Current Events in August 2020

Hyundai is making further investments in the electric vehicle (EV) market. On Monday, it announced the launch of IONIQ as its new EV brand and promised three new electric cars out of the gate.

“IONIQ” is a fusion of “ion” and “unique,” something the Korean automaker framed as “a new chapter.” The company says its EV experiences will be centered on connected lifestyle solutions in line with Hyundai’s vision of ‘Progress for Humanity,’ an ambition centered on putting eco-friendly mobility atop the car-buying public’s wishlist and making hydrogen an economically viable energy source.

Some car lovers might remember IONIQ as a vehicle Hyundai produced in 2016, but that version had a rough start and a string of recalls.

What’s in it for the consumer

The new brand is going to use Hyundai’s Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), which the company claims will enable “fast charging capability and plentiful driving range.”

Hyundai’s IONIQ 5/6/7 three-model electric vehicle lineup includes:

• Hyundai IONIQ 5 -- a midsize Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) that combines features of an SUV and a passenger car -- will come out first, sometime in early 2021. 

• Hyundai IONIQ 6, an electric sedan “based on the company’s latest concept EV ‘Prophecy,’” is set to release in 2022.

• IONIQ 7 -- set to follow in early 2024 -- is a “large SUV,” according to Hyundai’s press release.

Specifications like mileage, charge time, etc., aren’t available yet, but the company said that more information will be released as the coming out party for the IONIQ 5 happens in 2021.

Timing is everything

The Korean automaker’s timing might be good. While COVID-19 certainly put a wallop on the fuel-powered auto market, life for EVs was relatively calm. 

“The Covid-19 pandemic will affect global electric vehicle markets, although to a lesser extent than it will the overall passenger car market,” suggests the International Energy Agency.

“Based on car sales data during January to April 2020, our current estimate is that the passenger car market will contract by 15 percent over the year relative to 2019, while electric sales for passenger and commercial light-duty vehicles will remain broadly at 2019 levels. Second waves of the pandemic and slower-than-expected economic recovery could lead to different outcomes, as well as to strategies for automakers to cope with regulatory standards.”

U.S. charging stations continue to grow

Plug-in power stations and charging outlets continue to grow and help push the EV market forward. While the U.S. is far behind China’s 210,000 charging stations, the number of charging outlets (78,500) and charging stations (24,800) in the U.S. continues to climb in typically urbanized areas in states like California, Texas, and Florida.

“Having a network of charging stations and outlets is absolutely necessary for electric vehicles to be practical for most drivers,” is how Statista’s I. Wagner views the situation. “With faster charging and cheaper, more efficient batteries, long distance travel becomes possible with plug-in EVs.”

Amazon is reportedly in talks with mall owner Simon Property Group to convert some of its department store spaces into Amazon fulfillment centers.

Sources familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal that Amazon is interested in filling voids left by J.C.Penney and Sears, or even buying locations that are still in use. The sources didn’t say how many stores Amazon is considering purchasing or where they are.  

The discussion began before the pandemic, according to the sources. Amazon reportedly wants to put its low-cost grocery stores in former J.C. Penney spaces. The Journal noted that having fulfillment centers located close to residential areas would help Amazon make deliveries more quickly.

The news comes at a time when many retailers are struggling to stay afloat. Amazon’s business has improved significantly over the last few months because more people are working from home and buying online. During the second quarter, Amazon said its earnings were double that of the year prior at $5.2 billion. 

The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) fell last month, suggesting June’s heated housing market may be cooling for the rest of the summer. If so, that could be good news for buyers who have been dismayed by rising prices and declining inventory.

The Index dropped by 2.3 points in July to 74.2 after two consecutive months of advances. Home sales were sharply higher in May and June as the coronavirus (COVID-19) shutdown appeared to shape new housing trends.

Home shopping rose sharply in small towns and suburban areas and declined in cities. But in July, there appeared to be a pause.

‘Slight step back’

Three of the six HPSI components went down month-over-month, with consumers reporting a significantly more pessimistic view of homebuying conditions but a more optimistic view of home selling conditions. Year-over-year, the HPSI is down 19.5 points.

"Following a partial recovery of the HPSI in the previous two months, consumer sentiment toward housing took a slight step back in July amid a rise in coronavirus infections across many parts of the country, including the south and southwest," said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist. 

A big part of that, Duncan says, is the fact that there are not as many homes for sale as in previous years. Consumers intuitively recognize that this will lead to home prices going up.

