Brazos Valley Community Action Agency, Inc.

added June 30, 2009

Multistate E. coli Outbreak Linked to Cookie Dough

Advice to Consumers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning consumers not to eat any varieties of prepackaged Nestle Toll House refrigerated cookie dough due to the risk of contamination with E. coli O157:H7. If consumers have any prepackaged, refrigerated Nestle Toll House cookie dough products in their home they should throw them away. Cooking the dough is not recommended because consumers might get the bacteria on their hands and on other cooking surfaces. The recall does not include Nestle Toll House morsels, which are used as an ingredient in many home-made baked goods, or other already baked cookie products.

Individuals who have recently eaten prepackaged, refrigerated Toll House cookie dough and have experienced any of these symptoms should contact their doctor or health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses should be reported to state or local health authorities.

Consumers should be reminded they should not eat raw food products that are intended for cooking or baking before consumption. Consumers should use safe food-handling practices when preparing such products, including following package directions for cooking at proper temperatures; washing hands, surfaces, and utensils after contact with these types of products; avoiding cross contamination; and refrigerating products properly.

Advice to Retailers, Restaurateurs, and Food-service Operators
Retailers, restaurateurs, and personnel at other food-service operations should not sell or serve any Nestle Toll House prepackaged, refrigerated cookie dough products subject to the recall.

added June 19, 2009

Caregiving

As Americans focus on their finances, a new survey sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Financial Management Service finds half of American caregivers are now helping to manage the finances of a parent, friend or other person needing their care adding significantly to caregivers levels of stress and anxiety. Yet, surprisingly, only 52 percent of caregivers receiving Social Security payments on behalf of the person they care for say they use direct deposit, a decades-old time-saving tool that is safer and more reliable than paper checks. In fact, when there is a problem with a Social Security payment, nine times out of 10 its with a paper check, not a direct deposit payment. Making the switch to direct deposit takes only a few minutes through the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Go Direct campaign. Simply call toll-free 1-800-333-1795 or visit www.GoDirect.org. Dont have a bank account? Consider signing up for the Treasury-recommended Direct Express� Debit MasterCard card. Visit www.USDirectExpress.com to learn more.

Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Management Service

Click Here For More Information
ADOBE ACROBAT READER REQUIRED

added June 19, 2009

Making Work Pay Credit and Form W-4 Employee Withholding Allowance Certificate

Click Here For More Information
ADOBE ACROBAT READER REQUIRED

added June 18, 2009

Alert

Dear Colleague, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has learned that some stolen vials of the long-acting insulin Levemir made by Novo Nordisk Inc. have reappeared and are being sold in the U.S. market. Three lots or a total of 129,000 vials of this product were stolen in all. These stolen insulin vials may not have been stored and handled properly and may be dangerous for patients to use.

The FDA has received one report of a patient who suffered an adverse event due to poor control of glucose levels after using a vial from one of these three lots.

The agency is advising patients who use Levemir insulin to:

1. Check your personal supply of insulin to determine if you have Levemir insulin from one of the following lots: XZF0036, XZF0037, and XZF0038. Patients can locate the lot number on the side of the box of insulin and also on the side of the vial.

2. Do not use your Levemir insulin if it is from one of these lots. Replace it with a vial of Levemir insulin from another lot. If you must switch to another brand of insulin for any reason, first contact your healthcare provider as another insulin product may require adjustments in dosing.

3. Always visually inspect your insulin before using it. Levemir is a clear and colorless solution.

4. Contact the Novo Nordisk Customer Care Center at 800-727-6500 for what to do with vials from these lots or if you have any other questions.

For more information: Click Here

added June 11, 2009

Resources for Hurricane Season

Click here to download the Disaster Supply Kit.

Click here for preparation's involving your family's pet.

added June 01, 2009

BBB Alerts Consumers about U.S. Census Workers:
Be Cooperative, But Cautious!

For years, the Better Business Bureau has educated consumers about not giving out personal information over the telephone or to anyone who shows up at their front door. With the U.S. Census process beginning, BBB advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft.

The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race and other relevant data.

"Most people are rightfully cautious and won't give out personal information to unsolicited phone callers or visitors, however the Census is an exception to the rule," said Larry Lightfoot, President of the BBB. "Unfortunately, scammers know that the public is more willing to share personal data when taking part in the Census and they have an opportunity to ply their trade by posing as a government employee and soliciting sensitive financial information."

The Census data will be used to allocate more than $300 billion in federal funds every year, as well as determine a State's number of Congressional representatives. Households are actually required by law to respond to the Census Bureau's request for information.

During the U.S. Census, households will be contacted by mail, telephone or visited by a U.S. Census worker who will inquire about the number of people living in the house. Unfortunately, people may also be contacted by scammers who are impersonating Census workers in order to gain access to sensitive financial information such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers. Law enforcement in several states have issued warnings that scammers are already posing as Census Bureau employees and knocking on doors asking for donations and Social Security numbers.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail or in person at home. However, they will not contact you by e-mail, so be on the lookout for e-mail scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org.

added May 27, 2009

Edwards: Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Becomes Law, Protects Families from Unfair Rate Hikes, Penalties, and Overcharges

(text taken from edwards.house.gov)

(Washington, D.C.) -- U.S. Representative Chet Edwards announced that the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights has been signed into law by the President. The bill, strongly supported by Edwards, provides common sense protections for consumers by ending credit card practices that the U.S. Federal Reserve has called "unfair, deceptive, and anti-competitive." The bill passed by strong bipartisan votes of 361 to 64 in the House and 90 to 5 in the Senate.

"This is great news for Texas families. This law will put an end to unfair credit card practices that have gouged individuals and families for years," said Edwards, a member of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee. "After years of being blocked by special interests and big Wall Street banks, we finally have a common sense law that will protect hard-working families from deceptive credit card practices that deepen the debt crisis in this country."

Credit-card debt in the U.S. has reached a record high - nearly $1 trillion - almost half of American families currently carry a credit card balance, and for those families, the average balance was $7,300 in 2007. One out of every five people carrying credit card debts pays an interest rate above 20 percent. In 2008, credit-card issuers imposed $19 billion in penalty fees on families carrying credit card balances-up more than 50% since 2003 and accounting for nearly half of the $40.7 billion in industry profits.

"It is up to individuals and families to exercise personal responsibility and to not get over extended on their credit cards, but credit card companies should not be able to unfairly take advantage of hard-working families," said Edwards.

Consumers nationwide are facing excessive credit card fees, sky-high interest rates, and unfair, often incomprehensible agreements that credit-card companies revise at will. The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights puts into place common sense regulations and oversight that address the growing debt crisis by:

Blocking credit card companies from arbitrarily increasing the interest rates on customers' existing balances unless the borrower is at least 60 days late paying a bill. If the cardholder makes payments on time for 6 months, then the original interest rate must be re-instated.
Ending the practice of charging interest on already repaid debt.
Requiring credit card companies to give 45 days notice of all interest rate increases, so consumers can pay off their balances or shop for a better deal.
Protecting consumers from due date gimmicks by requiring credit card companies to mail bills 21 days before the due date (instead of 14).
Requiring promotional rates to last at least 6 months.
Ending the credit card practice of applying consumer payments to lower interest debt first.

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