Grab a copy of today's Morning Call to see if you're among the people and businesses who have money available from the state, with no strings attached. The state treasury has more than $15 million in unclaimed property available to people with addresses in Lehigh County, and hundreds of them are named in a list the treasury published in today's newspaper.

Two Allentown residents really could hit the jackpot. They each are owed more than $20,000, according to a news release from Treasurer Rob McCord, which doesn't identify the lucky dogs by name. That's why it's important for everyone to check, as McCord estimates that one of every 10 state residents is owed unclaimed property.

There are benjamins waiting for Benjamin Levine of Macungie, who is owed dividends and stock.

There are plenty of nickels waiting for Otto Nikles of Allentown, who is owed estate funds.

Anne Dougherty of Allentown could be rolling in the dough, too. She's owed an insurance claims check.

The list in the newspaper doesn't identify the amounts, just names and addresses. To get the details, you have to call the treasury (800-222-2046) or go to its website, www.patreasury.gov. 

If you scan the two-and-a-half page ad in today's paper and don't see your name, don't pout. You should check the treasury's website because the list in The Morning Call doesn't include everyone in Lehigh County who has money waiting for them. It only identifies those whose names haven't been published in previous years as having money available to them, and only includes those owed more than $250.

Unclaimed property comes from a variety of sources. It could be proceeds from a bank account you forgot about, from an insurance payment you didn't know you had coming, or from a credit you had with a merchant or vendor. After a period of time has passed, the money must be turned over to the state.

Don't be lazy and ignore money you're entitled to, like several school districts have done.

The Morning Call has money waiting for it, too. I've alerted my superiors. They can make the finder's fee payable to the Watchdog.

It's a rite of passage for high school and college students to sweat out the summer over a fast food grill, mowing lawns or life guarding. While that might not seem the most fun way to scrape together summer spending money, at least the jobs are real.

Many job offers aren't, which makes hunting for a summer job tricky. Here's how to identify the job scams from the real job offers.

Job ads, in print and online, are full of sleazy attempts to steal your money or your personal information. Be cautious when applying and no matter how hard you want to show your independence, seek guidance from your parents.

Today's Watchdog column offers tips about how to identify which job offers may be fake. The Pennsylvania attorney general's office also offered advice recently.

"Falling for one of these bogus offers can trigger a variety of problems - leaving victims unemployed, facing financial losses and possibly becoming the target of identity thieves," Attorney General Linda Kelly said in her warning.

How do you know if a job offer is a con? There usually are signs if you slow down and pay attention.

Be on the lookout for a "boss" who changes their story frequently, who won't meet with you in person, won't give you a detailed job description, and, most importantly, demands that you pay in advance for uniforms or other expenses as a condition of employment.

Any offer that involves cashing checks you get in the mail and then wiring money to a foreign country most definitely is a scam. The check will bounce, and the money you wired will be taken from your bank account instead. This includes mystery shopping jobs.

When scanning ads, look for broken English and poor grammar. Crooks are lazy that way.

Here's a previous Watchdog column I wrote about job scams that includes more advice.

Memorial Day weekend is a big travel weekend. Accidents are inevitable. If you suffered an accident, here's how to get the most out of the insurance you're paying for.

The Consumer Federation of America offers this guide to handling your insurance claim. It tells you how to avoid getting low-balled, what to do if you don't think your insurer is treating you fairly and reminds you that it's up to you, not your insurance company, where your car gets repaired.

Here are the latest disciplinary actions announced by Pennsylvania's licensing boards against professionals who live and work in the Lehigh Valley area. The information is taken verbatim from the PA Department of State's website, where you can find all of the actions against professionals statewide.

PA Board of Cosmetology

Berks County

Phuong Thi Doan, d/b/a V and D Nails, license no. CY195050, of Reading, Berks County, was ordered to
pay a civil penalty of $1,700 and costs of investigation in the amount of $50.85 because it practiced nail
technology in a grossly incompetent or unethical manner. (03/12/12)

PA Board of Dentistry

Lehigh County

Nancy P. Tyson, D.H., license no. DH008035L, of Orefield, Lehigh County, had her license indefinitely
suspended based on her inability to practice with reasonable skill and safety by reason of mental or
physical illness or condition or physiological or psychological dependence upon alcohol, hallucinogenic
or narcotic drugs or other drugs which tend to impair judgment or coordination. (08/12/11)

