Our first Red Phone caller of the week, concerned about possible
damage to her car after a brief jaunt down Sunnyslope Road earlier
this week, asked the Crimson Crusader to get something done about a
series of potholes along the street.
Our first Red Phone caller of the week, concerned about possible damage to her car after a brief jaunt down Sunnyslope Road earlier this week, asked the Crimson Crusader to get something done about a series of potholes along the street.
The Crimson Crusader made a quick call to Ray Rojas, street supervisor with the Hollister Public Works Department. Rojas said he would send out crews to examine the problem as soon as possible. He said part of Sunnyslope, from Cerra Vista Street to Fairview Road, was also slated for construction work in the future. He vowed to take a look at the problematic potholes in the meantime.
Weed Patrol Needed
Our next Red Phone caller, a fan of all things aesthetic, asked the Crimson Crusader to get something done about a yard full of unsightly weeds at a local home. The home, our caller said, has been unoccupied and had been on the market for several months. And the weeds, she said, were nearly 3 feet tall and climbing.
Unfortunately, the Crimson Crusader’s 29-hp commercial-grade John Deere mower, which features a liquid-cooled engine and a zero-turning radius, is in the shop this week. But the Crimson Crusader made another call Rojas to see if anything could be done. Rojas said city crews are prohibited from mowing down unsightly weeds on private property, but told the Crimson Crusader that he would make sure any weeds on public property near the home were eradicated.
Rojas said he would pass on our caller’s complaint to Hollister Code Enforcement officials. Code Enforcement officials typically notify of the owner, or in this case, property management company, to encourage them to mow the lawn. In cases where the property owner cannot be reached or is negligent, the Code Enforcement office can sometimes cut the weeds themselves, before sending a bill to the delinquent property owner.
E. Coli Concerns
Our next call came from a local spinach lover who was concerned that the flu she battled last week may have actually been E. coli contamination. She asked the Crimson Crusader to find exactly which brands of bagged spinach have been called into question. She also asked where she could go to get tested for possible E. coli sickness.
The Crimson Crusader made a call to Kathy Flores at the San Benito County Public Health Department to find out. Flores said that anyone possibly experiencing symptoms of E. coli illness should immediately contact their physician or seek medical attention.
“Go see someone right away,” she said. “Even if you are starting to feel better or think it’s gone, it’s best to see somebody right away and get tested.”
Flores said such precautions should be heeded, especially in light of the recent outbreak. The FDA issued an advisory against eating fresh or packaged spinach last week, after 109 cases of E. coli were reported across 19 states. Sixteen of these cases are very severe and one in Wisconsin has resulted in death. The disease was linked to San Juan-based Natural Selection Foods. Natural Selection works with more than 30 brands throughout the country, including easily recognizable names like Earthbound Farm, Sysco, Dole, Trader Joe’s and Ready-Pac.
It has not yet been determined if local spinach is the cause of the outbreak, or if spinach going through Natural Selection’s packing process was already contaminated, but the company has instated a voluntary recall. Consumers should throw out spinach if the “Best If Used By” dates are between Aug. 17 and Oct. 1.
There are hundred of strains of E. coli – most are harmless and some are even found in most healthy humans. But E. coli 0157:H7, the strain detected in spinach that went through Natural Selection, is the most toxic of the strains and can cause illness or death in humans.
According to the Food and Drug Administration’s Web site, the following brands have been recalled:
Natural Selection Foods, LLC brands include: Natural Selection Foods, Pride of San Juan, Earthbound Farm, Bellissima, Dole, Rave Spinach, Emeril, Sysco, O Organic, Fresh Point, River Ranch, Superior, Nature’s Basket, Pro-Mark, Compliments, Trader Joe’s, Ready Pac, Jansal Valley, Cheney Brothers, D’Arrigo Brothers, Green Harvest, Mann, Mills Family Farm, Premium Fresh, Snoboy, The Farmer’s Market, Tanimura & Antle, President’s Choice, Cross Valley, and Riverside Farms. On September 17, River Ranch of Salinas announced a recall of packages of spring mix containing spinach. River Ranch obtained bulk spring mix containing spinach from Natural Selection. The following brands are involved: Fresh N’ Easy Spring Mix and Hy-Vee Spring mix containing baby spinach, distributed to retailers in Texas, Iowa and New Mexico. Product was packed in 5 oz. bags and 5 oz. plastic trays. Products that do not contain spinach are not part of this recall.
However, the FDA is warning consumers to avoid all spinach products, not just the ones listed above, as the source of the E. coli contamination hasn’t yet been identified.
