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Feds Investigating Lumber Liquidators Over Formaldehyde Allegations

In the wake of a primetime news report alleging that some flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators contained excessive amounts of formaldehyde, federal regulators at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have confirmed the agency is investigation the lumber company.

In a statement, CPSC Chair Elliot Kaye says the agency is “actively investigating laminate flooring products from Lumber Liquidators,” and that the company has thus far been cooperative.

Formaldehyde is commonly and safely used in the manufacture of laminated wood flooring, but it has to be used sparingly so that the chemical dissipates quickly. If an excess of formaldehyde is used, it can remain in the laminated wood and gradually be emitted over time. Prolonged, continued exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to numerous health problems ranging from nausea to increased cancer risk. Children are more susceptible than adults to the toxic effects of formaldehyde.

A recent report on CBS’ 60 Minutes claimed that the laminated wood Lumber Liquidated sourced from suppliers in China contained more formaldehyde than its domestically sourced laminates and similar products sold by competitor. One sample allegedly contained so much formaldehyde that the lab equipment could not measure it.

Kaye said that while this is an important investigation, a quick conclusion is not in the cards.

“Our work will take some time and often the science does not provide the clarity we all wish it would,” explained Kaye. “Our work will involve testing of samples as well as consideration of home-based exposure scenarios to consider risks.”

Lumber Liquidators continues to defend its products, saying that the testing process used in the CBS report is flawed.

“We have been in direct communication with CPSC staff over the past several weeks and expect them to review our products using sound science and test methods that evaluate finished flooring as used in consumers’ homes,” the company said in a statement. “It is our firm belief that finished product testing, rather than deconstruction, is the best approach to determine consumer safety.”

The company was recently sued by a family in California, alleging that the company misled consumers in that state with labels declaring that flooring complied with California’s strict formaldehyde emission standards. The plaintiffs in the case are seeking class action status to include other Californians who purchased Lumber Liquidators flooring.

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Google Fiber To Expand More, Adds Salt Lake City To List Of Lucky Locales

(Rob Bruce)

Google said earlier this year that the FCC’s net neutrality rule wouldn’t stop them from investing more in Google Fiber, and it looks like they really meant it. The service is now slated to expand to yet another location: Salt Lake City.

Google posted on their Fiber blog that Salt Lake City is joining other recent Google Fiber cities “in the design phase” of building the network.

It’s not a fast process; the blog specifies that “over the coming months,” Google will work with its new partner cities — not just Salt Lake City, but also the previously announced Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, and Raleigh areas — to figure out where, exactly, their speedy fiber-optic cables should go.

Google Fiber is frequently touted as a viable competitor to existing cable monopolies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Charter. Where the service has entered the market, consumers have indeed seen faster internet offerings and lower prices from competitors. However, as of right now, Google Fiber is only available in three markets: Kansas City (MO and KS); Austin, TX; and Provo, UT.

by Kate Cox via Consumerist

Owner Finds His Rental Home Has Been Rigged To Explode At The Flip Of A Switch

(Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie)

Talk about nightmares: The owner of a house that he’d been renting out had a close call recently when an inspection revealed that the place had been rigged to blow up when a light switch was flipped. Because that kind of intricate wiring isn’t a mistake, police are now investigating.

Police in Massachusetts are now looking for the people who were renting the house, reports NBC News.

The homeowner was conducing a pre-sale inspection on the home with his attorney and an electrical inspector, when the electrician discovered the rigged light switch, Milton Police Chief Richard G. Wells Jr. said Tuesday.

The chief said the mechanism was an intricate set-up — it took police bomb specialists working for several hours in the house before it was declared disarmed and safe.

“It took some work to put it in there,” Wells said, noting that the explosive substance was “secreted inside the house” and connected to a particular light switch through an intricate network of wires snaking through several rooms.

“We believe the intention was that if someone had flipped the light switch on where it ended, the device would have exploded,” he said.

Police were called to the house last week on a vandalism complaint, while it was occupied by renters. At that time, officers found the house’s drains plugged with cement.

Both the Boston and Milton police are now looking for the renters as persons of interest in the investigation.

“I have never seen anything like this,” said Wells, adding that whoever rigged this wasn’t trying to provide a fun fireworks show for the enjoyment of all involved. Instead, those behind the bomb “definitely had malicious intent in what they did.”

Renters Sought After Massachusetts House Rigged to Explode [NBC News]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Philadelphia Uber Driver Accused Of Rape

A woman in Philadelphia has accused a driver for ridesharing service Uber of raping her and holding her captive for hours in his car after the alleged assault.

According to Philadelphia Magazine, the woman was picked up by an UberX driver in the city’s Old City neighborhood on Feb. 6.

She told police that the driver held her down, ripped her pants, and raped her, then kept her in his car for two additional hours as he drove around.

Police confirmed the investigation to Philadelphia Magazine, but Uber claims that it had not been told about the allegation until yesterday, even though the passenger went to the police the same day she was allegedly assaulted.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our rider,” a rep for Uber tells PhillyMag. “Upon learning of the incident, we immediately reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department to assist in their investigation and support their efforts in any way we can. As the investigation continues, the driver’s access to the Uber platform has been suspended.”

