By Brenda Goodman, Deidre McPhillips, CNN

(CNN) — Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms and sold at some Taco Bell restaurants has been linked to a multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis, a source familiar with the investigation said Thursday.

Cases of the intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite are surging across the US, with nearly 7,000 cases confirmed or under investigation since May 1, according to data published Tuesday by the CDC. Confirmed cases alone are more than six times higher than they were at this time last year, and there have been at least 141 hospitalizations.

The outbreak linked to the lettuce, however, is considered to be a regional one, centered in the Midwest.

The CDC has identified at least 400 cases associated with the outbreak across four states: Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. These cases are among people who reported symptoms on or after June 22, the agency said in an update Tuesday.

The Michigan state health department has reported more than 4,300 cases of cyclospora during the outbreak investigation. Michigan said it has interviewed more than 1,000 people as part of its investigation and had previously noted that lettuce or salad greens may be a potential source for the outbreak.

Cyclosporiasis is not usually spread directly from person to person. Instead, people can become infected by consuming contaminated food or water. Previous outbreaks have been linked to fresh produce, the CDC says.

People with cyclosporiasis may have symptoms that include watery diarrhea, cramping and bloating for weeks.

Federal health officials said there are multiple investigations underway, some tied to the large outbreak in the Midwest, some involving single states and some involving cases not yet tied to any cluster.

Taylor Farms supplies grocery stores and restaurants across the country, although it’s unclear exactly how many of its products and which locations may be affected. The company has not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment Thursday.

Taco Bell said Tuesday that it was removing some ingredients from its menu at some restaurant locations as a precaution.

“While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure,” Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement. “We will continue to closely monitor the situation and follow the guidance of public health authorities.”

Taylor Farms produce has also been linked with previous illness outbreaks, including E. coli cases tied to slivered onions in 2024 and cyclospora cases linked with lettuce in 2013.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post Iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell linked to cyclospora outbreak appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

The AI notetaker has quietly become a coworker. One in 3 employed Americans (33.4%) say an AI notetaker or transcription bot, tools like Otter.ai, Fireflies, Zoom AI Companion, or Microsoft Copilot, has been present in their work meetings, according to a July 2026 survey of 500 employed U.S. adults commissioned by Kolmogorov Law and conducted through the Pollfish research platform. Another 22.4% can’t say whether they’ve been recorded or not, which is its own kind of finding.

Recording First, Asking Later

What hasn’t become routine is asking. Among the 167 workers whose meetings have included an AI notetaker, only 34.7% say they were always asked for permission before the tool recorded or transcribed. More than a third (36.5%) were asked only sometimes, 25.1% were never asked and simply saw the bot appear in the meeting, and 3.6% learned about the recording only afterward. Put together, 65.3% of exposed workers say consent was inconsistent or absent.

The consent problem isn’t limited to AI notetakers. Nearly 1 in 5 of all workers surveyed (18.8%) say they have discovered after the fact that a meeting or call had been recorded or transcribed without their knowledge, and 8% say it has happened more than once.

The issue is already reaching the courts. A federal class action against Otter.ai alleges that meetings were recorded and transcribed without the consent of all participants in violation of California privacy law. Otter.ai denies the allegations, and the case remains pending.

The 65% Knowledge Gap

Most workers have no idea that rules exist. According to the Kolmogorov Law survey, some states, including California, require every participant’s consent before a conversation may be recorded; only 35% of workers said they already knew. Nearly 42% (41.8%) said they had no idea recording laws applied to work meetings at all, 11.6% believed one participant’s consent was enough everywhere, and another 11.6% weren’t sure. Sixty-five percent of the American workforce say they lack awareness of the consent requirements that can determine whether AI meeting recordings comply with applicable laws. This knowledge gap mirrors, almost exactly, the 64.4% of workers who don’t know that pasting confidential data into a personal chatbot can be illegal.

Ignorance of the law, however, does not translate into indifference once workers imagine the recording happening to them. Asked what they would do upon discovering that a company had repeatedly recorded their calls or meetings without consent, 29.2% would complain to the company or HR, 9.6% would stop attending, and only 14.2% would do nothing. The number that should concentrate minds in any general counsel’s office: 19% would speak with a lawyer and a further 10% would join a class action if one existed, so a combined 29% of the workforce describes a secret recording as a lawyer-up event. For companies operating across multiple sta

An employee finally decides to ask for help. Maybe their work has slowed. Maybe they have been missing sleep. Maybe they have been holding it together for months and can feel that changing.

For an HR or benefits leader, that moment matters. The first experience an employee has with a mental health benefit can determine whether they get routed to the right care, wait too long, disengage, or start over later.

That is why a mental health assessment deserves more attention than it often gets in vendor evaluations. It is more than a questionnaire. Done well, it is the clinical and operational front door to the entire mental health journey, Spring Health reports.

