Congress and the Obama administration as it attempts to develop voluntary guidelines on nutrition and marketing on foods aimed at children. David Vladeck, who directs the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission, expressed surprise at the industry?s reaction to the proposed guidelines.
?Congress directed the [agencies] to prepare these guidelines because much of the foods marketed directly to kids are not healthful,? said Vladeck. ?If you look at rising rates of obesity, one in three kids are either overweight or obese. That percentage is growing. I don?t think anyone thinks the status quo is okay. We are trying to be useful in this debate. This is not stealth regulation in any way, shape or form.?
Dunn has been attacked for her position with the coalition because of First Lady Michelle Obama?s ?Let?s Move? campaign against childhood obesity. ?Without resorting to personal attacks, everybody should be able to work together towards a common goal here,? said Dunn. ?At the end of the day, combating childhood obesity is not a question of what gets advertised but a matter of more exercise, healthier eating habits and working together.?
Meanwhile, the convenience store industry is being proactive about nutrition. A NACS nutrition task force is developing a framework that will help guide convenience retailers as they consider how to bring healthier offers to their stores ? all the while recognizing that it comes down to choice. Retailers must be able to maintain their social license to sell what customers demand ? and not what the government wants customers to buy.
A significant component of the NACS nutrition campaign is the notion of ?calories out.? Convenience retailers support more youth sports teams than any other industry in the United States, which help children stay active and burn calories.
The NACS nutrition campaign is evolving. Working with retailers, we?re building case studies and creating a toolkit that will help the industry encourage nutritious food options inside convenience stores.
Downing to be Reds hit - Houllier
GB Olympic hopefuls lose in Euros
ND0715113
ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? This year NACS Show exhibitors can get in front of buyers with EXPOBrander, an online resource that allows exhibitors to co-brand NACS Show marketing materials with their own company logo.
An easy-to-use wizard gives exhibitors the tools to upload a their logo and create a customized NACS Show web registration portal. Exhibitors are then encouraged to send the link to prospects and customers and/or post information about their presence at the NACS Show on their company's website.
As customers click on this link to register for the NACS Show, they will see the company?s logo in the upper right hand corner of every web page throughout the registration process.
The best part is that exhibitors receive a listing of qualified leads that can be downloaded into an Excel spreadsheet for easy follow-up. There is no charge for exhibitors to use the tool.
Learn more about using EXPOBrander today.
Register Now for the NACS Show?
The NACS Show, taking place October 1 to 4 at McCormick Place in Chicago, is the only place to discover proven ideas and strategies that will help retailers increase sales, attract new customers, build their brand and improve their bottom line. Register now or by July 22 and save more than 40% on registration.
ND0712115
NEW YORK ? Extreme couponing has become a game for some shoppers, one that leaves retailers with a big headache, Advertising Age reports. Some retailers are fighting back by issuing redemption limits,��
While coupon redemption has stayed flat lately ? 3.3 billion redemptions last year ? and has dropped from the 4.4 billion in 2000, according to Nielsen and Inmar. However, heavy coupon users have increased to 13 percent in 2010, up from 11 percent in 2009, Nielsen found.
The so-called coupon enthusiasts tend to clear shelves of product with coupons, and triggered changes in how merchants handle coupons. Some are updating restriction limits and posting their coupon rules. ?One of the reasons why retailers have been posting their rules is because there has been fraud, there has been misuse of coupons [and] they want to control that,? said Todd Hale, senior vice president of consumer and shopper insights for Nielsen.
Target is one retailer that has made changes to its coupon policy, such as saying using two buy-one-get-one free coupons does not mean that both items are free. Rite Aid issued rules on multiple coupons, clarifying that it ?may accept up to four identical coupons for the same number of qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers. Walgreens? new rules include the statement: ?Management reserves the right to limit quantity of items purchased.?
Retailers say they only want to stem the tide of abusers of couponing with the new policies. On the other side, couponers want transparency and clear coupon policies, said Carrie Isaac, who runs two Colorado coupon websites. Isaac pointed the finger at TLC?s ?Extreme Couponing? TV show as ruining the reputation of couponing shoppers.
