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 September and found to have critical violations that needed to be corrected immediately:

Bulls and Bears, 38 S. Potomac St. - * inadequate temperature of sausage (moved to another location); hand-washing supplies needed in bar areas; ice scoop improperly stored (corrected).

Chan's Wok, 761 E. Wilson Blvd. - * dented can of mushrooms (removed); rice at room temperature (corrected); boxes of food on floor of walk-in cooler (corrected); insufficient lighting in walk-in cooler; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; rear exit door must be repaired; restrooms need soap dispenser (had bar of soap); area under equipment must be cleaned.

Washington County Junior Football League, Martin L. "Marty" Snook Memorial Park, Halfway - * temperature of cooked foods must be taken with accurate thermometer (corrected); hand sink cannot be blocked; bare hands may not be used in food handling; three-compartment sink drain and wall behind grill must be cleaned; ice scoop improperly stored.

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

AC&T, 250 E. Main St., Hancock - insufficient labeling on food in display cooler; inadequate air gap on drain line from soda machine; can opener must be cleaned (corrected).

Appletree Inn, 3370 National Pike, Hancock - inside wall of bar must be cleaned; inadequate metering of cold water faucet.

Bethel United Methodist Church, 4301 Main St., Rohrersville - chemical test strips needed for sanitizing.

Boonsboro Band Boosters Concession, 10 Campus Ave., Boonsboro - soda machine dispenser pipe must be cleaned; improper storage of ice scoop (corrected); rear exit door and screen door must be repaired; nacho cheese not kept hot enough (moved to another location).

BP Gas Station & Snacks, 1760 Dual Highway - trash receptacle must be covered; hand and three-compartment sinks must be recaulked; strong, unpleasant odor in restrooms; insufficient air gap at soda machine; paper towels needed for employees; living/sleeping quarters observed in facility; thermometers needed in all equipment.

Burger King, 503 Dual Highway - hand sink must be recaulked; insufficient lighting in walk-in; paper towel dispenser must be operable; garbage receptacles must be kept closed; exhaust needed in public restroom.

Cafe Izmir, 44 Frederick St., Funkstown - ceiling tile in men's restroom must be sealed; thermometers needed to check food.

China Gourmet, 625 Dual Highway - insufficient lighting in walk-in cooler; thermometers needed in all units; sink leak must be repaired; scoop improperly stored in dry goods (corrected); improper scoops used in dry goods (corrected).

Corner Pub, 158 S. Mulberry St. - proper chemical test strips needed for sanitizing; soap needed at hand sink (corrected); ice scoop improperly stored (corrected).

Deer Park Lodge, 21614 National Pike, Boonsboro - ceiling tiles in handicapped restroom must be replaced; chemical test strips must be provided.

Dimensions Dining and Catering, 132 Old National Pike, Hagerstown - microwave and vent in restroom must be cleaned; insufficient lighting in walk-ins; exhaust vents needed in restrooms; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable.

Firehouse Grill, 2 S. Westside Ave., Funkstown - insufficient air gap at soda machine.

Flamers Charbroiled, 492 Prime Outlets Blvd. - ice scoop improperly stored (corrected); food cannot be stored on floor of walk-in cooler (corrected); insufficient air gap at soda dispenser; thermometers needed in all units.

Four States Livestock Diner, 501 E. First St. - hand sink cannot be obstructed; chemical test strips must be available; sink leak must be repaired.

Fox's Pizza Den, 764 N. Pennsylvania Ave. - inadequate lighting in walk-in; paper towels needed at hand sink (corrected); chemical test strips must be available.

Gateway Seafood House, 15124 National Pike - condensation in refrigeration unit must be cleared (corrected); bottom of dish machine and floor in storage room must be cleaned; inadequate temperature in dish machine; wall behind dish machine, floor in storage room and hole in wall at dish machine must be repaired.

G&G Grill, 200 S. Potomac St. - sink leak and screen door must be repaired; gaskets in reach-in cooler must be cleaned.

Hampton Inn, 1716 Dual Highway - hand sink cannot be obstructed (corrected); lights in freezer must be shatterproof; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable.

Hancock Town Tavern, 15 W. Main St., Hancock - damaged flooring in walk-in refrigerator must be repaired.

Hartle's Subs, 1301 Marshall St. - hazard plan must be available (corrected); cooling method for soups ineffective (corrected); food items in cooler not properly labeled; floor tiles must be repaired.

Hepburn Orchards Food Market, 557 E. Main St., Hancock - boxes of food products cannot be stored on floor; cardboard cannot be used as mats in freezer; exposed insulation must be repaired; door and floor outside freezer must be cleaned.

Knights of Columbus, 20340 Leitersburg Pike - air gap needed at three-compartment sink.

Locust Point Market, 360 S. Potomac St. - soap needed at hand sink (corrected); cardboard cannot be used on floor of walk-in cooler; insufficient lighting in cooler.

