NIROPE PRICES, NOBODY!"
(CG)
NOW ----- TO A TARGET 12
CONSUMER INVESTIGATION:
CAFETERIA CONCERNS.
if one thing goes wrong a lot of
people can get sick :00
(MM)
EVERY YEAR, SCHOOL CAFETERIAS IN
RHODE ISLAND ARE INSPECTED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
(CG)
WE COMBED THROUGH HUNDREDS OF
PAGES OF INSPECTION REPORTS ----
AND DISCOVERED A SLEW OF
VIOLATIONS INCLUDING A RODENT
PROBLEM IN MORE THAN ONE
DISTRICT
(MM)
TARGET 12 CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR
SUSAN CAMPBELL JOINS US NOW WITH
HER FINDINGS.
SO FAR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS CONDUCTED
397 SCHOOL CAFETERIA
INSPECTIONS.
SOME ARE REPEATS - BECAUSE
SCHOOLS HAD VIOLATIONS THAT HAD
TO BE CORRECTED AND
RE-INSPECTED.
THE TRAYS ARE FULL... AND SO ARE
STUDENTS' STOMACHS.
WHEN YOUR KID BUYS A SCHOOL
LUNCH - YOU COUNT ON IT COMING
FROM A CLEAN KITCHEN.
BUT INSPECTION RECORDS WE
REVIEWED SHOW (hundrds,
thousands) OF HEALTH CODE
VIOLATIONS SO FAR THIS SCHOOL
YEAR.
every single year, we go to
every single school.
CATHY FEENEY IS IN CHARGE OF
SCHOOL CAFETERIA INSPECTIONS AT
THE RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
SHE SAYS - WHEN INSPECTORS WENT
TO EAST GREENWICH, THEY FOUND A
MOUSE PROBLEM.
for some reason this year, we've
seen a lot of rodent droppings.
AT COLE JUNIOR HIGH IN EAST
GREENWICH... INSPECTORS FOUND
'rodent droppings behind the
stove, behind the steamer, in
the dry storage room corners,
and in the corner of the
dishwasher.
AND AT THE DISTRICT'S
MEADOWBROOK FARMS ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL... DROPPINGS WERE
DISCOVERED 'in the corner of the
dishwashing room, in the storage
room, and behind the grease
trap."
RECORDS SHOW INSPECTORS RETURNED
TO BOTH SCHOOLS SEVERAL TIMES IN
OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER AND again
FOUND RODENT DROPPINGS.
TARGET 12 OBTAINED THIS STERNLY
WORDED LETTER FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO
SUPERINTENDENT VICTOR
MERCURIO... DEMANDING
'ASSISTANCE WITH AN ONGOING
ISSUE REGARDING RODENT
ACTIVITY."
ACCORDING TO THE LETTER, THE
'DEPARTMENT MADE AN UNSUCCESSFUL
EFFORT TO CORRECT THIS
WIDESPREAD CONCERN.'
is this something parents
should actually be worried
about?
it's bad. But it doesn't
directly cause food borne
illness unless the droppings
are actually in the food.
WHEN WE REACHED OUT TO
MERCURIO... HE SAID HE HAD NEVER
SEEN THE LETTER FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH..
HE DECLINED OUR REQUESTS FOR AN
INTERVIEW ON CAMERA... BUT TOLD
US '... our custodians and our
food services vendor have been
vigilant about inspecting and
cleaning.'
HE ALSO SAID THE DISTRICT IS
WORKING WITH A PEST CONTROL
COMPANY, AND NOTED THE MOST
RECENT INSPECTIONS SHOWED ONLY
OLD RODENT DROPPINGS.
ACCORDING TO HIM... 'The matter
is being addressed actively and
comprehensively.'
EAST GREENWICH IS THE *ONLY*
DISTRICT THAT RECEIVED A LETTER
LIKE THIS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH..
BUT IT ISN'T THE ONLY DISTRICT
WHERE SIGNS OF RODENTS HAVE BEEN
DISCOVERED THIS YEAR.
COMMUNITIES... INCLUDING
BARRINGTON, PAWTUCKET,
PROVIDENCE, AND WOONSOCKET WERE
ALSO FLAGGED FOR PEST PROBLEMS.
we might go back 2 and 3 times
to the same school if there's an
issue, just til they get it
right.
INSPECTORS ALSO FOUND OTHER
ISSUES.
DUST AND DEBRIS ON SURFACES...
DUMPSTERS IN THE WRONG PLACE...
