Events

HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Attorney General Letitia James Sues One of the Nation's Largest Egg Producers for Price Gouging During the Coronavirus Pandemic

New York Attorney cheating our most vulner ers complained that the producers their collective General Letitia able communities and our grocery stores raised the assessments, distilled into James today filed servicemembers, actions prices they charged to con “indexed” prices; and egg a lawsuit against Hillan that are both unlawful and sumers. One elderly conproducers such as Hillan dale Farms, one of the truly rotten. I will always sumer complained to the dale then use Urner Barry’s country’s largest produc stand up for working peo Attorney General’s Office indexed prices as justifica ers and wholesale distribple, especially when they in April that he attempted tion to set their own prices utors of eggs, for illegally are taken advantage of by to buy Hillandale eggs at for the sale of eggs. gouging the prices of eggs corporate greed.” a Fine Fare store located The suit alleges that an during the coronavirus The lawsuit alleges that on the Lower East Side Urner Barry director has pandemic. In March and Hillandale, a company of Manhattan, only to find defended the price increas April 2020, Hillandale al based in Ohio and Pennsyl that “All prices are $2.30 es, stating, “egg prices are legedly gouged the prices vania, began raising prices and double the price.” He up because demand is up of more than four million during March 2020 as the stated, “I’ve been living sharply.” The director stat cartons of eggs sold to ma pandemic grew to emer in the community for 65 ed, “It’s like ahead of a major grocery store chains, gency levels. In January years. The prices are ri jor snowstorm, when peoU.S. military facilities, 2020, Hillandale charged diculous...Sad and disreple are not sure if they’ll be and wholesale food dis Western Beef supermarkets spectful to people who are able to go out again, other tributors throughout the prices ranging from $0.59 buying from them all our than this is happening on a state, charging New York to $1.10 for a dozen large lives.” Another consum national scale.” Yet, as the customers up to four times white eggs. On March 15, er shopping at a Western suit points out, protecting the pre-pandemic price for Hillandale raised that price Beef store complained that consumers against exces one carton of eggs. During to $1.49. As the pandem the retail price for a dozen sive price increases during those two months — the ic progressed, Hillandale Hillandale eggs had in such times is the purpose height of the pandemic raised the prices it charged creased to $5.49, stating, of the state’s price gouging in New York — Hillan Western Beef repeatedly, “This location serves low statute. dale made an estimated eventually reaching $2.93 income families who, due The lawsuit against $4 million from unlaw per dozen — a price almost to the current pandemic Hillandale is the second fully increasing the price five times the price Hillan emergency, have most like suit brought by Attorney of these eggs, which were dale charged in January. ly lost what little income General James in the past often sold in grocery stores Hillandale allegedly they have. Disgraceful!” three months to stop price located in low-income gouged prices similarly The lawsuit alleges that gouging by wholesale sup communities. The lawsuit on eggs sold to the com Hillandale has raised its pliers during the coronaviseeks restitution from Hill missary store at the U.S. prices not because of in rus pandemic and protect andale for those consumers Military Academy at West creased costs, but simply consumers. In May 2020, who were forced to pay Point. In April 2020, Hill to take advantage of higher Attorney General James unlawfully high prices for andale charged West Point consumer demand during sued Quality King Distrib this essential food item. $3.15 per carton of large the pandemic. Hillandale utors, a Long Island-based The Attorney General’s eggs, almost quadruple — like numerous egg pro wholesale company, for Office learned of Hillan the $0.84 price it charged ducers nationwide — has illegally raising prices on dale’s price gouging after West Point in January. The done so by following “in Lysol disinfectant products receiving complaints from suit alleges that Hillan dexed” prices published it sold to retail stores in consumers about the high dale raised its prices simiby a market research com New York. prices of eggs at grocery larly on eggs sold to Stop pany called Urner Barry. The lawsuit was filed in stores. & Shop, BJ’s Wholesale According to the suit, the Commercial Division

“As this pandemic rav Club, Associated Super Urner Barry’s “indexed” of New York State Su aged our country, Hillanmarkets, and the commisprices work like a feed preme Court for New York dale exploited hardworksary stores at the U.S. miliback loop: Egg producCounty. Attorney General ing New Yorkers to line tary bases at Fort Hamilton ers such as Hillandale tell James is suing for a per its own pockets,” said At and Fort Drum. Urner Barry their “assess manent injunction barring torney General James. “In As Hillandale raised ments” of prices in the egg Hillandale from continuing less than two months, Hill prices on the eggs it sold marketplace; Urner Barry its illegal conduct, restitu andale made millions by to grocery stores, consum then repeats back to egg tion for injured consumers,

damages, civil penalties, and disgorgement of Hill andale’s profits from its illegal practices.

“It’s beyond reprehen sible that a big company like Hillandale would seek to capitalize on a global health crisis to make a prof it,” said David R. Jones, President and CEO of the Community Service Soci ety. “Even more appalling is that countless low-in come families in New York, already struggling fi nancially in the wake of the coronavirus, were forced to pay in some cases five times the price for an es sential food item — eggs. We applaud State Attorney General James for seeking injunctive relief barring Hillandale Farms from fur ther price-gouging, civil penalties, disgorgement of its illegal profits, and resti tution for consumers who were harmed.”

