Illinois football coach Bret Bielema landed arguably his most significant recruit to date in two-sport athlete Nasir Rankin on Wednesday, but McHale Blade wouldn’t be too far behind on the short list.

Blade, an elite class of 2026 recruit, listed his top seven choices on Friday, as reported by 247 Sports – and Illinois made the cut.

Blade, a four-star defensive lineman from Chicago Simeon also included Wisconsin, Purdue, Stanford, USC, Michigan and Notre Dame among his top seven. The fifth-ranked player in the state of Illinois and No. 21 defensive lineman in the country (per 247 Sports), Blade began his high school career at Hillcrest (Country Club Hills, Illinois) before transferring to Simeon.

If Bielema and his staff have any shot of landing the 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior, they need to schedule an on-campus visit with Blade ASAP. McHale visited Purdue on Friday and is scheduled to visit Wisconsin next and USC, Michigan and Notre Dame in June.

The good news for the Illini is that they’re putting together far and away their best recruiting class in the Bielema era, and the fact that a bunch of top prospects from the state have already committed to Illinois could be a deciding factor in convincing Blade to stay home.

Blade reportedly will make schedule visits with all seven finalists and make a decision on July 4.

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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.