19 skull fractures later, Bumbo adds a safety belt, and another warning label By James R. Hood, ConsumerAffairs.com The Bumbo is a baby seat that helps babies sit up before they are able to do so on their own. This is not a particularly good idea, since babies are not only top-heavy but also tend to be emotionally volatile and physically active. One good rock backwards and an infant can either fall out of the seat or cause it to overturn. "I was in the bath and my 6-month-old son Billy was in the bathroom with me right next to the bath in his Bumbo playing with a toy when he dropped it. As he was reaching for it, he fell straight out onto his head," a mom named Zoe said in a ConsumerAffairs review in March. "I did not leave him alone. I was right next to him. The purpose of a Bumbo is so that they can sit unaided safely. You don't expect to have to hold them in the Bumbo just in case they fall out!" It's bad enough if the seat is on the...

By Rosemary Shinohara, Anchorage Daily News New wireless communication towers are popping up in Anchorage, Mat-Su and elsewhere in Alaska as a big new company, Verizon Wireless, moves into the state and other cell phone companies upgrade their networks. Verizon is set to begin Alaska service sometime in 2013. The increase in cell towers is leading to conflicts in some areas between residents who don't want tall poles and antennas looming over their yards -- and companies competing to offer ever-more sophisticated cell phone services. For example, east-side residents joined a battle this week over a proposal to build a 100-foot tower at 2100 E. Northern Lights Boulevard, in the parking lot of a medical building near Northern Lights and Lake Otis Parkway. The city Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday rejected the tower site after city officials said it didn't fit with the College Village neighborhood just off Northern Lights. In Turnagain, anot...

Risk of Rare, But Life-Threatening Adverse Events or Death By Drugs.com The FDA is reviewing reports of children who developed serious adverse effects or died after taking codeine for pain relief after tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Recently, three pediatric deaths and one non-fatal but life-threatening case of respiratory depression were documented in the medical literature. These children (ages two to five) had evidence of an inherited (genetic) ability to convert codeine into life-threatening or fatal amounts of morphine in the body. All children had received doses of codeine that were within the typical dose range. When codeine is ingested, it is converted to morphine in the liver by an enzyme called cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6). Some people have DNA variations that make this enzyme more active, causing codeine to be converted to morphine faster and more completely than in other people. These “ultra-rapid metabolizers” are ...

Kumho Recalling Tires Sidewall cracks could result in air loss Read the entire article here . Mercedes-Benz Recalling Floor Mats Ill-fitting mats could entrap the accelerator pedal Read the entire article here .

By FDA.gov Burch Equipment LLC, North Carolina, is expanding its recall to include all of this growing season's cantaloupes and honeydew melons that may remain on the market because they may possibly be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. There have been no illnesses reported to date. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Although healthy individuals may suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women. The incubation period (the length of time between consuming a product and becoming ill) for Listeria monocytogenes can be 1 to 3 weeks, but may be in the range of 3 to 70 days. The whole cantaloupes are identified by a red label reading Burch Farms referencing PLU # 4319. All cantaloup...

By FDA.gov Missa Bay, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ready Pac Foods, Inc., of Swedesboro, New Jersey is voluntarily recalling a total of 293,488 cases and 296,224 individually distributed units of fruit, vegetable, and sandwich products containing apples, as listed below, with the Use‐by dates of July 8, 2012 through August 20, 2012 because they contain diced or sliced apples which may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious or life‐threatening food borne illness in a person who eats a food item contaminated with it. Symptoms of infection may include fever, muscle aches, gastro intestinal symptoms such as nausea or diarrhea. The illness primarily impacts pregnant women and adults with weakened immune systems. Most healthy adults and children rarely become seriously ill. The recalled products were produced and distributed from the Missa Bay, LLC facility to retailers and foodservice operators in t...

Feature is being added to more U.S. cars in 2013 model year By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com A technology that saves gasoline by stopping and starting the engine when a vehicle is idle is gaining ground in the U.S. The stop-start system, a technology that shuts off a vehicle's engine when stopped in traffic, is fairly common in Europe and Japan. Lux Research predicts that more than eight million vehicles in North America will be equipped with engine stop-start systems by 2017. As the name implies, the system shuts down the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop, such as at a traffic signal. It springs back to life when the driver touches the accelerator. With each start and stop it saves a few drops of fuel. Around since the 80s The technology has been around for a while -- as far back as the 1980s. But while 40 percent of the vehicles in Europe and Japan are equipped with the feature, it hasn't caught on in the U.S. But that's going to change,...

