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WASHINGTON — Peak toll rates on Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway could be $9 for vehicles with two people in them in the evening, under a proposal the Virginia Department of Transportation is considering.

VDOT is looking at $9 in the evening and $7 in the morning for High Occupancy Toll lanes with two people in the vehicles.

The tolls being considered for HOT-3 inside the Beltway would be  $8 in the morning and $3 in the evening.

The rate for a reverse commute inside the Beltway would be $1 for both HOT-2 and HOT-3.

The tolls would not go into effect for a few years. It has yet to be determined whether the express lanes, where the tolls change based on the amount of traffic, would be for two or three people in a vehicle.

No decision has been made as to whether the lanes would be HOT-2 or HOT-3, and officials say the rates are only ranges at this point.

Word of the I-66 tolls inside the Beltway come as the Commonwealth Transportation Board decided Virginia can move ahead with a $2 billion plan to upgrade I-66 outside the Beltway.

Virginia Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne says the rates for dynamic tolling are estimates at this point.

“We’re not being driven by the maximum revenue. We’re being driven by getting the maximum people through there,”  Layne tells WTOP.

“The tolls would be for the entire trip,” he says. “Most people won’t go the whole way (from the Capital Beltway past Arlington). We understand that tolling is impactful on people in terms of their monetary consideration.”

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WASHINGTON — A fire truck in D.C. took a 1-month-old baby to the hospital Monday because waiting for the nearest available ambulance would have delayed care.

A fire ladder truck arrived in the 5000 block of Hunt Street in Northeast just four minutes after dispatch, according to D.C. Fire and EMS Spokesman Tim Wilson.

A fire engine with a paramedic arrived four minutes later, and an EMS supervisor also arrived at the scene.

The nearest available ambulance, however, didn’t arrive until 13 minutes after dispatch. It had been a little more than four miles away from the scene.

Responders made the decision to transport the baby in the fire truck — a move not entirely unusual but not considered ideal, either.

NBC Washington first reported a child in cardiac arrested was transported by fire truck.

Wilson says the baby was in critical condition but was conscious and breathing at the time fire fighters arrived.

Last week, a baby from Southeast died after the nearest ambulance was seven miles away.

Earlier this year, Mayor Muriel Bowser vowed to increase available ambulances to 49 during peak demand.

But in both cases of a fire truck transporting a baby, there were only 39 ambulances operating.

The post D.C. fire truck transports baby to hospital appeared first on WTOP.

HYATTSVILLE, Md. — The charming smile on Breeze’s face might make it easy to imagine she has a social conscience, but the truth is, she just likes plastic. The end result? A lot of plastic bottles are getting recycled.

“I’ve recycled my whole life, and Breeze loves bottles, so we just put the two together,” Melissa Paglisi says of her 2-year-old Golden Retriever that picks up plastic bottles while out walking in their Hyattsville neighborhood.

“We allowed her to do it because we saw how much joy she gets in bringing a bottle home, so we just put it in the recycle when she’s done.”

Breeze is popular in her Hyattsville neighborhood, which is near East West Highway and Queens Chapel Road. Even the local UPS delivery driver brings her treats.

And the pooch’s proclivity toward plastic seems to be a win for everyone.

“My husband has lived on this street his whole life, so he really cares about the neighborhood and the street — and it being clean especially,” Puglisi says of husband Joe.

She never really thought about it before Breeze was featured in The Hyattsville Life & Times, but Puglisi says she now realizes that two years of collecting about 10 plastic bottles a week has to add up.

“There’s a lot of bottles and trash on the ground, so we think it definitely helps that she’s doing this.”

The post Meet Breeze, the Hyattsville dog that recycles appeared first on WTOP.

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Ajax. He’s a year-and-a-half old pup who loves to hike and runs around happily outside during thunder storms, much to the surprise of his people.

Here’s what Chris, one of Ajax’s humans, had to say about him.

Hello from Ajax! 

While this year and a half old lab/shepherd mix enjoys the city life… deep down he is a country boy. Almost every Friday afternoon he talks his human parents into taking him on a hiking adventure to the Shenandoah National Park for the weekend, where he conquers difficult rocky slopes, takes in beautiful mountaintop views, and of course takes up half the tent through the nights. 

