#Ukropalyse Is Over!

Rachel DePompa – bio | email   

It’s over! What am I going to write about now??? A big thank you goes out to all my readers and viewers and twitter friends. You have been a tremendous help. Your tips and constant interest reminded me every day how important this story is to many of you. I wanted to stay on top of it and this week was the culmination of some hard work and long hours. It was not an easy decision to run with the Ahold story on Wednesday. As a station, we were out there on a limb. No one else was even reporting the story. But I was confidant in my sources and I knew many hard-working people in Central Virginia (especially Ukrop’s 3,000-plus employees) wanted to know what was going on.

The Details:

Ahold is based in the Netherlands and is a world-wide conglomerate, but industry insiders tell me that doesn’t mean you’ll get a corporate feel in the stores. Giant-Carlisle is the actual group moving in to Central Virginia. It’s a division of Ahold USA. The company is based in Pennsylvania and has 152 stores in the Mid-Atlantic. The Giant stores this division operates are ONLY in Pennsylvania. (Another division of Ahold runs the Giants in Fredericksburg and many years ago had a store in Richmond) Giant-Carlisle ONLY operates Martin’s Food Markets south of the Mason Dixon Line. There are 9 Martin’s in Virginia. The first opened in 1984 in Winchester; Front Royal soon followed. Today there are also stores in Staunton, Harrisonburg, Waynesboro and Culpeper. We are traveling to the Martin’s in Waynesboro today so look for my report tonight at 5:30. We’ll compare and contrast Ukrop’s and Martin’s. I’m on vacation next week, but I’ll try to update you along the way.

Not Quite Finished Yet:

 There’s still much more to be written about this sale. Ukrop’s was an institution. It was very much a “Richmond” company. It was a chain with values that stuck to their guns. Please send me your story ideas and let me know how the loss of this home-grown company is affecting you.

Ukrop’s Sale Speculation Grows

Rachel DePompa – bio | email    

Breaking Update: Sources tell us high level Ukrop’s managers have been called to a meeting tomorrow (Thursday) morning. We do not know if this meeting is tied to a possible sale. 

#Ukropalyse:  (For the Twitter peeps) The sale saga has been going on for 6 months now. It was first reported by trade publication Food World in July. At the time, numerous publications (citing un-named sources) reported that there were three interested buyers: Harris Teeter, Supervalu and Ahold.  Industry sources tell me Ahold is back on the radar.   

Ahold: The company is based in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1887 and is a supermarket giant. (pun intended! Ahold runs Giant Foods in Northern, Virginia, D.C. and Maryland. It also operates Martins, and Shop and Stop in New England.) According to trade publication SuperMarket News Ahold’s US company is the 8th largest retailer for 2009. Ahold has more than 200,000 associates worldwide, with stores in 11 countries. And, the most interesting bit of information I’ve run across is that the company announced just last month it’s getting ready for expansion and acquisition. The CEO John Rishton said, “The changes will also allow [Ahold] to devote more time to growth opportunities in existing and new markets.”    

I talked to an Ahold spokesperson by phone today and he was well aware of all the chatter. He would only say, “It’s our policy never to comment on market speculation.” Ukrop’s CEO Bobby Ukrop has never publicly acknowledged the sale and his company spokesperson did  not return any of my phone calls. In a letter to his employes in July Bobby Ukrop dismissed the original reports as rumor. He said, “Please know that if anything changes with our company’s direction, you and our customers will hear it from me and not from the rumor mill, blogs or anonymous sources.”   

I caught up with David Urban this week. He’s a marketing professor at VCU. He says Ahold is, “a really good company. It’s an interesting company because it’s been engaged in a pretty aggressive growth strategy.” He went on to say, “It’s a company that has been a technological leader. It is a company that puts a lot of emphasis on value for the consumers.”  

That’s all I have for now… stay tuned!  

 

 

    

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

Ukrop’s Update and Marty Jewell’s DUI Conviction

Rachel DePompa – bio | email 

#Ukropalyse:

I always try to pass on to you any Ukrop’s nuggets I run across. Today an interesting one popped up in my email. I don’t really think it has anything to do with the sale rumors, but since so many of you are interested in what happens with the company, I figured I should let you know. It appears the auction of the former Ukrop’s building in Roanoke has been postponed. Here’s a link to the story.

Marty Jewell:

As for today’s water cooler talk in Richmond…. Marty Jewell pleads no contest to driving drunk in Richmond. We

Marty Jewell on City Council

learned today he had a blood alcohol level of .11, which is over the legal limit of .08 but below the .15 that requires mandatory jail time.  Jewell did spend the night in jail when he was arrested. He was given 90 days today with all of it suspended if he stays out of trouble for 3 years. He has to pay a $250 fine and to pay for VASAP classes, which is a state-run alcohol treatment program. Jewell’s license was suspended for one year but he is allowed to drive to and from work. It looks like he got the proper sentence for a first time DUI misdemeanor… but I’m curious what you think of the matter. Let me know.

