Business

(NEW YORK) — Thirty years ago Engracia Figueroa, 51, was hit by a Bay Area Rapid Transit train that left her with a spinal cord injury and amputated leg. She now calls her wheelchair an “extension of her body” — granting her freedom and independence.

But last week Figueroa says she was “re-disabled” when her $30,000 wheelchair was mangled in the cargo hold of a United flight.

“I was heartbroken,” she said when she first saw what she described as her “completely contorted” chair after her flight to Los Angeles. “I just thought, all of the independence that I fought and strived for and successfully survived for soon to be 30 years by the minute, it’s stripped away, and I was completely disabled and traumatized, as well as hurt and exhausted.”

Airlines are obligated to fix or replace damaged or lost wheelchairs under the Air Carrier Access Act.

“They’re attempting to fix it,” Figueroa told ABC News, but “there’s nothing to fix.”

“The chair is a total loss and to get a new wheelchair, it takes two months,” she said.

A United spokesperson said the company apologized to Figueroa and is “actively working with the repair company to reach a resolution to this issue as quickly as possible.”

She is currently using a loaner chair that she says only allows her to move in her apartment.

“There is no regard or respect of the extension of the human that’s in the plane,” she said. “When they see a mobility device they should respect it, as if it is a person, because that’s what it is — an extension of their person. And we’re trusting them with the rest of our body.”

Figueroa says this is the fourth time her wheelchair has been damaged in-flight. She blames a lack of training on how to break down and load the devices.

Near the end of 2018, U.S. carriers had to start reporting the number of wheelchairs and scooters that were mishandled.

In a little more than two and a half years, airlines damaged or lost 15,749 wheelchairs and scooters, according to data from the Department of Transportation. In 2019, they mishandled 10,548 mobility devices, amounting to roughly 29 a day.

Earlier this month, model Bri Scalesse called out Delta Air Lines in a now-viral Tik Tok for breaking the frame of her wheelchair. According to Scalesse, the repair company told her the chair could not be fixed and that “it was going to take a really long time to replace.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to live my life,” Scalesse said in the video, which is now viewed more than two million times.

In a statement to ABC News, Delta said they “work closely with the customer to make things right at their direction including personal apologies about their experience with us.”

Videos like Scalesse’s have generated more interest in accessibility issues than Michele Erwin, the founder and president of disability rights group All Wheels Up, has seen in more than a decade.

“I don’t think I know of one person who uses a wheelchair who hasn’t had a travel horror story,” Erwin said.

And advocates say airlines are losing potential customers.

“Eighty percent of the wheelchair community isn’t flying,” she said, “and it’s not just about the one person whose wheelchair is damaged, times it by four, because now that person’s family isn’t traveling.”

According to Erwin, in 2016, one major U.S. carrier told her they spent $2.6 million on wheelchairs repairs and replacements. Eight years prior, they had only spent $1.6 million.

“Another eight years from now, that number is going to double again,” Erwin said, “and that’s why I believe they are interested in having the conversation of what can All Wheels Up do to improve accessible air travel.”

She said she’s had meetings with representatives at major U.S. airlines and manufacturers to come up with solutions.

“If they invested that money into the actual research on trying to implement a wheelchair spot on airplanes, we could save them millions of dollars, as well as bad press,” she said.

All Wheels Up is currently funding and conducting crash-test studies in an attempt to get the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval for a wheelchair spot on planes.

“Every person that uses a mobility device has traveling anxiety,” Figueroa said. “You worry you’re going to lose your independence and become re-disabled again. I’m always saying in the back of my mind — not this time, not this time.”

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(NEW YORK) — Save bars, drink tequila.

That’s the latest message in a hot new merchandise drop for National Tequila Day that aims to help provide food security to hospitality workers as they continue to rally back from the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Creative executive Dylan Hattem — founder of DS Projects, the company behind This T-Shirt — launched the charity-driven brand at the onset of the pandemic with a focus on authenticity and purpose to “help the people who power the restaurants and bars you love.”

