DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Onions are likely source of E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s, federal agencies say; 15 additional cases reported
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Additional cases associated with the outbreak have also been reported, bringing the total number of illnesses to 90 and hospitalizations to 27. “It is not necessary to avoid eating onions or other foods made with onions,” the CDC said. Diced onions used at McDonald’s have also not been linked to this outbreak, according to the FDA. Beef patties used on Quarter Pounders were also part of the investigation, which started on October 22. McDonald’s announced on Sunday that they would resume selling Quarter Pounders in all restaurants this week, but the 900 restaurants that had previously received slivered onions from Taylor Farms would not include onions on these sandwiches.

Persons: Burger, Taco, patties, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, McDonald’s Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, CDC, Taylor, Taco Bell, KFC, FDA, Colorado Department of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection, CNN Health

☆ H5N1 bird flu identified in pig for first time in United States
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-30 | by ( Jamie Gumbrecht | Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —H5N1 bird flu has been identified in a pig in the United States for the first time, the US Department of Agriculture said Wednesday. The USDA and Oregon veterinary officials are investigating bird flu cases in a backyard farming operation that had a mix of poultry and livestock, including pigs, the agency said. After H5N1 was identified in other animals on the farm, five swine were euthanized for testing; two tested negative, and results are still pending for two others. Some previous flu infections in pigs have allowed influenza viruses to change rapidly and develop new capabilities. Across the United States, more than two dozen people have tested positive for H5N1 flu this year, and nearly all of them have reported exposure to infected dairy cows or chickens, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Persons: Michael Osterholm, ”, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Osterholm, it’s, Scott Weese, “, Weese Organizations: CNN, US Department of Agriculture, Plant Health, Service, US Centers for Disease Control, Infectious Disease, University of Minnesota, CNN Health, University of Guelph Locations: United States, Oregon, Mexico, Ontario

One of the patients in the McDonald's outbreak suffered from that condition, known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Hedberg is also a member of the McDonald's Food Safety Advisory Council, but said he has not worked with the company on its response to the outbreak. The size of the outbreak "would imply widespread undercooking by many different individual McDonald's restaurants" if beef was the culprit, according to Hedberg. For example, rival Wendy's dealt with its own link to an E. coli outbreak two years ago. However, that transparency means more media coverage, which reminds consumers about the crisis and risks scaring them away from McDonald's restaurants.

Persons: Michael M, Taylor, it's, spokespeople, McDonald's, Thomas Jaenisch, There's, Xiang Yang, Yang, Craig Hedberg, Hedberg, Jaenisch, Wendy's, Eric Gonzalez, Jack, Chipotle, Gonzalez, Joe Erlinger, Erlinger, Jo, Ellen Pozner, Darin Detwiler, Detwiler, Bill Marler, Marler, Clarissa DeBock, Eric Stelly Organizations: Santiago, Getty, for Disease Control, Taylor, Foods, . Foods, McDonald's, CDC, Colorado School of Public Health, University of California, Food Safety Center of Excellence, Food Safety Advisory, Food and Drug Administration, U.S . Department of Agriculture's, Inspection Service, CNBC, Media, USA, Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business, Northeastern University Locations: Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York City, California, Davis, Colorado, U.S, Minnesota, McDonald's U.S, Nebraska, Greeley , Colorado

The investigation into the E. coli outbreak in McDonald's Quarter Pounders that has killed at least one person and sickened nearly 50 others increasingly points to the slivered onions served on the hamburgers. The onions in question, according to a McDonald’s spokesperson, come from a single source and are then sliced and packaged as raw vegetables in individual bags and sent to restaurants. State health officials alerted the CDC about an unusual uptick in E. coli cases on Oct. 10. There is no indication that diced onions on other McDonald’s menu items are part of the outbreak. "While the slivered onions are the likely source, FSIS continues to verify the safety of the ground beef used," the spokesperson said.

Persons: McDonald's, Matt Wise, Rachel Herlihy, “, ” Herlihy, Lowell Schiller, it's, Schiller Organizations: Mayo Clinic, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, NBC News, CDC, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Safety, Inspection Service, Agriculture Department Locations: Greeley , Colorado, Colorado, Mesa County, . Nebraska, Iowa , Kansas , Missouri, Montana , Oregon , Utah , Wisconsin, Wyoming, Chipotle

The Summary BrucePac, a producer of precooked meat and poultry, has recalled nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat food items because of a listeria risk. A recall of nearly 10 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and chicken products affects items sold at major stores nationwide, including Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, 7-Eleven and Kroger. The list of recalled items consists primarily of premade salads, burritos and wraps containing chicken, sometimes alongside other meats, like bacon or ham. In July, Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meat over listeria concerns. An earlier recall of cheese products from dairy maker Rizo Lopez was linked to two listeria deaths and more than 20 hospitalizations.

