- Main Consumer Blog page
- Super Saver Blog
- Consumer channel


EMAIL JEFF YOUR PROBLEM


Recall news

  • Recall news
  • Food/drug recalls
  • Child recalls
  • Home recalls
  • Outdoor recalls
  • Sports recalls
  • Free legal help
    Click here to email The People's Lawyer Richard Alderman.



    Add to Google
    Add to My AOL
    Subscribe in Bloglines
    RSS Feed


    abc13.com blogs
    Read more abc13.com Houston blogs covering the issues you want to know about.

    Advertisement

    Consumer news

    Subscribe to RSS headline updates from:
    Powered by FeedBurner

    - Houston news

    Houston

    12/18/2008

    The top and bottom paying jobs in Houston

    If you are looking for work, good news!   There are plenty of places looking for employees right now. You may have to work outside your chosen career field and you may have to settle for less pay, but if you really want a job you can get one. We spoke with career consultant Marilyn Logan, who told us restaurants, home health care companies, valet parking companies, delivery services, casinos, and sports arenas, all are hiring. While you look, here's a list of the top and bottom 100 salaries in Houston right now.

    See the top and bottom paying jobs in Houston

    01/27/2008

    2008 Houston Auto Show photos

    The 2008 Houston Auto Show is going on and I took some pictures. I focused on the Texas Debuts and concept cars. Enjoy!

    CLICK FOR 2008 Houston Auto Show photos

     

    12/06/2007

    Gucci and Prada on the cheap in Houston

    Gucci and Prada on the cheap.

    More Than You Can Imagine
    2817 Westheimer
    Houston, TX 77098
    Phone: (713) 668-8811
    www.morethanyoucanimagine.com

    For Consignors:

    • Must make an appointment
    • Split between you and the shop is 50-50
    • Items must be in "like new" condition
    • Items must be in style
    • The shop owner determines the price

    Twice New
    2005-D West Gray
    Houston, TX 77019
    Phone: (713) 523-2212
    www.twicenew.com

    For Consignors:
    • Split between you and the shop is 40-60
    • Items must be dry cleaned or laundered on a hanger
    • Items consigned for 90 days then items are donated to charity

    11/20/2007

    Comcast's statement on Missouri City

    From signal problems to rate hikes, some Missouri City residents are upset about their cable company and they took those complaints all the way to city hall. 

    Comcast took over from Time Warner earlier this year and some in Missouri City say the transition has not been a smooth one.

    READ FULL STORY

    Here is the press statement from Comcast Houston:

    November 19, 2007

    We value our relationship with Missouri City and fully intend to address the issues they raised last week in an effort to deliver the best possible experience to our customers.

    We’re working every day to better serve our customers.  In Houston, we’ve continued our practice of in-sourcing our customer service by hiring more than 200 local call center representatives and field technicians, increased appointment availability to seven days a week and invested in new customer care technologies that allow us to proactively monitor network performance so that we can resolve issues before they impact the customer.  In 2008, we anticipate continued job growth, and will look to hire an additional 200 employees in Houston to serve our local customers.

    Since entering the Houston market, we’ve added more than 30 new networks, including 14 High-Definition channels, boosted our Internet speeds and introduced PowerBoost Speed Enhancer, a patent pending technology that gives our commercial customers extra bursts of speed when downloading or uploading large files.  We also recently began the roll out of our signature ON DEMAND service, delivering our digital cable customers an ever-growing library of up to 9,300 programs a month, including 150 hours of HD content along with movies, news, sports and children’s programs, network shows and other choices, to watch whenever they want with the ability to pause, fast-forward and rewind selections.  The majority of ON DEMAND content is available at no additional cost to digital cable customers.

    Price adjustments reflect the increased value of our services, and a $200 million local investment to improve network reliability, launch new products and services and enhance the customer experience.

    11/14/2007

    If your car is booted in Houston

    There are a lot of chances for your car to be towed in Houston, now it looks like that chance is also going up for being booted.  You know, that's when you get that yellow device attached to your car's tire that would keep you from driving away. (READ FULL STORY)

    Here is what you need to know if you get booted:

    - What is a boot?
    - How does a vehicle get "booted"?
    - What are the boot fees?
    - I received a notice that my vehicle is "boot-eligible." What do I do?
    - My car was booted. What do I do now?
    - What is a boot hearing?

