Mary's Blog I Love You

Coming under fire in the past few years have been E. coli outbreaks and where they originated. Officials have been trying to get to the bottom of these outbreaks, sometimes with little information at the end. How this keeps happening is a valid question because if we understand how and where this bacteria gets into our food, we can better battle it. The end result would be freedom to eat produce without the fear of contracting bacteria that can make you sick or worse. And then we hear about E. coli in Plants? Science has come a long way in an effort to figure out how harmful pathogens could possibly enter plant based foods we eat. There is still a lot of research that needs to be done but there are a few things we do know. I wanted to take some time and have us discuss how certain pathogens get into plants, other ways this could happen, and what we as consumers can do about it. Even though we are not the growers, there is plenty we can do to protect ourselves from ingesting dangerous ...

You’re washing your dishes wrong. This startling revelation comes from a name we have trusted for decades. According to Procter & Gamble, the makers of Dawn dish soap, todays dishes need something stronger for the way we wash dishes. They are making a new Dawn. In this post-COVID world, people are “eating” up the opportunity for new sanitizing methods. No pun intended. Well, maybe just a little… Talk about a shock to the system: we now have the king of washing dishes saying we need something better. After understanding their thinking on this, I have to agree. Let’s look at what P&G has to say, what their suggestion is, proper dish-washing procedures, and see if this new detergent is really what we need. Since 1972, America has relied on Dawn dish soap to help us get our dirty dishes clean and cut through greasy messes. Not much has changed in the almost 50 years except a new fragrance or bottle. This year, however, the makers of Dawn dish soap are shaking things up. Not only ...

A construction site in Brooklyn collapsed last Thursday evening, sending two victims to the local hospital, according to an article from PIX11 News. The incident occurred just after 8 p.m. Thursday night at 375 Flushing Ave. The New York Fire Department confirmed that the accident was under control that same evening. There is no word pertaining to the condition of the victims or whether they were construction workers or bystanders. Construction in NYC Continues Unfortunately, construction in New York is allowed to continue despite coronavirus concerns . This creates problems for at-risk members of construction crews and for the hospitals that may be forced to handle injuries from construction accidents such as this one. Much of the New York City healthcare system is currently overrun with coronavirus cases and does not have the resources to treat other injuries such as construction accidents. Construction Accident Risks However, construction workers are usually at the greatest ri...

Now, that we are all well into the COVID-19 quarantine, there are a few topics that we need to be reminded of. First of all, I hope that everyone is doing well. Staying safe is all of our number one priority right now, especially Coronavirus Grocery Shopping. I know we are all feeling a little cabin fever (I know I am) but for now it is still the only way to stay safe. So I still will implore my readers to stay indoors and remember to keep your distance if you must go out. One of the main reasons we need to leave our houses is what I want to discuss today: grocery shopping . Even in the midst of quarantine there is a need to eat and replenish household items. And even though this isn’t food safety per se, it is still close enough to warrant talking about. So today, while we have a few minutes I wanted to go ever a few rules we all need to be using to keep us safe. Preparation Before our lives were turned inside out, having a grocery list and car keys were the only preparation we n...

I was never a huge fan of sushi until my adult years when I found a few rolls and pieces that I did really love. I am always quite careful in where we dine when it comes to sushi, and we have a few trusted places where we choose to eat one of our favorites. Recently it was discovered that “sushi parasites” have increased 283-fold over the last 40 years, but why? What should you be doing when it comes to sushi? First you should check your sashimi, nigiri or other forms of raw fish for worms. Yes, you read that right. Worms. Let’s Talk Sushi Parasites Thousands of papers have looked at the abundance of this parasitic worm, known as Anisakis or “herring worm,” in particular places and at particular times. But this is the first study to combine the results of those papers to investigate how the global abundance of these worms has changed through time. The findings were published March 19 in the journal Global Change Biology. Despite their name, herring worms can be found in a varie...

Because of COVID-19, restaurants all across the country are doing takeaway or delivery. Sitting for table service seems like a distant dream. Everyone is on edge, washing their hands twice as often as usual, and extra care is being taken not to spread illness. Despite the extra precautions, reports of foodborne illness outbreaks are still trickling in. Some are from before the dramatic changes that reshaped our lives in the month of March. According to King County Public Health , at least three people have fallen ill with hepatitis A after eating at the Señor Moose restaurant in Seattle back in February. Here’s what we know about this Señor Moose Hepatitis A Outbreak: The Outbreak The three cases were not associated with one another, aside from having eaten at the same restaurant, and the press release put out by the health department says they ate in three separate meal parties. The people who got sick at Señor Moose did so before COVID-19 brought Seattle to a standstill. Accor...

5 AM and what’s that sound? Oh yes, it’s the rooster and he is ready to rise and shine. People think of chickens as these pleasant little creatures who poop breakfast (and lunch, and dinner), and while that may be factual there is so much more to know about these feathered friends. So, here is our practical guide on chicken rearing. We just ask one thing, please don’t kiss chickens… Recently with the rise of COVID-19 cases people have rushed to local feed stores and the internet to get chickens. Many of these people are first time owners who believe that they arrive ready to lay. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When your chicks arrive by mail or in your local feed store they are literally about 24 hours old. They need nutrients added to their water to battle disease and infection. They need a constant supply of fresh water which can mean sometimes changing the water almost hourly and they also need a special chick food which often can contain medication. They also need a cle...