Ajax is a resuce dog from Awol Mutts and has been a part of our little family for over a year now. Contrary to popular belief, he is not named after the cleaning product, but after the Greek hero Ajax the Great. Always happy, overly courageous, and sometimes very needy; he demands a minimum of about 5 miles running/walking a day. I’m not sure if we’re keeping him in shape, or he’s keeping us in shape at this point. 

Ajax knows more commands than he can count on all four of his paws, and has some weird habits. He prefers to lay down with his body in this weird twisted position as seen in one of the pictures. Every day when dad gets home from work, Ajax has prepared a mini scavenger hunt with all of dad’s socks. And one of Ajax’s favorite things to do… is go outside and sprint frantically in circles in thunderstorms (go figure – somehow he enjoys them). 

Weird, and high maintenance, he’s the best friend we ever could have asked for.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week?Emailoffice@arlnow.comwith a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

The post Pet of the Week: Ajax appeared first on WTOP.

A few weeks ago, I asked why Hostess doesn’t make pumpkin spice cupcakes. It turns out that I should have known better than to ask such a ridiculous question: Hostess just hadn’t announced their pumpkin spice cupcakes yet. Of course there are pumpkin spice cupcakes with plain creme filling, and plain Twinkies with pumpkin-flavored filling in a strange shade of brownorange.

The filling probably looks more appetizing in person. Meanwhile, in marketers’ continuing attempts to get pumpkin spice into every part of our diets during the fall, Arnold has made pumpkin bread with pumpkin seeds available, making it easier to spend your fall with something that includes pumpkin spice in every meal.

While pumpkin spice soaps, body washes, shampoos, lotions, and so on are a staple, we had never heard of pumpkin spice dish soap. Until now. We can blame the grocery chain Giant for this nightmare.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Hostess Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Twinkies
SPOTTED ON SHELVES: Giant Limited Time Originals Pumpkin Dish Washing Liquid

Patch.com

Dog-A-Pool-Ooza! Lets Local Pets Cool Off in Public Pool Patch.com The one-time event will take place on Sunday, Sept. 13, from noon until 4 p.m. for friendly, social dogs who are up to date on vaccinations. By Ethan Levine (Patch Staff) September 9, 2015. ShareTweetGoogle PlusRedditEmailComments0. Dog-A-Pool-Ooza! and more »

A Michigan woman’s scary run-in with a creepy, crawly spider serves as a great reminder of the importance of washing your fresh produce when you bring it home, because there could be a black widow spider just hanging out in that bunch of grapes, you know, just waiting for you.

WXYZ-TV in Detroit reports that the woman had started washing the grapes she’d just purchased at Walmart when a black widow crawled out.

“I’ve never seen one before in person and then here it is, ‘Hi!’” she said.

After meeting her new friend, the woman wasn’t sure what to do, so she called 9-1-1.

“When I called them, I said ‘This isn’t really an emergency, but I have a black widow spider’ and he’s like ‘Just kill it’ and I’m like ‘Me? You want me to kill it?’”

Her brother and her boyfriend took the spider outside and sprayed it with insect killer until it was dead, CBS Detroit reports.

While the woman tells WXYZ that she’s glad the spider was found before anyone was hurt, she doesn’t think she’ll be buying grapes anytime soon.

The Troy-area Walmart where the woman bought the fruit says they are investigating the unwelcome critter.

“When it comes to food safety, we take all allegations seriously,” the company says in statement. “We are working to investigate all aspects of this allegation and taking appropriate measures to fully understand what may have happened. Our stores have procedures in place to help ensure products meet our high expectations for fresh, quality food.”

Produce is routinely checked by U.S. Customs, but from time to time insects and other things slip through. That’s certainly been the case lately when it comes to black widow spiders and grapes.

Black widow spiders like to build webs in vineyards, where they snack on insects and are generally helpful.

While they don’t want to end up in a colander in a suburban home, it’s a good idea to check your fruit before eating it, especially red grapes, which provide spiders with more cover. Remove grapes from the package before washing. Look for any insects. Don’t reach into the middle of the bag.

