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Meijer Donates Filters in Flint While Governor Said Water Was Safe

New emails recently released by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, revealed that an aide working directly under Snyder, quietly arranged for the donation of water filters for the city of Flint in the summer of 2015. While at the same time, Snyder publicly doubted the concerns of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality regarding the amount of lead found in the public drinking water.

The emails that were released just this past weekend not only show that Snyder was already aware of the problem, but they also named the previously anonymous donors who gave 1,500 water filters to Flint while the city was insisting that the water was safe to drink. These donors were Meijer and Clorox.

Mark Murray, current co-CEO of Meijer and former state treasurer, agreed to donate the water filters, and later recruited Clorox as a co-donor. Clorox distributes water filters through their Brita division.

The governor’s office now admits that the state delivered water filters to ministers in the Flint city area to address the public’s concern over aesthetic water issues, such as smell and color, but not because the city believed that the water was in any way dangerous or that it contained deadly contaminants such as lead. However, the governor’s records show that his main spokesperson for the Flint water crisis, Harvey Hollins, was delivering the filters at the same time he was giving the reports about lead contamination in the city drinking water after the city switched its source of water from the Detroit water supply to the Flint River in April of 2014.

In fact it was Hollins who emailed Murray about possible water filter donations on July 23rd of 2015. In a later email, Hollins specifically requested a certain Brita water filter model, which is known to remove contaminants such as lead and other impurities, even though Hollins never actually used the word “lead” in his email.

It isn’t clear in the emails why Meijer and Clorox insisted on remaining anonymous. Frank Guglielmi, spokesperson for Meijer, stated that the company frequently donated items and materials to the community. He stated that they don’t usually publicize their involvement as they want the focus to be on the project at hand, not the donation.

Spokesperson for Clorox and Brita, David Kargas, stated that they simply responded to Meijer’s request for donations and that they were not involved in the decision, nor were they asked, about remaining anonymous.

Meijer has donated more than $500,000 to three non-profit organizations to bring relief to the citizens of Flint.

 

 

Source: Detroit Free Press

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New emails recently released by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, revealed that an aide working directly under Snyder, quietly arranged for the donation of water filters for the city of Flint in the summer of 2015. While at the same time, Snyder publicly doubted the concerns of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality regarding the amount of lead found in the public drinking water.

The emails that were released just this past weekend not only show that Snyder was already aware of the problem, but they also named the previously anonymous donors who gave 1,500 water filters to Flint while the city was insisting that the water was safe to drink. These donors were Meijer and Clorox.

Mark Murray, current co-CEO of Meijer and former state treasurer, agreed to donate the water filters, and later recruited Clorox as a co-donor. Clorox distributes water filters through their Brita division.

History

The governor’s office now admits that the state delivered water filters to ministers in the Flint city area to address the public’s concern over aesthetic water issues, such as smell and color, but not because the city believed that the water was in any way dangerous or that it contained deadly contaminants such as lead. However, the governor’s records show that his main spokesperson for the Flint water crisis, Harvey Hollins, was delivering the filters at the same time he was giving the reports about lead contamination in the city drinking water after the city switched its source of water from the Detroit water supply to the Flint River in April of 2014.

In fact it was Hollins who emailed Murray about possible water filter donations on July 23rd of 2015. In a later email, Hollins specifically requested a certain Brita water filter model, which is known to remove contaminants such as lead and other impurities, even though Hollins never actually used the word “lead” in his email.

It isn’t clear in the emails why Meijer and Clorox insisted on remaining anonymous. Frank Guglielmi, spokesperson for Meijer, stated that the company frequently donated items and materials to the community. He stated that they don’t usually publicize their involvement as they want the focus to be on the project at hand, not the donation.

Spokesperson for Clorox and Brita, David Kargas, stated that they simply responded to Meijer’s request for donations and that they were not involved in the decision, nor were they asked, about remaining anonymous.

Meijer has donated more than $500,000 to three non-profit organizations to bring relief to the citizens of Flint.

 

 

Source: Detroit Free Press

Wegman’s Rated #1 and It’s No Surprise Who Ranked Dead Last

The American Consumer Satisfaction Index, or ACSI, once again ranked Wegman’s as the country’s #1 supermarket.