Persons: Joe’s, Jenny Craig, Michelina’s, Giant, BrucePac, Listeriosis, Boar’s, Rizo Lopez Organizations: Kroger, BrucePac, Agriculture, Food, Inspection Service, Agriculture Department, Walmart, Meijer, Target, Aldi, USDA, Food and Drug Administration, The, Disease Control Locations: Oklahoma, U.S

☆ As bird flu outbreak expands in California, dairy farms report it’s worse than they expected
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-08 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A third farmworker has tested positive for bird flu in California, according to the state’s health department. Like the first two human cases in California, this third case is a farmworker who was in contact with sick dairy cattle. The CDC’s Principal Deputy Director, Dr. Nirav Shah, said in a news briefing on Friday that these cases were not a surprise. The California Department of Food and Agriculture has been conducting bulk milk tank sampling in areas where herds test positive. The first infected herds in California were found in late August.

Persons: Nirav Shah, “, ” Shah, ”, Jennifer Nuzzo, ” Nuzzo, Eric Deeble, Deeble, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, GISAID Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Brown University, “, United States Department of Agriculture, California Department of Food, Agriculture, USDA, American Veterinary Medical Association, Quality Assurance, Los Angeles Times, CDC, CNN Health, Plant Health, Service Locations: California, United States Department of Agriculture . California, Colorado, United States, Africa

MEXICO CITY (AP) — California avocado growers are fuming this week about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government. Because the United States also grows avocados, U.S. inspectors observe orchards and packing houses in Mexico to ensure exported avocados don’t carry pests that could hurt U.S. crops. The letter added, "We are looking for specifics as to why you have concluded that substituting APHIS inspectors with Mexican government inspectors is in our best interest." Only the states of Michoacan and Jalisco are certified to export avocados to the United States. Some packers in Mexico buy avocados from other, non-certified states, and try to pass them off as being from Michoacan.

Persons: Tom Vilsack, “ Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Department of Agriculture, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Service, Mexico's Agriculture Department, U.S, packers, The U.S . Department of Agriculture, Growers, Associated Press Locations: MEXICO, California, Mexico, U.S, United States, Michoacan, Jalisco, The, America, Caribbean

CNN —Suspicious packages were sent this week to election offices in more than 20 states, leading to an FBI investigation, triggering evacuations and rattling staff, according to a CNN survey of state offices and Associated Press reporting. Karen Brinson Bell, the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, told CNN that that the battleground state was also targeted this week. Officials in Kansas and New York said in statements and interviews that, after the letters were noticed, they evacuated their offices. Postal Inspection Service are investigating a series of suspicious mailings sent to election officials in several states,” the FBI said in a statement. A source involved with a group that coordinates with election officials across the country told CNN the 2023 incident led many of these offices to step up precautions and safety measures, so they were better protected this time around.

Persons: Brad Raffensperger, “ We’re, ” Raffensperger, Karen Brinson Bell, Bell, ” Bell, “, ” David Becker, ” Becker, Democrats ”, ” Organizations: CNN, Associated Press, US Postal Service, North Carolina State Board, Election Innovation, Research, Democrats, FBI, U.S . Postal, Service Locations: Alaska , Arizona , California , Colorado , Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , Nebraska , New York, North Carolina , Ohio , Oklahoma, Rhode Island , Tennessee, Wyoming, Fulton County, Kentucky, Kansas, New York, Oklahoma, Takoma Park , Maryland

☆ FBI investigating threatening letters sent to elections officials in several states
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Michael-Kosnar-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Michael Kosnar | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The FBI is warning election offices to be on the lookout after threatening letters containing suspicious substances were sent to the offices of multiple secretaries of state throughout the country. A senior law enforcement official confirms elections officials in at least six states received packages on Monday, but so far none of the packages have been found to contain any actual hazardous material. Secretaries of state, attorney general offices and state election offices in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Wyoming and Oklahoma were targeted. The FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and state and local law enforcement partners are investigating multiple letters containing suspicious substances which have been mailed to Secretary of State's offices. The incident is also the second time in the past year that threats have hit multiple state election offices simultaneously.