Our view: Not good enough By Anchorage Daily News The Anchorage Police Department reports that the state Office of Special Prosecutions and Appeals has concluded that the fatal police shooting of Harry Smith in July was justified. Case closed? Not quite. Too many questions remain about this shooting. APD still hasn't explained exactly what happened. The assistant district attorney who reviewed the police investigation of the shooting says he can't explain what evidence led to his conclusion that it was justified. Trust us, this man had to die, is not an adequate answer. Especially not in the third case of a fatal shooting by authorities this year. This is no way for a police department to do business. The police work for the citizens of Anchorage. They are accountable to us. When they employ the power we've given them to use deadly force, they must be able to explain exactly why and how. Read the entire article here .

GE Recalls Dishwashers A heating element defect poses a fire hazard Read the entire article here . Menno Beachy Recalls Grape Tomatoes Because Of Possible Health Risk Limited Distribution In Minnesota, Wisconsin, And Michigan Read the entire article here . Tomales Bay Foods, Inc. Issues A Voluntary Recall of Two Cheeses Because of Possible Health Risk Tomales Bay Foods, Inc., Petaluma, CA, a cheese distribution company, is recalling all partial wheels of two cheeses distributed by Tomales Bay Foods Inc., due to an abundance of caution because of possible contamination by Listeria. Read the entire article here .

"Hi, I'm calling from the Federal Trade Commission to tell you that you have won $250,000…" By Truman Lewis, ConsumerAffairs.com Someone who claims to work for the Federal Trade Commission calls to inform you that you have won a lottery or sweepstakes. To receive the prize, all you have to do is pay the taxes and insurance. The caller asks you to wire money or send a check for an amount between $1,000 and $10,000. What should you do? Whatever you do, don't send any money or provide any account information. The FTC is the nation's consumer protection agency. It investigates fraud and provides free information, but it never collects money directly from consumers. FTC employees don't have any involvement with this sweepstakes scam, and they want you to avoid it. The caller might suggest that the FTC is supervising the giveaway. He or she might even use the name of a real FTC employee. Your Caller ID might display the Federal Trade Commi...

Security flaws in banking apps are not the only problem By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com Banks are increasingly urging customers to use mobile banking, to enjoy the convenience of accessing their accounts with their smartphones. But before jumping on the mobile banking bandwagon, there are dangers to consider. "Trade securities, transfer funds between eligible accounts and get a single view of your Bank of America banking plus Merrill Edge investment accounts in one place," Bank of America says on its website. "You can also access a full range of investment products, analysis and market insights." Bank of America and other financial institutions do provide security features and advanced encryption technology, which is good. But is it enough to provide protection against identity theft and other financial crimes? A number of researchers, including Paul O'Farrell of the Identity Theft Council, have warned some mobile banking apps have se...

Elderly, people who live alone should take special care By Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com Much of the U.S. remains in the grip of a severe drought brought on by a series of heat waves. While much attention has been focused on the impact this is having on crops and livestock, a medical historian says these heat waves are extremely dangerous for people too. A hurricane might claim 100 lives as it devastates a coastal area. A tornado may kill a dozen people as it wipes a small town off the map. But a heat wave, says Richard Keller, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor of medical history and bioethics, can kill tens of thousands. Keller is compiling a detailed account of the epic 2003 heat wave that broiled parts of Europe that summer and killed an estimated 70,000 people. Over a three-week period in August that year, a massive high-pressure system parked over Europe, producing the hottest summer weather in more than 500 years and leading to most of those...

More than half of all U.S. counties have been named disaster areas By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com There's no letup in the drought gripping much of the nation. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today signed disaster designations for an additional 218 counties in 12 states as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat. Counties designated today are in Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming. More than half (50.3 percent) of all counties in the United States have been designated disaster areas by USDA in 2012, mainly due to drought. "The assistance announced today will help U.S. livestock producers dealing with climbing feed prices, critical shortages of hay and deteriorating pasturelands,” said Vilsack. “Responding to my request, crop insurance companies indicated that producers can forgo interest penalties to help our n...

