During the week of April 12, the Jefferson County Health Department inspected 36 food establishments. Scores ranged from 66-100. Some were routine inspections while others were reinspections where scores are not assigned. All inspections are unannounced visits.
Facilities considered low priority are not assigned a score. A low priority facility does not prepare food.
According to the Jefferson County Health Department, facilities start with a score of 100, and points are reduced based on observed violations:
■ Six points are deducted for priority violations that directly contribute to foodborne illness risk.
■ Three points are deducted for priority foundation violations that indirectly contribute to foodborne illness risk or enable priority violations.
■ One point for core violations related to general sanitation and good retail practices.
■ Two points for repeat violations of any type.
Dan Kane, environmental supervisor for the Health Department, said the agency does not have ranges for good or bad scores but instead looks at the overall score, adding that readers need to look at the types of violations.
He said a couple of priority violations are more concerning than several core violations.
In certain cases, the Health Department returns to a food establishment to reinspect, allowing time for the facility to correct issues. According to the Health Department, reinspection is not solely based on the score an establishment gets; it’s determined by the type of violation. Priority and priority foundation violations need to be corrected within a certain amount of time, and priority violations typically are corrected on the day of the inspection before the inspector leaves.
Kane said the department rarely closes a food establishment, and most temporary closures involve a power outage, fire or sewage backup.
To see the most updated inspection report or the last three inspection reports, visit jeffcohealth.org/environmental and click on “View Food Establishment Health Inspection Scores.”
The inspection scores for the week of April 12 are listed below. They are all routine inspections unless otherwise noted.
■ Circle K, 2046 Key West Drive, Arnold, scored 96 on April 17. Violations: paper towels and straws under sink drain line; and soiled reach-in cooler bottoms.
■ Dairy Queen, 90 Scenic Plaza Drive, Herculaneum, scored 97 on April 14. Violations: torn gasket; hose above dish sink leaking; and detached coving.
■ Dollar General, 8440 Local Hillsboro Road, Hillsboro, was inspected on April 15. No score given due to low priority.
■ Fish’s Quick Stop, 12973 Hwy. 21, De Soto, was inspected on April 14. No score given due to low priority.
■ Fountain City Grille, 4660 Yeager Road, Hillsboro, scored 100 on April 14.
■ Fox Elementary, 739 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, scored 100 on April 16.
■ Fox Middle School, 743 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, scored 100 on April 15.
■ Fox Senior High School, 745 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, scored 100 on April 15.
■ Iguana’s Mexican Grill, 909 N. Truman Blvd., Crystal City, scored 84 on April 16. Violations: person in charge did not have a manager food safety certificate; employees did not have food safety certificates; baked potatoes, tamales and Chile rellenos without use-by dates; no splashguard on right side of hand sink; bathroom door not self-closing; and hole in wall near water heater.
■ Ingram’s Market, 3812 Hwy. Z, Festus, scored 85 on April 14. Violations: no staff with manager food safety certificate; unlabeled spray bottle near cutting board; gap in doors; incorrect sanitizer solution; dusty fan guards and pipes on ceiling in walk-in cooler; drain pipe on evaporator unit leaking; restroom door not self-closing; and broken door jamb/peeling ceiling tiles /holes in restroom door/peeling drywall in hallway.
■ James E. Freer Elementary, 1800 Hanover Lane, Barnhart, scored 98 on April 13. Violations: single-serve cup stored in sugar bin; and ice buildup in reach-in freezer and milk cooler has ice buildup and not keeping proper temperature.
■ Jesse’s Pizza and Wings, 5633 Old Hwy. 21, House Springs, scored 66 on April 14. Violations: dented can; soiled sheet pans and can opener blade; soiled charbroiler; foods holding at incorrect temperature in pizza prep cooler and walk-in cooler; dry breading for batter past use-by date and being stored at room temperature; walk-in cooler condensate line leaking into bucket from hole in copper line/frost buildup in walk-in freezer; several appliances and tables soiled; hot water heater in disrepair; uncovered trash can in restroom; and floor under fryer and oven dirty.
