Lowe’s?We heard that Lowe’s is looking at land in Falcon? We can’t figure out where, but we’ll try to give you the real scoop next month.Starbucks & IraqSomeone overheard a conversation at the post office about Starbucks reluctance to send coffee to American soldiers in Iraq because the company doesn’t support the war. This isn’t the first time that rumor has circulated. However, Angie Morlan, NFH writer, asked Starbucks to respond, so we can safely put that rumor to bed.Excerpts from a Starbucks spokesperson’s letter:Starbucks has the deepest respect and admiration for U.S. military personnel. Starbucks employs approximately 80 U.S. partners (employees) who serve in the military and are currently on active duty. In support of their efforts, Starbucks provides a military allowance to make up the difference between their military pay and their pay level at Starbucks before they went on leave. The partner can continue health coverage, and family health coverage, if enrolled, for up to 18 months. Additionally, partners are guaranteed a position upon return from active duty, except in rare circumstances, as permitted under the Federal Military Leave laws. Each week Starbucks’ partners (overseas) receive one free pound of coffee. On an individual, grassroots level, many partners in the U. S. have collected their free coffee and shipped numerous pounds of Starbucks coffee overseas. As an example of this generosity, partners in our Atascadero, Calif., store sent their personal weekly allotment of coffee to troops in Afghanistan so they would be able to enjoy a little taste of home. Additionally, our customer relations department in Seattle donated hundreds of pounds of coffee to the sailors on the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier.To enhance our U.S. partners’ outstanding grassroots efforts in support of the U.S. military troops, Starbucks is honored and pleased to extend our relationship with the American Red Cross in order to provide more coffee to relief efforts during times of conflict. In November 2004, Starbucks donated 50,000 lbs of coffee to the American Red Cross for distribution to those troops serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait.The Company is making this contribution through the American Red Cross as part of its long-term, ongoing commitment to share the comfort of coffee during times of crisis, such as during the Florida hurricanes in summer 2004.Litterbugs?Cleaning up the litter along Woodmen Road would be a lot easier for those who have adopted a section of our roads and highways if EVERYONE took responsibility for their own trash. Rumor has it that 90 percent of the litter picked up on Oct. 14 was construction trash found on the south side of Woodmen Road directly outside a developer’s cement panel wall (across from Mountain View Electric). Hmmm … rumor has it one developer needs to think a little more “green” … a little more “clean.”