The Rochester-based food chain is the highest rated retailer in America, with an overall score of 86, which is up one spot from their score of 85 last year. Only two other retailers had improved scores. Wegman’s boasts 85 locations across the northeast.

As well as being at the top of the ACSI list, Wegman’s is often listed as one of the best companies to work for, according to Fortune magazine, as well as frequently being listed in Consumer Reports as America’s Best Overall Supermarket.  In a Harris poll last year, Wegman’s even topped companies such as Google and Apple as having the best reputation.

These reports are based on interviews and questions from a random selection of more than 9,000 participants chosen between November and December of 2015.

Department stores and discount retailers were overall down about 3.9% with an average score of 74. Overall, it’s not prices or sales that are making customers unhappy, but the lack of customer service, wait times at the checkout, store layout, and store cleanliness.

As far as supermarkets go, Trader Joe’s, who tied with Wegman’s last year, fell two notches with a score of 83, closely followed by H-E-B with a score of 82. Publix also ranked 82, with ALDI at 81, Hy-Vee at 78, Whole Foods came in at a shockingly low 73, as well as Target Stores.

Who ranked in the bottom three? It’s no real surprise. Albertson’s (68), Giant Eagle (67), and dead last is Walmart with a score of 66.

Whole Foods low ranking is surprising to many, but it appears to be their reputation as having the highest prices of any supermarket in America.

Keep in mind that these scores only reflect supermarkets or stores that contain supermarkets (such as Walmart) inside their discount or department stores.

If you were to look at all retail locations, it would be Abercrombie & Fitch taking the unwanted prize of being last with a score of 65.

Walmart fell a full two points  in one year, making it the lowest-rated store among discount, supermarket, and personal care stores. Although Walmart has tried to improve their image lately by increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour and experimenting with smaller stores, their recent decision to close many stores in small towns has not been viewed favorably by many.

 

 

Source: Syracruse Business News

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The American Consumer Satisfaction Index, or ACSI, once again ranked Wegman’s as the country’s #1 supermarket.

The Rochester-based food chain is the highest rated retailer in America, with an overall score of 86, which is up one spot from their score of 85 last year. Only two other retailers had improved scores. Wegman’s boasts 85 locations across the northeast.

As well as being at the top of the ACSI list, Wegman’s is often listed as one of the best companies to work for, according to Fortune magazine, as well as frequently being listed in Consumer Reports as America’s Best Overall Supermarket.  In a Harris poll last year, Wegman’s even topped companies such as Google and Apple as having the best reputation.

History

These reports are based on interviews and questions from a random selection of more than 9,000 participants chosen between November and December of 2015.

Department stores and discount retailers were overall down about 3.9% with an average score of 74. Overall, it’s not prices or sales that are making customers unhappy, but the lack of customer service, wait times at the checkout, store layout, and store cleanliness.

As far as supermarkets go, Trader Joe’s, who tied with Wegman’s last year, fell two notches with a score of 83, closely followed by H-E-B with a score of 82. Publix also ranked 82, with ALDI at 81, Hy-Vee at 78, Whole Foods came in at a shockingly low 73, as well as Target Stores.

Who ranked in the bottom three? It’s no real surprise. Albertson’s (68), Giant Eagle (67), and dead last is Walmart with a score of 66.

Whole Foods low ranking is surprising to many, but it appears to be their reputation as having the highest prices of any supermarket in America.

Keep in mind that these scores only reflect supermarkets or stores that contain supermarkets (such as Walmart) inside their discount or department stores.

If you were to look at all retail locations, it would be Abercrombie & Fitch taking the unwanted prize of being last with a score of 65.

Walmart fell a full two points  in one year, making it the lowest-rated store among discount, supermarket, and personal care stores. Although Walmart has tried to improve their image lately by increasing the minimum wage to $10 an hour and experimenting with smaller stores, their recent decision to close many stores in small towns has not been viewed favorably by many.

 

 

Source: Syracruse Business News

Johnson and Johnson Take a Powder to the Tune of $72 Million

Health industry super giant Johnson and Johnson was hit Monday with a $72 million dollar verdict in the case of a woman named Jackie Fox, who says that she developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s products “Johnson’s Baby Powder” and “Shower to Shower” talcum powders for decades.

After her diagnosis of ovarian cancer, Fox, who has since passed away, joined a group of women who were suing the company for what they believed was a failure to inform consumers that talc contained asbestos and could cause cancer.