Because of that, fewer consumers in July said it was a good time to buy a home, even though there was broad agreement that it’s probably a good time to be a seller.

The virus is a factor

Drilling deeper into the numbers, the index shows renters, 18-to-34-year olds, and households earning less than $100,000 are the most likely to think it's a bad time to buy a home. And it’s not all because prices are going up and choices are becoming more limited.

“In months ahead, we continue to expect consumer sentiment to be closely linked to the country's progress in containing the spread of the virus," Duncan said.

While sentiment appears to have turned against a home purchase, at least for now, consumers who really want to buy a home may have a better opportunity than they think. Last week, housing and data analytics firm Black Knight reported that home affordability is at its best point since 2016.

Despite high home prices, the company says record-low mortgage rates are keeping monthly payments within the affordability range for more people. 

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 607,784 model year 2018-2020 Odysseys, model year 2019-2020 Passports and model year 2019-2021 Pilots.

Incorrect instrument panel control module software can cause the instrument panel to not display critical information, such as engine oil pressure, speedometer, and gear selector position until the next ignition cycle.

Additionally, it can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.

Operating a vehicle without a functioning instrument panel or rearview camera display increases the risk of a crash.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel control module software free of charge.

This recall is expected to begin September 23, 2020.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is T89.

Consumer dining priorities seem to be going through a major shift. 

A whopping 64 percent of the consumers who like to dine out say the most important thing to them is that restaurant staff are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE), according to a recent survey. Interestingly enough, that’s a more important aspect than food quality.

A new study fielded by Toast, a restaurant marketing/engagement firm, suggests that diners are taking pandemic-related precautions seriously. On top of the PPE metric, another 52 percent of the 700 survey respondents say that the cleanliness of the establishment -- particularly menus, tables, and surfaces -- are a major factor in deciding where to sit down and have a meal. 

Restaurants had to reinvent themselves

Restaurants were left to their own devices at the apex of the original response to the coronavirus. Many have retooled, focusing on take-out or prepare-at-home meals. And with Americans spending more than half of their food budget eating outside the home, many consumers are anxious to eat out again and satisfy their foodie fancies.

“Generally … sales are starting to trend upwards again, but things remain, and will remain, different,” said Kelly Esten, Toast’s VP of Product Marketing. “Restaurateurs are now faced with figuring out how to overhaul how they operate their businesses in this new world.”

Instinctively, consumers want to get back to their favorite spots -- restaurants where they love the food, service, or atmosphere. Esten agrees, but she believes that many diners are wary and will stick to takeout and delivery for now. 

“Everyone is navigating the new normal with a new perspective: changed expectations of restaurants, how they choose whether and where to eat out, and what great hospitality looks like to them,” she wrote.

The new consumer expectations that came out of Toast’s study break down like this:

• Drive-thru availability is the most important technology-oriented shift, pointed out by 37 percent of the respondents.

• Contactless or mobile payment options came in as the second-most important aspect, with 34 percent of the respondents giving it the nod. As ConsumerAffairs found out recently, contactless payments might perform better if consumers were better informed about the option.

• Pay-at-table technology and online ordering were each preferred by 33 percent of respondents.

The importance of safety

Toast’s survey certainly went deep in trying to find out the minutiae of what diners want in their post-COVID-19 world.

Following staff wearing PPE as the most wanted change, items like hand sanitizers at each table (49 percent), single-use menus (40 percent), and single-use utensils (37 percent) led the way as the changes that restaurateurs are going to have to make to stay in business.

The high-level takeaway here, Toast says, is simple: restaurateurs need to keep safety, cleanliness, and health top of mind. 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 4,888,070 (4,826,861)

Total U.S. deaths: 160,157 (158,445)

Total global cases: 19,141,627 (18,851,834)

Total global deaths: 715,802 (708,540)

Deal or no deal?

It was expected among old Washington hands that Republicans and Democrats would come to some kind of last-minute compromise to extend stimulus and coronavirus (COVID-19) relief. In an election year, the optics of lawmakers leaving town for a month-long vacation without taking action aren’t particularly good.

As of this writing, there is still no deal on the table, with the two sides trillions of dollars apart. Democrats have proposed a $3 trillion package while Republicans support spending $1 trillion.

If Congress fails to act, President Trump is expected to use executive orders to extend some of the measures in the CARES Act that expired a week ago.

