Tom England, the owner of dancing Bear Toys and Gifts of 12 N. Market St., e-mailed me earlier today, sending along a information he's sent to his customers.

"Every day at Dancing Bear Toys, I get phone calls, emails, and visits from customers who are increasingly concerned about where their toys come from and how they can shop with confidence," England wrote. "I am doing the best I can to educate consumers on safety standards in the U.S. and in Europe so customers can make informed buying decisions."

So here, in full and unedited, is what he sent out:

Given all the recent turmoil in the toy industry, we wanted to share this information with you...

As soon as the lead paint/magnet crisis started to take shape, we contacted our vendors who manufacture in China. They reassured us that our products meet—and in most cases exceed—the United States ASTM and/or European Norm EN-71 child safety standards. We were relieved to hear that none of the products we carry were produced by Hong Le Da or Lee Der Industrial, the contractors responsible for lead paint in the recalled toys.

The media coverage on this issue has caused concern among parents, and rightly so. Many of you have called or stopped by to ask questions. We hope you will continue to do so! We share your concerns and are doing our best to learn as much as we can about this issue.

Several of you have expressed a hesitancy to buy anything that is made in China. This may prove challenging since roughly 80% of the toys sold in the U.S. come from China. We can, however, offer you some wonderful alternatives. As a specialty retailer, we are in a better position than the big box stores to deal with smaller, high-end toymakers—many of whom will not to sell to Wal-Mart or Toys R Us.

Many of our toys and games for children age 3 and under are produced in the U.S., Europe, or Thailand. Dancing Bear staff can help you identify these products, including those manufactured by Challenge & Fun, Channel Craft, Chelona, Haba, Keva, Lauri, Maple Landmark, Mary's Softdough, Near Nature, Plan Toys, Slinky, Uncle Goose, and Yackle Ball. In October, we'll be introducing the first-ever line of bio-plastic toys that are made from corn!

We hope this information helps to address any of your concerns about products at Dancing Bear. Please feel free to stop by, email (tom@dbeartoys.com), or call 301-631-9300 to talk more about this issue. We promise to keep you posted as more information becomes available.

Thanks as always for supporting our business -- and for wanting the very best for the children in your life.

	ON THE WEB: The Center for Environmental Health's news releases Toys "R" Us main online site, and their statement on the recall The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission site for checking product recalls http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prerel.html

Attorney General Doug Gansler wrote the toy-store chain asking them to suspend sale of the bibs -- sold under labels like Especially for Baby, Koala Baby, and Disney -- because of reports the items contained significant levels of lead. Stores chains nationwide are removing the bibs.

The action to recall the bibs, which were made in China and supplied by Hamco Inc. of Gonzales, La., comes amidst nationwide concern about imported Chinese products tainted with lead. This month toy maker Mattel recalled millions of Chinese-made pre-school toys, which included popular Sesame Street characters like Elmo and Big Bird, because of lead paint.

Last week, a California group, the Center for Environmental Health, sued Toys "R" Us and Wal-Mart for violating state laws regulating lead levels in children's products. They welcomed news of the quick recall, which they said was prompted by their lawsuit.

"We appreciate Toys 'R' Us taking this strong action to protect children. Vinyl is a poison plastic that has no place around a baby's neck," said Charlie Pizarro, associate director of CEH, in a press release. "We hope the company disposes of the toxic bibs safely." The bibs had passed rigorous in-house tests administered under a vinyl-bib testing policy the company adheres to that are in force in California, according to a statement from Toys "R" Us.

However, an independent firm that retested the bibs found two samples that contained lead levels above the toy company's testing standards.

Toys "R" Us has increased the amount of third party testing it does on items on store shelves, the chain stated.

"The company will continue to take decisive and aggressive action in ensuring the products it sells meet only the highest quality assurance standards," the statement said.

Toys “R” Us has also agreed that consumers who purchased the bibs may return them to the stores where they were purchased and receive refunds. Toys “R” Us is also implementing a new policy regarding the amount of lead that is allowed in the products it sells. The new policy is stricter than the existing standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Consumers who bought the bibs can return them to the Toys “R” Us store they purchased them from for a refund.

The company will implement a new policy regarding the amount of lead allowed in products it sells. The new policy will be stricter than existing standards of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, according to the Attorney General's Office.

“I am pleased that Toys ‘R’ Us has quickly agreed to remove these potentially dangerous products from its store shelves,” Gansler said. “I encourage any consumers who purchased these vinyl bibs to stop using them at once and return them to Toys ‘R’ Us.”

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The Pennsylvania-based company denied accusations, but agreed to limit its future advertising and pay consumers restitution.

The discount cards, which cost $5.95 per month, promised consumers discounts off of the regular price of medical, dental and/or prescription services. Among the Consumer Protection Division's allegations:

stop making claims the card will save members money or state the basis for the claim

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The programs, launched today, will focus on more power-efficient homes and encourage people to use compact fluorescent lighting -- bulbs that last longer, use less energy and produce less heat than normal incandescent bulbs.

The goal of EmPOWER is to cut each Marylanders' power use by 15 percent by the year 2015.

From this morning's press release:

Maryland Energy Efficient Affordable Housing Development Program -- Using a $250,000 grant from MEA, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will initiate an affordable housing program to increase the energy efficiency of homes receiving funding assistance from DHCD.

