Category: CNN Regional

By Christl Dabu

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    TORONTO (CTV Network) — Pistachios are at the centre of dozens of recalls linked to a salmonella outbreak in Canada. A food safety expert says one of the reasons behind the recalls could be that they were imported from some countries that have less strict food safety standards.

Federal health officials have recalled more than 100 brands of pistachios and products containing the nuts, such as Dubai-style chocolate and pastries, due to potential salmonella contamination, since late July.

“I think there’s multiple layers to why this recall is dragging on for so long,” Amy Proulx, a former inspector with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Thursday, citing food safety standards but also a lack of labelling indicating the origin of the products.Pistachios are mostly processed in the United States and Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Iran and Turkiye, and food safety standards vary depending on the country, Proulx said.

“The United States has some incredibly strict and comprehensive food safety programs, whereas in the Middle East, the food safety programs are evolving and they’re improving, but they are still in progress in terms of their improvement,” said Proulx, a professor and academic program co-ordinator for the food innovation programs at Niagara College.

Can pistachios be contaminated?

Birds feed on pistachios from trees and their feces can potentially contaminate the nuts, Proulx said. The harvested pistachios are processed with water and dried under the sun in most parts of the Middle East, which isn’t an adequate way to remove salmonella, Proulx added.

Other factors behind recalls

Based on her review of CFIA’s public database online, Proulx said many of the recalls appear to be connected to a wholesaler that sells packages of pistachios to different bakeries, food processors and other clients.

Lawrence Goodridge, professor of food safety at the University of Guelph, believes the recent cases of contamination aren’t new and that the company that exported the pistachios to Canada may have produced a large amount that has found its way into numerous items over time.He said some products with pistachios such as baked goods, or pistachios sold in bulk, may not have been labelled indicating the origin of the nuts. He advised consumers not to buy pistachios if they don’t know where they came from.

“It’s often very difficult, especially if those products are unlabelled, to, trace them or to identify them,” he said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Thursday. He said it’s particularly challenging to identify potentially contaminated products that used multiple ingredients.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing its food safety investigation.So far, laboratories have confirmed that 62 people fell ill from salmonella outbreaks in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in a notice on its website.

But the actual number of cases is “likely much higher,” PHAC said in August, noting many people with mild symptoms aren’t tested because they don’t go to the doctor. Researchers estimate that there could be around 1,600 cases of illnesses to date. Although no deaths were reported, 10 people were hospitalized.

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By Andrelika McMillian

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    Florida (WPBF) — A 20-year-old man has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies after allegedly engaging in sexual activity with a minor he met through Roblox, an online game, and at a local skate park.

Tyler Ambur Metelus was taken into custody on Sept. 10 by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the victim, a girl between the ages of 12 and 16, met Metelus at a skate park in Greenacres and communicated with him via the online game Roblox. On Aug. 7, 2025, after an argument with her mother, the girl reportedly called Metelus to meet her at Loggerhead Beach in Jupiter.

The two later went to Metelus’s residence, where the victim alleges that inappropriate touching and oral sex occurred. The victim stated she felt pressured and disgusted during the encounter and later reported the incident to authorities.

Detectives interviewed Metelus, who allegedly confessed to the acts. The affidavit details that Metelus admitted to having oral sex with the victim and touching her breasts under her clothing.

The arrest report also notes that the victim did not expect the encounter to turn sexual and considered Metelus a friend. She emphasized that no prior discussions about sex had occurred.

Metelus faces charges of lewd or lascivious battery and lewd or lascivious molestation and is currently being held without bond.

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By Isabella Ledonne

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    BELTON, Missouri (KSHB) — It’s easy to get lost in the maze of the news of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement.

At Johnson Farms in Belton, Missouri, they want you to get lost in the maze so you can see the bigger picture.

It’s a Kansas City love story that Precision Mazes and Johnson Farms just had to say yes to.

“When [the engagement] came across on ESPN on my phone, I just sent a text to [Johnson Farms] that said ‘I have an idea,”‘ Precision Mazes owner Rob Stouffer said. “This might be a good one.”

The company created Swift and Kelce’s iconic Instagram engagement photo post alongside both their numbers, 87 and 13, with the phrase “Kansas City is Enchanted.”

“It’s a great, great story and a great thing that’s playing out right in front of us,” Johnson Farms Manager Jim Johnson said. “It’s kind of like, why wouldn’t you want to do that?”

For Johnson Farms, celebrating the celebrity couple was a no-brainer.

“We’re really thankful for all that they’ve brought to Kansas City,” Johnson said. “It’s been a lot of positive energy to the area and we’re just really grateful to be a part of that.”

It took nine hours for Stouffer to transform nine acres of the blank space.

“I got one shot, friend,” Stouffer laughed. “I got one shot because once you knock this [corn] down, you can’t put it back up.”

Thankfully, the design didn’t get lost in translation.

“We’re telling stories out here and this is a fun one to tell,” Stouffer said. “There’s a lot of tragedy, a lot of sadness in our broken world. This is not one of those examples. This is an opportunity to celebrate the marriage of a couple.”

Maybe those who come to visit the corn maze will see sparks fly.

“I hope that there’s some first dates that happen out here in the corn maze that do end in marriage,” Stouffer said.

Whether its true love or just true fun, Johnson Farms welcomes everyone to celebrate Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce in style.

“Man, what a great couple,” Johnson said. “Just can’t say any more than we just wish them the best.”

The corn maze is now open at Johnson Farms. Precision Mazes launched an Instagram campaign where one lucky couple will have their initials mazed out next to the design of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

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By Kayla James

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Following the shooting of Charlie Kirk, videos showing the assassination have been circulating across social media platforms. The videos have been seen by people who weren’t even looking for them, including children.

According to Iowa State University professor of electrical and computer engineering, Doug Jacobson, it’s a monumental task for social media companies to take those videos down.

“Once it gets flagged as mature content, then your parental controls would come into play,” said Jacobson.

However, until then, Jacobson says the videos showing the shooting of Kirk will show up unless companies take action. Jacobson says typically, unless it’s something that an automated system can detect, social media platforms have a dilemma.

“It’s very difficult to look at every post that is made on these social platforms,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson tells KCCI the large number of sources posting the different videos makes it difficult to report and limit them all.

“It’s one thing if some random Facebook user put something on their page and there’s a bunch of complaints,” Jacobson said.

The best thing people can do for now, Jacobson says, is to report the videos they see.

He also says when it comes to kids, parents and guardians may need to have a discussion with them, which is something licensed mental health counselor Breanna Young agrees with.

“We don’t want to impose our own language or our own visions of what we’re seeing and hearing,” said Young, who is a counselor with B&G Mental Health Counseling & Consulting. “We want to hear what they’re actually experiencing.”

Young says it’s important to give kids their space and time to feel in their own ways.

She also says parents or guardians should talk to them in their own language. Young tells KCCI that language can sound different for each child and each age range, such as elementary-aged students.

“You know, just asking kiddos, ‘What are you seeing on TikTok or on YouTube? What are your friends talking about? Have you heard anything scary in the news lately?'” Young said. “Again, just asking that and not imposing your own language.”

Young says that by doing it this way, it gives kids and teens the chance to express their feelings.

However, if that’s not being done and parents or guardians are concerned, Young says there are signs to be on the lookout for.

“Changes in kids are really good indicators that something is upsetting them that they’re not always talking about,” Young said. “Other signs could be things like excessive clinginess, withdrawal, isolation and sleepless nights, nightmares, and just moodiness overall.”

If parents or guardians are overwhelmingly concerned, Young tells KCCI it’s important to remember that help is always an option.

“If parents feel like they’re outside of the realm of their comfort, or maybe it’s a little bit more than what they can handle, asking for help is really important as well. Whether it’s through a school guidance counselor, school official, teachers can help with that, too,” said Young, who also listed church pastors, coaches, and mental health counselors. “Right now we have an entire nation that’s dealing with very similar images.”

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