McCandless group loses Walmart appeal
Common pleas Judge Joseph James has denied the appeal of a group of McCandless citizens protesting the town’s approval of a 150,000-square foot Wal-Mart Supercenter on Blazier Drive. The group had asked the judge to overturn the decision or order the town council to rehear the proposal, which was approved in July.
Uncle Charley’s Sausage under new wraps
Uncle Charley’s Sausage has switched out its product packaging. The Vandergrift company, which was sold to new owners last year, has removed the yellow packaging with a cartoon pig and white trays, and replaced it with mostly black packaging. The new packaging is part of the push to expand distribution this year into Eastern Pennsylvania, into Maryland and further into Ohio, according to the company.
GNC Holding taps former GameStop executive
GNC Holdings has named former GameStop executive Michael Dzura its vice president for operations. Mr. Dzura, 59, was senior vice president for store operations at GameStop from 2007 to 2013 and, prior to that, he was chief operating officer for Brinker International, Chili’s Bar and Grill. A filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission says Mr. Dzura will receive an annual base salary of $500,000 and a $30,000 cash signing bonus.
JM Smucker to buy Big Heart Pet Brands
J M Smucker Co., the maker of Folgers coffee, said it would buy pet food maker Big Heart Pet Brands, known for brands such as Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, for $3.2 billion to enter the fast-growing pet food market. Orrville, Ohio-based Smucker said it would offer about 17.9 million shares to shareholders of Big Heart, formerly Del Monte Corp., and pay $1.3 billion in cash. San Francisco-based Big Heart changed its name following the sale of its fruit, vegetable and other consumer foods business last year. Big Heart has administrative offices on Pittsburgh’s North Shore, in part because Del Monte acquired several brands from Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Co. in 2002.
Union files labor charges at Taj Mahal in N.J.
Atlantic City’s main casino workers’ union on Tuesday filed 27 unfair labor practice charges against the owners of the Trump Taj Mahal casino. The complaints allege the company threatened workers and unilaterally changed work schedules and rules that cost employees money during a fight for the future of the casino that continues unabated.
Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union has been fighting Trump Entertainment Resorts for months over working conditions at the casino, which narrowly escaped closing in December when billionaire investor Carl Icahn put up $20 million to keep it afloat. The company declined to comment.
Factory orders dropped 3.4 percent in December
Factory orders declined 3.4 percent in December after a 1.7 percent drop in November, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. It was the biggest drop since a 10 percent plunge in August and marked the fifth straight month that orders have fallen.
The weakness in December was led by a 55.5 percent plunge in demand in the volatile category of commercial aircraft.
First Published: February 4, 2015, 5:00 a.m.