MORGANTOWN -- The state police are investigating a crime at Mon General Hospital.
Troopers say a man broke into a change machine and a vending machine at the hospital.
It happened July 21, around 5:00 p.m.
The police describe the man as black, heavy set, in his mid 50s, with a white goatee.
He was wearing jeans, a dark colored shirt, and a baby blue baseball cap.
He got away with an undisclosed amount of money.
If you can help,call the state police at (304) 285-3200.
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A vending machine for saving soles
When it comes to vending machines, Silver Lake’s Cha Cha Lounge trumps all. Owner Kevin Willis stocks his bar’s vending machine with unexpected and ever-changing goodies. Items include Rubik’s Cubes, local ‘zines, Japanese snacks, T-shirts, pregnancy tests and — ahem — adult protection to prevent the need of said pregnancy tests.
Matt Horan might just give Willis a run for his money, though. In September, the 27-year-old from Bristol, England, plans to unveil Rollasole at eight nightlife destinations around town. The concept is a vending machine that dispenses flats to ladies whose feet can’t take another moment in their sky-high, toe-pinching heels. Rollasoles, which come rolled up in a shoebox, are available in a variety of shimmery colors including silver, black and pink and cost $8 to $10. The purchase also comes with a bag to carry your heels home in.
The idea came to Horan after many nights carrying his girlfriend home from the clubs. It wasn’t easy finding a UK vending machine supplier to work with, however, so Horan revamped recycled cigarette machines. He introduced his product at six Luminar venues around England in May 2008 — and his business took off running. In about a year, he’s sold 60,000 pairs, expanded his distribution to Ibiza, and gotten in on the wedding market. Next up, he says, “We will be testing the concept on the U.S. market on a small scale in New York and L.A.” Participating venues will be finalized next month.
In the meantime, perhaps Willis will consider stocking Cha Cha’s vending machine with Rollasole flats.
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Local man suing Starbucks, PepsiCo
LONGMONT — A Longmont man and his business partner are suing Starbucks Corp. and PepsiCo, among others, for up to $300 million, claiming the beverage makers sabotaged their startup’s plan to sell cold Starbucks drinks out of vending machines.
The lawsuit claims the companies reneged on promises to allow the use of their logos in a business venture the two men were pursuing.
The suit, filed by Cold Coffee America Inc., seeks damages of between $50 million and $100 million from the defendants.
Because the defendants’ actions were done “fraudulently, willfully, knowingly, intentionally, and in bad faith,” the complaint states, a jury should award triple damages, a request common in civil lawsuits.
The companies deny they ever had an agreement with Cold Coffee. The lawsuit, filed in March 2008, goes to trial in Denver District Court on Aug. 3.
Darrell Creswell of Colorado Springs and Joseph Degesualdo of Longmont are co-owners of Cold Coffee. The two have been friends for many years. A huge oil strike on his family’s property made Creswell, now 51, a wealthy man at 25. In the years since, he said he’s been involved with several business ventures.
He remained friends all these years with Degesualdo, who grew up in Frederick and went to Longmont High School. Degesualdo, 50, has more than two decades in the vending machine business and has experience helping people locate and market their vending machines.
In early 2006, Creswell had what he calls “an epiphany.”
“If they can sell 10,000 Red Bull machines, I can sell 20,000 Starbucks machines,” Creswell remembers thinking.
He founded Cold Coffee America in early 2006 and brought Degesualdo in as a co-owner because of his vending machine expertise.
According to the lawsuit, Creswell approached PepsiCo about selling Starbucks products in vending machines, which he would then sell to vending machine distributors. Creswell said PepsiCo directed him to Ralph Eckles, also a defendant in the suit. Eckles was a marketing director for the North American Coffee Partnership, a joint venture between Starbucks and PepsiCo that was formed in 1994 to bottle and sell Starbucks’ cold-coffee drinks, such as Frappuccino.Creswell said Eckles suggested the machines be branded with the Starbucks logo. Creswell then coined the phrase “Starbucks Refreshment Center,” or SRC.
Creswell said last week that he was stunned when Eckles offered use of the Starbucks logo and imaging, making the venture even more lucrative.
“Darrell calls me screaming. He said, ‘Joseph, you’ll never believe what has happened,’” Degesualdo said Wednesday. “He was freaked out that (Eckles) would offer that to us.”
Creswell began selling distribution rights to the machines. In his first business plan, he estimated that Cold Coffee would sell more than 14,000 SRCs and more than 25.7 million Starbucks drinks during the first year.
Less than two months later, Creswell revised his business plan, now projecting first-year sales of nearly 32,000 SRCs and more than 122 million Starbucks drinks.
In April 2006, Eckles told Creswell that he could not use Starbucks trademarks or logos.
Letters that Eckles sent to Cold Coffee’s vending machine manufacturer, giving clearance to use the corporations’ logos, are included as evidence in the case.
