Inspection
March 2008

ALABAMA: Health department restaurant ratings
31.mar.08
The Birmingham News
http://www.al.com/entertainment/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/1206951346248720.xml&coll=2
The Jefferson and Shelby County departments of health regularly inspect all establishments where food is prepared or sold for human consumption. These scored inspections were made without prior notification of the food service owner, operator or employees.
Points are deducted on a scale of 1 to 5, with the higher numbers indicating more serious problems. The health departments consider 4 and 5-point violations as critical items requiring immediate action.
The lists are divided into those that scored 84 or below out of a possible 100 and those that scored 97 or above out of a possible 100.
JEFFERSON COUNTY 84 and below
Cafe on 1st, 8429 North First Ave. (72). Employee did not properly wash hands after activity which may result in contamination of hands (5 points); food course not safe and unadulterated (cabbage for coleslaw visibly contaminated by condensation leak from compressor line in the reach in cooler) (5 points); potentially hazardous food did not meet proper temperature requirements during hot holding (5 points); presence of roaches (4 points); thermometers not properly provided (1 point); in use food dispensing utensils not properly provided and/or stored (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not clean (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); ice machine and compressor supply line in the reach in cooler both need repair (1 point); covered waste receptacles not properly provided in women's restroom and toilet tissue not properly provided in men's room (1 point); floors not clean and not in good repair (2 points); light shielding not properly provided and evidence of stovetop cooking without ventilation (cooking that produces grease or steam is prohibited without a commercial ventilation hood) (1 point).
Church's Fried Chicken, No. 173, 2324 North 29th Ave. (84). Employee did not effectively wash hands (should be using warm water not cold water) (5 points); hot water not properly provided at handsink (4 points); food contamination not properly prevented during storage (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); three compartment sink not properly clean (1 point); liquid waste not properly disposed in reach in freezer (1 point); floors not clean (2 points); ceiling ventilation not clean and hood vent not clean (1 point).
Waffle House, No. 129, 185 Oxmoor Road, Homewood, Reinspection Score (80). Potentially hazardous food did not meet proper temperature requirements during cold holding (5 points); food not properly separated to protect from contamination (5 points); food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); thermometers not properly provided (1 point); handwashing sign not properly posted at all handwashing sinks (2 points); floors not clean (2 points).
Waffle House, No. 867, 500 Fieldstown Road, Gardendale (80). Proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided for all food employees (5 points); food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); secondhand smoke in establishment (4 points); in use, food/ice dispensing utensils not properly stored (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); wiping cloths not properly stored (1 point); ceiling and floors not clean (2 points); light shield not in good repair and ventilation hood not clean (1 point).
Whataburger, 3026 Allison Bonnett Memorial Parkway, Hueytown (70). Person in charge not present at food establishment at all times (5 points); proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided for all food employees (5 points); potentially hazardous food did not meet proper temperature requirements during cold holding (5 points); food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); thermometer not properly provided (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not clean (1 point); three compartment sink not clean (1 point); wiping cloths not clean and not properly stored (1 point); drying of clean pans not proper (1 point); handsink not properly accessible for use at all times (2 points); trash bin not properly closed (1 point); floors not clean (2 points). 97 and above
808 South/Double Tree Hotel, 808 South 20th St. (100).
Amigos Mexican Grill, 3659 Lorna Road, Suite 133, Hoover (98).
Bento Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar 2, 617 Decatur Highway, Gardendale (97).
Cedars-Phoenician Club, 301 Greensprings Ave. (98).
Church's Fried Chicken, No. 160, 1136 North 25th St. (97).
Classic Cafe, 4600 East Lake Blvd. (99).
Classic Food & Vending, 4600 East Lake Blvd. (99).
Domino's Pizza, 2304 Columbiana Road, Vestavia (99).
El Girasol 2, 723 North Ninth Ave., Bessemer (97).
Food Giant No. Two Deli, 9530 East Parkway (100).
Food World Seafood, 1001 Westlake Mall, Bessemer (97).
Green Acres Cafe (The Original), 2724 29th Ave. North (98).
Green Acres Cafe-Irondale, 1819 Crestwood Blvd., Irondale (98).
Habaneros Mexican Grill, 835 Odum Road, Suite 115, Gardendale (97).
Helen's Cafe, 3120 SW Alemeda Ave. (98).
Iguana Grill, 2085 Colonial Drive, Suite 101, Hoover (99).
Irondale Cafe, 1906 North First Ave., Irondale (98).
Little Caesar's, No. One, 439 Fieldstown Road, Suite 101, Gardendale (99).
Niki's Cafe, 233 West Finley Ave. (97).
Olivia's House, 8017 Second Ave. (97).
Physicians' Dining at Brookwood, 2010 Brookwood Medical Center Drive, Homewood (98).
Publix No. 842 Deli, 784 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia (98).
Publix Bakery, No. 1085, 3141 Overton Road, Mountain Brook (100).
Publix Deli-Montclair, 1325 Montclair Road (100).
Rick's Main Street Cafe, 412 North Main St., Warrior (97).
Smokehouse Restaurant, 348 Finley Ave. (97).
Snapper Grabbers Seafood Market, 521 Montgomery Highway, Suite 101, Vestavia (99).
Starbucks Coffee, No. 8418, 2783 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook (99).
Surins Thai Bowl & Sushi Bar, 2100 North Third Ave., Suite 100 (98).
Surin West, 1918 South 11th Ave. (97).
Vestavia Country Club-Banquet, 400 Beaumont Drive, Vestavia (97).
Wal-Mart, Supercenter-Deli, 890 Odum Road, Gardendale (100).
SHELBY COUNTY 84 and below
Piggly Wiggly Deli, 211 West College St., Columbiana (82). Food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); non-food contact surfaces not clean (1 point); non-food contact surfaces not properly constructed (1 point); wiping cloths not properly stored (1 point); single service articles not properly stored (1 point); handsink did not meet proper requirements (2 points); floors and ceiling not clean (2 points) ; employee designated area not properly located (1 point); medicines not properly stored (4 points). 97 and above
29 Dreams Motorcycle Resort, 53707 Alabama 25 (100).
Amore, 5510 U.S. 280, South, Suite 116 (98).
Depp Country Grocery & Deli, 3118 Highway 52 West (98).
Ekklesia Coffee House, 109 Foothills Parkway, Suite 110 (97).
Mellow Mushroom, 920 Inverness Corners (98).
Spur Stop Shell, 9737 Alabama 119 (98).
Vizzini Farms Winery/Food Service, 800 Highway 87 (98).

ALABAMA: ADPH unveils web site with all state's food inspection scores
28.mar.08
nbc13.com
Associated Press
http://www.nbc13.com/gulfcoastwest/vtm/news.apx.-content-articles-VTM-2008-03-28-0012.html
Montgomery -- The state Department of Public Health has unveiled a new Web site that lists scores for more than 23,000 restaurants and food service establishments throughout Alabama.
Users may search the new site by county, city or establishment name.
State Health Officer Dr. Donald Williamson said at a news conference Friday the scores can help the public make informed choices about where they purchase food and the restaurants where they eat.
The department anticipates the initiative may lessen the incident of foodborne illnesses by encouraging establishments to improve their food service sanitation practices.

FLORIDA: Hotel cleared in Legionnaires' outbreak
28.mar.08
cfnews13.com
http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2008/3/28/hotel_cleared_in_legionnaires39_outbreak.html?refresh=1
Orlando -- The investigation into cases of a highly contagious disease at a local hotel is closed.
The Orange County Health Department said the Quality Suites hotel on Canada Avenue near International Drive is clear of Legionnaires' disease.
Investigators said the hotel has also completed cleaning all rooms, as well as the swimming pool and hot tub.
Three guests at the hotel came down with the potentially deadly disease in February and March.

OHIO: Hepatitis-A linked to restaurant worker
28.mar.08
Local12.com
http://www.local12.com/content/breaking_news/story.aspx?content_id=b61016b7-762d-4fc8-b5cf-28dd207579e7
The Butler County Health Department was cited as urging patrons of P.F. Chang's China Bistro on Union Centre Boulevard to watch for symptoms of Hepatitis A after a worker at was diagnosed with the illness.
The health department says the employee worked between March 14th and March 25th, and may have contaminated ice, lemons and ice cream.
A vaccine is available.
The Butler County Board of Health issued the following release:
Butler County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health have learned that a food service worker with confirmed Hepatitis A (infectious Hepatitis) worked while ill. Because of the possibility of contamination of ice, persons who have not been previously vaccinated for Hepatitis A and who report consuming ice, beverages with ice, ice cream or lemons or dined between March 14 and March 25, 2008 at this restaurant are recommended to contact their healthcare provider, local public health department or the Butler County Health Department for postexposure prophylaxis.
People who dined at, consumed ice, beverages with ice, ice cream or lemons from the P.R Chang Restaurant between March 14 and March 25, 2008 should be referred to their healthcare provider, local public health department, or Butler County Department of Health for assessment and potential vaccination with monovalent Hepatitis A vaccine or prophylaxis with immune globulin (IG). The restaurant is located at 9435 Civic Centre Boulevard, West Chester, OH 45069 (off of the Civic Centre exit on Interstate 75 just north of Cincinnati, OH in eastern Butler County).
Butler County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health are working with the P.F. Chang restaurant to notify patrons.
Hepatitis A is caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV). Symptoms can include fever, malaise, anorexia, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, clay-colored stools and jaundice.. Many infections are mild and without jaundice.
HAV is spread primarily by close person-to-person contact or by consuming contaminated food.
Infected persons shed virus in their stool from approximately two weeks prior to onset of symptoms through the tenth day after onset.
The incubation period ranges from 2-6 weeks with an average of 28-30 days.
For questions or concerns, please call the Butler County Health Department at (513) 863-1770.

IDAHO: Dozens flock to health dept. for hepatitis A shots
26.mar.08
KTVB.com
Edgar Linares
http://www.ktvb.com/news/localnews/stories/ktvbn-mar2608-hep_a_follow.1f1ab63.html#
Boise -- After news of possible exposure to hepatitis A at a popular downtown restaurant – many of the people who could have been exposed went for vaccinations at the Central District Health Department.
The only way hepatitis a can be spread is by someone consuming fecal matter containing the virus. Patrons getting their shots said this incident hasn't changed the way the feel about their favorite restaurant.
Central District Health opened it doors early - offering vaccinations to those possibly exposed to Hepatitis A.

TENNESSEE: Nashville Convention Center fails food safety inspection
25.mar.08
Meetings Industry Megasite
http://www.mimegasite.com/mimegasite/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003732664
The Tennessean reports that the Nashville Convention Center failed a re-inspection of its kitchen facilities last week when live roaches were found by city inspectors. The facility, which serves more than 500,000 meals a year, received a failing score of 51 out 100. Jerry Rowland, director of food protection services for the Metro Health Department, was cited as saying the roaches were discovered on March 6, but that the center had not had enough time to eradicate the pests.
Other violations uncovered in the March 6 inspection included: a chemical sanitizer that was stored next to food on a prep table, no hot water in a kitchen hand sink, wastewater coming out of a prep sink and an employee improperly washing and sanitizing a utensil. Rowland said the center had corrected every violation but had failed to eliminate the roaches by the time of the re-inspection.
Center directors plan to meet with the facility's food service contractor this week. The center, which opened in 1987, is considered small and outdated by many city officials, according to The Tennessean, and they're pushing for a new $595 million facility to open in 2012.