“We are grateful to Attorney General James and her office for taking a thoughtful and innovative examination of this issue. As we have said from the beginning of this pandem ic, the reality is that independently-owned supermarkets such as ours, are not in the business of tak ing advantage of our customers and while we had no part in increasing the price on eggs, our owners and their employees took the brunt of consumers’ understandable frustra tion.” said William Rodriguez, President of the National Supermarket As sociation, and Nelson Eusebio, Director of Government Relations, National Supermarket Association. “Today, we feel the record was set straight.” “We look forward to continuing to serve the hardworking low-income New Yorkers in our communities that we have been faithfully serv ing for years.”

“It’s bad enough that hunger is soaring in New York because of the col lapse of the economy and the closure of school meals programs, but it is even worse when food compa nies increase hunger by using a national crisis to astronomically raises prices through illegal price goug ing,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. “Eggs are a key staple in the diet of most Ameri cans, so its particular galling that a company would value improper profits over allowing Americans to eat their product. We thank AG James for standing up for the most vulnerable consumers.”

HARLEM COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS Why Your Child’s Back-to-School Eye Exam is So Important

(Statepoint) for a child to see the blackboard and work

This year, going on digital devices with back to school out straining, but this may mean at essential visit can also tending class physically detect a broad range or virtually, with states of issues related to eye and districts deciding health and overall well on a case by case basis. ness. Wherever your child Kids -- and adults attends school this fall, for that matter -- don’t eye exams are essen always know they are tial for a successful experiencing a vision academic year. Here’s problem. As a result, what to know: they may be compen • When should I sating for vision issues get my child’s eyes checked? The Ameri by turning their head to the side, squinting PHOTO SOURCE: (c) New Africa / Shutterstock.com can Academy of Ophor holding reading ma health. You should also clear, focused vision thalmology and the terial up close or far mention all the activ and many eye care pro American Academy of away. ities and sports your fessionals believe that Pediatrics recommend • What information child participates in children who demon having vision checked should I share at the which may be impacted strate responsibility are regularly, starting in in appointment? Be sure by vision. excellent candidates for fancy. to share any behav • Are contacts right them. With many teens

Not only will an eye iors or symptoms with for my child? Contact preferring contact lens exam help provide the your child’s doctor that lenses may give the es over glasses, this upclear vision necessary could be related to eye wearer a full field of coming eye exam may HARLEM ACADEMY BREAKS GROUND ON PERMANENT CAMPUS

Last week, on Au655 St. Nicholas Avenue of leaders to come.” gust 3rd, Harlem seven years ago as the fuFounded in 2004, HarAcademy broke ture site of its new campus. lem Academy is a private ground at 655 St. Nicholas The new location offers school for grades 1-8 with Avenue, site of its permaconvenient access from a mission to drive equity nent home. The five-story, throughout Harlem, Washof opportunity for prom29,000-square-foot buildington Heights, and the ising students. The school ing will expand the school’s Bronx and is located near currently operates out of impact to more students and historic landmarks, parks, three rented, noncontiguous strengthen its program. Columbia University, and storefronts.

The new campus will City College. Architecture firm Perfeature a library to match “After years of planning, kins Eastman designed Harlem Academy’s extraorsupport, and hard work by the new building, and the dinary reading culture, flexso many, it is inspiring to building contractor is EW ible classrooms with strong see construction begin on Howell. To learn about technology, a multipurpose our new school building in Harlem Academy’s capispace, and dedicated outthe heart of the communital campaign in support of door spaces for learning, ties we serve,” says Founder the new campus, “Future play, and sports. Projected and Head of School Vinny Leaders: The Campaign completion is August 2021. Dotoli. “Our new home will for Harlem Academy,”

Harlem Academy purensure a lasting pathway to please visit www.harlemchased the half-acre lot at opportunity for generations academy.org.

be a good time to get your child fitted. And it makes sense in the current environment, as contact lenses can be a great alternative for glasses that fog up with a face mask.

Contact lenses that provide comfortable vision when working for long hours on dig ital devices can also prove to be beneficial. Research has shown that half of teens are al most constantly online -- between smartphone usage, video games, and school work -- it’s important to know that digital devices can con tribute to reduced blink rates, which can lead to dryness. Ask your eye doctor about lenses that have a high moisture content, feel comfort able throughout the day and are easy to insert, like Biotrue ONEday contact lenses from Bausch + Lomb, which maintain nearly 100 percent of their mois ture for a full 16 hours. The brand’s daily dis posables are also a great choice for first-time wearers, as there is no need to clean and store the lenses after remov al, just dispose of them and start with a fresh new pair each day. For more information, visit, BiotrueONEdaylenses. com.

Make the most of the back-to-school season by scheduling an eye exam for your child. With healthy eyes and good vision, you can set your child up for a suc cessful academic year.