Check out ?Buy One Get One Free, or Why Coupons Work? in the December 2009 NACS Magazine for more on convenience stores and coupons.
Are some countries abusing Interpol?
ND0714115
SACRAMENTO, CA ? The California Assembly voted earlier this week to prohibit the sale of caffeinated beer within the state, the Associated Press reports.
The 43-24 vote follows an April vote by the state Senate to ban caffeinated beer, but that chamber must reconsider changes made by the Assembly before the bill can be sent to the governor.
The bill would ban the import, production, distribution or retail sale of beer and other alcohol beverages that include caffeine. Six states have passed similar bans.
Bill sponsor Sen. Alex Padilla claims that the beverages lead to alcohol poisoning and blackouts among college students. ?The added caffeine masks the effects of the high alcohol content, which can lead to binge drinking and dangerous behavior,? he said.
Opponents of the bill, meanwhile, responded that it doesn?t matter what the product is ?�if students under 21 are consuming alcohol, then they are breaking the law. Period.
After regulatory pressure beginning in 2008, some major breweries eliminated caffeinated beers, though smaller companies have since emerged to fill the market void.
ND0712114
CHICAGO ? More restaurants are stirring up their own sodas to the delight of summertime crowds, the Chicago Tribune reports. These small batches of handcrafted carbonated beverages have found their way into fine-dining establishments, gelato shops and burger restaurants.�
Fresh ingredients and cane sugar combine with fizz to make the drinks. For example, Chicago restaurant one sixtyblue (that?s not a typo) is serving homemade rhubarb and strawberry with mint and blackberry with ginger and lime sodas.
Executive Chef Michael McDonald hit upon the idea for handcrafted sodas after experimenting with citrus and sparkling water for his own enjoyment. ?If lime is so refreshing, what if I added watermelon or strawberry puree. When I worked in Mexico, before our shift one of the guys would always grab some fruit, puree it and make a big batch of a fruit-flavored beverage,? he said.
Eli Boyer, general manager of DMK Burger Bar, traveled the country to visit similar concepts before opening their restaurant and saw the popularity of homemade sodas. ?We decided to focus on fruit flavors and use pure cane sugar,? he said. His creations have a filtered soda water base and fruit syrup.
Terzo Piano added handcrafted carbonated drinks to its menus. ?We like to focus as much as possible on local, organic, sustainable foods, and we even followed that concept in our bar and beverage program,? said Ryan Paykert, who manages the beverages. ?We found a lot of beers and spirits that matched that initiative, but at the time there were no local sodas.?
The restaurant features all-natural sodas tied to the season, such as carrot and caramel, cranberry fennel and pomegranate thyme. The summer menu will have cantaloupe and watermelon sodas.
Davis Cup comes back to Glasgow
STS-135 MCC Status Report #17
ND0427118
SACRAMENTO, CA ? A California Assembly committee shelved a proposal to tax sodas, sweet teas, sport drinks, and other sugary beverages, the Sacrament Bee reports.�
Assembly Bill 669 was held without a vote, so the bill technically remains alive, though lawmakers conceded it is unlikely to advance.
Indeed, Assemblyman Bill Monning, who drafted the bill, said the committee would not move AB 669 to the Assembly floor unless it can win a two-thirds vote there, which is not yet the case.��
"I would acknowledge that it's an uphill struggle," Monning said.
Monning drafted the bill to generate revenue for obesity prevention programs, seeking to assess a one penny per fluid ounce tax on sugar drinks distributed in California.�
"I remain committed to continuing to pursue this issue and educating the public about the dangers of sugary drinks ? the biggest contributor to current obesity trends," Monning said after the bill failed to gain movement. "The long-term health of California's children is at risk and we must work together to avoid a future influx of chronically ill adults into our already overstressed healthcare system.
