Items tagged with 'supermarkets'
Paterson proposes $1 billion in cuts, more flooding, track season all wet, principal arrested, permits for off-leash dogs, Giants coming back
David Paterson has proposed a plan to cut $1 billion in spending from the state budget. Half of that would come from Medicaid funding, $250 million from aid to local governments, and $100 million from legislative pork projects. As you might expect, legislators and lobbyists are already protesting. Local governments are also worried -- for example, Schenectady figures Paterson's plan could cut $700,000 in funding for the city. [TU] [Daily Gazette]
North Greenbush and Rensselaer were the latest parts of the Capital Region to get swamped by rain. The Amtrak line between Hudson and Rensselaer had to be closed for a while because the tracks were underwater. The 74-year-old mayor of Rensselaer said yesterday's flooding was the worst he'd ever seen in the city. A Rensselaer County legislator says the drainage systems there just haven't been able to keep up with the pace of development. [TU] [Troy Record]
Both attendance and the amount bet at the Track are down from last year at the season's midpoint. Attendance is down more than 16 percent and the "handle" is down 8 percent. [Saratogian]
The EPCOT of supermarket aisles
The only thing missing is a monorail.
The almost-finished makeover of the Price Chopper on Central in Albany includes a new international aisle -- or to be more exact, two aisles that form a whole section. And it's fun! Really, it is. It's like the EPCOT of supermarket aisles. Here are a few things that caught our eye as we were browsing recently...
Trader Joe's update
The TU has a report from a gathering this past weekend of the We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District group. It seems the Legion of Bruce's persistence could be paying off. Maybe.
Bruce Roter tells the TU that a local TJ's store is now "no longer a question of if, but when." The evidence? An email from the Trader Joe's vice president of real estate, in which the VP states, "Albany does seem to have a lot of potential for Trader Joe's."
Hmm.
Earlier AOA coverage of the Trader Joe's campaign.
photo: CelinaBean
Which supermarket has the best deals?
Our last supermarket price check was so popular, we decided to give it another go. But to shake things up a bit this time around, we decided to find out which store has the best bargains.
So we picked a "basket" of 20 items that come in both name brand and store brand so we could find out how much we could save by going generic. And to make things a little more interesting, we tossed discount market Aldi into the mix. Here are the results...
How "likely" is a local Trader Joe's?
It seems there will be many chapters in the Capital Region Trader Joe's story. And in the latest installment, Rensselaer County legislator Brian Zweig (or someone claiming to be him) reports in a comment on the TU's business blog that he's been in touch with the somewhat secretive supermarket -- and an Albany TJ's is "likely." Eventually. Maybe.
Zweig also reports that "other high-end food retailers are also exploring entry into the Albany region." Hmm. Anyone want to venture a guess?
Earlier AOA items about Trader Joe's.
The Trader Joe's campaign rolls on
Is it possible WWTJ is better organized than the McCain campaign?
We'd heard about these yard signs, but almost didn't believe it until we saw this one planted in the grassy median at the corner of Manning and New Scotland in Albany.
If the mysterious Trader Joe's ever does land in the Capital Region, Bruce Roter is gonna have to turn that campaign infrastructure toward something else. Like the Senate. Or maybe the White House. We hear the Democrats are having some trouble settling on a candidate.
Trader Joe's -- the saga continues
Shh. Don't tell anyone.
What do Trader Joe's and the National Security Agency have in common? On the surface not much, but try asking them a few questions. With all the buzz about getting Trader Joe's to come to A-Town, we thought we'd just give them a call and ask, once and for all: are they coming or not?
Wegmans & Price Chopper: the real deal
The object of so much desire.
You hear something once, you dismiss it. You hear it twice, you think, eh. But when you hear it five or six different places from people who are in no way connected to each other, you start to wonder. So, when we heard lots of folks repeating the rumor that Wegmans and Price Chopper had a sort of "gentlemen's agreement" to stay out of each others backyards, it definitely caught our interest.
And then we heard rumors that Wegmans might be making it's move on the Capital Region.
So, is there any truth to either of these rumors?
Kosher for Passover Coke
We used our AdvantEdge card and saved an extra 8 cents.
You asked and we found it! Price Chopper is carrying it in the special Passover sections at their larger stores. We scored our supply at the Chopper in Slingerlands.
