Month: September 2012

U.S. Fidelis Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Other Charges

The St. Louis Post Dispatch has reported that the former co-owner of U.S. Fidelis, a seller of auto service contracts, has been sentenced to four years in jail after pleading guilty to tax fraud and other charges. Cory Atkinson has already turned over $15 million in assets and will have to pay 4.49 million in […]

Written by on September 27, 2012

Four Injured in Crash Involving a Semi Truck and Ambulance

An ambulance that was moving toward a ramp was rear ended by a semi- tractor trailer on Interstate 55 near Hamel Illinois. The ambulance was on the highway to answer an emergency call from a rest stop when it started to turn right from the right hand lane. The only place to turn off was […]

Written by on September 25, 2012

Popcorn Lung Victim Awarded 7.2 Million Dollars

A federal jury awarded 7.2 million in damages to a Coloradoman who developed a condition known as popcorn lung from a diacetyl, a chemical used in the flavoring of microwave popcorn. After a nine day trial, the jury determined that an Illinois popcorn manufacturer and  supermarket chain that sold and placed the defective product into […]

Written by on September 20, 2012

Energizer Batteries Getting Child Proof Packaging

The St. Louis Post Dispatch carried a story September 10, 2012 that informs us the Energizer Battery Company has changed their packaging for button sized batteries.  This change in packaging is supposed to make the batteries used for small electronic devices like remotes and electronic keys more secure. Small children could be harmed, possibly even […]

Written by on September 20, 2012

Restaurant Owner Kidnapped and Robbed

The owner of Uncle Bill’s Pancake and Dinner House was taken from the restaurant’s Manchester location after closing on September 9.2012.   Two men attacked him with pepper spray and then forced him into his car. They later disabled his cell phone, took his car keys and stole $5,000 in cash and left him at the […]

Written by on September 18, 2012

Collinsville Man Killed While Walking his Motorcycle

A Collinsville man who had a problem with his motorcycle was struck and killed by a pick-up truck on the evening of September 4, 2012. The man was turning left at an intersection when his motorcycle stalled and he was hit by the oncoming truck while trying to walk the vehicle out of the way. […]

Written by on September 13, 2012

St. Louis HealthCare Provider Admits to Committing Fraud

The owner of The Blessed Hands Home Health Services, Inc. has pled guilty to a felony charge of fraud in a scheme where she bilked money from Medicaid by filing false claims. The story in the St. Louis Dispatch notes that she admitted to the charge in court and that some of the people she […]

Written by on September 11, 2012

St. Charles City Reports Worker Dies at Sewer Facility

A worker for an outside contractor was found dead August 28, 2012 at a sewer facility on Highway 94 in St. Charles City.  According to reports he likely died sometime early in the afternoon. His foreman had called officials around noon after he did not respond to calls after having gone underground around 11 AM. […]

Written by on September 6, 2012

Hand Hygiene in Nursing Homes Needs to Improve

On August 27 the New York Times published a report citing information supplied by the Journal of Applied Gerontology focusing on hand hygiene in nursing homes. It seems that since 2002 the proper cleansing of hands after handling patients and equipment has gone down. The survey showed that hand hygiene deficiency citations had increased in […]

Written by on September 4, 2012