Los Angeles Times A Beverly Hills, Calif., fam- ily that has battled the Walt Disney Co. for 15 years over Winnie the Pooh royalties will be allowed to keep its paws in the billion-dollar honey pot. U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper re- cently dismissed a lawsuit that sought to end Disney’s obli- gation to pay the Slesinger family royalties on the sales of Winnie the Pooh merchandise. In 1961, the Slesingers, who inherited the merchandising rights to the silly old bear and his forest friends, trans- ferred those rights to Disney in exchange for ongoing roy- alty payments. But the partnership became acrimonious. In 1991, the Slesinger family sued Disney in state court for breach of contract and fraud, claiming that, over the years, the en- tertainment giant had cheated them out of hundreds of mil- lions of dollars in profits from Pooh. That lawsuit was followed by this one, which dealt with copyright. In 2002, the granddaugh- ters of the Pooh author, A.A. Milne, and of illustrator E.H. Shepard, filed a complex law- suit in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles that attempted to invoke U.S. copyright laws to assert their rights to Pooh as descendants of the cre- ators. If they had prevailed, the Slesingers’ legal ties to the bear would have been erased. By John O’Dell LOS ANGELES TIMES Kermit the Frog may have been right about the difficul- ties of being green, but a growing number of automak- ers are trying. An annual online rating of what’s “green’’ and what isn’t, published recently, has four new models on its list of the dozen most environmentally friendly vehicles for 2007. Equally notable, though, is the large number of vehicles that nearly made the list in the Green Book, an environmen- tal guide to cars and trucks by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy in Washington. “There are a lot of eco- friendly vehicles that just missed the cut’’ for the top 12 ranking, Green Book author James Kliesch said. “It used to be the case that the greenest vehicles were a select number of models that stood far above the pack,’’ he said. “Today, the eco-friendly field has become much more crowded, and that’s good news for consumers.’’ Honda Motor Co.’s natural- gas-powered Civic GX was the nation’s greenest vehicle for the third time in four years — af- ter being knocked into second place last year by the compa- ny’s since-discontinued two-seat Insight gasoline-electric hybrid. Toyota Motor Corp.’s pop- ular Prius, another gasoline- electric hybrid, was second, followed closely by Honda’s Civic hybrid. Two newcomers — Nissan Motor Co.’s Altima hybrid, which went on sale in February, and Toyota’s Yaris subcompact — rounded out the top five. The other newcomers are Toyota’s Camry hybrid, in sev- enth place, and Honda’s Fit subcompact, in eighth. A third new subcompact in the market, Nissan’s Versa, was one of a growing number of vehicles that scored well but not high enough to make the top rankings. The dozen greenest cars this year are Asian models, blanking out American au- tomakers for only the second time in the 10 years the Green Book has been published. Japanese automakers captured nine of the top 12 positions, and South Korean car com- panies took the three others. But the U.S. auto industry, considered by some critics to be a reluctant entrant in the green car race, didn’t miss the top ratings for lack of try- ing, Kliesch said. Models such as Ford Motor Co.’s Focus and Escape hybrid and several from General Mo- tors Corp. — the Pontiac Vibe and G5, the Chevrolet Cobalt and Aveo and the Saturn Ion — all scored well, he said. Candlemaker’s successful shop started at home By Matthew Thompson [email protected] Tony Rinchich has been a chimney sweep, coal miner and private investigator. But for the past seven years, the 48-year-old Boone County native has held a position that’s given him the most delight — selling candles. Rinchich is the owner of An- gela’s Candle Barn in Marmet. The shop, located at 10007 Mac- Corkle Ave., offers candles in 150 scents made inside the store. Other crafts, including spe- cialty signs, baskets and other knick-knacks, are also sold there. Along with his girlfriend, An- gela Allen, who inspired the store’s name, Rinchich has turned a $500 investment into a brand with a growing reputation. The store’s candles are sold in 41 stores across the United States. “Part of our success is that we try to work with customers on a personal level,” Rinchich said. “We like to take a step back and make them feel comfortable. We’re not just looking to make a new customer, we’re looking to make a friend as well.” The idea for the store began in 2000. Rinchich was a coal miner for 18 years and a part-time chim- ney sweep. After being laid off from the mines in the early 1990s, Rinchich became a full- time private investigator with help from Angela. Rinchich said after logging in “25 hours a day,” the couple de- sired a more stable existence. “Angie’s family had a craft shop, which they operated for years,” Rinchich said. “We want- ed to get into something like that and provide a quality product for people in the area.” The couple began to make the candles in their home. The first candles the couple sold were from the back of a truck in var- ious Kanawha City parking lots. After that was successful, the couple moved into their Marmet location in 2000. “We got tired of having every- thing in our house covered in wax,” Rinchich said. Since then, Rinchich said, the shop has thrived on quality con- trol and the hefty amount of time they devote to the business. “We dedicate 150 percent of our lives to this business,” Rinchich said. “We take pride in using all we’ve got to make the best candles.” The shop allows customers to choose candles to match their home decor. Local consigners provide the handmade signs and other crafts sold in the store. The shop offers free delivery in the Charleston area. Rinchich said they could pro- vide candles for any occasion, including weddings and birthday parties. They also supply candles to local schools and communi- ty programs to use in fundrais- ers. He said the business would thrive as long as the customer is kept first and foremost in mind. “We are going to be here sell- ing candles until they throw us out,” Rinchich said. “We’re excit- ed to see what each day brings us.” Contact writer Matthew Thompson at matthewthomp [email protected] or 348-4834. 4L February 25, 2007 Sunday Gazette-Mail Perched on a plush, rolling mountain, Little Creek Country Club offers the amenities you desire and the privacy you expect, for the area’s best value. Established in 1921, Little Creek Country Club boasts a challenging championship golf course, an Olympic-size pool, dining room, spacious ballroom and meeting rooms for groups of all sizes. 99 Fairway Drive South Charleston, WV 744-9646 PUGH FURNITURE WAREHOUSE SHOWROOMS 1320 Smith St. • Charleston 344-2421 or 1-877-BUY PUGH Over 200 Different Sofas Groups In Stock TOM HINDMAN/Sunday Gazette-Mail Angela’s Candle Barn in Marmet has been serving the area for seven years. The store offers 150 scents of candles along with homemade signs and other crafts. Pair focuses on pleasing the customer Storeowners Angela Allen and Tony Rinchich have been operating the candle store in Marmet since 2000. The candles the couple sells are made right in the store. Angela Allen prepares can- dle molds in the back room of Angela’s Candle Barn. The store offers 150 scents of candles and provides them made to order. Book rates ‘green’ cars Judge dismisses lawsuit in Pooh royalty case In 1961, the family that inherited the merchandising rights transferred them to Disney in exchange for ongoing royalty payments.