Persons: —, Robert Evnen, Chuck Gray, State Paul Pate, State Tre Hargett, Doug Kufner, Donald Trump, Trump, State Jena Griswold Organizations: FBI, ”, NBC News, U.S . Postal, Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Memorial Hall, Nebraska State Patrol, Lincoln, Lancaster County Health Department, Nebraska, State, Hargett Locations: Nebraska , Iowa , Kansas , Tennessee , Wyoming, Oklahoma, ” In Kansas, Iowa, Topeka , Kansas, Lincoln , Nebraska, Nebraska, Lancaster, Wyoming, Tennessee, California , Georgia, Nevada , Oregon, Washington, Colorado

☆ Boar’s Head to close Virginia plant linked to deadly listeria outbreak
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Jamie Gumbrecht | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Boar’s Head will close the Virginia plant that produced deli meat products tied to a deadly listeria outbreak, the company said on Friday. The move is part of several changes made after what it called a “dark moment in our company’s history.” Boar’s Head said it will permanently discontinue sales of liverwurst after an investigation found its production process was the root cause of the listeria contamination. It will also appoint a new food safety officer and food safety council made up of independent industry experts. But a USDA Notice of Suspension for the Virginia facility, shared by Boar’s Head, describes “inadequate controls” that allowed equipment and employees to move throughout the facility, potentially spreading bacteria. The agency called it the largest listeria outbreak since one linked to cantaloupe in 2011.

Persons: CNN — Boar’s, ” Boar’s, Boar’s, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, “, what’s Organizations: CNN, Department of Agriculture’s, CNN Health, Centers for Disease Control, listeria, CDC Locations: Virginia, Jarratt , Virginia, Jarratt

☆ A boomer who worried about retiring in the US and Canada moved to Mexico, which he said is much cheaper and safer
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-05 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewRon Allanach, 74, and his partner Ben Lorgeranon moved to Vancouver from New England in 2005, thinking they would stay there for their retirements. The city is safer than he imagined, prices for nearly everything are much lower, and healthcare is more reliable. Allanach said they felt safer in Mérida than in the US or Canada, and prices were lower. They stayed there between trips back to Vancouver, and they moved to Mérida fully in 2020. AdvertisementA street in Mérida, Mexico.

Persons: —, Ron Allanach, Ben Lorgeranon, Allanach, Mérida, they've, Mexico Allanach, Lorgeranon, couldn't, it's, Allanach's, that's, he's, Mercado Lucas de Gálvez Organizations: Service, Business, US Postal Inspection Service, Costco Locations: Vancouver from New England, Mérida, Mexico, Vancouver, Canada, Portland , Maine, Portland, Thailand, France, Yucatán, Angeles, expat, they're

☆ Federal grand jury hears testimony on scam to steal Graceland from Elvis Presley’s family
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-13 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Brandy-Zadrozny-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Brandy Zadrozny | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A federal grand jury heard testimony Tuesday about a scam to steal the Graceland estate from Elvis Presley’s family. The Odell Horton Federal Building, in downtown Memphis, houses several federal offices, including the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Elvis Presley's Graceland estate was the target of a scam. Ariel J. CobbertPhilbrick was in Memphis on Monday with a friend to tour the Graceland estate before testifying before the grand jury on Tuesday. (A representative for the Graceland estate did not respond to a request for comment.)

Persons: Elvis Presley’s, Rasheed Jeremy Carballo, Lisa Holden, Holden, Lisa Marie Presley’s, Micah McCoy, NBC News Holden, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis ’, ” Carballo, Kimberly Philbrick, Kevin Ritz’s, Odell Horton, Ariel J, Cobbert, Philbrick, Holden’s, “ Lisa, ”, Maria Tazbaz, ” Tazbaz, “, Elvis Presley's Graceland, Cobbert Kimberley Philbrick, Cobbert Philbrick, Graceland, ” Philbrick Organizations: NBC News, Holden, Naussany Investments, NBC, FBI, U.S, Western, of, U.S . Postal Inspection Locations: MEMPHIS, Tenn, —, Branson , Missouri, Graceland, Memphis, U.S, of Tennessee

☆ Boar's Head recall expands to include 7 million pounds of deli meat over listeria concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Aria Bendix | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A recall of Boar's Head products has expanded to include a whopping 7 million additional pounds of deli and poultry items in a deadly multistate outbreak of listeria infections. As of Tuesday, 34 people have gotten sick across 13 states in the outbreak — including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. Last week, the deli meat company had recalled more than 207,000 pounds of deli meat, including liverwurst and ham products, because they may contain the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. Boar's Head has now expanded that recall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced in a press release Tuesday. Boar's Head said in a statement on its website that it had initiated the recall after a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health had tested positive for listeria.