    In case you get towed too:
    My car was towed – is there anything I can do?

    11/09/2007

    Cameras not welcome during some Houston restaurant inspections

    East side restaurant kitchens were on the checklist of city health inspectors, and Action 13 followed along.

    The Panaderia Atotonilco at 973 Federal Road is the first stop for Health Inspector Ramonda Robinson. But managers did not want us in the kitchen.

    "No, because, no," they said.

    The inspection continued without us.   When it was over, Robinson had three pieces of advice for owners -- clean, clean, clean.

    Inspector Robinson said, "They have a lot of cleaning that they need to do, dirty floors, dirty shelves."

    While no citations were issued, Inspector Robinson says she'll have to come back in two weeks to make sure things have improved.

    Next, there's good news for a mobile taco stand. Inspector Robinson lifted a closure order issued the day before. The food was fine. Instead, the problem here was with the plumbing.

    Inspector Robinson said, "The water was back-flowing into the two compartment sink, so they were not able to properly wash or sanitize, and I had to close them for that."

    With the problem resolved, the taco stand could again serve the public.

    The next stop is the Flamingo Supermarket on Canal Street.  Here, too, managers did not want us inside. Inspector Robinson found problems within the meat market.

    She explained, "They had quite a few violations. They had flies, cross-contamination with meat in the meat department -- raw chicken and beef that were touching, so that had to be discarded."

    The meat slicer and cutting board needs to be cleaned and holes in the wall need to be fixed. No citations were issued, but inspectors will be back in two weeks to make sure problems have been resolved.

    The city health department inspects dozens of restaurants each week and we are showing you just a fraction of those they visit. But if you'd like to see those reports, you can look them up in the city of Houston's online database.
    (Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

    11/03/2007

    Top Mexican food restaurants in Houston

    Here we go again. It's my shift to web produce on the weekend so I work with Joe Williams to come up with the best in Houston restaurants.  This month we tackle the top Houston Mexican food restaurants.

    That is no easy task as you might imagine.

    See if you agree or you can tell us how wrong we are.

    LEAVE YOUR READER REVIEWS BELOW

    11/02/2007

    More Hannah Montana tickets go on sale in Houston

    We've been covering the Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus ticket saga for a while now on this blog and have some good news for fans.  More tickets are on sale in Houston says the Toyota Center.

    Like we've preached here before, going to the concert venue's web site right before the show can land you some choice seats as the band and promoters offer their unused tickets for sale:

    The production for the tour has been finalized and a limited number of tickets will be released for sale on Saturday, November 3 at 1pm at www.toyotacentertix.com and charge by phone at 1-866-4-HOUTIX.

    The procedure to purchase tickets is as follows:

    • Tickets are only available online and by phone. Tickets are NOT available at the Box Office or at the outlets.    
    • All tickets will not be available for pick up until the day of the show at the Box Office Will Call window. You MUST have the credit card you purchased the tickets with and a photo ID. Box Office Will Call will be open beginning at 10am.    
    • There is a 4-ticket limit per person.

    Toyota Center is proud to welcome 14-year-old singer, songwriter and actress, Miley Cyrus, of the hit Emmy-nominated Disney Channel series, “Hannah Montana,” to Houston on Sunday, November 11. This “Best of Both Worlds” concert tour will be a double billing where Miley Cyrus performs both as a solo artist and as her popular TV character, Hannah Montana. Don’t miss Miley Cyrus and her special guests, Jonas Brothers, as they stop in Houston this fall!

    Did health inspectors find roaches at your favorite Houston restaurant?

    Health inspectors are working to keep you healthy as they look behind the counter in Houston restaurant kitchens.   

    Health Inspector Gary Lee's first stop was the Grand Lux Cafe across from the Galleria. Restaurant managers would not let us in, however Inspector Lee says the kitchen only had one minor problem with a pre-scrape sink.

    "There is a sink they scrape all the food debris off of and it was missing a cold water knob, but it still has hot water available,” Lee said.

       The Grand Lux called a plumber and passed its inspection.

    Up next was the El Pupusodromo Restaurant on Renwick.  Here too, managers did not want us to look behind the counter.  Inspector Lee says he found an insect problem.

    "Unfortunately they did have a roach that was crawling on some dinnerware, but they did have pest control service last night and whenever that happens it flushes them out,” Lee told us.   “So we had them clean all the dinnerware, wash it with sanitizer before they can use it."