OHIO: Restaurant inspection report
24.mar.08
Newark Advocate
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080324/NEWS01/
803240332/1002
# CVS Pharmacy No. 3094, March 11, 379 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Floor in storage room is dirty.
# Nick's Saloon, March 11, 191 S. Second St., Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Floor in storage room is dirty.
# Bonham Candy and Tobacco Co., March 11, 85 S. Fifth St., Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Floor is dirty under pallets.
# Central Ohio Technical College -- Bookstore No. 230, March 11, 1179 University Drive, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# John Clem Elementary School, March 11, 475 Jefferson Road, Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Lids on Dumpster are open. 2. Door seal on milk cooler is not secure.
# Miller Elementary School, March 11, 1350 Granville Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Kroger -- Starbucks, March 12, 245 Deo Drive, Newark, 30-day inspection, no violations.
# McGuffey Elementary School, March 12, 130 Green Wave Drive, Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Hamburger patties held at 116 degrees F; fries held at 130 degrees F; hold all foods 135 degrees F or higher.
# Roosevelt Middle School, March 12, 621 Mount Vernon Road, Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Lids on Dumpster are open.
# Heritage Middle School, March 12, 471 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Newark Eastland Center, March 12, 986 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Cheng's China Buffet, March 13, 789 Hebron Road, Heath, follow-up, with violations. 1. Wiping cloths lying on counters. 2. Chicken thawing at room temperature. 3. Food in walk-in cooler not date-marked. 4. Inaccurate thermometer in Pepsi cooler. 5. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 6. Broken floor tile in kitchen. 7. Floor in kitchen is dirty. 8. Floor in one walk-in freezer is dirty. 9. Some lights are not working in dry food storage area.
# Clark's Dining Room, March 13, 6811 National Road, Thornville, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Foods not date-marked. 2. True cooler is not working. 3. Interior of reach-in cooler in kitchen has food particles. 4. Floor is broken in several places.
# Lakewood -- Jackson Intermediate School, March 13, 9370 Lancer Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# Lakewood High School, March 13, 9331 Lancer Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# Lakewood Middle School, March 13, 5222 National Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# Ben Franklin Elementary School, March 13, 533 Beacon Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Par Excellence No. 1, March 13, 96 Maholm St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Par Excellence, March 13, 96 Maholm St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# E.S. Weiant Center, March 13, 116 N. 21st. St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# My Place Day Care, March 13, 1335 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Bottle Shoppe Drive Thru, March 13, 303 E. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, with violation. 1. Floor is dirty under racks in drive-through.
# Goosepond Retirement Village, March 13, 425 Senior Drive E, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Inverness, March 13, 63 S. Fourth St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Stone Bros. Pizza, March 14, 237 Central Ave., Utica, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 2. Several food prep coolers have no thermometers. 3. Beverage Air cooler has condensation problem.
# North Fork Utica Redskin Cafeteria, March 14, 260 N. Jefferson St., Utica, standard inspection, no violations.
# Utica Elementary School, March 14, 145 Mill St., Utica, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No top cover on Traulsen freezer; 2. Sanitizer greater than 200 ppm in three-bay sink. 3. No shields on lights in dry food storage room. 4. No hand-wash sink in kitchen.
# North Fork -- Newton Elementary, March 14, 6645 Mount Vernon Road, Utica, standard inspection, no violations.
# Liberty Baptist Church of the Deaf, March 14, 4000 Mink St., Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
# East of Chicago Pizza Co., March 17, 1234 W. Church St., Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Inside of reach-ins, hood above ovens, shelves in walk-in, shelves on tables, inside and outside of proofers, cart on wheels, and cart housing cans are dirty. 2. Door seal on three-door True cold table is torn. 3. Water is pouring in three-door True cold table. 4. Plastic pans/inserts are cracked/broken at dish area. 5. No thermometer in four-door cold table. 6. Floors under/around equipment, dough room, storage room and walk-in are dirty. 7. Walls are dirty where dust/splashes/splatters have occurred. 8. Walls and ceiling in walk-in are dirty. 9. Lights burned out in dough room. 10. Light shield is missing in dough room.
# GMP Local 244, March 17, 350 Hudson Ave., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# The Midland Theatre, March 17, 36 N. Park Place, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Wickham Grocery, March 17, 330 National Drive, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# Jeffries Supply, March 17, 49 N. Fourth St., Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# CVS Pharmacy No. 3174, March 17, 1370 W. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Area around Dumpster has trash/debris building up. 2. Floor in back room is dirty.
# Triangle Bar Inc., March 17, 351 Mount Vernon Road, Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Floor tile is missing behind bar in men's restroom. 2. Ceiling has chipping paint in kitchen. 3. No test strips for sanitizer.
# Family Dollar Store No. 3165, March 17, 1036 Mount Vernon Road, Newark, follow-up, with violation. 1. One Dumpster lid is missing on Dumpster and two lids are missing on the other Dumpster.

ALABAMA: Health department restaurant ratings
24.mar.08
The Birmingham News
http://www.al.com/entertainment/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/120634654147510.xml&coll=2
The Jefferson and Shelby County departments of health regularly inspect all establishments where food is prepared or sold for human consumption. These scored inspections were made without prior notification of the food service owner, operator or employees. Points are deducted on a scale of 1 to 5, with the higher numbers indicating more serious problems. The health departments consider 4- and 5-point violations as critical items requiring immediate action. The lists are divided into those that scored 84 or below out of a possible 100 and those that scored 97 or above out of a possible 100.
Bento Japanese Steak House & Sushi Bar 2, 617 Decatur Highway, Gardendale (72). Employee had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods (5 points); proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided (5 points); current documentation not properly provided that sushi fish had been frozen properly (5 points); toxic items not properly labeled (4 points); approved thawing methods not properly used (1 point); in use, utensils not properly stored (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not clean (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); test strips not properly provided (1 point); drying of clean utensils not proper (1 point); ceiling not in good repair (2 points); HACCP plan not properly provided for sushi rice and handling of sushi (1 point).
Johnny Carino's Country Italian, 4330 Creekside Ave., Hoover (76). Proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided (5 points); food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); toxic items not properly stored (4 points); out-of-date milk not properly discarded (1 point); food contamination not properly prevented during storage (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); drying of clean dishes not proper (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not in good repair (plastic lids cracked) (1 point); single service articles not properly stored (1 point); cold water nozzle on hand sink at front line and both nozzles on hand sink near back of kitchen not in good repair (1 point); floors not in good repair and walls and ceiling not clean (2 points); ceiling vents not clean and light shield not properly provided (1 point).
Legends Smokehouse, 6633 Old Springville Road, Pinson (74). Proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided (5 points); potentially hazardous food did not meet proper temperature requirements during cold holding (5 points); grease around trash bin area (4 points); wiping cloths not properly provided (4 points); food contamination not properly prevented during storage (1 point); in use, food dispensing utensils not properly stored (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not clean (1 point); single service items not properly stored (1 point); reach in cooler not in good repair (condensate dripping) (1 point); lid not properly provided on trash bin (1 point); ceiling not clean and kitchen door not in good repair (2 points).
New China Buffet, No. Three, 7307 Crestwood Blvd. (83). Potentially hazardous food did not meet proper temperature requirements during cold holding (5 points); food contact surfaces not clean (5 points); hair restraints not properly worn by kitchen workers (1 point); proper cooling methods not properly used (1 point); approved thawing methods not properly used (1 point); food contamination not properly prevented during storage (1 point); in use, utensils not properly stored (1 point); wiping cloths not properly clean (1 point); drying of clean utensils not proper (1 point).
Tasty Foods, 1400 North Ninth Ave., Suite 136, Bessemer (80). Employee had personal drink in food prep area and employee must practice proper hygiene (5 points); outside grease container not clean (4 points); toxic items not properly stored (4 points); nonfood contact surfaces not clean (1 point); storage of clean utensils (food dispenser) not proper (1 point); single service articles not properly stored (1 point); ground near trash bin not clean (1 point); floors not clean (2 points); ventilation hood and hood filters not clean (1 point).
Ted's Montana Grill, 3440 Galleria Circle, Hoover (80). Employee had bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods (5 points); proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided for all food safety managers (5 points); soiled dishes stored near ice machine should be cleaned and sanitized and dish machine not in good repair (5 points); thermometers not properly provided (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not clean (1 point); chlorine test strips not properly provided (1 point); trash bin and outdoor grease receptacles not properly closed at all times (1 point); lighting not properly provided (1 point).
Wings & More Wings, 3519 Huntsville Ave., Brighton (83). Hands should be washed in hand sink (not in three-compartment sink) (5 points); food contact surfaces not properly sanitized (5 points); thermometers not properly provided (1 point); approved thawing methods not properly used (1 point); food contamination not properly prevented during storage (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not in good repair (damaged lid on freezer) (1 point); soap and paper towels not properly provided at hand sink (2 points); filters not properly provided for hood system (1 point).
Zaxby's, 885 Odum Road, Gardendale (82). Employee had personal drink in food prep area (5 points); proper proof of required food safety training not properly provided (5 points); two-inch air gap between bottom of ice machine drain line and flood rim of floor drain not properly provided (4 points); in use, food dispensing utensils not properly stored (1 point); nonfood contact surfaces not in good repair (1 point); plumbing not in good repair (leak under drink machine) (1 point); trash bin not properly closed (1 point).
97 and above
Al's Deli & Grill, 1629 South 10th Ave. (99).
Avery's Cafe, 1901 North Sixth Ave. (98).
BJCC North Exhibition B, 2100 North Richard Arrington Blvd. (98).
BLC Warming Kitchen (Children's Harbor), 1600 South Sixth Ave. (97).
Buck's Pizza, 439 Caldwell Drive, Warrior (98).
Castle Pines Country Club, 1600 Quail Ridge, Gardendale (98).
Catering by Lanetta, 2268 North Ninth Ave. (99).
Chan Lee's, 1901 North Sixth Ave., Suite 256 (97).
Chappy's Deli, 2737 U.S. 280, Mountain Brook, Suite 101 (100).
China Kitchen, 437 Caldwell Drive, Warrior (98).
Cuz's Deli, 2204 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 115 (99).
Dale's Southern Grill, 700 Montgomery Highway, Suite 156, Vestavia Hills (97).
Edgewood Creamery, 936 Oxmoor Road, Homewood (98).
El Cazador Mexican Restaurant, 1540 Montclair Road (99).
Gabe's, 4814 Main St., Adamsville (98).
Golden Rule at Harbert, 1901 North Sixth Ave., Suite 263 (97).
Green Acres Cafe-Center Point, 2405 Center Point Parkway (99).
Gus' Hot Dogs, 14 Rex Lane, Adamsville (100).
Hampton Inn, 4910 Civic Lane, Bessemer (99).
Highlands Bar & Grill, 2011 South 11th Ave. (100).
Jack's, No. 146, 201 Walker Chapel Road, Fultondale (97).
Jefferson A at BJCC, 2100 North Richard Arrington Blvd. (97).
Klingler's European Bake Shop, 621 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills (97).
McDonald's, No. 17, 1907 Center Point Road (99).
Milo's Harbert Plaza, 1901 North Sixth Ave., Suite 270 (99).
North Pantry Kitchen, 2100 North Richard Arrington Blvd. (97).
Papa John's Pizza, 9109 Parkway East (98).
Pasquale's, 215 Fieldstown Road, Gardendale (97).
The Pit Barbecue, 2820 North Richard Arrington Blvd. (99).
Quiznos, No. 10139, 3131 Cahaba Heights Road, Vestavia Hills (100).
Ranelli's Deli, No. Two, 1225 South 20th St. (99).
Rucker Place, 1804 South 12th Ave. (99).
Sam's Club, No. 8212 Bakery, 3900 Kilgore Memorial Drive, Irondale (99).
Sam's Club, No. 8212 Cafe, 3900 Kilgore Memorial Drive, Irondale (97).
Sophia's Deli & Catering, 723 North 21st St. (99).
Steppers & Walkers Restaurant & Lounge, 2223 North Seventh Ave. (100).
Subway, No. 25644, 5184 Old Springville Road, Clay (99).
Subway, No. 29169, 290 Cane Creek Road, Suite C, Warrior (99).
Summit Club Bar-Harbert Plaza, 1901 North Sixth Ave. (98).
Sushi Avenue, 3780 Riverchase Village (99).
Wal-Mart Supercenter-Bakery, No. 1158, 2473 Hackworth Road (100).
SHELBY COUNTY
97 and above
AFC Sushi at Publix, No. 1073, 9200 Alabama 119, Suite 1400 (100).
Alabama 4-H Youth Development Center, 892 4-H Road (97).
Aramark/Southern Company, 42 Inverness Center Parkway (98).
The Bean Hole Coffee Shop, 5148 Caldwell Mill Road (99).
Burger King, 681 First St. SW (98).
Captain D's, No. 3753, 420 Cahaba Valley Road (99).
L.A. Burrito, 1614 Kent Dairy Road, Suite 207 (97).
McDuff's Pub & Grill, 201 Canyon Park Drive (97).
Subway, No. 20045 (Food World), 3018 Pelham Parkway, Suite 101 (97).
VJ's Restaurant, (98), 2258 Shelby County 46 (98).
Winn-Dixie Bakery, No. 469, 335 Helena Marketplace (97).
Winn-Dixie Deli, No. 469, 335 Helena Marketplace (98).
Zaxby's, 2636 Valleydale Road (99).

PENNSYLVANIA: Illness prompts state probes of restaurant
23.mar.08
Lancaster Online
Jon Rutter
http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/218683
The state has given Reflections restaurant a clean bill of health — twice — since patrons complained of getting sick in February.
Spokesman Chris Ryder was cited as saying State Department of Agriculture inspectors checked the Leola eatery Feb. 19 and March 7, and Reflections employees were found following all proper food handling and sanitation practices, and all equipment was in order, adding, "It would appear that [the illness] was not related to ... something that was being done at the restaurant,"
The department checks all complaints, said Ryder, who added that the volume of calls in the case was unusual.
The department said that within a two-week period in February, 19 people in three separate parties reported vomiting and diarrhea around the time they visited the restaurant.
A flu-like intestinal bug was rampant throughout the country at the time.
The bug likely sparked the flurry of calls, said state Department of Health spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman.
Based on a description of the symptoms, she said, "We believe it is a Norwalk-like virus."
No stool samples were furnished to the department, she said.

