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Lynn M. Walding, Administrator |
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e - NEWS |
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March 26, 2004 |
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1. Brawl Travels From Ped
Mall to UIHC
2. An Unlikely Comeback
for Pabst Blue Ribbon
3. College Student Dies
of Alcohol Poisoning
6. Alcohol and Your Health: Weighing the Pros and Cons
1. Brawl
Travels From Ped Mall to UIHC
By Christina Erb - The Daily
Iowan
March 24, 2004
Large fight involving more than 50 people took
approximately 20 officers to stop
IOWA CITY,
IA -- A March 21 early morning brawl among more than 50 people, which erupted
outside the Union Bar and ended at the UI Hospitals and Clinics, began with six
patrons assaulting a woman, an employee from a neighboring bar said Tuesday.
David
Knight, an assistant manager of Martinis, 127 E. College St., first noticed the
fight when a young black woman, who appeared to be in her early 20s, was thrown
against his bar's windows at approximately 1:40 a.m. The woman was allegedly
one of the many patrons exiting the Union Bar after a hip-hop concert.
"She
got slammed into the door," Knight said, adding that she fell to the
pavement, crying, surrounded by chunks of her hair that had been torn from her
head. "They were kicking her in her head."
Her
attackers - four males and two females, Knight said - allegedly continued the
assault as a crowd of nearly 30 people surrounded her. Knight said he was
unable to help the woman in the mayhem, but Iowa City police arrived within
minutes, scattering the crowd. Knight's manager gave the woman ice wrapped in a
towel for her face. Her forehead, the area around her eyes, and her lips were
swollen and bleeding, he said.
"It
didn't look like your typical Saturday night downtown," Knight said.
"It was kind of threatening. I told my doormen to stay inside. I locked
the doors."
Adding to
the disruption, patrons at Martinis were squeezing through the doors nearest
the fight. Four men involved in the fight were pushed inside, and Knight told
them to leave because the bar was closed.
The four
men briefly scuffled inside, leaving one doorman with blood on his shirt and a
pool of blood on the bar's white floor. No staff from Martinis was injured
during the altercation.
George Barlas,
the owner of the Union Bar, did not return repeated calls to his establishment
Tuesday. His home phone number is unlisted.
After
police arrived in front of the bar, the angry crowd dispersed, then continued
fighting near the parking ramp adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel, 210 S. Dubuque
St. No weapons were used, said Iowa City police Sgt. Kevin Hurd, adding that
four people were arrested by his department at that time.
The
hostilities momentarily paused again after Iowa City officers - aided by North
Liberty, Coralville, University Heights, and UI police, plus deputies from the
Johnson County's Sheriff's Office - broke up the fights. Hurd said it took approximately
20 law-enforcement officers to halt the altercation.
Iowa City police Sgt. Bill Campbell said
that, while it is not uncommon for a fight to take place with a large number of
people present, it is highly unusual to have a large number of people
participating in a fight.
Out on
bail, one brawler went to UIHC emergency trauma center to check on his friends,
where, UIHC spokesman Tom Moore said, he and others resumed fighting, knocking
over a computer and breaking a desk.
"The
staff is very professional and works closely with our safety and security
officers," said Moore, adding that the eight UIHC employees on duty were
not injured. "So when these instances occur, they know how to handle
them."
The
departments charged an estimated 14 people visiting from as far as Chicago.
Their charges ranged from disorderly conduct and public intoxication to assault
on a peace officer.
2. An
Unlikely Comeback for Pabst Blue Ribbon
By
Jonathan Drew, Associated Press - US Business News
March 19, 2004
Bar patrons enjoy themselves and drink Pabst Blue
Ribbon beer at Betty's Food and Spirits in Columbus, Ohio last month.
Betty's manager, Elizabeth Lessner, said distributors laughed at her when
she began asking for kegs of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer three years ago. Now
it's so popular her supplier frequently runs out.
Terry
Gilliam / AP
Trend setters, blue-collar workers, students
make ‘PBR’ a favorite
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Matt Dixon sips
beer from a red, white and blue aluminum can in a smoky corner of Betty’s Food
and Spirits, a dimly lit hangout for local artists, college students and
restaurant workers.
Bartenders pour 13 different
microbrews for $3.75 a pint at Betty’s, but the best-selling beer is Dixon’s
choice, $1.50-a-pint Pabst Blue Ribbon, a former blue-collar favorite decades
removed from its heyday.
