Safeway Inc. and Albertsons today announced a merger agreement for the two grocery chains under which the owner of Albertsons will buy all outstanding Safeway stock in a $9 billion deal.
The combination of Pleasanton-based Safeway’s 1,335 stores in 20 states with the 1,075 outlets of Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons will create a nationwide network of more than 2,400 grocery stores, the two companies said in a statement released today.
The companies said they expect administrative cost savings, but don’t expect to close any stores.
The Safeway shares will be bought by AB Acquisition, which owns the Albertsons chain and is controlled by Cerberus Capital Management LP.
The merger is expected to be completed by the end of 2014. The agreement also provides for a three-week so-called “go-shop” period in which Safeway can receive and consider alternate proposals, the companies said.
Safeway President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Edwards said, ”This merger is one of several actions we have taken in recent months as a result of our strategic business review.
“Safeway has been focused on better meeting shoppers’ diverse needs through local, relevant assortment, an improved price/value proposition and a great shopping experience that has driven improved sales trends. We are excited about continuing this momentum as a combined organization,” Edwards said in the press release.
If the merger proceeds as planned, Edwards will become president and CEO of the combined company, while Bob Miller, the current CEO of Albertsons, will become executive chairman.
A 17-year-old Danville boy was killed in a solo car crash on state Highway 24 in Lafayette this morning, a fire captain said.
The crash occurred just after 11 a.m. on eastbound Highway 24 near the Pleasant Hill Road exit. Witnesses told the California Highway Patrol that the driver of the vehicle was speeding before the car went off of the roadway and struck a tree, a CHP officer said.
The teen, who was alone in the car, appears to have died on impact, according to Capt. Robert Marshall of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. Emergency responders searched for additional victims but found none, Marshall said.
The far right lane of the highway was blocked by emergency vehicles until about 2:30 p.m., according to the CHP.
As we first reported on Wednesday night, lightning hit a tree in Martinez.
Now, today, we have pictures of that unfortunate tree, which was split in half.
Thanks to Cheryll for the pictures.
Cheryll tells us where the lightning strike occurred….
Yep! It hit a tree in almost my backyard! The sound shot me straight up in the air and it sounded like something hit the house. I ran outside but it was quietly raining and nothing seemed out of whack.
Then this morning I looked in my back yard and saw the neighbors tree had been essentially split down the middle!
The location is in an unincorporated area of Martinez called Mt. View neighborhood, on the corner of Vine Ave and Leslie Ave.
The redwoods in this neighborhood were planted as an elementary school project back in the 1950′s. A school teacher from nearby Mt. View Elementary school sent children home with little saplings to plant in their yards.
Thanks again for the great pictures & the information!
Established in 1963, the Concord Art Association is a non-profit, volunteer-run group of over 70 local artists who are dedicated to developing their skills and sharing their work with our community.
Members enjoy many benefits, including the opportunity to display and sell their work in CAA exhibits that are held in conjunction with other Bay Area art associations, as well as in local rotating galleries that are installed at various local businesses, such as State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla’s district office on Salvio Street.
[Click Here to Read More…]
Tagged as:
creative space
One person was killed in a solo-vehicle crash on state Highway 24 in Lafayette this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred just after 11 a.m. on eastbound Highway 24 near the Pleasant Hill Road exit in Lafayette.
Witnesses told the CHP that the driver of the vehicle involved was speeding before the car went off of the roadway and struck a tree, a CHP officer said. The driver, who was alone in the car, died at the scene.
Emergency responders searched for additional victims but found none, according to Capt. Robert Marshall of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
The far right lane of the highway remained blocked by emergency vehicles as of 12:45 p.m.
Mourners in Martinez have created a touching memorial for the 14-year-old girl who was struck & killed by a train over the weekend.
Jenna Betti was hit around 5 p.m. Sunday on the railroad tracks near Old Orchard and Howe roads. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe train that struck her was heading from Richmond to Fresno, and had three crew members aboard at the time of the incident, a railway spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said Jenna and another person were on the tracks but moved away as the train approached. Jenna then returned to the tracks and was hit, she said.
According to a Facebook message from Jenna’s mother, Dena Betti, that was reposted on social media sites, Jenna was with her boyfriend on the tracks just before she was hit. Her mother wrote that Jenna apparently dropped her phone and was killed when she went back to grab it as the train approached.
Big thanks to Craig Cannon for the pictures!
RELATED STORY: Victim of Fatal Train Accident Identified as 14-year-old Martinez Junior High School Student
The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it!