NEW YORK: Food worker at Hicksville pizzeria has typhoid fever
22.mar.08
Newsday.com
Michael Amon
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-lityph0323,0,1867250.story
Barfblog Post
The Nassau County Department of Health and the restaurant were cited as saying Saturday that a kitchen worker at Mama Sbarro's pizzeria, 265 Broadway in Hicksville has contracted typhoid fever, putting more than 100 customers at risk for the potentially deadly bacterial infection, with the Health Department quoted as saying that customers who ate at restaurant on March 14, 15 and 16 -- when the infected employee last worked -- have a "low risk" of contracting the rare intestinal infection.
The department emphasized that Mama Sbarro's had passed two inspections since Friday evening, when the county was informed of the kitchen worker's condition. The restaurant, which did not know the employee had typhoid fever until Saturday, had no major health violations in the last two years and would remain open, authorities said, because it was safe to eat there.
Denise Chatel, 50, of Commack, who had eaten there Saturday with her son Paul, 17, was cited as saying that at least a notice should have been posted on the restaurant's door, adding, "I'm just outraged. They [the Health Department] should tell you about it before you walk in."
Cynthia Brown, a spokeswoman for the county Health Department, was cited as saying current customers are not at risk.
Brown said the infected kitchen worker told authorities that he always wore gloves while handling food, making it unlikely that the disease was transmitted. Also, the restaurant's employees were seen wearing gloves when preparing food during unannounced visits, Brown said.
Stuart Steinberg, general counsel to the Long Island-based pizza chain Sbarro's, the parent .company of Mama Sbarro's, was quoted as saying, "We're hopeful that this is an isolated instance."
Typhoid is a bacterial infection passed on through eating food or drinking water containing infected feces or urine. It is rare in developed countries.
Steinberg estimated that more than 100 people ate at the restaurant from March 14 to 16.
Authorities were further cited as saying the disease may have been passed to the kitchen worker from relatives visiting from overseas, though they would not say from what country or when the relatives visited.

MARYLAND: Food Inspections
20.mar.08
Hometownannapolis.com
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/03_20-03/FOR
California Tortilla, BWI Concourse A-B S-11, Baltimore, food must be held at proper temperature.
Pit Boys, 945 East Central Ave., Edgewater, food workers must practice effective handwashing; must be free of illness.
Popeyes of Crofton, 1066 Route 3, North, Crofton, food must be held at proper temperature.
Shoreline Seafood Inc., 1034 Route 3 North, Gambrills, food must be held at proper temperature.
High's #84, 119 Mayo Road, Edgewater, food must be held at proper temperature.
7-Eleven # 17214, 730 E College Parkway, Annapolis, potable hot and cold running water must be available.
Elks Lodge #622, 2517 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, food must be protected from contamination, spoilage and adulteration.
Fuji Japanese Steak House, 169 Mitchells Chance Road, food must be protected from contamination, spoilage and adulteration, and food workers must practice effective handwashing; must be free of illness.
Piney Orchard Subway, 8765 Piney Orchard Parkway, Odenton, food workers must practice effective handwashing; must be free of illness.
Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St., Annapolis, food must be adequately cooked and reheated.
There were four emergency closures:.
Feb. 8: Popeyes, 903 Bay Ridge Road, Annapolis, closed due to a lack of hot water. Reopened the same day.
Feb. 25: Moe's Southwest Grill, 122 Dock Street, Annapolis, closed due to a sewage/grease discharge from grease interceptor. Reopened Feb. 26.
Feb. 27: Pizza Boli's, 1628 Annapolis Road, Odenton, closed due to lack of hot water. Reopened Feb. 28.
Feb. 29: New Dragon Boat, 8111 Fort Smallwood Road, Curtis Bay, closed due to lack of hot water. Reopened same day.

GEORGIA: Restaurant inspection scores released
20.mar.08
The Northeast Georgian
http://www.thenortheastgeorgian.com/articles/2008/03/20/news/business/01business.txt
Following are the food service inspections for March 17-18 by the Habersham County Health Department's Environmental Health Section.
A score of 85 and above is considered passing. Food service establishments are required to post their score sheets in public so that customers can review them. For more information about an inspection, contact the environmental health office at (706) 776-7659.
* Zaxby's, 1645 Business Highway 441, Clarkesville. Inspection time: 4:10 p.m. Purpose of inspection: Routine/complaint. Score: 92; current grade: A; previous score: 96. Out of compliance with the following: wiping cloths - properly used and stored; compliance with Georgia Smoke Free Air Act; single-service articles: properly stored, used; food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used; nonfood-contact surfaces clean; hot and cold water available: adequate pressure; plumbing installed: proper backflow device; physical facilities installed, maintained and clean.
* Zaxby's, Highway 105, Cornelia. Inspection time: 10:30 a.m. Purpose of inspection: Routine. Current score: 92; current grade: A; last score: 96. Out of compliance with the following: Food stored covered; food-contact surfaces: clean and sanitized; toxic substances properly identified, stored and used.

NORTH CAROLINA: Live roaches in sink earn restaurant low score
18.mar.08
WCNC
Jeff Sonier
http://www.wcnc.com/6newsextra/edbw/stories/wcnc-031808-krg-edbw.23d004d.html
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Live cockroaches in the sink at a Charlotte restaurant? That’s a problem, health inspectors say in this week’s restaurant inspection reports.
It’s a big problem for the Thanh Huong Café on Central Avenue, especially after health inspectors saw one employee touching a roach to wash it down the drain, then not washing his hands before touching the single serve knives, forks and spoons. Inspectors also saw two roaches crawling in separate areas of the café kitchen
That’s why Thanh Huong is this week’s worst restaurant, with a score of 77.

UK: Inn the Park restaurant fined for breaching food safety rules
17.mar.08
CatererSearch
Kerstin Kuehn
http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2008/03/17/319638/inn-the-park-restaurant-fined-for-breaching-food-safety.html
Oliver Peyton’s Inn the Park restaurant in London’s St James’s Park has, according to this story, been fined £5,000 for breaching food safety regulations.
The restaurant was charged with the penalty after environmental health officers from Westminster City Council found its kitchen and food stores overrun with mice in November 2006.
Inn the Park pleaded guilty to five offences and was fined £1,000 for each. A further five charges against restaurant director Siobhan Peyton were dropped.
Richard Block, operations manager for food, health and safety at Westminster City Council, said Inn the Park’s offences were “extremely serious”.

MASSACHUSETTS: State struggles to streamline inspections
17.mar.08
Standard-Times
Steve Decosta
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/NEWS/803170343
The flaws and wide discrepancies unveiled in a review of SouthCoast's restaurant inspection system should, according to this story, come as no surprise.
In March of 2007, state auditor Joseph DeNucci's 102-page audit was quoted as concluding: "The Commonwealth's highly decentralized system of food inspections is very inefficient and must be modernized."
A year later, the state is still struggling to comply with that recommendation.
A two-month investigation by The Standard-Times and SouthCoastToday.com found wide variations in the manner in which community officials inspect restaurants and report their findings.
In response to last year's audit, the state Department of Public Health is seeking to bring more consistency to the process.
Suzanne Condon, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Public Health and director of the Bureau of Environmental Health, was quoted as saying, "We're trying to develop a system that would be equitable across the state, whether it's color coding or letter coding."
At a time when state and local government agencies are struggling to make do with less, the audit findings resulted in increased funding for the DPH, with Ms. Condon further quoted as saying, "One of the things we're doing is hiring six additional staff people to focus on food inspections and training."
The story adds that the state is dabbling with the idea of regionalizing the process, particularly among smaller communities, but has no set plans.

MASSACHUSETTS: Restaurant inspection audit — key findings
17.mar.08
SouthCoastToday.com
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/NEWS/803170345
Core Findings
A state audit released last March concluded that understaffing, inadequate training and funding cuts have left Massachusetts without an effective food inspection program at the state and local levels, posing a significant risk to public health and safety:
* Food inspection positions are understaffed for most municipalities and, in many instances, staffing levels are at least a third less than the federally-recommended levels. Two-thirds or more of communities operate entirely with part-time inspectors.
* 11 of 13 local authorities visited were not in compliance with federal and state standards that call for inspections at least every six months for most food establishments.
* It was not uncommon for some high-risk establishments to go more than a year without being inspected, with some not undergoing even routine inspections for as long as seven years.
* One local authority had not complied with the minimum number of inspections for any of the 13 establishments under its responsibility that were reviewed during the audit.
* Deficiencies in the reporting, investigation and response activities associated with the detection and control of food-borne illness incidents. Information sharing between state and local officials, even within DPH, was frequently inadequate and incidents of suspected food-borne illness were not fully investigated.
* Only 8 percent of inspectors meet the preferred Certified Food Safety Professional qualifications standard and over 50 percent of inspectors have questionably low qualifications, including some who do not meet even the minimum regulatory requirements.

MASSACHUSETTS: Meet the inspectors
17.mar.08
SouthCoastToday.com
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/NEWS/803160408/-1/NEWS
Here's a look at the way different communities conduct their restaurant inspections, compiled from a two-month study of restaurant inspection forms from 2007. State guidelines call for the inspection of any high-risk food service establishment, including restaurants, every six months, and inspectors are required to report their findings on a standardized form.
Inspectors must achieve one of four certifications, from lowest to highest: certified food manager, certified food service professional, certified health officer or registered sanitarian.
The story says that communities below are listed in the order of their apparent effectiveness in the inspection process: (I envision cards with bubblegum you can buy at variety stores, like hockey or baseball cards, with vital stats on the back -- dp)
Westport
Senior health agent: James Walsh
Primary inspector: Raymond Belanger, part time, certified food manager.
Easily the area's most fastidious inspector. According to notations on forms, inspections can be hours long. One form from an inspection last year included six pages of notes. Consistently reinspects establishments to determine if violations have been corrected.
Fairhaven
Health agent: Patricia Fowle, registered sanitarian.
Primary inspector: Susan Griffin, part time, certified food manager.
Very good track record of inspecting restaurants twice a year, plus reinspecting to assure that violations are corrected. Notes are extensive and appear thorough, although checklist of violations doesn't always reflect what's found in notes.
Dartmouth
Public health director: Wendy Henderson, registered sanitarian.
Primary inspector: Janice Young, full time, certified food manager.
Good track record for inspecting restaurants twice a year. Notes are extensive and appear thorough. Makes a "red item" violation punitive, with an immediate $250 fine assessed, and repeat violations are subject to $75 fine.
Lakeville
Health agent: Lawrence Perry, registered sanitarian.
Primary inspector: Joseph Beneski, part time, certified food manager.
Inspected every establishment twice in 2007. Few checked violations, but most reports included six or more notations.
New Bedford
Chief sanitarian: Barry E. Sylvia
Primary inspectors: Mary Friere, Jeff Rogers, William Smith, all full time, all certified food managers.
Three primary inspectors are "catching up" on twice-a-year inspections, chief sanitarian says. Review of 20 inspection reports from 2007 revealed only one "red item" violation and an average of three or four noted items per report.
Wareham
Health agent: Robert M. Ethier, certified food manager.
Primary inspector: Glenn Monteiro, part time, certified food manager.
Inspected each restaurant no more than once in 2007. Conducted 12 inspections on one day. "Red item" violations checked on reports of 15 of 48 restaurants. Only one or two notes on most forms.
Marion, Rochester
Health agent: Karen A. Walega, registered sanitarian.
Primary inspector: David Walsh, independent contractor, registered sanitarian.
Most restaurants inspected once in 2007. With one exception, few violations and few notes taken. One "red item" violation and extensive notes taken for one establishment on inspection conducted by Ms. Walega.
Mattapoisett
Health agent: Dale S. Barrows, certified health officer.
Primary inspector: David Walsh, independent contractor, registered sanitarian.
Inspected each restaurant once in 2007. Few violations found and few notes taken.
Acushnet
Health agent: Ralph Urban
Primary inspector: same, full time
Each restaurant inspected twice in 2007. No violations, no notations made for any establishment.
Freetown
Health agent: Paul Bourgeois, certified food manager.
Primary inspector: Joseph Lee, part time, certified food manager.
Each restaurant inspected once in 2007. No violations, no notations made for any establishment. According to forms, two inspections were conducted in five minutes.