Gilead promises plenty of remdesivir

Gilead Sciences says it will be able to deliver an adequate supply of its antiviral drug remdesivir to meet worldwide demand by October. The drug, which has emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the coronavirus, has shown good results in treating severely ill patients.

In clinical settings, remdesivir helped shorten the recovery time of some hospitalized coronavirus patients. The drug is administered intravenously, so its use has largely been confined to hospitals.

Gilead Sciences says it has contracted with five generic drug makers to produce large quantities of the drug for international distribution. In addition, competitor Pfizer has agreed to make the drug.

Prediction: 300,000 U.S. deaths by December

The death rate from the coronavirus, which picked up speed in late July, could kill about 300,000 Americans by December, according to a University of Washington study. But the researchers say consistent mitigation measures like wearing a mask in public could trim that number by 70,000.

The projected death toll represents a significant increase from earlier predictions -- before cases began to rise again all across the U.S. Previous models suggested the U.S. could suffer 200,000 deaths by October.

“We’re seeing a rollercoaster in the United States,” said Dr. Christopher Murray, director of the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). “It appears that people are wearing masks and socially distancing more frequently as infections increase, then after a while as infections drop, people let their guard down and stop taking these measures to protect themselves and others – which, of course, leads to more infections. And the potentially deadly cycle starts over again.”

July’s employment gains were a little better than expected

The economy continued to shake off the effects of COVID-19 in July, but the pace of recovery in the job market has slowed from May and June. The Labor Department reports that there were 1.8 million new jobs last month, slightly better than most economists expected.

That dropped the unemployment rate to 10.2 percent as job growth was reported among all racial demographics and among both men and women. The number of unemployed workers on temporary layoff fell by 1.3 million in July to 9.2 million, about half its April level. 

“The rate of recovery in the labor market slowed in July, as job growth over the month was less than half that for June,” said William Beach, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “As of July, total nonfarm employment is 12.9 million, or 8.4 percent, lower than in February, before the pandemic crisis unfolded in many parts of the United States.”

Medical College of Wisconsin: masks work

Officials at the Medical College of Wisconsin say there should no longer be any debate about whether to wear a face-covering in public. They say masks help people stay healthy.

"Scientific evidence shows that when all people wear masks in public, transmission of COVID-19 is reduced,” said John R. Raymond, Sr., the medical college’s president. 

“The virus is insidious, it doesn't respect geographic boundaries, and we need to do everything possible to prevent its spread throughout our state. I strongly urge each of us to wear a mask in public as a simple and effective act to protect yourself and others." 

Around the nation

• Arizona: After seeing a spike in coronavirus cases in June, the number of illnesses is on the decline again. State health officials this week set out guidelines that they believe will keep children and teachers safe when they return to the classroom.

• Georgia: Some students at North Paudling High School in Dallas, Ga., were upset when they saw crowds of maskless fellow students jammed into hallways. After they posted pictures on social media, they were suspended.

• South Carolina: The South Carolina High School League Executive Committee has released dates for football season and other fall sports. The football season in the state will kick off on Sept. 25. Previously, play was scheduled to begin Sept. 11.

The U.S. State Department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have made two important moves relating to travel during the pandemic. For one, the Global 4 Health Advisory that recommended American citizens avoid international travel because of the outbreak has been lifted. And, two, a spate of high-level warnings for individual countries has been put in its place.

The State Department said that with health and safety conditions starting to improve in countries (like Taiwan and New Zealand) and deteriorate in others (like India and the Bahamas), it feels that returning to its standard system of country-specific travel advice gives travelers all the information they need to make informed decisions.

The State Department isn’t going about this willy-nilly. Its travel advisories rely heavily on the CDC since that agency has more experience in this regard. Department officials are also keeping tabs on how COVID-19 is affecting sectors like infrastructure and health care to make sure its ratings are fully informed.

Don’t let your guard down

Flying in this shaky world means that traveling safely is now the key factor in any trip. Mind you, neither the State Department nor the CDC are backing off their coronavirus-related warnings. Both continue to recommend that American citizens exercise extreme caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.

That said, if you are itching to go somewhere, you’re encouraged to stay connected with the State Department via its website or social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter. An even smarter move would be to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive alerts about evolving health and safety conditions in the destinations you want to travel to.

President Trump has signed an executive order banning TikTok and WeChat from operating in the United States in 45 days if they are not sold by the Chinese companies that own them.

