How it works

Each month, The Herald-Mail publishes the findings of initial food establishment inspections by the Washington County Health Department. Food service facilities are inspected on a regular basis to make sure they are following the regulations that govern such establishments.

Location of establishments is Hagerstown unless otherwise noted.

Inspectors also conduct follow-up inspections and monitoring inspections, and investigate complaints and food-borne outbreaks.

Potentially hazardous food means any food rich in protein that will support the rapid growth and reproduction of food-borne disease microorganisms.

Inspections are conducted at restaurants, nursing homes, schools, grocery stores and other places that serve food, including those that only are temporary such as fairs and carnivals.

Critical violations such as contaminated or spoiled food, improper temperatures of foods, improper cooking or no running water must be corrected immediately. Those items are marked with *.

Other violations must be corrected within 30 days. Follow-up inspections will be conducted as needed.

Those violations corrected on day of inspection are indicated as (corrected).

The following food service establishments were inspected by the Washington County Health Department in August and found to have critical violations that needed to be corrected immediately.

Always Ron's Restaurant, 29 N. Burhans Blvd. - * shredded cheese not kept cold enough (corrected); light needed in walk-in cooler; leak at hand sink must be repaired; ventilation needed in restrooms; exhaust vent in women's restroom must be cleaned; improper metering of faucet at hand sink.

Break Away II Sports Lounge, 13726 Pennsylvania Ave. - * food in refrigerator not kept cold enough (all items removed); hood filters and walk-in cooler must be cleaned; inadequate lighting in storage areas; lights out in dishwashing area; wall near dishwashing area, drain line from walk-in cooler and storage area ceiling must be repaired; food cannot be stored on floor in freezer; ice buildup on food must be removed; hazard plan must be available on site.

Burger King, 10516 Sharpsburg Pike - * Swiss cheese not cold enough (corrected); light bulbs needed in walk-ins; area under shelves must be cleaned; food cannot be stored unprotected in freezer (corrected); inadequate plumbing for soda dispenser.

Byers Stop 'n Go, 102 Burhans Blvd. - * steamers and meatballs not kept hot enough (discarded); * chicken chowder not kept hot enough (reheated); * sandwich meats not kept cold enough (rechilled); hand sink needs supplies (corrected); vent covers and can opener must be cleaned; cutting board must be replaced; thermometers needed in all refrigeration units; hazard plan must be available on site.

Comfort Suites, 1801 Dual Highway - * scrambled eggs not kept hot enough (reheated); equipment must be commercial grade.

Food Lion, 761 E. Wilson Blvd. - * dented cans on shelves (removed from sale); * whole deli meats not kept cold enough (rechilled); * chicken tenders not kept hot enough (reheated); insufficient air gap at three-compartment sink; mop improperly stored (corrected); thermometers needed in all refrigeration units.

Fountain Head Country Club, 13316 Fountainhead Road - * dented cans on storage shelves (corrected); lights needed in vent hood and walk-in cooler (corrected); ice scoop stored improperly (corrected); gloves needed during food preparation; light intensity inadequate at grill; cutting board at snack bar must be replaced.

Frederick Liberty, 70 Frederick St. - * cheese and bologna not kept cold enough (moved to other unit); * pizza not kept hot enough (reheated); food unprotected in freezer (discarded); ceiling tiles must be repaired; microwave must be cleaned; area under food preparation must be repaired; chemical test strips must be available.

Imperial Chinese Restaurant, 13112 Pennsylvania Ave. - * raw chicken not kept cold enough (corrected); * steamed rice not kept hot enough (corrected); hot water needed at hand sink (corrected); paper towels needed at hand sink (corrected); napkins cannot be used to cover food (corrected); ice scoop improperly stored (corrected); screen door doesn't protect against vermin; gasket on refrigeration unit must be repaired; insufficient lighting at cooler door (corrected).

Ledo Pizza, 1423 Dual Highway - * chicken salad not kept cold enough (removed from sale); back door not self-closing; pizza oven and restroom exhaust vents must be cleaned.

Leiters Fine Catering, 2 Brandy Drive, Williamsport - * dented can of mushrooms (removed); hand sink cannot be blocked (corrected); food cannot be stored on floor of walk-ins; back door must be self-closing; bowed ceiling tiles must be replaced; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable.