Now, as patrons are able to once again saddle up to bars safely, they can do it in style with a custom tee made by This T-Shirt that also benefits the restaurant industry.

The merch-for-good brand teamed up with the Tequila Don Julio Fund to create an exclusive unisex tee. The net proceeds from each sale will be donated to No Us Without You, a non-profit that provides food security to undocumented immigrants, many of whom are the backbone of hospitality service in the greater Los Angeles area.

The shirt design is emblazoned with the phrase “Save Bars. Drink Tequila” on the front in a trendy, bright blue serif font. The back of the shirt contains a list of seven classic tequila cocktails in various large, bold typefaces: margarita, Paloma, Anejo old fashioned and tequila sunrise, to name a few.

The pre-shrunk premium cotton is also made from recycled material, and wearing it can serve as a reminder to support devoted bartenders, restaurant staff and hospitality workers — not to mention it can serve as a conversation starter to inspire more interest in the charity’s efforts.

The unisex T-shirts cost $40, with $37 per sale donated. It comes in six sizes, ranging from small to 3XL, and is available online through Sept. 20, 2021, while supplies last.

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(NEW YORK) — A family is sharing a stark new warning for others about the alleged dangers of the Peloton Tread+ treadmill after they say their son was sucked under the belt and severely injured.

Ygal and Sarah Saadoun spoke exclusively to ABC News about their 4-year-old son, who they said suffered third-degree burns after getting pinned underneath the workout equipment.

“This treadmill is a death trap for children,” Ygal Saadoun said in the interview airing Wednesday on Good Morning America.

“Children should not be sucked under a conveyor belt that can kill them,” he added. “Period.”

In July 2020, the Saadouns dropped their child off with another family for a sleepover. Just hours later, the young boy was sucked under the treadmill’s belt while playing next to the machine and was rushed to the hospital in extraordinary pain, the parents said.

“We were shocked to see the extent of the burns. My son was covered in burns,” the father told ABC News. “We were shocked to hear that a treadmill can do that to somebody.”

Nearly two dozen other families have reported children being hurt by the Peloton Tread+ and one even died from their injuries.

In May, the New York-based fitness company announced a recall of its Tread+ and Tread treadmills due to risk of injury and offered a full refund to anyone who purchased them until November.

“The fact that the Peloton [Tread+] has neither a safety guard or sensor to me is extremely worrying,” Sarah Saadoun told ABC News.

Peloton surged in popularity amid the coronavirus pandemic with its at-home workout machines, like the $4,300 Tread+, as people stuck at home turned to interactive fitness.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission first issued an “urgent warning” about the Peloton Tread+ in April, urging users with small children or pets at home “to stop using the product immediately.” The CPSC said kids could become “entrapped, pinned and pulled under the rear roller” of the equipment.

Peleton initially called that warning “inaccurate and misleading,” but then backtracked with CEO and co-founder John Foley publicly apologizing on GMA.

“We did make a mistake by not engaging with the Consumer Product Safety Commission in a more productive dialogue earlier in the process,” Foley told GMA in May.

However, the Saadoun family said it was too little, too late.

“I read the statement from the company after knowing that so many kids had been injured, that a child had died and still insisting that their product was safe and taking weeks to actually recall the product,” Sarah Saadoun told ABC News. “That was when we decided we need to sue this company.”

The family’s lawsuit against the company claims Peloton “knew or should have known” that the treadmill “was extremely and unreasonably dangerous.”

Lawyers for the family pointed out that other at-home treadmills have a safety guard on the back of the machines to prevent such accidents.

“Part of what the Saadoun family wants is to raise awareness about how dangerous this treadmill is,” their attorney, Nathan Worksman, told ABC News.

“We think a better, more safe, not defective product design would have avoided this child’s injuries,” another one of their attorneys, Jordan Merson, added.

When asked for comment, Peloton told ABC News in a statement: “We take this incident, and all others reported to us involving our products, very seriously. We care deeply about the safety of our community and recognize the trust our members place in us to develop safe products. We continue to cooperate with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on this recall.”