Northampton County

George W. Gordon, D.D.S., license no. DS023881L, of Bethlehem, Northampton County, had his license
revoked based on findings he violated a previous Board order, for having practiced dentistry without
holding a current license and for having engaged in unprofessional conduct. (12/22/11)

PA Board of Medicine

Montgomery County

Frederic Joseph Weber, M.D., license no. MD026658E, of Ambler, Montgomery County had his license
suspended for at least three years, said suspension immediately stayed in favor of at least three years of
probation based on findings he violated the terms of his VRP Agreement. (10/27/11)

Secretary of the Commonwealth – Notaries Public

Bucks County

Maureen Kilkeary Milner, notary commission no. 1243424, of Bristol, Bucks County, agreed to the suspension of her notary commission for a period of three months, such suspension immediately stayed in favor of probation, subject to certain terms and conditions, successfully complete a six-hour notary practice and procedure course, and pay a civil penalty of $500 and probation assessment fees in the amount of $150 because she failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public. (04/03/12)

Lehigh County

Melissa S. Schantz, of Coplay, Lehigh County was disciplined and agreed to the permanent and voluntary
surrender of her notary commission no. 1186677, along with any other licenses, registrations, certificates
or permits issued to her at the time this Consent Agreement was adopted by the Secretary, because she
failed to know through personal knowledge or have satisfactory evidence that the persons appearing
before her were the persons described in and who were executing the instrument; failed to be familiar
with the duties of a notary public; and she is not of good character, integrity and ability. (04/09/2012)

Montgomery County

Sharon D. Overton, notary commission no. 1201121, of Elkins Park, Montgomery County, was suspended for a period of three months, such suspension immediately stayed in favor of probation, subject to certain
terms and conditions, successfully complete a six-hour notary practice and procedure course, and pay a
civil penalty of $500 and probation assessment fees in the amount of $150 because she failed to maintain
an accurate chronological register of all official acts by that notary done by virtue of that notary’s office
and failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public. (03/19/12)

Phillip J. Berg, notary commission no. 1245540, of Lafayette Hill, Montgomery County, had his
commission revoked. The action was based on Mr. Berg’s notarization of documents (his own nomination
petitions) in which he was a party directly or pecuniarily interested, in violation of sections 3(a), 5(b) and
19(e) of the Law, 57 P.S. §§149(a), 151(b) and 165(e). (02/23/12)

Grace E. Carr of Horsham, Montgomery County was disciplined and agreed to the voluntary and
permanent surrender of her notary commission no. 1023808, because she failed to keep and maintain
custody and control of an accurate chronological register of all official acts done by virtue of his office,
and she failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public. (04/03/2012)

Lisa A. Sanft, notary commission no. 1193771, of Lansdale, Montgomery County, was disciplined and agreed to the permanent and voluntary surrender of her notary commission because she failed to know through personal knowledge or have satisfactory evidence that the person appearing before the notary was the person described in and who was executing the instrument. (04/03/12)

Northampton County

Paul C. Hensel, notary commission 1252797, of Nazareth, Northampton County, agreed to suspension of
his notary commission for a minimum period of three months, such suspension to be immediately stayed
in favor of probation subject to certain terms and conditions; successfully complete a six-hour notary
practice and procedure course; and pay a civil penalty and probation assessment totaling $400 because he notarized a document in which he was directly interested and failed to be familiar with the duties and
responsibilities of a notary public. (03/19/12)

Gregory A. Young of Easton, Northampton County was disciplined and agreed to voluntarily and
permanently surrender his notary commission no. 1183883, because he failed to take and subscribe the
constitutional oath of office and record his signature and bond in the appropriate Recorder of Deeds
Office; he used a notary seal while not a notary public thereby impersonating a notary public; and he
failed to be familiar with the duties and responsibilities of a notary public. (04/03/2012)

PA Board of Nursing

Berks County

Rhonda Mace Clark, license no. PN080606L, of New Berlinville, Berks County was suspended for no
less than three years retroactive to July 11, 2011 based on her failure to comply with the terms of the
Disciplinary Monitoring Unit of the Professional Health Monitoring Program. (10/28/11)

