Wegmans employees present donations from Purse Bingo event to United Way

The United Way of Southern Chautauqua County is recognizing the local Wegmans store for coming in first in the region for an April campaign.

Wegmans held its annual scan campaign for the United Way at its registers in April.

With a goal of raising $15,500; Jamestown’s local Fairmount Avenue Wegmans location came in number one of 13 stores in the region for overall donation dollars by raising $19,957. The next closest Wegmans location of the 13 raised $12,000

In addition to the dollars raised at the register in April, Wegmans staff raised a total of $8,000 for the United Way of Southern Chautauqua County on Thursday, May 4th during an evening “Purse Bingo” fundraising event.

United Way Executive Director Amy Rohler expressed her appreciation for Wegmans and its staff, nothing how inspired she was with the community’s generosity in donating at the Wegmans registers.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a point of transparency and disclosure to our audience, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County is a corporate underwriter for WRFA and has provided a financial contribution for the general operations of the station within the past year. Funding we receive for General Operations is not used to fund our coverage of local news in the community. That is only made possible through a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Wegmans

The company said in a statement the products were being recalled because of the soil the plants were grown in tested positive for Salmonella. They added that no illnesses have been associated with this recall.

The company also announced the recalls on its website with automated phone calls sent to alert customers who bought the products using Shoppers Club cards.

Customers can return the items to store service desks for refunds.

The full details on the recall can be found here: https://www.wegmans.com/news-media/product-recalls/

Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.

Healthy people infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

In rare cases infections can enter the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.

People with questions should call (855) 934-3663 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Wegmans

New York Attorney General Letitia James said that Wegmans did not do enough security testing and failed to ensure consumer information was kept private.

The breach was discovered in April 2021 when a security researcher found that a cloud storage container containing consumers’ sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords for Wegmans accounts, customers’ names, email addresses, mailing addresses and drivers’ license numbers, was unsecured and open to public access.

In May 2021, Wegmans discovered a second cloud storage container was unsecured and had been open to the public for just under three years.

The Attorney General says the data breach compromised more than 3 million consumers nationwide, with more than 830,000 of those consumers in New York State.

Wegmans is required to pay $400,000 in penalties to the state. It also must upgrade how it handles cloud security and collects and retains consumer information.

Wegmans

The onions are being recalled due to potential Listeria contamination. Listeria is a bacteria that can cause serious infection, the primary symptoms of which are fever and diarrhea.

The recall affects Vidalia onions sold by the pound from June 23 to June 24 at specific Wegmans stores listed below. They may have PLU stickers with 4159 or 4166 on them.

The Jamestown, the two stores in Erie, PA; and a number of Buffalo Wegmans stores are part of the recall.

Anyone who purchased the onions can return them to the customer service desk at their local Wegmans for a full refund, or call 1-855-934-3663 for more information.

Wegmans

The products affected include Wegmans watermelon chunks, pineapple spears, cantaloupe spears, and melon trio.

Wegmans says all products may be returned to Customer Service for a full refund. For more information, customers can contact Wegmans Food Markets at 1-855-934-3663.

If your product has an 8 digit code underneath the best by date as follows: 02101XXX that denotes that package is unaffected by this recall and is safe to consume.

This Recall Only Affects Stores Located in the Following States: New York, Pennsylvania, & Massachusetts.

The following products are affected and should be returned for a refund:

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Watermelon Chunks 10 oz
Codes: Best By 3/15, 3/18, 3/20/, 3/22
UPC: 7789020906, 77890133497

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Small Watermelon Hearts 24 oz
Codes: Best By 3/16, 3/19, 3/21, 3/23
UPC: 7789010030, 7789093809

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Watermelon Chunks Family Pack 32 oz
Codes: Best By 3/16, 3/19, 3/21, 3/23
UPC: 7789024661, 7789025238

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Pineapple Spears Family Pack 32 oz
Codes: Best By 3/17, 3/20, 3/22, 3/24
UPC: 7789025184

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Cantaloupe Spears Family Pack 32 oz
Codes: Best By 3/16, 3/19, 3/21, 3/23
UPC: 7789026057

Wegmans Brand FYFGA Melon Trio Family Pack 32 oz
Codes: Best By 3/16, 3/19, 3/21, 3/23
UPC: 7789030568, 7789049552]]

The ban builds on New York’s other environmental measures such as the ban on plastic carryout bags, the bottle bill, and food scrap recycling and food waste prevention efforts. New York is among the first states to ban polystyrene packaging and fill. The DEC is accepting comments on the proposed regulations until November 22nd, 2021.

Expanded polystyrene foam, or EPS, is considered a major contributor to environmental litter, causing negative impacts to wildlife, waterways, and natural resources. EPS foam does not readily biodegrade, rendering it persistent in the environment and susceptible to becoming microplastic pollution. In addition, EPS foam containers and loose fill packaging are not accepted by most recycling programs in New York State because the foam is difficult to recycle, easily contaminates the recycling stream, is often soiled, and has low value.

Wegmans grocery stores had already announced at the beginning of September that they had moved from using polystyrene foam in its egg cartons.

The new cartons are made of 100% post-consumer recycled newsprint and paper products. The company said by making the switch from foam to molded fiber cartons, they will eliminate 625,000 pounds of foam from their stores every year.

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.