       Because El Pupusodromo has routine pest control, no citations were issued. Inspector Lee also found slime in the restaurant's ice machine, he ordered it cleaned but issued no citations.

       Next Inspector Lee visited the Dos Amigos food store on Chimney Rock, here we were allowed inside.

    The store has a small kitchen. Behind the counter we saw roaches on the floor.   Inspector Lee noticed them too.

    "We did come across a roach that was crawling across the wall, I talked to the owner and they did call pest control and in looking at their documentation they were serviced on October 4th,” Lee said.

       Because the store has routine extermination and corrective actions are being taken, no citations were issued.   Inspector lee also found a problem with some of the canned food on the store shelves.

    "We did come across what's called Austex Chili hot dog sauce, hot dog chili that was on the recall list earlier this summer so they pulled it off the shelf,” Inspector Lee said.

       Because the store removed the three cans of recalled food, no citations were issued. 

    It was a clean slate for all three stops on this day.    

    To see how your favorite restaurant faired on its last health inspection, click here.    

    Ever wonder how Jeff Ehling compiles the Rat and Roach Report?  Read more in our Q&A.

    10/26/2007

    Which Houston restaurants fell under the gaze of our Rat and Roach Report?

    Health inspectors were back inside restaurant kitchens this week, making sure they are clean.   

    Ruchi's on Beechnut is the first stop for inspector Abeid Fells.    Inside the kitchen, Fells checked the chilled condiments and the temperature of meat.  The only cause of concern was the dumpster.  The doors must be kept closed and the boxes need to be picked up to keep flies away, but everything else here looks good, no violations.


    Story continues below
    Read the Rat and Roach Q&A with Jeff Ehling.

    "That establishment was pretty clean, they only had a few minor violations nothing major," Inspector Fells told us.

       Next up, Fu Fu Cafe at Bellaire and the West Belt.  Restaurant owners did not want us to follow the health inspector inside the kitchen.  Inspector Fells says he did find some things that needed work.

    "I saw two roaches on the inside,” he told us.

       Inspector Fells did not issue a citation for roaches because the restaurant owners are taking steps to control the problem.

    "He says he has had pest control to come out, he does not have the receipts in the establishment right now,” Fells said.  “So what I am going to do is come back and check on that."

       Up next, Cafe 101 in the 9800 block of Bellaire.  In the kitchen, Inspector Fells found a common problem, a hand sink that is not working quite right.

    “This is like the main hand sink in the kitchen, you have to have some hot water here,” he said.

       That means cooks have to use a sink across the kitchen to wash their hands properly.    Not using hot water to wash hands in the kitchen could lead to contamination of food and make people sick.

    "Since they have another hand washing sink that has hot water, it was not necessary to issue a citation, but the hand washing sink that does not have hot water needs to be replaced as soon as possible,” Inspector Fells said.

       Employees tell us a plumber is on the way.

    To see how your favorite restaurant faired on its last health inspection, click here.    

    Ever wonder how Jeff Ehling compiles the Rat and Roach Report?  Read more in our Q&A.

    Rat and Roach Report Q&A with Jeff Ehling

    I managed to catch up with the very busy Jeff Ehling the other day to ask a few common questions we get about the Houston Rat and Report.

    Mike McGuff:  Can you shut down restaurants?
    Jeff Ehling:  No, I don’t have that power.  Health inspectors however can shut down restaurants.  In fact we have seen several places closed down for various reasons.  Hot water was not 110 degrees, floor drains were backed up, not having proper permits…all things that have led to closures.

    MM:  How do you choose a restaurant to inspect?
    JE:  We don’t choose the places, the health inspector does.  In fact we have no idea where they will take us until the day before and even then we only know the first place on the list.

    MM:  What's the worst thing you've found so far?
    JE:  Roaches, roaches and more roaches.  We went along with one inspector who saw roaches all over the kitchen of a restaurant. 

    MM:  When you go to eat a restaurant, does the staff now look at you funny?
    JE:  Great question.  I have noticed restaurant owners give me a second look when I go to eat.  The other day I stopped by a place I go to occasionally and the owner asked if I was doing the Rat and Roach report and I said yes.  He then basically ran off.  I think he meant if I was doing the report on his place right then, but I was only just eating there.  The owner of another restaurant owner said I was making people look bad, but then co-owner piped in and said, "no, it's not his fault a place has roaches."

    If you have a question, leave it in the comments below.

    You can go along with Jeff on the inspections every Thursday night on Eyewitness News at 6pm.

    10/25/2007

    Working from home or getting a part time job

    Today on Live at 5, you saw a story about all of the holiday jobs opening up in Houston. Here is some more information from that:

    Women for Hire Career Expo
    Thursday Oct. 25
    10-2
    Westin Galleria
    5060 W. Alabama

    While we're at it, here are links we've prepared to help you work from your home:

    Working   from home - virtual assistant
      Working   from home - online tutor
      Working   from home - telemarketing
      Working   from home - medical transcriptionist
      Working   from home - verifying sales calls
      Working   from home - culinary consultant
      Working   from home - as a concierge
      Working   from home - if a nurse
      Working   from home - mystery shopping
      Working   from home - talking tech
      Working   from home - transcribing
      Working   from home if disabled
      Working   from home - online juror
      Working at home   full coverage

    10/24/2007

    Texas AG takes legal action against Houston foreclosure rescue firm

    by Jeff Ehling

    The Texas Attorney General's Office says it is cracking down on companies that offer foreclosure help but do little actual work.

       Today the AG office issued a restraining order against a Houston based mortgage rescue company.

       The AG says Southern Residential, LLC fraudulently advertised the company could save homeowners from imminent foreclosure.  Under the temporary restraining order, the defendants must stop falsely soliciting distressed homeowners immediately.

       Employees we spoke with denied the allegations included in the AG's report.

        Homeowners who believe they have been harmed by this or similar fraudulent businesses may call the Office of the Texas Attorney General's Office toll-free complaint line at (800) 252-8011 or file a complaint online at www.oag.state.tx.us.

    10/23/2007

    Answer for cell phone signal problem

    Sherry wrote the Consumer Blog about her cell phone reception problem:

    I have a question about cell phone companies not being able to provide service?? AT&T in Alvin is horrible! We have been having dropped calls for 2 weeks. We call and they say it is a tower problem! Was even told it would be fixed in hour last week. NOT!!! Any suggestions to get some help? 

    We went straight to AT&T and got an answer from spokesperson Dan Feldstein:

    An intermittent problem with fiber optic equipment leading to one cell tower in Alvin was repaired this morning and will be closely monitored for the next 48 hours. AT&T sincerely apologizes to customers who may have experienced some difficulty with their wireless phone service in the Alvin area.

    Have a problem.  Email us.

    Harris Co. commisioners court pass property tax cut

    Here is what KTRK is reporting about the Harris County property tax decrease:

    Harris county commissioners met this morning and decided they'll cut the property tax rate by a penny.

    There have been only two tax cuts in Harris County over the last 20 years. Some see this proposal as simply a relief to taxpayers. Others see it as political posturing before an upcoming election.

    With the tax cut, the average homeowner will save $12 per year, going from $754 to $742.

    But County Judge Ed Emmett says it would also mean no interruption to county services or affect any county facilities. Emmett says appraised property values have skyrocketed over the past few years.

    Fellow Commissioner El Franco Lee says the judge is pushing for the cut to maintain the position he was awarded after the departure of Robert Eckles earlier this year. But as County Tax Collector Paul Bettencourt says, "Any property tax relief is good."

    Seniors and disabled people don't have to pay property taxes if they live in property worth $200,000.

    10/22/2007

    Comcast.... WHERE IS MY PHONE NUMBER?

    Ray of Houston wrote The Consumer Blog with this problem concerning his Comcast cable phone service:

    TWICE now, Comcast has lost our 10+ year phone number, BOTH times without notice and with a lack of customer concern.

    For the last 7 days, we can make calls FROM home but not TO home. Callers are greeted with "Were sorry, that number has been disconnected" TOTALLY HUMILIATING.  Effecting our home business and recent invitations to 2 large events each have this number listed for RSVP's. 

    My wife and I have spent hours and hours on hold with Comcast.

    All we've learned is Comcast still "owns" our outgoing line but some other carrier gained possession of our incoming line.  How? No-one knows! What the heck is that all about?  We pay a large amount (and growing) for all bundled services (phone, cable, internet, security).  We feel like this large corporation has us over a barrel with nowhere to turn.  There is no way to penetrate the phone screening to speak to a real decision maker. 