Persons: Boar's Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture's, Inspection, Brand, Maryland Department of Health, The Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore City Health Department, Centers for Disease Control, Mayo Clinic, CDC Locations: Montebello , California, Illinois, New Jersey, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Virginia, U.S

☆ As cartels take a stake in ‘green gold,’ US and Mexico rethink how avocados reach American kitchens
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-13 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When two US avocado inspectors were assaulted and detained at a police roadblock in the Mexican state of Michoacán last month, it sparked a costly international crisis. ‘Green gold’Avocados, the creamy fruit with the industry nickname “green gold,” are big business. Nearly three-quarters of Mexican avocados come from Michoacán, a state along the country’s Pacific coast with a volcanic belt running through it that makes its soil ideal for farming. The office of the Michoacán state prosecutor told CNN last month that they’ve opened an investigation into the incident. In 2022, exports of Mexican avocados were similarly halted for several days after one of the US inspectors working in Michoacán received a threatening phone call.

Persons: Weeks, “, Ario de, Cristopher Rogel, ” Romain Le Cour, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, Mexico Ken Salazar, they’ve, ”, Le Cour, Michoacán, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Victor Villalobos, Ken Melban, Brian, Melban, Brad Adams, ” Adams Organizations: CNN, US, US Department of Agriculture, Global, Transnational, Local, USDA, Plant Health, Service, Agriculture, ”, US State Department, AP, Climate Rights, US Forest Service Locations: Mexican, Michoacán, Mexico, Ario, Ario de Rosales, avocados, California, Michoacan

☆ U.S.D.A. Avocado Inspectors Will Start Returning to Mexican Packing Plants
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-22 | by ( Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | More About Emiliano Rodríguez Mega | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, announced on Friday that inspections of avocados and mangos made by U.S. Agriculture Department workers in Michoacán, a state in western Mexico, would “gradually” resume. It was not immediately clear when that would happen. And Mr. Salazar seemed to suggest that the security concerns that had prompted the suspension last weekend had not been fully addressed. “It is still necessary to advance in guaranteeing their security before reaching full operations,” he said in a statement, referring to the U.S.D.A. inspectors.

Persons: Ken Salazar, mangos, Mr, Salazar, ” Organizations: U.S . Agriculture Department, U.S, Embassy, Plant Health, Service Locations: Mexico, U.S, Michoacán, United States

Beef tissue from a sick dairy cow has tested positive for the bird flu virus, federal officials said on Friday. The department continued to stress that the commercial food supply remained safe. But the positive test, which came as part of an ongoing federal study of beef safety, raises concerns about whether the virus might make its way into the commercial beef supply, posing a health risk to humans. Just one cow tested positive, the department said. Meat from condemned cows is not allowed in the commercial food supply.

Organizations: U.S . Department of Agriculture, Service

☆ WHO chief scientist calls for increased monitoring and preparation for highly pathogenic bird flu
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The bird flu spreading through cattle in the United States is an “enormous concern” the chief scientist of the World Health Organization said Thursday as he called for more tracking and preparation for the virus. So far, there is no evidence that the highly pathogenic H5N1 flu virus can spread from person to person. Though H5N1 doesn’t spread from person to person, humans can catch it when they’re exposed to infected animals. They are only the second documented case of human H5N1 in the United States. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that while the current risk to public health from H5N1 is low, it is monitoring the situation carefully.

Persons: Dr, Jeremy Farrar, “, Richard Webby, ”, hasn’t, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, WHO, Research, Get CNN, CNN Health, US Department of Agriculture’s, Plant Health, Services, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC Locations: United States, British, Geneva, Texas, Colorado, St, — Texas, New Mexico , Kansas, South Dakota , Idaho , Michigan , Ohio, North Carolina

☆ For Election Workers, Fentanyl-Laced Letters Signal a Challenging Year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Michael Wines | More About Michael Wines | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For the people who run elections at thousands of local offices nationwide, 2024 was never going to be an easy year. But the recent anonymous mailing of powder-filled envelopes to election offices in five states offers new hints of how hard it could be. The letters, sent to offices in Washington State, Oregon, Nevada, California and Georgia this month, are under investigation by the U.S. And they presage the pressure-cooker environment that election officials will face next year in a contest for the White House that could chart the future course of American democracy. “Every way in which our elections are administered is going to be tested somewhere, at some time, during 2024.”

