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USA Today
5 hours ago
- Health
- USA Today
More states report illnesses, hospitalizations in salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers
More states report illnesses, hospitalizations in salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers The number of people sickened and hospitalized in a salmonella outbreak tied to tainted cucumbers continues to rise, health officials at the CDC and FDA say. Cases have now been reported in 18 states. Show Caption Hide Caption Tips to help manage food recalls and prevent foodborne illnesses About 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 people die each year from preventable foodborne illnesses. Payton, USA TODAY Salmonella illnesses linked to cucumbers continue to increase, with additional cases and hospitalizations reported in more states – and another major retailer, Target has issued its own recall. The initial recall of cucumbers grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales linked the produce to a salmonella outbreak across 15 states. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on May 19 that 26 people had gotten ill and nine were hospitalized. Health officials have now increased the number of illnesses reported to 45 in 18 states – Georgia, Indiana and Massachusetts are the latest states with cases – with hospitalizations due to salmonella poisoning up from nine to 16, according to the FDA and CDC. Tough cookie: Oreo maker sues Aldi over alleged copycat cookie packaging Eight people told health officials they had taken a cruise before becoming sick, according to the CDC. The passengers were aboard six different ships, all of which departed from Florida between March 30 and April 12 – three people were on the same ship, the agency said. No deaths have been reported in the salmonella outbreak, the CDC says. The initial voluntary recall involved cucumbers sold directly to consumers at Bednar's Farm Fresh Market. Subsequently, additional recalls have been announced by grocers such as Harris Teeter, Kroger and Walmart that repackaged whole cucumbers for sale or used them in ready-to-eat products such as vegetable trays and salads. Target issued a recall for products purchased May 7 to May 21, the FDA said in its May 30 update. Those products included individual cucumbers, cucumber two-packs, and prepared foods such as Good & Gather Lemon Pepper Greek-Style Chicken Salad, Mai Spicy Salmon Rice Bowl with White Rice, and Mai California Roll with White Rice. The complete list of more than 40 recalled products with cucumbers is available on Target's product recall page. Target was also among retailers recalling Hormel Foods' Dinty Moore Beef Stew because the product may contain fragments of "foreign material," specifically wood. USA TODAY Recall Database: Search vehicle, product and food recalls What to do if you think you may have recalled cucumbers The recalled cucumbers should no longer be on store shelves, health officials said. The CDC and FDA advises anyone with cucumbers at home to throw them away if they're unsure where they're from. Wash any surfaces and items that may have touched the cucumbers. Bedner Growers was also linked to a salmonella outbreak involving cucumbers last year that sickened 551 people and hospitalized 155 across 34 states and the District of Columbia, according to the CDC. Investigators found untreated canal water carrying the bacteria used by Bedner Growers, the CDC said. While Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce Company of Boca Raton, Florida, were the likely sources of the outbreak, the CDC said, the companies did not account for all the outbreak's illnesses. Salmonella symptoms Each year, salmonella causes about 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the U.S., according to the CDC and FDA. Symptoms of salmonella infection – including diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps – usually arise six hours to six days after exposure and may last 4 to 7 days. Severe infections can also include aches, headaches, elevated fever, lethargy, rashes, and blood in the urine or stool. Which states are affected by the salmonella outbreak? As of May 30, the salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has sickened 45 people in the following 18 states: Alabama California Colorado Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan North Carolina New York Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Virginia Contributing: Gabe Hauari and Mary Walrath-Holdridge. Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY's Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @ & @mikesnider & msnider@ What's everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Blake Lively's business takes a hit as Taylor Swift fans boycott products over allegations in Baldoni lawsuit