Just this year, Consumerist has reported on two incidents of the spiders found in the bunches of fruit, including one that resulted in a woman hospitalized with a bite.

In that case, which happened in May, the woman had purchased grapes from a Shaw’s supermarket in Massachusetts. The woman was reportedly hospitalized after she reached her hand into the bag of fruit and the spider crawled up her arm and took a bite.

People bitten by black widows might experience some muscle pain, experts say, requiring treatment at the hospital to have the situation monitored. Severe cases can require anti-venom, and most people are back to normal after a few days.

 

Woman finds black widow spider in bag of grapes from Troy Walmart [WXYZ ABC 7]
Troy Woman Says Black Widow Found In Grapes Bought At Walmart [CBS Detroit]

PREVIOUSLY IN SPIDER GRAPE NEWS:
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The dock diving dogs are returning to Lake Anne Plaza this weekend.

The Chesapeake Dock Diving Dog Club will hold a demonstration Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. (and will return again on Oct. 17).

The dogs, who perform extreme leaps and jumps into the lake, were last at Lake Anne in May.

That exhibition, as well as the upcoming ones, are part of a partnership with Lake Anne Plaza’s PetMAC Marketplace and Pet Adoption Center.

PetMAC will also have adoptable dogs from New Love Rescue and Homeward Trails available on Saturday, as well as “Ask the Trainer” with Kissable Canine.

There will also be representatives from various pet product businesses such as The Hope Center Advanced Veterinary Care Center and locally-made Golden Nugget Dog Treats; as well as samples of Fromm, Weruva, Answers, Stella & Chewy’s, K9Naturals, Zignature, Wild Calling and The Bear and The Rat probiotic frozen yogurt for dogs.

Chesapeake Dock Dogs/Chesapeake Dock Dogs via Facebook

The post Dock Diving Dogs Return to Lake Anne Saturday appeared first on WTOP.

WASHINGTON — Lucci is a charming husky-Lab/retriever mix. She is a medium-sized dog with beautiful coloring — especially on her face. Lucci has the most precious eyes, surrounded by a perfect mask of tan, black and white.

Her friendly demeanor and calm personality make Lucci a good pet to work with, especially for a first-time owner. She is friendly with other dogs and people, and loves to play in the park.

At just over 5 years old, Lucci qualifies for WARL’s Boomers’ Buddies program, meaning adopters over the age of 50 won’t have to pay an adoption fee.

Come out to the Washington Animal Rescue League and meet this sweet girl. She can’t wait to meet you!

About WARL: Founded in 1914, the Washington Animal Rescue League is the oldest animal shelter in Washington D.C. Its mission includes rescuing, rehabilitating and finding homes for animals who have no where else to go. The League also supports animals through affordable veterinary care, community outreach and education. Learn more about the Washington Animal Rescue League at www.warl.org.

If you are thinking of adding a furry friend to your family, check out these other great shelters in the area:

Maryland

Humane Society of Charles County
(301) 645-8181
71 Industrial Park Dr. PO Box 1015 Waldorf, Md. 20604

Humane Society of Charles County offers a low cost spay/neuter program to the public. Please call or visit our website for more information. The shelter is also looking for more foster parents to help its animals.

Prince George’s County Humane Society
(301) 262-5625
P.O. Box 925 Bowie, Md. 20718
Prince George’s County Humane Society is also looking for foster parents. For more information, contact the organization.

PAW — Partnership for Animal Welfare
(301) 572-4729
P.O. Box 1074 Greenbelt, Md. 20768

Paws Animal Kingdom
(301) 920-2318
P.O. Box 11531 Takoma Park, Md. 20912

Montgomery County Humane Society
(240) 773-5960
14645 Rothgeb Dr. Rockville, Md. 20850

The Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County
(301) 740-2511
12 Park Ave. Gaithersburg, Md. 20877

D.C.

Washington Humane Society
(202) 576-6664
1201 New York Ave. NE 20002

ASAP — Alliance for Stray Animals and People
(202) 331-1330
P.O. Box 65438 Washington, D.C. 20035-5438

Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue
(202) 575-2210
Approved applicants may attend monthly adoption meets that are usually held at the house of a volunteer in either Northern Virginia or Southern Maryland.

Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
(202) 741-5428
Lucky Dog is a foster home organization and does not run a dedicated housing facility.

Northern Virginia

A Forever Home
(703) 961-8690
A Forever-Home is a nonprofit dog rescue group that operates in the Northern Virginia/Washington Metropolitan area.

Lab Rescue of L.R.C.P.
(301) 299-6756
Lab Rescue of the LRCP is a volunteer driven, nonprofit organization that rescues, fosters and places homeless, abused, and/or abandoned Labrador retrievers.

FOHA — Friends of Homeless Animals
(703) 385-0224
All visitors must speak to a Friends representative before receiving directions to their shelter location.

SPCA of Northern Virginia
P.O. Box 100220 Arlington, Va. 22210-3220
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria
(703) 746-4774
4101 Eisenhower Ave. Alexandria, Va. 22304

Animal Welfare League of Arlington
(703) 931-9241
2650 S. Arlington Mill Dr. Arlington, Va.

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation
(703) 295-3647
P.O. Box 223953 Chantilly, Va. 20153

HART — Homeless Animal Rescue Team
(703) 691-HART
P.O. Box 7261 Fairfax Station, Va. 22039-7261

King Street Cats Rescue and Adoption
(703) 231-7199
25 Dove St. Alexandria, Va. 22314

Virginia German Shepard Rescue
(703) 435-2840
P.O. Box 126 Sterling, Va. 20167

 

The post Pet of the Week: Lucci appeared first on WTOP.

After recalling 36,000 cases of Kraft Singles out of concern that consumers could choke on parts of the film covering individual slices, Kraft Heinz has expanded the recall to include 335,000 more cases of cheese for the same packaging reason.

The company says the problem is more widespread than first believed, with 10 times more of the product involved than was included in the initial recall. In July, Kraft announced it was pulling 36,000 cases of American cheese singles after reports that a thin strip of the film covering individual slices could stick to the food and potentially cause someone to choke.

At that time, Kraft said it’d received three reports of customers choking, and had received seven other complaints about the packaging. Since then, Kraft says in a press release that it’s received two more new reports of customers choking.

The new recall includes 1-, 3- and 4-pound Kraft Singles American and White American cheese product with “Best When Used by Dates” ranging from December 2016 to March 2016, followed by the Manufacturing Code S54 or S55. Both those codes are stamped on both the outer box and individual packages.

The products were sold in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and 10 other countries and territories: Anguilla, the Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Grand Cayman, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, South Korea, St. Lucia, and the British Virgin Islands.

The July recall was limited to products shipped to retailers in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Grand Cayman with “Best By” dates of Dec. 29, 2016 to Jan. 4, 2016. For a complete list of products, <strong>click here.

Only products with the S54 and S55 codes, which refer to the two production lines on which the impacted product was made, are included in this recall. The “Best When Used By” Date and Manufacturing Code are stamped on both the outer box and the individual packages.

Consumers should return the product to the store where it was purchased for a full refund.

WASHINGTON — Three area school systems are raising prices for meals.

Price jumps in Prince William County, Prince George’s County and Alexandria City public schools range between five and 20 cents for students not eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Families with a child eating both breakfast and lunch in Prince William County Public Schools will pay a total of about $19 more this school year.

PWCPS prices per meal are rising by a nickel for the second time in two years. That makes the cost of a high school lunch there now $2.70, exactly the national average according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

School food services working with the National School Lunch Program are nonprofit, and the feds have a funding formula that sets prices based on how many free or reduced-price meals a school system provides.

In the Prince George’s County public schools, the cost of breakfast increased 10 cents this year, to $1.60 for all grades. Lunch increased 15 cents to $2.75 in elementary school. High school lunches now cost $3.

The biggest area price hike of 20 cents for lunch in Alexandria City Public Schools makes the cost now in elementary schools $2.65. Secondary school lunches will be $2.85. Breakfast costs will remain the same in Alexandria.

In D.C., public school students pay nothing for breakfast, an afterschool snack and afterschool supper meals. Full price DCPS lunches for children pre-K through fifth grades cost $2.10. Students in 6th through 12th grades pay $2.60 for lunch.