Persons: ”, Tammy Patrick Organizations: U.S . Postal Inspection Service, National Association of Election Locations: Washington State , Oregon , Nevada , California, Georgia

The letters were sent this month to vote centers or government buildings in six states: Georgia, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and Kansas. Lane County, Oregon, which received a suspicious letter, will provide naloxone kits and train elections staff on administering it. The incident prompted King County Elections to procure naloxone, though the antidote was not needed then nor when its Renton office received a second fentanyl-laced letter this month. “We felt like it was just a good idea to have on hand for all kinds of scenarios these days,” King County Elections spokeswoman Halei Watkins said. The office received a threatening letter this month containing baking soda and took the occasion to re-emphasize naloxone is available.

Persons: ”, Eldon Miller, “, Donald Trump, Ann Dover, It’s, ” Dover, Brad Raffensperger, Raffensperger, King, Halei Watkins, Maya Doe, Simkins, ” Chris Anderson, hasn’t, ” Anderson, Linda Farmer, ” Farmer, ___ Komenda, Ken Ritter, Jeff Amy, David Fischer, John Hanna, — Organizations: SEATTLE, King, Elections, FBI, U.S . Postal, Service, Remedy, Associated Press, AP Locations: U.S, Seattle, Georgia, Nevada , California , Oregon, Washington and Kansas, Atlanta's Cherokee, Lane County , Oregon, Lincoln County , Nevada, Atlanta’s Fulton, Pierce, Washington, County, King, Renton, King County, Seminole County , Florida, Tacoma , Washington, Pierce County, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Miami, Topeka , Kansas

☆ The Asian longhorned tick spreading across the US can clone itself thousands of times and even kill cattle
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The ticks turned out to be an invasive species, the Asian longhorned tick, newly established in Ohio. The curious case of the dead cattleAsian longhorned ticks are tiny and can be difficult to distinguish between other species. Risa Pesapane/Ohio State UniversityPesapane and her colleagues suggest the Ohio cattle died from blood loss. Asian longhorned ticks are hard to spot, contain, and killTiny and brown, the ALT is hard to distinguish from other types of ticks, making it difficult to spot. AdvertisementCattle are the preferred meal of Asian longhorned ticks.

Persons: —, Risa Pesapane, Pesapane, It's, Oleksandr Melnyk, Kevin Lahmers, Lahmers, Joellen Lampman, Lampman, Ohio State University Pesapane, it's, There's, Ikeda Organizations: Service, Ohio State, Medical Entomology, Pesapane, US Department of Agriculture, Getty Images, Virginia - Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ohio State University, Plant Health, Yale School of Public Health Locations: Ohio, West Virginia, But Ohio, East Asia, Virginia, United States, New Zealand, North Carolina, Lyme, Rocky

The letters were just the latest worrisome disruption for election workers in Seattle and across the country who have been besieged by threats, harassment and intimidation since the 2020 presidential election. Fulton County has been the target of conspiracy theories since the 2020 election, and its election workers have been harassed and threatened over false claims that they were stuffing ballots to aid Democrats. In Pennsylvania, officials estimate 40 of the state’s 67 county election offices have new directors or deputy directors since 2020. In North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers recently moved to gain more control of state and local election boards, roughly a third of 100 county election directors have left since the 2020 election. About 1 in 5 election workers knows someone who left their election job for safety reasons, and about 70% of local election officials said harassment has increased, according to a Brennan Center survey.

Persons: “ There’s, ”, Julie Wise, we’re, –, Brad Raffensperger, ” Raffensperger, “, Barb Byrum, ” Byrum, Kim Wyman, ” Wyman, Liz Howard, Wise, Ed Komenda, Manuel Valdes, Jeff Amy, Lindsay Whitehurst Organizations: ATLANTA, FBI, U.S . Postal, Service, Authorities, Georgia, Republican, Justice Department, Brennan, Associated Press Locations: King County , Washington, Washington, Seattle, King, Georgia, Nevada , California, Oregon, Atlanta’s Fulton County, Fulton County, Ingham County , Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, North Carolina, Virginia, Tacoma , Washington, Atlanta

The potential Georgia connection surfaced a day after authorities in Washington state said four county election offices had to be evacuated as election workers were processing ballots cast in Tuesday’s election, delaying vote-counting. Election offices in Seattle’s King County and ones in Skagit, Spokane and Pierce counties received envelopes containing suspicious powders. Political Cartoons View All 1237 ImagesTacoma Police spokesperson William Muse said a message inside the envelope received by Pierce County election workers said “something to the effect of stopping the election." It was not immediately clear how authorities came to suspect that a letter might have been sent to the Fulton County election office or whether similar ones went to election offices in other states. "Election officials should be free from fear and intimidation, which is why I’ve called on the General Assembly to increase penalties for election interference,” Raffensperger said.