What's the big deal? Well, normal Coke is made with high fructose corn syrup, which makes it not kosher for Passover. It also, according to soda snobs, makes Coke taste not quite right. Kosher for Passover Coke, on the other hand, is made with cane sugar (like Mexican Coke) and is said to be smoother and have a cleaner finish. It also has notes of cinnamon and caramel and pairs nicely with pretzel twists.
How do you know if you're getting the good stuff? Look for the tell-tale yellow cap (see right). And check the ingredients, which will list "sucrose" instead of high-fructose corn syrup.
The guy behind the Trader Joe's campaign
Our blog BFF CelinaBean has an interview with Bruce Roter, the organizer of the We Want Trader Joe's in the Capital District group. Here's a clip:
CB: There are a lot of causes out there to get involved in. Why Trader Joe's?
BR: I see it as a need, perhaps it was a personal need, but I just love shopping at Trader Joe's. And much to my delight, I've been joined by hundreds of other residents of the capital region who share that passion.
But to dispel any notion that this is what I do ever single moment of the day, that's not the case at all. I do have a real career and my real avocation is that of a composer. I compose orchestral music. I've written music which emulates the Middle East peace process, which celebrates first responders, so I'd like to think that I'm multi-dimensional....I've been commissioned by orchestras around the country including right here at home by the Albany Symphony Orchestra.
CB: So when did this Trader Joe's thing start for you?
BR: It began this past summer in mid-August when I was in the park talking to a friend. I was toying with starting a little club like this, and when I mentioned Trader Joe's there was this wonderful reaction on this friend's face. I knew that instantly that there were other kindred spirits in the Capital Region who would also be interested in this campaign.
And I seem to have simply given voice to all these other hundreds of other people including many professionals from our region. I've been emailed by doctors, lawyers, architects, business people, politicians, homemakers. The people who are part of this campaign really run the gamut of the fabric of this society in the Capital District.
As we recently found out, there's quite a clamor to bring a TJ's here.
photo: CelinaBean
Trying the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que from the supermarket
And we didn't even have to go to Syracuse to get it.
The first time we thought that it might have been a mirage. Then we saw it again, but no... it couldn't be. By the third trip, we believed it: you can buy Dinosaur Bar-B-Que pulled pork at Price Chopper.
Having stuffed ourselves many a time at the famed Syracuse barbecue joint, we had to give it a try.
Thousands of new cards because of Hannaford, Paterson says no more, libraries are popular places, dog story a fish story, Mangia closing
Local banks say they're in the process of replacing tens of thousands of debit and credit cards because of the Hannaford security breach. [Daily Gazette] (AOA item from yesterday about this)
David Paterson bristled yesterday when reporters continued to ask him about his private life. "I think that more than any elected official on this planet, and probably in outer space, I have discussed my personal situation over the last week," Paterson said. [AP/Troy Record]
Yet another Democrat has tossed his hat into the ring for the 21st Congressional District (McNulty's seat). This time it's Arthur Welser, a real estate broker from Latham. There are now eight candidates for that seat, six Democrats and two Republicans. [Daily Gazette] (AOA's Local Congressional Race Scorecard)
Local libraries report that circulation numbers are up and librarians attribute the higher volume to people seeking cheaper entertainment as the economy slows. [TU]
That story about the dog left in the trash seems like it might be garbage. But the dog is still actually up for adoption and people are lining up for her. [TU]
The leader of the Northway Church says attendance keeps rising and it might already be outgrowing its newly opened third location. The minister, Buddy Cremeans, is described as having "awesome administrative abilities and a clear plan for growth." [Daily Gazette] (AOA item about the church's direct mail)
The Mangia in Clifton Park has closed and its parent company is planning to close the Stuyvesant Plaza location, too. The company says it will knock down the Stuyvesant building in order to build a new restaurant based on a different theme. An executive attributes the Stuyvesant location's failure partly to the opening of the Cheesecake Factory. [Business Review]
Trader Joe's fans unite
Honk if you want Trader Joe's
A guy named Jason stumbled upon this message in an area parking lot and passed it along to AOA. The site wwtj.org is part of a movement to bring this awesome alternative grocery store to the Capital Region.
We might need one of those bumper stickers.
(Thanks, Jason!)
