Absolute Bagels, a popular bagel shop on the Upper West Side, has been permanently closed by the health department due to severe health violations, including rodent and insect infestations, unsafe food storage, and unsanitary conditions. The shop had a history of noncompliance, with previous closures in 2013 and 2017 for similar issues. The closure has shocked the local community, but the health department deemed it necessary to protect public health.
Absolute Bagels, a long-standing bagel shop on the Upper West Side of New York, has abruptly closed after 30 years. The closure coincides with a recent health inspection that reported significant violations, including evidence of rats and live roaches. The shop's owner, Sam Thongkrieng, a Thai immigrant who opened the store in 1992, is leaving the space, and efforts are underway to replace it with another bagel store.
Health inspectors have discovered bacteria in certain batches of Tom's of Maine toothpaste, raising concerns about product safety. Consumers are advised to check their products and follow any recall instructions issued by the company.
Bed bugs have been found in at least four popular hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, with guests encountering the pests in their rooms between September and January. The Southern Nevada Health District confirmed bed bug sightings at The Encore, The Venetian, The Mirage, and the Excalibur Hotel & Casino. Travelers are advised to check for bed bugs upon entering their hotel rooms, place luggage on racks with metal or plastic legs, and inspect mattresses and headboards for signs of infestation.
Four popular hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, including Encore, the Venetian, the Mirage, and the Excalibur Hotel and Casino, have experienced a bed bug outbreak over the past few months, with the pests being discovered in specific rooms. The Nevada Resort Association described the incidents as "extremely rare and isolated occurrences," affecting only four rooms across the four hotels. This is not the first time Vegas has faced such an issue, as bed bugs were previously found in seven other popular hotels between 2022 and 2023.
Java's Cafe in downtown Rochester, NY, was cited with multiple health violations, including critical ones related to food sourcing and refrigeration during a recent inspection. The cafe was also cited for tobacco use, inaccessible handwashing facilities, dirty ventilation hoods, and the presence of insects or rodents on the premises. The report comes after another cafe in the area, SPoT Coffee, was cited with 14 health violations, including one critical, and has since reopened.
Spot Coffee on East Avenue in Rochester has closed temporarily due to critical violations uncovered in a recent health inspection, including issues with food protection, sanitation, handwashing facilities, garbage storage, and food sourcing. The company is cooperating with health authorities, engaging pest control services, and implementing thorough cleaning and sanitation procedures to rectify the situation. Inspection reports for restaurants in Rochester and across New York state are public and can be accessed online.
A McDonald's location in Columbus, Ohio was temporarily shut down by Columbus Public Health after a customer reported finding a crack pipe in their order. The customer, Luther Tibbs, discovered the object after leaving the restaurant and promptly returned to raise his concerns with the manager. The health inspection report confirmed the complaint but did not determine the origin of the object. The inspection also revealed construction-related issues and unsanitary conditions within the restaurant. After passing inspection, the McDonald's reopened.
Whataburger's Daphne location in Alabama has reopened after temporarily closing for cleaning due to a customer-recorded video showing a rat in the bread racks. The restaurant underwent a deep cleanse, notified pest control, and worked with the health department to ensure a full inspection was completed. Whataburger stated that this was an isolated incident and that they are committed to cleanliness and food safety at their restaurants.
Bed bugs have been discovered in seven major hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, including Circus Circus, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Palazzo, Tropicana, MGM Grand, and Sahara. The health inspectors found bed bugs in these resorts over the past year and a half. The hotels have not responded to requests for comment, except for MGM Resorts, which stated that it has procedures in place to address and resolve any issues. Bed bugs are a common problem in hotels due to high occupancy turnover, and the best way to eliminate them is through cleaning, disinfection, and the use of pesticides.
During a health inspection at Captain Jack's Fish and Chicken in Knoxville, Tennessee, half a dozen critical violations were found, including uncovered boxes of food on the floor, excessive dirt on the ceiling of the freezer, a dirty can opener, and flies in the kitchen. The temperature of the chicken wings being held in the warming unit was also below the safe hot temperature. A follow-up inspection showed that all critical violations were corrected.
Bull & Bear Roadhouse in East Syracuse failed their health inspection with three violations, including improper cooling and refrigerated storage of potentially hazardous foods. The preparation cooler was not maintaining temperatures below 45 degrees, resulting in raw fish, cooked chicken wings, and bleu cheese being stored at unsafe temperatures. Other violations included food not protected in general and improper garbage and rubbish disposal. The Onondaga County Health Department released a list of other locations that passed their inspections.
Several restaurants and food vendors in Riverside County were ordered to close due to health violations such as cockroach and vermin infestations, improper wastewater disposal, and insufficient hot water. The list is published weekly with updates on closures and reopening.
A Walmart in Marion County had its food license suspended due to a rodent problem found during a health inspection. The inspector found rodent droppings near food and damages to packages of bread, rice, sugar, snacks, and pet food with droppings inside. The Walmart is a repeat offender and was cited for rodent activity in November 2022. The store needs to eliminate the mice, clean all shelving with droppings, get rid of any entries for the rodents, and get rid of all damaged food packaging. The health department will recheck the store next week.
