неделя, 1 май 2011 г.
Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending April 29.
Alonso: Ferrari too slow in China
Former Garfield County Man Sentenced for Making Interstate Threats and Failing to Register as a Sex Offender
Mann first UK woman to enter Indy 500
ND0426118
LINCOLN, NE ? A Nebraska bill that would direct more healthy food options to Nebraska?s high poverty areas is scheduled to receive a second round of legislative debate, CNBC reports.�
State Sen. Brenda Council introduced a bill that would require the state to create a financing program to increase the availability of fresh produce and other nutritious food, a program that would tap funds from both the public and private sectors. The money would be used to build new grocery stores and establish farmers markets, among other options.
The bill already advanced through a first-round vote. A second round of debate is expected to begin as early as today, when the legislature reconvenes.�
ND0429113
ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? Gasoline prices are inching toward record highs, and so are thefts of the fuel, USA Today reports. The regular unleaded gasoline average is $1.02 higher than a year ago and will continue to climb.��
With pump prices in an increasing number of locations hitting the $4 or more mark, drive-offs from fill-ups, as well as thefts of larger quantities of gasoline, has risen, too. Not surprisingly, gasoline thefts hurt convenience stores the most.
?No question that's [theft is] up,? said Jeff Lenard, NACS spokesman. ?Any business that still allows you to pump gas first and then pay can be taken advantage of.?�
While more gasoline stations are switching to prepayment pumps, retailers in the Midwest and West still have pump-first, pay-later operations. The Maverik chain is one that has had a bump in drive-offs, said Nancy Couch, the chain?s loss-prevention director. Drive-offs usually equal about 1 percent of sales.
In Indiana, the state Attorney General said that $4.17 per gallon gasoline is not price gouging, WISH-TV reports. Earlier this week, the office indicated it was investigating allegations of price fixing at gasoline stations.�
The AG?s office discovered that market factors drove up the cost of gasoline at two gasoline stations. Another station is still under investigation. Recently, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said a consumer watchdog group would be formed to keep an eye on the gas and oil market.
ND0425114
LOUISVILLE, KY ? Last week Fastcasual.com released its 2011 Top 100 Movers and Shakers ranks the restaurant-industry segment's best brands�based on innovation, sales and unit growth, marketing successes and food quality.
?This year's winner smoked the competition, boosting both average-unit volumes and overall�sales in 2010,? noted the news source, referring to Jacksonville, Florida-based Firehouse Subs.
?Our top 10 fast casual brands used the economic recession as an opportunity rather than an obstacle and used creativity and innovation to move their brands and the segment forward,? wrote Valerie Killifer, fastcasual.com?s editorial vice president, foodservice division.
The top 10 fast-causal restaurants are:
- Firehouse Subs
- Wildflower Bread Company
- Genghis Grill
- Mooyah
- Five Guys Burgers & Fries
- Go Roma
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- Tom & Eddie?s
- Wow Bao
- Au Bon Pain
In addition to the top 100, this year?s issue�includes a look at the top marketing, technology and food trends of 2010, along with an executive Q&A with Panera Bread chairman Ron Shaich.