Opponents to the bill maintained it would harm the beverage industry and that sugar drink consumption is a matter of personal responsibility and parental authority.�
ND0714116
NEW YORK ? The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that in 2011 through August 31, ethanol producers will have consumed more domestic corn than livestock and poultry farmers, the Financial Times reports.
According to estimates, ethanol refiners will have consumed 5.05 billion bushels of corn, or 40 percent of last year?s harvest, compared to 5 billion bushels used for animal feed and residual demand.
The data comes amidst increased scrutiny and concern over food inflation. ?It?s a tipping point,? said Luke Chandler, Rabobank global head of agricultural research.
Corn prices have jumped 90 percent from a year ago, and U.S. ethanol production is projected to reach a record 13.7 billion gallons this year, exceeding mandated levels by 1 billion gallons, according to the Renewable Fuels Association.
Global demand for corn is increasing, with the USDA estimating global consumption to increase 5.9 million tons to 877.6 million in the coming year.
ND0715116
HARRISBURG, Pa. ? A bill introduced this week in the Pennsylvania House would privatize the state?s liquor stores and allow supermarkets and convenience stores to expand into alcohol sales, the Scranton Times-Tribune reports.
State House Majority Leader Mike Turzai?s legislation would put 1,250 retail liquor licenses to auction, as well as gradually get rid of the 621 state-run liquor stores. Pennsylvania has been in the liquor-sale business for decades.
The licenses would fall into two categories: Class A (750 licenses) for large retailers and supermarkets with 15,000 or more square feet of retail space and a location in a ?retail? zone; Class B (500 licenses) for independent merchants, such as wine shops and specialty stores. ?The design is to make sure the entire state geographically is covered,? said Turzai.
The measure would also open up liquor licenses to beer distributors, who could bid on the licenses to offer both beer and wine in the same store. In addition, the proposal redoes the state liquor taxes, eliminating the ?Johnston Flood? tax and adding a per-gallon tax at the wholesale level.
Gov. Tom Corbett supports the legislation, but some lawmakers are against it.
State Sen. Jim Ferlo is misguided in thinking that the changes would result in illegal underage sales. ?We would put the responsibility of alcohol sales in the hands of clerks at grocery and convenience stores, at a greatly increased number of locations, and expect that we won't see an increase in the number of illegal sales,? said Ferlo.
Ferlo, meanwhile, obviously hasn?t considered the fact that convenience stores are already well versed in age verification procedures for age-restricted products such as cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Murray rout levels Davis Cup tie
New airstrikes rattle Tripoli in Libya conflict
неделя, 17 юли 2011 г.
Fighting erupts in embattled southern Yemen
Simoncelli tops eventful German practice
Weir signs one-year Rangers deal
ND0708112
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. ? Posting calorie counts by menu items does little to change eating habits, the Washington Post reports. With the new national menu-labeling law to take effect at the end of this year, some are questioning whether the data will lower American weight.
Earlier this year, Montgomery County chain restaurants began posting calorie information as required by a new law, which was designed to curb obesity. But a growing body of research finds that most people either ignore the data or end up eating more calories after viewing the labels.
?There is a great concern among many of the people who study calorie labeling that the policy has moved way beyond the science and that it would be beneficial to slow down,? said George Loewenstein, who researches calorie labeling in his position as a behavioral economist at Carnegie Mellon University.
Some restaurants are revamping menus to squeeze in lower-calorie offerings ahead of the national legislation coming into effect. But some restaurants in Montgomery County say they have experienced no change in ordering this year even with calorie counts prominently displayed.
?Have we seen a big [drop] in sales? No, not at all,? said Todd Stallings, who owns several Five Guys restaurants. ?When people come to Five Guys, they know we are not cooking their french fries in water.?
From New York City to Montgomery County, studies have found little changes in how people eat restaurant food. ?Consumers really should be using this information because it can be helpful to them,? said Lisa Harnack, a University of Minnesota nutritionist who studied how people reacted to calorie counts in restaurants. ?I was optimistic we would find that people would make different choices based on having more information.?
NACS recently submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration arguing that convenience stores should be exempt from the menu-labeling regulations.
