News Around Town

• A Bitter Cup. Starbucks announced the closing of 600 stores and layoff of 12,000 employees. It was bound to happen: with a Starbucks at every block and McDonald's totally addicting iced coffee for much less, even their improved Espresso Roast can't stop the bleeding.

• Say No to Plastic Bags. Manhattan Beach follows San Francisco and Malibu as the third California city to approve a no single-use plastic bag ordinance. Santa Monica will be next. The environment for the win. If you want to hear a debate on the issue, Which Way L.A. has a good one.

• Another Day, Another Food Recall. I thought potato fries were next, but after the lettuce, tomato, and green onion scare, it's beef's turn again -- this time ground beef -- to be taken off the shelves after grocery chain Ralphs announced a possible E. coli contamination from a Nebraska-based supplier. The grocery chain announced safe supply won't be available until Tuesday.

• More Cuts at the LATimes. Another round of jobs to be cut at the paper, 250 of them including 150 editorial positions, due to declining revenue. The paper will also reduce the number of pages it publishes by 15%. Competition is fierce and times are tough, but why not boost sales instead of cutting down on expenses? Perhaps do like the European papers and offer freebies with every issue, kinda like the toy that comes with every Cracker Jack box. Just a thought.

• Caught on Tape. Embattled former Orange Country Sheriff Michael Carona, was caught on tape using racial slurs and sexual comments in a sting operation related to his corruption and fraud charges. His defense lawyers want them taken off the record for irrelevance to the case and the possibility it will prejudice the jury who may think that he's also, apart from being a crook, a sexist bigot.

Label(s): Metro
Technorati Tags: california news starbucks ralphs beef recall plastic bag manhattan beach orange county michael carona

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