Announced Actions for August 2, 1999

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions.

Applications for approval of transactions: The FTC has received an application for approval of a transaction from the following. The FTC is seeking public comments on the application for 30 days, until August 31, 1999.

• Certified Foods of California has petitioned the FTC for approval to divest "Lucky" Store No. 620 located at 1385 North Citrus Avenue, Covina California, to K.V. Marts, Co. The petition stems from a June 1999 consent agreement settling charges that Albertson's acquisition of American Stores would substantially lessen supermarket competition in California, Nevada and New Mexico. Under the consent agreement, the companies must sell 104 Albertson's supermarkets, 40 American Stores supermarkets, three Albertson's sites, and two American Stores sites in 57 local markets to Commission-approved buyers. Certified Grocers -- a food wholesaler that does not operate many corporate-owned stores -- was approved to purchase 31 stores, primarily in Southern California. Certified intends to transfer most of these stores to experienced operators, and under the terms of the consent agreement, is required to obtain the FTC's prior approval of specific buyers for the stores to be acquired by Certified Grocers, if it sells the stores within three years after it acquired them to any buyers other than those listed in the consent agreement. Certified also has requested that the FTC eliminate, or grant early termination of, the 30-day comment period. If the Commission grants Certified's request, the comment period will end earlier than the date listed above. (FTC File No. 981 0339; Staff contact is Daniel P. Ducore, 202-326-2526.)

Comments on the petition should be addressed to the FTC, Office of the Secretary, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.

Consent agreements given final approval: Following a public comment period, the Commission has made final a consent agreement with the following entity. The Commission action makes the consent order binding on the respondent.

• Rohm and Haas Company. The Commission vote to make the consent order final was 4-0. (See news release dated April 26, 1999; Docket No. C-3883. Staff contact is Michael Antalics, 202-326-2821.)
• LS Enterprises, LLC. The Commission vote to make the consent order final was 4-0. (See news release dated April 21, 1999; Docket No. C-3884. Staff contact: FTC Division of Marketing Practices, 202-326-3128.)
• North Lake Tahoe Medical Group, Inc. The Commission vote to make the consent order final was 4-0. (See news release dated March 22, 1999; Docket No. C-3885. Staff contact is Richard A Feinstein, 202-326-3688.)
• First American Real Estate Solutions, LLC. The Commission vote to make the consent order final was 4-0. (See news release dated October 28, 1998; Docket No. C-3849. Staff contact is Thomas E. Kane, 202-326-3224.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this FYI are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.