Lettuce Talk Produce Safety: No L.A. County Cases Linked to Nationwide Outbreak
+ Events in and around La Verne July 24-Aug. 3
Hello neighbors!
Wow! It's been a busy week. As a solo news org, I wear many hats. (You've seen the video, right?) I've been trying to focus more on the business side of, well, my business, so today's newsletter was delayed. Worth it because now you can read the newsletter in bed instead of doomscrolling.
Onward to the weekend ... there's so much to report!
Staci
Learn More About La Verne's CERT Training
Staci Baird
Next training: Aug. 10–29
Classes meet in the La Verne Fire Department Training Room, 2061 Third St.
Enroll at lavernecert.org/enroll
Questions? Contact: lavernecert.org/contact
Could Your La Verne Neighborhood Lose Power? Sign Up for SCE Alerts
Tuesday night, the power was out briefly in North La Verne. So my family jumped in the car to find out what we could, and I called Southern California Edison's media line to get more information. Before we had the chance to finish our shakes from In-In-Out, the power was back on. I’m waiting to hear back from SCE about what caused the outage. In the meantime, now's a good time to remind you that you can sign up for Southern California Edison’s outage alerts.
You can register to receive notifications about possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs affecting a specific address—even if you are not the SCE account holder.
➡️ Sign up for SCE Alerts https://www.scepsps.com
How Do I Check if a PSPS is Affecting My Area?
View the Outage Map to check if your neighborhood is experiencing or is under consideration for PSPS.
No L.A. County Cases Linked to Cyclospora Outbreak, But Health Officials Urge Residents to Stay Informed
-- No Los Angeles County cases have been linked to the outbreak.
-- California is not considered an outbreak hotspot.
-- There is no recommendation to stop eating fresh produce.
-- The FDA says there are no confirmed positive food samples.
-- If you develop prolonged diarrhea, contact your health care provider and ask whether testing for Cyclospora is appropriate.
Los Angeles County health officials say no local cases have been linked to the nationwide Cyclospora outbreak, but they're encouraging residents to stay informed as investigators continue searching for the source.
California is not considered an outbreak hotspot, and health officials are not recommending people stop buying fresh produce.
Cyclospora is a microscopic parasite that can contaminate food or water, most often fresh produce. Outbreaks linked to fresh produce occur periodically during the summer months, although investigators don't always identify a single source.
What's Happening?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking an unusually large increase in Cyclospora illnesses across the country.
As of July 20, the agency had received reports of 4,173 confirmed cases in 41 states. More than 300 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
The CDC also said thousands of additional reports are still being reviewed, meaning the number of confirmed cases will likely continue to grow as state health departments complete their investigations.
What Have Investigators Found?
Federal investigators believe several separate outbreaks may be occurring at the same time.
One confirmed outbreak has been linked to shredded iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. Other outbreaks remain under investigation, and officials have not identified a single source for the nationwide increase in illnesses.
What Does This Mean for La Verne Shoppers?
Right now, health officials aren't advising consumers to stop eating fresh produce.
“People may overreact and lose confidence in our food sources and stop consuming fresh produce,” said Wei-Jen Lin, professor of biological sciences at Cal Poly Pomona. She said buying produce from trusted suppliers, washing it thoroughly before eating and cooking it when possible are among the best ways to reduce the risk of illness.
Lin said food retailers and restaurants play an important role by choosing suppliers that follow FDA food safety guidelines and have plans to monitor and control contamination. “This may include a documented food safety plan and control steps of relevant pathogens such as Cyclospora.”
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recommends a few simple steps to reduce your risk of foodborne illness:
-- Wash hands.
-- Wash fresh produce.
-- Cook foods to 158°.
-- Prevent cross-contamination.
-- Contact a healthcare provider if symptoms develop.
What Symptoms Should You Watch For?
Symptoms usually begin about a week after exposure and may include prolonged watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, loss of appetite and weight loss. Some people also experience vomiting or a low-grade fever.
Anyone who develops prolonged diarrhea, especially after eating fresh produce, should contact a health care provider. Because Cyclospora isn't included in every routine stool test, patients may need to ask whether testing for the parasite is appropriate.
Where Does the Lettuce Investigation Stand?
One part of the investigation has focused on iceberg lettuce from central Mexico.
Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily recalled iceberg lettuce grown and processed in the region after the FDA identified it as a potential source of one outbreak.
However, on July 19, the FDA said a lettuce sample that had initially tested positive for Cyclospora was later determined to be a false positive. As of July 19, the agency said no food samples had been confirmed positive for the parasite.
Taylor Farms said its branded salads and salad kits are not part of the recall and that it is cooperating with public health authorities as the investigation continues.
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Business Buzz 🐝
Spirit Halloween Creeps Back to La Verne
Spirit Halloween will soon rise again at 1480 Foothill Blvd. in La Verne—and the seasonal retailer is already summoning its next crew.
J.R. Shell Fuels a Fresh Start
After seven months of renovations, J.R. Shell Station & Complete Auto Repair will celebrate its grand reopening Wednesday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to noon at 1808 N. White Ave. in La Verne. They're giving away Shell gas gift cards!
The family-owned business closed in December 2025 to modernize its operations and install new underground fuel storage tanks. It reopened to customers in early July.