London police chief resigns amid scandal
Monk could miss start of season
Murray rout levels Davis Cup tie
Egyptian finance, industry ministers quit amid protests
Serena slumps in world rankings
Wenger angry at Mancini comments
ND0713113
WASHINGTON ? On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its proposed rules on state insurance exchanges, giving states lots of leeway in setting up the marketplaces, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Many states have been dragging their feet in setting up the exchanges. Currently, only a dozen states have approved exchanged laws. Massachusetts and Utah already had such exchanges in place.
The exchanges will let small businesses and individuals to buy health insurance similar to purchasing airfare or hotel rooms online. States have until 2014 to set up the exchanges or their residents would have to use the federal version.
Exchanges will be the main way millions of consumers will be linked to federal subsidies that will assist in coverage payments. The proposed rules provide wide latitude for states, which the Obama administration hopes will spur more states to begin the exchange process.
The rules also contain flexibility for small businesses, which could select plans for employees or let workers pick their own plan. Questions not addressed in this proposal will be answered in future regulations.
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the health care individual mandate.
ND0713111
ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? The 24th edition of the NACS State of the Industry of 2010 Data Factbook is now available. The Factbook, a companion to the recently published NACS State of the Industry Report of 2010 Data, provides a detailed statistical account of convenience and fuel retailing industry data over the past several years ? or in some cases, decades ? as well as a historical recap of the industry and key definitions and events that have shaped it.
Based on 40-plus years of data from previous NACS State of the Industry reports, the Factbook provides a compilation of data that goes back as far as the 1950s. This comprehensive resource consists of two Word files and 44 Excel files that deliver granular details about merchandise, foodservice, motor fuels, store operations, top quartile and same-store components of the convenience and fuel retailing industry.
Statistical breakouts include:
- Industry sales and profits
- Per-store sales, profits and expenses
- Motor fuels operations
- Category data
- Store-level survey data
- Top performer information
The NACS State of the Industry of 2010 Data Factbook is available as a self-extracting executable file (.exe format), and is available for purchase as either a standalone product or as part of the NACS State of the Industry suite of products. Orders can be placed online at nacsonline.com/products or by calling NACS Customer Service at (800) 966-6227.
Emotional Murray seals GB Cup win
Residents: Syrian forces move into border city
ND0712117
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. ? Weekly, a mobile produce stand rumbles into the parking lot of the local Dari Mart to sell fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, the Register-Guard reports.
As part of the Healthy Corner Stores Initiative, more convenience stores are stocking fresh produce and healthier snacks. The Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth helped coordinate the weekly trip of McKenzie River Organic Farm.
Jack Richardson, whose family runs the farm, refurbished a 1949 GMC pickup with a flatbed to carry the cucumbers, squash and salad greens, among other seasonal produce. His first stop in late June netted 80 customers in a two-hour time frame. Richardson will continue bringing the mobile produce stand to the Dari Mart through September.
Kayla Schott-Bresler, who coordinates the produce project for the Lane Coalition, is also working with two other Dari Marts to bring in fresher, healthier groceries to food deserts. She said Dari Mart customers indicated a strong interest in fresh produce if available.
The project has a $180,000, three-year grant from the Northwest Health Foundation and a $21,210 grant from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund.
In Chicago, Fresh Moves, a converted bus that sells fresh produce, recently started making the rounds in underserved areas.
ND0708117
LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? Thorntons announces it has raised more than $10,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Kentucky Region. During the month of May, all Thorntons store locations sold Wish Stars for $1, with 100 percent of the proceeds going back to the foundation. This is the fifth year Thorntons has partnered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and since 2008, the convenience store chain has raised more than $50,000 for the foundation.
?We are very proud to partner with such a great organization as the Make-A-Wish Foundation,? said Matt Thornton, president and CEO of Thorntons, in a press release. ?We have seen an overwhelmingly positive response from our customers in regards to this program, and we are thrilled to serve as a vehicle for our customers to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.?