    PLEASE HELP!

    We received the message and put an SOS out to Comcast.  Here is what Comcast VP Ray Purser told us:

    Mike, the customer has been taken care of.  The phone number was retrieved back from his old provider and has been placed under his Comcast account.  Thanks for bringing this to our attention. 

    Have a problem you need solved? Contact us.

    10/18/2007

    Changes to Comcast channel lineup

    We have received questions from many of you concerning changes to Comcast's lineup.  The changes go in effect Tuesday October 23rd with new HD channels.

    Here is what the company sent us today:

     

    • National Geographic HD (Channel 283)
    • USA HD (Channel 284)
    • A&E HD (Channel 285)
    • History Channel HD (Channel 286)
    • HGTV HD (Channel 287)
    • Food Network HD (Channel 288)
    • CNN HD (Channel 299)

    The seven new HD channels follow the simultaneous launches earlier this month of TBS HD and NFL Network HD and five other HD networks in June.

    [snip]

    With today’s announcement, Comcast continues its industry-leading pace of HD expansion, providing the most HD viewing choices and setting the standard for true HD quality.  Including the new additions, Comcast will offer 30 HD channels, such as CBS, ABC, NBC, CW, FOX, PBS, National Geographic, USA, A&E, History Channel, HGTV, Food Network, ESPN, ESPN2, VERSUS/ The Golf Channel, TNT, MHD: Music High-Definition, Universal, MOJO, CNN, HD Theater, FSN, TBS, Cinemax, HBO, Showtime, Starz, HDNet, HDNet Movies and NFL Network.

    [snip]

    Comcast said it has also enhanced its Spanish-language lineup by launching nine new channels tomorrow to the popular Canales Selecto package.  The new networks include Cine Mexicano (Channel 500), Once TV - Mexico (Channel 501), TeleFormula (Channel 502), Latele Novela (Channel 505), Canal 52MX (Channel 507), SUR Mexico (Channel 508), AYM Sports (Channel 514), History en Espanol (Channel 516) and Galavision (Channel 517).  These nine channels replace four networks – Cine Latino, VH Uno, Canal Sur, Cartoon Network Espanol – that were not highly viewed.

    [snip]

    In an effort to more closely group channels by genre, Comcast adjusted the location of several networks in the channel lineup.  Last week, the following networks moved channel position while remaining in the same level of service: TBS (to Channel 51 from 31), Spike TV (to Channel 68 from 32), The Golf Channel (to Channel 32 from 68), ABC Family (to Channel 48 from 70), Court TV (to Channel 67 from 71), FX (to Channel 31 from 72) and MSNBC (to Channel 80 from 73).  WE TV is now part of the Digital Classic lineup on Channel 350 and was previously part of Standard Cable on Channel 48.

    For more information the company says to go to Comcast.com.

    UPDATE:
    We had posted that the changes went effect last week, but it is actually Tuesday October 23rd.

    10/17/2007

    Houston home sales show big declines

    The Houston Business Journal is reporting that the Houston area real estate market is seeing its biggest decline in home sales in more than a decade:

    The number of single-family homes sold in Houston in September was 5,061, 15.1 percent lower than in September 2006 and the largest year-over-year decline since April 1995, according to statistics from the Houston Association of Realtors.

    There were 5,984 total property sales during the month, a 16.7 percent decrease compared with September 2006.

    Properties sold during the month fetched a total of more than $1.2 billion, an 11.9 percent decrease compared to last year's nearly $1.4 billion in September sales.

    READ THE REST

    10/16/2007

    Comcast launches new video on demand service in Houston

    Comcast sent us a notice that they are adding its On Demand services to the Houston area. The company says the Houston area will have 9,300 programs a month to watch with 150 hours of HDTV content:

    Comcast’s ON DEMAND introduction began last week in the Bear Creek, Sugarland and Rosenberg areas of Houston with additional communities to be launched on an almost weekly basis through the end of the year until fully rolled out.  Digital Cable customers will receive detailed written communications in advance of the launch of ON DEMAND in their area.  Customers who subscribe to a digital level of service will receive ON DEMAND automatically, with no need to sign up or receive new equipment.  ON DEMAND is easy to access by simply tuning into Channel 1 or pressing the ON DEMAND button on the Comcast remote control.

