New York City’s Health Department has taken the blame for the KFC/Taco Bell rat infestation that made national news. (If, though some miracle you haven’t seen the footage yet, i.e. you’ve just come out of a coma or recently regained lost eye-sight, do give it a look. It’s worth it.) Anyhow, the inspector who gave a pass to the KFC/Taco Bell has resigned and the Health Department is, like, really sorry and stuff.
infestations
Warning: Rats In The Walmart!
By 3.21.07
Rats! In the Walmart! New York City may have more than its share of rodents, but one pest we don’t have is Walmart…which is why for this rat infestation report we’ll be traveling all the way to sunny Phoenix! From KTAR:
A health inspector said he found mouse droppings at a Valley Wal-Mart on Monday after shoppers reported seeing rodents in a bakery case.
NYC Health Commissioner: Rats Are Not A Health Risk
By 3.9.07
The city spends $8 million a year on rodent control and has a team of more than 100 inspectors who close about 500 restaurants each year.
More Fast Food Rats In Tomorrow's New York Post?
By 2.28.07
I was just at Au Bon Pain on 38th & 3rd, and when I stepped outside with my coffee, a NYPost reporter and photographer stopped me to talk about the recent spate of rat sightings in that particular ABP, and their poor grades on recent health inspections. He said a story will run in tomorrow’s Post (headline: French Rats Invade! (?)). We stood on the corner and chatted about the recent KFC thing, and he agreed that if he could get them on video, it could be another front-page ‘scandal’. I had previously seen a little mouse in the ABP on 39th & Madison, (which they said they’d check out) but these guys said large rats were spotted this time. He asked me if I was still going to drink the coffee, and I shrugged and said ‘I went to Manhattan College, so rats in the eating area isn’t a huge deal to me.’ He smiled and said look in tomorrow’s News section.
Well, we’ll say one thing for the New York Post, they’re certainly more proactive than the NYC Health Department. Have any of you people seen rats at the Au Bon Pain? —MEGHANN MARCO
Health Inspector That Passed The Rat Infested KFC Suspended
By 2.28.07
The health inspector – whose name was not released – was “removed from restaurant inspection duty,” while the city’s health department reviews other inspections the staffer performed since being put on the job in June 2006, officials said.
KFC/Taco Bell Rat Apologist Comments On Vincent Ferrari's Blog
By 2.27.07
KFC/Taco Bell left a note over on Vincent Ferrari’s blog on a post about the profusion of rats at a western Manhattan KFC. We really liked this part (emphasis added):
Rat Infested KFC Passed Health Inspection The Day Before
By 2.26.07
“It doesn’t look like the inspection that was done Thursday met our standards,” said Geoffrey Cowley, a health department spokesman. “I don’t want to prejudge that. We’re concerned and we’re going to carefully reevaluate that inspection.”
The so-called inspection was performed in response to complaints about rats in the restaurant, and yet the inspector couldn’t find any. How mysterious. —MEGHANN MARCO
New York City Lets the Bedbugs Bite
By 9.19.06
The city of New York is experiencing an epidemic of bedbugs with no apparent cause. Officials recently voted down a measure to ban the sale of used mattresses, because, duh, new mattresses are expensive and people need somewhere to sleep.