NEWARK: Restaurant inspection report
17.mar.08
Newark Advocate
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/NEWS01/803170316/1002/NEWS01
# Vannatta's Right Choice No. 1, 2646 Mount Vernon Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No test strips for bleach in three-bay sink. 2. No drain plugs for three-bay sink.
# Sugar and Spice, 342 S. Main St., Utica; complaint, no violations.
# Sugar and Spice, 342 S. Main St., Utica; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No thermometer in Pepsi cooler. 2. Guard on fan in walk-in cooler is dirty 3. Commode in employee restroom has leak. 4. No paper towels by hand sink out front. 5. Roof leak in back room.
# The Party House Carryout, 338 Mount Vernon Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Floor under/around equipment in back is dirty.
# Aldi Foods, 1350 N. 21st St., Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Lids on Dumpster are open. 2. Shelves behind boxes are dirty.
# Child of God Preschool, 88 N. Fifth St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Gas America Services Inc. No. 131, 814 Mount Vernon Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Floors in the walk-in and storage room are dirty. 2. Cobwebs have formed on wall and ceiling structure.
# Red Eye Express, 826 Mount Vernon Road, Newark; standard inspection with violation: 1. Floors in walk-ins are dirty.
# Walgreens No. 7541, 1425 N. 21st. St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Heath High School, 300 Licking View Drive, Heath; standard inspection, no violations.
# Heath Middle School, 310 Licking View Drive, Heath; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Lights are not shielded in dry food storage room. 2. Ceiling is damaged in walk-in freezer.
# Great Wall Chinese Restaurant, 961-A Hebron Road, Heath; complaint, no violations.
# Super 8 Motel, 1177 S. Hebron Road, Heath; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No thermometer in Hotpoint refrigerator. 2. No vacuum breaker on hose spigot for mop sink.
# Citgo Valero, 10905 Hebron Road, Buckeye Lake; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No paper towels by hand sink in employee restroom. 2. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 3. No sanitizer for three-bay sink. 4. Three-bay sink inaccessible for use.
# Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, 5206 Walnut Road, Buckeye Lake; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No air gap for drain line for ice machine floor drain. 2. Roof leak over walk-in cooler and ice machine.
# Duchess BP, 753 Hebron Road, Heath; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 2. Ceiling in walk-in cooler with meats/cheeses needs to be cleaned.
# Jolly Pirate Donuts, 175 S. 30th St., Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Scented bleach used as a sanitizer. 2. Employee observed towel-drying pans/equipment/utensils.
# Red Eye Express II, 1851 Cherry Valley Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Shelving is dirty in drive-through area. 2. Floor is dirty under/around shelves in drive-through.
# Granville Milling Co., 145 N. Cedar St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# United Dairy Farmers No. 668, 95 W. Broad St., Pataskala; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Links on roller grill 130 degrees F., must be 135 degrees F or above. 2. Spillage under milk display racks in walk-in cooler needs cleaned up. 3. In back stock area, found Combos, Chex Mix stored in case boxes on floor. 4. In back stock area, single-serve cups, straws, napkins stored on floor. 5. Cleaning needed under shelves in back storage area to remove debris buildup.
# Duchess Shoppe Pataskala 105, 110 W. Broad St., Pataskala; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Clean hand sink and maintain in clean condition at all times. 2. Bangor walk-in cooler; clean fan guards and evaporator to remove dust/debris buildup; clean door to unit around handle area; Woods freezers, clean doors/handle area to remove dirt buildup. 3. Clean fan guards in west cooler to remove dirt/debris buildup. 4. Replace non-working thermometer on Bangor walk-in cooler with working, calibrated unit. 5. Hang mops to air dry after use.
# Fallsburg Pizza, 11550 Fallsburg Road, Frazeysburg; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Floor is broken, rough in places in the kitchen.
# Licking Valley High School, 100 Hainsview Drive, Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Licking Valley Junior High, 1379 Licking Valley Road, Hanover; standard inspection, no violations.
# Blockbuster Video No. 39548, 1150 N. 21st St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# CVS Pharmacy No. 2405, 955 N. 21st St., Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Lid is open on Dumpster.
# Dollar General No. 9236, 929 N. 21st St., Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Lid missing on one Dumpster, two lids missing on other Dumpster. 2. Trash and debris at rear of store.
# Trouts Tavern, 427 Case Ave., Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Floor is dirty under/around equipment. 2. Shelves are dirty behind bar. 3. Bare wood in walk-in.
# Mill Wheel Tavern, 150 National Drive, Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Floor tile is missing/broken in back room.
# Bob Evans Restaurant Inc. No. 336, 1001 Cherry Valley Road, Newark; complaint, no violations.
# Bob Evans Restaurant Inc. No. 336, 1001 Cherry Valley Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Right McCall salad prep cooler at 50 degrees F. 2. Torn, damaged gasket on door of line prep cooler. 3. Clean equipment stacked wet. 4. Cracked, damaged plastic ware found; damaged/cracked equipment should be discarded. 5. Clean under shelves in walk-in cooler to remove debris. 6. Better cleaning needed under server line and shelving in dry storage. 7. One lid found open on Dumpster.
# Speedway No. 8640, 1000 Cherry Valley Road, Granville; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Clean floor in walk-in cooler to remove wrappers, etc.; clean drip pans under product in walk-in cooler.
# Flying Colors Public School Preschool, 119 Union St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Union Street Duke No. 155, 224 Union St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Carmen's Pizza, 106 W. National Drive, Newark; prelicensing, no violations.
# Family Dollar No. 6718, 200 E. Main St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# The Great Harvest Bread Co., 25 S. Park Place, Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. No ingredient labels for turtle cookies.
# Newark Catholic Athletic Association, 470 W. Church St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Subway, 4675 Walnut Road, Buckeye Lake; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Lights not shielded in back room. 2. Light not working in walk-in freezer. 3. No hot water at front hand sink.
# La Paloma, 4675 Walnut Road, Buckeye Lake; standard inspection, no violations.
# Catfish Charley's, 11048 Hebron Road, Buckeye Lake; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No test strips for sanitizer (bleach) in three-bay sink. 2. No thermometers in coolers.
# Arby's No. 7840, 100 Speedway Drive, Granville; standard inspection, no violations.
# Certified Oil Co. No. 274, 466 S. Main St., Granville; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Keep Dumpster lids closed when not actively loading Dumpster.
# Wendy's, 804 Cherry Valley Road, Granville; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Boxed French fries, boxed fish found stored on floor in walk-in freezer. 2. Clean bun rack dollies to remove debris. 3. MasterBilt cooler and MasterBilt freezer both have torn, damaged door gaskets. 4. Dumpster lids found open during inspection.
# Goumas Candyland LLC, 18 N. Park Place, Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. Chocolate basket with pectin not properly labeled; ingredients for jelly beans not listed. 2. Foiled eggs, golf balls (three-pack), teddy bear, bowling ball and pin, sweet tooth, telephone, happy birthday bar, chocolate basket with candies and turtle bars; provide label with common name/ingredients in (unreadable) order; declaration of the quantity of contents; and name and place of business of the manufacturer; items are not labeled.
# Stop Mart, 413 Mount Vernon Road, Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Cobwebs have formed at ceiling and wall structure.
# Big Lots No. 1449, 310 Deo Drive, Newark; standard inspection, no violations.
# Thirsty Jakes Drive-Thru, 345 W. Church St., Newark; standard inspection, with violation: 1. Lid is missing on Dumpster.
# Jug'z, 420 W. Main St., Newark; standard inspection, with violations: 1. No thermometer in reach-in (unreadable). 2. No test strips for sanitizer.
# Little Einstein Learning Center, 1787 N. 21st St., Newark; standard inspection, no violations.

FYI: Health inspector can do immediate shutdown
17.mar.08
The Lufkin Daily News
http://www.lufkindailynews.com/hp/content/news/stories/2008/03/18/fyi.html
Q: Does the health inspector have the authority to close a restaurant? If so, for what reasons? If not, who does have the authority?
A: The following answer was submitted by the Angelina County & Cities Health District:
"A Registered Sanitarian does have the authority to do an immediate on-site closure of a food establishment.
Reasons for closure might include the following:
• Operating without a valid Health Permit/License.
• Operating in an unsafe or unsanitary manner, such as No Hot Water, Public Health Hazard such as raw sewage, Foodborne Disease/Illness Outbreak.
• Failure to correct repeated violations that would affect the public health."

US: The most dangerous states for eating out
14.mar.08
HealthInspections.com
http://healthinspections.com/articles.cfm?YXJ0aWNsZUlEPTExMA
Barfblog Post
The most dangerous states for eating out are Florida, California, Minnesota, Ohio, and New York according to the most recent federal data.
Restaurants in these five states spread bacteria such as E.coli and salmonella, making nearly 3,000 customers sick and putting 65 in the hospital.
For restaurants in Florida and California, this is not good news. It's the third straight year they've topped the list for having the most dangerous restaurants.
Healthinspections.com analyzed data from the Centers For Disease Control to obtain the rankings. Here's how the states stack up for outbreaks of restaurant food poisoning in 2006, the most recent year available.
1. Florida 74 outbreaks
2. California 69 outbreaks
3. Minnesota 55 outbreaks
4. Ohio 54 outbreaks
5. New York 50 outbreaks
The federal numbers also raise questions about food safety practices in restaurants because more and more people are getting sick from eating out.
Across the country, restaurants were responsible for at least 605 outbreaks of food poisoning in 2006, compared to 532 outbreaks in 2005.
Florida Restaurants #1 For Making Customers Sick
Healthinspections.com has found that many Florida restaurants – from fast food to fine dining facilities – have long records of serious health code violations.
For example, consider a food poisoning outbreak at a Florida hotel earlier this year.
83 people got sick at the upscale Hilton resort on Singer Island near West Palm Beach. They were hit with Norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
This particular Hilton has a poor sanitation record at its restaurant known as Coconuts On The Beach.
Just two days after customers began getting sick, a health inspector cited Coconuts for allowing an employee with some type of infection to continue working. The law requires that sick food workers must be sent home.
In all, the restaurant had been cited for 36 violations on two previous inspections including:
-Employees not washing
-Employees not changing dirty gloves
-Using dirty wiping cloths on tables and countertops.
-Slime contaminating the ice machine
-Dirty soft drink nozzles
After the Norovirus outbreak, which couldn't be tied to a particular food item at Coconuts, the restaurant continued to have problems.
Coconuts was cited for 10 violations on Valentine's Day, including food at the wrong temperature, a food cooler not working properly, and repeat violations for dirty ice machines and dirty soda nozzles.
Not Good News For Tourists
Such stories are not good news in a state that depends on tourists
But the Florida Restaurant and Hotel Association insists that restaurant safety is improving. Spokeswoman Jennifer Garner says food poisoning from Florida restaurants "has decreased an astonishing 67% in the last 10 years."
Yet the Florida still leads the nation in illnesses caused by restaurant food.
2006: 74 outbreaks of food poisoning traced to restaurants in Florida. More
than 300 sick, 36 hospitalized
2005: 77 outbreaks of restaurant food poisoning making at least 260 sick.
2004: 113 outbreaks of restaurant food poisoning making more than 900 sick.
An outbreak is defined by the CDC as two people getting sick from eating the same food from the same facility.
California
For the third straight year, California was number two in the nation when it comes to restaurants making customers sick.
There were 69 outbreaks of illness caused by restaurant food in 2006 with nearly 700 people getting sick.
A spokesman for the California Department of Health said foodborne outbreaks "are a significant concern."
Information officer Ken August said that state and local health officials are aggessive in alerting the public when outbreaks happen.
In San Diego county, restaurant inspections and food poisoning have been a subject of recent controversy.
The San Diego Union Tribune questioned the effectiveness of the county's health inspections because many restaurants were cited for serious food safety violations, yet they still received good grades on their inspections.
The newspaper reported a 43% increase in confirmed cases of restaurant food poisoning in San Diego in the past three years.
Minnesota – The Nation's Norovirus Leader
Minnesota leads the nation in outbreaks of Norovirus from restaurants, a flu-like bug that is easily spread through food.
The state had 35 outbreaks of Norovirus in 2006, making 500 restaurant customers sick. That's a huge increase from 2005 when the state had 14 Norovirus outbreaks from restaurants.
In one case, in May of 2006, at least 60 people got sick after eating salad that was contaminated by the virus. It is likely that an infected worker spread the virus by handling the lettuce, possibly without having washed his hands.
Minnesota is a state where the public cannot to easily read restaurant inspection reports because they are not available online.
In addition, some food safety experts have criticized Minnesota for lax enforcement of restaurant regulations because inspectors often view themselves as teachers rather than enforcers.
What Foods Make People Sick
In most of the outbreaks, investigators could not pinpoint a particular food that made customers sick. But in cases where a specific food was identified, here's what made customers sick most often.
-Florida: Seafood, Ethnic Foods, Lettuce-based Salads
-California: Seafood, Chicken, Ethnic Foods, Lettuce-based Salads
-Minnesota: Seafood, Lettuce-based Salads, Deli Sandwiches
-Ohio: Lettuce-based Salads, Chicken
-New York: Seafood, Lettuce-based Salads
So, what do the numbers mean?
Food safety experts suggest that when you eat out, be cautious about salads, salad bars, buffets, seafood, and ethnic foods which have caused the most illness and clearly carry an increased risk when mishandled in a restaurant.
Other tips:
-If your food isn't hot, send it back. Serving foods at the wrong temperature
creates an ideal situation for bacteria to grow.
-If you can see into the kitchen, take note of the employees. Do they wear
gloves? Are they wearing dirty clothes, or do they wipe their hands on their aprons?
These are signs that the kitchen staff is not paying attention to good hygiene practices.