Bucks County

Sally A. Wood Smedley, license no. RN541392of Warminster, Bucks County was suspended for no less
than three years retroactive to October 20, 2011 based on her failure to comply with an agreement entered into with the Commonwealth. (12/02/11)

Northampton County

Karen Kresge, license no. RN233973L, of Northampton, Northampton County, had her license revoked
based on her continuing to practice as a nurse while her license was suspended from June 19, 2008 to May 6, 2009. (12/10/11)

Kristina Shotwell, LPN, license no. PN261671 of Pen Argyl, Northampton County, had her license
suspended for no less than three years retroactive to June 8, 2011 based on findings that she violated the
terms of a previously issued Board order. (09/30/11)

PA Board of Osteopathic Medicine

Montgomery County

Harris M. Newman, DO, license no. OS003530L, of Gwynedd Valley, Montgomery County had his
license automatically suspended based on his having pled nolo contendere to felonies under the Drug
Act. (08/05/11)

Paris D. Hughes, DO, license no. OS006797L, of Maple Glen, Montgomery County had his license
automatically suspended based on his having pled guilty to a misdemeanor under the Drug Act.
(08/25/11)

PA Board of Psychology

Bucks County

John Louis Dimino, license no. PS007404L of Morrisville, Bucks County, was ordered to pay a civil
penalty of $1,000 and agreed to a public reprimand placed on his permanent record with the Board,
because he practiced psychology in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania while his license was expired
between December 1, 2009 and August 11, 2011 in violation of regulations promulgated by the Board.
(4/09/12)

PA Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons

Berks County

Raul S. Correa, of Reading, Berks County, was granted a probationary license for a period to run
concurrent with his criminal probation based upon his convictions for crimes of moral turpitude.
(02/10/12)

Bucks County

Jack W. Smith, license no. MV106152L, of Warrington, Bucks County was assessed a $2500 civil penalty and suspended for a period of three years, with the first year to be served as an active suspension and the
remainder stayed in favor of probation based upon his conviction for crimes involving moral turpitude.
(02/09/12)

Montgomery County

Brian R. Kirk, Jr., of Telford, Montgomery County was granted a probationary license as vehicle salesperson for a period of two years based upon his convictions for crimes of moral turpitude. (01/10/12)

If you're one of those people whose social life would crash and burn without Facebook, the last thing you want to see in your email is a warning that Facebook wants to cancel your account. It doesn't. Someone slick with computers has developed a clever scam to trick you. Here's how to avoid it.

The scam starts with an email saying Facebook has received a request to cancel your acount. It prompts you to follow a link. If you do, the Better Business Bureau warns, you'll be prompted to run an application that allows hackers to spy on your computer activities (presumably including reading your passwords to bank accounts) and take control of your computer.

The BBB says it got word of the scam from a computer security blog, Naked Security. Here is that blog's report on the scam, which includes screen shots of the various prompts that you may see.

What's particularly clever about this is that the link you're prompted to follow appears to be official because it goes to a facebook.com address. But it doesn't, the BBB says. It links to a third-party application running on the Facebook platform.

The bottom line is this. If you didn't request to cancel your account, it shouldn't be canceled. If you get a warning like this and want to check it out, log into your Facebook account and look for any messages, or contact Facebook. Never click on links or follow prompts in emails like this.

A few months ago, I told you about a pending settlement of a class-action lawsuit against Groupon. The negotiations took longer than I thought, but they've finally wrapped up and Groupon users could be in line for some cash.

According to consumeraffairs.com, Groupon will be paying $8.5 million to people who had trouble using the online deals they had purchased. I mentioned the possibility of a settlement in a column in February explaining the refund policies of Groupon and similar deals.

You can read the terms of the class-action settlement and file a claim here. 

Yet more elderly residents of Lehigh and Northampton counties have been scammed out of thousands of dollars, authorities say. This case was more elaborate than others I've seen, but like the others, was avoidable.

A total of 218 victims have been identified statewide in "Operation False Comfort." Authorities say there were victims in 41 counties. Of all those counties, Lehigh had the most victims with 24. Northampton and Bucks had 10 each, and Berks and Montgomery had 15 each.

My colleague Peter Hall detailed the case in a news report Tuesday. You can get more details from the attorney general's news release and the grand jury report.

