Sneakers

Consumers who purchased Skechers Shape-ups or other toning shoes made by the company will be eligible for a partial refund from a $40 million settlement that the company made with the Federal Trade Commission and 42 states with class action lawsuits. The settlement is being finalized Wednesday in a federal court in the Northern District of Ohio, according to the FTC. "Skechers put its foot in its mouth by making unwarranted claims," said David Vladeck, director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Converse Inc., a footwear brand based in North Andover, said Friday said it is opening its fourth US store and the first one to be located in a mall. The store is in Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J., and its design, according to the company, "evokes the sport and rock ‘n' roll heritage of Converse," the company said in a press release. In an earlier era, the brand was renowned for its Chuck Taylor All Star shoe. The store features a Converse Customization "Ink Bar," where customers can design one-of-a-kind footwear, apparel, and accessories.

The man sought by Franklin police in the beating of a fellow student at Dean College has surrendered to authorities at Wrentham District Court, the Norfolk district attorney's office said yesterday. Kirk Dudley, 18, of Staten Island, N.Y., pleaded not guilty to charges of unarmed robbery, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Dudley is being held on $2,000 cash bail and has been ordered to stay away from the victim and the victim's family, as well as the Dean College campus.

Boston-based New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. is introducing a 30th anniversary model of its 990 running shoe with an advertising campaign that emphasizes its production in the United States. The 30th anniversary 990 is the 10th version of this shoe; some earlier models have had style numbers other than 990, like the 993, the model preceding the newest shoe. The 30th anniversary 990, available now at the company's website and early this month in stores and elsewhere online, is lighter and fits more snugly than the 993, and contains an updated sole and reflective logo.

ROSEAU, Dominica - On the knife-edge trail that leads down to the Valley of Desolation and Boiling Lake, nearly 3,000 feet above sea level, Peter Green, our guide, turned and cautioned, "Walk on the left side; the right side is suicide. " After three hours of roller-coaster trekking into the heart of tropical greenness, my 58-year-old knees, one minus meaningful cartilage, were on fire, and we were about out of water. I tried to recall how much this daylong torture cost, but my mind was blank ($60.50 per person, plus tip, it turns out)

Congressman Mike Michaud today picked up a custom pair of sneakers made for President Obama by workers at New Balance's Norridgewock facility in Maine. Michaud will present the sneakers to Obama this evening in Portland and urge him to require the Defense Department to comply with current law and outfit servicemembers with domestically-produced footwear, an issue Michaud has been working on since last year to promote domestic manufacturing growth. "The workers in Norridgewock produced a pair of high-quality sneakers, and I'm proud to be able to...

SAN DIEGO -- The high-top sneakers cost $215 at a San Diego boutique, but the designer is giving them away to migrants before they cross to this side of the US-Mexico border. These are no ordinary shoes. A compass and flashlight dangle from one shoelace. The pocket in the tongue is for money or pain relievers. A rough map of the border region is printed on a removable insole. They are red, white, and green, the colors of the Mexican flag. A drawing of Mexico's patron saint of migrants is on the back ankle.

(Photo courtesy of Tim Larew) Tim Larew (left) with the rapper Tyler, the Creator. By Daniel McCarthy, Globe Correspondent Tim Larew looks around his apartment on Park Drive in Boston — the floor, tables, and bed are littered with shoebox balanced on top of shoebox, CD cases open, the odd music magazine tucked away here and there, and amongst all his chaos, he can't find a place to sit. "It's usually cleaner...

Sneaker fanatics who lined up outside stores overnight got their first crack yesterday at a new outer-space themed Nike basketball shoe, getting so unruly in some cities that police were called to restore order. In Orlando, Fla., more than 100 deputies in riot gear quelled a crowd awaiting the release of the $220 Foamposite Galaxy. At a mall in Hyattsville, Md., one person was arrested for disorderly conduct. The shoe's release coincides with this weekend's NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.

Nine Dean College students have been expelled following an assault on another student over sneakers on Friday that was captured on video and posted online. Police said they expect to bring criminal charges in the case. The attack began when a group of male students confronted another male student over a pair of sneakers, said Deputy Chief Stephen Semerjian of the Franklin police. "It began with a sucker punch, so the victim really had no idea," Semerjian said. The video shows a young man being punched without warning and then repeatedly punched and hit with his own shoes.

Congressman Mike Michaud today picked up a custom pair of sneakers made for President Obama by workers at New Balance's Norridgewock facility in Maine. Michaud will present the sneakers to Obama this evening in Portland and urge him to require the Defense Department to comply with current law and outfit servicemembers with domestically-produced footwear, an issue Michaud has been working on since last year to promote domestic manufacturing growth. "The workers in Norridgewock produced a pair of high-quality sneakers, and I'm proud to be able to deliver this Maine-made product to...

It's the swoosh heard 'round the world. Nike Inc.'s third-quarter results demonstrated the sneaker and athletic gear maker's global popularity on Thursday, when it said its revenue rose in all geographic regions, with particular strength in North America and emerging markets. The world's largest maker of athletic shoes and clothes also said its orders heading into spring were up 15 percent from a year ago, signaling continued strong demand for its goods ahead of the Olympics and European soccer championships in June.

Sneaker fanatics who lined up outside stores overnight got their first crack yesterday at a new outer-space themed Nike basketball shoe, getting so unruly in some cities that police were called to restore order. In Orlando, Fla., more than 100 deputies in riot gear quelled a crowd awaiting the release of the $220 Foamposite Galaxy. At a mall in Hyattsville, Md., one person was arrested for disorderly conduct. The shoe's release coincides with this weekend's NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.

(Photo courtesy of Tim Larew) Tim Larew (left) with the rapper Tyler, the Creator. By Daniel McCarthy, Globe Correspondent Tim Larew looks around his apartment on Park Drive in Boston — the floor, tables, and bed are littered with shoebox balanced on top of shoebox, CD cases open, the odd music magazine tucked away here and there, and amongst all his chaos, he can't find a place to sit. "It's usually cleaner...

The man sought by Franklin police in the beating of a fellow student at Dean College has surrendered to authorities at Wrentham District Court, the Norfolk district attorney's office said yesterday. Kirk Dudley, 18, of Staten Island, N.Y., pleaded not guilty to charges of unarmed robbery, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Dudley is being held on $2,000 cash bail and has been ordered to stay away from the victim and the victim's family, as well as the Dean College campus.

Nine Dean College students have been expelled following an assault on another student over sneakers on Friday that was captured on video and posted online. Police said they expect to bring criminal charges in the case. The attack began when a group of male students confronted another male student over a pair of sneakers, said Deputy Chief Stephen Semerjian of the Franklin police. "It began with a sucker punch, so the victim really had no idea," Semerjian said. The video shows a young man being punched without warning and then repeatedly punched and hit with his own shoes.

It's the swoosh heard 'round the world. Nike Inc.'s third-quarter results demonstrated the sneaker and athletic gear maker's global popularity on Thursday, when it said its revenue rose in all geographic regions, with particular strength in North America and emerging markets. The world's largest maker of athletic shoes and clothes also said its orders heading into spring were up 15 percent from a year ago, signaling continued strong demand for its goods ahead of the Olympics and European soccer championships in June.

By Taylor M. Miles, Globe correspondent Hingham police said they are searching for a male suspect involved in an armed robbery this afternoon at the Hingham Institution for Savings. The man entered the bank on Whiting Street at approximately 12:23 p.m., according to police. He was described as in his sixties, wearing blue jeans, a grey-hooded sweatshirt, sneakers, and a black wool hat. There were no reported injuries in the robbery and no arrests have been made, police said.