European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 stars and stripes v saturday March 24 2007 Elaine Shiho Fukada Dunkin above former Yankees player Jim Leyritz stacks cups on wednesday free iced Coffee Day at Dunkin donuts in new York left Dustin Doty 13 eats a pastry wednesday before the annual Starbucks corp shareholders meeting in Seattle other chains gain on Starbucks by Lauren Shepherd the associated press new York As Starbucks corp investors met in Seattle for the chains highly anticipated Annu Al shareholders meeting Coffee drinkers around the country lined up wednesday for a cup of Joe from one of the Coffee giants competitors in a promotion the company said was timed to celebrate the first Day of Spring Dunkin donuts gave away free 16 ounce cups of iced Coffee All coincidence that Only seemed to highlight Star Bucks latest woes the Seattle Chain which virtually pioneered the exploding special to Coffee Market has been faced with concerns from investors and its own management that if it continues to grow at its current Pace the Brand will be diluted enough to allow competitors to gain at the same time competitors like Dunkin donuts and Mcdonalds have been expanding their offerings to compete theres no question in my mind that the competitive juices in the Coffee area have grown exponentially said Dunkin donuts Brand president Robert Rodriguez the free Coffee Fol lows a hot Coffee Giveaway at Star Bucks last week is one Way Rodriguez is trying to focus More Atten Tion on Dunkin beverages for years Consumers associated the name Dunkin donuts with its doughnut counters to change that Dunkin has been aggressively promoting its new line of Espres so drinks soon the privately held Chain will also undergo a makeover at its stores reminiscent of a certain competitor Complete with earthy Walls waiting areas for drinks and Coffee Beans on display Dunkin first introduced a line of espresso drinks in 2003 directly competing with a Starbucks Staple the line now makes up More than 5 percent of sales in total the Chain had worldwide sales of billion in 2006 meaning their Chicago policeman accused of beating female bartender the associated press Chicago an of duty police officer in Street clothes was caught on video by a bar surveil Lance camera beating up a female bartender half his size authorities said Anthony Abbate a 12year vet eran of the Chicago Force was charged with aggravated Battery and placed on leave pending an internal investigation in the attack feb 19 As several bystanders watched department spokeswoman Monique Bond said wednes Day she said Abbate is expected to be fired the video from Jessies Short Stop inn tavern shown on television around the nation shows the 250pound Abbate shouting at the 115pound bartender then walk ing behind the bar and punching kicking and throwing her to the ground the woman whose name authorities Haven released suffered bruises to her head neck Back and lower body her actor Ekl Williams Kllc via Fox news this image from video shows an alleged altercation Between a Chicago police officer Center and a female bartender Center on floor at a Chicago bar on feb 19 Ney Terry Ekl did not immediately return a Call wednesday he told Wal div that the attack began after the bartender refused to serve Abbate prosecutors say the bartender tried to Stop him from attacking another Patron Mccartney first to sign onto Starbucks Label Seattle Paul Mccartney was introduced wednesday As the first artist signed to Starbucks corps record Label lending an iconic nameplate to the coffeehouse giant s latest entertainment venture the former beatle who made an appearance Over a video feed from London at the company annual meeting said he expects to release his next album on Starbucks new hear music Label in Early june Mccartney said he was impressed with hear musics push to use Starbucks 13500 retail outlets As part of its sales plan he also praised the company dedication for me the great thing is the commitment and the passion and the love of music which As an artist is Good to see he said from the associated press espresso drinks came in at about million i comparison Starbucks com pan owned stores had Bil lion in Revenue during its 2006 Fis Cal year about 77 percent of those sales around were drinks but Dunkin recently unseated its rival As no 1 in a 2007 customer loyalty Index produced by Brand keys a Market research firm there not the Only ones whining awards that seemed like a shooing for Starbucks Mcdonalds corp introduced a line of Premium Coffee that earned first place in this months consumer reports Issue for Best in Coffee now Mcdonalds is branching