Giant Eagle Ending Foodperks

The program is 'a little too complex,' according to the grocer

Giant Eagle is ending its Foodperks program, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The last day to earn Foodperks will be Feb. 13 and discounts must be redeemed by May 31. According to a letter obtained by the newspaper, the CEO said customers thought the Foodperks program was "a little too complex." The program gave customers a 1 percent discount on groceries for every 10 gallons of gas purchased at GetGo gas stations. Foodperks started in 2009. Giant Eagle's Fuelperks program will remain.

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Best of the Blotter

Blame the GPS & Black Bear in Solon: Best of the Blotter

Here are some of the weirdest police reports from departments across the region

Here are this week's most bizarre police calls, reports and charges. All information was provided by police reports from departments in Patch communities. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction. Blame it on technology: A Broadview Heights woman overlooked her .111 blood-alcohol content level on Aug. 26 when she explained to Westlake Police why she drove the wrong way on Interstate 90. Who deserved the blame? Her GPS, of course. That's what 26-year-old Jacqueline Kovach told police after she was stopped at 2:34 a.m. Police arrested her for drunk driving, an open container, no seat belt and willful and wanton disregard for safety. She drove west in the eastbound lanes near the Columbia Road overpass. …

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lyn

10:38 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Well - I agree with I.M.Wright! And just maybe by putting her face here will make her think twice about ever driving drunk again. She could have killed people! Its not like she committed some small infraction. She was drunk and did not even realize when she turned the wrong way. A sober person, without an open container, would have been more aware of GPS instructions. Anyone with a basic GPS …   more ›

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Drug-filled Gummy Bears & Meat Theft: Best of the Blotter

Here are some of the weirdest police reports from departments across the region

It seems there's no alleged crime too bizarre to occur in Northeast Ohio. Here are some of this week's weird calls and charges. All information was provided by police reports from departments in Patch communities. Where arrests or charges are mentioned, it does not indicate a conviction. Driving through a neighborhood: An 18-year-old Avon Lake man faces drunk driving charges from an incident that caused damage to a home, a garage and a car. Westlake Police said William Muller drove his 1991 Ford pickup truck into a garage and car Tuesday morning on Bradley Road. About 15 minutes later, a resident of the 31100 block of Center Ridge Road said somebody drove a pickup truck through his backyard and into a creek before exiting on foot. A …

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Condom Thief Chased Through Parking Lot

The following information was supplied by the Stow Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

  A Walmart loss prevention agent called police at 6:44 p.m. Dec. 6 to report that he was chasing a male through the parking lot for concealing a pack of condoms valued at $5.26 in his pocket. The agent caught the suspect, a 37-year-old Akron man, in the adjacent Lowe’s parking lot. Stow police arrested the man and issued him a summons to appear in Stow Municipal Court on a misdemeanor theft charge. The man was released on a personal recognizance bond. In other Stow Police news:

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Giant Eagle GetGo Stores Offer No-Fee ATMs

Huntington bank account not required, supermarket owner says.

Giant Eagle is hoping you'll reward its GetGo stores' generosity by bringing a little extra business their way. The supermarket chain is rolling out surcharge-free ATMs at all Northeast Ohio GetGo stores in a partnership with Huntington banks. And with some banks raking in $3 or more for each ATM transaction, the savings could add up for those who use ATMs frequently. Giant Eagle says you don't need to have a Huntington account to use the no-fee ATMs. If your bank assesses fees for using out-of-network ATMs, those may still apply.   Of course Huntington hopes you'll consider switching to Huntington if you are paying extra fees. And Giant Eagle hopes you'll grab an extra bag of chips or refreshments with that extra money.

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FDA Warns Against Needle-less Flu Shots

Giant Eagle has pulled flu shots administered with a jet injector.

Needle-less flu shots are no longer being offered at Giant Eagle pharmacies, following a warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA issued a statement Friday advising health care professionals not to administer jet injected, or needle-less, flu shots. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued updated guidance to health care professionals on the administration of influenza vaccinations," Giant Eagle said in a statement released Monday. "As a result of this guidance, Giant Eagle Pharmacy has discontinued use of needle free technology for flu shots, but will continue to administer the flu vaccine via traditional needle injection." The FDA statement warned that all vaccinations should be given according to their labelling …

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Giant Eagle Issues Voluntary Recall on Shredded Lettuce, Sandwich Rings

A sample of the lettuce was contaminated with listeria, according to the grocery store chain.

Giant Eagle is voluntarily recalling its Farmers Market shredded lettuce, as well as some sandwich rings that used that lettuce. According to a press release from Giant Eagle, the Food and Drug Administration informed the company that it had found listeria monocytogenes in a random sample of its Farmers Market lettuce. The sample had a use-by date of Oct. 14, 2011, and was produced by River Ranch Fresh Foods. As of Oct. 12, there had been no illnesses reported in relation to this product, according to the release. Giant Eagle has placed a register block on the lettuce and removed affected products from its shelves. Customers are encouraged to throw the products out or return them to their local store for a refund. Visit Giant Eagle’s …

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Cargill Recalls 36 Million Pounds of Ground Turkey

Grocery stores remove products for salmonella risk from its area locations.

Meat giant Cargill Inc. is recalling close to 36 million pounds of ground turkey following a salmonella outbreak that has killed one and sickened more than 70 people across the country, including some in Ohio. The United States Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that the products may be contaminated with a multi-drug resistant strain of Salmonella Heidelberg. Cargill products potentially affected were produced at the company’s Springdale, Ark. facility from Feb. 20, 2011, through Aug. 2, 2011, according to a company press release. Giant Eagle stores in Northeast Ohio began removing the food giant’s ground turkey products from its shelves and meat cases Wednesday. Products on the Recall List Sold at Giant Eagle: Service Meat Case…

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Giant Eagle's New iPhone App Tracks Foodperks, Fuelperks

Android version coming soon.

Like to have a grocery list with you, but never take your notepad? You're in luck. Giant Eagle launched a new iPhone app on Tuesday that may make the task of grocery shopping a bit easier. The app, which is free, allows you to create an online shopping list you can access with your phone, load eOffers and get the savings on your Advantage Card, find a nearby store, and track your Foodperks and Fuelperks discounts, including when they expire. The company is planning an Android app. A Giant Eagle spokesperson said Tuesday it is expect to be launched in the fall.

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Possible Salmonella Causes Giant Eagle Cucumber Recall

All cucumbers sold at store's two Stow location before May 17 being recalled.

Giant Eagle has issued a recall of regular cucumbers because of possible salmonella contamination. According to a story at Peters Patch (PA), the contaminated cucumbers were shipped from C.W. Hendrix Farms in Boca Raton, FL, between May 6 and 13. The Centers for Disease Control says that people infected with the salmonella bacteria can get diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramping up to 72 hours after infection. The illness can last between four and seven days. While most people recover on their own, others may become dangerously dehydrated or the infection may spread into the bloodstream. Infants, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are most vulnerable to more severe illness. The PLU number for the recalled cucumbers is …

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