While many have championed services like Uber for offering competition to traditional taxi services, the company has been criticized for not doing enough to ensure the safety of its passengers.

Female passengers have reported being harassed and groped, held hostage, and physically assaulted by drivers.

And it’s not just women. In Chicago, a driver has been accused of sexually assaulting and choking a male passenger. Following multiple incidents of driver malfeasance in that city, Chicago Uber users will soon have access to a “panic button” feature in their mobile app.

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Elephants Help Rescue 18-Wheeler Truck Stuck In Louisiana

(Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office)

Forget calling for a tow truck — there’s another road rescue team in place and they probably work for peanuts. But seriously, while it might sound like a joke to have a couple of elephants helping out a stuck semi-truck on the side of the road, it’s all too delightfully true.

A pair of pachyderms was put to work assisting the 18-wheeler trailer they were traveling in when it got stuck on the side of the highway in Nachitoches Parish, LA, reports WTVR.com. They’re seen in photos of the incident leaning against the truck, guided by their handler, as the vehicle appears to be on the verge of tipping over.

Sheriff’s deputies arriving on the scene were surprised to find animals heaving and ho-ing instead of say, a guy with a tow truck. Because again, elephants!

“When deputies arrived on scene, they were astounded to find two elephants keeping the 18-wheeler from overturning,” a sheriff’s department spokesman wrote. “The truck became stuck after the driver pulled off the edge of the soft shoulder. Recent rains caused the ground off of the shoulder to be soft.”

To take the weight off the animals, a local wrecker service was called in to help remove the truck, the sheriff’s office adds.

The truck now owes the elephants a solid, you know. And it better deliver, because these guys do not forget.

Sheriff’s deputies shocked to find elephants holding up tipped 18-wheeler [WTVR.com]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist

Organic Spinach From Meijer, Target, Wild Harvest, And Cadia Recalled For Possible Listeria

ucm439760 It’s not always fun when our predictions come true, especially when that prediction is about how contaminated food from a single vendor is about to trigger recalls in a variety of places across the food supply. On Monday, we predicted more organic spinach recalls to come, and we were right. Packages of frozen organic spinach from four additional brands have now been recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria bacteria.

What should you look for in your freezer? Here are the potentially-listeria-contaminated products that have been recalled:

Simply Balanced Organic Chopped Spinach (sold at Target): These are a 10-ounce steam-in-bag package. Bring them back to the store where they were purchased, and call 866-672-0811 with any questions.

Cadia Organic Cut Spinach (Only in California): 16-ounce frozen spinach package.

Meijer Organics Chopped Spinach: 16-ounce frozen spinach package; distributed to warehouses in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Check your spinach against the UPC in the recall notice.

Wild Harvest Organic Cut Leaf Spinach: 16-ounce frozen spinach packages. Check sell by dates by state on the recall notice.

For all of the brands except Simply Organic sold at Target, call (804) 385-3772 with any questions.

According to this latest recall notice, the original source of the spinach was Green Vegetable Company in Oxnard, California.

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

New Homeowner Has To Sell House Because Of Comcast’s Incompetence, Lack Of Competition

HJ Heinz Buying Kraft In Deal That Will Create One Huge Food Giant

(JeepersMedia)

Usually when two parties walk down that aisle and say “I do” in front of everyone, there are a few whispers from those assembled wondering when the twosome will settle down and start making children. In the case of Heinz and Kraft, everyone already knows what their union will produce — a giant food company baby.

If you’ve been putting ketchup on your macaroni and cheese (without shards of metal, let’s hope), you probably saw this merger coming a long way off: H.J. Heinz Co. is buying Kraft Foods Group, which will create what the companies say is going to be the third-largest food and beverage company in North America, reports the Chicago Tribune, with annual revenue of about $28 million.

It’ll be a split living arrangement, with Kraft Heinz keeping headquarters in both Pittsburgh, where Heinz hails from, and also in the Chicago area, home to Kraft, notes the Associated Press.

The two companies have become household names in the more than 100 years that both have existed, with brands like Oscar Mayer, Ore-Ida, Jell-O and of course Kraft and Heinz included in the roster of familiar names that will now all be part of the same family.

Kraft shareholders will get stock in the new company and a special cash dividend of about $10 billion, or about $16.50. Each share of Kraft will turn into one share of Kraft Heinz.

Heinz shareholders will own 51% of the new company, with Kraft shareholders hanging onto the other 49% stake.

“This is my kind of transaction,” said Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway, one of the engineers of the union (his company and investment firm 3G capital bought Heinz two years ago). “Uniting two world-class organizations and delivering shareholder value. I’m excited by the opportunities for what this new combined organization will achieve.”

The union still needs a final blessing from federal regulators as well as shareholders of Kraft Foods Group, but both companies’ boards have already given the go-ahead unanimously.

HJ Heinz buying Kraft in deal to create food giant [Chicago Tribune]

Heinz buying Northfield-based Kraft and building a $28 billion food giant [Associated Press]

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist