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Procession of the Species brings joy to the Olympia community

The weather was perfect this year for the Procession of the Species, the largest Earth Day celebration in the Puget Sound area. Started in 1995, the Procession draws about 30,000 spectators and 2,000 to 3,000 participants. Here are some of my favorite photos from this year’s Procession: People line the... Read more →


Have you ever received money from a class action lawsuit?

On Saturday, I was surprised to receive a $2 check from the Gudgel v. Reynolds class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs alleged that Reynolds’ use of the claim “recycling” on the packaging misrepresented that its recycling trash bags under the Hefty and Great Value brands were recyclable. They said the company’s... Read more →


SharkNinja recalls 1.8 million pressure cookers after more than 100 reports of burns received

This recall is one of the biggest I’ve ever seen. SharkNinja is recalling about 1.8 million pressure cookers in the United States and about 184,240 in Canada. The pressure-cooking lid can be opened during use, causing hot contents to escape, posing a risk of burn injuries to consumers. SharkNinja has... Read more →


Eliminating the federal safety agency that keeps dangerous products out of the marketplace? No, members of Congress and consumer advocates say

Early in the Trump administration, I felt reassured. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, or CPSC, was continuing to regularly issue recalls for unsafe products, just like it has for decades. Not so fast. The Trump administration is now calling for the elimination of the agency – not slashing its budget,... Read more →


Do you live in a state with the highest or lowest cost of housing?

With housing costs taking up as much as 50 percent of the median income in some states, it’s a difficult for many people to buy a home or even rent an apartment, and the challenges are especially great for young adults. “Homeowners and home buyers have faced whiplash over the... Read more →


Trumps first 100 days fraught with destruction, corruption, and conflicts of interest, watchdog group says

I’ve never seen anything like it in all my years of consumer reporting. The corruption, retibution, ignorance, destruction of the work of federal agencies, and hate of the first 100 days of Trump’s second administration are shocking and astounding. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy organization, agrees with me. Of the... Read more →


Huffy recalls ride-on toys sold at Walmart after children burned

The Huffy Corp. is recalling about 24,700 ride-on toys that can overheat due to improper wiring, posing a fire risk. The firm has received 20 reports of incidents of the ride-on toys smoking or catching fire, resulting in five minor burns. The recall involves Huffy-branded Torex 24-volt ride-on toy utility... Read more →


RFK Jr. and FDA disappoint with weak effort to remove artificial dyes from food

Unfortunately, I was correct in my article that raised the question of whether the Trump administration would stand up to the food industry and actually carry through with banning artificial dyes in the American food supply. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Food and... Read more →


Happy Easter

Best wishes on Easter Sunday if it’s a day you celebrate. Millions of Americans will celebrate Easter this year, with activities including going to church services, having family dinners, and hunting for Easter eggs. However, many people’s celebrations will be less expensive this year, according to a WalletHub survey. It... Read more →