Today is the last day of Fire Prevention Week. I almost didn’t write anything because it upsets me so much every time I learn about a death in a fire. I’ve been writing about it for years. And, I’m not the only one. Still, deaths keep happening. From 2012 to 2021, the 10-year trend in the fire death rate per million population increased 18 percent in the United States.
Junk fees are everywhere. The fees, which cost American families tens of billions of dollars each year, can strain any family budget. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which looks for junk fees when it examines financial institutions, found the following during its reviews between February and August 2023:
Paying off student loans is bad enough without being ripped off by a dishonest company. Some companies pretend to be affiliated with the Department of Education, charge illegal junk fees, and lure students with repayment programs and loan forgiveness that don’t exist. The FTC is banning two student loan debt relief companies for these illegal activities
History repeats itself as a new product causes a child’s death. It’s liquid candy sold in a container like roll-on deodorant, which children lick off the rolling ball. Cocco Candy and KGR Distribution are recalling about 145,800 Cocco Candy Rolling Candy containers. The candy’s rolling ball can detach from the container into a child’s mouth.
It’s important to be aware what’s in the food you eat for the best health. For years, I’ve been concerned about the food additive Red Dye No. 3. Banned in Europe and only banned in candied cherries in the United States, it’s finally getting some needed regulatory attention here. Red Dye No. 3 is one of four chemicals banned.
Future Motion is recalling 300,000 Onewheel electric skateboards. The skateboards can stop balancing the rider if the boards’ speed limits are exceeded, posing a crash hazard that can result in serious injury or death. Future Motion has received dozens of reports of incidents involving its electric skateboards, including four deaths between 2019 and 2021.
It’s another example of a new product being sold to kids before it’s evaluated for safety. Water beads, which are often marketed as toys or sensory aids for children, are small, super-absorbent gel balls that, when placed in water, grow in size. If ingested by children, water beads can grow to dangerous sizes in the body.
Starting Sept. 25, you can order four free covid test kits per household through COVIDtests.gov. The tests will detect the currently circulating covid-19 variants and are for use through the end of 2023. The kits will include instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates. Many kits have had their expiration dates extended .
On Saturday, I wrote about National Public Lands Day and how you can visit national parks that charge fees for no cost. I reported on the national parks I’ve visited in Washington state and mentioned how much I loved the Grand Canyon. I wanted to share my photos and report on what a great time I had visiting the American wonder in 1981.
