ROCK 'N' ROLL RESTAURANT EATS CROW OVER LEGAL THREATS.Byline: Cathie Calvert San Jose Mercury News The San Jose Mercury News is the major daily newspaper in San Jose, California and Silicon Valley. The paper is owned by MediaNews Group. Its headquarters and printing plant are located in North San Jose next to the Nimitz Freeway (Interstate 880). The "Hard Work Cafe" at North Salinas Salinas, city, United States Salinas (səlē`nəs), city (1990 pop. 108,777), seat of Monterey co., W Calif.; inc. 1874. It is the shipping and processing center of a fertile valley famous for its grain and lettuce. High School was doing fine until hard-nosed lawyers from Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of casual dining restaurants. It was founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, and their first Hard Rock Cafe opened near Hyde Park Corner in London, in a former Rolls Royce car dealerships showroom close to Hyde Park, where in 1979 they began to sent a letter ordering the kids to "immediately cease" the awards program. But now the international restaurant chain says it was all a big misunderstanding, and it's donating authentic Hard Rock T-shirts to the school. The order from the Chicago law firm - claiming trademark infringement Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees (provided that such authorization was within the scope of the license). and threatening suit - was a blow to the monthly motivational project that began in October, said activities director Margaret Noroian. "Each teacher in the school nominated someone from one of their classes to be recognized for working hard and having a good attitude," Noroian said. There are no duplicate winners, so potentially 500 teens from freshmen to seniors could be honored in a year, she said. The school's enrollment is about 1,600. For the honored students, "Teachers prepared and served breakfast before school" at the "Hard Work Cafe," and Principal Derrell Kunnas presented each student with a certificate - and a "Hard Work Cafe" T-shirt, Noroian said. "The kids loved it," she said. But Hard Rock Cafe objected to the logo on T-shirts the school made for the program and said it goes after anyone who uses two out of the three words in its name. But the letter was merely standard operating procedure standard operating procedure Medtalk A technique, method or therapy performed 'by the book,' using a standard protocol meeting internally or externally defined criteria; a formal, written procedure that describes how specific lab operations are to be performed. to protect the Hard Rock name and logo from unscrupulous businessmen, marketing Vice President Jeff Wagner said Friday from corporate headquarters in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . Once he discovered details of the Salinas program - following a flurry of press calls and calls "from concerned customers" - Wagner said he telephoned Noroian on Friday, and everything is now straightened out. "The Hard Rock completely supports educational incentive programs," Wagner said. This includes substituting real Hard Rock T-shirts, which retail for about $20, for the "knockoff knock·off n. Informal An unauthorized copy or imitation, as of designer clothing: "the place to go for quality knockoffs" Women's Wear Daily. Noun 1. T-shirts" the school had been using, Wagner said. Noroian confirmed his account, although there still are some details to work out with Hard Rock executives, she said. She had to cut the conversation a bit short because "I had a school rally to attend." |
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