    [snip]

    Other than HD, programming categories include:

    Movies:  More than 800 movies available each month, including the latest Hollywood hits, all-time classics and HD films.

    Network Primetime:  Hit CBS and ABC shows, including CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, Survivor, Desperate Housewives and Lost (starts with winter 2008 series return), which will be available the day after they air.

    TV Entertainment:  Programs from dozens of leading cable networks, including MTV, VH1, E!, USA Network, Discovery, Lifetime, Oxygen and TNT.

    Music:  Hundreds of music videos, behind-the-scenes programs and concert clips along with Karaoke ON DEMAND.

    Kids:  Popular children’s programs from PBS KIDS Sprout, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, Noggin and Discovery Kids.

    Sports:  Extended game highlights from the NFL, as well as action from NBA TV, Speed Channel and VERSUS, including draft picks and player information.

    Premium Channels:  Movies and award-winning original series from premier networks like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, The Movie Channel, Starz and Encore.

    News and World:  Stay informed with CNN, Military Channel, Travel Channel, History Channel, National Geographic and Animal Planet.

    Life and Home:  New recipes, decorating tips and wardrobe dos and don’ts are available with ON DEMAND selections from the Food Network, Digital Cookbook, TLC, HGTV and Style.

    En Español:  More than 130 hours of Hispanic programming, including Mi Cine, a showcase of popular Mexican cinema, ranging from action-packed films to popular “rancheras” from the 1930s to today.

    The vast majority of ON DEMAND content is available at no additional charge to Digital Cable customers.

     

    10/13/2007

    METRO bus and rail maps now for iPods

    Apple iPod users have one more use for the popular music device -- METRO bus route maps. METRO is now making these maps available to download and take along with your music and videos.

    The following directions are how the Houston transit agency says you can download the maps to an image capable iPod:

  • Download the Zip file and decompress it with WinZip (PC) or StuffIt Expander (Mac);
  • In iTunes, with your iPod connected, select your iPod in the device list, then click the Photos tab;
  • Select Sync photos from... Browse to the location where you stored your folder and then mark Selected Folders. Choose the folder or folders of the maps you downloaded.
  • Click Apply and the images will be transferred to your iPod.

    To download your route maps go to www.ridemetro.org.

    The maps are available for METRORail and commuter bus routes. METRO says the local bus routes will be available to download soon.

  • 10/12/2007

    Health inspector finds roaches in restaurant kitchens

    KTRK By Jeff Ehling

    - Go inside kitchens as we follow along with health inspectors as they check out restaurants on Houston's west side.

    Taqueria El Campesino in the 7700 block of Bellaire is the first restaurant on Inspector Abeid Fells list. It has a clean kitchen, with only minor violations that were corrected on-site.

    Up next is the Olympic Chinese Bakery in the 9200 block of Bellaire. At first, owners said we could follow inspector around the restaurant, but when we saw a bug on the floor, we were asked to leave. The inspector says he saw problems.

    He said, "They had a roach or two in the back.  They had issues with cleaning the walls."

    Inspector Fells says the bakery does have regular pesticide service. Owners promised call an exterminator and to step up the cleaning, but Fells will be back in two weeks.

    Next up is Lucky Dragon, just a few doors down from the bakery. We saw more roaches here -- one near the dishwashing area and another near the back of the kitchen.

    'There were just too many roaches in there, so he had to receive a citation," Inspector Fells explained.

    When a restaurant is fined for having roaches, owners must go before a municipal court judge who sets the fine. It can range from $50 up to $2,000.

    The inspector says the owners recently fumigated so he did not close the restaurant, but added more needs to be done to stop the pests.

    He said, "I will also conduct a reinspection, possibly next week and if those conditions don't improve it'll be another citation and a closure, or just a closure."

    The city health department inspects dozens of restaurants each week and we are showing you just a fraction of those they visit. But if you'd like to see those reports, you can look them up in the city of Houston's online database.
    (Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

    10/08/2007

    Nintendo's Wii is hard to come by in some parts

    KTRK By Jeff Ehling

    - While Halloween is still a few weeks away, you might want to start thinking about Christmas.

    If you're not careful, the toys your kids want could be gone long before you start looking.

    It's one of the hottest toys this year, the Wii game system from Nintendo. If your kid wants one, it will not be easy to find. From Wal-Mart, to Target, to Circuit City, to Best Buy, the stores sell out as soon as supplies arrive.

