Looks like weâve survived another week of cyclospora, despite a broadening of the potential source of the scourge of the salad bar. Yesterday, federal officials said the outbreak had spread to nine states, and theyâve added two more suspects: cilantro and parsley. At this point, the CDC has identified the outbreak in Illinois, Kansas, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. As cyclospora explodes across the states, officials say itâs helping them see how items move through the food supply. If youâve suffered already, you know the contaminated food moves quickly.
Officials are recalling more than 1.6 million eggs over salmonella concerns. The eggs from Midwest Poultry Services we sold in Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshireâs, Country Morning, and Sunups cartons sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi. Questionable eggs carry plant code P-1950 or 840962, with sell-by dates of July 20 to August 17. Toss âem or return âem, but do not scramble or fry them. And clean any surface theyâve touched.
New tariffs up to 12.5 percent went into place yesterday on 60 U.S. trading partners. Officials say the administration are to combat the use of forced labor, not only a human rights issue, but one that makes it more difficult for the U.S. to compete due to the use of low cost/no cost labor. Those new tariffs went into effect at 12:01 a.m. FridayâŚthe same time the earlier tariffs expired.
Speaking of expiredâŚthe heat dome that has suffocated part of the country this summer shows no sign of going away anytime soon. Forecasters are calling for elevated temperatures across the midwestâŚand Tropical Storm Bertha may finally be weakening, having brought 2-4 inches of rain across coastal Texas and hill country.
Meanwhile, Comic-Con International gets underway today in San Diego. More than 135,000 people are expected to attend before it ends tomorrow. Comic-Con started in 1970 with 100 comic book fans in a hotel basement. Today, itâs 500,000 square feet of exhibit space, more than 1,000 exhibitors and about 2,000 hours of programming.
The economy isnât getting better. Oil prices topped $100 barrel last week, tariffs will keep prices on imported goods elevated, and weâre watching to see what Fed Chair Kevin Warsh will be doing about interest rates. Betting folks (thatâs Wall Street) say thereâs more than a slight chance the Fed will hike interest rates. If youâre a homebuyer, you already know rates are risingâŚas always, weâll keep you posted.
â Jim Shepherd