Video-sharing platform TikTok has been at the center of federal scrutiny lately, and President Trump recently signaled his intention to ban the app due to national security concerns. 

On Thursday night, Trump said TikTok -- which is owned by China-based ByteDance -- will be banned in 45 days if it isn’t sold to another company.  It “remains unclear” if Trump has the legal authority to ban the apps from the U.S., the Associated Press noted.

Concerns over data sharing 

The Trump administration has expressed concern that TikTok and other Chinese apps could gather data from users and share it with the Chinese government.  

“TikTok automatically gathers vast swaths of information from its users, including internet and other network activity information such as location data and browsing and search history,” the executive order alleged.

“This data threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) access to Americans’ personal and propietrary information – potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information and blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage.”

Microsoft said over the weekend that it was moving forward with talks to acquire TikTok. On Monday, President Trump said September 15 would be the deadline for TikTok to find a U.S. buyer. 

Taking action against Chinese apps

Trump issued a similar order for China-based WeChat, a platform that allows users to transfer funds to each other. 

"The United States must take aggressive action against the owner of WeChat to protect our national security,” the executive order said Thursday night.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Trump administration believes TikTok could feed data to the Chinese Communist Party. 

"Here's what I hope that the American people will come to recognize -- these Chinese software companies doing business in the United States, whether it's TikTok or WeChat, there are countless more ... are feeding data directly to the Chinese Communist Party, their national security apparatus -- could be their facial recognition pattern, it could be information about their residence, their phone numbers, their friends, who they're connected to," Pompeo said. 

He said President Trump was “going to fix it” through actions that would be unveiled in the coming days “with respect to a broad array of national security risks that are presented by software connected to the Chinese Communist Party.”

Back in 2019, Capital One released details of a massive data breach that compromised the personal information of over 100 million consumers in the U.S. and Canada. Now, it’s being forced to pay the piper for its mistakes. 

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced this week that Capital One will pay an $80 million civil penalty due to the breach. The Federal Reserve Board is also requiring the company to upgrade its internal risk management systems, as well as its cybersecurity and information security practices, to prevent a similar breach from happening in the future. 

“The OCC took these actions based on the bank's failure to establish effective risk assessment processes prior to migrating significant information technology operations to the public cloud environment and the bank's failure to correct the deficiencies in a timely manner,” the OCC stated. 

Exposed information

At the time, the scope of the Capital One breach was compared to the infamous Equifax breach of 2017, which compromised the personal data of nearly 150 million Americans. 

The exposed information included names, addresses, zip codes/postal codes, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and self-reported income. The hacker responsible for the breach also accessed 140,000 Social Security numbers and 80,000 linked bank account numbers linked to secured credit card customers. Nearly 1 million Canadian Social Insurance numbers were also compromised. 

Vitamin D has countless benefits for consumers, including lowering the risk of cancer and improving exercise ability.

Now, researchers from the American Academy of Neurology have found that taking a vitamin D supplement twice a day could also help consumers keep their vertigo symptoms at bay. 

“Our study suggests that for people with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, taking a supplement of vitamin D and calcium is a simple, low-risk way to prevent vertigo from recurring,” said researcher Ji-Soo Kim, PhD. “It is especially effective if you have low vitamin D levels to begin with.” 

Reducing symptoms

The researchers had over 950 participants involved in a study, all of whom were diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This common type of vertigo creates a dizzying effect when the head is moved in certain positions. The researchers explained that despite some treatment options, the condition is hard to keep away for good. 

For the study, the participants were divided into two groups. Members of one group acted as the control and received no treatment while members of the other group received treatment based on their vitamin D levels. Those with normal levels of vitamin D in the second group also received no treatment, but those with lower levels of vitamin D began a twice-daily supplement regimen of both vitamin D and calcium. 

The researchers reassessed the participants one year after the trial began and learned that vitamin D was effective in reducing the incidence of vertigo episodes. 

Those who started the study with the lowest levels of vitamin D saw the biggest improvements, as they were 45 percent less likely to experience vertigo-related symptoms over the course of the year. Overall, those taking vitamin D were roughly 25 percent less likely to experience a flare-up in one year’s time. 

Finding a successful treatment for vertigo can be incredibly difficult for consumers, but these findings may provide a simple and effective way to reduce the severity of symptoms. 