My Watchdog column today focuses on the need for all of us to do a better job of helping to prevent seniors from being scammed. And I shared advice on how to research sales pitches like those authorities allege were made in Operation False Comfort.

Authorities said four men, Bruce Howard Cherry of Philadelphia; Ross M. Rabelow of Southampton, Bucks County; Thomas J. Muldoon of Broomall, Delaware County; and Robert P. Lerner of Philadelphia, are facing charges. Authorities said the companies involved were American Comfort Home Care Services, Global Services for the Home and Cherry Senior Solutions.

The attorney general's office said the scam involved selling senior citizens prepaid home care services contracts, where people would come to their homes and assist with things such as housekeeping, cooking, grooming and other non-medical tasks. Authorities said the money was collected, but the services rarely were provided.

What's scary about this scam is that many seniors are in the market for in-home care, as they try to stay in their homes and avoid moving to a nursing home or assisted living center.

If you're in the market for such care, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. For starters, state law requires providers of in-home care, both medical and non-medical, to be licensed by the state Department of Health. Make sure your care provider is licensed.

When looking for home care services, you should contact your county aging department. They can help you select a reputable agency, or even tell you if you qualify for any free services based on your circumstances. Here are links to the offices in Northampton and Lehigh counties.

Authorities allege the Operation False Comfort scam also involved taking money for insurance premiums and handling other long-term care financial matters. People who perform those tasks may have to be licensed by the state Department of Insurance, depending on what activities they're doing.

But even being diligent about verifying a license may not be enough to protect you, because in this case, authorities said, two of the suspects had licenses. So you have to do more.

Get references. Run the contract past someone you trust. Check out the company online for reports of angry customers. And use common sense.

The grand jury report in this case details how people were approached multiple times and pressured to pay large sums in advance. Those all are tell-tales signs of a scam.

If a stranger comes to your door with any kind of sales pitch, don't be rushed into making a decision. If the deal is good that day, it should be good the next day or next week, too, if the offer is legit. 

The grand jury report in Operation False Comfort says some of the victims had long-term business relationships with the suspects, which makes it harder to see through the scam.

That's where the rest of us come in. Churches, civic groups, senior centers and families need to keep an ongoing dialogue with the seniors they come in contact with so they know what's going on in their lives. They may pick up on something that sounds fishy.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is the federal government's new watchdog, charged with regulating all sorts of financial businesses in the hopes of avoiding future Wall Street fiascos. A study out today says the agency should be getting tougher on itself, too.

The audit, by the Government Accountability Office, says the issues it identified are not "material weaknesses or significant deficiencies."

"Nonetheless, we believe they warrant management’s attention and action," it says.

The audit said changes are necessary to ensure:

• an effective internal control assessment process supporting management’s internal control assertion,

• security over CFPB’s data and information systems,

• accurate calculation and timely recording of CFPB undelivered orders balances,

• accurate calculation and timely disbursement of CFPB payroll transactions,

• proper prior approval of CFPB travel transactions, and

• timely recording of CFPB prepaid expenses as assets.

"These issues increase the risk of CFPB not preventing or promptly detecting and correcting (1) misappropriation of assets because of reliance on insufficient internal controls; (2) unauthorized access, modification, or both of its data; and (3) misstatements in its financial statements. At the end of our discussion of each of these issues in the sections that follow, we present our related recommendations. These recommendations are intended to improve management’s oversight and controls and minimize the risk of misappropriation of assets, misstatements in CFPB’s accounts and financial statements, and unidentified vulnerabilities over the security of its data."

Skechers agreed last week to settle a federal investigation into the health claims it made about its toning shoes.

It's not the only major brand to face false advertising accusations. You're sure to recognize some of these other brands, too. They may even be in your home.

In addition to Skechers, the Federal Trade Commission and authorities in several states, including Pennsylvania, have challenged the health claims made in ads for these products. You'll find the basics in today's Watchdog column. The links below will take you to documents that explain more about each investigation.

Skechers 

Reebok

Oreck

Dannon

Nivea

These restaurants, stores and other food establishments failed food safety inspections from April 27 to May 7. Here's what inspectors found, according to their reports:

LOUIES RESTAURANT

2071 31^st St. S.W., Allentown

May 7, 2012

Employee observed with an open beverage container in a food preparation area. Drinking in a food preparation area may only be done from a lidded container through a straw.

