By Miriam Raftery

June 14, 2020 (Washington D..C. ) – If you purchased ground beef this month from Walmart or other retailers, it may be contaminated with e-Coli. The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has announced a class I recall nationwide, which means there is a “reasonable probability” that the products could cause “serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

The recalled ground beef packages were produced June 1 at the Lakeside Refrigerated Services facility in Jersey and were sold under several brand names, including Thomas Farms and Marketside Butcher. The latter is sold through Walmart stores.  The products have the establishment number “EST. 46841” inside the USDA inspection mark.

According to the recall notice, the problem was found during routine testing. Although no illnesses are reported so far, the USDA urges consumers to throw away or return any recalled ground beef products in your refrigerator or freezer, since E.coli can potentially cause kidney failure in young children and older adults, as well as dehydration, bloody diarrhea, and abdominal cramps three to four days after exposure.

If you ate ground beef and experienced these symptoms, contact your medical practitioner immediately.

The recalled products include:

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2018 (San Diego) – Earlier this week, Dick’s Sporting Goods, one of the nation’s largest gun retailers announced it will no longer sell assault rifles or high capacity ammunition magazines and is raising the age to 21 for all other gun purchases.

Now, following on that lead, other major retailers including Walmart, REI, Kroger and L.L. Bean have stepped up to the plate with gun sales limits of their own. Other companies have stopped partnering with the National Rifle Association on discounts for NRA members.

By Miriam Raftery

August 24, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — A man with a prior conviction for lewd conduct has been arrested for allegedly photographing a 10-year-old girl in the women’s restroom at a Wal-Mart on Camino Canada in El Cajon, just off of Interstate 8, on August 17th.

By Miriam Raftery

April 2, 2015 (San Diego’s East County—Religious freedom laws that could allow businesses to refuse service to gay and lesbian customers are stirring controversy Indiana and Arkansas.  But now some heavyweight opposition has emerged, including Wal-Mart and other corporations as well as sports organizations including NASCAR and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

East County News Service

November 28, 2014 (San Diego)— “This Black Friday, there will be a different kind of crowd at Walmart stores around the country,” says Cynthia Murray, a Walmart worker seeking to make change at the nation’s biggest retailer.

She explains, “Workers like me are going on strike, and we’re bringing our communities out to call for an end to Walmart’s unfair labor practices. As Walmart workers, we are sick of struggling to put food on the table while our hard work makes the country’s wealthiest family, the Waltons, even richer. But when we speak up for fairer treatment, we face threats and harassment from our managers. We’re striking to show Walmart and the Waltons that we can’t be silenced.”

By Miriam Raftery

June 2, 2013 (San Diego) – Walmart workers from across the U.S. including some in San Diego County are on strike, seeking more hours to support their families.  They are joining a “Ride for Respect” traveling to a Walmart shareholders meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas on June 7 to deliver their message.

Our Walmart, a workers’ group, is asking the public to sign a petition in support. The petition states that “many workers at Walmart must rely on food stamps and even go hungry because of lack of hours and low wages.” Workers also allege that Walmart has retaliated by firing workers or cutting hours of those who spoke up for their rights. The petition asks Walmart to commit to raise wages and increase access to full-time hours so that workers will earn at least $25,000 a year.

Walmart's low wages keep workers on the public dole, leaving taxpayers to foot the bill for  its corporate profits

By Nadin Abbott

November 23, 2012 (La Mesa)-- Black Friday today was marked by a nationwide protest at 1,000 Walmart stores, including Grossmont Center in La Mesa.

Walmart workers are not unionized. So local volunteers and members of United Food & Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) staged the protest to give voice to grievances of Walmart employees who say they have been pressured to keep quiet and not participate in the demonstrations.

Risk to public is low; be aware of signs and symptoms.

September 9, 2012 (San Diego) – Anyone who may have eaten at a College Avenue McDonalds on August 25, 26, 27 and 30 is being advised by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) that they may have been exposed to the Hepatitis A virus.

May 26, 2011 (Washington D.C.) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Walmart, has announced a voluntary recall of 255,000 food General Electric food processors.  The USCPS has received dozens of complaints that the units began smoking and in some cases, resulted in fires or injuries to hands.