The company had a similar service disruption in August

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Reports of a new Verizon outage surfaced early Thursday, October 9, with customers seeing SOS mode and failed calls/texts.

• Impact appears scattered across multiple U.S. cities based on live user-report heatmaps, while Verizons status pages offer localized checks.

• The company had similar disruptions in late August; todays cause was not immediately clear.

A new wave of connectivity problems hit some Verizon customers in the early hours of Thursday, October 9, with user reports describing phones stuck in SOS mode, failed voice calls, and messages that wouldnt send.

An early post flagging the disruption timestamped around 12:41 a.m. ET circulated overnight, and additional reports accumulated through the morning. Reports suggest service had largely been restored by 3 am ET.

While Verizon had not issued a broad, public incident summary at press time, customers could only verify service on a location-by-location basis via the companys network status pages. Those portals advise users to sign in and check current availability or attempt standard troubleshooting steps.

Live outage-tracking sites that aggregate crowdsourced complaints showed clusters of reports in multiple metro areas, suggesting the impact was widespread but uneven. Because these sources rely on voluntary submissions, their maps are best read as signal, not censususeful for spotting trends but not definitive on scope.

What we know

• Symptoms: Users describe devices showing SOS/SOS Only status and difficulty placing calls or using mobile dataconsistent with major carrier disruptions.

• Timing: Initial alerts referenced shortly after 12:40 a.m. ET; additional reports followed overnight into Thursday morning.

• Verification: Verizons public tools presently direct customers to individualized status checks rather than a national incident banner.

Context: August outage looms large

Todays issues arrive on the heels of a late-August outage that Verizon attributed to a software issue, which produced tens of thousands of reports and left many phones in SOS mode for hours before service improved.

That episode is relevant because initial user symptoms today closely resemble those seen in August, though no root cause had been confirmed for the October 9 disruption at press time.

What customers can try

• Restart the phone and toggle Airplane Mode for 3060 seconds to force a fresh network attach.

• If you see SOS Only, try Settings Cellular Network Selection and re-select your carrier, or remove/re-insert the SIM/eSIM profile if prompted.

• Check Verizons network status for your zip code and keep Wi-Fi calling enabled where available.

In August alone, foreclosure starts grew by 6 %

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Foreclosure filings in the U.S. have risen year over year for six consecutive months, signaling mounting financial pressure on homeowners.

• In August alone, foreclosure starts grew by 6 %, and foreclosure sales jumped 22.5 % compared to the same time last year.

• Analysts warn that while the current levels are still below crisis-era peaks, the sustained uptick could mark the beginning of a broader housing distress wave.

In recent months, data from mortgage and real-estate trackers have revealed a growing number of U.S. homeowners slipping into foreclosure. After years of historically low rates, the rise is drawing attention from housing analysts, lenders, and policymakers alike.

According to ATTOM, a real estate data company, the national foreclosure rate is 20% higher than 12 months ago.

"In 2025, weve seen a consistent pattern of foreclosure activity trending higher, with both starts and completions posting year-over-year increases for consecutive quarters, Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, told Realtor.com.

Despite the rise, foreclosure activity remains well below the levels seen during the 2008 housing crisis. Barber said that the current increases suggest that some homeowners may be experiencing added financial strain in the current high-cost and high-interest-rate environment.

The foreclosure wave of 2008 was caused by lax lending standards for subprime loans. After that disaster, lenders significantly tightened lending standards and foreclosures largely disappeared.

So, whats driving the surge?

1. High interest rates and mortgage stress

Several lenders and analysts point to persistently high borrowing costs as a key factor. Many homeowners who secured mortgages when interest rates were lower are struggling now that refinancing or adjustments are less feasible.

2. Shrinking financial buffers and inflation

Rising costs for essentialsfood, healthcare, energyhave eaten into savings and liquidity. Homeowners are increasingly vulnerable to unexpected expenses or income shocks. In regions with weaker job markets or more volatile economies, the effect is even sharper.

3. Regional and policy pressures

Some states are bearing the brunt more than others. For example, housing markets hit by natural disasters, higher insurance costs, or fragile job sectors are seeing disproportionate foreclosure activity. In addition, lenders are being more aggressive in pursuing defaults after years of leniency, and regulatory forbearance programs are fading.

Implications and risk outlook

The gradual uptick in foreclosures carries several potential consequences:

• Housing supply pressures: Increasing distressed sales may put downward pressure on prices in weaker markets, especially in neighborhoods already overleveraged.

• Local tax base strain: More vacant or distressed properties can reduce property tax revenue, straining municipal budgets.

• Credit andbanking risk: Lenders may face higher losses on mortgages and tighter liquidity, especially smaller local banks with concentrated exposures.

• Social andcommunity impacts: Foreclosures often hit vulnerable populations hardest, disrupting families, increasing displacement, and destabilizing neighborhoods.

If there is a silver lining, it may be that foreclosure rates remain far below those seen during past crises. But if interest rates stay elevated or economic pressures deepen, that gap could narrow.

Recalls rise, trust falls: Inside Americas food safety anxiety

• Americans worry about the safety of their food supply, wiith public confidence at its lowest ebb ever.
• It's estimated that one in six Americans fall ill with food-related illnesses every year.
• Recent government cutbacks have reduced the number of food safety inspections.

