Yoke’s markets recalls raw Spanish peanuts

Yoke’s Fresh Markets is recalling raw Spanish peanuts that the grocery chain sold in bulk from July 18, 2008, to March 16 because of potential salmonella contamination.

Peanuts were distributed to four Yoke’s stores: those in Mead and Sandpoint, and, in Spokane, on North Foothills Drive and East Sprague Avenue. Only the East Sprague and Sandpoint stores had the peanuts on the shelves at the time of the recall notification.

No illnesses have been linked to the peanuts sold by Yoke’s, according to the grocer. Customers who purchased the raw Spanish peanuts can return them for a refund.

The national peanut and peanut product recalls are the largest food-safety recalls ever undertaken and affect products as varied as protein bars and dog food.

For more information, call Yoke’s at (509) 921-2292.

John Stucke

Spokane

Verner warns City Council of impending 2010 deficit

Mayor Mary Verner warned the Spokane City Council on Monday that the city faces a $5.5 million deficit next year.

The gap is so large, she said, that the city probably can’t avoid layoffs to balance the budget in 2010.

However, Verner added that the city probably won’t need to cut jobs this year, giving officials time to work with unions and residents to minimize layoffs and find ways to “make our government a better government.”

Ideas that will be considered include changing employee work schedules, combining services with other local governments, reworking city health care benefits and making across-the-board cuts.

“None of these decisions are going to be politically popular,” she said.

Verner said an across-the-board cut aimed at saving $5.5 million would be about 4 percent. That’s not her preferred option.

“It’s kind of like taking a cleaver to the situation instead of a scalpel,” she said.

Jonathan Brunt

Private adult family home tagged with violations

Oasis, a privately operated adult family home in the Indian Trail neighborhood in north Spokane, can no longer admit residents, after Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services found more than a dozen violations that put five residents at risk.

The violations included medication distribution irregularities, lack of care plans for the residents, lack of an emergency water supply and first-aid supplies. The “statement of deficiencies” report described an excessively cluttered house that posed dangers, including “sharp objects” found at the bedsides of two residents.

The home, at 5910 W. Red Cloud Court, is licensed to Lauretta Valenciano.

She told DSHS inspectors that she was “burned out, overwhelmed and that she had to work in the family home pretty much 24 hours a day.”

She also said she has six children and “the combination of resident care needs and her children not picking up after themselves was too much for her.”

Rebecca Nappi