Food employee observed handling raw beef and then continuing to assemble a cheese steak without first washing his hands. Hands must be washed when contamination may have occurred.

The Italian wedding soup at the buffet was only 127 degrees F. All potentially hazardous foods in hot holding must be maintained at or above 135 degrees F. The food was less than two hours out of temperature and was ordered reheated to above 165 degrees F.

Containers and buckets of food are being stored on the floor in the walk-in cooler and/or walk-in freezer. Store all food elevated at least six inches.

There are no sneeze guards provided at the buffet. Sneeze guard must be provided at the buffet, even if the chaffing pan is lidded. Provide sneeze guards at both the hot and cold buffet.

Scoops without handles are being stored in the bulk ingredients. Only scoops with handles may be stored in the product and the handle must be maintained out of the product.

There are crates of clean container lids and cooking trays stored on the floor in the dish room. Store clean utensils elevated at least six inches off of the floor.

The floor in the food preparation area under the equipment is dirty. Clean the floor.

Coopersburg Diner

336 N. Third St., Coopersburg

May 4, 2012

 

A food employee was observed touching * - a ready to eat food - with bare hands.

*, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch.

* food, a potentially hazardous ready to eat food requiring datemarking, in the * area, was not date marked, or was beyond the date-marking and requires discarding.

* Observed *poisonous or toxic material OR personal care item*, in * area, not clearly labeled with a manufacturer's label.

Working containers in * area, used for storing *chemicals, cleaners* taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical.

Observed * food being cooled in large stock pots in walk-in cooler, which is not a proper cooling method.

Observed * food being cooled in refrigerator / walk-in cooler in containers with tight fitting lids, which is not a proper cooling method.

Observed * food cooling at room temperature on the *, which is not a proper cooling method.

Observed * frozen food sitting at room temperature until no longer frozen to the touch, which is not proper slacking procedure.

* food observed thawing at room temperature on the *, which is not an approved thawing method.

Observed wet wiping cloths in * area, not being stored in sanitizer solution.

Food employee observed storing clean food equipment while wet, and not allowing time for draining and/or air-drying.

Food employee in * area, observed wearing cloth gloves in contact with ready-to-eat foods.

Observed * cooking equipment / pans, in the * area, with encrusted grease and soil accumulation.

Observed * equipment, in * area, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces.

Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil.

Sewage / wastewater from the food facility is not being disposed of properly to an approved sewage system.

Outdoor storage area for refuse is not adequately sloped to drain, as evidenced by pooling water.

Trash receptacles are not durable, cleanable, leak proof, and/or rodent and insect resistant.

Outdoor storage area for waste is located * and is creating a potential insect or rodent hazard for the food facility.

Outdoor refuse area is not curbed and graded to drain, to collect liquid waste and cleaning water.

* area of the food facility is extremely dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning.

Floor / wall / ceiling in the * area is made of * and is cracked / roughened / and is not a smooth, easily cleanable surface.

SANDWICHERA EL PUNTO

410 W. Tilghman St., Allentown

May 4, 2012

Employees change tasks with out first washing hands. Hands must be washed when changing tasks and before applying single use gloves.

Hand soap is not provided at hand washing sink in food prep area. Hand washing sinks must be supplied with soap and single use paper towels at all times.

Baine marie unit is not capable of holding potentially hazardous foods at a temperature of 41 degrees F or below. Internal temperatures of ham, 45 degrees F, cheese, 44 degrees F, salami, 51 degrees F, chicken, 50 degrees F, and beef, 49 degrees F were recorded. All out of temperature potentially hazardous food in this unit were discarded. Potentially hazardous foods must be kept at a temperature of 41 degrees F or below.

The baine marie unit in the food prep area and the refrigerator below it are cold holding potentially hazardous foods from temperatures ranging 44 to 51 degrees F. No food is to be placed in this unit. Have this unit serviced or replaced. This unit is not be used for cold holding foods until approved by Allentown Health Bureau.

The interior of the chicken oven and the pans used to bake chicken in the back food prep area are left unclean after use and heavily soiled with chicken fat. Clean this oven and wash, rinse,sanitize, pans after every use.

Note: Now in compliance per May 8 follow-up inspection

ALLENTOWN CENTER CITY DINER

845 Linden St., Allentown

May 3, 2012

An employee was observed putting on a pair if gloves without first washing their hands. Hands must be washed prior to putting on gloves.