Pictured above, one of the trail markers that program participants can rub to record a trail visit in their passports.

MAYVILLE – Since 2005, Wegmans has partnered with town and city recreation programs and park conservancy groups to encourage communities to live healthier, better lives by taking advantage of the trails in their area.

Chautauqua County, in collaboration with Wegmans, is excited to present The Discovering the Trails of Chautauqua County Hit the Trail Passport. Your FREE Passport will make getting active even more fun!

Ryan Salvo, Store Manager at Jamestown Wegmans, said, “We’ve all discovered a greater appreciation for our natural spaces, as many families are looking for safe and healthy activities during the pandemic. Wegmans is proud to provide these pocket-sized passports to the community, and thank Chautauqua County Parks for its partnership with this initiative.”

“We are very excited to be a part of this new adventure with Wegmans, Chautauqua County Parks, and Chautauqua County Rails to Trails,” said Christine Schuyler, Public Health Director/Commissioner of Social Services, Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services. “Getting out and enjoying our beautiful countryside is good for mental and physical health.”

Your passport details two trail systems in Chautauqua County – the Overland Trails and Chautauqua Rails to Trails. Take a walk, breathe the fresh air, and enjoy the great outdoors. You have the opportunity to explore over 42 miles of County Trails and 20+ miles of unused rail corridors. Hike the rolling hills and valleys on the Overland Trails, and you will have access to some of the most stunning natural beauty and enjoyable wildlife areas available in Western New York. Rails to Trails provides safe, attractive trails for non-motorized trail users; trails wind through wetlands, pine forests, hardwood forests, pastures and vineyards.

Enjoy the forests, open space, opportunities and challenges provided on these trails:

• Earl Cardot Eastside Overland Trail
• Fred J. Cusimano Westside Overland Trail
• Chautauqua Rails To Trails

“The Chautauqua County Parks Division appreciates Wegmans support in promoting use of the County’s Overland Trails,” said Brad Bentley, Chautauqua County Director of Public Facilities. “The trails are a great way to see some of Chautauqua County’s best outdoor environments, get some exercise and through the Passport booklet become eligible for some great rewards.”

“Over the course of the last year, Rails to Trails saw many more people out on the trail, and had the opportunity to make several trail improvements,” commented Jim Fincher, President of Chautauqua Rails to Trails. “We hope residents and visitors alike will take the time to enjoy nature and history along our miles of trails. Grab your passports and take a hike!”

Get your Discovering the Trails of Chautauqua County passport at Wegmans, Customer Service Desk, 945 Fairmount Avenue, Jamestown; the Chautauqua County Health Department, HRC Building, 7 North Erie Street, Mayville; or online at Wegmans.com/wp-content/uploads/Chautauqua-passport.pdf.

Here is how it works: hit the trail with your passport; rub trail markers to record your visits right in your passport; drop off completed passports at the Chautauqua County Health Department, HRC Building, 7 North Erie Street, Mayville, for a chance to win prizes. The trail maps are divided into segments. You can complete a trail over the course of multiple days or months and in any sequence, as long as you capture the distinctive seal for each trail segment in the frames indicated on the passport.

School officials announced on Monday that the local community has noticed their hard work and has donated items to the Food Service staff.

“All of the Food Service workers must wear masks and the community has really stepped up to help,” the district said in its media release. “Moonlight Electric, Lincoln School Nurse Sandra Leone and ‘The Sewing Ladies‘ from the JHS Musical all donated masks for the workers. Dan Anderson, from JPS Information Services, also donated 3D-printed mask adjusters he created.”

In addition to the mask donations, others in the district – including the Bairs Pizza and a Jamestown Police Officer – donated coffee, donuts, and pizza to the workers. Persell Middle School students also wrote thank you letters and Wegmans generously provided bouquets of flowers to all JPS Food Service Workers.

“Each day our staff arrives to prepare meals for upwards of 1,500 hungry students throughout the district,” said Jeffrey Smith, JPS Director of Food Services. “On several occasions, we have received donations of food, safety equipment and even bouquets of flowers for our staff. I can’t begin to tell how much the staff appreciates these donations; many of them were brought to tears by the kindness shown to them. On behalf of everyone at the Jamestown Public School Food Service Department, I want to say thank you to these community members, who have made all of our days a little brighter with your kindness, support and love.”

“While our school buildings are closed due to the coronavirus, JPS is able to provide ‘grab-and-go’ meals for all Jamestown students. Lunch will be provided, along with breakfast for the following day,” the district said.

Meals are available Monday through Friday. Meals for Saturday and Sunday will also be provided on Friday. Meals may be picked up from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m at the following locations: Washington, Jefferson and Persell schools and Jamestown High School.

JPS recommends students visit the pick-up location closest to your home. Meals can be picked up near the drop off zone at each middle school and at the pool doors location at JHS.

If you have any questions on school meals, please contact your school principal.

The state-issued ban on single-use plastic bags in New York takes effect on March 1. But Wegmans Food Markets will end its use of single-use plastic bags starting Monday, Jan. 27. Beginning that day, Wegmans will stop using the plastic bags and shift to using paper bags.

Stores will still have plastic bags in certain departments for situations such as for packaging raw meat. However, they will not be available at check-out lines.

Tops Friendly Markets will reportedly wait until March 1 to initiate the ban.