NEWSWATCH 1998-12-14

FLEMING COS., Oklahoma City, said last week it has agreed to acquire two Nelson's supermarkets in Faribault and Albert Lea, Minn. Fleming currently operates 39 Rainbow Foods stores in the Twin Cities area.

o operate under the Wal-Mart banner, the company said.

FEDERAL PROSECUTORS pursuing criminal fraud charges against a former Baltimore-area supermarket operator said last week that another defendant in the case has pleaded guilty. Ken Goldscher, whose father-in-law Jack Millman owned the now-defunct Farm Fresh chain, admitted involvement in a coupon-redemption scam authorities said netted $2.5 million. The defunct chain was not related to Farm Fresh, Norfolk, Va.

A MASSIVE POWER OUTAGE in San Francisco last week meant some Bay Area supermarkets were without electricity for up to five hours. A spokeswoman for Lucky Stores told SN that nine units were without power, including four that were out for four hours, but that losses were limited to some deli department items.