A 3lb 4oz can of Northern mushrooms located in the dry storage area was dented. Segregate this can and either discard it or return it to the vendor for credit.

There was a pink mildew build-up in side of the ice machine. Clean and sanitize the inside of the ice machine.

There was food residue on the slicers in the kitchen. Clean and sanitize the slicers.

Onion, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, ham, cheese, dressing, mayonnaise, hamburgers and macaroni salad in the baine marie were not maintaining temperatures of 41 degrees F or below. All food that was maintaining temperatures between 42 and 45 degrees F were moved to the walk-in cooler immediately. Foods with temperatures above 45 degrees F were discarded.

The baine marie was not maintaining food temperatures at or below 41 degrees F. Service this unit. Do not use this unit until it can maintain food temperatures at or below 41 degrees F.

The baine marie did not have thermometer. Provide this unit with a thermometer. All refrigeration units must have thermometers.

An employee was not wearing a hat while preparing food. All employees preparing food must wear a hat.

Wiping cloths were observed tucked in an employees apron and on a food prep table. All wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer solution.

An employees was observed wiping a knife with a soiled wiping cloth, rinsing the knife and then using it for food preparation. All in-use utensils must be washed, rinsed and sanitized in between each use.

In the back room, a rack used to store bags of potatoes and onions had an accumulation of dust and grease. Clean this rack.

There was a grease build-up on the hood above the cooking line. Clean the hood.

The floor behind the cooking lines and the refrigeration equipment have a build-up of grease and dirt. Clean these floors.

I-78 QUICK STOP/ SUBWAY

2298 Golden Key Road, New Smithville

May 2, 2012

The Food Facility Operator shall be the Person in Charge or shall designate a Person in Charge and shall ensure that a Person in Charge is present at the food facility during all hours of operation. There was no Person in Charge at this facility at the beginning of this inspection. The facility manager, Mr Harinder Singh (owner's husband), was contacted by telephone and informed this inspector that Mr Sukhdev Singh was the Person in Charge. Mr Sukhdev Singh was not aware he was the Person in Charge.

Food employee observed donning single use gloves without a prior hand wash. Corrected

The food facility does not have a handwash sink located in the warewashing area.

The warewashing sink is equipped with hand soap and single-use towels for handwashing. Handwashing aids and devices are not permitted at food prep or warewashing sinks.

Outdated milk was being offered for sale. Corrected

Raw shell eggs are displayed above ready to eat foods in the self-serve refrigerated display case.

Bagged ice is stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer.

Observed clean food equipment and/or utensils in the warewashing area, stored wet in a manner that does not allow for draining and/or air drying (wet nesting).

The lights in the warewashing area are not shielded or shatter proof.

New food facility in operation more than 90 days and has not employed a certified supervisory employees as required. This is a repeat violation. During an inspection conducted 11/4/10 the owner presented an invoice for a FEC dated 11/4/10, the course was apparently not completed.

ESTELAS DAY CARE

1449 Linden St., Allentown

May 2, 2012

 Milk being cold held in the refrigerator had a temperature of 49F. Cold hold all food at temperatures of 41F or less at all times.

The refrigerator is not capable of maintaining food at temperatures of 41F or less. Repair the refrigerator so that it functions correctly.

The refrigeration thermometer is not accurate because it is reading 20F and food temperatures were 49F. Replace this thermometer with an accurate refrigeration thermometer.

NEW SOLIDOS RESTAURANT

802 N. 7^th St., Allentown

May 2, 2012

 A water bottle and a coffee cup were seen in the kitchen. When drinking in a food preparation area employees must drink from a cup with a lid and a straw.

Beef, chicken and potatoes in the refrigerators and freezers were uncovered. All stored food must be covered .

Raw fish was being stored in a container with bloody water. Remove the fish from this container. Store fish in a clean container.

Cheese, hotdogs, sauerkraut and cream cheese located in the refrigerators in the bar area were not maintaining temperatures of 41 degrees or below. Food was in the refrigerators over night. Food was discarded immediately.

Cut cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers were being stored on a prep table at room temperature. The vegetables were out for more than 4 hours and were discarded immediately. Cut vegetables must maintain temperatures at or below 41 degrees F.