Pabst Blue Ribbon, or simply PBR,
is enjoying an unlikely comeback across the country. After a steady decline
since the 1970s, sales rose about 5 percent in 2002 and 15 percent in 2003.
“It’s just cold and refreshing,”
Dixon said between gulps. “It’s not a bad beer. You just have to get beyond the
fact that it’s what your dad drinks.”
In 2001, sales of the 160-year-old
brand had fallen to less than 1 million barrels, about one-tenth its peak in
1975, said Pabst Brewing Co. senior brand manager Neal Stewart.
Betty’s owner Elizabeth Lessner
said distributors laughed at her when she began asking for kegs of Pabst three
years ago. But it was about that time that Pabst’s comeback had started —
Stewart said the beer’s resurgence began when young consumers in Portland,
Ore., adopted the brew.
There had been no change in
marketing. Pabst somehow appealed to trendsetters: punk rockers, people into
bluegrass, kayakers and mountain bikers, Stewart said.
The brand is the top seller in
Portland’s Lutz Tavern, which began carrying it in 1999 to replace a
discontinued regional beer.
“It’s really popular with not only
the college students but also the working class guy and the Social Security
crowd,” said Lilias Barisich, whose family has operated the bar since 1954.
The revival spread to cities like
San Francisco and Seattle before hopping across the country to the Northeast,
Stewart said. By some accounts, its young buyers are rebelling against
established, mass-marketed brands.
“There’s a theory that there’s a
niche out here for a consumer that’s anti-marketing,” said Eric Shepard,
executive editor of Beer Marketer’s Insights.
Betty’s owner Lessner said,
“People are really sick of the Budweiser-type marketing with naked girls and
cars. Pabst is kinda hokey and nostalgic and people like it.”
The San Antonio-based Pabst
Brewing Co.’s marketing strategy — or lack thereof — eschews conventional
advertising in favor of generating word-of-mouth buzz.
While you won’t find any Pabst
commercials on NFL telecasts or FM radio, Stewart said you might notice the
company sponsoring an art gallery opening or running ads for bands in local
publications. But chances are, the only place you’ll see the Pabst logo is at a
local bar or convenience store beer aisle: The company’s marketing budget is
minuscule by industry standards.
In 2002, Pabst spent $427,000 on
measured media, which includes television, magazines, billboards, radio and
newspapers, compared to Anheuser-Busch’s $419 million and Miller’s $275
million.
The low-key approach has resonated
with customers. At Betty’s, Tanya Brooks ordered a Pabst and explained she’s
sick of beer advertising that exploits women. The 28-year-old waitress said
she’d be disappointed to ever see a Pabst Blue Ribbon advertising campaign.
“My dad drank PBR. It was never
about being sexy,” she said.
At the Cave, a bar known for live
music across the street from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill,
Pabst is one of the most popular and cheapest beers, owner Dave Sorrell said.
“It’s what I drink,” he said.
“It’s just a plain, old, simple beer.”
Distributors across the country
confirm the brand’s success but say they don’t quite understand it. In
Nashville, Tenn., sales shot up 99 percent in 2003, said DET Distributing Co.
general manager John Curley.
“It’s almost got this cult-type
following,” he said. “I have never seen that kind of growth, especially in a
brand that’s been down and out.”
On Chicago’s north side, Louis
Glunz Beer Inc. added Pabst to a list of beers it recommends to bars and stores
after sales went up by about 35 percent in each of the past two years, general
manager Jerry Glunz said.
“Pabst was not that kind of beer
you had to sell in only the cheap joints anymore,” he said.
Despite PBR’s success, its parent
company is still a distant fourth in the domestic beer market, Shepard said. In
2003, the Pabst Brewing Co. sold an estimated 8 million barrels overall and 1
million barrels of PBR, while Anheuser-Busch sold about 103 million barrels,
Miller 38 million and Coors 22 million.
“It’s a nice story for Pabst that
Pabst Blue Ribbon has caught on and is quite popular in many markets, but I
don’t know if any of the major brewers are quaking in their boots,” Shepard
said.
3. College Student Dies of Alcohol
Poisoning
March 20, 2004
MOORHEAD, MN - Jason Reinhardt started drinking the
first minute he could legally drink the drug beverage alcohol. He engaged in a
tradition well known in Minnesota called having a "POWER HOUR." The
power hour is an attempt to drink 21 drinks in the first hour after his 21st
birthday.
Reinhardt died later that night showing a blood
alcohol level of .36 percent, police reported Friday. He was died at the Phi
Sigma Kappa House near Minnesota State University - Moorhead.