    The Wii system is so hard to find, that we could only find one console. It was a display model at Best Buy and it was not for sale.

    If you want one of the $250 game systems, the best advice is to call the store every day. Supplies usually come in at night, so call first thing in the morning.

    If you have not started your shopping yet, you are not alone.

    "Oh, my goodness, heavens no," said Ret Ekdah. "I don't start until two days before Christmas."

    "It's October, I don't start until the 23rd of December if I am lucky," said Marina Houghtaling.

    But parents may want to rethink that strategy. Retailers are cutting prices now on popular toys and that could mean supplies will dry up before December.

    Wal-Mart is leading the way, cutting the cost of:

    Fisher-Price Kid Tough Digital Camera to $54.88 -- down from $64.88 "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?" game for $10, down from $18.96 Razor Ripstik Caster Board, $77.77 instead of $93.93.

    Some parents say the price reductions and the ever expanding recall list are forcing them into the stores now.

    Other retailers have not followed Wal-Mart's cost cutting lead. That means toys that sell out in that store may be available elsewhere, but you'll pay more for them.

    (Copyright © 2007, KTRK-TV)

    Houston consumer trends

    More than 12,000 consumers living in the Houston area have joined Angie’s List, submitting reports and giving A-F grades on nearly 8,000 local companies in the last three years the company says.  Angie Hicks talked to the Consumer Blog about the trends the company has discovered concerning the Bayou City.

    In the three years Angie's List has been in Houston, what have Houston consumers been most interested in on your site?

    Angie Hicks: Since opening in July of 2004, we've grown to more than 12,000 Angie's List members. Those members have also submitted reports on more than 7,700 companies in the greater Houston area. The most popular categories have been Plumbing, Handymen, and Electrical, although storm-related categories such as hurricane shutters are also popular with Houston members, seasonally.

    What business area have Houston consumers had the most complaints about?
      Angie Hicks: We hear the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to   consumer experiences with local service companies. Generally, the categories   most complained about are big ticket services such as solar panels, mold remediation,   and home warranty companies. Common complaints include high prices, which sometimes   are unavoidable, unexpected issues that arise, and poor communication between   consumers and the service company.

    What area have Houston consumer been happiest with?
      Angie Hicks: Categories consumers rave about are generally more personal,   routine services such as animal groomers, vets, organization companies, and   hair stylists. A good rule of thumb: when you find a company you like, stick   with them. They're more likely to provide better service to a repeat customer.

    10/05/2007

    Go inside Houston restaurant kitchens to see what health inspectors find

    KTRK By Jeff Ehling

    - A 24-hour kitchen and a local meat market were both due for an annual inspection, and Eyewitness News was there to see how they fared in this week's Rat and Roach report.

    Inspector Remonda Robinson took us along to the International House of Pancakes at 13405 East Freeway. Managers decided they did not want our cameras to follow along.

    We asked, "Is it OK if we follow her through the kitchen?"

    "No sir, I can't allow you to do that," was the response.

    It took four hours to wrap up the inspection. That's an unusually long time. The health inspector found quite a few problems.

    Inspector Robinson said, "They had quite a few serious violations, like food at the wrong temperature and employees not washing hands properly."

    Inspector Robinson told Eyewitness News she found food that was left out for more than four hours including ham, beef and chicken. All of that had to be thrown away.

    "Because there is a possibility that bacteria could grow and if it is out of temperature for over four hours it could make people sick," she explained.

    Robinson also found dirty shelves and dirty utensils. With that many violations, Robinson says she'll have to come back. IHOP has a reinspection in two weeks.

    Up next is La Michoacana, Carniceria, Fruteria and Taqueria at 851 Federal. It's an all-in-one meat market, supermarket and restaurant.

    Right away Inspector Robinson found a violation -- boxes stacked up outside the back door. Robinson says they can attract flies and other insects. Employees immediately threw the boxes away. Robinson says she found problems inside, too. She said, "The walk-in cooler is going to have to be quarantined because it's not cooling properly."

    That means no food can be stored in it until it gets fixed. Robinson says she found flies, food on the floor and cooked rice that needed to be thrown away. Robinson will reinspect the restaurant in two weeks.

    The city health department inspects dozens of restaurants each week and we are showing you just a fraction of those they visit. But if you'd like to see those reports, you can look them up in the city of Houston's online database.