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana chapter is the largest of the 64 Make-A-Wish chapters in the country in both territory and wishes granted. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Kentucky Region has fulfilled the individual wishes of 852 local children since it was founded in 2001.
U.N. flies aid to Somalia after Islamists lift ban
ND0713117
DOVER, N.H. ? Grocery stores are upping their services to compete for shoppers, the Times Herald-Record reports. More supermarkets now offer on-site pharmacies, DVD rental kiosks, on-premises dry cleaning and coin-counting kiosks.
Some stores even have online grocery shopping and home delivery. For example, Stop & Shop customers can order online and have their groceries delivered via Peapod, while ShopRite has ShopRite from Home.
?(The services) help to differentiate us and they also help to give our customers what they want and need,? said Elisabeth Loeb, spokeswoman for ShopRite. ?If you can get all your shopping and errands done in one place, then we're happy to provide that.?
ShopRite boasts in-store DVD rentals and has on-premises dietitians who will shop with you for free. Other ShopRite locations have dry cleaning services, banks and Dexter Deli, which allows shoppers to pre-order deli meats and cheeses to be sliced while shopping.
Hannaford is testing Hannaford to Go, where customers order online and pick up their groceries at the store parking lot. ?We're looking at that to see how successful it is and see if we want to expand it,? said Hannaford spokesman Eric Blom.
Hannaford locations often have pharmacies and Redbox DVD kiosks. Also, Hannaford offers several online tasks, such as prescription management, gift card purchase and reload, and printable and downloadable shopping lists. ?I think that we are a grocery store company, so that's our core,? said Blom. ?Any ancillary convenience services that we offer would be those that we feel would benefit the customer, but we're certainly not going to try to be all things. That's not our business.?
ND0713119
CHICAGO -- RWJ Management Company and its employees have joined together in a concentrated effort to support breast cancer research. RWJ owns and operates BP ampm convenience stores and gasoline stations in the Chicago area.Local BP jobber Parent Petroleum also helped with the fundraising efforts.�
The company completed its three-month fundraising program to support the efforts of Tammy Albor, a manager at an RWJ-owned ampm store located in Crestwood, Ill. Tammy will be Walking for the Cure in Chicago on Aug. 5 to 8 in honor of her mother, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.
?We hope that this small effort made by RWJ Management Companies, its employees and customers will aid in the search for a cure for breast cancer,? stated Robert W. Juckniess, president of RWJ Management Companies Inc.
US inspired by Sundhage approach
събота, 16 юли 2011 г.
Three charged over pitch invasion
ND0713113
WASHINGTON ? On Monday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released its proposed rules on state insurance exchanges, giving states lots of leeway in setting up the marketplaces, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Many states have been dragging their feet in setting up the exchanges. Currently, only a dozen states have approved exchanged laws. Massachusetts and Utah already had such exchanges in place.
The exchanges will let small businesses and individuals to buy health insurance similar to purchasing airfare or hotel rooms online. States have until 2014 to set up the exchanges or their residents would have to use the federal version.
Exchanges will be the main way millions of consumers will be linked to federal subsidies that will assist in coverage payments. The proposed rules provide wide latitude for states, which the Obama administration hopes will spur more states to begin the exchange process.
The rules also contain flexibility for small businesses, which could select plans for employees or let workers pick their own plan. Questions not addressed in this proposal will be answered in future regulations.
Earlier this month, a federal appeals court upheld the health care individual mandate.
U.S. issues emergency warning for citizens in Chihuahua
ND0714112
WASHINGTON ? An article in yesterday?s New York Times presented a detailed look at the effects that President Obama?s proposed LIFO accounting method repeal would play on the economy.
In the budget he submitted to Congress for fiscal year 2012, Obama called for the repeal of LIFO, describing it as an outdated change in the tax treatment of business inventories.
?[H]owever complex the details, the effects of the change would be substantial,? writes the Times, ?and in pushing for it Mr. Obama has kicked a hornet?s nest.?
The proposal would prohibit the last-in, first-out accounting technique (LIFO) that is used to determine the cost of goods sold and income earned by a company.
