Call it the Big Box Blues, a nasty combination of lowered consumer spending, high rents and aggressive online competition. The blues hit Best Buy’s president today as he resigned abruptly as boss of the huge electronics retailer. Best Buy head office announced that Chief Executive Brian Dunn (left) resigned as part of a top to bottom re-alignment of the firm. The company faces stiff competition from discounters and online retailers. It’s missed sales expectations for several quarters in a row. Best Buy said director Mike Mikan (right) will serve as interim CEO while it looks for a permanent replacement for Dunn.
Air Canada captain rapped for safety comment
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Cathy Anagnostopoulos succumbs to leukemia
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The valiant battle of Leaside’s Cathy Anagnostopoulos has come to en end. Ms. Anagnostopoulo died Saturday some 14 months after she was diagnosed with the aggressive form of the blood disease known as acute myeloid leukemia. All of the area had followed Cathy’s story and many had worked to find a stem cell donor for her. Although a match was found, it was too late. The story is told in the Star by Josh Rubin. Here. All posts from The South Bayview Bulldog
Bricks fall at 133 Randolph Rd site
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It’s surprising it doesn’t happen more often in busy, re-constructing Leaside. But yesterday the north wall of a bungalow at 133 Randolph Rd collapsed inward all by itself during a day off for workers. The wall had been left standing obviously without support as is often the case in such re-builds. No one was hurt and firefighters say the well-fenced site is safe.
Mt. Pleasant Jeweller Linda Penwarden profile
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Jeweller Linda Penwarden, and her shop at 631 Mt Pleasant Rd., has been profiled by Post Media News and the article may be read here linked from the Ottawa Citizen. Ms Penwarden is apparently an example of hard work and persistence being rewarded with a successful practice in jewellery making. As reported by David Kates, she has worked in the jewellery business for nearly two decades. He says she has learned the valuable lesson of doing your homework. For sure.Why Wendy’s pigtails are standing on end
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Wendy’s President and CEO Emil Brolick earned total compensation valued at $4.6 million in 2011 after taking the helm of the hamburger chain in September, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Friday. Wendy’s outgoing CEO Roland Smith, who retired rather than relocate to Ohio from Atlanta after Wendy’s sold most of Arby’s, took home about $16.5 million in total compensation last year, including $11.4 million in severance pay. That pay package was up more than three-fold from the $4.9 million in total compensation that Smith earned in 2010. Brolick’s 2011 compensation included $338,462 in base salary for time served in the role; his base salary for the full year is $1.1 million. Brolick also received a $500,000 signing bonus, $3.2 million in stock and option awards and $533,000 in non-equity incentive plan compensation. Brolick, a former chief operating officer at Yum Brands, joined Wendy’s on Sept. 12. FoxValu Mart Easter Bunny on South Bayview
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Tremblettt’s Valu Mart and realtor Patrick Rocca teamed up to get the Easter Bunny (inset) out on South Bayview Saturday. Many kids had the thrill of a picture with the normally flop-eared rabbit, who had fairly upright ears on this occasion. Easter Sunday is set to be a warm one, with temperatures predicted to climb to 16°C and a minimal chance of rain. The chance of rain is about 30 per cent, said Kuhn, though it will be scattered throughout the city. Warm temperatures Sunday will drop slightly Monday then drop further Tuesday as an arctic air current moves in. Sunday’s temperatures are above average but still far from the record-setting heat felt in 2001 when the mercury hit 25.2°C.No one hurt in house collapse on Randolph Rd
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Citytv is reporting that a house collapsed on Saturday afternoon during demolition. Is is said to have happened about 3 pm on Randolph Rd . No one was working on the site at the time.
Links to status of the Wicksteed Salamander
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Realtor Sue Byford writes to note that Councillor Parker has provided links on his site regarding the status of the SmartCentres development on Wicksteed Ave. This is the odd shaped proposal which we have come to know as the Wicksteed Salamander because of its similarity to the double-jointed reptile. John Parker website
Leaside High grad is surrogate mom
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How two Leaside High School former classmates, Erin and Shelagh, devised an answer to Erin’s infertility. Lovely story from Mary Ormsby in the Star
Ellen Roseman hears about “Bell bullying”
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Ellen Roseman of the Toronto Star says many people don’t like being bullied by Bell Canada into accepting electronic billing. They say it s just a ruse when Bell says it’s going green by reducing paper.. It’s an excuse, Roseman hears from her readers to cover up what they’re really doing — shifting costs to customers in order to boost their profit. Of course, its standard stuff for Internet giants to abuse their customers. Bell doesn’t even answer its mail anymore. And of course it’s “Your time is my time” when you wait on the line to speak with anyone because, after all,. your time is worthless. Ellen Roseman in the Star
Speculators driving up price of gas in Canada
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Gasoline prices in Canada are climbing to near-record highs, and financial speculators betting on the closing of a Philadelphia refinery are partly to blame Pump prices shot up in several major cities Wednesday – topping $1.40 a litre at many Toronto gas stations – as motorists across the country feel the pinch of steadily rising prices in recent weeks, even as crude oil costs have remained relatively stable. Shawn McCarthy in the Globe and Mail