RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS
Inspections for Walker and Catoosa counties for Jan. 15-31
During Jan. 15-31, 22 eating establishments were inspected in Walker and Catoosa counties: six earned a perfect score of 100, 15 earned a score in the 90s (A), and one earned a score in the 80s (B).
Walker County
MADI’S ON MAIN
1391 N MAIN ST LAFAYETTE Inspection date: 01-15-2021 Score: 100
GEO’S SMOKEHOUSE
713 S CHATTANOOGA ST LAFAYETTE
Inspection date: 02-01-2021 Score: 97
Inspector’s notes: Observed sauces out of their original container without labels. CA: PIC labeled sauce bottles. (3 pts)
Catoosa County KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
663 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FORT OGLETHORE
Inspection date: 01-15-2021 Score: 96
Inspector’s notes: Observed drink nozzles not clean to a frequency to be clean to sight and touch. CA: PIC will update cleaning method and frequency sign off sheet to ensure drink nozzles have been properly cleaned to sight and touch. (4 pts)
KRYSTAL
15703 ALABAMA HWY RINGGOLD
Inspection date: 01-20-2021 Score: 97
Inspector’s notes: Observed sausage being cooled using an unapproved method. Sausage was still actively cooling wrapped up tightly in plastic bags in reach-in freezer. CA: Had PIC get employee to unwrap sausage and continue cooling on pans in walk-in cooler. (3 pts)
TACO BELL
5422 ALABAMA HWY UNIT 4682 RINGGOLD
Inspection date: 01-20-2021 Score: 99
Inspector’s notes: Observed food debris on floors under equipment and shelving. CA: PIC had employees clean floors. (1 pt)
SONIC
6645 HWY 41 RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-21-2021
Score: 93
Inspector’s notes
Observed multiple employee drinks not in single-service cups with lids and straws. CA: PIC instructed all employees to drink from single service cups and discarded drinks. (4 pts)
Observed sauce bottles in prep top cooler without common name. CA : PIC labeled all sauce bottles with common name of food. (3 pts) CAFFEINE ADDICTS
7819 NASHVILLE ST RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-21-2021 Score: 100
BATTLEFIELD BURGERS
794 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FT. OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-21-2021 Score: 99
Inspector’s notes: Observed grease accumulation, rusting and chipped paint on shelving wall units throughout facility. CA: PIC will clean, refinish and or replace shelving units. (1 pt)
PARK PLACE RESTAURANT
2891 LAFAYETTE RD FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-21-2021 Score: 96
Inspector’s notes: Observed chicken wings in reach-in cooler date marked 1/10/2021. CA: PIC said they had been frozen and thawed, but was not certain as to when so PIC chose to discard wings. (4 pts)
WAFFLE HOUSE
5411 HIGHWAY 151 RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-22-2021 Score: 83
Inspector’s notes
Observed no paper towels in paper towels dispenser at hand washing sink in the ware washing area of kitchen. CA: All handwashing sinks must be supplied with paper towels. PIC will put paper towels in paper towel dispenser. (4 pts)
Observed TCS food at various locations in the kitchen cold holding above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Diced tomatoes, diced ham, and sliced tomatoes in the prep top cooler were above 41 degrees Fahrenheit (see temperature chart below). Milk and cream n reach-in cooler were above 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Eggs were located on a bottom dry storage shelf at 62 degrees Fahrenheit. CA: PIC will monitor the prep top cooler and reach-in cooler temperatures. Informal follow-up will be conducted to verify the coolers are working properly. Raw shell eggs must be kept in a cold holding unit or else properly time stamped. (9 pts)
Observed expired milk being used. CA: Expiration date of 01/20/21 on regular and chocolate milk. PIC discarded milk. (3 pts)
Observed heavy grease accumulation on the hoods vent and around the hood vent on drip pan. CA: PIC will have hood vent cleaned. (1 pt)
PANERA BREAD
2620 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-22-2021 Score: 100
DONUT PALACE
390 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FT. OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-25-2021 Score: 96
Inspector’s notes: Observed employee water bottles stored on food prep surfaces. CA: Employees may only drink out of single service cups with a lid and a straw. Drinks must be stored off of food prep surfaces and away from food for service. (4 pts) STEAK & SHAKE
1182 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-25-2021 Score: 99
Inspector’s notes: Observed grease build-up on French fry warming station/heat lamp. Observed ice cream spill in and around reach-in at milkshake station. CA: PIC had employees clean equipment. (1 pt)
MING MOON CHINESE RESTAURANT
2467 LAFAYETTE RD FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-25-2021 Score: 100
KRYSTAL
2560 LAFAYETTE RD FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-25-2021 Score: 91
Inspector’s notes: Observed potentially hazardous food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit in the prep table (see temperature chart). According to daily temperature logs the prep table was working properly at opening shift. Also observed dairy creamer out at room temperature (73 degrees Fahrenheit). CA: PIC chose to move food to walk-in cooler for rapid chill. PIC
chose to discard creamer that was on countertop. Risk control plan will be initiated due to this being a repeat violation. Informal followup within 48 hours to verify cooler is working properly and to discuss risk control plan. (9 pts)
MCDONALD’S
1179 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FT. OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-26-2021 Score: 93
Inspector’s notes
Observed employees dumping ice in handwashing sink. CA: PIC discussed hand washing sink use with employees. Handwashing sinks may not be used for any other purpose or task aside from hand washing. (4 pts)
Observed vegetable sink with box of biscuits on top of it and dirty utensils inside of it. CA: PIC removed the items from the vegetables sink. The vegetable sink may only be used for washing vegetables. (3 pts)