“Our results are exciting because so far, going to the doctor to have them perform head movements has been the main way we treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo,” Dr. Kim said. “Our study suggests an inexpensive, low-risk treatment like vitamin D and calcium tablets may be effective at preventing this common, and commonly recurring, disorder.” 

Healthy levels of vitamin D

Though vitamin D is incredibly beneficial to consumers’ health, it’s important to note that overdoing it with vitamin D supplements can be harmful in several ways. Previous research shows that too much of the supplement can affect everything from bone health to kidney function. 

It’s important that consumers consult with their doctors before starting a new vitamin regimen. 

While recent studies have highlighted the physical health risks associated with obesity, a new study is exploring how obesity can affect consumers’ brain function. 

According to researchers, obesity can decrease blood flow to the brain and increase the risk of mental health problems or Alzehimer’s. 

“This study shows that being overweight or obese seriously impacts brain activity and increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease as well as many other psychiatric and cognitive conditions,” said researcher Dr. Daniel G. Amen. 

The link between weight and the brain

To better understand how consumers’ weight could affect their brain function, the researchers analyzed brain scans from over 17,000 participants. In total, they looked at more than 35,000 images. 

The goal of the study was to measure participants’ overall brain function and blood flow throughout the brain and see if a link existed between those numbers and participants’ weight.

The researchers explained that poor blood flow to specific regions of the brain increases consumers’ risk of developing Alzheimer’s, regardless of body weight. This study highlighted the fact that both decreased blood flow to the brain and obesity only increased the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. 

This finding was true for both older and younger participants. Though many consumers associate Alzheimer’s with old age, the researchers found that excess body weight affects overall brain function in consumers of all ages; those risks are simply elevated as consumers get older. 

Similarly, that lack of proper blood flow to the brain can increase the likelihood of mental health issues. The researchers found that addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, and several other serious conditions are more likely when the brain isn’t functioning optimally. 

Because of how prevalent obesity, mental health concerns, and Alzheimer’s disease are for consumers, the researchers hope that these findings inspire more widespread efforts that promote healthier habits. With the right interventions, consumers can live longer and healthier lives. 

“One of the most important lessons we have learned through 30 years of performing functional brain imaging studies is that brains can be improved when you put them in a healing environment by adopting brain-healthy habits, such as a healthy calorie-smart diet and regular exercise,” said Dr. Amen. 

The economy continued to add jobs in July, but it was at a much slower rate than in May and June. The Labor Department reports that there were 1.8 million new jobs last month, slightly better than most economists expected.

The unemployment rate fell to 10.2 percent as job growth was reported among all racial demographics and among both men and women.

The number of unemployed workers on temporary layoff fell by 1.3 million in July to 9.2 million, about half its April level. The number of permanent job losers and the number of unemployed reentrants to the labor force were virtually unchanged over the month, at 2.9 million and 2.4 million, respectively. 

“The rate of recovery in the labor market slowed in July, as job growth over the month was less than half that for June,” said William Beach, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. “As of July, total nonfarm employment is 12.9 million, or 8.4 percent, lower than in February, before the pandemic crisis unfolded in many parts of the United States.”

Leisure and hospitality lead the way

In July, the leisure and hospitality sector — perhaps the hardest hit by the pandemic and the resulting economic shutdown — continued to bounce back. New jobs in that sector rose by 592,000, accounting for about a third of the month’s overall job gains.

Despite those gains over the last three months, the number of jobs in food services and drinking places is down by 2.6 million since February. There was significant growth, however, in employment in amusements, gambling, and recreation, with more than 100,000 new jobs.

Jobs also continued to return to the business and professional services industry, to government, and to health care. There were smaller gains in manufacturing and construction.

Retail, another sector hard-hit by the pandemic, continued to add jobs last month as more stores reopened. Retail added 258,000 jobs, but employment in the industry is 913,000 lower than in February.

In fact, it’s sometimes hard to remember that the unemployment rate in February was near a record low of 3.5 percent. 

“On balance, we’re still in a hole,” Julia Coronado, an economist at MacroPolicy Perspectives, told The Wall Street Journal. “The pace of recovery has really been set back by the resurgence of the virus. Given how far we have to go to re-employ the people who have become unemployed, that’s very discouraging.”

In its second quarter earnings results, Uber said its food delivery service, Uber Eats, more than doubled its orders during the first months of the pandemic. 

The ride-hailing giant said Thursday that its reported net loss was $1.78 billion in the second quarter of 2020. That’s down from its net loss of $5.24 billion a year ago. However, Uber revealed that it topped analyst expectations in terms of revenue, hitting above the $2.18 billion figure investors expected.