HighlightsBlake Lively's brands, Blake Brown and Betty Booze, are experiencing significant sales declines due to backlash from Taylor Swift's fans following a legal dispute involving Justin Baldoni. Sales of Blake Lively's hair care line, Blake Brown, have reportedly dropped by up to 78%, with projections indicating total sales could fall below $15 million by 2025. Allegations surfaced that Blake Lively attempted to pressure Taylor Swift for public support, leading to widespread boycotts from Swifties, further damaging her brand's reputation. From the moment the legal drama unfolded, Blake Lively has been deep in controversy. Backlash, criticism, and abandonment are at the heart of the disputes. Blake Lively's once-thriving brands are facing significant backlash, and it's all due to her feud with Taylor Swift. After explosive claims surfaced in Justin Baldoni's lawsuit, Swift's devoted fans abandoned Lively. Blake Lively's brands, Blake Brown and Betty Booze, are seeing significant sales drops as a result of allegations related to the Justin Baldoni lawsuit . The numbers now reveal the extent of the damage. What sparked the backlash against Blake Lively?Swifties are boycotting her products following accusations that she pressured Taylor Swift to publicly defend herself. Lively is trying to promote a number of things that millions of Swifties don't want to use. Sales of Blake Brown, Lively's hair care line, and Betty Booze, her line of alcoholic beverages, fell significantly in the aftermath of the lawsuit. But when Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, publicly claimed that Lively attempted to coerce Swift's hand in order to preserve her own reputation, it was the final straw. How much have her brands lost in sales?Sales of Lively's haircare line, Blake Brown, fell by up to 78% after what she calls a "social manipulation campaign," according to her initial lawsuit. The abrupt and unanticipated negative media campaign against Ms. Lively, according to the complaint, "depressed retail sales of Blake Brown products by 56-78 percent based on internal sales projections,' as per a report by NewsNation. This sharp decline was entirely inconsistent with the high satisfaction ratings that Blake Brown products obtained in the substantial consumer testing conducted prior to launch or its early success following launch, as per the complaint. This week, however, Puck revealed that Target, which sells the Blake Brown collection, is experiencing sharp declines in consumer sales. Are Taylor Swift's fans influencing the boycott?According to a report published by Puck this week, Lively was being accused by Baldoni's legal team of attempting to use a hair and body mist, Blake Brown's first new product since last summer, to blackmail Taylor Swift, into giving Lively public support or else "risk the release of a decade's worth of private texts between the stars." Swifties were not amenable to this and avoided any interaction with Lively. Puck was informed by a Target insider that Blake Brown's total sales in 2025 will be "less than $15 million." "It went from a $100 million brand to a $15 million brand.' Blake Brown "is a non-conversation" at Target. Neither Taylor Swift's admirers nor any of their mutual friends are endorsing Blake Lively over her. FAQs Why are fans boycotting Blake Lively's brands? Swifties are avoiding her products following allegations that she attempted to press Taylor Swift during a legal dispute. How bad are Blake's businesses' sales losses? Her haircare line's sales have reportedly dropped by up to 78% and are expected to fall below $15 million by 2025.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Blake Lively's Hair Care And Booze Reportedly Suffer Massive Sales Decline As Legal Battle Drags On
New reports claim that Blake Lively's products are suffering a notable drop in sales amid the controversy surrounding her legal dispute with actor Justin Baldoni. The businesses reportedly affected include Lively's haircare brand, Blake Brown, and her alcoholic beverage line, Betty Booze. Blake Brown allegedly saw a decline of up to 78% around the time she filed her sexual harassment lawsuit against Baldoni. Sales have reportedly declined even further since then, amid claims that Taylor Swift's fans, known as Swifties, are no longer interested in Blake Lively and her products. As the lawsuit between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues to make headlines, the ripple effects appear to be taking a toll on Lively's entrepreneurial ventures. According to NewsNation, Lively previously stated in her original lawsuit against her "It Ends With Us" co-star that her haircare brand, Blake Brown, suffered "depressed retail sales by 56–78 percent." Those numbers have reportedly dropped even further recently, particularly at Target, the retail chain with which Lively is partnered. A Puck report claims the brand is projected to make "less than $15 million" in total sales in 2025, a steep decline from the $100 million it was reportedly worth. And while the initial decline was attributed to Lively's claim that Baldoni orchestrated a social media smear campaign against her, the recent downturn follows accusations from Baldoni's legal team that the actress attempted to "essentially blackmail" the pop star into publicly supporting her. Swift fans have reportedly viewed Lively's alleged actions as a reason to boycott her products, including her Betty Booze line. Besides Swifies distancing themselves from Lively's business ventures, Swift herself has also halted her relationship with her former best pal. "Their friendship has halted," a source told People Magazine earlier in the month. "Taylor wants no part in this drama." This comes after previous claims that the ongoing legal feud between Lively and Baldoni has not only left Swift "completely floored" but also "very upset." The singer's anger is also said to be fueled by her realization that Lively has been using her name to boost her own standing, and this has been happening for quite some time. "Taylor has been aware that Blake has been exploiting her name for a while now, but this subpoena takes it to a whole new level," a source told the Daily Mail. Amid the legal feud, other high-profile people within Lively and Swift's circle have distanced themselves from the actress. "No one that is close friends with Taylor continues to be in contact with Blake," an insider told the Daily Mail. Topping