Brazilian Firm to Provide Aircraft to Afghan Air Force

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2013 – Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter called Brazilian Minister of Defense Celso Amorim this evening to inform the Brazilian government about the decision made by the United States Air Force to award Sierra Nevada Corp./Embraer SA a $427 million contract to provide light air support aircraft and associated maintenance and training for the Afghan air force, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said here today.

Sierra Nevada Corp. is based in Sparks, Nevada, and Embraer SA is its Brazilian subcontractor.

Under this contract, 20 aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to operational air bases in Afghanistan beginning in the summer of 2014 to conduct advanced flight training, surveillance, close air support and air interdiction missions, Little said.

This platform, he said, is critical to providing enabling support to the Afghan National Security Forces as part of United States enduring support to Afghanistan following the completion of the ISAF mission at the end of 2014.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2013/02/mil-130227-afps02.htm

USS Freedom to Conduct Maiden Deployment to the Asia-Pacific

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The U.S. Pacific Fleet announced today that the Navy's first littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) will depart her homeport of San Diego on March 1 and deploy to the Asia-Pacific region.

Making good on a pledge made initially by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the 2011 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Freedom will deploy to Southeast Asia and Singapore for approximately eight months. Marking the first of many planned rotational deployments to the Western Pacific for the new LCS platform, Freedom will conduct maritime security operations with regional partners and allies.

'Freedom's maiden deployment is another clear signal of the Navy's enduring commitment to maintain security and stability in the vital Asia-Pacific region,' said Adm. Cecil Haney, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. 'Rotationally deploying our new littoral combat ships improves our warfighting capability and directly supports the Navy's rebalance strategy to the Asia-Pacific.

'Even in the face of potential budget cuts, there should be no doubt that the U.S. Pacific Fleet remains on watch and that we will continue to deploy our most capable units forward to operate with our allies and partners.'

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2013/02/mil-130227-nns01.htm

Actor Dale Robertson, Oklahoma native, dies in southern California after brief illness

OKLAHOMA CITY — Dale Robertson, an Oklahoma native who became a star of television and movie Westerns during the genre’s heyday, died Tuesday. He was 89.

Robertson’s niece, Nancy Robertson, said her uncle died at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., following a brief illness.

Dale Robertson had bit parts in films including “The Boy with the Green Hair” and the Joan Crawford vehicle “Flamingo Road” before landing more high-profile roles such as Jesse James in “Fighting Man of the Plains.”

In the 1950s, he moved into television, starring in series such as “Tales of Wells Fargo” (1957-62), “Iron Horse” (1966) and “Death Valley Days” (1968-70).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/actor-dale-robertson-oklahoma-native-dies-in-southern-california-after-brief-illness/2013/02/27/375426c2-8144-11e2-a671-0307392de8de_story.html

Washington University Fraternity Suspended For Racist Act

ST. LOUIS, MO. (KPLR) – A Washington University fraternity has been suspended after a Tuesday incident where members of its pledge class allegedly hurled racial slurs at a group of African-American students. The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity will have all activities halted until a university investigation is complete.

The incident happened in the Bear’s Den dining facility in what’s referred to as the “South 40” section of campus.

Witness accounts published by Washington University’s Student Life newspaper say the African-American students were having dinner when a small group of SAE members approached and took a photo of them.

The fraternity members then reportedly returned with a larger group of people, and broke into a rap song that contained repeated use of the “n-word.”

http://kplr11.com/2013/02/27/washington-university-fraternity-suspended-for-racist-act/

It's National Chili Day!

Just for U Could End Print Ads: Safeway

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway here said Thursday the success of its Just for U digital program may enable it to discontinue print ads in the U.S. by the end of the year.

In a conference call with analysts to discuss financial results for the year and fourth quarter that ended Dec. 29, Steve Burd, chairman and chief executive officer, also said the chain’s health and wellness initiative, whose launch was scheduled for last year’s fourth quarter, should be ready to go by mid-year. Responding to a question about whether Safeway would consider selling its Canadian operation, he said the chain will do “the sensible thing.”