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(NEW YORK) — A government agency is urging vacation rental companies to require owners to disable at-home elevators or make safety modifications following the death of a child in North Carolina earlier this month.

In a letter to Airbnb, Vrbo and others, The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said residential elevators “can pose a deadly but unforeseen hazard to children.”

“Small children can be crushed to death in a deadly gap that may exist between the doors,” the letter said.

CPSC said if the gap between the exterior door and inner door is too deep, a child can become entrapped between the two, resulting in serious injury and even death.

“Children, some as young as two and as old as 12, have been crushed to death in this gap, suffering multiple skull fractures, fractured vertebrae and traumatic asphyxia,” the letter said. “Other children have suffered horrific and lifelong injuries.”

The letter comes after a 7-year-old Ohio boy was killed in an elevator accident at a rental home in the Outer Banks. 

CPSC said the gaps can be made safer by placing space guards on the exterior doors or by using electronic monitoring devices that deactivate elevators when a child is detected in the gap.

“These fixes are relatively inexpensive and can save lives,” the letter said.

The agency said companies should notify rentals about the potential hazard as well as require all hosts to lock outer access doors or disable at-home elevators until the hazardous gaps are remedied.

CPSC said the companies should also require elevator inspections at any listed homes in the future.

“By working together, we can stop these agonizing deaths and prevent further harm to children and families,” the letter said.

Neither Airbnb nor Vrbo immediately responded to request for comment.

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(WASHINGTON) — COVID-19 restrictions were designed to stem the tide of the biggest public health crisis in 100 years.

As the virus began to recede with mass vaccination, many of the most burdensome were relaxed or dropped altogether.

But there was at least one that many states, and their businesses, were more than happy to keep.

Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia had special provisions in place during the pandemic that allowed restaurants and bars to deliver alcohol orders to their customers.

Mike Whatley, the vice president for state affairs and grassroots advocacy for the National Restaurant Association, told ABC News to-go alcohol options increased restaurant sales on average 5-10% during the pandemic.

“Many restaurants are alive today because of cocktails to go,” he told ABC News.

All but 11 of those states have kept their alcohol to-go rules in place following the end of their governors’ emergency orders. Economic and political experts say those states that are on the fence should consider following suit if they want to ensure a stronger post-pandemic future for their restaurants.

Although most states have relaxed their limits on indoor capacity for businesses, restaurants and bars are still relying on takeout customers to improve their revenues, Whatley said. Restaurants still haven’t regained 1.5 million jobs lost before the pandemic, a 12% loss, according to the National Restaurant Association.

Nearly two-fifths of restaurant owners said they still can not afford rent, according to statistics from the association.

“Until every single person feels comfortable eating in a restaurant, we’re not going to be back to normal,” Whatley said.

Alcohol to-go gives customers more options to enjoy their meals, and most importantly, gives restaurant owners a way to sell their more profitable cocktails and spirit drinks, Whatley said.

Massachusetts state Sen. Julian Cyr told ABC News that his state’s temporary cocktails to-go rule was fully embraced by residents and business owners, so there was no question to extend it. Cyr introduced a bill that passed in the legislature extending the rule until May 2022.

“I think broadly we realized this was an industry that was really hurt and we wanted to do something,” Cyr told ABC News.

The senator, who previously worked a restaurant, said alcohol regulation is one of the toughest hurdles that business owners have to cross in Massachusetts and other states, since they have to get approval from both their local and state liquor authorities.

“I think more broadly, this is an industry where we don’t provide enough state investment from government,” Cyr said.

Experts say that red tape and years of precedent concerning alcohol laws are stalling other states from implementing more permanent delivery laws.

Kajal Lahiri, a distinguished professor of economics at SUNY Albany, told ABC News that alcohol laws in states have been linked to more conservative beliefs on drinking, such as no sales before noon on Sundays.

Lahiri contended that changing those laws, even for something as economically beneficial as cocktails to go, isn’t a big priority for state legislatures given the other recovery struggles.

“I think this slipped past [legislators’] priorities,” Lahiri told ABC News.

