Happy Wednesday in New York City, where Governor Kathy Hochul is putting her money where your mailbox is.

According to Gothamist, eligible New York taxpayers will start receiving their budget-approved $100-$200 checks from the state in September, ostensibly as reimbursement for rising utility prices. Hochul negotiated the $1 billion statewide rebate initiative, known as POWER, as part of June’s $277 billion state budget, for which 8.2 million people are expected to receive a one-time check.

This is the second year in a row that Hochul has spearheaded a direct-to-taxpayer rebate program. Last year, the state sent checks worth up to $400 to New Yorkers to compensate for rising inflation.

Hochul’s critics are quick to point out the convenience of scheduling the checks to arrive just weeks before a crucial election in November. “Any time it’s a rebate program or something during an election year, you can bet your bottom dollar it’s going to be September or October when you receive it,” state Sen. Dean Murray, a Republican from Suffolk County, told Gothamist.

Others have decried the POWER checks as a political gimmick, which does little to actually address the underlying problem of skyrocketing utility costs amid a larger cost of living crisis. “If we were truly interested in lowering the cost of utility bills, we wouldn’t be offering crumbs,” state Sen. Steve Rhoads, a Long Island Republican, said on the Senate floor in Albany. “We would be offering real sustainable relief.”

But Hochul maintains that every little bit helps. “That’s what’s going to start showing up in people’s mailboxes,” Hochul said in May, at an event announcing the program. “When they start seeing those bills come in, they’re going to see this relief come in as well, and know that someone in state government actually cares about them and worries about them as well.”

The real question is … what do you spend your check on? Last year, I suggested a fall-related purchase, like a nice sweater or Halloween decorations. This year, I say we raise the stakes. How does a refreshing iced mocha latte sound?

Salads – along with other fresh produce – are some of the healthiest foods you can eat. Leafy greens are rich in vitamins A, C and K, folate, potassium and magnesium. They also contain lots of fiber, which supports a healthy gut microbiome, promotes fullness, helps regulate blood sugar, and may contribute to healthy aging and better cognitive function.

But an ongoing 2026 outbreak of cyclosporiasis, caused by the cyclospora parasite, has sickened more than 11,500 people across the United States with explosive diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms and has put a damper on salad consumption. A poll released on July 26 reports that 40% of U.S. adults have cut down on buying and eating fresh produce. News of egg and blueberry recalls, plus an investigation into a new, separate cyclospora outbreak, has not helped.

As an immunologist and infectious disease specialist studying how germs spread and cause illnesses and outbreaks, I know it’s impossible to entirely eliminate your risk of being infected with microbes that can contaminate foods, such as cyclopsora, E. coli and salmonella.

But rather than avoiding fresh produce, adopting a few sensible food safety practices can help you significantly reduce your risk of getting sick while continuing to enjoy the many health benefits and flavor perks of salads and fresh veggies.

Read on to learn more.

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