The trinity of divisive Halloween candies is made up of candy corn, marshmallow peanuts, and of course black licorice — perhaps the treat most likely to elicit either only joy or rage when it’s put into one’s candy sack. But there’s one thing that even those who stand firmly on the “love” side of this unbridgeable, anise-flavored chasm should know: When it comes to black licorice, there is such a thing as too much. [More]
Quality & Safety
United Plane Makes Emergency Landing Due To Smoke In The Galley
By 10.30.17
Smoke in the cabin of a passenger airplane is a scary prospect. That’s why a plane heading from Munich, Germany to Washington Dulles International Airport made an emergency landing at Boston’s Logan Airport instead: There was smoke pouring from the plane’s galley… which may or may not have actually been caused by a fire. [More]
Maryland To Try Sending Recall Notices With Car Registration Renewals
By 10.30.17
Your state’s department of motor vehicles already knows what make and model of car you own, and sends you registration documents every few years that you have to open. Safety advocates have suggested including information about important vehicle recalls in vehicle registrations to make sure more people know about recalls and comply. In an experimental program, Maryland will start sending these notices to vehicle owners. [More]
More Than Half Of Opioid Overdose Deaths Now Involve Synthetic Drugs Like Fentanyl
By 10.27.17
If you’ve had any doubt that America is in the throes of an opioid epidemic, perhaps a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will hit the point home. [More]
841,000 Ford Fusion Vehicles Under Investigation Because Steering Wheels Shouldn’t Fall Off
By 10.27.17
There are a lot of things you’d rather not have happen when driving your car. “Steering wheel falling off and into your lap” likely ranks pretty high on that list. For that reason, federal safety regulators have opened an investigation into more than 841,000 Ford Fusion vehicles. [More]
Some Massachusetts Residents Want State To Leave The Eastern Time Zone
By 10.26.17
If you’re like many other humans on this planet, winter’s shorter days may get you feeling a bit down from lack of sunlight. But some folks in the state are on a mission to reclaim one hour of daylight, with a campaign to get Massachusetts to leave the Eastern Time Zone. [More]
Most Walgreens Pharmacies Now Offering Overdose Antidote Narcan Over-The-Counter
By 10.26.17
Opioid overdoses can, and do, happen just about anywhere, from schools to public parks, from homes to workplaces, restaurants, and night clubs. Narcan (naloxone) is a drug that can be used to halt an overdose, and it’s increasingly being used to save lives by people other than police, first responders, or emergency room staff. In fact, the demand for Narcan is such that Walgreens will now be stocking the treatment and selling it over-the-counter at its pharmacies. [More]
More Than 342,000 Kia Souls Recalled Over Steering Issue — For Second Time
By 10.25.17
When you bring in your recalled car to get a safety defect fixed, you might assume that the problem has been remedied. Yet owners of more than 342,000 previously recalled Kia Soul vehicles are finding out that their cars need to have the same issue repaired again. [More]
Flammable Tiles Linked To Deadly London Fire Still On Plenty Of Buildings
By 10.25.17
The lightweight metal architectural cladding that is believed to have played a significant part in a deadly June 2017 fire in a London apartment tower is still being used on thousands of buildings around the world, but what can be done about it? [More]
Fisher-Price Recalls 63K Infant Motion Seats Over Fire Hazard
By 10.25.17
If you’ve got one of those infant motion seats intended to soothe a baby with gentle swaying or bouncing, you probably want to pay attention: Fisher-Price is recalling 63,000 Soothing Motion Seats over a potential fire hazard. [More]
Despite New Safety Rules, Family Says Two Of Its Hoverboards Caught On Fire
By 10.24.17
While the craze surrounding hoverboards may have died down, that doesn’t mean the self-balancing scooters are any safer. To that end, a Wisconsin family says they recently experienced not one, but two hoverboards that caught on fire. [More]
Precut Veggies From Albertsons, Meijer, Safeway, Whole Foods & Others Added To Listeria Recall
By 10.23.17
Have you bought precut fresh or frozen vegetables in the last month or so? A wide variety of veggie-containing products, ranging from stir fry kits to salad bar greens, have been recalled for possible Listeria contamination. New additions to the list include products from Albertsons, Alaska Carrot, H-E-B, Meijer, Ready. Chef. Go!, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Vons. [More]
Someone Donated An Urn Filled With Ashes To A Salvation Army
By 10.23.17
Bargain-hunters and rarity collectors love going to Salvation Army shops because there’s a decent chance that someone has unwittingly donated a valuable dress, pair of boots, books, toys, or record collection. What they don’t expect to find are the cremated remains of another human being. [More]
Google Looking Into Pixel 2 XL Screen Issues
By 10.23.17
Google’s new Pixel 2 phones are the tech company’s latest and greatest attempt to crack the smartphone market largely dominated by Samsung and Apple. However, Google is now having to investigate and explain to some Pixel 2 XL owners why their screens are apparently malfunctioning. [More]
Fiery Dishwasher Recall Expanded To Cover 557,000 Total Machines
By 10.23.17
More than two years after 149,000 dishwashers from multiple major brands — including Bosch and Kenmore — were recalled following reports that power cords could overheat and burst into flames, the safety campaign has been expanded to cover another 408,000 dishwashers. [More]
British Airways Apologizes After Bed Bugs Bite Passengers On Overnight Flight
By 10.23.17
There are the travel nightmares that you can walk away from after you leave the plane, and then there are those that stick with you. Literally: British Airways has apologized to a family who claim they had to endure an overnight flight while being bedeviled by bed bugs. [More]
Bagged Salad Recall Expands To Include Vegetables Sold At Walmart, Target, Others
By 10.20.17 — Updated: 10.25.17
This morning, we shared a recall notice from grocery chain Trader Joe’s that its kohlrabi salad mix had been recalled after a supplier let the company know about potential listeria contamination. It turns out that recall was much bigger, involving other retailers including Albertsons, H-E-B, and Walmart, and vegetables that are less fun to say than “kohlrabi.”
Updated 10/25/17 with information about recalls from King Soopers, City Market, Pacific Coast Fruit, and New Seasons.
Updated 10/23/17 with information about additional recalls for more brands: Albertsons, Alaska Carrot, H-E-B, Meijer, Ready. Chef. Go!, Safeway, Whole Foods, and Vons. [More]
5 Ways To Make Sure You Have A Safe Halloween
By 10.20.17
It’s nearly Halloween, which means costumes, candy, parties, pumpkins, and — again — candy. But just because you’re all jacked up on a sugar high — or by the mere thought of your eventual sugar high — doesn’t mean you and your family can’t be safe this Halloween. [More]
