"Merrimack College dining hall closed by roaches" by Aneri Pattani and M.G. Lee, Globe Correspondents January 21, 2015
A cockroach infestation forced Merrimack College to close its main dining hall on Tuesday, college officials said.
The North Andover Health Department inspected the dining hall, which is called Sparky’s Place, after receiving an anonymous complaint, said Thomas Trowbridge, chairman of the town’s health board.
The inspectors closed Sparky’s, located on the second floor of a building, after finding unsanitary conditions and a pest infestation. A kitchen in the building’s basement was also closed, Trowbridge said.
Within two hours of the closings, town and college officials met with food-service company representatives, and the college ordered a thorough professional cleaning, Trowbridge said.
The Warrior’s Den bar and grill, located on the first floor, was found to be in acceptable condition, Trowbridge said.
The Health Department has ordered Sparky’s to comply with four protocols before it reopens, including a confirmed letter that a pest-control agent has cleared the space, and a promise by the dining hall to undergo regular health audits by a private company, Trowbridge said.
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Maybe you should go out for breakfast:
"McDonald’s replaces chief executive as its sales falter" by Hiroko Tabuchi, New York Times January 29, 2015
NEW YORK — McDonald’s disclosed late Wednesday that its chief executive would resign, days after the fast-food restaurant chain posted one of its worst financial performances in years.
Don Thompson, 51, will retire as president and chief executive, effective March 1, McDonald’s said in a statement. He will be replaced by Steve Easterbrook, the chain’s chief branding officer, who will also replace Thompson on the McDonald’s board, the statement said.
McDonald’s reported a sharp decline in sales and earnings last week, as stiff competition and evolving consumer tastes continued to take a toll on one of America’s biggest restaurant brands.
This during an alleged recovery gaining steam, blah, blah, blah.
It has lost a lot of ground with customers, including being unable to attract millennial consumers who gravitate more toward what are called fast-casual restaurants such as Chipotle.
Revenue fell to $6.6 billion and earnings dropped to $1.1 billion. Poor Mickey-Ds.
McDonald’s blamed the weak performance on its need to set aside greater reserves for taxes, as well as ongoing problems with a supplier in China.
Thompson, who has been with the company for more than two decades and chief executive since 2012, had warned that he expected the chain to continue to struggle this year.
In a statement, Thompson said: “It’s tough to say goodbye to the McFamily, but there is a time and season for everything. I am truly confident as I pass the reins over to Steve that he will continue to move our business and brand forward.”
Andrew McKenna, the company’s nonexecutive chairman, said: “Steve is a strong and experienced executive who successfully led our UK and European business units, and the board is confident that he can effectively lead the company to improved financial and operational performance.”
In after-hours trading, shares of McDonald’s jumped 3 percent to $91.55. The stock has declined about 6 percent in the past year while broader markets are up in the double digits.
Then it all tastes good, right?
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Maybe you should just go with a MRE.