A fire hazard with the products has caused $7 million in damage By James Limbach, ConsumerAffairs.com Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation, of Hoffman Estates, IL, are recalling nearly 800,000 Kenmore dehumidifiers. The dehumidifiers, made BY LG Electronics, of Tianjin, China, can overheat, smoke, melt and catch on fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers. There have been 107 reports of incidents, with more than $7 million in property damage and three reports of smoke inhalation injuries. The recall involves 35-, 50- and 70-pint dehumidifiers with a Kenmore logo on the front top of the unit, manufactured between 2003 and 2005. The dehumidifiers are made of white plastic and are between 21 and 24 inches tall, about 15 inches wide and about 13.5 inches in depth. They have fan and humidity controls on their top front panels and some models include remote controls. They come with front-loading water buckets. The model number can be found on the right ...

Patio Bistro Sets Sold at Lowe's Stores Recalled Failure of a support bar to engage properly creates a fall hazard Read the entire article here . Toyota Recalling RAV4 and Lexus HS250h Passenger Vehicles A problem with the rear tire rods could lead to loss of vehicle control and a crash Read the entire article here . Frozen Bacon Cheeseburger Patties Recalled The food nay contain foreign materials -- like gasket pieces Read the entire article here . Busch's Fresh Food Market Recalls Deli Products Containing Peeled Whole Yellow Onions The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes Read the entire article here . Cantaloupe Recall Expanded Athena variety cantaloupes contain a possible health risk Read the entire article here .

8-month-old Jayce Hasem (Left) and his non-custodial father Ismail Hashem (Right) (August 3, 2012) Ismail Hashem does not have custody of his child By Web reporter, Q13 FOX News Online Police in Longview issued an Amber Alert after a man took his 8-month-old child without permission late Friday morning. According to police, Ismail Hashem took his son, Jayce Hasem, from a babysitter in the area of Parkhill Drive. He does not have custody of the child. Hashem, 23, could be driving a 2005 silver Toyota Highland with Washington license plates 420TUF or a 2012 black Nissan Altima with Oregon plates 434FPV. The Nissan Altima is a rental car. Hashem is about 5-feet 9-inches tall and 140 pounds. He was last seen in a black hooded sweatshirt. Hashem also goes by Soma Hashem. Jayce was wearing only a diaper. Hashem has ties to Texas and Egypt, according to police. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Longview Police at 360-442-5929. Read the entire ...

High-earning 2007 is cut from five-year average; recession influence continues. By Becky Bohrer, Associated Press Alaskans could see a smaller Permanent Fund dividend this fall. The Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. on Thursday said it expects to transfer $605 million to the dividend division for checks -- down from $801 million last year and the lowest transfer since fiscal year 2005. The amount of investment earnings allocated to dividends is based on a five-year rolling average of Permanent Fund performance. Dropping from the average this year is 2007, a recent high-water mark in which the fund earned $3.4 billion in statutory net income, realized gains used in calculating the dividend. Staying in is 2009, during the recession, when the fund recorded its first net loss in the statutory net income. The statutory net income earned this past fiscal year was $1.6 billion. Read the entire article here .

By Casey Grove, Anchorage Daily News Updated, 10:40 a.m.: A man being pursued by Alaska State Troopers on the Glenn Highway was shot and killed after he "advanced on three troopers with a raised bat," the troopers said in a written statement. The man and the troopers involved have not been identified. Here's the full statement: On 8/3/12 at approximately 0401 hours, Alaska State Troopers attempted to stop a 1994 Saturn Coupe at Lucille Street and the Parks Highway. The vehicle was observed failing to signal as it made a right-hand turn onto the Parks Highway from Tommy Moe Road. The vehicle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued heading southbound on the Parks Highway. Prior to passing the Trunk Road turnoff, spike strips were deployed and managed to deflate a tire. However, the vehicle continued driving southbound onto the Glenn Highway. As the vehicle neared milepost 25, the vehicle caught on fire and stopped in the southbound lane. The driver and sole occupant, ...

By Casey Grove, Anchorage Daily News An Alaska state trooper shot and killed a man after a car chase on the Glenn Highway north of Anchorage early this morning, shutting down traffic near the Thunderbird Falls exit, according to Alaska State Troopers. No law enforcement officers were injured, troopers said. The pursuit began in Wasilla near Lucille Street and the Parks Highway, troopers spokeswoman Beth Ipsen said. It ended about 4:20 a.m. at Mile 25 of the Glenn Highway, where a trooper shot at the suspect, she said. Details such as what triggered the chase or shooting, or if the suspect was armed, were not immediately available, Ipsen said. Read the entire article here .