The FDA, along with the CDC, the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, state, and local partners are investigating a multi-state outbreak of hepatitis A infections in the United States and Canada potentially linked to fresh organic strawberries purchased between March 5 and April 25, 2022.

While the potentially affected FreshKampo and HEB products are past shelf life, people who purchased FreshKampo and HEB fresh organic strawberries between the affected dates and then froze those strawberries for later consumption should not eat them.

These products were sold at the following retailers, including, but not limited to:
– Aldi
– Trader Joe’s
– Walmart

If you are unsure of what brand you purchased, when you purchased your strawberries, or where you purchased them from prior to freezing them, the strawberries should be thrown away.

If consumers purchased fresh organic strawberries branded as FreshKampo or HEB between March 5 and April 25, 2022, ate those berries in the last two weeks, and have not been vaccinated against hepatitis A, they should immediately consult with their healthcare professional to determine whether post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is needed. PEP is recommended for unvaccinated people who have been exposed to hepatitis A virus in the last two weeks because vaccination can prevent a hepatitis A infection if given within 14 days of exposure. Those with evidence of previous hepatitis A vaccination or previous hepatitis A infection do not require PEP.

Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a hepatitis A infection after eating these fresh organic strawberries, or if you believe that you have eaten these strawberries in the last two weeks.

Wegmans

Walmart said it’s encouraging customers to wear masks in areas with rising coronavirus cases and will post “health ambassadors” to entrances to hand out masks to customers.

The CDC now recommends that people, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask indoors in areas where there’s “substantial and high transmission” of COVID-19, as well as in K-12 schools. In Chautauqua County, the CDC transmission rate remains at “moderate.” In May, the CDC had relaxed face mask guidance, saying it was no longer necessary for fully vaccinated individuals to wear one indoors.

Lakewood-Busti Police were called to Walmart to respond to an alleged theft of merchandise. Officers investigated the incident and eventually located the suspect – identified as 38-year-old Shawn Garrett of Jamestown. Garrett is accused of allegedly stealing a backpack from the store and also violating a trespass warning from the store, making the crime a burglary. Police say while in custody, Garrett allegedly intentionally wiped his sweaty forehead on an officer’s bare arm. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Garrett was charged with 3rd degree menacing. He was also in possession of a hypodermic needle and did not have a needle exchange card.

Garrett was also charged with 3rd degree burglary, petit larceny, and criminally possessing hypodermic needle and sent to the county jail for arraignment.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

WASHINGTON – Chautauqua County’s representative in Congress says the Federal Tax cuts that were approved at the end of last year are paying dividends for rank and file workers, and he used a recent visit to the Jamestown Home Depot to make that point.

But as Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning) was making the case that the tax cuts are helping everyday Americans at one department store chain, his counterparts on the other side of the aisle are demanding that another major retailer show evidence that the tax cuts are helping its employees.

This week’s Reed’s office sent out a media release stating that during a recent tour of the Home Depot, he heard the impact tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 have had on its employees. As part of the release, Reed’s office also said that businesses such as Home Depot and many others have given pay raises and bonuses thanks to the tax reform.

“Visiting places like Home Depot and talking with the employees is one of the best parts of the job,” Reed said. “Tax cuts have helped people, like the ones I met during my visit, keep real money in their paychecks and helped good-paying jobs to grow. This why we care about making these tax cuts permanent and feel it is the fair thing to do after hearing from people across our community.”

Rep. Tom Reed, standing with a group of employees, during a recent visit at Jamestown’s Home Depot.

Making the tax cuts permanent is the foundation of the “Tax Cuts 2.0” proposal that was rolled out by House Republicans earlier this month, which would make the 2017 tax cuts for individuals permanent. The proposal is viewed as an effort to highlight their signature economic policy achievement ahead of the November elections.

According to Reed, “Tax Cuts 2.0” will create an estimated 1.5 million new jobs, increase wages by 0.9 percent and boost the GDP an additional 2.2 percent. He said the proposal would also help local business provide retirement plans for employees, help workers participate in those retirement plans, and allow families to access their own retirement plans on a penalty-free basis when welcoming a new child – either by birth or adoption.

Still, with little chance of Senate Republicans taking up the measure, the effort is largely viewed as a way to promote political talking points.

13 HOUSE DEMOCRATS CALL ON WALMART TO SHOW HOW TAX CUTS BENEFIT WORKERS

Meanwhile, as Reed praised the GOP Tax Reform effort from a year ago, Democrats (including Brian Higgins who represented Chautauqua County until redistricting went into effect in 2012) are singing a different tune.

Congressman Brian Higgins

In a Sept. 13 letter sent to CEO Doug McMillon, 13 different house members pointed out that Walmart – the nations largest department store chain – authorized $20 billion in stock buybacks while many of its workers still make poverty wages.

The letter further calls attention to the 1,188-to-1 ratio between McMillon’s 2017 compensation and the average Walmart worker’s, stating “it is not clear how your corporation is using your expected $2.2 billion in annual tax cuts to help your more than 1.4 million workers in the U.S.”

The members are asking McMillon to respond to the letter and corresponding questions by no later than September 28, 2018.

The letter (posted in its entirety below) was signed by Higgins along with Reps. Jan Shakowsky (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), Gene Green (D-TX), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), Tim Ryan (D-OH), and Mark Takano (D-CA).