the list is Gigi Hadid, whose actions have reportedly been followed by British stars Cara Delevingne and Sophie Turner. "Cara is no longer friends with Blake, but there was no big fight or anything like that," the insider further remarked. "She hasn't talked to her in months and has no plans to, or to hang out." As for Turner, another insider shared that she and Lively were "never all that close," and even if they were, "no one in Taylor's crew has anything to do" with the actress anymore. "Taylor's friends, Sophie included, are so set on keeping in Taylor's good graces that they have no problem whatsoever on cutting ties with anyone who does Taylor dirty," the source said. Recently, Swift was subpoenaed by Justin Baldoni's legal team in connection with claims tied to his $400 million defamation countersuit against Lively. But before a deposition date could be set, Baldoni's lawyers withdrew the subpoena, freeing Swift from the obligation. Sources later claimed that the decision was made because the legal team had already obtained what they wanted from Swift. Allegedly, someone in Swift's inner circle handed over proof that Lively's legal team had "threatened to leak" private messages between the actress and Swift if the singer didn't publicly support her. That whistleblower was reportedly revealed to be Scott Swift, the singer's 73-year-old father. "Scott Swift did not want his daughter to be dragged into this any further, and he voluntarily gave up this information as part of a deal that would include [Baldoni's team] withdrawing their subpoena for Taylor," the insider informed the Daily Mail. Earlier this month, Lively made an appearance on Seth Meyers' late-night show, where she opened up about the emotional toll she has seemingly endured this year amid her court battle with Baldoni. Alluding to her ongoing legal battle, Lively told Meyers: "What I can say without going too into it is that this year has been the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in my life and I see so many women around afraid to speak, especially right now, afraid to share their experiences, and fear is by design." She continued, "It's what keeps us silent. But I also acknowledge that many people don't have the opportunity to speak." "So I do feel fortunate that I've been able to, and as a woman, you have the ability to use your voice - that's kept me strong and helped me in my belief and my fight for the world to be safer for women and girls. It's a pretty simple thing," Lively added, per the Daily Mail. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
7 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Cucumbers Sickens 45 People
A salmonella outbreak linked to cucumbers has sickened at least 45 people across 18 states, health officials said Friday and they warned that the number of people infected was likely higher. Companies including Target have issued recalls for products with cucumbers that may be contaminated. The cases have been reported across the Midwest and East Coast, with nearly a third of them in Georgia and Florida, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It said 16 people had been hospitalized. Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps and dehydration. Health officials have linked the outbreak to Bedner Growers, a cucumber grower based in Boynton Beach, Fla., that sells to wholesale distributors and directly to consumers. Potentially contaminated cucumbers, distributed between April 29 and May 19, were sold widely to stores and restaurants, the C.D.C. said. Eight of the sick people had been on cruise ships in the week before they fell ill, all departing from ports in Florida, the C.D.C. said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Magnificent Dividend Stocks Down 15% to 64% to Buy and Hold for 20 Years
This retail giant is slumping, but it offers a very attractive dividend. Investors have a rare opportunity to invest in this leading coffee brand at a high yield. This retailer will benefit from an eventual recovery in the housing market. 10 stocks we like better than Target › This is a great time to consider adding quality dividend stocks to your investment portfolio. Recent headwinds in the economy have weighed on sales of leading retail and consumer goods brands, and this has driven their stocks down and their yields higher. While the near term could be rocky, investors who buy the following dividend stocks today could build up a rewarding stream of passive income for years to come. Here's why three contributors believe Target (NYSE: TGT), Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) are great dividend stocks to buy and hold for the next 20 years. (Target): Target is a great example of a company that's rebounded from challenges and gone on to soaring heights. It's in the dumps right now, but it's been there before. In fact, it was struggling right before the pandemic, and it invested in a robust omnichannel strategy before it was fashionable and just in time to benefit from a huge acceleration in e-commerce. Throughout its current struggles, its digital channels, including same-day and pickup services, continue to enjoy strong growth. That should give investors some confidence that it can rebound again under better conditions. There are several reasons Target is under pressure today. Grocery, which as a category does well under most conditions, isn't as large a segment for Target as it is for some of its competitors. As customers have pulled back on discretionary purchases due to inflation, sales growth has been slow or non-existent, and it's had to mark down items to get them off shelves, cutting into its