Little Caesars Pizza, 420 E. Antietam St. - * shredded cheese not kept cold enough; floors must be cleaned; missing floor tiles and ceiling tiles must be repaired; garbage container must be covered.

Maryland Correctional Institution/Program Development Center, 18601 Roxbury Road - * dented cans on storage shelves (removed); inadequate sanitizer level (corrected); leak in mop sink must be repaired.

Papa John's Pizza, 190 S. Cleveland Ave. - * dented cans of pizza sauce (returned to distributor).

Riehl's Bakery, 1683 Potomac Ave. - * employees not washing hands between tasks (corrected); * dented can of chocolate pudding (removed from sale); soap needed at hand sinks; hand sink leaking near microwave; wet wiping cloths must be kept in sanitizer (corrected); improper wash and rinse cycle; barehanded food handling not allowed.

Roy Rogers, 100 N. Burhans Blvd. - * sliced tomatoes not kept cold enough (removed); worn counter must be replaced; vent cover in dry storage must be cleaned; inadequate light intensity at grill.

Somerford Place Assisted Living, 10114 Sharpsburg Pike - * dented cans of tomatoes and tuna (discarded); insufficient lighting in cooler; leak at sink must be repaired; insufficient sanitizer in bucket (corrected); dishwasher not heating water hot enough.

Super Buffet, 63 Eastern Blvd. - * whole eggs and shredded cheese not kept cold enough (ice added to eggs, cheese discarded); food debris in hand sink; chicken cannot be stored on floor (put in walk-in cooler); faucet must be recaulked to wall; plastic bags cannot be used for food storage; insufficient air gap at soda dispenser; missing wall tiles must be replaced (corrected).

Tony's New York Pizza, 14224 Pennsylvania Ave. - * dented can of tomato sauce (removed from shelf); * macaroni salad not kept cold enough (removed from buffet); * marinara sauce with meat not kept hot enough (reheated); garbage container must be kept closed (corrected); insufficient air gap at soda dispenser; inadequate lighting at cooler; thermometers needed in all units; mouse droppings in dry storage area; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; restroom vents must be cleaned; chemical test strips must be available; men's restroom hand sink must be repaired; one refrigeration unit must be repaired (emptied).

Tops Buffet, 18730 North Village Plaza - * pork with garlic sauce on steam table not hot enough (discarded); hand sink cannot be blocked; food products improperly stored; hood vents must be cleaned; improper scoops being used (corrected); damaged ceiling tiles must be repaired.

Vince's New York Pizza, 17520 Virginia Ave. - * meatballs not kept hot enough (reheated); wall behind sink and fan covers must be cleaned (corrected); restroom doors must be self-closing.

Washington County Hospital Auxiliary Coffee Shop, 251 E. Antietam St. - * hot dogs not kept hot enough (reheated); * ham not kept cold enough (corrected); single-serve items improperly stored; leak at sink faucet must be repaired; improper storage of ice scoop (corrected); insufficient air gap at ice machine.

Weis Market, 31 Eastern Blvd. North - * dairy products not kept cold enough (corrected); * pepperoni and roast beef not kept cold enough (discarded); paper towels needed at hand sink; floors must be cleaned; restroom door must be self-closing; damaged ceiling tiles must be repaired.

Wendy's, 10502 Sharpsburg Pike - * tomatoes and shredded cheese not kept cold enough (discarded); food remnants seen in three-compartment sink; freezer gaskets must be repaired; ice scoop improperly stored (corrected); thermometers needed in all equipment.

The following food service establishments were inspected by the Washington County Health Department in August and found to have sanitation violations that must be corrected within 30 days.

AC&T, 1149 S. Potomac St. - insufficient lighting in walk-in cooler.

Bagel-Lisious, 761E. Wilson Blvd. - mops need air-drying rack; nonfunctional equipment must be removed.

Beaver Creek Country Club snack bar, 9535 Mapleville Road - large number of flies seen in facility; doors must be self-closing; single-serve items improperly stored.

Benny's Pub, 61 Eastern Blvd. - leak in faucet in women's restroom must be repaired; chemical test strips must be available.

Buffalo Wild Wings, 230 Railway Lane - drain in restroom, table holding iced tea maker, condenser fan and soda dispenser nozzles must be cleaned; paper towels needed in restrooms; items cannot be wet stacked before drying; hand sink being improperly used (corrected); lid on grease disposal must be closed.