CALIFORNIA: Supervisors urge easy access to restaurant inspections
15.mar.08
Marin Independent Journal
Brad Breithaupt
http://www.marinij.com/ci_8586288
Supervisor Judy Arnold wants to make sure the public can easily find out the results of Marin's restaurant food-safety inspections, and wants the results of health inspections posted near restaurant entrances and the Internet so customers know how restaurants rated when they were inspected.
Supervisor Susan Adams also supports a program making inspection results accessible, and Supervisor Hal Brown said that if a food establishment has a clean kitchen, it should be proud to post a county health rating at the door.
The story says that county health officials have promised to post inspection reports on the Internet every year for the past several years, but little progress has been made because, they said later, other programs had priority.
Other Bay Area counties post restaurant health inspections on their Web sites, but Marin does not. Instead, Marin residents must go to county offices and sift through files to read reports on restaurant health inspections.
Arnold's proposal follows an annual Marin Independent Journal report on local restaurant inspections that was published a week ago.
Inspection documents indicate the county's Environmental Health Services division logged 281 food-related complaints in 2007, including 88 from people who believed they were sickened by the food they ate.
The number of restaurants and other food sellers requiring three or more re-inspections - and receiving at least one fine - nearly doubled from a year earlier to 29.
In addition to posting inspection reports on the Web, some Bay Area cities and counties require the posting of decals with a letter grade or a score at restaurants' entrances so customers can see what health inspectors have to say.
"You are not going to go into one that's a 'D,'" Arnold noted.

CALIFORNIA: Restaurant violations: Week ending on March 14
14.mar.08
OC Register
http://www.ocregister.com/news/march-permit-suspended-1999361-reinstated-infestation
Restaurants' permits can be suspended for any one of a number of major violations. During suspensions, the eateries must remain closed. Suspensions are lifted after inspectors confirm the violations have been corrected.
Bamboo House, 2445 E. Imperial Highway, Brea; cockroach infestation; permit suspended March 11; reinstated March 12.
Chronic Tacos, 4533 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach; sewage overflow; permit suspended March 7; reinstated March 7.
Dough Boys, 4535 W. Coast Highway, Newport Beach; sewage overflow; permit suspended March 7; reinstated March 7.
Elite Donuts, 5411 Beach Blvd., Buena Park; cockroach infestation; permit suspended March 13.
Hokkaido Seafood Buffet, 4200 Scott Drive, Newport Beach; fire or other disaster damage; permit suspended March 8; reinstated March 8.
I Love Sushi, 2340 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa; insufficient hot water; permit suspended March 6; reinstated March 7.
Key Market Liquor, 3041 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana; insufficient hot water, plumbing in disrepair; permit suspended March 3; reinstated March 10.
Kim Billiards & Café, 10706 Garden Grove Blvd., Garden Grove; operating without a valid health permit; closure March 7.
Las Lupitas Bakery, 7230 Westminster Blvd., Westminster; rodent infestation; permit suspended March 10; reinstated March 10.
Las Lupitas Meat Market, 7232 Westminster Blvd., Westminster; rodent infestation; permit suspended March 10; reinstated March 10.
Martha's Panaderia, 6967 Cerritos Ave., Stanton; cockroach infestation; permit suspended March 8; reinstated March 8.
Mis Lupitas, 2343 W. 1st St., Santa Ana; insufficient hot water; permit suspended March 13.
Rolland, 24155 Laguna Hills Mall, Laguna Hills; cockroach infestation; permit suspended March 13.
Tlaquepaque Market, 2930 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim; no electricity; permit suspended March 13; reinstated March 13.
Zen Vegetarian Restaurant; 9329 Bolsa Ave., Westminster; cockroach infestation; permit suspended March 10; reinstated March 11.
Permit status taken from O.C. Health Care Agency Web site. See foodinspections.ocgov.com/closures/ for complete listings.

CANADA: Restaurants revealed
14.mar.08
The Telegram
Peter Walsh
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=117407&sc=79
The Telegram in Newfoundland has, according to this story, obtained the names of six restaurants that repeatedly failed multiple critical health requirements in recent years. The restaurants were highlighted — but unnamed — in a recent auditor general’s report.
Five of the six restaurants are currently in compliance with health regulations — Fisherman's Landing in St. Lewis, Labrador didn't meet the province's requirements as of May 2006. Inspectors returned in January of this year, but the seasonal operation was closed at the time of the visit. Inspectors plan to return in the spring.
Meanwhile, one restaurant — Jungle Jim’s on Topsail Road — scored low enough in 2005 that provincial inspectors could have legally shut it down. The inspectors chose not to and the restaurant remained open, with violations likely corrected at the time of inspection.
Breen’s Deli and Baker on New Gower Street repeatedly failed critical health requirement over a period of four years between 2004 to the present, however it never scored low enough to warrant a forced closure. There is one critical health violation in its most recent report last month which says food temperature is not properly monitored.
The Telegram requested the names under access to information laws after the auditor general released his annual report in January. On Friday, the province released the names and reports — and announced a new policy about public access to restaurant health inspection reports.
Government Services Minister Kevin O’Brien was quoted as saying, "The public release of food premises inspection reports can now be accessed by calling Government Service Centres. The department will release any inspection reports requested as quickly as possible."
The story says that means anyone can now call a Government Services Centre and request the most recent health report for any licensed food establishment in the province. It’s a policy shift that brings the province closer in line with Vancouver, Edmonton, Hamilton, Ont., Toronto and New Brunswick, which all post restaurant inspection reports online.
O’Brien said the province is considering an online service but hasn’t committed to it. He did confirm the new policy resulted from The Telegram’s request, which was supported by public comments from the province’s Information Commissioner Ed Ring, who said restaurant reports should be made public immediately and would be delayed by the formal access to information process.

FLORIDA: State fines 7 area restaurants
14.mar.08
news-journalonline.com
VALERIE WHITNEY
http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Business/Headlines/bizBIZ02031408.htm
Seven area restaurants were fined a total of $8,000 by the state in February, according to the latest disciplinary report from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
Flagler County
RESTAURANT: China King, 1475 Palm Coast Parkway, Palm Coast
PROBLEM: There were 11 violations dating to August 2006 and September 2007, including improper storage of food, outdated tags on the hood suppression system, lack of a certified food manager and failure to provide proof of required employee food service training.
FINE: $3,000
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: The business is owned by New Style Restaurants Inc. Company officials could not be reached for comment.
RESTAURANT: Eduardo's Pizzeria & Restaurant, 119 Flagler Plaza Drive, Palm Coast
PROBLEM: Five infractions dating to inspections in November 2007.
FINE: $2,500
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: The business has been sold.
RESTAURANT: Taste of Portugal, Palm Harbor Village, Palm Coast.
PROBLEM: Three infractions were observed during an inspection last November, including operating without a hotel and restaurant license. It also was noted the manager at the time could not provide proof he was certified.
FINE: $750
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: "They were right to do it," owner Maria Ordaz said. The manager at that time no longer works at the restaurant.
West Volusia County
RESTAURANT: New China Wok, 2160 Howland Blvd., Deltona.
PROBLEM: Inspectors who visited the eatery cited the owner for failing to properly identify imitation crab on the menu.
FINE: $500
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: Owner Chen Ben Rui could not be reached for comment.
RESTAURANT: Hampton's Drive-In, 250 E. International Speedway Blvd., DeLand
PROBLEM: One violation based on an August inspection concerned the cooler.
FINE: $500
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: Manager Teddy Moore said the cooler has been replaced.
RESTAURANT: Kentucky Fried Chicken, 1232 Providence Blvd., Deltona.
PROBLEM: One violation from a November inspection. No certified food manager on duty.
FINE: $250
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: Carol Carvajal, general manager, said the situation developed when the former manager, who was certified, left with little notice. Carvajal is now certified.
East Volusia County
RESTAURANT: China American Garden, 2516 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach Shores
PROBLEM: Two violations from an October inspection. No proof of food service certification and no proof employees had undergone the required food service training.
FINE: $500
MANAGEMENT COMMENT: Jin Amadio, spokeswoman for the business, attributed the problem to miscommunication. The manager did have the form but she was unable to produce it at the time. The problem with staff training also was quickly resolved.

KENTUCKY: Inspections reported
13.mar.08
Commonwealth Journal
Lake Cumberland District Health Department
http://www.somerset-kentucky.com/local/local_story_073083036.html
Community News
Commonwealth Journal
• 85-100 — pass inspection.
• 70-84 — must be re-inspected within 30 days.
• Under 70 — a suspension of permit notice is sent to owner; if owner doesn’t reply in 10 days, the permit is revoked and the restaurant is closed.
•••
The following establishments were inspected by the Lake Cumberland District Health Department:
BOSTON’S MARATHON
7789 South U.S. 27
Rating Score:
Food Service: 93
Retail Food: 96
VIOLATIONS: Food storage shelving is not smooth and easily cleanable; no drain board for three-compartment sink (wash, rinse, sanitize and air dry); no chemical test strips; coffee stirs and straws are not single service; employee restroom is not self-closing; floor in dishwashing area is in poor repair.
HAMPTON INN
South U.S. 27
Rating Score: 100
No violations at time of inspection.
CUMBERLAND FOOD MART
1041 North U.S. 27
Rating Score:
Food Service: 98
Retail Food: 100
VIOLATIONS: Potentially hazardous food stored next to ready-to-eat foods.
ORAN’S/MEL’S DINER
10745 North U.S. 27
Rating Score:
Food Service: 98
Retail Food: 100
VIOLATIONS: Scoop without handle.
FAST TRACK MARKET
1345 South U.S. 27
Rating Score: 93
VIOLATIONS: Bagged ice is not properly labeled with store’s contact information: name, address, phone number; ice scoop is broken; coffee stirs are not single service; hand sink in storage room is in poor repair; back stock room is cluttered and unorganized; Alka Seltzer plus single packs are out of date (pulled from shelf).
PULASKI TRP
101 Hardin Lane
Rating Score: 100
NOTE: Dishwasher is not properly set up for sanitizing; use three-compartment sink to sanitize until dishwasher is able to sanitize.

PENNSYLVANIA: Food inspections more palatable
13.mar.08
The Morning Call
Tim Darragh
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b1_5food-r.6311362mar13,0,6579969.story
The state Agriculture Department has made big strides in improving its monitoring of food safety statewide, but still has more progress to make, Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said Wednesday.
Wagner's office released a review following up on a harsh 2005 audit declaring that the Agriculture Department was putting Pennsylvanians' health at risk by failing to inspect thousands of restaurants, cafeterias and food retailers.
In the follow-up, Wagner commended the department for hiring additional staffers to eliminate a backlog of overdue inspections, modernizing operations and putting restaurant inspection reports on its Web site.
According to the report, Agriculture hired additional workers to whittle down a backlog of 4,000 delinquent inspections since Dec. 31, 2004 to 922 as of two months ago. At that point, it said, 69 inspections still were more than 12 months overdue.
Agriculture has about 54,000 restaurants, food markets, school cafeterias, and mobile food carts to inspect, according to the report. The department, however, does not cover the entire state. Many local governments, including Bucks and Montgomery counties, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and most of the region's boroughs do their own inspections.
The department also used a federal grant to computerize and standardize inspections. Of the 189 local health departments that do their own food inspections, 20 joined the department's online system in 2007 and 26 will participate in coming months, the report said. Local communities online include Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and Emmaus.
Wagner's report took issue with the department's ongoing practice of issuing licenses to establishments that violate food safety codes. Reinspections of violators, the report continued, ''are still not timely.''
The Morning Call put thousands of inspection reports from that investigation on its Web site. Now, inspections of thousands of food establishments throughout the state are available through the department's Web site, http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us.
Agriculture last year also set up a toll-free telephone number for complaints or questions, 866-366-3723.

CHICAGO: Quiznos sandwich shop shut by City Health Department, health violation unacceptable
13.mar.08
Chicago Department of Public Health
Tim Hadac
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/portalContentItemAction.do
?contentOID=536978397&contenTypeName=COC_EDITORIAL&topChannelName=Dept&entityName=Health
Barfblog Post
A sandwich shop on the West Side was ordered closed today after Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) inspectors discovered a critical violation of the City Health Code.
Quiznos, 1809 N. Harlem, was shut down after CDPH inspectors found sewage backing up from two drains in the food preparation area.
CDPH was alerted to the situation by a motorist who called 311 last night to allege that Quiznos’ staff was disposing of the sewage by shoveling it out their back door and into an alley. No evidence of that activity was found by CDPH inspectors today.
Quiznos will remain closed until its management has corrected the violation and passed re-inspection.
The enforcement action was the 32nd time in 2008 that Health Department inspectors have shut a food establishment for violations of the Chicago Health Code.
Representatives of the Quiznos franchise will have to explain themselves at an administrative hearing on April 17 and pay a fine expected to total $750.
Chicagoans who believe that a sandwich shop or other food establishment is operating in an unsafe manner are encouraged to dial 311 and report it.
Also closed today by CDPH was the Candlelite Restaurant, 7452 N. Western, after CDPH inspectors found sewage backing up from floor drains in the basement, which is used as a food preparation and storage area.