Is Richmond a Tough Nut to Crack?

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

The squirrels logo has landed and it’s drawing people out of the woodwork! I posted a twitter picture of the logo and within two hours more than a thousand people had viewed it. 250 more posted comments on my twitter page with their thoughts. I’ve got to hand it to the new owners…they are marketing geniuses! The Richmond Braves never got this much attention except for when they decided to leave. These owners get packed press conferences, front page headlines and top news stories. Also, the crowds at these press conferences are not just media members and they continue to grow. They opened the new baseball team store an hour after the announcement and it was jammed with customers. Flying Squirrel hats and shirts were flying off the shelves. I will say, the majority of the comments I got about the new logo were negative. Then again, in years of reporting experience, the nay-sayers are always louder than the supporters. 

The new team logo!

 

 You can vote on our online poll here. Tell us what you think of the name. And you’ll get another chance at a name soon when the “name the mascot contest” starts December 14th. 

Some of the comments I got on twitter: 

@shortpumppreppy  Kinda cool actually 

@Joe_Stanley There are no words for how ridiculous this entire idea is. 

@heyart “Flying Squirrels” has grown on me. It screams Minor League. The kids will love this. 

@Nicholkola if mighty mouse had an arch nemesis, it would be the Richmond flying squirrel. 

@thomasmcdonald I will be getting a Squirrels hat ASAP! 

@katiebailey  Considering the team name, I think it’s silly, but decent. 

@Nicholkola Seriously? it’s like mighty mouse, squirrel style. 

@eddiRVA Angry badger?

#Ukropalsye is Back!

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

Oh, here we go again. Every time I write about Ukrop’s my blog is overloaded. Well, I finally have a legitimate update for you. We’ll start with Ukrop’s profits. For the first time this year, the company posted a quarterly loss. The chain lost $1.4 million in the third quarter. That would seem like bad news, but it’s not. The company posted decent earnings in the first two quarters… almost two million in profit. Which means, Ukrop’s is still in the black, just as it heads into the biggest quarter of the year.  I talked to VCU marketing professor David Urban who says other chains like Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Kroger and Food Lion have been slowly chipping away at Ukrop’s but we still won’t know how much until after the fourth quarter. The company, of course had no comment for me today. And I want to give a shout out to Richmond Biz Sense, who first broke the story and has done a bang up job staying on top of the Ukrop’s Saga.

We learned today that a food fight is underway in Carytown. Kroger has declared war on Ukrop’s and is even copying a long-standing tradition. The Carytown Kroger has new carts and is now sending bag boys to your car with your groceries. The store is also hoping to expand its prepared food selection and plans to lease the CVS next door so it can expand. David Urban says Kroger “smells blood in the water” an is getting aggressive. Kroger didn’t call me back today to comment.

As for the search for a buyer?? Nothing new to report. I’ll keep digging around. Promise!

Richmond’s Budget Problems: 10 million in the hole

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

Update: Friday Nov. 20th: Met with the city’s Deputy Chief of Finance today, Marcus Jones. Nice guy. He’s been on the job for about 3 months now and walked into a tough budget.  The city’s already trimmed 25 million from its budget. Now its facing another 10 million dollars in cuts. The city’s already made the tiny cuts to get by… this time there may have to be some real meat. Not good news. Service and jobs could be on the table. The mayor has given his finance people until mid-December to come up with a viable plan. Update end.

The state just released a bleak financial picture and a day later… Richmond follows. The city is facing a $10 million dollar budget shortfall. It’s actually not too bad considering the city has a $1.5 billion dollar overall budget. The mayor cites reductions in state funding and a drop in sales tax revenues as the reason for the shortfall.  Mayor Dwight Jones says, “The entire nation has been experiencing lingering effects of the recession and Richmond is no exception. A number of key revenue sources weakened in FY 2009, and they are continuing to falter in the current year (FY 2010).  Moreover, we have to be realistic and assume that the ripple effects will continue into FY 2011.”

The main reason for the lower than project revenue is the decline in the sales tax collections. Local sales revenues are 7.9 million less than projected and the state share is down $1.9 million. Another $2.6 million of the shortfall is a direct result of the state’s budget cuts announced in September 2009.

The Chief Deputy of  Finance will speak before Council Vice-President Ellen Robertson’s Finance Committee meeting  tomorrow at 4:00 in City Council chambers. He’s going to go over the shortfall and how the city is planing to handle it.  Sounds like I’ll be following up on this tomorrow.

