According to TheDisneyBlog.com, “Culinary expansions are under way at the Italy pavilion and Mexico pavilion. In Italy, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria plans to open in time for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival.

“A man who was caught on camera stealing a donation jar from a Ferndale pizzeria Wednesday has returned some of the money and apologized,” WDIV-TV in Michigan reported.

According to QSR Magazine, “As mobile quick serves grow in popularity across the country, operators should be prepared for a host of challenges when running one.”

According to USA Today, “Anybody else find this funny? John Daly dropped more than 100 pounds after undergoing adjustable gastric band surgery, but now he’s peddling pizza.”

According to the Washington Post, “Police say a plot to steal a delivery man’s pizza brought out a SWAT team in Alaska.”

Tropical Traditions announced today that it has started shipping organic soy-free eggs high in Omega 3 fatty acids to its consumers
nationwide.

According to BrooklynPaper.com, “First Lady Michelle Obama and the First Kids downed three pies at DUMBO’s legendary Grimaldi’s Pizzeria today — and impressed even their jaded waiter.”

Papa John’s International today announced its 2009 Franchise Operators of the Year:

Joe Fugere and team have done it again! Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzerias were just awarded “Best Operator†for Washington State by their peers at the Washington State Restaurant Association (WRA).

Increasingly, people are opting for gluten-free meals and products when dining out or doing their grocery shopping. This is because gluten sensitivities and intolerances are becoming more well-known to the public. In fact, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, one in every 133 people is affected by celiac disease. Problem is, 97 percent of those experiencing it are still undiagnosed. And those who are aware of the issue and are try to avoid gluten may not know where to start, when it comes to cooking for the family.

According to Nation’s Restaurant News, “As President Barack Obama prepares to sign a sweeping health care reform bill into law, the foodservice industry faces changes of historic proportion.”

According to Slate.com, “The feds had been investigating his tomato-processing company for more than four years, but Scott Salyer was apparently taken by surprise when the FBI nabbed him at JFK Airport last month. Salyer, who flies his own jet, had been traveling to Paraguay and Andorra, among other locales, looking for an extradition-safe home. He was visiting the United States to see his newborn grandson when the investigation closed in on him.”

Pizza Inn, Inc. /quotes/comstock/15*!pzzi/quotes/nls/pzzi (PZZI 1.91, +0.00, +0.02%) , an international pizza restaurant chain with more than 300 restaurants in 12 countries, announces the opening of its newest location in the Oasis Mall in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

According to Business Week, “Yum Brands Inc., which owns Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, spent $220,000 in the fourth quarter to lobby on menu labeling and other matters, according to a recent disclosure report.”

A study by the National Institutes of Health shows that one in 133 Americans cannot tolerate gluten, a substance in wheat and some other grains. Viitals Specialty Bakery (www.viitals.com) and the Gourmet Pizza Company restaurant, both in Tampa, FL, have teamed up to serve their vegan and gluten-intolerant customers gluten-free pizza.

According to the New York Times, “The signs at the corner of Ninth Avenue and West 41st Street have an unbelievable, you-gotta-be-kidding quality, like free beer or affordable housing — 99¢ Fresh Pizza. Like many things in New York City, they are also too good to be true. They are off by a penny, as one slice actually costs one dollar”

According to Nation’s Restaurant News, “Restaurant operations impacted by the recent shortage of tomatoes brought on by severe winter weather won’t see any relief until at least mid-April, when warmer weather returns and other regions can fill the need for supply, industry experts said.”

According to TradingMarkets.com, “Domino’s Pizza has announced the opening of two new stores in New Delhi, India, and New Orleans, Louisiana. With these openings, Domino’s Pizza now has operations at 9,000 stores globally”.

When it comes to cheering for their favorite schools during NCAA(R) March Madness(R), basketball fans are being asked to put their money where their mouth is — in the Papa John’s “Coaches Code Challenge” to raise money for The V Foundation for Cancer Research and The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.

Yum! Brands Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!yum/quotes/nls/yum (YUM 37.41, -0.06, -0.16%) Board of Directors today declared a dividend of $0.21 per share of common stock. The quarterly dividend will be distributed May 7, 2010, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 16, 2010. The Board of Directors also authorized $300 million in share repurchases over the next 12 months in addition to the $300 million authorized in September of 2009.

According to Stuff.co.nz, “Hell Pizza is being sued for holding up the sale of a franchised store because it thinks the new manager does not speak English well enough.”

According to KSDK.com, “In case you hadn’t noticed, there’s a war going in St. Louis; but instead of bombs and bullets, it’s tomato paste and Italian cheeses.”

Laureate Education has named Christopher Koetke vice president of culinary arts programs for Laureate International Universities. Koetke is the dean of the School of Culinary Arts at Kendall College in Chicago. In his new role, Koetke will also be responsible for strategic leadership of Laureate International Universities’ culinary arts programs, which are offered at nine institutions in nine countries.

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs (WCR) announces its slate of learning opportunities for students and professionals in its 2010 Scholarship and Internship Program.

According to the Arizona Daily Star, “California Pizza Kitchen appears ready to make the leap into the crowded Tucson restaurant market, which already has 49 pizzeria businesses and dozens more individual pizza outlets.”