Cold Coffee asked for a jury trial, which will begin Aug. 3 in Denver.
Starbucks denies the allegations in the lawsuit.
“We plan to aggressively defend the matter through trial,” Trina Smith, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mail this week.
Two original defendants in the case, the Pepsi Bottling Group and Hector Benavides, the Denver-based business development manager for the bottling group, have already settled with Cold Coffee America for an undisclosed sum. Read more!
The lawsuit claims the companies reneged on promises to allow the use of their logos in a business venture the two men were pursuing.
The suit, filed by Cold Coffee America Inc., seeks damages of between $50 million and $100 million from the defendants.
Because the defendants’ actions were done “fraudulently, willfully, knowingly, intentionally, and in bad faith,” the complaint states, a jury should award triple damages, a request common in civil lawsuits.
The companies deny they ever had an agreement with Cold Coffee. The lawsuit, filed in March 2008, goes to trial in Denver District Court on Aug. 3.
Darrell Creswell of Colorado Springs and Joseph Degesualdo of Longmont are co-owners of Cold Coffee. The two have been friends for many years. A huge oil strike on his family’s property made Creswell, now 51, a wealthy man at 25. In the years since, he said he’s been involved with several business ventures.
He remained friends all these years with Degesualdo, who grew up in Frederick and went to Longmont High School. Degesualdo, 50, has more than two decades in the vending machine business and has experience helping people locate and market their vending machines.
In early 2006, Creswell had what he calls “an epiphany.”
“If they can sell 10,000 Red Bull machines, I can sell 20,000 Starbucks machines,” Creswell remembers thinking.
He founded Cold Coffee America in early 2006 and brought Degesualdo in as a co-owner because of his vending machine expertise.
According to the lawsuit, Creswell approached PepsiCo about selling Starbucks products in vending machines, which he would then sell to vending machine distributors. Creswell said PepsiCo directed him to Ralph Eckles, also a defendant in the suit. Eckles was a marketing director for the North American Coffee Partnership, a joint venture between Starbucks and PepsiCo that was formed in 1994 to bottle and sell Starbucks’ cold-coffee drinks, such as Frappuccino.Creswell said Eckles suggested the machines be branded with the Starbucks logo. Creswell then coined the phrase “Starbucks Refreshment Center,” or SRC.
Creswell said last week that he was stunned when Eckles offered use of the Starbucks logo and imaging, making the venture even more lucrative.
“Darrell calls me screaming. He said, ‘Joseph, you’ll never believe what has happened,’” Degesualdo said Wednesday. “He was freaked out that (Eckles) would offer that to us.”
Creswell began selling distribution rights to the machines. In his first business plan, he estimated that Cold Coffee would sell more than 14,000 SRCs and more than 25.7 million Starbucks drinks during the first year.
Less than two months later, Creswell revised his business plan, now projecting first-year sales of nearly 32,000 SRCs and more than 122 million Starbucks drinks.
In April 2006, Eckles told Creswell that he could not use Starbucks trademarks or logos.
Letters that Eckles sent to Cold Coffee’s vending machine manufacturer, giving clearance to use the corporations’ logos, are included as evidence in the case.
Cold Coffee asked for a jury trial, which will begin Aug. 3 in Denver.
Starbucks denies the allegations in the lawsuit.
“We plan to aggressively defend the matter through trial,” Trina Smith, a company spokeswoman, said in an e-mail this week.
Two original defendants in the case, the Pepsi Bottling Group and Hector Benavides, the Denver-based business development manager for the bottling group, have already settled with Cold Coffee America for an undisclosed sum. Read more!
Vending Machine Worker Wanted for Thefts in Lancaster and York Counties
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY - Police in Lancaster County issue a warrant for a man in connection with the thefts of about $33,676 from January 2008 to June 2009.
Axel Carlson, 32, of Shinglehouse, faces felony theft charges after an investigation by Coca Cola and the Manheim Township Police.
Carlson worked as a route driver and serviced vending machines in Lancaster and York Counties.
He lived in the Lititz area, but his whereabouts are not known at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to call Manheim Township Police at 717-569-6401 Read more!
Axel Carlson, 32, of Shinglehouse, faces felony theft charges after an investigation by Coca Cola and the Manheim Township Police.
Carlson worked as a route driver and serviced vending machines in Lancaster and York Counties.
He lived in the Lititz area, but his whereabouts are not known at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to call Manheim Township Police at 717-569-6401 Read more!
Coke Tests Vending Machine With Windows CE
Coca-Cola is looking into testing its new beverage dispenser which will see the use of a touchscreen computer running on Windows CE. Known as the "Freestyle", this machine is able to dispense up to 120 different types of soda, tracks sales according to the time of day, and can be managed remotely.Talk about getting all the more information to analyze so that the company is able better to position their future products at the best time during the day. The Freestyle will see action in Orange Coutry, California in at least 9 places, followed by a wider introduction early next year if everything goes according to plan. Read more!