"We are fortunate to have both a global footprint and such a natural hedge across our two core segments," CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a press release. "As some people stay closer to home, more people are ordering from Uber Eats than ever before."

Uber said food delivery bookings more than doubled to $7 billion. Khosrowshahi said it has become evident that Uber has “a hugely valuable hedge across our two core businesses that is a critical advantage in any recovery scenario.”

If travel restrictions continue or are enacted again, Khosroshahi said Uber’s delivery business will "compensate" for the loss in ride-hailing activity. 

“When travel restrictions lift we know the mobility trips rebound. If restrictions continue or need to be re-imposed our delivery business will compensate,” he said. 

Delivery service booming

Khosroshahi says his company is continuing to support consumers by providing a valuable service during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Covid crisis has moved delivery from a luxury to a utility,” he said on a call with reporters. He believes Uber users will continue using Uber Eats to order food now and after the threat of the virus abates. 

Speaking about the dip in ride-hailing rates in U.S. markets, he noted that the business is rebounding at different rates in different parts of the world. During the second quarter, rides were down 50 to 85 percent in key U.S. markets. However, in major European markets, rides were only down about 35 percent year-over-year. 

“When cities move again so does Uber,” he said. 

Even a tropical storm that roared up the East Coast at the beginning of the week did little to raise gasoline prices as the coronavirus (COVID-19) continued to dampen demand for fuel.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national average price of regular gasoline today is $2.18 a gallon, the same as it’s been for the last two weeks. A year ago, regular fuel was selling for $2.70 a gallon.

The average price of premium gasoline is just as stable at $2.79 a gallon, the same as last week. The average price of diesel fuel is $2.42 a gallon, a penny less than last week.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that demand for gasoline ticked up a bit this week compared to the week before. But compared to this time last year, demand is down 8 percent.

“This summer is no doubt the cheapest at the pump for motorists in more than a decade. The last two months have yielded a national average of $2.14,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “While we expect to see typical fluctuation, August gas prices are not expected to spike, especially amid increases in COVID-19 cases.” 

Motorists in most states saw little change in pump prices over the last seven days, though in Utah consumers saw their gas prices jump 10 cents a gallon. The average price in Michigan rose six cents a gallon.

The states with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• Hawaii ($3.24)

• California ($3.18)

• Washington ($2.80)

• Oregon ($2.65)

• Nevada ($2.65)

• Alaska ($2.52)

• Utah ($2.46)

• Colorado ($2.43)

• Idaho ($2.43)

• Pennsylvania ($2.42)

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Mississippi ($1.82)

• Louisiana ($1.85)

• Texas ($1.85)

• Arkansas ($1.87)

• Alabama ($1.87)

• Oklahoma ($1.88)

• Missouri ($1.89)

• South Carolina ($1.90)

• Tennessee ($1.90)

• North Carolina ($1.96)

Thomson International of Bakersfield, Calif., is recalling red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions.

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

Nearly 400 illnesses have been reported to date including 59 hospitalizations.

The onions were distributed in 5 lbs., 10 lbs., 25 lbs., 40 lbs., and 50 lbs. cartons;. bulk, 2 lb., 3 lb., 5 lb., 10 lb., 25 lbs., and 50 lbs. mesh sacks under the brand names Thomson Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions and Food Lion.

They were shipped to wholesalers, restaurants and retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections that may be linked to these onions.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products under the above brand names, or who cannot tell if their onions are from Thomson International, should immediately discard them products and disinfect any surfaces that came into contact with the onions.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (661) 845-1111.

BMW of North America is recalling five model year 2020 X3 sDrive40i, X3 xDrive40i and X3M40i vehicles.

The vehicles were not programmed with rearview camera software during assembly, therefore, when the transmission is shifted to reverse, a rearview image is not displayed.

An inoperative rearview camera display can increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will program the affected vehicles with rearview camera software free of charge.

A notification schedule has not yet been provided.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at (800) 525-7417.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 212,068 model year 2019-2020 Odysseys.

Water may get into the rearview camera mounting holes and enter the camera lens and cause a distorted image or no image at all.

Additionally, if the rearview camera view mode is set to top-down view, or switched from that view to another mode in a bright environment, the image may not display.

A distorted or inoperative rearview camera display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rearview camera free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin September 23, 2020.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is W83.