APPLIANCES IN POOR REPAIR.
AND SEVERAL SCHOOLS WERE FORCED
TO TOSS FOOD BECAUSE OF
'TEMPERATURE VIOLATIONS' -
EITHER THE FOOD WASN'T COLD
ENOUGH... OR WASN'T HOT
ENOUGH...
we see a lot of different types
of violations. But I have to say
in general the schools are
pretty good.
ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH, 56 schools THIS YEAR
HAVE BEEN MARKED FOR
RE-INSPECTION BECAUSE OF
VIOLATIONS.
NONE OF THE VIOLATIONS
DISCOVERED IN ANY OF THE SCHOOLS
HAVE RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF
A CAFETERIA THIS YEAR.
WITH THE TARGET 12
YOUR DOOR"
(M)
THE LATEST NOW IN A TARGET 12
CONSUMER INVESTIGATION:
CAFETERIA CONCERNS.
(CG)
ON EYEWITNESS NEWS AT FIVE -----
WE TOLD YOU ABOUT HUNDREDS OF
HEALTH CODE VIOLATIONS ---
DISCOVERED *THIS YEAR* IN SCHOOL
CAFETERIAS IN RHODE ISLAND.
WE ALSO SHOWED YOU THE WARNING
LETTER EAST GREENWICH RECEIVED
--- DEMANDING ACTION TO GET RID
OF A RODENT PROBLEM.
THE DISTRICT TELLS US ....
THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THE
ISSUE.
(MM)
NEW AT SIX... WE'VE LEARNED
CAFETERIAS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE
INSPECTED----- TWICE A YEAR IN
RHODE ISLAND...
WE WANTED TO FIND OUT---- IF
SCHOOLS ARE COMPLYING WITH
FEDERAL REGULATIONS.
(CG)
TARGET 12 CONSUMER REPORTER
SUSAN CAMPBELL JOINS US NOW ---
WITH WHAT SHE UNCOVERED.
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS
INSPECTING SCHOOL CAFETERIAS IS
A PRIORITY..
THE AGENCY SAYS *MANY* SCHOOL
CAFETERIAS RECEIVE THE REQUIRED
2 INSPECTIONS... BUT NOT ALL OF
THEM.
WHEN HEALTH INSPECTORS WENT TO
CUNNINGHAM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN
PAWUCKET, THEY DISCOVERED THIS.
BOXES OF FOOD - LABELED 'KEEP
REFRIGERATED OR FROZEN'...
SITTING OUT AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.
ACCORDING TO AN INSPECTION
REPORT - THE SCHOOL HAD
'INSUFFICIENT REFRIGERATION
EQUIPMENT' AND WAS ORDERED TO
FIX THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY.
schools are really important b/c
we have a lot of little kids and
also if one thing goes wrong a
lot of people can get sick
CATHY FEENEY IS IN CHARGE OF
CAFETERIA INSPECTIONS FOR THE
RHODE ISLAND DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH.
we check for things like the
temperatures.
we make sure that there's no
cross contamination.
we also check things like
handwashing and making sure that
food service workers wear glvoes
when they're touching food
that's not going to get cooked.
ACCORDING TO RECORDS WE
REQUESTED... LAST YEAR - THE
HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMPLETED 794
INSPECTIONS AT 419 DIFFERENT
SCHOOLS.
FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRE
SCHOOL CAFETERIAS TO BE
INSPECTED TWICE A YEAR....
THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT
ACKNOWLEDGED IT DOESN'T HAVE A
PERFECT RECORD.
over 10 years ago, the USDA...
they mandated a 2 times a year
inspection and at that point, we
had 7 inspectors
so we knew we weren't going to
be able to go twice a year, but
we knew we could get there at
least once.
every single year, we go to
every single school. If there's
any issues, we always follow up.
NOW - THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
HAS 12 INSPECTORS.
AND FEENEY SAYS - FOR YEARS, THE
STATE HAS ALSO HIRED OUTSIDE
INSPECTORS TO HELP MEET
REQUIREMENTS.
have you had to close any school
cafeterias this year?
No. in fact I can't remember
closing a school cafeteria b/c
they're usually very responsive
38 if there ever is an active
concern though, we would just
keep going back til they fixed
it.
ACCORDING TO THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT - FIVE SCHOOLS HAVE
NOT BEEN INSPECTED YET THIS YEAR
BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING ISSUES.
WITH THE TARGET 12