WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) are announcing today a voluntary recall to repair all Roman shades and roll-up blinds to prevent the risk of strangulation to young children. This recall involves millions of Roman and roll-up blinds. About five million Roman shades and about three million roll-up blinds are sold each year.

Connie Barton bought into the message. It seemed to be everywhere - television, magazines, even her doctor was telling her that those nasty symptoms of menopause could be squashed by just taking a once-daily pill. Not only did the miraculous hormone replacement therapy (HRT) help with hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings, it also helped counter serious health problems associated with estrogen loss - osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, Alzheimer's disease, tooth loss and blindness. It seemed almost too good to be true. Turned out, it was.

The following letter was sent to the Editor of every newspaper in Alabama by Beasley Allen Founding Shareholder Jere L. Beasley. The letter helps clarify the State of Alabama's position regarding the recent Supreme Court ruling on its Medicaid Fraud verdicts and pending litigation. This letter serves as a necessary and important counterpoint to previously published Letters to the Editor addressing the same subject.

A popular over-the-counter cold medication is being recalled by the manufacturer because the labeling on some of its foil blister packaging were printed with the label reversed, listing the "daytime" pills as "nighttime pills," and vise versa. Bayer Consumer Care and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the recall on certain packages of Alka-Seltzer Plus Day & Night Cold Formula Liquid Gels, and is notifying consumers in the event they may not be aware of the warnings that antihistamine in the "nighttime" product could cause drowsiness.

Unintended acceleration problems and a lackluster response to them have created a public relations fiasco for Toyota, and the quandary seems only to worsen. In September, the automaker announced a record recall of 3.8 million vehicles -- a number that quickly grew to encompass more than 4,260,000 as possible causes and solutions were studied.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Amby Baby USA of Minneapolis, Minn., today announced a voluntary recall of Amby Baby Motion Beds. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. The CPSC reports the side-to-side shifting or tilting of the hammock can cause the infant to roll and become entrapped, resulting in a suffocation hazard. The CPSC is aware of at least two infant suffocation deaths in the Amby Baby hammock.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Goodman Company, LP, of Houston, Texas, has reannounced a voluntary recall of the company's Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner/Heat Pump (PTACs) Units. This recall was previously announced in August 2008, but has been reissued after Goodman has received 11 reports of smoke or fire associated with the PTAC. The PTAC's power cord can overheat, causing a burn or fire hazard.

A report by Reuters news service says Regions Financial Corp. CEO Dowd Ritter is open to "any and all" possibilities to raise capital in order to repay the U.S. goverment for the bailout money it loaned the institution. Regions, based in Birmingham, Ala., received $3.5 million in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds. However, despite this pledge, it is unclear whether Region's troubled brokerage arm, Morgan Keegan, is on the table.

An increased risk of major birth defects in babies born to women who take a type of medication to treat migraines, seizures and bipolar disorder during pregnancy has prompted a safety advisory from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Consumers try to be vigilant, keeping an eye on the news for product recalls and important safety information. But while current recalls are top-of-mind, many products for which warnings were issued in the past may still pose a threat when purchased second hand. For this reason, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and crib manufacturer LaJobi, Inc., are reissuing warnings about a 2001 voluntary recall of LaJobi's "Molly" and "Betsy" cribs, which pose a danger of entrapment and strangulation.