Persons: William Muse, Muse, Steve Hobbs, ”, Brad Raffensperger, I’ve, ” Raffensperger, accidently, Gene Johnson, Lindsay Whitehurst Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Georgia Emergency Management, Homeland Security Agency, The Associated Press, Tacoma Police, U.S . Department of Justice, FBI, U.S . Postal, Service, AP, Assembly, Associated Press Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, Washington, Seattle’s King County, Skagit , Spokane, Pierce, Kings, Spokane, Pierce County, United States, Seattle

SEATTLE (AP) — Four county elections offices in Washington state were evacuated Wednesday after they received envelopes containing suspicious powders — including two that field-tested positive for fentanyl — while workers were processing ballots from Tuesday’s election. Renton police detective Robert Onishi confirmed that an envelope received by workers at a King County elections office field-tested positive for fentanyl, while Spokane Police Department spokesperson Julie Humphreys said fentanyl was found in an envelope at the Spokane County Elections office, The Seattle Times reported. Political Cartoons View All 1237 ImagesThe envelope received by the Pierce County elections office in Tacoma contained baking soda, Tacoma police spokesperson William Muse told the paper. Halei Watkins, communications manager for King County Elections, told The Seattle Times the envelope opened by staffers in Renton on Wednesday morning was not a ballot. The Secretary of State's Office noted that elections officials in two counties — King and Okanogan — received suspicious substances in envelopes during the August primary.

Persons: Steve Hobbs, ”, Renton, Robert Onishi, Julie Humphreys, William Muse, ” Muse, Halei Watkins, King County, Watkins, Patrick Bell, Okanogan — Organizations: SEATTLE, Seattle —, State's, Spokane Police, Seattle Times, ” Voters, King County, Spokane County, Okanogan, United States Postal Inspection Service Locations: Washington, King County, Seattle, Skagit , Spokane, Pierce, King, Spokane County, Tacoma, Spokane, Renton, Okanogan

☆ Tyson recalls 30,000 pounds of Dino Chicken Nuggets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The logo of Tyson Foods is seen in Davos, Switzerland, May 22, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. food company Tyson Foods (TSN.N) has said it was voluntarily recalling approximately 30,000 pounds of frozen, fully cooked dinosaur-shaped chicken “Fun Nuggets” or Dino Chicken Nuggets. The company said the recall includes Tyson brand fully cooked “Fun Nuggets” sold to retailers in 29-ounce packages. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said Tyson food is recalling around 30,000 pounds of fully cooked breaded chicken in a release on Saturday. It said it has received no additional reports of injury or illness from consumption of these products.

Persons: Arnd, Dino, Tyson, FSIS, Scott DiSavino, Aurora Ellis Organizations: Tyson Foods, REUTERS, U.S . Department of Agriculture’s, Inspection, Thomson Locations: Davos, Switzerland

☆ Tyson is recalling nearly 30,000 pounds of its dinosaur-shaped nuggets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A bag of Tyson Foods Inc. frozen chicken is arranged for a photograph in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Thursday, May 5, 2016. Tyson Foods is recalling nearly 30,000 pounds of one of its products — dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets — after some consumers reported finding small metal pieces, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Saturday. The recall is specifically for the 29-ounce plastic bags of the product officially called Fully Cooked Fun Nuggets Breaded Shaped Chicken Patties, the FSIS said in a release. Approximately 29,819 pounds of the Fun Nuggets are impacted, according to the release. FSIS is urging anyone who might be keeping a bag of the Fun Nuggets in the freezer to throw them out and to avoid eating them.

Persons: Tyson, Tyson Foods, FSIS Organizations: Tyson Foods Inc, Tyson, Department of Agriculture's, Inspection Service, Nuggets Locations: Tiskilwa , Illinois, U.S, Alabama , California , Illinois , Kentucky, Michigan , Ohio , Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin

Search resuls for: "Inspection Service"

25 mentions found