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Health officials in Milwaukee are investigating an outbreak of E. coli-related illness that has killed one 3-year-old girl and sickened dozens in southeastern Wisconsin. A local Sizzler restaurant may be a source for some of the outbreak, but authorities also want to test samples from nearly 367,000 pounds of ground beef recalled by Moyer Packing Co., Souderton, Pa., which was distributed to 11 states,

Health officials in Milwaukee are investigating an outbreak of E. coli-related illness that has killed one 3-year-old girl and sickened dozens in southeastern Wisconsin. A local Sizzler restaurant may be a source for some of the outbreak, but authorities also want to test samples from nearly 367,000 pounds of ground beef recalled by Moyer Packing Co., Souderton, Pa., which was distributed to 11 states, including Wisconsin.

ashington, said last week a new system that allows food and beverage manufacturers to streamline the way they deliver products to retailers was successfully put to the test by GMA member companies. Results of a six-month pilot program with 12 manufacturers; Schnuck Markets, St. Louis, and Andronico's, Albany, Calif., showed a 4% growth in sales for the retailers and an almost 70% reduction in invoice deductions, the GMA reported.

Stop & Shop, Quincy, Mass., said it has begun converting approximately 75 Edwards stores in New York and New Jersey area to the Stop & Shop banner -- a process that will be completed early in 2001, a company spokeswoman told SN last week. The first two converted stores -- in Port Jefferson and Setauket, Long Island, N.Y. -- reopened last Friday, five-and- a-half days after they closed to all business except pharmacy and banking services. The company said it expects to convert four stores a week through next January. Both Stop & Shop and Edwards are owned by Ahold USA, Chantilly, Va., a division of Ahold, Zaandam, The Netherlands. Conversions will include rebannering, painting, stocking the stores with private label merchandise and some new fixtures, the spokeswoman said. Circulars distributed to consumers will indicate that particular stores are being converted, she said; in addition, the chain is using bag stuffers to indicate the changes, and mailings urging consumers to apply for Stop & Shop loyalty cards help reinforce the message. Ahold disclosed in late May it would convert the stores because the Edwards format is closer to Stop & Shop's high-low format than to the everyday-low-pricing format under which the chain had been operating.

Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., said it will open four more Neighborhood Markets in the next few weeks -- single stores in Moore, Okla., and Murphy, Texas, later this month, and stores in Arlington and Fort Worth, Texas, early next month. At that point, it will have 12 Neighborhood Markets in operation, including five in Arkansas and three in Oklahoma City.

The Federal Trade Commission said that seven Internet retailers will pay a total of $1.5 million to settle charges that they did not adequately warn customers about shipping delays during the holiday season. The FTC launched the investigation due to customer complaints about CDNow, KBKids, Macy.com, Minidiscnow.com, The Original Honey Baked Ham Co., Patriot Computer and Toysrus.com.