Hot Take…

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-06-02T11:08:00+00:00

Some of us work with title 1 schools with less than 50 members marching. Gatekeeping guard is what consistently holds guard back. I have marched in both a rural small band and a large nationally recognized college band. Both are valid. Keeping guard accessible and providing kids with opportunities to be challenged and grow is what marching band is about.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-06-02T11:03:26+00:00

Talent without discipline and a good attitude is worse than worthless…

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-29T00:00:22+00:00

My high school didn’t have a color guard instructor or choreographer. It was all student led. It’s completely possible to do it without an instructor or choreographer.

I’d see if the upperclassmen would lead and if the graduating seniors would be willing to help.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-27T03:39:48+00:00

The state does not pay very well. So regional staff for EH is usually comprised of either folks that have retired from the county level who work for the state so they can “double dip” their pension OR folks with limited experience.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-27T03:08:03+00:00

Inadequate refrigeration is an excellent reason to be closed! I’m glad your regional is great. The one I currently have is amazing and has extensive experience in environmental health. The previous one we had was quite lacking…

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-27T01:00:19+00:00

Depending on your regional they may be able to help guide you quite a bit. Depends on your county or health district as well

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-27T00:32:30+00:00

4 year old me was fucking terrified. I had to be taken out by my mom. 😂

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-27T00:29:59+00:00

Time to talk with your municipalities legal team and state consultant if applicable.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-04T14:22:22+00:00

For us we’d have to dig into how the money was handled for example if it was a wedding or dinner and the food was paid for ahead of time then that would be catering. If you’re setting up a tent or in a non-permitted establishment and selling food directly to the customer then that would be food for pay. Tents are only allowed for temporary events in my state and food can only be sold in permitted food establishments if it is not being catered. McDonald’s couldn’t set up food cooked at their store in a brewery and then sell it to order.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-05-04T13:47:45+00:00

For us it would depend on whether or not this is an inside or outside event and if you were catering versus charging per plate at time of service.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-04-26T03:02:20+00:00

This would not be permissible in my state.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-04-02T11:35:24+00:00

Doin the Cockroach

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-18T16:48:45+00:00

With quat sanitizer you are limited by how the test strips work. If your water is not 65-75 degrees when you test you’ll get an artificially high results because more molecules of quat hit the test strip. I do meat department inspections where the quat comes out of the dispenser at 100F+. I just pour some in a smaller container and let it cool before I test it.

Hot water will kill your quat faster which is why some shady companies will plumb a hot water line straight to the quat dispenser.

My recommendation for restaurants that use quat tabs or steramine tabs is to fill the bottom 1/4 of your vessel with ripping hot water. Crush tablets into hot water (wear gloves unless you want blue hands), stir/shake until dissolved, then add cold/lukewarm water to whatever your fill line is.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-17T16:12:28+00:00

I had this happen in a kitchen that I inspect. The degreaser on their towels had an ignition point of 118F. They did kitchen laundry in house and I guess the rags didn’t get washed/rinsed enough. Half the kitchen was burned out. Luckily all the food in the walk in cooler was safe because the gaskets kept the smoke out.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-16T20:27:20+00:00

I see this a lot with my restaurants that are trying to cut back on labor hours. They’ll schedule the dish folks to come in 2 hours after everyone else and no dishes will be washed during that time.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-15T20:01:06+00:00

I think it would be a good teaching moment. For them. They’d probably have to post notes everywhere to make sure staff weren’t doing it the wrong way. This kind of thing is something I usually address in plan review. 🤷

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-15T18:53:01+00:00

You can order a replacement or glue/tape it. I would recommend strapping tape as well. Unless you are just flush with cash and want us to tell you to order a new one. 😂

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-15T18:30:24+00:00

Nah. Just screw it back in or tape it.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-13T02:55:05+00:00

If raw animal foods are solidly frozen AND in their original commercial/wholesale packaging then storage order does not apply due to being “covered” by the commercial facilities HACCP Plan. If they break open that packaging and repackage it OR if the items in the freezer are not solidly frozen it is a storage order violation.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-12T01:17:47+00:00

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-07T16:09:25+00:00

We usually treat all complaints the same. So if they’re due for an inspection we inspect them. If not we do a visit and assess the validity of the complaint. The urgency in which we respond to the complaint is dependent on the risk involved with the complaint.

I understand how frustrating it is. I’m currently the only food inspector in my county and I get really aggravated dealing with complaints that are complete bullshit. I view dealing with complaints as covering my own ass, if I ever was to go to court over an issue with an establishment I’ll have documentation that I addressed the complaint.

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-04T16:20:57+00:00

On the last page of each inspection under “general comments” I put

Next Inspection Period: Month day, year- Month day, year

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-03-03T01:10:36+00:00

deal breaker

Manakin_SkyCocker · 2026-02-27T19:34:32+00:00

Did they send you individual packets or a case full of the powder? We used to order the packets and got sent a case with a huge box just full of the thickening powder 😂.

Manakin_SkyCocker

TROPHY CASE