Jury rejects lawsuit against Heinz

PITTSBURGH — A federal jury on Wednesday rejected a Michigan man’s claims a condiment package he patented in 1997 led H.J. Heinz to develop its Dip & Squeeze ketchup packets in 2010.

David Wawrzynski, 44, sued Heinz in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, claiming the “Little Dipper” package he invented led the Pittsburgh-based company to develop its dual-function package. A lid can be peeled from the Dip & Squeeze so food can be dipped into the ketchup, or the end can be torn off so the ketchup can be squeezed onto food.

The jury agreed Wawrzynski had brought a novel idea to Heinz but disagreed with his claims Heinz used it in developing the Dip & Squeeze and that Heinz, therefore, owed him money. Had jurors ruled in favor of Wawrzynski, there would have been a second trial to determine how much money Heinz owed him.

Wawrzynski began working in the food industry at the age of 13 and developed his Wok to You business, which delivers Asian food from 30 different Detroit-area restaurants, by age 21. His experiences led him to tinker with condiment and sauce packaging, said Boyle, who claimed the “Little Dipper,” in turn, contributed to Heinz’s dual-function ketchup packet concept.

Wawrzynski’s cone-shaped condiment container had a keyhole-shaped opening that helped users dip a french fry into ketchup and wipe off excess amounts as it is pulled back through the opening.

Wawrzynski did not claim Heinz copied the exact design. Rather, he contended Heinz was not thinking about, or had not realistically made progress, on a ketchup packet that could be dipped into and squeezed until after he pitched the “Little Dipper” to Heinz in 2008.

Revenue collections are slightly down

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s revenue collections are running slightly below expected for the month of March, but they remain well ahead of projections for the government’s fiscal year.

The Revenue Department announced Wednesday it took in about $9 million less than projected last month, a gap of two-tenths of one percent from what had been expected.

For the year, the state’s coffers are about $368 million ahead of estimates. The state’s already collected nearly $22 billion. The fiscal year wraps up at the end of June.

The agency says the March fall-off is driven largely by lagging sales and inheritance taxes. Personal income and corporation revenues are well above expected for the month.

Former teacher waives hearing

PITTSBURGH — A former Pittsburgh elementary school teacher who police say was obsessed with one of her 11-year-old students has waived a preliminary hearing on a felony charge she interfered with the girl’s custody.

Geraldine Alcorn, 39, and her attorney refused comment as they walked quickly from a courtroom Wednesday. In exchange for the waiver — which means Alcorn must now stand trial on the charge or take some kind of plea bargain — Allegheny County prosecutors dropped two other misdemeanors she faced: Luring a child into a vehicle and corruption of minors.

Prosecutors, who aren’t commenting either, say Alcorn encrypted her phone number on the girl’s math homework, exchanging thousands of text messages with her and even talking of adopting and running away with the girl before Alcorn resigned last month.