By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – The Food and Drug Administration says the deadly listeria outbreak in cantaloupe was probably caused by pools of water on the floor and old, hard-to-clean packing equipment at a Colorado farm.
The agency said Wednesday that contamination at the packing facility at Jensen Farms is likely to blame for the outbreak that killed 25 people in a dozen states. Investigators found positive listeria samples on equipment and fruit there.
The FDA said Jensen Farms had recently purchased used equipment that was corroded and hard to clean. The agency said the way the cantaloupes were cooled after coming off the fields may have also contributed to listeria growth.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak sickened 123 people.
First Lady teams with MLB to support troops
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden are teaming up with Major League Baseball to show their support for the military during Game 1 of the World Series.
The first lady and Dr. Biden, the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, stopped by the VA Medical Center in St. Louis on Wednesday to visit with veterans and their families.
They also debuted a public service announcement supporting the military before heading to blustery Busch Stadium for the opening game between the Cardinals and Texas Rangers.
Obama and Biden were joined by Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, Cardinals Hall of Famer and Army veteran Red Schoendienst, and other baseball officials at the family appreciation event. It was part of MLB's Welcome Back Veterans program and Obama's Joining Forces initiative.
American Airlines parent posts $162M loss for 3Q
Even higher fares couldn't pull American Airlines out of its financial nosedive.
American's parent, AMR Corp., says that it lost $162 million in the third quarter, as fuel spending jumped 40 percent, wiping out higher revenue from fare increases and passenger fees.
The loss of 48 cents per share was wider than analysts' forecast for a loss of 43 cents per share.
Revenue totaled $6.38 billion. Analysts expected $6.35 billion.
It was AMR's fourth straight losing quarter and 14th in the last16. Since 2001, the company has lost more than $12 billion, adding to speculation that it could be headed toward bankruptcy.
4th person dies of injuries from Arlington wreck
Police say a fourth person has died of injuries suffered last week in a one-vehicle wreck in North Texas.
Arlington police say 18-year-old Christian Martinez of Arlington died Tuesday. He had been hospitalized in Fort Worth since the Oct. 10 wreck.
Martinez was a passenger in a car that went out of control and struck a tree, killing twin brothers and another passenger. Police identified those victims as 21-year-olds Stephen and Michael Eckel and 19-year-old Danielle Ruthstrom. Police say Stephen Eckel was driving.
Another young man in the car was injured but survived.
Mom: Texas boy who died had mental health issues
The mother of a detained North Texas boy who died after allegedly putting a sheet around his neck during a tug of war says he had mental health issues.
Tonya Hernandez says she sought psychiatric help for 14-year-old Jordan Adams of Cleburne.
Police and probation officials are investigating what happened Oct. 10 when Adams allegedly played tug of war with another youth at the Granbury Regional Juvenile Justice Center. Adams was found unconscious in his cell and died Sunday at a hospital.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Tuesday that Adams was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity and mood disorders.
He spent 10 days at the center after allegedly pulling a knife on his 17-year-old brother. Hernandez says Adams returned to the center this month after a fight on a school bus.