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon!
Today’s question is more of a “give us your thoughts” about this unreal story.
Here’s part of the story, from Fox News:
Massachusetts’ highest court ruled Wednesday that a man who took cellphone photos up the skirts of women riding the Boston subway did not violate state law because the women were not nude or partially nude.
The Supreme Judicial Court overruled a lower court that had upheld charges against Michael Robertson, who was arrested in August 2010 by transit police who set up a sting after getting reports that he was using his cellphone to take photos and video up female riders’ skirts and dresses.
The ruling immediately prompted top Beacon Hill lawmakers to pledge to update state law.
Existing so-called Peeping Tom laws protect people from being photographed in dressing rooms and bathrooms when nude or partially nude, but the way the law is written, it does not protect clothed people in public areas, the court said.
CLICK HERE TO FINISH READING THE STORY.
Talk about it….
Thanks to “The Iceman Cometh” for these pictures of the regrowth of Mt. Diablo.
In September, over 3,000 acres were burned during the Morgan Fire, but it has only taken a few months, even with little rainfall, for it to regrow.
These aerial photos are actually a couple of weeks old, so the mountain should be greener by now.
Thanks again to “The Iceman Cometh”!
RELATED STORY: Beautiful! Mt. Diablo Continues to Regrow After the Morgan Fire
A federal jury in San Francisco has found two individuals, one from Walnut Creek, and one company guilty of economic espionage, theft of trade secrets, bankruptcy fraud, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice for their roles in a long-running effort to obtain U.S. trade secrets for the benefit of companies controlled by the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag.
The jury found that Walter Lian-Heen Liew (aka Liu Yuanxuan), of Walnut Creek; his company, USA Performance Technology Inc. (USAPTI); and Robert Maegerle conspired to steal trade secrets from E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company regarding their chloride-route titanium dioxide production technology and sold those secrets for large sums of money to state-owned companies of the PRC. The purpose of their conspiracy was to help those companies develop large-scale chloride-route titanium dioxide production capability in the PRC, including a planned 100,000-ton titanium dioxide factory in Chongqing.
This case marks the first federal jury conviction on charges brought under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996.
[Click Here to Read More…]
About 4,000 people are without power in Concord & Walnut Creek.
The cause of the outage is still under investigation, but PG&E says the power should be back on to all homes & businesses by 2:15 on Thursday morning.
Also, Martinez has about 500 homes & businesses without power. They are expected to have their power restored by 1am.
Is your power out right now?
UPDATE, 8am: All power has been restored.
For the second time in 10 days, Claycord is getting hit with thunder & lightning.
It’s also pouring rain outside!
Enjoy it, drive safely, and keep your animals safe and secure.
UPDATE, 10:58pm: About 500 people are without power in Martinez. Also, lighting hit a tree in Martinez, but we’re unsure of the exact location.
Power should be restored by 1:45am, according to PG&E.
Walnut Creek will be one of the next Bay Area cities to say goodbye to plastic bags.
The City Council voted 4-1 on Tuesday night to ban single-use carryout plastic bags at all retail stores and restaurants.
Customers will instead have the option of paying 10 to 25 cents for a paper bag or bringing their own reusable bags to shop.
Walnut Creek follows more than 90 cities and counties statewide that have implemented a plastic bag ban, including Contra Costa County cities such as Richmond and El Cerrito.
The ban will take effect for all stores in September and for all restaurants citywide in December.
City leaders first considered the idea of a plastic bag ban in 2010 and in October the City Council called on city staff to draft an ordinance prohibiting retailers from distributing plastic bags.
The idea was initially discussed after it was learned that plastic bags were a leading source of pollution in the city’s streets and creek beds.
Retailers who do not comply with the ordinance may be fined $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation and $500 for a third and all following violations.
A few people voiced their opposition to the ban on Tuesday night, saying it will unduly burden residents.
But Rinta Perkins, who manages the city’s Clean Water Program, said Tuesday that the “challenges are outweighed by the benefits of reducing litter and cleanup costs paid by taxpayers, preserving wildlife and protecting human health.”
She also cited a survey among San Jose business owners and residents showing that 98 percent of that city’s retailers have complied with the plastic bag ban enacted in 2012 and that the law drastically reduced plastic bag litter citywide.
Support Mountain View Elementary School in Concord!
Their principal, Brent Brinkerhoff and their teachers will be serving food during McTeacher’s Night Tonight from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.
20% of sales will be donated to the school.
McDonald’s is located at 4550 Clayton Rd. in Concord.