THATCHER’S BBQ
2929 HWY 41 RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-26-2021 Score: 94
Inspector’s notes
Observed potato slicer (for fries) mounted on the wall, not being cleaned every 4 hours. Slicer was not clean to sight or touch and PIC said it hadn’t been used today. CA: PIC removed the slicer from the wall and cleaned and sanitized it. Observed inside of ice machine on the back portion of wall not clean to sight or touch. CA: PIC will have equipment cleaned. (4 pts)
Observed exposed unsealed concrete floor in dry storage room and under part of grill area and reach-in cooler. Coving also missing from the three-compartment sink and around behind the single door reach-in cooler. CA: PIC will make repairs. (1 pt)
Observed floors in kitchen and in smoker room with debris buildup. CA: PIC will have floors cleaned
more regularly. (1 pt)
WENDY’S (DIETZ RD)
3588 BATTLEFIELD PKWY FORT OGLETHORPE
Inspection date: 01-26-2021 Score: 98
Inspector’s notes
Observed food in plastic cambros that had severe scorching on sides. CA: PIC will discard cambros that can’t be kept clean due to scorching. (1 pt)
Observed debris build-up on shelving units in walk-in cooler. CA: PIC will have employees clean shelving units. (1 pt)
RUSSELL RACING, LLC. D/B/A BOYD’S SPEEDWAY (GRANDSTAND)
1481 SCRUGGS RD RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-27-2021 Score: 100
RUSSELL RACING LLC. D/B/A BOYD’S SPEEDWAY (PIT CONCESSIONS)
1481 SCRUGGS RD RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-27-2021 Score: 100
WENDY’S
5872 ALABAMA HWY RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-29-2021 Score: 99
Inspector’s notes: Observed cracked floor tiles and tiles with worn grout trapping food debris and water. CA: Informal follow-up within 10 days to verify status of corrective action for floor repair. (1 pt)
WAFFLE HOUSE
11292 HWY 41 RINGGOLD Inspection date: 01-29-2021 Score: 96
Inspector’s notes
Observed PIC cooking without wearing a hair restraint. CA: PIC put on hair restraint. (3 pts)
Observed the most current inspection report not posted. Observed CFSM certificate not posted. CA: PIC will post most current inspection report and CFSM certificate. (1 pt)
Georgia House lawmakers rehashed a bill Tuesday, Feb. 9, aimed at pushing back the deadline when voters can request and send in absentee ballots before elections.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem, originally proposed barring county elections officials from mailing out absentee ballots fewer than 10 days before an election in Georgia.
The measure was tweaked Tuesday, Feb. 9, to set the deadline for voters to hand in applications for mail-in ballots at 5 p.m. on the second-to-last Friday before Election Day and to prohibit local election officials from accepting absentee ballots after the Wednesday before an election.
The House Special Committee on Election Integrity, which Fleming chairs, passed the bill on Tuesday, Feb. 9, for a second time with the changes includ
ed. It heads back to the House leaders who decide which bills reach the floor for full votes.
Fleming said he brought the bill back to the committee after state House Minority Whip David Wilkerson, D-Powder Springs, requested the revisions so that “he could support the bill and would encourage (others to do) the same.”
Fleming’s bill is the first of more than a dozen to start facing committee votes early in the 2021 legislative session as Republican lawmakers eye changes to absentee voting and voter ID laws after Democrats gained major statewide victories during the last election cycle.
Some of those proposals were echoed in a report
the Georgia Republican Party released late Monday, Feb. 8, calling for stiffer voter ID laws and to end Georgians’ ability to vote by mail without giving a reason.
Democratic leaders dismissed the report, with U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams of Atlanta — who chairs the state Democratic Party — labeling it “a last-gasp attempt by an ever-moreextreme organization that is terrified of the power of Georgia voters.”
Georgia Democrats have pledged to fight Republican- backed bills proposing limits on who and how voters can cast absentee ballots, as well as other voting-rights issues. However, the changes to Fleming’s bill appeared to
satisfy some Democratic state lawmakers who voted against it last week.
“I know this is a goodfaith effort,” said state Rep. Calvin Smyre, D-Columbus, the General Assembly’s longest-serving member. “I believe we’re almost there. We’re much, much closer.”
The bill’s supporters argue it would ease pressure on county elections officials who are juggling early in-person voting and Election Day preparations on top of processing absentee-ballot applications. Voters would also know their ballots arrived in the mail on time before the polls close, according to supporters.
“I think this does a lot toward protecting the in
tegrity of those who have voted by mail before so that those ballots can be handled with a good chain of custody,” said state Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta.
Opponents have warned the bill could spur longer lines at polling places and harm voters who requested absentee ballots weeks in advance but still had not received them in the mail by the new deadline.
Election-focused bills are taking center stage in the legislative session now underway after the 2020 election cycle saw Democrats carry Georgia in the presidential election and win both of the state’s U.S. Senate seats.
Democrats are framing Republican-sponsored election bills as attempts at voter
suppression, accusing Republicans of changing the rules of the game to slow Georgia Democrats’ recent elections momentum.
Republicans have said they’re necessary to restore confidence after claims of voter fraud in the 2020 contests spurred distrust among many conservative voters in the state’s election integrity.
Joining Fleming as sponsors on the bill are House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Milton; Rep. Buddy DeLoach, R-Townsend; Rep. Rick Williams, RMilledgeville; House Regulated Industries Committee Chairman Alan Powell, R-Hartwell; and Ways and Means Committee Chairman Shaw Blackmon, RBonaire.