The refrigerators in the front of the restaurant were not maintaining food temperatures of 41 F degrees or below. Service these units and do not store foods requiring refrigeration in them until they can maintain food temperatures at 41 degrees F or below.

Thermometers were not located in any of the refrigerators or freezers. Provide thermometers for these units.

An employee was observed with a wiping cloth tucked in his apron in between uses. All wiping cloths must be stored in sanitizer solution.

Spoon for dishing beef was buried in the beef. The ice scoop was buried in the ice. All in-use utensils must be stored with the handle above the food and/or ice.

A dirty knife was being used to cut chicken at the hot holding unit. All utensils must be washed, rinsed and sanitized in between uses.

A mufungo maker and knives are being stored without being washed. Wash, rinse and sanitize utensils after each use.

Dishes are not being washed, rinsed or sanitized on a daily basis. Dishes must be washed rinsed, sanitized and air dried after each use.

The interiors of the refrigerators, freezers and microwave, the fryers, cooking line and the prep tables were greasy and dirty with food residue. Clean all these areas.

Trash and recycling bins were located on top of food prep tables and dish storage tables. All trash and recycling bins must be stored on the floor and segregated from food prep and clean storage areas.

There was grease on the floor surrounding the cooking line. Clean the floor.

Grease and dust were observed on the exhaust fan. Clean this fan.

Note: Now in compliance per May 4 follow-up inspection

 CONTINENTAL RESTAURANT

1301 Hamilton St., Allentown

April 27, 2012

Clean utensils were stored in the hand sink and therefore the sink was not available for hand washing. Remove all utensils from the sink and use this sink only for hand washing.

Paper towel dispenser was empty at the hand wash sink. Supply paper towels to this sink immediately and at all times.

Moldy plantains were stored in a box in the kitchen. Discard the plantains immediately and discard all spoiled food immediately upon its discovery.

Open jars of garlic and caesar dressing were observed on shelving. The jars were labeled keep refrigerated. Discard the garlic and the dressing immediately and read and follow all label directions. Cold hold food at temperatures of 41F or less at all times.

The floor under the fryer requires cleaning to remove grease. Clean the floor under the fryer to remove the grease.

DUNKIN DONUTS

1427 W. Tilghman St., Allentown

April 27, 2012

 Fruit flies were evident at the facility at the time of inspection. According to manager, there was a fruit fly nest detected under the front counter at the ice machine. The facility has contracted an exterminator to control the issue. Continue to treat floor drains and monitor the traps in order to eliminate all fruit flies from the facility.

A leaking water filter was detected at the ice machine. Repair the filter lines so it does not leak. Remove all standing water from the floor.

The food safety certification was not posted at this facility. Food safety certifications must be posted at all times.

Note: Now in compliance per May 4 follow-up inspection

More about food safety inspections:

State, county and local inspectors routinely check conditions at restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, corner stores, school cafeterias and other places where food is sold or served.

I am not passing judgment on these establishments, just presenting to you what already has been publicly published by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. The reports above are taken verbatim from that website, where you can find more information and historical reports.

Keep in mind that these reports are a snapshot in time. Many of the violations likely were corrected immediately. Many violations are minor, and even businesses that are considered to be compliant can have violations. A business can have a few violations and still be compliant, or have only one violation and be non-compliant. It all depends on the nature of the problem, but if a restaurant or store was determined to be out of compliance, that suggests the inspector found significant problems.

You can check the inspection histories of non-compliant establishments to see if the problem appears to be a one-time event or a potentially long-standing issue.

Violations are broken into two categories, according to the Department of Agriculture:

Foodborne Illness Risk Factors: These are the types of violations that can make someone ill if they are not corrected. Factors such as good worker hygiene, correct holding and storing temperatures for foods and making sure the food comes from approved sources are all critical for ensuring public health. If one of these violations is found, it must be corrected immediately or it will put the entire inspection out of compliance. The violation will still show up on the report if it is corrected immediately, but the restaurant will be considered in compliance. On the report, these violations are listed in red.

Good Retail Practices: These violations are also important for protecting public health, but have less potential to cause a significant foodborne illness. If a restaurant has one or two of these violations, they should be corrected immediately or a follow-up inspection will be required. It may or may not put the restaurant out of compliance, depending on the severity and the circumstances of the violation.

 

 

 

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