Talc has not actually been used in powders since the early 1970’s when it was discovered that it contained trace amounts of asbestos. Companies quickly replaced the talc in their products with corn starch, which is a natural substance that has no links to cancer or other health problems.

However, studies have been inconclusive in this area. While some studies have show that, when used on the female genitals, small particles can travel to the ovaries, causing irritation and inflammation, possibly even cancer. Other researchers have dismissed these studies stating that they were improperly done and accusing researchers in charge of the studies of using asbestos type talc, not the corn starch based talc used today.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer states that modern day powders are not carcinogens when inhaled, however, they could possibly cause cancer when used on the genitals.

Fox’s son, Marvin, took over his mother’s claim after her death last year. A St. Louis jury awarded Fox’s family $10 million in actual damages and $62 million in punitive damages. Lawyers for the company have stated that although they are currently reviewing all their options, they expect that they will appeal this decision.

A Stanford University Law Professor, Nora Engstrom, told the Associated Press that this decision did not look good for Johnson and Johnson, who is still facing approximately 1,200 other lawsuits currently.

 

 

 

Source: USA Today

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Health industry super giant Johnson and Johnson was hit Monday with a $72 million dollar verdict in the case of a woman named Jackie Fox, who says that she developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s products “Johnson’s Baby Powder” and “Shower to Shower” talcum powders for decades.

After her diagnosis of ovarian cancer, Fox, who has since passed away, joined a group of women who were suing the company for what they believed was a failure to inform consumers that talc contained asbestos and could cause cancer.

Talc has not actually been used in powders since the early 1970’s when it was discovered that it contained trace amounts of asbestos. Companies quickly replaced the talc in their products with corn starch, which is a natural substance that has no links to cancer or other health problems.

History

However, studies have been inconclusive in this area. While some studies have show that, when used on the female genitals, small particles can travel to the ovaries, causing irritation and inflammation, possibly even cancer. Other researchers have dismissed these studies stating that they were improperly done and accusing researchers in charge of the studies of using asbestos type talc, not the corn starch based talc used today.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer states that modern day powders are not carcinogens when inhaled, however, they could possibly cause cancer when used on the genitals.

Fox’s son, Marvin, took over his mother’s claim after her death last year. A St. Louis jury awarded Fox’s family $10 million in actual damages and $62 million in punitive damages. Lawyers for the company have stated that although they are currently reviewing all their options, they expect that they will appeal this decision.

A Stanford University Law Professor, Nora Engstrom, told the Associated Press that this decision did not look good for Johnson and Johnson, who is still facing approximately 1,200 other lawsuits currently.

 

 

 

Source: USA Today

It’s Not a Sweet Deal: Mars Announces Candy Recall

U.S. candy and chocolate maker, Mars, announced on Tuesday, February 23rd, that it is recalling chocolate bars and other types of candy in more than 55 countries, including most of Europe, after discovering plastic pieces inside some of its products.

The spokesperson for Mars in the Netherlands, Roel Govers, gave a statement to the Associated Press that said this recall would affect at least 55 countries, but he refused to elaborate further or name any specific country. Mr. Govers said the company would email a press release with further details later on.

However, Mars in Germany stated that they were one of the affected countries and that the recall involved products which listed  “best before” dates from June 19, 2016 to January 8, 2017. In a German language statement, the company stated that they had intentionally chosen a longer production time frame to ensure that all affected candies would be covered and removed from public sale and consumption. Mars of Germany also claimed to be in close contact with food safety authorities in their country.

Dutch authorities have posted what they say is a press release from Mars on their national food safety website which claims that a piece of plastic was found in a product, which could become a choking hazard. This statement lists the affected products as Snickers, Mars Bars, Milky Way, Celebrations and Mini Mix.

Mars owns one of the most secretive companies in the world, along with being one of the wealthiest families in the world, according to business research company Hoover’s.

Mars, Inc. is a privately held company and is based out of McLean, Virginia. Mars also owns the world’s largest chewing gum manufacturer, William Wrigley, Jr. Company, maker of Wrigley gum brands such as Juicy Fruit, Double Mint and Big Red chewing gum.

 

 

 

Source: Chicago Sun Times

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U.S. candy and chocolate maker, Mars, announced on Tuesday, February 23rd, that it is recalling chocolate bars and other types of candy in more than 55 countries, including most of Europe, after discovering plastic pieces inside some of its products.

