Jails sell e-cigs to inmates
CINCINNATI – E-cigarettes keep popping up for sale at county jails around the country even as some government officials, schools and health experts urge tighter control over the devices, especially in public buildings.
The popular electronic cigarettes are showing up at jails where officials say they see benefits from selling the devices. They say e-cigarettes calm agitated inmates, who aren’t allowed in most jails and prisons to use tobacco-burning cigarettes.
Jail officials say e-cigarettes also reduce instances of smuggled-in traditional cigarettes and loose tobacco. And the additional revenue can be used to buy uniforms, food and other inmate supplies.
S&P edges ahead to new high
A late tick higher was enough to set another record high for the U.S. stock market.
Indexes had languished for much of the day Tuesday as investors worried Greece wouldn’t reach an agreement with its creditors. News that a compromise could be in the works helped send indexes marginally higher in the afternoon. The Standard and Poor’s 500 gained three points, or 0.2 percent, to 2,100, beating its record from Friday.
Trust sells holdings in Coke
ATLANTA – The Gates Foundation Asset Trust, which manages the assets of the $42.3 billion Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has sold its holdings of Coca-Cola stock and added UPS to its portfolio, according to a Bloomberg report, citing filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The report said the trust sold 21.4 million shares of Coke stock valued at $912.2 million in the fourth quarter. The trust purchased 4.5 million shares of UPS valued at $503.1 million.
The Gates trust also sold off its McDonald’s Corp. and Exxon Mobil Corp. holdings, according to the Bloomberg report. The 10.9 million McDonald’s shares were valued at $1 billion and the 8.1 million Exxon Mobil shares were valued at $765.9 million.
AMC revenues down for 2014
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. said 2014 ended well for it financially though its total revenues dipped slightly from a year earlier.
The cinema chain, based outside Kansas City, said its revenues totaled $712.2 million in October, November and December, compared with $713.0 million in those months of 2013.
Revenues, however, got a boost from customers’ food and beverage purchases. AMC said the average customer spent 13.5 percent more on concessions.
New lattes at Starbucks
Starbucks fanatics on Tuesday might have noticed new menu offerings at their favorite shop, including a new tiramisu latte and a favorite from last year, a caramel flan latte, along with a new coconut milk option for all its coffees, the company confirmed.
Also Tuesday, Starbucks said it will offer subscription delivery of reserve coffees from its Seattle tasting room.
The coconut milk addition, called Single Origin Sumatra Coconut Milk, is permanent and was the second-most requested item of all time, next to a loyalty program, Starbucks spokeswoman Maggie Jantzen said. It provides customers an alternative to dairy and soy, she said. It will cost 60 cents more.
Starbucks’ new subscription service is available online and gives customers access to its line of “super-premium, small-lot coffees.”
It costs $24 per month, including shipping of coffee in 8.8-ounce bags, with discounts for longer-term subscriptions.
Coffees will be delivered within three to five days of being roasted, the company said.