Local news briefs for November 10, 2000

Friday, Nov. 10, 2000 | 10:41 a.m.

Woman missing since February

The disappearance of a woman who has not been seen since February is being investigated as a possible homicide, Metro Police said.

A search warrant served at Diana Leone's home revealed evidence that would tend to indicate that her disappearance was not voluntary, police said.

Leone was last seen in February and has not had any contact with close friends or family since then, including her two school-aged children and their father, with whom she had been living since 1986, police said.

Leone was last seen at her home in the 3000 block of West Teco Avenue and may have been in the company of a male companion named Tim. Police said Leone suffered a history domestic abuse and she may have fled to avoid the violence.

Anyone who has information in this case is asked to call Metro's missing persons unit at 229-LOST or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

Listeria feared in several brands

Several cheese sellers around the country are recalling brands that may be contaminated with dangerous germs called listeria, after a Wisconsin cheese supplier notified them last week of the problem.

Swiss American Inc. of St. Louis on Thursday became the fourth company to recall possibly contaminated cheese brands -- cut pieces of Bench Cured Hoop Cheddar and cut pieces of big-block Bench Cured Hoop Cheddar.

The cheese may be contaminated with listeria, bacteria that can cause life-threatening infections in young children, the elderly and people with weak immune systems. Also, it can cause miscarriages or stillbirths even if the pregnant woman herself feels no symptoms.

Healthy people typically suffer short-term food-poisoning symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. No illnesses have been reported.

The recalled Bench Cured Hoop Cheddar was sold in grocery stores in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. The red-waxed wedges of yellow cheddar cheese bear the sell-by dates of Aug. 12, 2000, through Feb. 8, 2001.

Customers should not eat the recalled cheese but return it to the place of purchase for a refund. Call Swiss American at (800) 325-8150 for more information.

809 area code in question

Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa is warning of a telephone scam on use of an 809 area code that could cost consumers as much as $100 or more per call.

She said Thursday a consumer may get an "emergency" e-mail or page message urging them to call an 809 area code number for information about an injured or sick relative, prize opportunity or debt collection.

The number is an international pay-per-call line with the 809 area code in the Virgin Islands. Callers are charged at $25 a minute. And since the 809 call is made to the Virgin Islands, they are not covered by the U.S. regulations for 900 area code calls, which require the consumer be notified and warned of charges and rates, she said.