Illinois
Cucumber recall Illinois: New brands added to list amid multistate salmonella outbreak
A cucumber recall tied to a salmonella outbreak in dozens of states has expanded to include more companies, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced.
In an update Thursday, the agency said the multistate salmonella outbreak tied to cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc. and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., now includes four additional brands.
Additional recalls are being conducted by companies that used or repackaged recalled cucumbers grown by Bedner Growers, Inc.,” the FDA said in its alert.
The outbreak is linked to the same grower whose cucumbers were tied to more than 550 illnesses last year, including several in Illinois.
Here’s what to know:
What cucumbers are involved in the outbreak?
The cucumbers were grown by Florida-based Bedner Growers and distributed by Fresh Start Produce Sales.
They were sold to retailers, distribution centers, wholesalers, and food service distributors between April 29, 2025 and May 19, 2025.
“Cucumbers may have been sold individually or in smaller packages, with or without a label that may not bear the same brand, product name, or best by date,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. “For distributors, restaurants, and retailers who have purchased these cucumbers, the products were labeled as either being ‘supers,’ ‘selects,’ or ‘plains.’”
In addition, the following companies have now been added to the recall:
Where were the cucumbers sold?
The full extent of where the cucumbers were sold has not yet been determined by the FDA, though an investigation is ongoing.
The recalled cucumbers were available at Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market in three Florida locations including Boynton Beach, Delray Beach and West Palm Beach between April 29, 2025, and May 14, 2025.
But beyond that, the FDA said it is “working to determine where potentially contaminated product was distributed.”
Several people who fell ill ate cucumbers on cruise ships leaving ports in Florida, according to the CDC. Organic cucumbers are not affected, officials said.
The FDA advised restaurants, retailers, and distributors that purchased potentially contaminated recalled cucumbers between April 29, 2025 and May 19, 2025 to “notify their customers of the potential health concern.”
Where have illnesses been reported so far?
In the latest outbreak, the cucumbers have been linked to illnesses in at least 26 people in 15 states. At least nine people have been hospitalized; no deaths have been reported, according to the FDA.
Illinois is among the states reporting illnesses associated with the outbreak, with three to four cases confirmed in the state so far.
Illnesses were reported between April 2 and April 28, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How was the outbreak detected?
The outbreak was detected as part of a follow-up inspection in April to a 2024 outbreak that sickened 551 people and led to 155 hospitalizations in 34 states and Washington, D.C. In that outbreak, investigators found salmonella bacteria linked to many of the illnesses in untreated canal water used at farms operated by Bedner Growers and Thomas Produce Company.
In the current outbreak, officials found salmonella bacteria from samples on the farm that matched samples from people who got sick.
Retailers should notify consumers who may have bought the tainted produce. If consumers don’t know the source of cucumbers, they should throw them away, officials said.
What symptoms should you watch for?
Common salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps, with symptoms beginning anywhere from six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria.
Most people infected recover within four-to-seven days without treatment, though some people, particularly children under the age of five years, adults 65 and older and individuals with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness.
What to do if you think you have these cucumbers?
Consumers may be contacted by a retailer about the recalled cucumbers.
“If you cannot tell if your cucumber was grown by Bedner Growers, throw it away,” the FDA suggested.
The agency also suggests that when eating out over the next week, check to see if the restaurant you are dining at has cucumbers purchased from Bedner Growers or Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc.
“Contact your healthcare provider if you think you may have symptoms of a Salmonella infection after eating potentially contaminated cucumbers,” the FDA said.
As for restaurants, retailers and distributors, he FDA recommends the following:
- If you suspect you purchased potentially contaminated recalled cucumbers between April 29 and May 19, you should should notify customers of the potential health concern.
- Carefully clean and sanitize any surfaces or containers that it touched.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Combined state and federal taxes would take more than 50% of the top-end income for 22,000 Illinois small businesses.
Proposals in the Illinois General Assembly could slam massive tax hikes onto small businesses, the state’s primary job creator historically and in the recovery from the COVID-19 downturn.
One measure would punish 22,020 Illinois small businesses with a huge increase in their marginal state income tax rate and create a top tax rate of nearly 50.3% for them, once all state and federal income taxes are factored in.
S-corporations and partnerships, which “pass-through” their business income to their owners, who pay taxes as individuals, would see their top marginal state income tax rate jump from 4.95% to 7.95%, a 61% hike.
That would happen because the legislation, House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 21, adds a 3% income tax on income above $1 million. It is scheduled for a hearing April 23 at which it could pass out of committee and go to a potential full House vote.
Research has shown that an increase in the top marginal tax rate is associated with a decrease in entrepreneurs’ hiring activity and lower wages for their employees.
Illinois has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation and among the slowest wage growth. These are exacerbated by some of the highest state and local tax burdens in the nation, including the second-highest property taxes and eighth-highest sales taxes.
In 2017 Illinois residents endured the largest permanent income tax hike in state history, when lawmakers increased the rate by 32%, from 3.75% to 4.95%.
Illinois already pushes out more businesses than virtually any other state. The “millionaire’s tax” could make the situation even worse. Illinoisans should reject this call for higher taxes on the state’s vital small business community.
Contact your state representative to stop the small business tax hike here.
SYCAMORE, Ill. – A Sycamore mother said she is still waiting for justice more than two years after her teenage son was stabbed to death.
The case is back in court this week, where a judge will consider a key request that could change how the case moves forward.
What we know:
A mother said her son’s life was cut short during a confrontation that turned deadly.