The police investigators said that Reinhardt drank no
less than 16 drinks between midnight and 1 a.m.
Reinhardt's mother, Anne Buchanan, issued a statement
saying he had celebrated his birthday by taking part in a "power
hour," an attempt to down 21 drinks in an hour. She went on to say
"We had the typical mother-son conversation just hours before he
left," Buchanan said at a news conference. "I warned him about power
hour - that he didn't need to go and overdo the drinking. I reminded him of the
young man who nearly lost his life due to an overdose during his power
hour."
Lance Jerstad, a North Dakota State University
student from West Fargo, nearly died from alcohol poisoning on his 21st
birthday in November 2002. He was hospitalized with a 0.52 blood alcohol level
spent nearly three weeks recovering.
Buchanan said her son and his friends had taken part
in four other power hours over the last two weeks and nothing bad happened.
"Jason hugged me and said he loved me and he
would be fine," she said.
She was speaking out in an attempt to help other
parents and young adults realize the dangers of alcohol abuse, she said.
Beer Business Daily
March 21, 2004
"We had a good performance in a challenging year,"
began Rene Graafland, a director of Heineken at an analyst junket in New York
on Thursday.
HUSA depletions in 2003 were up 2.3% while the import
segment was up 1.9%. Northeast (37% of HUSA’s volume) depletions were down 3.5%
compared to 16% for the entire beer market. So HUSA’s strategy is to push their
"brands where they are underrepresented," said Rene, like the West
and the convenience channel. So far it’s working, with the the West up 10%
while convenience volume was up 14%.
PRICE INCREASE. Will HUSA increase pricing?
"There is a serious possibility of that," said HUSA chief Franz van
der Minne. Franz said they will see whether the Corona price increase will
stick (it appears to be sticking so far) and make a decision to follow in April
or May. Clearly, Heineken is leaving money on the table in the on-premise,
where bars price Corona and Heineken together based on the highest price of the
two.
2004 VOLUME. "The start is a little bit slower
than we expected" said Franz. He said that the year has been sluggish not
just for Heineken, but for all brewers. I’ll buy that. He said that HUSA
continues to gain share of the imported beer segment.
FEMSA/HEINEKEN COMBINATION? "Femsa will clearly
look for a partner [in the US]," said Rene. "They will look at
SABMiller or us." Rene indicated that he does not believe Femsa Cerveza
will import their brands in the US alone, but will seek a partner. He also said
that Femsa is not interested in selling off its beer division to focus on its
Coke assets. He feels that HUSA has a good chance to import the Femsa brands,
which would give HUSA more scale in the West and Southwest, where HUSA is
weakest.
By Alyce Lomax
March 18, 2004
Jim Beam whiskey may sound a bit
unappetizing for those who had a little too much green beer last night for St.
Patrick's Day. However, Jim Beam is one of the brands giving Fortune Brands
(NYSE: FO) a reason to celebrate. The company said that its first-quarter
outlook is better than previously anticipated, sending the stock to a new
52-week high today.
Fortune Brands' management vowed to grow
its first-quarter earnings per share by 19% or more in the coming first
quarter, raising the estimate to $0.82 per share or more. It said several
factors helped it raise expectations, including broad-based demand,
improvements in supply chain efficiency, and the weak dollar.
This operating company is the name behind
many very well-known brands, including Jim Beam's adult beverages, Moen
faucets, Master Lock padlocks, and Swingline office products, including the
famous staplers. (Here's more information on how holding companies work.)
While it's hard to resist using the term
"luck o' the Irish" on the day after St. Paddy's Day, really, when
you look at the current economic environment, there wasn't much luck involved
in Fortune Brands' recent success. Homebuying is still in. People are more
willing to spend money on luxuries like spirits, and probably golf, another
Fortune business. Heck, some businesses are hiring again, and some of those
hires will probably be looking for their new Swingline staplers. (Hopefully,
not with the zeal of Milton Waddams from Office Space.)
When it comes to booze, Brown-Forman
(NYSE: BFB) makes a strong competitor. It's in the whiskey biz, too, offering
Jack Daniels and Southern Comfort. Other brands include Korbel champagnes and
Fetzer wines. It also makes the Lenox and Dansk lines of china.
Both companies seem positioned to take
advantage of an improving economic outlook. Back in February, Brown-Forman
planned aggressive advertising to push its brands of spirits. Whether that will
take some of the swagger out of Fortune Brands' Jim Beam remains to be seen.