Cafe del Sol, 1481 Salem Ave. - thermometers needed in all units; paper towels needed at hand sink (corrected); can opener must be cleaned (corrected); light shield needed in freezer; insufficient lighting in a number of units and at food preparation area; dish machine not at adequate temperature and gauge not working.

Camana International Food Store, 1423 Dual Highway - freezer not keeping food cold enough; soap and paper towels needed at hand sinks; missing baseboard must be replaced.

Center Street Market and Grill, 401 Center St. - condenser fan on freezer must be cleaned; restroom door and side door not fully closing.

China King Restaurant, 164 N. Burhans Blvd. - insufficient lighting in cooler and restrooms; food cannot be uncovered in cooler (corrected); damaged flooring and screen door must be repaired; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; insufficient air gap at three-compartment sink; area under equipment must be cleaned; bare hand contact with food (corrected); food products improperly stored (corrected).

Citibank Aramark, 14700 Citicorp Drive - thermometers needed in all refrigeration units (corrected); lights out under exhaust hood; hazard plan must be available on site.

Citibank No. 2, 14700 Citicorp Drive - can opener must be cleaned (corrected); light shield needed on light bulbs; hazard plan must be available on site.

Colonial Restaurant, 14130 Pennsylvania Ave. - surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; hand sinks cannot be obstructed (corrected); floors in walk-in freezer and exhaust vents must be cleaned; insufficient lighting in freezer; garbage container must be covered (corrected); cardboard cannot be used behind grill/cooking line.

Corner Grill, 503 Jefferson St. - thermometer needed to check temperature of cold food.

Crazy Horse Steak House, 116 Railway Lane - hand sink drain, floors and walls in kitchen, restroom doors, baseboard, restroom ceiling vents, grill line filters, fan covers in beer coolers, inside of meat cooler and walk-in cooler must be cleaned; gasket on refrigerator must be repaired.

Dogpatch Tavern, National Pike, Boonsboro - surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; missing baseboard must be replaced; leaking air conditioner must be repaired; freezer not keeping food cold enough; chemical test strips must be available; restroom faucets must be replaced or repaired.

Ernst Market, 11650 Dam No. 5 Road, Clear Spring - floor under equipment must be cleaned; excessive condensation in walk-in freezer.

First Data Cafe, 1 Western Maryland Parkway - air gap needed in drain lines; can opener must be cleaned (corrected); insufficient lighting in food preparation area.

Gordon Grocery, 101 Cypress St. - lights must be shielded.

Gracie's Place, 73 West Side Ave. - walls must be smooth and cleanable; thermometers needed in all units; outside door of refrigeration unit, ceiling light and can opener must be cleaned; cracked floor tiles must be repaired; single-serve items stored improperly.

Green Haven Farms, 17725 Lappans Road, Fairplay - shelves must be smooth and cleanable.

Hagerstown City Park concession stand, 570 Virginia Ave. - water must flow over ice cream scoops; insufficient air gap at ice machine; boxes of bird feed cannot be stored on floor; equipment must be commercial grade; light fixtures must be shielded; freezer not keeping food cold enough.

Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex, 580 Security Blvd. - cracked floor tiles found around grease pit.

Hillside Station, 19110 Keep Tryst Road, Knoxville - insufficient air gap at soda machine.

Holiday Inn Express, 241 Railway Lane - soap needed at hand sink; kitchen fan must be cleaned.

Homewood Suites/Hotel Preparation, 1650 Pullman Lane, Hagerstown - silverware stored improperly.

Hot Shots Tavern, 6 N. Mulberry St. - air gap needed at three-compartment sink.

Il Castillo, 15616 National Pike - damaged refrigerator must be repaired; insufficient lighting on food preparation line; food cannot be stored uncovered in freezer (corrected); dishes, pans and pots cannot be stored in mop sink (corrected); hazard plan must be available on site.

Improved Order of Red Men, 16129 Lappans Road, Williamsport - soda dispenser nozzles, area behind soda dispenser, sandwich preparation area, fan covers, sides of drying rack and vent filter over dishwasher must be cleaned; food in boxes cannot be stored on floor; hand sink must be resealed to wall; women's restroom needs covered trash container; restroom doors must be self-closing.