NOTE: We only handle cases involving accidents and injuries. This article is for informational purposes only. Information found in the article does not constitute formal legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. We cannot help you beyond the information provided below if you are interested in getting a pet tiger. Many people want to own tigers as household pets. However, the laws of New York State prohibit the possession , exchange, sale, import, transfer, or barter of wild animals as pets. The law also prohibits the intentional release of wild animals owned as a pet. New York Consolidated Laws ENV §11-0103(6)(e) defines wild animals as: Nonhuman prosimians and primates; Cats, except for domesticated cats; Dogs, except for domesticated dogs and captive-bred Fennec foxes; Bears; Most venomous reptiles; and, Crocodiles. If you live in New York City , the list of prohibited animals as pets is longer. It is always best to check with your local government...

Kevin Vandermark is a dedicated father who had a passion for construction and working with his hands. But due to an unfortunate accident, his life changed permanently. We are honored to recognize Mr. Vandermark’s story by naming him the honoree of this year’s Hach & Rose Annual College Scholarship. He started his career in concrete construction straight out of high school in Laborers Local 17. His passion and aptitude for construction work caused him to move up the ranks and receive promotions to office jobs. Though these positions came with high esteem and regular hours, Mr. Vandermark missed working with his hands and chose to go back to working on construction sites. One day, while working on a construction site as a laborer and shop steward for Laborers Local 79, he stepped on a concrete nail that had been left exposed. Trying to catch himself, his other foot landed on a piece of plywood that was covering a hole, which flipped out, causing him to fall into the hole. His left...

A construction worker was killed, and another was injured in a freak accident, last Wednesday, when a fire extinguisher exploded in Chelsea, Manhattan. According to ABC 7 News , the accident occurred just before 9 a.m. on the fourth floor of 341 Ninth Avenue. The construction workers were working on the site when the fire extinguisher exploded. The first worker died from his injuries at the scene while the other worker was rushed to Greenwich Village’s Lenox Healthplex in serious condition. In addition, two police officers who may have been responding to the construction site accident were injured when their police cruiser collided with a civilian’s vehicle at Ninth Avenue and 25th Street. The two police officers were taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, while the other woman involved in the crash was transported to Lenox Healthplex. Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Fire extinguishers do not explode frequently, but unfortunately, they can malfunction and cause a number of problem...

NOTE: We only handle cases involving accidents and injuries. This article is for informational purposes only. Information found in the article does not constitute as formal legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. We cannot help you beyond the information provided below if you have been denied unemployment. Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, more than 1.2 million New Yorkers have filed for unemployment benefits.  The state’s unemployment system has long been fragile because of its reliance on 1970’s technology. The flood of new benefit claims has strained it even more. The result is that the benefits are being delayed or denied for many New Yorkers. How Can I Get Help with My Unemployment Claim? With the help of volunteer lawyers, the New York Bar Association is offering free help with getting your unemployment benefits. The more than 800 lawyers are from throughout New York and specialize in appealing denials of unemployment benefits. There’s...

Despite the city being on virtual lockdown, construction jobs are still allowed to continue in New York City thanks to a loophole in the rules. According to an article from Curbed , there are currently 4,936 construction sites active in the city. This is compared to 800 from last month, when the city was in the midst of its lockdown. Looser Essential Building Guidelines Originally, the city only allowed the continued construction of essential buildings, such as hospitals, infrastructure, and housing. In March, about 35,000 construction projects were put on pause to comply with this ordinance. But since then, the city has expanded the original ordinance to allow the construction of any projects that already had ground broken prior to the coronavirus outbreak and can operate with limited in-person interactions. This would include banks, restaurants, and hotels. Additionally, “ sole workers ” can complete jobs in rental properties such as apartment buildings, as long as they are the ...

A 21-year-old driver died in Queens last month after a car blew through a stop sign and T-boned him, according to the New York Daily News . Video surveillance of the intersection clearly shows the offending driver speeding past the stop sign in a residential neighborhood around 1:30 a.m. before slamming into a passing car. The driver of the passing car, 21-year-old Satesh Permaul, died from severe head injuries after being rushed to Jamaica Hospital. The accident occurred at the intersection of 107th Ave. and 109th Ave. in South Ozone Park, Queens. Police apprehended the driver who caused the accident and discovered that he was driving without a license. They also found that he and the driver who was killed knew each other from high school. The apprehended driver, Christopher Garcia, 20, was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, according to the Daily News. Speeding More Common During COVID-19 Because New York is currently struggling to combat the effects of CO...

The streets of New York City are emptier since COVID-19 has forced hundreds of thousands of people to work from home or lose their jobs. But the rate of car accidents remains consistent, and is sometimes higher than usual . Between March 5 and March 16, speed cameras issued an average of 10,434 daily speeding violations, despite the city being on lockdown. This is compared to the period between Jan. 13 through Jan. 23, where the cameras detected an average of 11,309 violations per day. This is because many drivers have started speeding since there is less traffic. Some drivers are using residential streets or highways as racetracks , but the New York Police Department cannot effectively respond to complaints about them because the coronavirus has depleted their numbers. Speeding Culprit in Auto Accidents According to an article from Streetsblog , New York Mayor de Blasio said, “We will be very tough on people who are speeding, for sure, and I’m going to certainly insist on continued...