TEXAS: Find county restaurant inspection reports online
11.mar.08
KHOU
KHOU.com staff report
http://www.khou.com/news/local/stories/khou080311_jj_foodinspectionscounty.44535d85.html
If you have ever wondered how clean your favorite restaurant, wonder no more.
That’s because Harris County is now letting you see their inspection reports online.
Now you can find the reports on the almost 6,300 retail food establishments in unincorporated Harris County and the 20 smaller cities in which HCPHES conducts food inspections.
Each restaurant is inspected one to six times a year.
Dr. Herminia Palacio, Executive Director of HCPHES, was quoted as saying, “While an inspection is simply a snapshot of the conditions of a food establishment at a particular point in time, we are excited about bringing this capability to Harris County residents. This new service will help them make informed choices about a food establishment prior to dining there.”
The violations are grouped into critical and non-critical violations.
Online you will find inspection reports for the previous 12 months.
You can look up restaurants by name, street address or type of establishment.

CALIFORNIA: No more excuses: Get reports online
12.mar.08
Marin Independent Journal
http://www.marinij.com/editorial/ci_8542253
Marin officials, according to this editorial, need to stop making excuses and start posting the results of restaurant inspections by health inspectors on the county's Web site.
The county first predicted the information would be available online in spring 2006. Two years and more unfulfilled promises later, Marin still lags behind all neighboring counties.
Marin residents love to dine out and they deserve to know which restaurants are repeat offenders, as documented in the IJ stories in Sunday's paper.
Twice each year, county health inspectors visit all 1,455 places that serve food. That includes restaurants, cafes, outdoor vendors and retail stores. If violations are found, inspectors keep going back until the problem is resolved.
The good news is that Marin's Environmental Health Services division documented 281 food-related complaints last year, down from 309 in 2006 and 320 in 2005. Eighty-eight of last year's complaints were made by people who said they got sick after eating at local restaurants. There were 118 such compaints in 2006.
The editorial goes on to say county supervisors need to step up and demand that this information is made available online as soon as possible.
And that's just the first step. Marin also needs to emulate other counties and find a way to rate all restaurants and require them to post those grades or scores in their windows. Los Angeles County, for example, 10 years ago started handing out hygiene scores that must be displayed in windows.
Marin residents deserve better service - not more excuses.

KANSAS: Proposed restaurant inspection changes concern local health officials
11.mar.08
KHI News Service
Jim McLean
http://www.khi.org/s/index.cfm?aid=1206
Moving responsibility for Kansas restaurant inspections from the state health agency to the department of agriculture could make government more efficient, bill backers say.
But opponents of Senate Bill 584 say that efficiency is uncertain or could come at the expense of the public’s health.
“I’m concerned about what might happen,” said Yvonne Gibbons, director of the Salina-Saline County Health Department, one of six local health departments and one city that have contracts with KDHE to do food-service inspections.
Food-borne illnesses cause an estimated 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year, according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gibbons said the current system administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment works well because inspectors and the epidemiologists who investigate food-borne disease outbreaks work under the same roof. Transferring the inspection staff to the Kansas Department of Agriculture would require a higher level of communication and cooperation between the agencies during disease outbreaks.
“I think you could lose a lot of time and a lot of communication,” Gibbons said. “That is the number one concern that I have.”
But Constantine Cotsoradis, deputy secretary at the agriculture department, said Gibbons shouldn’t worry.
“It would be essential for both agencies to work closely,” Cotsoradis said. “I’m confident that we would.”
Fast track
The measure transferring authority for licensing and inspecting restaurants, school cafeterias and other food-service establishments passed the Senate 37-2 on Feb. 21 and many legislators are predicting a similarly easy path in the House. It also would give the agriculture department responsibility for inspecting all motels and other lodging facilities in the state.
The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to hold hearings on the bill at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday
The impetus for the change goes back to a 2003 report by the Legislative Division of Post Audit that concluded that the system in place at the time was plagued by “inefficiencies that can increase costs.” The report recommended that all food safety functions be housed in a single agency.
In response, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in 2004 issued an executive order transferring responsibility for regulating grocery stories, convenience stores and food manufacturers to the Department of Agriculture. Prior to the order and the passage of implementing legislation those businesses and others were often subject to regulation by both departments.
Sen. Mark Taddiken, R-Clifton, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said this year’s bill is an attempt to “finish the process” started four years ago.
“That was the logic,” Taddiken said, noting that KDHE’s request for an increase in the licensing and inspection fees it charges to food-service operators also made the change a priority for some legislators.
“We just thought that we had one agency (the agriculture department) that was a little more efficient,” he said.
Taddiken said ag agency officials indicated they would not immediately increase fees. The KDHE fee-increase plan, included in Senate Bill 643, is opposed by the restaurant and hospitality industry.
Critics of the proposed move said they doubted claims that the agriculture department would do the job any more efficiently, noting that the agency increased the number of inspection staff it inherited from KDHE as part of the earlier consolidation from 6 to 10.
Cotsoradis acknowledged the increase in staff, but said efficiencies such as a switch to entering inspection data in the field on laptop computers allowed the agency to cover the costs without increasing fees.
Culture concerns
The minutes of a January 2004 hearing of the House Agriculture Committee hearing on the governor’s reorganization order show that the Kansas Public Health Association opposed the partial shift in food-safety responsibilities calling it a “conflict of interest” for the department of agriculture.
Opponents of the change being proposed in Kansas point to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent failure to stop a California meat producer from slaughtering sick and crippled cows until an undercover video produced by the Humane Society of the United States forced its hand. The video and resulting investigation led to the largest beef recall in the nation’s history — 143 million pounds.
Douglas Powell, an associate professor at Kansas State University who oversees the International Food Safety Network, said some question whether the “promotional culture” common to departments of agriculture compromises their ability to effectively administer public health programs.
“There is no real empirical evidence (that shows that),” Powell said. “What does seem clear to me is that KDHE does a reasonable job. So, why are they (legislators) doing this?”
Powell said a KDHE Web site that allows consumers to view the inspection history of restaurants is particularly important in promoting food safety.
“Integrity is the key and the way you ensure integrity is making information available to the public,” said Powell, who maintains a food-safety blog on his Web site.
Performance reports maintained by KDHE show overall compliance by the 10,300 food-service establishments that the agency regulates increased to 95 percent in 2007 from 87 percent in 2006 and 84 percent in 2003.
Still, Taddiken said he believes the agriculture department can administer the program as effectively and more efficiently. And he said he has no concerns about the agency’s ability do what is necessary to protect public health.
“We want all agencies to promote industry in Kansas,” Taddiken said. “But to promote agriculture you have to have a safe and reliable food supply. Consumers are the key. Their safety is at the top of the list of things that we want well guarded.”
Currently, 30 states and the District of Columbia house all food-safety programs in their health agencies; 12 split the responsibilities like Kansas now does; and three place them elsewhere. Only five states place all food-safety programs with their departments of agriculture.

ILLINOIS: Before you dine, you can check online
10.mar.08
Rockford Register Star
Isaac Guerrero
http://www.rrstar.com/cherryvalley/x1993297014
LOVES PARK -- Officials at the Winnebago County Health Department were cited as saying next year they’ll start publishing restaurant inspection reports online for each of the 1,551 food establishments in the county.
And changes are also in store for the agency’s subjective food safety scoring system that can give one restaurant a pass and another a failing grade despite their having the same numerical score.
Matt Haese of Loves Park was cited as saying the changes are a good idea, adding, "I’ve been in some restaurants before where you really wonder."
Haese and his wife dined at the Loves Park BeefaRoo Monday, where a county health inspector paid a visit. While beef and french fries sizzled in the kitchen, Larry Swacina had salad on the brain. Swacina inserted a digital thermometer into each bin of salad ingredients as cooks hovered over the grill next to him.
Lettuce: 41 degrees. Cheddar cheese: 39.
“These are all in the range of temperatures we look for,” said Swacina, who heads up Winnebago County’s Environmental Health Division. “This place is good to go.”
The story says that only eight local health departments in Illinois publish restaurant inspection data online. A visit to the city of Chicago’s Web site, for instance, reveals whether a restaurant passed or failed its last routine inspection, a summary of violations observed and whether the establishment’s sanitation license is in good standing.
Winnebago’s Health Department and the city of Evanston assign a numerical score for routine inspections at restaurants and other food establishments. In Evanston, inspectors award a point for each infraction and subtract the total number of points from 100. Winnebago County does the reverse: The scoring starts at zero, and points are added for every infraction observed. In both cases, a high or low score isn’t necessarily an indicator of a good or bad restaurant.
Swacina was further quoted as saying, “There’s a certain level of professional judgment that goes into every inspection. The number doesn’t tell the whole story, but generally the higher our score, the more serious the problems are.”
The Health Department can shut down a restaurant for serious violations, but there’s no numerical threshold that triggers a closure. Rather, the severity of each infraction is taken into consideration, Swacina said.
The county inspects food establishments up to three times a year depending on the level of on-site food preparation involved. The department’s six full-time inspectors conduct more than 2,000 surprise inspections every year.
J. Maichle Bacon, public health administrator for the county, was quoted as saying, "We do a lot of food safety education with our restaurant establishments. Our inspections reinforce that education. We think putting these records online will make the process more transparent to the public.”
BeefaRoo co-owner Chris Bergsten hopes the county adopts a more understandable scoring system when its records go online next year. The present system, based on a 45-point checklist, can be confusing, she said.

MISSOURI: Locally owned ethnic restaurants more likely to snag health-code violations
06.mar.08
Columbia Missourian
Elizabeth Stanifer
http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2008/03/06/locally-owned-ethnic-restaurants-more-likely-snag-/
COLUMBIA —After analysis of 384 establishments that qualify as restaurants in Boone County, a trend, according to this story, emerged: local restaurants serving ethnic cuisine receive more citations than other types of restaurants. The Missourian analysis, conducted in December 2007, looked at the three most recent inspections for the county’s eateries. It showed locally owned ethnic cuisine restaurants averaged 2.2 critical violations and 4.7 noncritical violations. Nonethnic local and chain restaurants in the county average .8 critical violations and 2.8 noncritical violations.
When local nonethnic restaurants are separated from the chains, they fare about the same in critical violations but have slightly fewer noncritical violations.
According to the Health Department’s Web site, a violation is critical when it’s more likely “to contribute to food contamination, illness, or environmental health hazard” and must be corrected at the time of the inspection unless more time is needed.
When inspecting a restaurant, the inspector is looking for things that will pose a risk to the general public and could make people ill.
These risks include a restaurant having dirty floors, food being stored at improper temperatures or even workers not having the appropriate food handler’s documentation.
Gerry Worley, environmental heath manager at the Columbia/Boone County Health Department, was quoted as saying, “Our mission as public health professionals is to try to identify risks or problems in establishments, get them corrected, so that we reduce the risk to the consuming public. We’re not trying to penalize anyone, certainly not any ethnic operation.”
Restaurants never know when one of Columbia’s nine inspectors will swing by for the next inspection. They are unannounced, but owners can expect them to come three times a year.
Worley thinks the reason for the higher number of violations is simple. He thinks the high numbers can be attributed to one thing: locally owned ethnic restaurants prepare their food from scratch, and because of this, "There’s just more opportunities for us, when we inspect them, to find something that’s not recommended or would be illustrated as a violation of food code and mark it as such."