Julia Manor, 333 Mill St. - light bulbs in cooler must be replaced; insufficient lighting in walk-in cooler; floors must be cleaned.

Leitersburg Hotel, 21400 Leiter St. - thermometers needed in all refrigeration units; chemical test strips must be available.

Martin's Food Market, 1729 Dual Highway - insufficient lighting in cooler; inadequate sanitizer in bucket (corrected); sink leak must be fixed; thermometers needed in all units; exhaust ventilation needed in restrooms.

Mason-Dixon Dragway, 21344 National Pike, Boonsboro - light bulbs must be shielded; hand sink drain leak must be repaired; hazard plan must be available on site.

McDonald's, 520 Northern Blvd. - floors, walls and ceilings must be cleaned; single-serve items cannot be stored unprotected (corrected); freezer not keeping food cold enough.

McDonald's, 12820 Clear Spring Road, Clear Spring - outside of soda dispenser must be cleaned; too many flies in facility; wet wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer; insufficient lighting in freezer.

Maryland Correctional Institution, 18601 Roxbury Road - broken or missing floor tiles in preparation area must be replaced; flour bin lid and missing light bulbs must be replaced; light shields needed on all light bulbs; ice buildup found on food products in freezer.

The Meadows, 202 E. Oak Ridge Drive - exhaust vent must be cleaned; improper level of sanitizer in three-compartment sink.

Mount Aetna Camp and Retreat, 21905 Mount Aetna Road - condenser vents must be cleaned; boxes cannot be stored on floor of walk-in freezer; hazard plan must be available on site.

Outback Steakhouse, 240 Railway Lane - hand sink must be repaired; soda dispenser nozzles, fan covers in refrigerator and beer cooler, and cabinets in restrooms must be cleaned; soap needed at hand sink.

Owls Club, 23 W. Antietam St. - improper disinfection solution used.

Philly's, 101 W. Franklin St. - fan in kitchen must be cleaned.

Quiznos Subs, 17215 Cole Road - wall behind sink must be cleaned; hand sink in men's restroom must be resealed to wall.

Railroad Junction, 808 Noland Drive - surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; plastic spoons stored improperly; light by back door needs light shield; cracked floor tiles and stained ceiling tiles must be replaced; wall behind dishwasher must be cleaned; hand sinks must be resealed to walls.

Ravenwood Lutheran Village, 1183 Luther Drive - light in storage area must be replaced; exhaust vent must be repaired; inadequate sanitzer in wiping bucket.

Red Neck Ribs, 10128 Crystal Falls Drive - outside door must be cleaned; sanipot needs soap and paper towel dispensers; garbage container must be kept closed.

Red Curry Asian Fusian, 110 Railway Lane - grill hood filters and wall by dishwasher must be cleaned; hand sink needs towels and free access (corrected); improper storage of food in cooler; food cannot be stored in grocery bags; back screen door needs tighter seal.

Rita's, 1313 Pennsylvania Ave. - sanitizing liquid inadequate (corrected).

Rocco's Italian Restaurant, 501 Liberty St. - no sanitizer in dishwasher; hazard plan must be available on site.

Rocky's New York Pizza, 907 S. Potomac St. - walls, floors and ceiling not smooth and cleanable; hood and vents must be cleaned.

Sakura Japanese Restaurant, 102 Railway Lane - grill hood filters and inside strip on ice machine must be cleaned; must remove fly strips over food preparation area (corrected); screen door needs tighter seal; thermometers needed in all units.

Sharpsburg Pike Shell, 10524 Sharpsburg Pike - area around trash receptacle, slicer, shelves under condiments, floors under equipment, exhaust hood and heating vent must be cleaned; inadequate air gaps at hand sink, soda machine, ice machine, freezer and walk-in coolers; light shields needed on all light bulbs; ice buildup on floor of freezer must be removed; paper towels and soap needed at hand sinks; chemical test strips must be available; ceiling must be repaired; unlabeled chemicals cannot be stored; all food must be properly labeled; hazard plan must be available on site; wet wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer; walls must be smooth and cleanable; single-serve items stored improperly; insufficient lighting in walk-in.

