Office Depot

Office Depot Inc., the world's largest seller of office supplies, is closing 70 stores, including one near West Chester. The closures of what the Delray Beach-based company called "underperforming stores" are in 18 states and the Canadian province of Ontario. Office Depot, which has annual sales of $12 billion, will close all of its stores in Boston, Phoenix, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. The West Chester store, the only one in the Philadelphia area that is closing, is on West Chester Pike near Route 202 in Chester County.

A federal judge yesterday blocked the proposed $3.5 billion merger of office-supply superstores Staples and Office Depot, saying federal regulators had shown the deal could limit competition and boost prices for consumers. U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan granted government trustbusters a crucial preliminary injunction. Wall Street analysts speculated that the companies would soon call off the merger after the latest blow to the 10-month-old plan. Analysts and traders said the two companies were unlikely to appeal Hogan's decision.

Last week, I told you about Jim Wellen, a Voorhees consultant with a computer problem - persistent crashes of Internet Explorer - that he took to Office Depot for repair. Several weeks and $170 later, Wellen still had the same computer problem. But when he demanded his money back, Office Depot insisted on keeping $49 as a "nonrefundable diagnostic charge," despite the ineffective diagnosis and nonexistent fix. The situation raised other issues for Wellen, who was especially irked that he'd been lured to Office Depot by its offer of a "free PC checkup.

tech wars Microsoft's Bill Gates had a passion for Java Microsoft CEO Bill Gates wanted to "wrest control" of Java away from Sun Microsystems and prevent the computer programming language from pervading the Internet, according to internal Microsoft e-mail unsealed in federal court in San Jose, Calif.. The computer messages, sent to Gates by a staffer working on Microsoft's Java programming, are among more than 100 pages of previously undisclosed evidence in federal court yesterday.

Michael J. Myers, 68, of Beaufort, S.C., a former Philadelphia lawyer and Manhattan venture capitalist, died of melanoma on July 1 at Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse in Philadelphia. He had continued to maintain a residence in the city. Born in Sterling, Ill., Mr. Myers earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in 1963, and graduated from the law school of George Washington University in 1966 and from Harvard Business School in 1969. After working for the Philadelphia office of the Woodcock Washburn law firm in 1966 and 1967, Mr. Myers was with what is now J.H. Whitney Investment Management L.L.C.

In its quest to convert new fans and initiate more deep-pocketed corporations into its circle of sponsorship, NASCAR has strategically branched out from its birthplace in Daytona Beach, Fla., in recent years. The stock-car racing sanctioning body now has offices in seven cities across the country, and is considering putting down roots in Mexico and Canada as well. While the NASCAR folks in the Charlotte, N.C., area handle everything from licensing to research and development, the Los Angeles staff pursues deals in the entertainment industry.

After years of hawking paper, pens, envelopes, desk accessories, and small electronic devices, the nation's big office-supply retailers are targeting a new clientele. While Staples Inc., Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Inc. worked as feverishly as other retailers to sell holiday gifts last month, more of their energy now is devoted to finding new ways to make themselves indispensable year-round to small-business owners and institutions such as schools. Chris Foley, the principal of a Catholic school that opened in the fall in Douglassville, Berks County, is one example.

A West Chester East High School student attracted the attention of administrators one morning last fall because he smelled of marijuana, but it was his punches that led to prosecution, according to court records. Yesterday, Clayton Legg, 19, of West Chester, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a weapon on school property, charges that stemmed from his fisticuffs at the school while he was being questioned about marijuana. He also pleaded guilty to theft by deception, an unrelated case that involved Legg's employer.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Not even a one-hour frost delay could cool down Mark Calcavecchia, who tied a course record with an 11-under-par 60 yesterday to take a 5-stroke lead at the Phoenix Open yesterday. Tiger Woods, meanwhile, saw his scoring streak snapped. Calcavecchia set a two-day tournament record with a 17-under-par total of 125 that gave him a comfortable advantage over fellow American Scott Verplank after the second round at the TPC of Scottsdale. Woods, who began the round 1 stroke off the pace, struggled to a 2-over-par 73 - his first over-par score in 52 rounds - to plunge into a tie for 35th, 13 strokes behind Calcavecchia.

Three-time world boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho was arrested yesterday in the burglary of a Gulfport, Miss., business last November. Gulfport Police Chief Stephen T. Barnes said Camacho, 42, was being held in Harrison County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. No date was set for an initial court appearance. Barnes declined yesterday to release any details of the burglary - including what kind of business it was or what allegedly was taken. Barnes said a warrant was issued Dec. 22 for Camacho, who has been training on the Mississippi coast for a mid-January bout.

For the better part of a decade, the Neat Co. has been trying to help people live with less paper through its line of scanners. Now that it's moving offices from West Philadelphia, the company is trying to live what it preaches. Its 52 employees have been told they may take just one box of personal items and paper files with them. "We are not buying more filing cabinets," said Neat chief marketing officer Kevin Garton . Well said, for a company that has been championing the digital filing cabinet.