New York was one of the locations that, as of July, didn’t extend its alcohol to-go laws before Gov. Andrew Cuomo ended his COVID state of emergency. A bill was introduced during last year’s session to extend the regulation, but was never voted on.

Several restaurant advocates, including the New York City Hospitality Alliance, have called on the state legislature to pass legislation that would make alcohol to-go permanent.

Representatives from the New York State Assembly and Senate didn’t immediately return messages for comment.

Rich Azzopardi, a spokesman for Cuomo, told ABC News that the governor would like to see the statehouse come up with a solution to alcohol on delivery.

“We know what a lifeline this was to the industry during this pandemic and are more than willing to work with the houses on a legislative solution,” Azzopardi said in a statement.

Lahiri, who has consulted with the state legislature on economic matters, predicted that New York and other states will join the other locations in extending the alcohol delivery laws.

Aside from the pressure applied by restaurants that need that service, Lahiri noted the pandemic has forced elected officials to reconcile that their older rules and regulations may be moot.

For example, canceling classes because of inclement weather was no longer necessary because of the rise in remote learning, Lahiri said. When it comes to restaurants, there are few cons to having them deliver their drink menu items.

“It is a new era and we have now realized the old ways of doing things aren’t the best,” Lahiri said. “I think it will be easy because we’ve lived with this. It’s not uncharted.”

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(CLEVELAND, Ohio) — Margie’s Closet opened on June 5 to help transgender, non-binary and gender-expansive people buy clothing at an affordable cost.

Located in Ohio, Margie’s Closet is the first thrift shop in the state designed to help the transgender community by offering clothing and emotional support. The store, founded by the organization Margie’s Hope, sells an extensive list of clothing, from chest binders for transgender men to $5 pairs of jeans.

Jacob Nash, co-founder of Margie’s Hope and Margie’s Closet, told “Good Morning America” that he came up with the idea for the store after listening to questions from individuals in the transgender community.

“There was some conversation, first through a friend of mine who … had some clothes that she wanted to donate to folks in the trans community, and wanted to know if I knew of any place that served the trans community specifically,” Nash said. “Then, at the support group that Margie’s Hope has [Trans Ally] … a lot of people talked about shopping online because they felt uncomfortable in the stores … and then they end up sending a lot back.”

As a response to these conversations, he opened a pop-up event where people donated clothing for transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive individuals. This event was extremely popular, Nash said, which inspired him to open up a store to sell this donated clothing.

“By the time we were done, we had so many clothes. We were like, ‘OK, so we obviously have a need here. What are we going to do?’” Nash said.

His dream became a reality when he discovered a space called Studio West 117, which was specifically created for the LGBTQ+ community, on the border between Lakewood and Cleveland that he found ideal to house the store.

“We toured the facility and realized that this would be perfect because we wanted to be able to provide folks within the transgender and nonbinary and gender-expansive community a space that they felt comfortable in [and] that they could get there everything [they] need[ed],” Nash said.

About six weeks after leasing the space, the store opened, just in time for Pride Month. So far, the turnout has been “phenomenal,” Nash said.

“We’ve had people coming in and purchasing items that are from the community, but also people that are supportive of the trans community that are coming in and saying, ‘We are coming here to shop because we want to support the community, the trans community, the nonbinary community,” Nash said. “It’s not just folks from the LGBTQ community that are coming in and shopping, or even donating, but it’s the whole community of Northeast Ohio.”

Monika Veliz, the executive manager of Margie’s Closet, agrees that the turnout has been “more than [they] could have hoped for.” She believes that the large numbers of people coming to the store can be contributed to local support and advertising.

“We realized that we can’t do this by ourselves, and the community realized that we can’t do this by ourselves, so everyone’s been really helpful,” Veliz said. “Surrounding businesses have been more than generous with welcoming us to the neighborhood. We’ve had, because of social media, and different platforms … people drive as far as from Cincinnati to Cleveland, from Bowling Green to Cleveland just to get to the store.”