Sheetz, 20723 National Pike, Boonsboro - vent near freezer and floor under ice machine must be cleaned; hot water not hot enough; floor near freezer must be smooth and cleanable; insufficient air gap at cooler.

7-Eleven, 1623 Dual Highway - insufficient air gap at three-compartment sink; floor in dry storage must be cleaned; improper sanitizer level in bucket; light bulbs must be shatterproof; chemical test strips must be available.

Shepherd's Spring Lodge, 16869 Taylor's Landing Road, Sharpsburg - insufficient lighting in walk-ins; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable.

Snack Plus, 824 Pennsylvania Ave. - personal items cannot be in facility; wall in restroom must be smooth and cleanable; no dishes allowed in hand sink; unused equipment must be removed.

Somerford House, 10116 Sharpsburg Pike - insufficient air gap at ice machine; insufficient ventilation in restrooms; insufficient lighting in walk-in; garbage container must be covered; door to kitchen preparation area must be self-closing; leak at three-compartment sink must be repaired.

Spickler's Market, 17 E. Franklin St. - counter unit not hot enough (corrected); leak around exhaust fan in restroom must be repaired.

Taco Bell, 1600 Wesel Blvd. - single-serve items stored improperly (corrected); seal behind three-compartment sink and fan must be cleaned; ceiling tile over drive-through window must be repositioned.

Taco Bell, 13609 Crayton Blvd. - ice machine lid must be replaced; damaged ceiling panel, light shield and hole in wall must be repaired; insufficient lighting in a number of areas.

Waffle House, 13612 Crayton Blvd. - can opener must be cleaned (corrected); insufficient lighting in walk-in refrigerator; inside of ice machine and refrigerator must be cleaned (corrected); dish machine not hot enough (use three-compartment sink until repaired).

Washington County Hospital/cafeteria/patient food, 251 E. Antietam St. - leaks at sink must be repaired; light bulbs under hood vent must be replaced.

Western Sizzlin', 17567 York Road - improper metering of faucets in men's restroom.

West End Pub and Restaurant, 5 Nottingham Road - wet wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer (corrected); freezer must be defrosted; hand sink must be repaired (corrected); soap needed in dispenser; inadequate sanitizer in dish machine; fire extinguishers cannot be stored in sink; insufficient lighting in a number of areas; ceiling fan must be cleaned; hazard plan must be available on site.

William D. Byron VFW, 70 E. Washington St. - exhaust hood, floors, walls and ceiling must be cleaned; waste pipes cannot be located above sodas and canned foods; no air gaps at ice machines; lighting must be improved in kitchen and bar area.

Your Country Store, 17035 Fairview Road - insufficient lighting in storage and food preparation areas; ice buildup in freezer must be removed; floor of men's restroom and can opener must be cleaned (corrected); improper storage of food; light shields needed on light bulbs; gloves must be worn in food preparation areas (corrected); accurate thermometers needed in all units.

The following food service establishments had no violations in August: Carolyn Cakes, 12347 Burkholder Lane; Country Inn and Suites, 17612 Valley Mall Road; Debbie's Soft Serve, 22309 Old Georgetown Road, Smithsburg; Extra Innings, 16038 Business Parkway; Freddie's Subs, 18206 W. Oak Ridge Drive; Hagerstown PONY League, 570 Jefferson St.; Hagerstown Community College Alumni Association, 11400 Robinwood Drive; Homewood Suites/Catering, 1650 Pullman Lane; Hope's Country Fair Lemonade, Antietam Street; The Inn at Antietam, 220 E. Main St., Sharpsburg; Izaak Walton League of Washington County, 12759 Independence Road, Clear Spring; Jacob Rohrbach Inn, 138 W. Main St., Sharpsburg; Jami's Soft Serve Ice Cream, 21614 B National Pike, Boonsboro; Salem United Methodist Church, 25 S. Main St., Keedysville; Soft Serve Ice Cream mobile unit, Hagerstown; South Hagerstown High School Band Boosters, 1101 S. Potomac St.; Smithsburg Senior Site, 29 Blue Mountain Estates, Smithsburg; Starbucks Coffee, 12810 Shank Farm Way; View Street Country Kitchen, Antietam Street; Wolfe's Den, 6 W. Water St., Smithsburg; and Woodlawn Butcher Shop, 4233 Harpers Ferry Road, Sharpsburg.