Asked when the Just for U program might allow the chain to pull back on promotional spending, Burd said, “We could get there probably late in 2013 — and as people become more digital, we see it as an opportunity get out of newspaper ads and personalize the ads for every household,” he said.

According to Burd, Safeway has registered 5.4 million U.S. households in its Just for U program, or 45% of its sales base — a number that could reach 55% by year’s end and ultimately reach a maximum level of 65%, he noted. Just for U is scheduled to be introduced in Safeway’s Canadian division by mid-year, he added.


Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/just-u-could-end-print-ads-safeway#ixzz2M9DJtpXG

FDA Issues Warning Letter to Cantaloupe Industry

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, working with state and local agencies, has issued a letter to the cantaloupe industry — all along the supply chain from grower to shipper — to reiterate warnings that safety practices must be followed closely as the growing season gets underway.

The FDA’s letter recalls details of two large outbreaks last year that resulted in more than 400 people becoming ill, and that resulted in at least 36 deaths from contamination from harmful pathogens, including strains of Listeria and Salmonella, associated with cantaloupes.

Signed by Michael M. Landa, director, FDA’s Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, the letter sends a twofold message to the industry: Best practices known to be effective in reducing the risk of harmful contamination must be followed, and the FDA will be making inspections throughout the growing season of packing houses to assess practices and identify conditions that could compromise the safety of cantaloupes.


Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/food-safety/fda-issues-warning-letter-cantaloupe-industry#ixzz2M9CjYXCW

Wal-Mart Lights Entire Store With LED

MT. PLEASANT, Wis. — Wal-Mart Stores has equipped a Neighborhood Market here with LED lighting to illuminate the entire store interior — from the sales floor and pharmacy to restrooms, vestibules and backroom areas — as well as exterior areas and the parking lot.

The LED lighting, including more than 400 CS18 LED linear luminaires, is supplied by Cree, Durham, N.C. Wal-Mart estimates that the LED lights will save approximately 30% in energy costs compared with interior fluorescent lighting. In addition the CS18 LED lights last more than three times longer than standard fluorescents, said Cree.


Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/sustainability/wal-mart-lights-entire-store-led#ixzz2M9CBfsmw

N.Y. Stop & Shop Workers to Hold Strike Vote

MINEOLA, N.Y. — More than 1,100 meat, seafood and deli workers at Stop & Stop stores in New York City and Long Island said they would hold a strike authorization vote on Friday, citing a lack of progress in negotiations for a new contract.

The workers, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 342 here, have been working under terms of a contract that was to have expired in October of 2011. According to the union, Stop & Shop has proposed wage freezes as well as “major changes” to health care benefits concurrent with policy changes under the Affordable Care Act. Similar differences have come between Stop & Shop and union workers in New England, who are negotiating with the company separately.


Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/retail-amp-financial/ny-stop-shop-workers-hold-strike-vote#ixzz2M9BdCDcP

Flowers Wins Bidding for Wonder

Georgia-based Flowers Foods Inc. is poised to buy the bread brands of the defunct Hostess Brands after submitting the sole bid for the properties in the wake of Hostess' much-publicized bankruptcy.

Pending approval from a U.S. bankruptcy court judge, the $360 million deal will include Wonder Bread, Butternut, Home Pride, Merita and Nature's Pride, Reuters reported. Hostess was set to auction off the brands on Thursday, but there were reportedly no other bids.

There will be an auction for the Beefsteak brand, for which Flowers bid $30 million, since Hostess received a higher bid from Mexico's Grupo Bimbo, an unnamed source told Reuters. Bimbo reportedly bid $1 million more for the Beefsteak brand, though its $31.9 million bid includes a $900,000 breakup fee.

Flowers - which agreed in January to be the "stalking horse" bidder, thus setting a floor for the bidding and a court-supervised auction - owns Nature's Own bread and Tastykake snacks, among other brands acquired over the years since its founding in 1919.

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/center-store/id37469/flowers-wins-bidding-for-wonder/?cid=homepage