By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – A San Antonio produce processing company is disputing government allegations of contamination at its now-closed facility.
Federal health officials yesterday announced they found listeria bacteria at the unit that Texas authorities have linked to four deaths from contaminated celery.
The Food and Drug Administration says it found the pathogen in multiple locations in the SanGar Produce & Processing Co. plant, confirming test results announced last month by Texas health authorities.
Hours later, SanGar attorney Jason Galvan announced an analysis done Oct. 26 by a laboratory -- hired by the company -- had negative results for listeria. The state closed the plant Oct. 20 and recalled all produce shipped since January. A hearing is set for Nov. 17 in Austin.
An FDA report also released yesterday included 18 observations from inspectors, including:
Failure to take necessary precautions to protect against contamination of food and food contact surfaces
Failure to store raw materials in a way that protects against contamination, and failure to take apart equipment as necessary to ensure thorough cleaning.
Pantego police say 3 robbery suspects caught
Police in Pantego say three suspects have been caught and a fourth is sought over a Halloween eve party robbery.
Police Chief Joel McKinney says the three suspects were captured Wednesday night at an apartment complex. Names of the teens, who are expected to face robbery charges, were not immediately released.
KXAS-TV reported Thursday that the suspects are believed to be about 17 years old.
Police say a father who arrived to pick up a guest at Saturday night's gathering was beaten by the costumed suspects after walking in and realizing the partygoers were being robbed. McKinney says about 30 students, mainly from Arlington High School, were at the party.
Police say two of the suspects had guns
Veteran lawmaker, Kuempel, dies
Longtime Republican Rep. Edmund Kuempel of Seguin has died.
The 67-year-old legislator was taken to an Austin hospital Thursday morning, said Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, who was one of Kuempel's closest friends in the House.
Kuempel was known for his jovial, grandfatherly demeanor. He planned to return for another term after winning his primary election in March and running unopposed in Tuesday's General Election.
He chaired the House Licensing and Administration Committee, which oversees regulatory issues and is the panel that deals with proposed gambling legislation.
Kuempel has had heart problems before. He was found collapsed in a Capitol elevator and had to be resuscitated last year during a late night meeting of the Legislature.
East Texan considered world's oldest at 114
A 114-year-old East Texas woman is now considered to be the oldest person in the world.
Eunice G. Sanborn of Jacksonville gained that distinction after 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard, a nun who was considered the world's oldest person, died Thursday on the French Caribbean island of St. Barts.
The Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group listed Sanborn as being born on July 20,1896. Blanchard's birth date was Feb. 16, 1896.
Dr. L. Stephen Coles told The Associated Press that, with the death of Blanchard, the group considers Sanborn the oldest person in the world. Coles also says he spoke to Sanborn's family Thursday and "she's doing well. There's no doubt."
Sanborn told the Tyler Morning Telegraph, in an April interview, that she loves everything about her life and has "no complaints."
Prosecutors: DeLay PAC had fundraising problems
Prosecutors in Tom DeLay's money laundering trial implied that the former U.S. House majority leader's political action committee became desperate for donations and focused on corporate dollars.
Prosecutors in Austin on Thursday, while questioning PAC fundraiser Warren Robold, showed jurors a series of e-mails. Those e-mail indicated, in the weeks before the 2002 legislative elections in Texas, that the political group focused on corporate donations after it had problems raising money from individuals donors.
DeLay, who's charged with money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering, is accused of using his PAC to illegally funnel $190,000 in corporate donations into GOP legislative races.
He's denied it.
DeLay faces up to life in prison if convicted.