OHIO: Restaurant inspection report
10.mar.08
The Newark Advocate
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080310/NEWS01/803100305/1002
# Chipotle Mexican Grill 385, Feb. 26, 515 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, no violations.
# T's Family Restaurant, Feb. 26, 10677 Jacksontown Road, Thornville, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Gravy was held at 128 degrees F on steam table; vegetable soup held at 128 degrees F. Temperature should be 135 degrees F for up front and 165 degrees F or above on steam table. 2. No thermometer in CRC cooler, Coke cooler and food prep cooler by grill. 3. Door seals are torn on food prep cooler across from grill. 4. Exterior of bulk food containers has food debris. 5. Floor under grill has grease.
# Duchess Shoppe, Feb. 26, 10638 Jacksontown Road, Thornville, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Pop and bottled water stored in employee restroom. 2. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 3. No sanitizer for three-bay sink. 4. Lights over three-bay sink are not shielded. Wall damaged behind three-bay sink. 5. Roof leak over walk-in cooler.
# Thornville Shell Food Mart, Feb. 26, 10583 Jacksontown Road, Thornville, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 2. Hand sink is blocked by boxes by three-bay sink. 3. Back door is damaged.
# Jacktown Pub, Feb. 26, 6820 National Road, Jacksontown, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No date-marking on foods in kitchen. 2. Wiping cloths not stored in container of sanitizer. 3. No thermometers in Beverage Air cooler and True cooler. 4. Door seals on pizza prep unit torn. 5. No cover on lights for True cooler. 6. Floor broken in kitchen under pizza prep unit.
# Bayer Material Science, Feb. 26, 1111 O'Neill Drive, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# Allied Tubing, Feb. 26, 250 Capital Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# Legend Smelting, Feb. 26, 717 O'Neill Drive, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
# International Paper-Newark Container Plant, Feb. 26, 1851 Tamarack Road, Newark, standard inspection, no violations.
# World of Wonderment Child Development No. 2, Feb. 26, 395 High St., Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
# DBA Delmar Restaurant, Feb. 27, 136 N. Prospect Ave., Granville, follow-up, no violations.
# Denison University -- Stadium, Feb. 27, Denison University, Granville, standard inspection, no violations.
# Toy Chest Day School, Feb. 27, 598 S. 30th St., Newark, complaint, no violations.
# Dollar General No. 10711, Feb. 27, 425 E. Coshocton St., Johnstown, pre-licensing, no violations.
# J&B's Pizza, Feb. 27, 6621 Outville Road, Pataskala, pre-licensing, with violations. 1. Thermometers are needed. 2. Sanitizers are needed for sanitizers being used.
# Watkins Memorial Athletic Association, Feb. 28, 8868 Watkins Road, Pataskala, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Non-commercial equipment, Panasonic microwave, Durabond coffee pots shall be replaced with approved, commercial grade equipment when no longer useable/worn out.
# Yummie's Grill, Feb. 28, 113 Lois Lane, Pataskala, pre-licensing, with violations. 1. Need test strips for sanitizer for three-compartment sink. 2. Light under repair by dishwasher damaged by roof leak. 3. Only 2.0 foot candles in rear of walk-in cooler, 10.0 FC required.
# Family Dollar Stores of Ohio No. 3165, March 3, 1036 Mount Vernon Road, Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No lids on trash Dumpster and one lid is missing on cardboard Dumpster. 2. Food items (pop/water) stored on (unreadable) floor. 3. Three Armour Vienna sausages, 5-ounce size, three VanCamps tuna, 6 ounces, one Hunt's spaghetti sauce, 26.5 ounces, are badly dented.
# Family Dollar Stores of Ohio No. 5964, March 3, 189 W. Main St., Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. Trash and debris have collected in parking lot and around Dumpster. 2. Sweet Sue chicken and dumplings, 68 oz., cans are badly dented. 3. Men's restroom is dirty. 4. Floor in storage room is dirty.
# Creno's Pizza, March 3, 1256 Columbus Road, Granville, follow-up, no violations.
# Pataskala Sunoco, March 3, 7032 Broad St. SW, Pataskala, follow-up, with violations. 1. Test strips for sanitizer still needed at three-compartment sink. 2. Fan guards, evaporators, ceiling by walk-in cooler evaporators still need cleaned. 3. Ceiling tile by ATM, water damaged; missing ceiling tile by ice machine still needs replacement. 4. Repair/replacement of racks held together with zip ties still needed; located by walk-in freezer door.
# The Events Center, March 3, 344 Darla Drive NE, Newark, standard inspection, with violations. 1. No thermometer in kitchen cooler. 2. Lights in back room off kitchen have no cover.
# Panther Pizza, March 3, 2448 W. High St. NE, Newark, pre-licensing, no violations.

CALIFORNIA: Marin lags neighbors in posting restaurant inspection reports
08.mar.08
Marin Independent Journal
Richard Halstead
http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_8508937
Marin restaurant patrons are, according to this story, out of luck if they want to log on to the Web and check out how their favorite eatery performed during its latest county health inspection.
All of Marin's neighbors - San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Sonoma counties - post inspection results on their Web sites. Walter Kruse, Sonoma's director of environmental health, was cited as saying that Sonoma County started putting its results on the Web about five years ago, adding, "We think it's important, so we do it. We're the second-highest-used site in the county right below job availability."
In Marin, however, the only way to research the information is to visit county offices and sift through handwritten reports stored in manila files.
In October 2005, when the Marin Independent Journal reviewed health code violations at local restaurants, county environmental health services director Phil Smith predicted Marin would debut its online system by spring 2006. In December 2006, when the Independent Journal reviewed code violations, Smith said the online system would be ready by early 2007.
"It's still in the pipeline and slated to happen," Smith says now, "but we haven't actually signed a contract with the vendor."
Dave Hill, director of the county's information services and technology department, was cited as saying the problem isn't a lack of funding, adding, "It's staff capacity. The group that is working on this, which is the Community Development Agency, was really focused on getting the Countywide Plan done. Everything they were working on that wasn't related to that got pushed."
The story notes that in San Francisco, two private Web sites - CleanScores.com and EveryBlock.com - are also reviewing government inspection reports and posting the results. Unlike county Web sites, which typically just post the violations found during the restaurant's most recent inspection, these sites assign hygiene scores to the restaurants and provide historical information about their compliance with health regulations

GEORGIA: Restaurant inspection scores released
07.mar.08
The Northeast Georgian
http://www.thenortheastgeorgian.com/articles/2008/03/06/news/business/02business.txt
Following are the food service inspections for Feb. 21-25 by the Habersham County Health Department's Environmental Health Section.
A score of 85 and above is considered passing. Food service establishments are required to post their score sheets in public so that customers can review them. For more information about an inspection, contact the environmental health office at 706-776-7659.
Feb. 21
* Dairy Queen, Clarkesville. Inspection time: not listed. Purpose of inspection: not listed. Score: 87; current grade: B. Out of compliance with the following: adequate hand washing facilities supplied and accessible; contamination prevented during food preparation, storage and display; wiping clothes properly used and stored; proper date marking and disposition; food and nonfood surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used.
* Blimpie, 160 A Franklin St., Clarkesville. Inspection time: not listed. Purpose of inspection: not listed. Current score: 100; current grade: A.
Feb. 25
McDonald's (Wal-Mart), Cornelia. Inspection time: 9:50. Purpose of inspection: routine. Last score: 95; current score: 97; current grade: A. Out of compliance with the following: Utensils, equipment and linens properly stored, dried, handled; single-use, single-service articles properly stored, used; food and nonfood-contact surfaces cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used; warewashing facilities installed, maintained, used, test strips; physical facilities installed, maintained and clean.

GEORGIA: Gwinnett Restaurant scores '13' on health inspection
06.mar.08
WSBTV.com
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15504814/detail.html?rss=atl&psp=news
A Gwinnett County restaurant has received the lowest health inspection score ever given in that county -- a 13 out of 100.
Officials shut down the Mar Y Tierra Family Mexican Restaurant at 521 Indian Trail Road in Lilburn after finding numerous violations. The restaurant was not in compliance when it came to sewage and waste water being properly disposed, adequate hand-washing facilities being supplied and accessible or personal cleanliness according to the report.
Health inspectors said they found a bin of raw chicken stored over vegetables that were going to be served without cooking and black mold lining the inside of a cooler..
The restaurant is closed and its license has been suspended. The manager told Channel 2 the restaurant's food is clean. He said they wre having small problems with their freezer leaking and refrigerator not working.
The manager also said he believes they got a low score because they weren't aware of the state's new foodservice code.

KANSAS: Food inspector findings
05.mar.08
Manhattan Mercury
http://www.themercury.com/nightlife/article.aspx?articleId=7aa2f14
beaef4b7692113a57e05af717
As a public service, the Mercury is publishing a weekly list of findings by the food service inspector at the Manhattan-Riley County Health Department. What follows is from the reports for the weeks ending January 17.
The findings should be seen as a snapshot of conditions existing at the exact time of inspection rather than as a reflection of the permanent conditions in an establishment. Two types of violations are reported here: Critical and non-critical violations. A critical violation is a key risk factor that poses the greatest potential for foodborne illness, according to the state.
Each critical violation is described in the report; non-critical violations are reported by number. All violations listed here were corrected on site at the time of the inspection unless it was noted that a follow-up inspection was required.
Mulligans
3043 Anderson
Date: Feb. 27. Routine inspection. Thirteen critical violations. 1.) Taco meat, bottom of make table, 56 degrees. 2.) Pot roast in hot hold 119 degrees. 3.) Demonstration of knowledge; 12 risk violations. 4.) Gloved cook handled raw hamburger patty, changed gloves and handled ready to eat hamburger buns and fried fish, no handwashing prior to new gloves. 5.) Cook handling ready to eat taco shell with bare hands. 6.) Mold on tomato sauce in reach-in cooler. 7.) Faucet at 3 vat sink leaks. 8.) Both can opener blades with dried food, clean knife stored on dirty knife rack. 8.) Sanitizer not detectible at front bar. 9.) Bartender doing dishes with no sanitizer. 10.) Vent hood build up of grease and other contamination. 11.) Mold and sludge built up in ice machine. 12.) No covered receptacle for sanitary napkins in womens' restroom. 13.) Ice machine; no separation at bar with beverage hoses and ice for human consumption. Eight non-critical violations. Reinspection required.
Riley Elementary
117 N Remmele
Date: Feb. 27. Routine inspection.
Riley County High School
12451 Fairview Church Rd.
Date: Feb. 27. Routine inspection. Two non-critical violations.
Amanda Arnold Elementary School
1435 Hudson
Date: Feb. 26. Follow-up inspection. One critical violation. 1.) Gap found on bottom-side of back door. Two non-critical violations.
Dairy Queen Brazier
1015 North 3rd
Date: Feb. 28. Routine inspection. Four critical violations. 1.) Can opener with wet chocolate syrup on blade. 2.) Dishes washed with sanitizer levels too low. 3.) Washing sanitizer 100 ppm. 4.) No backflow at mop sink, 3 vat sink with direct connection with chemical cleaners. One non-critical violation. Reinspection required.
Kappa Alpha Theta
1517 McCaine Lane
Date: Feb. 7. Amended inspection. Four critical violations. 1.) Sprouts in reach-in cooler 49 degrees. 2.) Top seam dent on can of vanilla pudding. 3.) Frying pan with dried-on food debris in clean storage. Reinspection required. Two non-critical violations.
Date: Feb. 28. Complaint inspection. One critical violation. Lipstick residue on rims of several glasses. One non-critical violation.
K-State Union
17th and Anderson
Date: Feb. 25. Routine inspection. Three critical violations. 1.) Reach in cooler: Hot dogs 50 degrees, stored longer than 24 hours. 2.) Cats Den: Nozzles on cappuccino machine coated with dried residue, mold build up on ice dispenser on Pepsi machine. 3.) Cats Den: Walk-in-cooler ambient temperature 50 degrees (used for thawing and holding hot dogs.) Reinspection required.
Taco Bell
121 K-State Student Union
Date: Feb. 25. Routine inspection. One critical violation. 1.) Uncovered employee drink sitting on shelves directly above tortillas.
KSSU Foodservice
121 K-State Student Union
Date: Feb. 25. Routine inspection. Four critical violations. 1.) Roast beef, salami, vegetable lasagna, chili and pasta with sauce all held over seven days. 2.) Caribou Coffee: Uncovered employee drink sitting above pastries on pastry cart. 3.) Back Kitchen: Meat fork rusted. 4.) Two spray bottles of unknown blue liquid labeled as "grill" on storage shelves in back hallway. Two non-critical violations.
Panda Express
KSU Student Union
No. 100
Date: Feb. 25. Routine inspection. Two critical violations. 1.) Employee handled raw chicken, then touched container of cooked food. 2.) No handsink accessible to employees in washing and preparation areas. Reinspection required.
Westloop Floral
1130 Westport Drive
Date: Feb. 22. Expired license inspection. One non-critical violation.
Arbys No. 1351
326 Southwind Rd.
Date: Feb. 22. Routine inspection. One critical violation. 1.) Tomatoes on prep table number one at 45 degrees. One non-critical violation.
Fleetwood Grill
101 Front Street
Date: Feb. 22. Routine inspection. Three critical violations. 1.) Eggs on make-up table at 55 degrees. 2.) Fridge number one; bags of ham, hash brown potatoes. Reach-in cooler number one; cheesecake, pulled pork, french silk pie. No date marked. 3.) Only one restroom for 70 seats. Four non-critical violations. Reinspection required.