The school food business is getting increasingly sophisticated.

In Montgomery County schools, for example, the secondary school “Cafe Menu” lists calorie counts for everything from the Asian chicken and rice bowl (398-432 calories) to rosemary potatoes (100 calories).

In Arlington County, a new interactive website and app allows families to filter out menu items based on dietary restrictions. Other features include nutrition information that’s listed with pictures of every food item.

The post New prices, features come to area school meals appeared first on WTOP.

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Boogie. He’s a Cairn terrier mix who loves people, especially when they know his name and that he’s the unofficial mayor of Pentagon City.

Here’s what Kimberly, one of Boogie’s humans, had to say about him.

Boogie, a 10-year old Cairn terrier mix, is known as the Mayor of Pentagon City because of the friendly greeting he gives every human and canine he meets in the neighborhood. With his signature lion-like mane and constantly wagging deer-like tail, he’s developed quite a following since moving to the neighborhood 6 years ago, and he takes pride in the fact that so many people greet him by name.

Adopted 8 years ago from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington after being found as a stray, Boogie quickly took to apartment living. A strong silent type, he rarely makes a sound but still is easily able to convey his desire for a walk, a snack, a snuggle or a belly rub.

When he’s not chasing squirrels in Virginia Highlands Park, he can usually be found strolling the neighborhood with one of his human parents, grabbing lunch with one of his many human friends at outdoor cafes, or relaxing in front of the Pentagon Row shops waiting for passersby to pet him. Next time you see him, say hello!

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week?Emailoffice@arlnow.comwith a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

The post Pet of the Week: Boogie appeared first on WTOP.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — A portrait of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart has been removed from a Patrick County courtroom.

The Martinsville Bulletin (http://bit.ly/1fURDkT ) reports that Judge Martin F. Clark issued a statement on Tuesday announcing he removed the portrait from the Circuit Court’s courtroom on Aug. 19.

Clark says a courtroom should be a place that is fair and neutral. He says a portrait of a uniformed Confederate general who was a slave owner doesn’t comport with that standard.

The judge says a policy allowing Confederate flags to be displayed at demonstrations and events outside the building in the court square won’t change.

Confederate symbols have come under increased public scrutiny since the June 17 massacre of nine black worshippers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.

___

Information from: Martinsville Bulletin, http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com

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CBS Local

Child dies in Southeast DC; nearest ambulance was 7 miles away Washington Post A child died in Southeast Washington on Thursday, when the closest available ambulance was about seven miles from the scene of the emergency. That ambulance never made it to the child, and a fire engine started the trip to the hospital instead. The boy ... Child Taken to Hospital by DC Firetruck, DiesCBS Local DC officials: Response probed after child's death, closest available ambulance ...Greenfield Daily Reporter all 8 news articles »

Prince William County community calendar, Sept. 3-9, 2015 Washington Post Manassas farmers market Thursday 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Loy E. Harris Pavilion, 9201 Center St., and Saturday 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Parking Lot B, West Street (next to the train station visitors center), Manassas. 703-361-6599. www.visitmanassas.org. Free. Old ... and more »

Prince William County crime report Washington Post These were among incidents reported by Prince William County police. For information, call 703-792-7245. BRISTOW AREA. THEFT/BREAK-IN. Rainbow Falls Dr., 9200 block, 10:30 p.m. Aug. 23 to 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24. Cash, a wallet and a computer tablet ... and more »

Parking Changes in the City of Manassas Patch.com What you need to know about the changes are coming this Fall to parking in and around the Historic Downtown area of the City of Manassas. By Sharon Reed (Patch Staff) September 2, 2015. ShareTweetGoogle PlusRedditEmailComments0. Parking ... and more »

DC Animal Watch Washington Post These cases were handled by the Washington Humane Society, which operates its shelter at 7319 Georgia Ave. NW, and the District's, at 1201 New York Ave. NE. For information or assistance, call 202-723-5730 or go to www.washhumane.org. Cat ready for ... and more »

NBC4 Washington

Ex-volunteer music teacher in Manassas accused of child porn Washington Post A man who helped teach music at two Manassas schools has been charged in federal court with one count of production of child pornography, and authorities alleged that they found evidence that he posed as a girl online to entice young boys to send him ... School music volunteer faces federal child porn chargesW*USA 9 all 6 news articles »

While your inner child might thrill at the idea of having robots do stuff around the home, if you want to save a bunch of money and have a lawn with that clean-cut, green look, you could be better off sticking with a self-propelled lawnmower instead of the robotic kind.