If Obama?s proposal becomes law, it would increase the tax liability for companies that have been using this method ? some for decades ? generating a projected $95 billion in revenue over 10 years. Especially hard hit by the repeal would be small businesses, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and oil companies.
Obama has emphasized the importance of creating manufacturing jobs, but manufacturers maintain repeal of LIFO would have the opposite effect.
?The president?s proposal would be devastating,? said C. William Jones, vice chairman of O?Neal Industries, a 90-year-old family owned metals company in Birmingham, Ala. ?It would increase our tax bill by tens of millions of dollars. Thousands of companies would be affected the same way.?
Charles W. Mulford, a professor of accounting at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said LIFO repeal looks like ?an easy source of revenue, but ?it taxes illusory income, phantom profits that result from inflation.?
?LIFO is not an accounting gimmick or a loophole,? Jones said. ?It?s been a readily accepted method of valuing inventory for decades.?
Others maintain the president?s proposal would undo tax benefits that companies have relied on by using the LIFO method of accounting.
?It?s a huge retroactive tax,? said Jade C. West, senior vice president of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, who is leading the business coalition opposed to the change. ?The government would tell companies that they must go back and recalculate the tax savings they have claimed for decades.?
The Treasury Department has addressed this concern, saying that the tax could be paid over 10 years.
Oil companies would be impacted significantly by repeal of LIFO, said Stephen Comstock, manager of tax policy at the American Petroleum Institute, adding, ?[t]he current method of accounting is absolutely fair.?
NACS is opposed to repeal of the LIFO accounting method and is working with the Save LIFO coalition to block its repeal.
STS-135 MCC Status Report #15
ND0713117
DOVER, N.H. ? Grocery stores are upping their services to compete for shoppers, the Times Herald-Record reports. More supermarkets now offer on-site pharmacies, DVD rental kiosks, on-premises dry cleaning and coin-counting kiosks.
Some stores even have online grocery shopping and home delivery. For example, Stop & Shop customers can order online and have their groceries delivered via Peapod, while ShopRite has ShopRite from Home.
?(The services) help to differentiate us and they also help to give our customers what they want and need,? said Elisabeth Loeb, spokeswoman for ShopRite. ?If you can get all your shopping and errands done in one place, then we're happy to provide that.?
ShopRite boasts in-store DVD rentals and has on-premises dietitians who will shop with you for free. Other ShopRite locations have dry cleaning services, banks and Dexter Deli, which allows shoppers to pre-order deli meats and cheeses to be sliced while shopping.
Hannaford is testing Hannaford to Go, where customers order online and pick up their groceries at the store parking lot. ?We're looking at that to see how successful it is and see if we want to expand it,? said Hannaford spokesman Eric Blom.
Hannaford locations often have pharmacies and Redbox DVD kiosks. Also, Hannaford offers several online tasks, such as prescription management, gift card purchase and reload, and printable and downloadable shopping lists. ?I think that we are a grocery store company, so that's our core,? said Blom. ?Any ancillary convenience services that we offer would be those that we feel would benefit the customer, but we're certainly not going to try to be all things. That's not our business.?
Calvin (Eastern Pacific)
NASA satellites have watched Calvin become a hurricane on July 8 and weaken quickly to a remnant low pressure area by July 10.
ND0714112
WASHINGTON ? An article in yesterday?s New York Times presented a detailed look at the effects that President Obama?s proposed LIFO accounting method repeal would play on the economy.
In the budget he submitted to Congress for fiscal year 2012, Obama called for the repeal of LIFO, describing it as an outdated change in the tax treatment of business inventories.
?[H]owever complex the details, the effects of the change would be substantial,? writes the Times, ?and in pushing for it Mr. Obama has kicked a hornet?s nest.?
The proposal would prohibit the last-in, first-out accounting technique (LIFO) that is used to determine the cost of goods sold and income earned by a company.
If Obama?s proposal becomes law, it would increase the tax liability for companies that have been using this method ? some for decades ? generating a projected $95 billion in revenue over 10 years. Especially hard hit by the repeal would be small businesses, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and oil companies.