Last week, I told you about Jim Wellen, a Voorhees consultant with a computer problem - persistent crashes of Internet Explorer - that he took to Office Depot for repair. Several weeks and $170 later, Wellen still had the same computer problem. But when he demanded his money back, Office Depot insisted on keeping $49 as a "nonrefundable diagnostic charge," despite the ineffective diagnosis and nonexistent fix. The situation raised other issues for Wellen, who was especially irked that he'd been lured to Office Depot by its offer of a "free PC checkup.

Michael J. Myers, 68, of Beaufort, S.C., a former Philadelphia lawyer and Manhattan venture capitalist, died of melanoma on July 1 at Penn Hospice at Rittenhouse in Philadelphia. He had continued to maintain a residence in the city. Born in Sterling, Ill., Mr. Myers earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in 1963, and graduated from the law school of George Washington University in 1966 and from Harvard Business School in 1969. After working for the Philadelphia office of the Woodcock Washburn law firm in 1966 and 1967, Mr. Myers was with what is now J.H. Whitney Investment Management L.L.C.

You can take Rick A. Lepley out of New Jersey, but you apparently can't keep him out for good. Lepley, president and chief executive of A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts Inc., joined the retail chain here in June 2006 to implement a three-year turnaround plan. A quarter-century earlier, the Western Pennsylvania native worked in Bridgeport, Gloucester County, where he helped launch U.S. operations for Mitsubishi Motor Sales. He rose to the top of Mitsubishi's executive ranks and traveled the globe, including as an executive of Office Depot Inc. Lepley, 58, and his wife had just bought a farm in Ohio as part of their retirement plans when A.C. Moore came knocking.

In its quest to convert new fans and initiate more deep-pocketed corporations into its circle of sponsorship, NASCAR has strategically branched out from its birthplace in Daytona Beach, Fla., in recent years. The stock-car racing sanctioning body now has offices in seven cities across the country, and is considering putting down roots in Mexico and Canada as well. While the NASCAR folks in the Charlotte, N.C., area handle everything from licensing to research and development, the Los Angeles staff pursues deals in the entertainment industry.

A West Chester East High School student attracted the attention of administrators one morning last fall because he smelled of marijuana, but it was his punches that led to prosecution, according to court records. Yesterday, Clayton Legg, 19, of West Chester, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and possession of a weapon on school property, charges that stemmed from his fisticuffs at the school while he was being questioned about marijuana. He also pleaded guilty to theft by deception, an unrelated case that involved Legg's employer.

Three-time world boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho was arrested yesterday in the burglary of a Gulfport, Miss., business last November. Gulfport Police Chief Stephen T. Barnes said Camacho, 42, was being held in Harrison County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. No date was set for an initial court appearance. Barnes declined yesterday to release any details of the burglary - including what kind of business it was or what allegedly was taken. Barnes said a warrant was issued Dec. 22 for Camacho, who has been training on the Mississippi coast for a mid-January bout.

After years of hawking paper, pens, envelopes, desk accessories, and small electronic devices, the nation's big office-supply retailers are targeting a new clientele. While Staples Inc., Office Depot Inc. and OfficeMax Inc. worked as feverishly as other retailers to sell holiday gifts last month, more of their energy now is devoted to finding new ways to make themselves indispensable year-round to small-business owners and institutions such as schools. Chris Foley, the principal of a Catholic school that opened in the fall in Douglassville, Berks County, is one example.

The whole streak, the whole four weeks, has been like a ride in a long, sleek luxury car, says Annika Sorenstam, with nothing but green lights and smooth sailing. "It doesn't matter what you do, things go your way," Sorenstam said last week. "I don't see the hazards. You get good bounces; you see a big hole; the putts go in. It just seems so easy when things go your way. " Ah, the bliss of being in the "zone. " While the golfing world has been agog over the recent exploits of Tiger Woods, Sorenstam, 30, the sweet Swede whom we almost forgot thanks to Karrie Webb's last two seasons, has recharged herself and her game and begun dominating women's golf in Tiger-like fashion.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Not even a one-hour frost delay could cool down Mark Calcavecchia, who tied a course record with an 11-under-par 60 yesterday to take a 5-stroke lead at the Phoenix Open yesterday. Tiger Woods, meanwhile, saw his scoring streak snapped. Calcavecchia set a two-day tournament record with a 17-under-par total of 125 that gave him a comfortable advantage over fellow American Scott Verplank after the second round at the TPC of Scottsdale. Woods, who began the round 1 stroke off the pace, struggled to a 2-over-par 73 - his first over-par score in 52 rounds - to plunge into a tie for 35th, 13 strokes behind Calcavecchia.