Much like one of those robotic vacuum cleaners that cats love to ride on, at first glance it looks like a robotic mower would be just the thing for someone who wants to sit back and relax while a device does the hard work. But it’s not quite a “set it and forget it” situation with these somewhat pricy robo-mowers, as our esteemed colleagues at Consumer Reports found out when they recently tested a few models.

One of the big considerations shoppers will have to take into account is the price of robotic mowers — the four models Consumer Reports tested this summer ran from $1,000 to $2,400. That’s in comparison to the $400 price tag on a self-propelled Honda model that Consumer Reports has rated highly.

There’s also the question of installation time: you need to first set a perimeter wire for the robot mowers, driving a stake about every 18 inches into the ground to set boundaries, and then install the docking station and program the mower. All of that setting up can take several hours.

And once it’s going, there’s no guarantee the battery-powered mowers will keep going all by themselves, as they can get stuck on uneven surfaces on your lawn and need human hands to free them.

Another advantage of self-propelled mowers that shoppers should consider is the clean, even cut and straight lines Consumer Reports testers got with the self-propelled model. The robo mowers wander randomly, clipping the grass as they go, which results in an even cut, but a less smooth surface. That rougher cut can cause stress to the grass, drying it out and making it more susceptible to disease.

Check out the video from Consumer Reports below for more information on how robo mowers stack up to traditional self-propelled models:

Earlier this summer, GameStop acquired ThinkGeek in a $140 million transaction that observers thought might put great geeky collectibles inside GameStop stores. While the two companies have done that, there’s another phase to their plan: later this month, the first offline ThinkGeek store will open on September 25 at the Florida Mall in Orlando.

It’s not clear why they chose Orlando: neither company is based in Florida. The store is described as a “concept store,” which may or may not lead to even more ThinkGeek stores spreading worldwide, in addition to the geeky-collectible merchandise that GameStop stores already stock. Brands mentioned in the press release are Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Nintendo, Marvel, and Minecraft, and the store will offer “collectibles, gadgets, and apparel.”

“We are combining the power of the ThinkGeek brand with the retail expertise of GameStop to deliver a new store concept that will amaze and appeal to a broad range of customers from collectors to pop culture fans,” GameStop’s president of U.S. stores said in a statement in the announcement of this new team effort.

ThinkGeek has been an online retailer since 1999, but this will be its first real-life retail venture. GameStop is best known for its stores under that name, but also operates mobile phone stores that are resellers of AT&T Wireless and of Apple products.

A health watchdog group took legal action against some of the country’s largest e-cigarette manufacturers for failing to properly warn consumers about the risk of such products after tests show that most produce high levels of toxic chemicals.

The Center for Environmental Health conducted tests of 97 e-cigarettes and other “vaping” products from two dozen makers including Imperial Tobacco’s Vuse brand, NJoy, and RJ Reynolds’ blu brand for the report [PDF] titled “A Smoking Gun: Cancer Causing Chemicals in E-cigarettes.”

The report – which the group claims is the first-ever large sampling of actual e-cigarettes and vaping products tested simulating real-world use – found that 50 out of the 97 e-cigarettes tested pose a serious cancer risk.

The products used in the tests were purchased at easily accessible businesses such as 7-Eleven, Rite Aid, online retailers, and vape stores in the Bay Area.

According to the report, 90% of the companies had at least one product that produced high levels of formaldehyde or acetaldehydeone or both, representing a violation of California safety standards.

The two chemicals have been found to cause cancer and are also linked to genetic damage, birth defects and reduced fertility.

“The testing showed that 21 products produced a level of one of the chemicals at more than ten times the state safety standard, and seven products produced one of the chemicals at more than 100 times the safety level,” said CEH in a press release on Wednesday.