    Rat and roach report

        

    Marvin's original Friday Rat and Roach report highlighted health problems at area restaurants, and we will continue to bring you this valuable information, but this time with Jeff Ehling.

    Here is a way you can look up a Houston restaurant's inspection report.

    http://houston.tx.gegov.com/media/search.cfm

    This link gets you there, but we need to give some instructions too.

    1.  You'll need to enter the name exactly as it appears.
    2.  Second, you need to check out the dates, make sure your search start date goes back at least three months.  Some restaurants are reviewed once a year, so you may need to adjust the year if nothing comes up.
    3.  You'll need to click on the restaurant name when it appears to see the inspector's findings and corrective actions taken

       

    10/04/2007

    1-800-Flights is new way to help with flight info

    The Houston Business Journal wrote about a local guy who has started a service to help you with flight information:

    Launched Monday, 1-800-Flights offers up-to-the-minute arrival and departure status, as well as gate information, for every flight that originates or terminates on U.S. soil. That's 141 airlines spread over 432 domestic and 173 international airports.

    The goal is to provide one phone number for travelers -- and those who pick them up -- to remember, instead of ones for multiple airlines.

    READ THE REST

    10/02/2007

    Red light cameras to now pick up illegal turns

    Houston's red light cameras are now looking for drivers who make illegal turns.

    Houston city council changed the camera ordinance in August, to allow $75 citations for drivers who don't make a complete stop at a red light before turning. The change takes effect today at 20 intersections across Houston. There are a total of 70 red light cameras throughout the city.   

    VIDEO: Jeff Ehling talks cheap eats in Houston

    Jeff Ehling talks about Collina's Italian Cafe.  It's one of his favorite places to eat a cheap lunch in Houston.

    See the last cheap restaurant Jeff talked about

    See some of our other favorite Houston restaurants

    By the way, no one from abc13 receives money, advertisement or free meals when picking out these favorite restaurants.

    10/01/2007

    Two Houston TV items today

    We talked about this a while ago, but today the Comcast Cable Houston rate increases go into effect. (READ MORE)

    In other TV news, we learned that AT&T's U-verse system is now available to 400,000 homes in the Houston area.  That includes Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris and Montgomery counties.  (READ MORE)

    Pet grooming and care shouldn't make you take a second mortgage

    Let's face it, our pets are like family.  That also means the amount we spend on them has increased too.  Angie Hicks of Angie's List talked with the Consumer Blog about ways to cut down the costs of pet grooming.

    Mike McGuff: What are some things a pet owner can do themselves concerning their pet that can end up saving a lot of money?
    Angie Hicks: These days, pets are more a part of the family than ever. In fact, in a recent Angie's List poll, 75 percent of respondents consider their pets a member of the family and more than a third spend $50 or more on grooming each month. While not everyone is comfortable grooming their pet at home, routine brushing and teeth cleaning can cut down on the number of visits to the groomer.

    Mike McGuff: Grooming is a big industry, what should a consumer look for   when trying to decide on the right place to take their pet?
      Angie Hicks: Finding a groomer your pet can feel comfortable with begins   with finding one you are comfortable with. Shop around. Ask potential groomers   about the services they offer, pricing, and hours. Before settling on a shop,   take a tour. The facilities should look and smell clean. Ask where the animals   are kept and observe how the staff handles the pets.

    Mike McGuff: What are some complaints Angie's List has received concerning   pet groomers?
      Angie Hicks: Common complaints are that the grooming process took longer   than expected and dissatisfaction with the way the grooming turned out. Communication   before the appointment can help alleviate these problems. Talk with your groomer   about any special requests you have.
     
      Mike McGuff: Talk about mobile groomers, is that an easier option on the   pet? Does it cost more? Do you have to be more careful since they come to your   home?
      Angie Hicks: Mobile groomers are a great option for nervous pets or pet-owners.   They come right to your door and can ease the stress of the grooming process.   Only six percent of Angie's List poll respondents use a mobile groomer, but   they aren't necessarily more expensive than any other groomer. Regardless of   what type of groomer you decide on, do your research and meet the person before   the first appointment.

    Mike McGuff: Anything else you want to add?
      Angie Hicks: Angie's List sees the most requests for animal grooming   during September and October than any other time during the year. Proper grooming   is an important part of maintaining your pet's health.