This support is meaningful to Nash, but not because of the money made, making Margie’s Closet different from a typical business. In fact, the store offers opportunities for those who cannot afford the clothing to have access to $25 vouchers through community organizations or to ask for help from the store upfront. This is because Nash wants Margie’s Closet to care more about the people it helps than making a profit.

“We are trying, as our slogan goes, ‘building community one piece of clothing at a time,’ because it’s not about the clothing as much as it is building community, building family, building relationships and serving the population that is most needed,” Nash said. “If that means we give away product, then we give away product because it’s more about the people than it is about the money.”

When Veliz started working at the store, she did not realize this unique aspect of the store – that was, until she had a meaningful interaction with a transgender woman customer.

“She knew absolutely very little about women’s clothing, about her body type, her body shape, and she came into the store as we were closing. We actually stayed open an extra hour just for her so that I could help her pick up clothes and measure her and all that good stuff,” Veliz said.

“Up until that point, I thought it was just a business, if that makes sense…, but then I realized the importance we play in trans and nonbinary people who walk through our door,” Veliz added. “They’re looking for direction, they’re looking for… connection [and] community. That was the defining moment of what the store actually was for me.”

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(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department said Monday it has “fundamental concerns” with Purdue Pharma’s plan to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Purdue filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2019 as it faced thousands of lawsuits across the country over its aggressive marketing of OxyContin and other opioid products.

While the department said it supports Purdue Pharma’s proposed business model of becoming a public benefit corporation and welcomes the distribution of more than $4 billion to states for opioids mitigation, it opposes shielding the heirs of founders Raymond and Mortimer Sackler from additional opioids-related litigation since they themselves are not going through bankruptcy.

“The proposed shareholder release violates due process principles,” the Justice Department statement, filed with the bankruptcy court in White Plains, New York, said.

“To be sure, many individual creditors in the Purdue bankruptcy have agreed to give this release in exchange for the payments and other benefits they will receive under the plan, and presumably find this to be a fair deal. But many others, including states who have voted against or objected to the plan, have not agreed.”

Also on Monday, the United States trustee, who supervises bankruptcy cases for the Department of Justice, took the more formal step of objecting to the plan, which requires Sackler family members to pay over $4 billion in cash and assets, but does not require any admission of wrongdoing.

U.S. Trustee William K. Harrington cited the “extraordinarily broad release of the Sackler family” from any liability for the nation’s opioids epidemic as a reason for his objection.

“The plan provides that some members of the Sackler family will ‘contribute’ more than $4.3 billion to fund opioid abatement and compensation trusts established under the plan,” Harrington said in the court filing. “But there is a catch: Payment is conditioned on every member of the Sackler family and associated parties — which total hundreds, if not thousands — receiving a release from all liability from all persons, even if they are not creditors or parties in interest, for the Sackler family’s alleged wrongdoing in concocting and perpetuating for profit one of the most severe public health crises ever experienced in the United States.”

“Although styled as a third-party release, it is nothing less than an illegal, court-ordered discharge of a potentially limitless group of non-debtors,” the trustee wrote.

The Justice Department has, in other cases, formally objected to releasing third parties who are not going through the bankruptcy process themselves from legal liability.

In a letter last month, Democratic Rep. Carolyn Maloney urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to formally object to Purdue’s plan.

“Allowing the Sacklers to obtain legal immunity through Purdue’s bankruptcy would be a tragic miscarriage of justice,” Maloney said. “While the settlement will provide much-needed transparency about the Sacklers’ central role in creating, fueling, and profiting from America’s opioid epidemic, we remain troubled that the Sacklers are poised to escape accountability yet again.”

Purdue Pharma’s reorganization plan “has the potential to improve public health by speeding resources to communities and individuals affected by the opioid crisis,” Steve Miller, chairman of Purdue’s board of directors, said in a statement earlier this year. “That is what we have been working toward since the 2019 bankruptcy filing.”

The company last year pleaded guilty to three felonies — one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute — as part of a settlement with the Justice Department.