margins. It's been the target (no pun intended) of several politically based consumer boycott efforts, which cut into recent sales, and all of these things have led to reduced consumer confidence in Target. Now there's the looming threat of tariffs, which had some impact on Target's business in the 2025 fiscal first quarter (ended May 3), and are creating uncertainty about the near future. Comparable sales dropped 3.8% from last year in the first quarter, although operating income increased 13.6%. Same-day delivery increased 35% year over year, driving a 4.7% increase in comparable digital sales. This is where Target shines, even now. The future may be uncertain, but Target has a lot going for it in its nearly 2,000 stores, robust membership program, and strong digital channels. It has something else that investors love even today, and that's its dividend. Target is a Dividend King, and it has raised its dividend annually for the past 53 years. That's an elite class of dividend stocks that are reliable for passive income growth. Plus, at the current low price, Target's dividend yields a very attractive 4.6%, or more than 3 times the S&P 500 average. That's a great reason to buy it today. John Ballard (Starbucks): Starbucks is one of the most ubiquitous consumer brands, with over 40,000 stores open worldwide. While it is currently navigating a challenging sales environment, it generates healthy margins that fund generous dividend payments to shareholders. The stock could deliver excellent returns from these lower share prices. Weak sales and earnings results have sent the stock down 31% from its previous peak. Comparable store sales were down 1% year over year in the most recent quarter. Investments to support the company's turnaround efforts are compounding the declines on the bottom line, with earnings down 50% over the year-ago quarter. The good news is that Starbucks has a new CEO focused on returning the company to growth. Brian Niccol came over from Chipotle Mexican Grill last year, and his strategy centers around improving the customer experience and better managing costs, which should continue to fuel Starbucks' dividend for years to come. The recent decline in earnings has raised the payout ratio to 85% on a trailing-12-month basis. Companies can't sustainably pay out over 100% of their annual earnings without risking a reduction in the dividend payment. However, the recent decline in earnings should be temporary, as Niccol has a great record from his time at Chipotle in expanding margins and growing earnings faster than revenue. Management's cost discipline should lead to the same outcome for Starbucks. The current quarterly payment of $0.61 brings the forward dividend yield to an attractive 2.82% -- the highest yield Starbucks stock has offered in years. Investors who buy today and hold for the next few decades should have a very rewarding income investment, and a stock that is trading at a much higher price. Jeremy Bowman (Home Depot): Home Depot is one of the best-performing stocks of all time. The home improvement retailer went public early in its history when it only had a handful of stores and it has grown to dominate the industry, operating in a duopoly with Lowe's. More recently, the stock has struggled. Over the last three years, the stock has underperformed the S&P 500, gaining 19%, compared to 42% for the broad-market index. That's primarily due to a slowdown in the housing market as the lock-in effect from low rates during the pandemic and a jump in mortgage rates since then has cooled off demand. As a result, the company's growth has stalled. Comparable sales in the first quarter fell 0.3%, though overall revenue increased 9.4% to $39.9 billion due to its acquisition last year of building materials distributor SRS Distribution. No one knows when mortgage rates will fall again, but there's a housing shortage in the country that is estimated at around 4 million homes, which should eventually support demand for home improvement materials and drive a new cycle of growth at Home Depot. In the meantime, investors can capitalize on Home Depot's dividend as the retailer has long been an attractive dividend growth stock. As the chart below shows, the dividend has nearly quadrupled over the last 10 years. Currently, Home Depot offers a 2.5% dividend yield, and its quarterly payment is likely to continue to grow as the company has now raised its dividend for 16 years in a row. Despite the near-term challenges the company faces, Home Depot has everything you could want out of a dividend stock. It's an industry leader. It has a long track record of growth, and it has an affordable valuation. It's likely to reward any investor who holds it for the next 20 years. Before you buy stock in Target, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Target wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $638,985!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $853,108!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 978% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 19, 2025 Jennifer Saibil has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Jeremy Bowman has positions in Chipotle Mexican Grill, Home Depot, Starbucks, and Target. John Ballard has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chipotle Mexican Grill, Home Depot, Starbucks, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Lowe's Companies and recommends the following options: short June 2025 $55 calls on Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Magnificent Dividend Stocks Down 15% to 64% to Buy and Hold for 20 Years was originally published by The Motley Fool