While some consumers believe that nicotine-free e-cigarettes are safe, the CEH testing found high levels of the chemicals even in several of these varieties.

For example, the report found one nicotine-free product produced acetaldehyde at more than 13 times the state legal safety threshold and formaldehyde at more than 74 times the threshold.

“Anyone who thinks that vaping is harmless needs to know that our testing unequivocally shows that it’s not safe to vape,” said Michael Green, Executive Director of CEH. “This is especially troubling given the reckless marketing practices of the e-cigarette industry, which targets teens and young people, and deceives the public with unfounded health and safety claims.”

In its legal claims [PDF], the group alleges that e-cigarette manufacturers are breaking California’s consumer protection laws.

“Our legal action aims to force the industry to comply with the law and create pressure to end their most abusive practices,” Green says.

According to the legal actions, the companies can resolve the issues if they agree to a binding agreement that recall products already sold, provide clear and reasonable warnings for products sold in the future, and pay an appropriate civil penalty based on violations.

General Mills has had enough frozen and canned vegetables, it seems, as the company announced it’s selling off its Green Giant and Le Sueur brands for $765 million in cash. It’s been trying to move away from packaged food as consumers’ tastes have changed, and this appears to be one more way it’s shedding its old image as it looks for a new approach to selling food.

The new owner is B&G Foods, a company that owns brands like Molly McButter cheese flavoring and Pirate’s Booty, though General Mills said it will still operate Green Giant in Europe and other export markets under license from B&G, reports the Wall Street Journal.

With all the cash it’s getting in the deal, General Mills says it’s planning on funding share buybacks and reducing its debt. The company has been struggling to keep customers as tastes move away from packaged food like Hamburger Helper and toward foods with healthy, fresh ingredients. As it tries to play catch-up, General Mills has had to cut jobs and close down plants.

And though one might think parting with a brand that’s so familiar to shoppers would be a bad move — who doesn’t know the Jolly Green Giant? — General Mills said once it redirected resources away from supporting the brand, it reviewed the business and decided it just wasn’t as valuable as it once was.

The deal benefits B&G by giving it a stake in the frozen-food market, which it didn’t have previously.

General Mills to Sell Green Giant, Le Sueur for $765 Million [Wall Street Journal]

Harris Faulkner, an anchor on the Fox News cable network, is a human and has been on TV for decades. Yet the toy company Hasbro sells a tiny plastic hamster as part of its Littlest Pet Shop line which is named Harris Faulkner. How did the hamster get its name? Is it intended to insult or honor Ms. Faulkner, or just a very strange coincidence? She has sued the company for $5 million dollars, either way.

Sure, I would love if someone named a toy hamster after me, but not without my permission. Faulkner may not have anything against hamsters, but her lawsuit says that the company “willfully and wrongfully appropriated Faulkner’s unique and valuable name and distinctive persona for its own financial gain.” The letters (TM) appear after the name Harris Faulkner on the toy’s package, which implies that the journalist’s name has been trademarked by Hasbro.

She also happens to have daughters who are six and eight years old, which is the target market for Littlest Pet Shop toys. The lawsuit is happening because she complained about the toy back in January, and Hasbro didn’t respond. The suit describes the existence of this doll as “distressing,” since she believes that the hamster doll “bear[s] a physical resemblance to Faulkner’s traditional professional appearance,” including her skin tone, eye shape, and the design of the animal’s eye “makeup.”

“Further,” the complaint says, “Hasbro’s portrayal of Faulkner as a rodent is demeaning and insulting.” Not just a rodent, but an officially licensed plastic rodent: Faulkner doesn’t endorse or license products, believing that’s inappropriate for a journalist.

We noticed that the toy is no longer on the Littlest Pet Shop site, and also isn’t in stock online at Diapers.com or Target, but it isn’t clear whether that’s due to the lawsuit or the toy has been rotated out of the current lineup of Littlest Pet Shop characters.