The Business of Stripping…

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

Is that a headline or what? So, I’ve been in the ABC hearing all week listening to (the often times) graphic testimony about the alleged going-ons at Sam Moore’s Club Velvet. It’s interesting that this entire liquor license hearing stems from the 10 month undercover investigation by ABC agents.  (The place was raided by Richmond Police on Feb 23, 2007.) From the raid, Moore was eventually convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and served a 30 day jail sentence. This is the only other thing to come out of that investigation… an attack on his ability to sell alcohol. His attorney’s said today they believe Moore is being targeted because of the type of business her runs. A former stripper testified today, the club had a reputation for drugs and prostitution and she quit to get away from it all. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens. Velvet has been open for 10 years and has a clean ABC record. No prior violations. This raid has led to serious charges (specifically a place for prostitution.) No way to tell which way this hearing will go. A decision won’t come down for several weeks and even then it can be appealed to circuit court. We may not know how this will all shake out for several months. And the saga continues…

 

Newbille’s New Seat

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

There’s no denying who the residents in the 7th district wanted to represent them. Cynthia Newbille won with 52% of the vote. Despite six candidate, she had a decisive victory and she takes the reigns of her new job on Monday. The City Council meeting will begin with her swearing-in ceremony.

Cynthia Newbille Ad

Newbille was swamped in controversy earlier this year, when she was seeking the temporary appointment for the seat. But much of that was drummed up by her competitors. Newbille may have only recently moved back to the district, but it’s clear she’s been a staple there for several years. Not only did she grow up in the 7th district, but she came back. She’s served her community in numerous roles and now she’ll help on the council. It’s clear she has the backing of key city leaders, so it will be interesting to  see how that plays out over the next year. She was supported by Mayor Dwight Jones, former council member and Delegate Delores McQuinn, current council Vice President Ellen Robertson and State Senator Henry Marsh. She told me last night she’s excited for the opportunity and plans to leave her current posts to focus full-time on the council. Her first big test will be Echo Harbour.  She said last night….. “Anything that destroys the character of one of the most incredible natural resources we enjoy in this city or precludes public access to that is not the project for us.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7th District Seat Council Race

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

Was there ever any doubt at what I would be covering election day? You know i’ll be chasing down the 7th district council race. There are six candidates vying for the seat originally vacated by Delores McQuinn earlier this year. Tomorrow is a special election to fill the remainder of the term.  So, here goes… all you need to know about the 7th District Council Race.

The Candidates: (in alphabetical order)

Ronald Bond: Life and Health insurance field underwriter.  Says he will listen to residents about Echo Harbour. **(see below)

Clarence Kenney: Former city parks employee. Says he will seek a compromise on Echo Harbour saving the view and allowing development.

Deanne Lewis: Buys and restores old homes. Vocal opponents to the Oakwood Heights project in Church Hill. She says she’s against the proposed site for Echo Harbour.

Cynthia Newbille: Manages City’s East End Initiative. Acting Director of the non-profit Family Resources Center. She says she will not take a position on Echo Harbour until the final proposal is submitted but she’s opposed anything that blocks the view.

Garry Powell: Human Resources coordinator for Patient First. Believes Echo Harbour site should be publically owned to preserve the view.

Robin Robinson: Instructional Assistant at the Metropolitan Day School. She out right opposes Echo Harbour.

**Echo Harbour is a controversial development that will be the first big test for the 7th District Representative on the Richmond City Council.

Analysis:

I’m hearing you can’t overlook Cynthia Newbille. She has the money and the major supporters… Dwight Jones, State Senator Henry Marsh and former 7th district council woman Delores McQuinn. Local political analysts tell me Robin Robinson might be the dark horse in the race, but if  Newbille makes a strong showing in the Church Hill precincts she will most likely run away with the race.  

Stats on the 7th District:

According to the US Census:

86% of voters are African-American

54% are women

74% are over the age of 18 ——–  13% are over the age of 65 

70% make $50,000 or less

The average household income is $47,000

The district includes: Church Hill, Union Hill, Tobacco Row, East End, portions of Shockoe Bottom

Oh, The Places We Go….

Rachel DePompa – bio | email

Monday: Get up 7am and drive to Blacksburg, Virginia. Work 17 straight hours on the story of two murdered VT students and a missing Tech student.

Tuesday: Drive back from Blacksburg. Exhausted…

Wednesday: Come to work, thinking I’m headed to City Hall… end up running out the door to Charlottesville. I cover a press conference on the missing VT student. Spend the day on the UVA campus. (PS.. my rival school… I went to the University of Maryland) PSS… (I’m beginning to think I’m on a college tour for the week. Is Harrisonburg’s JMU next?)

Thursday: No more travels. (I sing and dance in the  newsroom with joy!) Then I head out to interview a doctor and stumble on to the fact that the VCU Medical Center is so overloaded with H1N1 patients it is opening a whole treatment area just for influenza cases. I was suddenly in a room surrounded by flu patients. I interviewed a 9-year-old girl who was just diagnosed with swine flu. (If I get sick this should totally qualify for workman’s comp! Right?)  

PSSS… I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me on Friday