In brief: Bill Clinton in the dark on Hillary’s plans
WASHINGTON – Bill Clinton says Hillary Rodham Clinton is qualified to be president, but he says she’s tired after serving as secretary of state and he has no idea what she may do.
The former president told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that she wants to take some time off and may write a book.
Bill Clinton thinks “we ought to give her a chance to organize her life and decide what she wants to do.”
He said Hillary Clinton is among a lot of qualified Democrats who could run and that whatever she wants to do, “I’m for her, first, last and always.”
But he also said, “I have no earthly idea what she’ll decide to do.”
She did run in 2008 but lost the nomination to Barack Obama.
Trader Joe’s recalls peanut butter
MONROVIA, Calif. – Trader Joe’s is recalling its house brand of peanut butter over fears of possible salmonella contamination.
The voluntary recall of Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter was announced Friday on the Monrovia-based company’s website. No specific lot numbers are available.
Officials with the specialty grocery chain said they were acting “out of an abundance of caution,” stressing that there are no confirmed reports of contamination.
Trader Joe’s is offering refunds.
Salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
Cat mistakenly euthanized
GARDNER, Mass. – A Massachusetts woman says her cat went to the veterinarian for a flea bath but was mistakenly put to death.
Colleen Conlon, of Gardner, is grieving the loss of 8-year-old Lady, which she attributes to negligence by the vet, Muhammad Malik. Malik’s lawyer said people should wait until all the facts come out before passing judgment.
Conlon’s 24-year-old son, Jesse, took Lady to the Broadway Animal Hospital last week and unknowingly authorized the cat to be put to sleep after he says he was handed the wrong forms. He said he learned of the mix-up when he returned with a second cat and the vet asked whether he wanted to keep the body.
“At first he thought it was some cruel joke,” Conlon told the Telegram & Gazette.
But the vet told her son he’d signed the papers. Her son didn’t leave the other cat at the vet’s office, Conlon said.
Conlon said she has filed a complaint with the state attorney general’s office and plans to talk with state licensing officials.
“I don’t think there was any malicious intent, but I do think it was negligent,” Conlon said. “I’m sure there are standards of practice they have to follow.”
Conlon’s daughter had given her the cat about a year before she was killed in a car accident in 2010.
Malik’s lawyer, Michael Sheridan, said Malik is well-respected and has saved many animals’ lives during his 30 years as a veterinarian.
Rescued sea turtle released
HARWICHPORT, Mass. – The New England Aquarium in Boston said it has released a 7-foot-long, 655-pound leatherback sea turtle back into waters off Cape Cod after it was treated for dehydration, trauma and shock.
The turtle was found stranded near the tip of the cape Thursday. Experts at the aquarium said the male turtle was underweight and lethargic, and a large portion of its left front flipper was missing because of some kind of trauma.
Aquarium officials said the turtle regained its strength, and they released it off Harwichport on Saturday.
Leatherback sea turtles are endangered and the largest reptile in the world. Experts treated the turtle using information obtained from research on leatherbacks that were briefly captured over the past few summers off Cape Cod.