A hearing to finalize Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy exit plan is scheduled for Aug. 9.

ABC News’ Celia Darrough contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Ciara is a superstar singer, mom, wife and all-around mogul, and her latest venture, Dare to Roam, feels right on time.

Just ahead of back-to-school shopping, the “Level Up” singer has introduced a new line of accessories that are ideal for children and adults.

Dare to Roam launches Aug. 11 and includes stylish, functional backpacks, lunch boxes and pouches.

Ciara was inspired to create the brand after spending lots of time at home and wanting to transform the way we commute, travel and get back into the world post-pandemic.

The collection features EPA-registered antimicrobial texture, which serves as an added layer of protection against harmful bacteria — suppressing the growth of mold, mildew, fungi and bacteria.

The antimicrobial shield also helps to eliminate discoloration, odors and overall deterioration, which allows for each accessory to require less washing and be more sustainably used.

“I’m excited to share a cool new project I’ve been working on to help you rebuild your confidence as you Dare To Roam,” said Ciara in a statement Monday as she shared the collection on Instagram.

Dare to Roam came to life in partnership with NYC-based creative agency Harper + Scott with style, utility and protection top of mind, and the agency’s CEO Michael Scott Cohen mentioned in a statement that Dare to Roam was created based on Ciara’s vision.

Prices range from $42 to $98, and with every purchase, 3% of profits will go toward the Why Not You Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to education, children’s health, fighting poverty and empowering youth to lead with a “why not you” attitude.

 

 

 

 

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Ciara’s upcoming accessories rollout follows news of her husband, Russell Wilson, debuting his 3BRAND children’s clothing line.

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(NEW YORK) — As the end of summer approaches, teachers are already preparing for the school year ahead, which is happening again this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help teachers, select retailers are offering special back-to-school deals and discounts.

Here are some of the retailers offering special deals now for teachers.

Target

Target is offering teachers a one-time, 15% discount on select classroom supplies and essentials now through July 31. Teachers need to sign up for Target Circle and verify their teacher status to be eligible.

All K-12 teachers, homeschool teachers, teachers working at daycare centers and early childhood learning centers, university or college professors and vocational/trade/technical school teachers are eligible, according to Target.

Staples

At Staples stores across the country, teachers and school administrators can get 20% off select purchases now through Sept. 30.

Parents can also help support teachers through Staples’ Classroom Rewards program, which gives a percentage of their qualifying purchase made at a Staples store back to an enrolled teacher or school administrator of their choice, according to the company.

To start getting discounts, parents, teachers and school administrators must download the Staples Connect app and enroll in Classroom Rewards.

Check here for updates as more deals and discounts are announced.

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(NEW YORK) — Fried chicken fans are already clucking about Popeyes’ soon-to-debut chicken nuggets. Flocks of customers gobbled up the popular chicken sandwich, and the fast-food chain has plans to keep up with the anticipated demand of its new nuggets.

Popeyes announced in a press release the new menu item due to hit the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico on July 27, with claims it is looking to reset customer standards and revolutionize the nugget game.

Foodies swarmed social media with the news release, begging the question — will the hype bring on the same level of chaos caused by the brioche bun-enveloped crispy fried chicken sandwich with housemade pickles?

The pop-in-your-mouth-sized pieces of white meat chicken breast are seasoned just like the sandwich, marinated for at least 12 hours, hand-battered and breaded in buttermilk; then slowly fried to deliver a crisp, juicy bite, Popeyes said in a statement.

“We aim to show the world once again the magic of Popeyes chicken with our new Nuggets. We believe that these pieces of crunchy, juicy delicious chicken will have guests question how they ever enjoyed chicken nuggets before this,” Sami Siddiqui, president of Popeyes Americas said.

Popeyes said the recipe is steeped in Louisiana tradition and uses a special flour and batter system to provide the craggy and crisp texture in the brand’s classic flavor that pairs with signature sauces like Bayou Buffalo, BoldBQ, Blackened Ranch, Buttermilk Ranch, Mardi Gras Mustard and Sweet Heat.

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