FDA Alert - Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak

click map to enlarge

VIRGINIA HAS 20 REPORTED CASES

Major In-Store Brands OK, but avoid commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream)

From FDA - January 22, 2009: A combination of epidemiological analysis and laboratory testing by state officials in Minnesota and Connecticut, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have enabled FDA to confirm that the sources of the outbreak of illnesses caused by Salmonella Typhimurium are peanut butter and peanut paste produced by the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) at its Blakely, Georgia processing plant.

From CDC:

Case count is 488 in 43 states with latest reported illness beginning on January 8, 2009

To date, 15 clusters of infections in five states have been reported in schools and other institutions, such as long-term care facilities and hospitals. Among 14 clusters for which we have detailed information, King Nut is the only brand of peanut butter used in those facilities.

FDA has created a searchable database for these products, which can be found at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm

FDA and CDC recommendations for consumers include:

Major national brands of jarred peanut butter found in grocery stores are not affected by the PCA recall.

• Do not eat products that have been recalled and throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them.
• To determine if commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products (such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream) are subject to recall, consumers are urged first to visit FDA’s website and check the searchable database of recalled products.
• For information on products containing peanut butter from companies not reporting recalls, consumers may wish to consult the company’s website or call the toll-free number listed on most packaging. Information consumers may receive from the companies has not been verified by the FDA.
• If consumers cannot determine if their peanut butter, peanut butter/peanut paste-containing products or institutionally-served peanut butter contains PCA peanut butter/peanut paste, FDA recommends that they do not consume those products.
• Persons who think they may have become ill from eating peanut butter are advised to consult their health care providers.

FDA Alert Site

CDC Podcast

Eyewitness Blog from Obama Inauguration

BRD Remote Field Report
Presidential Inaugural Committee 2009 Volunteer, Jill

From 80,000 applications, 15,000 folks were accepted as volunteers. Our reporter, Jill, was one of the few selected. Her field report from this historic day follows:

Jan 12, 2009
1,500 in Monday training session for Jan 20 National Mall hosts.
We will wear red winter hat + commemorative badge & lanyard badge

Jan 20, 2009

4 am King Street Metro, Alexandria, VA

5 am Meet at foot of Washington Monument for visitor hospitality assignment. Some fumble with team captain MIA so our team (all local people) decides to walk the small but growing crowd. Dawn arrives.



7 am Seek warmth at Park Service office where Park rangers, soldiers, National Guard and other volunteers come and go



7:30 am Back to Mall; people streaming to the east side of 14th Street to be closer to the action.

8:30 am To the Warming tent for obvious reasons

About 9:00 am Text message from PIC2009 that visitors should be directed to the Mall west of 14th Street because the eastern portion was filled


9:30-10:00 am Crowds trying to get to eastern side of 14th Street being turned back and several minutes of reverse flow pedestrian traffic and incoming traffic were a little tense.


10:30am It's hard to get a sense of the size of the crowd as we find our own position near a Jumbotron. It seems HUGE (the crowd, not the Jumbotron).Friendly crowds near me, very diverse, there to experience history. For some, it was about the first African-American president; for others it was the change that is expected for the US with regard to science, education, war, torture. For some it was just hope that there will be someone in charge who is smarter than the rest of us.



10:30am-12:30pm Palpable excitement continues to build, I experience a personal sense of disbelief as I watch the proceedings unfold. Can it really be happening at last? In my area, very loud boos for Lynn Cheney and soon-to-be former (!) VP Cheney and soon-to-be former (!) President Bush. Loud cheers for the Carters and Clintons, Michelle, Malia & Sasha, Jill Biden, Sen. Biden. The pomp & circumstance is very moving and a feeling of pride in the US sweeps the crowd.

When Obama is televised walking to the entrance and then upon his emergence onto the stage, the crowd erupts into wild applause. Now it is becoming real. It is really happening. It is all a blur until Obama is sworn in and becomes our 44th President. The "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States" gets huge applause. The speech flashes by but with lots of applause, happiness and gratitude at several points in the speech.

Upon completion of the speech, crowds begin to disperse--but not very quickly. Some of the security barricades along the roads seem to be the problem by creating bottlenecks. Even with major pedestrian gridlock, the crowd is genial.


I abandon all hope of leaving DC via a wheeled vehicle of any kind and walk from the Washington Monument across 14th Street Bridge. All the way to National Airport where I finish the journey on the Metro. Finally arrive home around 3:00 pm.







A final comment... Another observation of the day: The mood was not quite like Election night. It was celebrating and honoring the new President, but there was also a little bit of "just in case you didn't take us seriously Nov.4, here we are again".

Obama Inaugural Address - continued

We are ready to lead once more!

To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

...

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have travelled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"'Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive ... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it].'"

In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Live Blog - Obama Inaugural Watch - Waynesboro VA

11:30am Marriott Residence Inn - Waynesboro, VA

A diverse group of over 100 folks have gathered for a Inaugural Watch Party, hosted by the Waynesboro Democratic Committee.

11:50am Controversial Pastor Rick Warren - all heads bowed, all quiet -- Warren has a noticeable personal emotion in his prayer. Played it safely down the middle, on theological notes. Ends with Lord's Prayer.

11:55am My Country, 'Tis of Thee! - Aretha Franklin - with soaring spiritual range - wow!

11:59am - Biden sworn in. Big Joe on the Job!

12:00noon - Quartet - Air and simple gifts

12:05 pm - Chief Justice John Roberts swears in Barack H. Obama, 44th President

YES WE DID - DONE DEAL!

... requests the honor of your presence

click image to enlarge

The Presidential Inaugural Committee

requests the honor of your presence
to attend and participate
in the
Inauguration of
Barack H. Obama
as President of the United States of America

and

Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
as Vice President of the United States
on Tuesday, the twentieth of January
two thousand and nine
in the City of Washington

Inaugural Events in Augusta, Albemarle and Rockingham County

update 9:02 am CSPAN video coverage link (commercial & pundit free)

Be a Do Bee -- 10 Ways to Serve

Romper Room- circa 1962

Don't Be a Wanna Do Bee, Just Be a Do Bee!

Today is a national day of volunteer service. Millions of Americans are stepping up and stepping out, to devote a day of service to their community and the nation.

FIND A LOCAL EVENT

If you can't volunteer today, at least make the personal commitment to help soon. At minimum, give generously to any our local or national organizations that help your fellow Americans in times of need.

10 Ways You Can Help - Consider joining and supporting any of the following volunteer organizations

1. Volunteer Fire & Rescue Departments - Augusta County FD, Staunton FD and Waynesboro Fire or Rescue- they need all levels of help, first responders and station staff

2. American Red Cross - the "go to" volunteer agency for major disaster relief

3. Army or Air National Guard, USMCR , Va. Defense Force, Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard Auxiliary - Be a weekend warrior, to protect and defend our country

4. Be a tutor for adults learning English as a second language

5. Court Appointed Special Advocate for Children (CASA) - protecting the interests of children at risk

6. Food Banks & Community Support Groups - Join the Good Works of Churches and other local agencies providing food, shelter and a helping hand to folks in need

7. Habitat for Humanity, Re-Building Together - Low Income Home Building & Renovation - access to safe, affordable housing

8. Improve the Environment - volunteer with organizations like, Augusta Co. Green Teams, Friends of the Shenandoah River, VaDOT Adopt a Highway

9. Financial Services for People with Low Income - tax preparation, financial planning, like AARPs TaxAide program

10. Big Brothers - Big Sisters - be there for kids who need a positive adult role model