Key takeaways

• A mental health assessment should connect employees to the right level of care, not just collect symptoms.
• Strong mental health assessment tools use validated screeners, dynamic branching, safety protocols, and ongoing measurement.
• For HR and benefits leaders, the most important question is what happens after the assessment: matching, navigation, care planning, and outcomes reporting.
• Well-executed assessments can reduce trial and error, help employees start care faster, and provide employers with aggregate insight into program performance.

What is a mental health assessment?

A mental health assessment is a structured way to understand a person’s symptoms, goals, functioning, preferences, and level of need. It may include self-reported questions, validated screening tools, clinical interviews, or ongoing symptom measures used during care.

In a workplace mental health benefit, the assessment has a practical job: to help each employee find the right next step. That next step may be therapy, coaching, medication management, self-guided support, specialty care, crisis support, social-needs resources, or help from a trained navigator.

A strong assessment does not ask questions for their own sake. It uses the answers to guide care.

Why mental health assessments matter for employers

Employers are not responsible for diagnosing employees. They can be responsible for offering a benefit that identifies needs safely, route employees appropriately, and show whether the program is working.

That makes assessment quality a business issue as well as a clinical one. A weak assessment can create friction at the exact moment someone is ready to act. A stronger assessment can reduce trial and error, improve the first match, flag risk earlier, and measure progress over time.

For benefits leaders, the question is not only whether a vendor offers a mental health assessment online. The better question is what happens after someone completes it.

What mental health assessment questions should cover

Assessment questions for mental health sh

The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 was the most popular new vehicle bought by Capital One customers in the first half of 2026. From January to June 2026, the Silverado 1500 had an average sales price for those customers of $56,259.

Here are the top five new vehicles financed by those customers from January to June 2026, according to Capital One Auto Navigator proprietary data.

1. 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
2. 2026 Nissan Rogue
3. 2026 Chevrolet Trax
4. 2026 Tesla Model Y
5. 2026 Chevrolet Equinox

Given Capital One is one of the largest auto lenders in the country, auto expert and analyst Brian Moody says this data may point to a larger trend of car shoppers seeking affordable, reliable vehicles from popular automakers.

“Vehicles like the Rogue, Model Y, and Trax prove you don’t have to get a $60,000 car just to get desirable, comfort, and convenience features,” Moody says.

Chevrolet makes three of the five top models among this customer group, reinforcing the automaker’s popularity. In 2025, Chevrolet manufactured 50% of the top 10 funded new vehicles purchased by these customers. Moody says Chevrolet’s diverse lineup may be the reason the automaker continues to be a popular choice for car shoppers.

“While Chevrolet has made many excellent mid-priced performance cars, they have an impressive selection of affordable vehicles, too,” Moody says.

Here’s more about these popular vehicles’ key features and their average sales price for this customer group.

2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

With multiple powertrains, cabs, bed styles, and trim levels, the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a full-size pickup truck that can be configured to meet a wide range of uses.

“It’s the perfect truck for both work and everyday use,” Moody says.

The light-duty pickup has an optional turbo-diesel engine and an available hands-free highway-driving system, Read more

Ah, summertime: longer days, warmer nights, vacations and more time soaking up the sun. For many, it’s an absolute dream, especially after months of gray days and freezing temps. But the reality is that the same things you love most about summer can have a not-so-great impact on your health if you don’t plan for them.

One of those things is the heat, which comes with increased sweat and the greater need for electrolytes to maintain balance. Also, because summer days are longer, you’re getting more of the sun’s rays. This can boost your body’s production of vitamin D, but it can also affect your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns and contribute to premature skin aging.

Adding the right supplements, like vitamin C and ceramides, to your routine can help you steer clear of heat-related pitfalls and make your sunny days shine even brighter. Below, Life Extension shares supplements to add to your routine and set your summer up for success.

At a Glance

• Longer days and UV exposure can impact your nutritional needs in summer.
• Vitamin B3 and other nutrients can help safeguard your skin from the inside out.
• More time outdoors doesn’t mean you don’t need vitamin D.
• Supplements like zinc and probiotics can help support immune system and gut health during summer travel.

Core Summer Supplements

Whether you live where it’s always sunny or your region is just waking up from winter slumber, summer supplements can offer support. “It’s important to change your supplement routine for summer because the body’s needs revolve just like the seasons revolve,” said Stephen Tapanes, Ph.D., a research scientist at Life Extension.

Consider these four nutrients your foundation for supporting summer vitality.

1. Vitamin C

For longer days outside, vitamin C is a bright idea. The antioxidant’s well-deserved reputation for immune support has been documented over decades of research and use. In fact, one clinical study found that a daily oral dose of 500 mg of vitamin C helped support immune function. Vitamin C also supports heart and respiratory health and collagen synthesis. While savoring slices of grapefruit or squeezing lemon into your water are good ways to get vitamin C, including a supplement in your routine can make your summer even sweeter.

2. Vitamin D

Yes, sunshine naturally increases the amount of vitamin D your body creates, but you may still need vitamin D supplements in the summer. This is especially relevant if you stay indoors, use a high-SPF sunscreen, are older or have darker skin tone.

While it’s well known that vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus for strong bones, did you know it also promotes