Log Cabin Inn, 7536 Millstone Road, Hancock - insufficient lighting in kitchen; ice scoop improperly stored.

McGee's Tavern, 111 N. Conococheague St., Williamsport - ice scoop improperly stored (corrected); floor, soda lines, outside of cabinets and women's restroom vent must be cleaned; chest freezer must be defrosted; missing ceiling tiles must be replaced; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; cold water faucet in men's restroom and screen door must be repaired.

Nick's Airport Inn, 14548 Pennsylvania Ave. - * dented can of pumpkin observed (corrected); chemicals cannot be stored above/next to food items (corrected); insufficient lighting in dry storage area walk-ins; lack of light shields in dry storage; broken and/or missing floor tiles in kitchen and storage areas observed; outside trash lids up; storage area, fan cooler covers, shelves and flooring in walk-in coolers must be cleaned; service bar dish machine not hot enough and no chlorine detected (not to use until properly serviced); hazard plan must be displayed.

Palettie, 1 S. Main St., Boonsboro - light in freezer must be replaced; flour scoop improperly stored; light at grill must be shielded; screen door must be repaired; chemical test strips must be available; restroom doors must be self-closing; thermometers needed in all units; nonworking equipment must be removed.

Pizza Hut, 224 W. Main St., Hancock - paper towels needed at hand sink; insufficient lighting in walk-in refrigerator; can opener must be cleaned; chemical test strips must be available.

Potomac Fish and Game Club, 14241 Falling Waters Road, Williamsport - food scoops cannot touch food (corrected); choking poster must be displayed; outside and inside of door to beer walk-in and seal behind sink must be cleaned.

Save-A-Lot, 214 W. Main St., Hancock - insufficient lighting in refrigerator; holes in ceiling must be sealed; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable.

Sheetz, 1376 S. Potomac St. - hand sink cannot be obstructed (corrected); insufficient air gap at soda machine.

Sheetz, 192 W. Main St., Hancock - walk-in freezer must be defrosted; insufficient lighting in walk-in refrigerator.

Shives Pizza, 119 E. Main St., Hancock - insufficient lighting in walk-in refrigerator.

Sunset Tavern, 16716 National Pike - hazard plan must be available; floor behind ice machine and ventilation grates in restroom must be cleaned; equipment must be commercial-grade; hand sink cannot be obstructed; damaged floor must be repaired; holes and gaps must be sealed.

Taco Bell, 450 Dual Highway - inadequate metering in faucet in men's restroom; garbage receptacle must be covered (corrected); holes and gaps must be sealed; storage shelves must be cleaned; thermometers needed in all units.

Turtle's, 176 N. Burhans Blvd. - food cannot be stored in bucket on floor of cooler; surfaces must be smooth and cleanable; wall under preparation table must be repaired; floors must be cleaned; insufficient lighting in cooler; insufficient air gap at soda machine; thermometers needed in all units.

Twin Oaks, 40 and 44 E. Village Lane, Williamsport - wall vent must be cleaned; utensils stored improperly.

Villa Pizza, 490 Prime Outlets Blvd. - scoop stored improperly (corrected); food cannot be stored on floor of walk-in cooler (corrected); food being kept at inadequate temperature (corrected); holes must be sealed.

Western Enterprise Fire Co., 526 Washington Square - single-serve items stored improperly; lip of ice machine must be cleaned.

Williamsport Moose, 119 N. Conococheague St., Williamsport - metal strip in ice machine, inside of microwave, window sill in storage area and vent in men's restroom must be cleaned; single-serve items stored improperly.

Weaver's Restaurant, 77 W. Main St., Hancock - scoops stored improperly (corrected); missing light and light shield in freezer must be replaced.

Zion Lutheran Church, 35 W. Potomac St., Williamsport - gasket and inside of microwave must be cleaned; improper air gap at ice machine; utensils stored improperly; choking poster must be displayed.

The following food service establishments had no violations in September: Cedar Ridge Children's Home, 12146 Cedar Ridge Road, Williamsport; Clear Spring Volunteer Fire Co., 12373 Big Spring Road, Clear Spring; Funkstown Volunteer Fire Co., 2 S. Westside Ave., Funkstown; Hancock Antique Mall, 255 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Hancock; Ingram's Tavern, 4203 Harpers Ferry Road, Sharpsburg; J&J Enterprises, 363 S. Cleveland Ave.; Judy's Java House, 486 Prime Outlets Blvd., Hagerstown; Mountainside Cafe, mobile unit; Pearl's Homemade Goodies, 13945 Cearfoss Pike; Pleasant Valley Cattle Co., Smithsburg; Red Lobster, 1681 Wesel Blvd.; Williamsport Senior Site, 215 Otho Holland Drive, Williamsport; Woodmont Chapter of the Izzak Walton League, 11751 Woodmont Road, Hancock; and Zimmerman's Auction Gallery, 2 Canal St., Hancock.