New homes will have to meet the national EPA ENERGY STAR Qualified New Homes energy saving target of 15 percent more energy efficient than required by code. Existing home rehabilitation projects will have to increase their energy efficiency levels by approximately 15 percent.

Improving Energy Efficiency in Existing Homes -- MEA will initiate a pilot program to increase existing home energy efficiency through a whole-house approach.

The program will train local home remodeling contractors and heating and cooling contractors to evaluate homes using state-of-the-art equipment and recommend comprehensive improvements that will provide the highest energy savings at the lowest cost. Average energy savings in this program, based upon experience in other states, should be approximately 20 percent.

Energy Efficient Lighting: Change A Light, Change the World -- On Oct. 3, O’Malley will kick off a statewide effort with Maryland residents, colleges, schools, businesses, and utilities to promote the Change a Light, Change the World Campaign initiated by the federal energy and environmental agencies.

The Campaign encourages each consumer to change at least one incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent light bulb. The Maryland campaign will encourage residents to add four CFL’s to their homes. If every Maryland home replaced four existing light bulbs with CFL’s, residential electricity consumption in Maryland would decrease by 2 percent and save $81 million.

Energy Efficient Lighting for DHR - Office of Home Energy Programs Participants -- MEA, in coordination with the Maryland Department of Human Resources’ Office of Home Energy Programs, will provide 100,000 CFL’s to participants in the department’s energy assistance programs.

Low-income families are particularly hard hit by increases in energy prices and this effort will help families cut their lighting bills.

AMERIQUEST CLAIM INFORMATION: More than 481,000 borrowers are eligible, customers of Ameriquest Mortgage Co., Town and Country Credit Corp., and AMC Mortgage Services Inc (formerly known as Bedford Home Loans) from Jan. 1, 1999, to Dec. 31, 2005. Detailed information about the settlement can be found at the Settlement Administrator's website, or by calling 800-420-5875 (866-494-8274 for the hearing impaired).

According to my trusty calculator, that's about $629 a customer, if every affected Ameriquest consumer in the state seeks a chunk.

According to a press release from the Maryland Attorney General's Office, the settlement resolves allegations that Ameriquest and affiliates misrepresented and inadequately disclosed the terms of home loans.

"We believe Ameriquest's predatory lending practices seriously harmed consumers and made it more difficult for them to pay for their homes," Attorney General Doug Gansler said. "This restitution will help compensate the victims of these harmful practices in Maryland."

As part of the agreement, Ameriquest will strengthen its standards, policies and procedures. This is what Ameriquest's chief executive officer Aseem Mital had to say in a Jan. 23 press release on the company's website:

“Doing the right thing for the people we serve has always been one of our core values. We regret those occasions when our associates have not met this ideal to our customers’ expectations. This agreement is good for consumers and fair to the company. It provides a framework for new lending policies that improve and enhance our ability to serve our customers and are a model for the industry.”

Letters and claims forms went out to eligible Marylanders this week from the Attorney General's Office and the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation. The forms, which will indicate a minimum payment consumers can expect, need to be returned by Sept. 10.

The exact payment could be larger, depending on how many people choose to claim. Those who opt for the claim give up the right to sue Ameriquest related to the loans the settlement covers.

See the box to the right for claim information.
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Consumer

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	Sugary AND sugar-free goodness in a cup — that's my idea of reporting the news.

Ordering one iced coffee, two frozen lattes, a double chocolate muffin and an orange-cranberry scone — $14.11.

Gorging myself until my stomach aches, head spins and fingers twitch — priceless.

This is what I endure to bring you the news.

I'm working on a story based on an NPD Group study that suggests people's concern over consuming sugar has caused the sale of sugary foods to drop while boosting the sale of sugar-free or sugar substituted items.

Alicia Maloney, manager of the Daily Grind in Frederick, gave me some insight into how the coffee industry is coping with those changes.

Here's a hint — with some tasty goods!

Editor's note from Cliff: You're not expensing that, are you?

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Consumer

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The Maryland Department of Agriculture is responsible for ensuring fairness in the marketplace by verifying the accuracy of weighing and measuring devices, including fuel pumps. Consumers who feel they are not getting an accurate amount of fuel can report concerns: 410-841-5970 during regular business hours. ON THE WEB: has information for finding low gas prices and file complaints The Maryland Comptroller's Office

Hot fuel is the term for gasoline in storage tanks with a temperature of more than 60 degrees -- at which point the liquid expands and you may not get the full measure you paid for.

In mid-July, Maryland Comptroller's Office agents and weights and measures inspectors from the state's Department of Agriculture will begin teaming up to ensure that gas is being stored at regulated temperatures.

“With gas prices continually rising, consumers deserve to know whether they are getting what they pay for before they hit the road," said Comptroller Peter Franchot.

Ag Secretary Roger Richardson said no long-term inspection data exists anywhere in the country right now.

MDA inspectors, will monitor and record data on the temperatures of storage tanks around Maryland over the next financial year to verify fuel is being kept at proper temperature.

After joint analysis of the collected data, the Comptroller’s Office will issue quarterly interim status reports. The first report will cover July through Sept. 30.

“This partnership will not only help protect consumers here in Maryland, but add to the information available to inspectors nationwide,” Richardson said.

This is the latest in an overall effort by the Comptroller's Office to combat high prices at the pumps.

Franchot recently announced he was calling on oil companies to explain how and why they zone price -- the practice of establishing different prices for retailers according to certain criteria kept secret by oil companies.

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Consumer

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