The spokesperson for Mars in the Netherlands, Roel Govers, gave a statement to the Associated Press that said this recall would affect at least 55 countries, but he refused to elaborate further or name any specific country. Mr. Govers said the company would email a press release with further details later on.

However, Mars in Germany stated that they were one of the affected countries and that the recall involved products which listed  “best before” dates from June 19, 2016 to January 8, 2017. In a German language statement, the company stated that they had intentionally chosen a longer production time frame to ensure that all affected candies would be covered and removed from public sale and consumption. Mars of Germany also claimed to be in close contact with food safety authorities in their country.

History

Dutch authorities have posted what they say is a press release from Mars on their national food safety website which claims that a piece of plastic was found in a product, which could become a choking hazard. This statement lists the affected products as Snickers, Mars Bars, Milky Way, Celebrations and Mini Mix.

Mars owns one of the most secretive companies in the world, along with being one of the wealthiest families in the world, according to business research company Hoover’s.

Mars, Inc. is a privately held company and is based out of McLean, Virginia. Mars also owns the world’s largest chewing gum manufacturer, William Wrigley, Jr. Company, maker of Wrigley gum brands such as Juicy Fruit, Double Mint and Big Red chewing gum.

 

 

 

Source: Chicago Sun Times

Wait Just a Minute, Home Depot, Investors Have a Few Questions

While other businesses might be struggling, Home Depot has had a nice little run with the numbers lately. This building supply company has been reporting improved earnings and is expected to continue to do so when it makes its report about quarterly earnings on February 23rd.

Analysts expect the company to report yet another increase in quarterly profits, adding to a string of improved growth lately. Home Depot is expected to earn $1.10 per share, which is up from their $1.00 per share price at this same time last year. Analysts are also expecting revenues to increase for the next quarter as well.

Home Depot had annual revenue last year of $19.2 billion. This year, the company is expected to have annual revenue of $20.4 billion. Even with excellent reports such as these, investors have a few questions for Home Depot about their forecast and the direction of the company.

  1. Are Home Depot’s long term financial targets reasonable? The company laid out plans through 2018 for interconnecting retail and financial targets but it might be a bit early to tell if these plans will pan out. 2018 is still quite a ways in the distance!
  2. Can the company maintain short term guidance? Home Depot raised guidance when it released its first-quarter results of fiscal 2015 . It raised its forecast again with its second-quarter results.  So far, these have been on target but the fourth quarter is the true culmination of these predictions.
  3.  Will average ticket growth pick up again? While the number of actual transactions has been rising, the price of each sale, or ticket, has been falling in each of the past four quarters.

Can Home Depot keep up with a strong comparable sales growth? Beyond all the basics and forecasts, investors will most likely want answers to these questions when the next report comes out.

 

 

Source: RTT News

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While other businesses might be struggling, Home Depot has had a nice little run with the numbers lately. This building supply company has been reporting improved earnings and is expected to continue to do so when it makes its report about quarterly earnings on February 23rd.

Analysts expect the company to report yet another increase in quarterly profits, adding to a string of improved growth lately. Home Depot is expected to earn $1.10 per share, which is up from their $1.00 per share price at this same time last year. Analysts are also expecting revenues to increase for the next quarter as well.

Home Depot had annual revenue last year of $19.2 billion. This year, the company is expected to have annual revenue of $20.4 billion. Even with excellent reports such as these, investors have a few questions for Home Depot about their forecast and the direction of the company.

History

  1. Are Home Depot’s long term financial targets reasonable? The company laid out plans through 2018 for interconnecting retail and financial targets but it might be a bit early to tell if these plans will pan out. 2018 is still quite a ways in the distance!
  2. Can the company maintain short term guidance? Home Depot raised guidance when it released its first-quarter results of fiscal 2015 . It raised its forecast again with its second-quarter results.  So far, these have been on target but the fourth quarter is the true culmination of these predictions.
  3.  Will average ticket growth pick up again? While the number of actual transactions has been rising, the price of each sale, or ticket, has been falling in each of the past four quarters.

Can Home Depot keep up with a strong comparable sales growth? Beyond all the basics and forecasts, investors will most likely want answers to these questions when the next report comes out.

 

 

Source: RTT News