“Republicans spent their day trying to pass the #TaxScam2 through the Ways And Means committee,” tweeted Rep. Jan Shakowsky (D-IL) on Sept. 13. “Meanwhile, I, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Raul Grijalva and several of our colleagues sent a letter to Walmart asking why their savings from the first #GOPTaxScam aren’t increasing wages.”

Prior to the letter’s submission, a group known as Making Change at Walmart (MCAW) provided members of congress with hundreds of testimonies from Walmart workers whose wages fall far below the company’s average claim of $13.75 an hour.

MCAW also provided testimony on wage stagnation at Walmart, as well as the negative impacts of Walmart’s inadequate benefits, irregular scheduling, and elimination of holiday pay.

“Almost immediately after the Trump tax cuts were approved, Walmart’s board sought to stuff the pockets of its shareholders by authorizing up to $20 billion in stock buybacks,” says MCAW communications director Amy Ritter. “Meanwhile, the company still has no long-term solutions to address the fact that many of their employees are struggling in poverty.”

LETTER FROM 13 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO WALMART CEO DOUG MCMILLON

The store, which opened nearly 20 years ago at 720 W. Fairmount Ave., was one of the dozens that Walmart officials announced would be closing earlier this month.

The store employed an estimated 140 individuals, who company officials say were given to option to stay on board and transfer to other Sam’s club stores, as well as Walmart.

An equipment auction will take place in late April or early May.

Earlier on Thursday, employees at the local store were informed it would be closing on Jan. 26. Word soon got out to the public, and by 11 a.m. several news outlets had reported on not just the closure of the Jamestown store, but of dozens of stores nationwide.

The Jamestown Sam’s Club is actually located in the Town of Ellicott along the busy Fairmount Ave. corridor.  It first opened in 1998 and was located at about the midway point between the city of Jamestown and village of Lakewood.  Ellicott Town Supervisor Patrick McLaughlin told WRFA he was caught off guard by the news and was seeking more details from Sam’s Club. He said it’s obviously bad news because of the economic contributions the store brings, between property taxes and as a provider of jobs.

Senator Cathy Young also responded by saying she was alarmed and disheartened by the news and urged the company’s management to reconsider this decision.

Just before noon, a Walmart spokesperson sent WRFA an initial statement on the closure.

By 7 p.m., the following release was sent out to the media:

[PRESS RELEASE – WALMART CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS]

Sam’s Club Shares Changes to Club Fleet

63 Facilities Impacted, Up to 12 to Convert to eCommerce Facilities

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Jan. 11, 2018 – Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT: NYSE) today announced changes to the business unit’s U.S. real estate portfolio, with the closure of 63 clubs around the country. The company will convert up to 12 of the impacted clubs to eCommerce fulfillment centers in a move that will speed delivery of online orders, with the balance of the facilities closing over the next few weeks. Currently, Walmart and Sam’s Club operate more than 5,400 locations across the U.S.; after the actions announced today the company will have 597 clubs.

The action was taken after a thorough performance review. “Transforming our business means managing our real estate portfolio and Walmart needs a strong fleet of Sam’s Clubs that are fit for the future,” said John Furner, president and CEO of Sam’s Club. “We know this is difficult news for our associates and we are working to place as many of them as possible at nearby locations. Our focus today has been on those associates and their communities, and communicating with them.”

The first of these converted eCommerce fulfillment centers will be located in Memphis, Tenn.

Walmart will provide support and resources to those associates who are affected, including the bonus announced today and 60 days of pay, as well as severance to those eligible.

“We need great people to help lead us into the future and we hope that many of them will stay with the company at either a local store or club,” Furner said. “Change is never easy, but we’re making these decisions as part of running a healthy business.”

The company will record a discrete charge of approximately $0.14 per share related to these actions, with the vast majority of this in its fourth quarter. Further details will be shared, as appropriate, when the company releases quarterly results on February 20, 2018.

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. The company’s legal name will become Walmart Inc., effective on Feb. 1, 2018, to reflect its growing status as an omni-channel retailer. Each week, over 260 million customers and members visit our more than 11,600 stores under nearly 60 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2017 revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.  Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains a number of forward-looking statements. Words, and variations of words, such as “will,” “expect,” “should” “may,” “estimate,” “deliver” and “target” and similar expressions are intended to identify the Company’s forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements about the discrete charge and the number of eCommerce fulfillment centers.  These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the Company’s forward-looking statements. Please see the Company’s risk factors, as they may be amended from time to time, set forth in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended October 31, 2017. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. disclaims and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as required by applicable law or regulation.

[END PRESS RELEASE]

According to the Lakewood-Busti Police Department, officers were called to WalMart just after 9:15 p.m. Sunday after a small group of shoppers and store employees noticed a child left unattended near its stroller in the shoe department.

Officers brought the child to the loss prevention until the parents could be located. Police say the child was left unattended for a “significant amount of time.”

Upon investigation, police learned the child was with a group of shoppers who had gone into the shoe department and then allegedly left the area of the store without the baby.

The mother, identified as 20 year-old Nelly Gonzalez, was located and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Police contacted Child Protective Services, who instructed officers that the child could be returned to the mother.

During the investigation police also discovered a man in Gonzalez’s group had an order of protection against him for a person that was with Gonzalez.

The man was identified as Miguel Ramos Flores and was charged with criminal contempt. Police say Flores struggled during the arrest and a taser had to be used to subdue him. He was given an additional charge of resisting arrest and was arraigned in Busti town court and sent to the county jail on $10,000 bail.