Obama has emphasized the importance of creating manufacturing jobs, but manufacturers maintain repeal of LIFO would have the opposite effect.
?The president?s proposal would be devastating,? said C. William Jones, vice chairman of O?Neal Industries, a 90-year-old family owned metals company in Birmingham, Ala. ?It would increase our tax bill by tens of millions of dollars. Thousands of companies would be affected the same way.?
Charles W. Mulford, a professor of accounting at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said LIFO repeal looks like ?an easy source of revenue, but ?it taxes illusory income, phantom profits that result from inflation.?
?LIFO is not an accounting gimmick or a loophole,? Jones said. ?It?s been a readily accepted method of valuing inventory for decades.?
Others maintain the president?s proposal would undo tax benefits that companies have relied on by using the LIFO method of accounting.
?It?s a huge retroactive tax,? said Jade C. West, senior vice president of the National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors, who is leading the business coalition opposed to the change. ?The government would tell companies that they must go back and recalculate the tax savings they have claimed for decades.?
The Treasury Department has addressed this concern, saying that the tax could be paid over 10 years.
Oil companies would be impacted significantly by repeal of LIFO, said Stephen Comstock, manager of tax policy at the American Petroleum Institute, adding, ?[t]he current method of accounting is absolutely fair.?
NACS is opposed to repeal of the LIFO accounting method and is working with the Save LIFO coalition to block its repeal.
STS-135 MCC Status Report #13
Roger Mosey on 3D Wimbledon marking a small piece of broadcasting history
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ND0712111
WASHINGTON ? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a proposal under the Clean Air Act that would waive requirements for systems used at convenience store and gas station pumps to capture gasoline vapors while refueling.
Beginning in 2013, EPA estimates that 70 percent of all vehicles will be equipped with on-board systems to capture these vapors, rendering the use of Stage II vapor recovery systems redundant. Eliminating the Stage II requirement could save affected retail fueling locations substantially more than $3,000 annually and eliminate installation expenses of more than $50,000 or $100,000.
Since 1994, retail fueling locations in certain areas (ozone nonattainment counties) have been required to use gasoline vapor recovery systems, which capture fumes that escape from gasoline tanks during refueling.�However, as required by the Clean Air Act, automobile manufacturers began installing onboard refueling vapor recovery (ORVR) technologies in 1998, making c-store and gas station systems redundant.�Since 2006, all new automobiles and light trucks (pickups, vans, and SUVs) are equipped with ORVR.
The Clean Air Act allows EPA to establish criteria for waiving federal requirements for vapor recovery systems on gasoline pumps when ORVR systems are widely available in the vehicle fleet.�EPA is proposing June 30, 2013, as the date for when a sufficient portion of the U.S. vehicle fleet will be equipped with such technology.�
There are several important components of the proposed rule worth noting:
- EPA has determined that ORVR will be in widespread use nation-wide on June 30, 2013. This will satisfy the Clean Air Act?s provision for determining that Stage II vapor recovery is no longer required in counties found to be in ?Serious,? ?Severe? and ?Extreme? non-attainment for ozone.
- States which believe ORVR will be in widespread use in their regions prior to June 30, 2013, are permitted to submit additional data supporting a regional waiver prior to the federal date.
- Before Stage II vapor recovery requirements are removed from non-attainment counties, states must submit to EPA revisions to their State Implementation Plans for air quality. �States may submit proposed revisions prior to June 30, 2013, in order to accommodate repeal of the Stage II requirement in a timely manner.
- Regions that are classified as in ?Serious,? ?Severe? or ?Extreme? non-attainment with federal ozone standards for the first time after January 1, 2011, need not require Stage II vapor recovery at retail facilities. The regulations requiring Stage II provide 30 months for such regions to come into compliance with such requirements. Consequently, the Stage II federal requirement will be repealed prior to this compliance deadline.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. NACS is reviewing the proposal more closely and will file comments. One particular concern NACS will ask EPA to accommodate is the applicability of Stage II requirements to newly constructed facilities between now and the official repeal of the requirement. NACS does not believe new sites should have to invest the capital to install a system that will be ruled obsolete in less than two years.