6. Alcohol and Your Health: Weighing the Pros and Cons
MayoClinic.com
March 25, 2004
For every news story you read
about the benefits of alcohol, another seems to warn you of the risks. This
conflicting information can be confusing and frustrating.
Unfortunately, researchers have
been unable to conclude whether alcohol's health benefits outweigh its risks.
You may find no easy answers because so many factors influence the results.
Your current health status and medical history plus your age, sex and weight
all factor into the equation.
So should you avoid alcohol? Or
can you continue to enjoy your wine with dinner? The answer may depend on who
you are and how much alcohol you drink.
Pluses
Heart health
Studies show that moderate alcohol
consumption — one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men — lowers
the risk of heart attack for people in middle age by roughly 30 percent to 50
percent. If you've had a previous heart attack, alcohol may also have a role in
preventing additional heart attacks and reducing your risk of heart failure.
Researchers have also found that alcohol can reduce your chances of dying of a
heart attack.
Studies also suggest that moderate
alcohol consumption decreases your risk of coronary artery disease. The studies
indicate that alcohol can raise the amount of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) in your body. HDL removes
cholesterol from your arteries, lowering your risk of atherosclerosis — the accumulation
of fatty deposits (plaques) in your arteries.
Stroke prevention
If your blood pressure is normal,
alcohol may reduce your risk of ischemic stroke — blockage of an artery
supplying blood to your brain. It may help prevent blood clots and reduce the
blood vessel damage caused by fat deposits.
Other benefits
Light drinking also has been shown
to reduce the development of blocked arteries in your legs (peripheral arterial
disease). Preliminary evidence also suggests that small amounts of alcohol may
protect against senility and Alzheimer's disease.
There's no agreement on whether
wine is better for you than beer or liquor. Some studies suggest that red wine
is better for you because it contains such beneficial compounds as resveratrol.
Other studies document the same cardiovascular benefits for all three.
Minuses
When considering the potential
benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, don't forget the potential risks.
Studies often reveal conflicting information about alcohol, and many results
are often preliminary. But misuse or abuse of alcohol can lead to accidents,
emotional problems and alcoholism.
Even in small amounts, alcohol can
have negative effects on your health. It can:
Slow your brain activity, affecting
your alertness, coordination and reaction time
Interfere with your sleep and
sexual function
Produce headaches
Raise your blood pressure
Contribute to heartburn
Heavy or binge drinking increases
your risk of accidents and falls. Over time, heavy drinking raises your risk
of:
Liver, kidney, lung and heart
disease
Stroke
Osteoporosis
High blood pressure
Obesity
The American Cancer Society
reports that excess alcohol also increases your risk of mouth, pharynx, larynx,
esophagus, liver and breast cancers. When combined with the use of tobacco,
excess alcohol intake increases your risk of many types of cancer even more.
In addition, alcohol can interact
with many common prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. It can
weaken the effects of certain beta blockers and can be dangerous if consumed
with tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antihistamines or pain relievers.
If you combine alcohol with
aspirin, you face an increased risk of stomach bleeding. And if you use alcohol
and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), you increase your risk of liver damage. In
fact, the Food and Drug Administration requires that all OTC pain relievers and
fever reducers carry a warning label advising those who consume three or more
drinks a day to consult with their doctor before using the drug.
Some people shouldn't drink at all
because of certain health conditions, such as:
High blood pressure
Heart rhythm abnormalities, such
as atrial fibrillation or arrhythmias
Liver disease
Ulcers
Severe acid reflux
Sleep apnea
Women who are pregnant, are trying
to conceive or are breast-feeding are advised to avoid alcohol. If you have a
family history of alcoholism, it's recommended that you not drink.
All in
moderation
Until more is known about how
alcohol affects your health, your best bet — if you choose to drink — is to
drink in moderation. Generally, moderation means no more than one drink a day
for women and no more than two drinks a day for men. Because of their body
chemistry and composition, women are more sensitive to alcohol's effects than
are men. A drink is defined as 12 ounces (oz.) of beer, 5 oz. of wine or 1.5
oz. of 80-proof distilled spirits.
Because of age-related changes,
older adults process alcohol more slowly. It takes fewer drinks to become
intoxicated, and the effects last longer. For people age 65 and older, the
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines moderation as one
drink a day or less.
Above all, don't feel pressured to
drink. Few medical experts, if any, advise nondrinkers to start drinking. But
if you do drink and you're healthy, there's no need to stop as long as you
drink responsibly and in moderation.