out into espresso drinks the fast food Chain based in Oak Brook Illi Nois has begun introducing Mccafe concept restaurants in select locations in the us with comfy couches cappuccinos and pastries that look More like the neighbor Hood Starbucks than your typical Mickey is Fla House oks Early primary by Gary fineout Mcclatchy newspapers Tallahassee Fla the Florida House of representatives voted overwhelmingly wednes Day to make the states presiden tial primary one of the earliest in the nation the House voted 1151 to permanently move up the Date of the presidential primary to the first tuesday in february or a week after the new Hampshire primary whichever comes first right now new Hampshire has scheduled its 2008 primary for Jan 22 meaning Florida could vote As Early As Jan 29 but dont Mark the 2008 Calen Dar just yet the Florida Senate has yet to act on a similar Mea sure and May not act until right before the legislature ends its an Nual session in Early May we think its Best to hold Back and see what the other states Are doing said state sen Jeremy ring a Democrat who is sponsor ing the Bill to move up the primary both democrats and republicans said they want to move up the presidential primary Date As a Way to Force presidential Candi dates to spend More time in Florida and to take positions on issues of importance to Florida voters this will allow Florida to be come much More relevant in the selection process said state rep David Rivera a Republican the National parties which will organize the nominating conventions have warned Florida that it will lose delegates if its primary is held anytime before feb 5 state rep Jack Seiler a demo crat and the Lone dissenting vote in the House said it was bad for democracy he said it would hand the nomination for both Par ties to whatever candidate can raise the most Money this year we dont need a primary to be come relevant we decided the 2000 presidential election said Seiler if we move the primary up it becomes a straight Money race Calif freeway slayer5 gets death sentence los Angeles a Man was sentenced to death wednesday for killing six prostitutes whose bodies were found in cities along the freeway route East of los an Geles there was overwhelming Evi Dence that Ivan j Hill who has been dubbed the 60 freeway Slayer murdered the women Superior court judge Larry Fidler said Hill a 45yearold former Fork lift operator was convicted nov 17 of six counts of first degree murder for killings committed in 1993 and 1994 he was charged in 2003 after Dan evidence linked him to the killings while he was serving time in state prison for unrelated crimes at trial jurors heard a recorded Telephone Call to a police Dis Patcher in which Hill acknowledged killing a woman and said her body was in a Park in a Sec Ond Call he warned yall better catch me before i kill again defense attorneys said Hill had been badly abused As a child the defense also said Hill also saw his father shoot his Mother to death on christinas Day in 1968 Man accused of killing student was in denial7 Knoxville Tenn a Man accused of killing a teenage Stu Dent Over an affair with his teacher wife said wednesday he had been in denial about the relation ship for a Long time Eric Mclean 31 told abcs today show in a Jailhouse inter View to be aired thursday morn ing that he never had any suspicions about his wife of 11 years Erin Mclean is a student teach or at West High school and Mother of the couples two Young sons wed share email accounts he said in an excerpt broadcast by Abc affiliate a birth we didst keep secrets from each other at All but when pressed on whether he knew about the affair he changed course i pretty much knew Mclean said i think i was just in denial for a Long time you know lawmaker parts of Iraq Are As Safe As Detroit Republican con Gressman from Michigan said parts of Iraq Are no More danger Ous than Detroit drawing the ire of the mayors office and the state democratic party during an interview monday with Wilsam radio rep Tim Walberg said the returning troops he has talked with indicate to me that 80 to 85 percent in a conservative fashion of the country is reasonably under control at least As Well As Detroit or Chicago or any of our other big cities that an encouraging sign Detroit and Chicago had higher rates of murder and some other crimes than the United states As a whole in 2005 according to Fri statistics Harvey is an economically depressed Chicago suburb with about 30000 residents its absurd to compare Detroit and Iraq in any Way said James Canning spokesman for Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick on wednesday from wire services