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, Hasbro declined to comment on the lawsuit about the resemblance of the hamster to Ms. Faulkner, but over her allegation that the toy is unsafe, and that a child could potentially choke on a rodent with her name on it. Hasbro sent a statement to Entertainment Weekly:

While we generally do not comment on litigation matters, it is critically important to correct a false statement made by Ms. Harris in the complaint regarding the safety of the product. The Littlest Pet Shop product identified, and all products in the Littlest Pet Shop line, meet and exceed all safety standards.

Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner sues Hasbro over same-named toy hamster [Deadline Hollywood]

Can a financial incentive make people change their driving habits? One police department in Pennsylvania is taking a slightly passive-aggressive approach to preventing accidents with signs that remind motorists how stop signs work. “Complete Stops: FREE,” the signs say. “Rolling Stops: $128.50. Your choice.” Police in neighboring towns are interested in the signs now, too.

The signs cost only $18 each, and the town has put up five at them at its most problematic intersections. Police have tried to watch those intersections, but can’t be there 24/7, and it’s always better to remind people not to roll through stop signs before they do it, if your goal is to prevent accidents and not fund the police department by writing tickets.

“We’ve enforced all the intersections where we had [complaints about motorists not stopping],” that apparently wasn’t doing the trick, we thought the signs might be an aid to that,” the police chief told TV station Fox 43.

None of this matters if they don’t work, of course. Reader Sherri lives in the area, and she took the lesson to heart. Well, to her wallet and to her heart. “I thought about it today at every stop sign I came apon and I made sure to completely stop, so it definitely works!” she wrote to Consumerist when sending the story in as a tip.

Police in Lancaster County get creative to crack down on dangerous driving [Fox 43]

Everyone who’s anyone in the fast food world knows that fried chicken is hot right now (pun intended), prompting chains that might not be known for serving it to jump on the chicken bandwagon. To wit: Taco Bell is exploring its poultry side with the “Naked Crispy Chicken Taco” — basically, a taco that has a shell made out of fried chicken.

A Redditor in California spotted the new menu item at a Taco Bell in Bakersfield, CA, selling for $2.99 for a single taco, or $4.99 as a combo with a large drink and an accompanying Crunchy Taco.

As for how it tastes, the poster says the chicken is breaded and fried, and “it’s pretty good and a little spicy.”

FoodBeast also tracked down the new chicken shell taco at a Lost Hills, CA location, so it could be that Taco Bell is limiting the new menu item to California.

The taco doesn’t contain more meat inside the walls of the shell (though ostensibly, it could, and we don’t doubt many people would love that idea), with a list of ingredients including lettuce, cheese, tomato and avocado ranch sauce.

We’ve reached out to Taco Bell for more details on this bit of fried chicken trendiness — whether it’s only in California and at which locations, or if it will expand testing to other locations as well — and will let you know when we hear back.

In the meantime, if you’ve spotted the Naked Crispy Chicken Taco at your local Taco Bell and have photographs to prove it, feel free to email us with your impressions at tips@consumerist.com.

Burger King is quite ready to give up hope that McDonald’s will see the light and agree to squash the beef in the name of peace. But while the King continues to wait, it is moving forward with offers of collaboration from other restaurant chains.

Burger King announced today on social media that it will gladly accept offers from Denny’s, Wayback Burgers, Krystal, and Giraffas to team-up for National Peace Day on Sept. 21.

The fast food restaurant proposes that the five companies come together to create a Peace Burger made with one key ingredient from each of their signature sandwiches.

“We’ve received a significant number of unexpected responses from other restaurants, large and small, each expressing an appetite for peace and enthusiasm to help spread the Peace One Day message,” the company says in a new social media campaign.

Burger King says that the new burger – whatever it may include – will be sold on Sept. 21 at a pop-up restaurant already under construction.

In addition to coming together for a unique burger, the King asked each of its would-be collaborators to make a donation to the Peace One Day organization.

Denny’s – always quick with social media – immediately accepted the offer, suggesting the new creation come with hash browns.

No official word yet from Wayback Burgers, Krystal or Giraffas on what they’ll be pitching in to the collaborative burger.

Burger King’s foray into promoting peace began last week when it asked McDonald’s to collaborate on a McWhopper to promote Peace Day.

The Golden Arches unceremoniously shot down the offer, leading to an onslaught of other chains stepping up.