Class action against Hannaford, more Great Escape gastrointestinal distress, a Republican for the 21st, attempt to attract young professionals
A Philadelphia law firm says it's filing a class action lawsuit against Hannaford over the company's security breach that exposed millions of customers' credit cards. [AP/Boston Globe]
The number of people reporting illness after visiting the Great Escape water park this past weekend keeps growing, according to the NY State Department of Health. More than 90 people have now reported suffering gastrointestinal distress. Many of the affected are diabetic kids who were visiting the park as part of program to learn how to control their diabetes. [Daily Gazette] [TU]
A federal judge has ruled that a former Wal-Mart security guard can go ahead with her gender discrimination suit against the company. Shannon Kennedy says she was fired after she chased an alleged purse snatcher in her car. [TU]
The Averill Park school district has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a former athletic director for $567,000. Lou Cioffi says he was fired after blowing the whistle on hazing in the district's football program. [Troy Record]
Republican Jim Buhrmaster officially announced that he will run in the 21st Congressional District (Democrat Mike McNulty's seat). Buhrmaster is the first Republican to officially declare. [Daily Gazette] (AOA's Local Congressional Race Scorecard)
Local business leaders are hoping to lure young professionals back to the Capital Region with advertising, a new website, and a kiosk at the airport. [TU]
What to do about the Hannaford credit card security breach
Hannaford has reported that its credit and debit card transaction system has been breached and millions of shoppers' card numbers have potentially been exposed for the last three months. The company says every one of its stores has had a card compromised, which means: If you've used your credit or debit card at a Hannaford any time since December 2007, your number may have been leaked.
So, what now?
Paterson applauded, Paterson admits to affair, Hannaford credit card breach, another tech park plan, raw sewage is smelly
David Paterson took the oath of office for governor to much applause. Legislators say they're looking forward to working with the new governor. [TU]
Shortly after the swearing-in, Paterson admitted to having an affair earlier this decade. He and his wife say they've dealt with it an moved on. [NYDN]
A security breach has potentially exposed more than 4 million credit cards used at Hannaford stores across the Northeast. The company says every one of its stores has had a compromised card. (Hannaford statement) [Boston Globe]
Chuck Schumer and Mike McNulty are pushing for the Watervliet Arsenal to become... wait for it... a tech park. [TU]
A Democratic challenger is lining up to take on Republican George Amedore for Paul Tonko's old state assembly seat. [Daily Gazette]
A backed up sewer led to raw sewage spilling out into a street in Mechanicville and extreme smelliness ensued. "This is not sanitary," noted one astute resident to the Record. [Troy Record]
Skidmore is moving to close its University Without Walls program. The college says the distance learning program is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. [Saratogian]
Hannaford milk mystery solved!
Who's Carl?
If you've ever bought milk at Hannaford, you might have noticed the person's name printed on the upper right part of the carton. It changes from week to week -- the last carton we bought said "CARL."
So, what's that about? Is the cow taking credit? (Unlikely. What sort of female cow would be named Carl?)
Well, we've finally gotten to the bottom of this mystery.
Which supermarket has the lowest prices?
We were curious, so we decided to find out. AOA put together a "basket" of 40 items that we thought could reasonably end up in most shopping carts in any given week. Then we checked the prices of these items at Price Chopper, Wal-Mart and Hannaford. Here are the results:
New Price Chopper HQ, makeover for Pizza Block, Saratoga mayor asks what's the big deal, Skidmore scored big in 2007
The Golub Corporation got approval to move ahead with its plan to build a new headquarters for Price Chopper across the street from Union College in Schenectady. The $22 million project includes a number of design elements aimed at making it environmentally friendly. [TU] [Daily Gazette]
The infamous "Pizza Block" in Schenectady (just down the street from Proctor's) is getting knocked down in order to build a new string of store fronts. The Pizza King had been the block's only tenant -- The Metroplex authority bought the owner out for $110,000. [Daily Gazette]
An Albany cop injured on the job in 2001 was awarded $3.1 million in a civil suit against the guy who hit his police cruiser and the guy's former employer. [TU]
The mayor of Saratoga Springs questioned why his choice to post bail for a local luxury home builder accused of fraud got so much attention. Scott Johnson told the Saratogian that bailing his family's friend out was "the most decent and compassionate thing to do." [Saratogian]
It looks like the developer behind Harmony Mills condos in Cohoes will get a shot to redevelop the Victory Mills building outside Saratoga. Fun fact about the Victory Mills building: they used to make the wrappers for the old Listerine glass bottles there. [Saratogian]
Skidmore scored almost $57 million in charitable contributions last year. That's tops among colleges and universities in the Capital Region and good for 8th in the nation. The bulk of the money came from a donation by Arthur Zankel. [Business Review]
... said komradebob about You didn't actually ask, but...