■ Karen’s Corner, 7004 Monticello Suite A, Barnhart, was inspected on April 14. No score given due to low priority.
■ Kenny’s Bar and Grill, 7045 Hwy. 61-67, Barnhart, was reinspected on April 17. No score given.
■ La Pachanga Mexican, 900 S. Truman Blvd., Crystal City, scored 95 on April 15. Violations: unlabeled spray bottle; uncovered pans of lemons and limes in cooler; and ice buildup in cooler/incorrect temperature for cold drawers under grill.
■ Local House, 2236 Michigan Ave., Arnold, scored 94 on April 13. Violations: pans of cooked pasta cooling improperly; and scored cutting boards.
■ Lorenzo’s Tacos and Burritos food truck had a field visit on April 17 at Old Hwy. 141 for operating without a 2026 food and beverage permit and an approved sewage disposal system.
■ Mod Super Fast Pizza, 1261 Water Tower Plaza, Arnold, scored 97 on April 13. Violation: several unlabeled spray bottles.
■ Northwest High School, 6005 Cedar Hill Road, Cedar Hill, scored 97 on April 14. Violations: damaged weather strip on door; pans stacked wet; and ice buildup underneath unit in walk-in freezer.
■ Pomodoro’s Pasta and Subs, 3618 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, scored 100 on April 13.
■ Qdoba, 1300A Veterans Blvd., Festus, scored 93 on April 15. Violations: dishes stacked wet; two frying pans with buildup; and accumulation of chips on floor near fryer.
■ Quonset Lanes, 2000 N. Truman Blvd., Crystal City, scored 100 on April 16.
■ Schnucks Deli, 1181 W. Gannon Drive, Festus, scored 99 on April 15. Violation: door gasket in disrepair.
■ St. Martin’s United Church of Christ, 7890 Dittmer Ridge Road, Dittmer, scored 99 on April 16. Violation: leaking sink.
■ Starbucks Coffee, 3884 Hwy. 141, Arnold, scored 100 on April 14.
■ Subway, 26 Gannon Square, Pevely, scored 97 on April 15. Violations: no thermometer in worktop cooler; gap under door; and dusty air vents.
■ Subway, 8450 Local Hillsboro Road, Cedar Hill, scored 92 on April 14. Violations: managers had expired manager food safety certifications; food debris and mold along nonfood contact surfaces of prep tables; soiled floor near safe; and damaged wall/missing ceiling tile.
■ Sweet Williams Farm, 3621 Dorothy Drive, Festus, was inspected on April 15. No score given due to low priority.
■ Taco Bell, 12866 Hwy. 21, De Soto, scored 92 on April 13. Violations: unable to verify manager food safety training/Taco Bell’s basic food safety training does not meet minimum requirements; incorrect sanitizer solution; dishes stacked wet; and dust at top of office door/liquids and residues on floor under soda fountain.
■ Taytro’s Bar and Bistro, 331 N. Creek Drive, Festus, scored 92 on April 14. Violations: broken door gaskets; drywall showing in corner of wall; debris on floor under hoods; and soiled hood filters.
■ Five Rivers Market, 513 Saline Road, Fenton, was inspected on April 17. No score given due to low priority.
■ Windsor Elementary, 6003 Fifth St., Imperial, scored 100 on April 17.
■ Windsor High School, 6208 Hwy. 61-67, scored 100 on April 17.
■ Winking Owl Creations LLC, 10314 Business 21, Hillsboro, was inspected on April 16. No score given due to low priority.
■ Wolf’s Softball Haven, 7753 Hwy. 61-67, Barnhart, scored 87 on April 12 and had a field visit on April 14 for unknown reasons. Violations: raw brats stored above cooked bacon in cooler; incorrect sanitizer solution; and debris in shelves in freezer.