IRELAND: Two food businesses closed in February
05.mar.08
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today stated that two Closure Orders were served on food businesses during the month of February for breaches in food safety legislation pursuant to the FSAI Act, 1998. Closure Orders were served by environmental health officers (EHOs) in the HSE Dublin North Eastern Region on Taj Mahal restaurant (formerly known as The Sajan), Main Street, Cavan and on Natures Finest Manufacturing Limited, trading as RCS Chill, Unit E6 (Ground Floor), Bymac Centre, North West Business Park, Ballycoolin, Dublin 15. Closure Orders are served when it is deemed, upon inspection, that there is, or there is likely to be, a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises.
Commenting on these Orders, Dr John O’Brien, Chief Executive, FSAI stated that while he was pleased that only two food businesses had been subject to Closure Orders in February, it was of particular concern that it had been necessary to serve a Closure Order on a food manufacturing facility.
“Manufacturing operations and large restaurants in particular have a great responsibility to ensure their businesses comply with food regulations. Due to the large volumes of food handled by such businesses, safety failures have the potential to be very costly in terms of human health. Fortunately, large operators are generally quite diligent about food safety since it also makes good business sense. However, irresponsible behaviour of a minority that flout the law will not be tolerated and appropriate regulatory action will be taken including the closure of premises.”
Details of the food businesses served with these Closure Orders are published on the FSAI’s website at www.fsai.ie and will remain listed for a period of three months from the date of when the premises is adjudged to have corrected its food safety issue.

OHIO: Restaurant inspection report
03.mar.08
Newark Advocate
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303
/NEWS01/803030321/1002/NEWS01
-Pataskala City -- Soccer, Feb. 15, 10255 McIntosh Road, Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
-Pataskala Parks and Recreation -- Softball, Feb. 15, 10255 McIntosh Road, Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
-Pataskala Sunoco, Feb. 15, 7032 E. Broad St., Pataskala, follow-up, violations reported. 1. Pizza in hot hold display at 121 degrees F.; must be 135 degrees F. or above. 2. Test strips for sanitizer still needed at three-compartment sink. 3. Clean fan guards, evaporators in walk-in cooler; clean ceiling by evaporators. 4. Keep Dumpster lids closed when not actively loading Dumpsters; if lids are broken/missing, call hauler for replacement. 5. Hand soap needed at hand sink; dispenser broken. 6. Replace burned-out bulbs in light fixtures in walk-in cooler; replace missing ceiling tile by ice machine; replace water-damaged tile above ATM machine. 7. Repair/replace racks held together with zip ties by walk-in freezer door.
-Brownsville Country Store, Feb. 19, 15564 Main St., Brownsville, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. No sanitizer at three-bay sink in kitchen. 2. No paper towels by hand sink in employee restroom. 3. No metal stem thermometer.
-Wal-Mart Stores, Feb. 19, 911 Hebron Road, Heath, complaint, no violations.
-Cottage Restaurant, Feb. 19, 2710 W. High, Newark, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. Wiping cloths on counter. 2. Torn plastic spatulas in kitchen. 3. Sides of fryers and Vulcan oven have grease. 4. Vent hood over cooking equipment is dirty. 5. Shelves in dry food storage room has food spills.
-Granville Inn, Feb. 19, 314 E. Broadway, Granville, follow-up, violations reported. 1. No sanitizer found in rinse water of dish machine. 2. General Hotel unit out of service, replacement unit will be ordered shortly; cabinet/prep table across from range with worn cutting board; Continental two-door cooler, door gaskets on order. 3. Three-door prep cooler cleaning of door gaskets and sealing surfaces in progress. 4. Shielding on lights in kitchen area one-half done; rest in progress. 5. Carpet in serving alley scheduled for replacement. 6. Staff educated on cross-contamination prevention.
-Denison University -- Stadium, Feb. 19, Denison University, Granville, standard inspection, no violations.
-MPW -- Fab Building, Feb. 20, 9711 Lancaster Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
-MPW -- Training Center, Feb. 20, 9711 Lancaster Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
-MPW -- Garage, Feb. 20, 9711 Lancaster Road, Hebron, standard inspection, no violations.
-Giant Eagle, Feb. 20, 553 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. Butter cream topping in bakery has not label on bulk food container. 2. No thermometers in (unreadable) juice cooler and service seafood case. 3. Shelves in walk-in cooler are dirty. 4. There is a missing ceiling tile in produce prep. area. 5. Light out in Hobart freezer in deli area.
-Summit Station Lions Club, Feb. 20, 7606 Summit Road, Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
-Johnstown Christian Preschool, Feb. 20, 81 S. Main St., Johnstown, standard inspection, no violations.
-Great Wall Restaurant, Feb. 21, 961 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. Wiping cloths lying on counters. 2. Foods uncovered in Glenco Star and walk-in cooler. 3. Vent filters over cooking equipment are dirty. 4. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 5. Door seal is torn on Glenco Star cooler. 6. Exterior of ice machine in kitchen is dirty. 7. Interior and exterior of Glenco Star cooler is dirty. 8. Lights (two) in kitchen not shielded. 9. Cardboard on floor in walk-in cooler.
-Cheng's China Buffet, Feb. 21, 789 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. Food uncovered in Pepsi cooler. 2. Wiping cloths lying on counters. 3. Chicken thawing at room temperature. 4. Food in walk-in cooler not date-marked. 5. Bulk food containers in kitchen have no labels. 6. Vent filters over grill have grease. 7. Inaccurate thermometer in Pepsi cooler. 8. No test strips for sanitizer in three-bay sink. 9. Gasket needed on chest freezer. 10. Broken floor tile in kitchen. 11. Floor in kitchen is dirty. 12. Floors in walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer are dirty. 13. Some lights not working in dry food storage.
-Applebee's, Feb. 22, 967 Hebron Road, Heath, complaint, no violations.
-Bombay Garden Greek Eats, Feb. 22, 842 S. 30th St., Heath, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. No thermometers in True cooler and McCall refrigerator. 2. Chemical sanitizer in dish washing machine is less than 50 PPM.
-Mark Pi's Express, Feb. 22, 1168 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, violation reported. 1. Foods in walk-in cooler and food prep units not date-marked.
-Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites, Feb. 22, 773 Hebron Road, Heath, standard inspection, violation reported. 1. No thermometers in Frigidaire cooler and Coke cooler.
-Kentucky Fried Chicken, Feb. 22, 780 S. 30th St., Heath, standard inspection, violations reported. 1. Door seal on walk-in cooler is torn. 2. Interior cavities of microwave has food splash. 3. Food tongs by three-bay sink are dirty. 4. Blade on large can opener is dirty. 5. Wall tile missing behind fryers. 6. Floor tile missing under pressure cookers. 7. Floor in kitchen has food particles.
-McKean Community Organization, Feb. 22, 6885 North St., Newark, standard inspection, violation reported. 1. Test strips needed to match quart sanitizer used.
-Olde Summit Towne Restaurant, Feb. 25, 14163 Broad St., Pataskala, follow-up, violations reported. 1. Thermometer could not be located on Herrel walk-in cooler. 2. Damaged floor in Herrel walk-in cooler. 3. Ceiling in salad prep area still needs patched/replaced. 4. More work is needed in cleaning floors under equipment, especially along the grill line area.
-Pataskala City -- Soccer, Feb. 25, 10255 McIntosh Road, Pataskala, standard inspection, no violations.
Compiled from official reports.

SAN DIEGO: Not-so-fine dining cited at many top restaurants
02.mar.08
San Diego Union Tribune
Eleanor Yang Su and Agustín Armendariz
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080302-9999-lz1n2dining.html
Barfblog Post
The Hotel del Coronado's three biggest kitchens and bar have, according to this story, racked up major health code violations in the past year.
The problems range from cockroaches and mouse droppings in the posh 1500 Ocean restaurant to flies and unsafe food storage temperatures at the Sheerwater restaurant.
The story says that when it comes to dining out, an analysis by The San Diego Union-Tribune found that pricier doesn't always translate into safer.
County inspection records for 103 of San Diego's most popular, top-rated and most expensive restaurants show that 50 percent have been written up for at least one major food-safety violation in the past two years (how does that rate compare with other restaurants in San Diego? -- dp)
For example, the upscale El Bizcocho restaurant in Rancho Bernardo had to throw out lamb and veal stored in a refrigerator where the temperature was 15 degrees higher than the proper zone of 41 degrees or below.
Old Town Mexican Cafe, which is consistently voted one of the region's best Mexican eateries, was cited in three inspections for an inadequate hand-washing sink in its kitchen. On one occasion last year, vats of cooked beans and a batch of tamales were tossed for improper storage temperatures.
Greystone the Steakhouse, a swanky downtown eatery, has been written up in four of its past six inspections for improperly cooling food or storing seafood and meat at temperatures that are considered potentially hazardous.
Penelope Quintana, an associate professor of environmental health at San Diego State University's graduate school of public health, was quoted as saying, “I wouldn't be comfortable bringing my children to any restaurant with repeated violations of proper holding temperatures or employee-hygiene practices."
The story does note it's hard to pinpoint exactly how much of a risk health code violations pose to diners.
When inspectors found water that wasn't hot enough in restrooms, as was the case twice in the past two years at Island Prime on Harbor Island, they couldn't say whether food handlers spread bacteria as a result of it (doubtful; hot water is not a factor in hand cleanliness -- dp).
In San Diego County, 339 people reported illnesses that officials believe were contracted from eating restaurant food in 2006, the most recent data available from the state Department of Public Health. That's almost double the 177 complaints in 2004 and more restaurant-related illnesses than any other county reported to the state in 2006, including Los Angeles, San Francisco and Orange.
Experts estimate the figures represent a fraction of food-borne illnesses because most instances are never reported.
County inspectors evaluate restaurants based on risks posed to consumers, deducting points for infractions. Major violations, such as rodent infestations or a lack of hot water, must be corrected immediately. Minor violations involve smaller point penalties and include such things as food preparers using worn cutting boards or failing to wash fruits and vegetables.
Overall, the 103 establishments with top ratings in the Zagat guide scored well. Ninety-nine percent collected A's in inspections over the past two years. That's slightly higher than eateries in the rest of the county, where 98 percent ended up with A's.
San Diego County's grading system is lenient compared with those of other large counties in the state. Unlike systems in Los Angeles and Sacramento counties, restaurants with two major violations still can receive the highest possible grade or color code.
At least four San Diego restaurants in the group that scored A's had two major violations in the past two years, ranging from improper hand-washing by employees to unsafe food-storage temperatures.
Restaurateurs cite numerous challenges: Not all food preparers adhere to the training they receive, especially when under severe time pressures; it's difficult to control vermin or rodents if they're infesting a neighboring restaurant; and proper food temperatures are hard to maintain in refrigerators opened constantly throughout the day.
Old Town Mexican Cafe co-owner Herb Lizalde said managers talk about food-safety tips every week, but some employees ignore the rules. Employees usually get three warnings before they are fired, Lizalde said.
Restaurant officials, including those at the Hotel del Coronado, Island Prime, Old Town Mexican Cafe and Greystone, have tried to improve food-handling practices. All said they don't believe any customers have ever gotten sick as a direct result of eating at their establishments.
The story goes on to say that at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, which has maintained scores of 92 or higher in the past two years, chefs conduct hour-long safety inspections each week using the county's measurements.
Bill Gross, the lodge's food and beverage director, was quoted as saying, “I truly believe it comes down to pride and culture and good behavior that's reinforced by good management. It starts at the top.”
Some restaurateurs acknowledge receiving major violations, but believe the high traffic in their restaurants helps ensure that food is fresh.
Chefs and managers at Island Prime and the C Level Lounge say they serve about 700 customers a day, which requires an almost daily turnover of food in the refrigerators.

PENNSYLVANIA: Chateau yuck: Restaurant hit with 38 food-safety violations
01.mar.08
Pocono Record
Beth Brelje
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080301/NEWS/803010328
Some Pocono restaurants have, according to state inspection reports cited in this story, served food from filthy kitchens, and one business even lied on its menu.
The worst offender: the Chateau Resort & Conference Center in Tannersville, with 38 food-safety violations.
The Chateau has been a repeat offender of some critical rules, some of which could literally make you sick.
The Chateau's violations were first posted on the Pocono Inquisitor.
The resort charges $35 for a New York strip steak listed as prime beef on the menu. Back in the kitchen, a tougher, cheaper steak, labeled USDA choice, has been prepared. It is the second time the Chateau has been caught misrepresenting the quality of its steaks.
Food temperature is a significant repeat health violation at the Chateau. The story says that improper cooling methods were observed during multiple inspections, forcing the disposal of potentially hazardous foods that had been slated to be plated.
Cooling must take place in containers small enough to allow for rapid chilling. Slow cooling in large containers creates in-between temperatures that can breed bacteria and could spoil the food.
During an inspection on Feb. 22, 2006, a two-gallon container of minestrone soup from the previous day was thrown out because of temperature abuse.
At the May 1, 2007, inspection, old cream sauce, white wine sauce and brown sauce were disposed of due to temperature abuse.
A follow-up inspection, May 26, 2007, forced the trashing of marinara sauce and beef stock as a result of temperature abuse.
On Feb. 22, the inspector called for the dumping of split pea soup for the same type of temperature violation.