Food recalls dominate the headlines and Americans gravitate to stories about food safety. In the last two weeks, the most widely read news stories on ConsumerAffairs have dealt with frozen shrimp recalls, fishy products at Costco and tainted meals at Trader Joe's.

Thelist goes on: Frozen strawberries tainted with hepatitis A. Deli meats recalled over Listeria. Bags of salad greens pulled for E. coli. Its no wonder Americans are anxious about whats on their plates.

In fact, in the latest Food & Health Survey from the International Food Information Council, foodborne illness topped the list of consumer worries, overtaking pesticides, additives, and chemicals. Confidence in the U.S. food supply, meanwhile, has sunk to a record low.

Each recall seems to confirm what people already feel: that the food system isnt as safe as it should be.

Consumers aren't alone. Experts are sounding the alarm, especially after cutbacks and layoffs resulting from the government shutdown and earlier staff reductions."Our federal food safety system is teetering on the brink of a collapse," saidSarah Sorscher, a policy expert at theCenter for Science in the Public Interest,in a recentNPR report.

The real toll of foodborne illness

Behind the headlines lies a persistent reality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 9.9 million illnesses, 53,000 hospitalizations, and nearly 1,000 deaths each year can be traced to seven common foodborne pathogens.

Earlier CDC estimates, using broader methods, put the toll higher as many as 1 in 6 Americans sickened annually, with 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths. The discrepancy reflects changes in surveillance, not a sudden drop in illness.

The bottom line: foodborne illness is a fact of life in America, and millions of consumers have lived through it. Even mild cases of vomiting, cramps, or diarrhea leave an impression, and those personal stories ripple through families, workplaces, and social media.

Is food getting more dangerous?

Experts say its complicated.

On one hand, food may appear riskier because detection has improved. Whole-genome sequencing now allows health departments to link scattered illnesses to a single contaminated batch. Companies are required to announce recalls more quickly, and the internet amplifies every alert.

On the other hand, modern food systems do carry new vulnerabilities. Centralized processing plants and globalized supply chains mean that one contaminated batch can sicken people across dozens of states. Recalls have shifted in character too: more than 90% now stem from biological contamination or undeclared allergens.

And recent years have brought an uptick in the most serious, Class I recalls those involving products likely to cause severe illness or death.

Why the fear feels personal

Surveys and surveillance data suggest that most adults have had at least one episode of foodborne illness in their lifetime, whether or not it was officially diagnosed.

That lived experience, combined with relentless news coverage, fuels public anxiety. Unlike abstract risks such as chemical residues, food poisoning is visceral painful, disruptive, and sometimes life-threatening.

The road ahead

The U.S. food safety system has improved in many ways, with better testing, stricter standards, and faster recalls. But challenges remain.

• Budget cuts have already reducedactive surveillance by health agencies. From tracking eight pathogens, CDC is down to just two.

• Consolidation in food processing means contamination can affect millions of units at once.

• Climate change may expand the range and seasonality of pathogens, adding stress to the system.

For now, outbreaks and recalls are likely to remain a fact of life and public unease, grounded in both statistics and experience, will not fade easily.

The retailer is helping shoppers prepare for the holiday season early

• BJs is kicking off the holiday season early with a curated list of 2025s top toys many of them BJs exclusives backed by attractive pricing and deals.

• Shoppers can take advantage of free shipping on all toys, plus flexible fulfillment options like curbside pickup, in-club pickup, and same-day delivery.

• The list features a mix of familiar brands (LEGO, Hot Wheels, Barbie) and trending toys like Little Live Pets and Bluey playsets.

The holiday toy hunt is officially underway at BJs Wholesale Club, and this years lineup is something to watch especially if youre looking to get ahead of the crowds.

BJs has released what it calls the Must-Have Toys of 2025, mixing exclusive items with fan favorites all sold at competitive prices, with free toy shipping included.

Holiday shoppers are beginning earlier than ever this year, and BJs is offering unbeatable savings so members can beat the crowds and make sure they get the seasons hottest toys, Dion Evans, Senior Vice President, General Merchandise, BJs Wholesale Club, said in a news release.

We know our members will love our assortment, along with the incredible value and convenience BJs offers.

Whats on the list?

As for the toys themselves, the offerings are generous and wide-ranging. The list includes both staples and surprises:

• BJs exclusive picks like Little Live Pets: Mama Surprise Families, Disney Princess Cinderella Carriage & Doll, Play-Doh Fridge Fun Kitchen Playset, GUND PAW Patrol 6-Inch Plush Multipack, and Barbie Dream Closet Playset.

• Popular non-exclusive staples such as LEGO Botanical Collection Hibiscus Flower and Hot Wheels Loop & Launch Track Set also make the cut.

• Family-friendly choices like Bluey Ice Cream Truck Vehicle & Figures Playset and Maisto F1 RC Car with Bonus Track bring fun for different age groups.

BJs isnt just positioning itself as a toy seller its framing itself as a one-stop holiday shop. Seasonal dcor, groceries, home essentials, and gifts are all part of the mix.