More information, go to the EPA?s website.
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STS-135 MCC Status Report #15
ND0713114
HIGHLAND COUNTY, Fla. ? Florida gasoline stations have had more than their share of pay-at-the-pump skimming incidents recently, BankInfoSecurity.com reports. For example, Highlands County, Fla., has seen more than 120 local victims reporting card fraud with more than $30,000 in losses. Polk County, which borders Highlands, also has reported skimming crimes that, combined with Highlands, brings the amount stolen to nearly $200,000.
?Due to the amount of the loss and the span of the crimes, we will be attempting to seek federal prosecution,? said Highlands Police Sgt. Brian Kramer. The two counties have partnered with the U.S. Secret Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to solve the attacks.
Pay-at-the-pump skimming seems to explode during the summer months with more travelers on the road. But that doesn?t mean paying with plastic at a gasoline station pump is unsafe.
Gray Taylor, PCATS executive director and NACS consultant on payment issues, pointed out that skimming devices at pay-at-the-pump are really a low percentage of such card fraud. ?Most convenience stores are concerned about pay-at-the-pump skimming,? he said. ?But they can only focus on so much.?
NACS recommends upgrading pumps so that each has its own unique key instead of the universal key system currently in use. ?There are 900,000 pay-at-the-pumps out there, and, literally, I have four keys in my desk that will open up every dispenser in the United States that has not been upgraded,? said Taylor.
John Buzzard with FICO?s Card Alert Service said that ATMs still receive the lion?s share of skimming attacks, adding that pay-at-the-pump skimming is not as widespread as media coverage would indicate.
?Fraud is just so cyclical in nature that each year we see a different entry point, and, for the most part, the criminals just switch back and forth between what's highly publicized and what isn't,? said Buzzard. ?The criminals essentially dust off an old fraud scam, like pump skimming, when other card and PIN capture schemes are too hot. Gas pumps are not big right now at all, but we have had a few this year, and expect to see more before the year closes.?
NACS Anti-Skimming Solution
WeCare tamper-evident labels can help retailers identify potential security breaches if skimming devices are inserted at fuel dispensers or other unattended PIN-entry devices. The labels can also help retailers address some of the PCI compliance mandates that are now required.
The security labels are to be used on fuel dispensers near the credit/debit card transaction area. If the label is lifted to insert a skimming device, a ?void? message appears on the label, providing a visual alert to store employees so that additional action can be taken.
Because the labels clearly indicate that they are to prevent tampering, the labels help assure customers that their data is secure, and discourage criminals targeting the store.
Protect your business and your customers ? NACS recently produced a video to show you how. You can also order the WeCare decals for your stores.
NACS also has a fact sheet that examines retailer concerns about card skimming.
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ND0713111
ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? The 24th edition of the NACS State of the Industry of 2010 Data Factbook is now available. The Factbook, a companion to the recently published NACS State of the Industry Report of 2010 Data, provides a detailed statistical account of convenience and fuel retailing industry data over the past several years ? or in some cases, decades ? as well as a historical recap of the industry and key definitions and events that have shaped it.
Based on 40-plus years of data from previous NACS State of the Industry reports, the Factbook provides a compilation of data that goes back as far as the 1950s. This comprehensive resource consists of two Word files and 44 Excel files that deliver granular details about merchandise, foodservice, motor fuels, store operations, top quartile and same-store components of the convenience and fuel retailing industry.
Statistical breakouts include:
- Industry sales and profits
- Per-store sales, profits and expenses
- Motor fuels operations
- Category data
- Store-level survey data
- Top performer information
The NACS State of the Industry of 2010 Data Factbook is available as a self-extracting executable file (.exe format), and is available for purchase as either a standalone product or as part of the NACS State of the Industry suite of products. Orders can be placed online at nacsonline.com/products or by calling NACS Customer Service at (800) 966-6227.