Heather Gerken said her 17-year-old son, Kaleb McCall, was stabbed during an incident in September 2023. She said Kaleb agreed to meet another teen for what he believed would be a fist fight while sticking up for a friend.
According to Gerken, the other teen, who was 15 at the time, pulled a knife and stabbed Kaleb in the chest. Kaleb later died from his injuries.
Gerken said a jury later found that teen guilty of second-degree murder after the defense argued he acted in self-defense.
Dig deeper:
The case is not over.
Gerken says the defendant’s attorneys are now trying to move the case out of adult court and into juvenile court. That decision could impact how the teen is ultimately sentenced.
What they’re saying:
Gerken said the legal process has been long and frustrating.
She said the case has stretched on for more than two and a half years and that ongoing court proceedings have made it difficult for her to grieve her son.
“He was everybody’s big brother,” Gerken said. “He had the biggest smile and the sweetest personality. He enjoyed fishing and being outside, and he was the best gift giver. He always got me flowers for every little holiday. Just a very thoughtful boy.”
Gerken also said the possibility of the case moving to juvenile court is especially upsetting, as she continues to push for what she believes is justice for her son.
“I don’t want anybody else’s child to die the way that my son died,” Gerken said. “Caleb is my whole world. I gave birth to him at 17 and he changed my life completely. He made me a better person. He taught me what real love truly is…And I just miss him so much more every day. And just knowing that he died the way he did. It makes me sick.”
What’s next:
The case returns to court Thursday morning.
A judge is expected to determine whether the case remains in adult court or is moved to juvenile court, a decision that could shape what happens next in the case.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago’s Lauren Scafidi.
Millions of asylum seekers have been impacted as caseloads have grown
A general crackdown on immigration courts the administration sees as liberal has led to the firing of dozens of immigration judges.
Recent polls show President Donald Trump’s approval ratings continue to dip as the war in Iran endures and national gas prices float above $4.
One such poll conducted by CNN/SSRS illustrates widespread upset among Americans with regards to Trump’s handling of the economy and inflation. Here’s how Trump’s approval ratings look nationally and within Illinois, as of April 20.
Donald Trump approval rating: CNN
Only 31% of Americans approve of how Trump is handling the economy, compared to 39% in January 2026, according to the poll.
The decline in approval on the issue is even higher among Republicans, especially Republicans under 45 years old, according to CNN.
In the poll, President Donald Trump received his worst approval rating yet in either of his two terms on the economy.
CNN findings show about two-thirds of Americans say Trump’s policies have worsened economic conditions, and 27% say they approve of Trump’s handling of inflation.
CNN also reported 63% of Americans say the prices at the pump have caused financial hardship in their household, including 15% calling it “severe.”
The poll, conducted March 26-30 among 1,201 U.S. adults, found 35% approve of Trump’s job performance overall. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.
One poll respondent told CNN and the pollster about the most important issue facing the country: “Prices! Everything is so expensive. Makes it very difficult to do anything other than work and go home. Trips to the grocery store are ridiculous! Between gas and grocery prices, we are poor!”
Trump addressed the concerns about gas prices in his address to the nation on April 1, saying the Strait of Hormuz would reopen when the conflict was over and the prices would fall again.
Trump reaffirmed his promise about the strait on April 18, saying his administration had “very good conversations going on” with Iran after the country said the strait would not be reopened.
Donald Trump approval rating in Illinois: Civiqs
Trump’s job approval rating in Illinois, as of April 18, according to data from online survey platform Civiqs, is as follows:
- Approve — 32%.
- Disapprove — 65%.
- Neither — 4%.
Donald Trump national approval rating: Civiqs
Trump’s national approval rating as of April 13, according to data from Civiqs, is as follows:
- Approve — 39%.
- Disapprove — 57%.
- Neither — 4%.
Donald Trump approval rating in Illinois: The Economist
Trump has a -36% net approval rating in Illinois as of April 20, according to data from The Economist.
Donald Trump national approval rating: The Economist
Trump’s national approval rating as of April 20, according to data from The Economist, is as follows:
- Approve — 38%.
- Disapprove — 56%.
- Don’t know — 7%.
Trump, Iran War approval rating: Pew Research Center
A Pew Research study conducted in mid-March found that about six-in-ten Americans (61%) approve of Trump’s handling of the conflict in Iran, with 39% approving.
A report released in early April found that the largest concern for most Americans as a result of the conflict is higher gas prices, with 69% saying they are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the issue.
Other Trump approval rating polls as of April 20
Here is a look at some other polling aggregators to understand how CNN/SSRS’s poll compares to the average Trump approval numbers as of April 20:
RealClearPolitics Poll Average: 41.2% approve, 56.6% disapprove.
The New York Times: 40% approve, 56% disapprove.
Silver Bulletin: 39.7% approve, 56.4% disapprove.
Which president has the lowest approval rating ever?
Although Trump has dropped to a historic low in approval rating polls this term so far, he hit a 34% low in the first term and other recent presidents such as Joe Biden hit a 36% low, Barack Obama hit a 40% low, George W. Bush hit a 25% low and Bill Clinton hit a 37% low, according to the Gallup polls, whose recorded lowest rating was Harry Truman with 22%.
As for the highest presidential approval ratings, George W. Bush holds the highest approval rating ever recorded at 90%, while his father, George H. Bush holds the second highest at 89%.
Trump is the only president that has not reached a 50% or higher approval to date in the Gallup polls’ history.
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