The image links to a dynamic map. (The color coding scheme goes like this: Green=Zero violations; Yellow=At least 1 non-critical violation but no critical violations; Red=At least 1 critical violation.)
This week Monroe County’s health department released the reports for inspections of food service operations that were conducted in February.
More than half (47) of the 81 places that were inspected in February had no violations.
Recording at least one non-critical violation, but no critical violations were 15 establishments. Recording at least one critical violation were 19 establishments.
The image links to a dynamic map. (The color coding scheme goes like this: Green=Zero violations; Yellow=At least 1 non-critical violation but no critical violations; Red=At least 1 critical violation.)
On Tuesday, Monroe County’s health department released its next iteration of online restaurant inspections.
The 34 inspections completed in January are now available through Monroe County’s OpenGov interface.
In January, 22 restaurants had zero violations: Arby’s #5679, Bowls 4 Boots, Café Pizzaria Inc., Circle S Food Mart #65, Cloverleaf(South), CVS Pharmacy #10676, CVS Pharmacy #6698, CVS Pharmacy #8671, DollarGeneral #6174, Domino’s Pizza (East), Domino’s Pizza (South), Ellie Mae’s Bouqcakes, Five Guys Kirkwood, Go Puff Kitchens, Heri #14 dba On The Way, InsomniaCookies, Jenny’s Baking Co., Jimmy John’s #1376, Marlin Elementary School, PappyShack Mobile Food Truck, Unionville Elementary School, Vendors at Winter Market. Continue reading “Next iteration of Monroe County restaurant inspections now online”→
On Friday, The B Square received an anonymous tip that Monroe County’s health department had implemented “a large layoff” without informing the local food services industry.
Monroe County’s health department building looking southeast at the corner of College Avenue and 7th Street. (Dec. 10, 2022)
Stephen Pritchard, who is vice president of the board of health, was reached by The B Square on Saturday morning for comment.
Pritchard confirmed some departures from the department, a number he pegged at “less than five.”
Responding to a followup question, Pritchard wrote that one position was in vital records, and another in environmental services. Pritchard wrote that he is unsure in which area a third departure worked.
In Monroe County’s health department, environmental services encompasses food safety, among other areas.
About the possible perception that there had been large numbers of health department employees who have left, Pritchard wrote, “Some of these departures were in the past week, which may have created the impression, among some, that there was a large exodus, which is false.”
Pritchard wrote that the open positions would be posted, using the proper county channels, most likely right away.
Seven Oaks Classical School is again challenging its citation for violation of the county’s indoor mask mandate, which is connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county has enacted a mask regulation to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In August, the school was cited by the county for violation of the mask mandate and fined $250.
After hearing the school’s appeal, commissioners upheld the citation, but waived the fine.
Monroe County’s indoor mask mandate, for the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike, will continue into November and possibly even beyond—until the county’s positive COVID-19 case numbers drop to fewer than 50 cases per week per 100,000 residents.
That was the unanimous vote of Monroe County’s board of health at its Thursday meeting.
The current regulation goes through the end of October. In the current regulation, a drop in positive case numbers below 50 cases per week per 100,000 residents is also a condition tied to an end to the mask mandate.
Responding to an emailed question from The B Square, county health administrator Penny Caudill said the exact wording of the new regulation was not yet determined.
The dark purple line is the 7-day rolling average of confirmed positive COVID-19 cases. The height of the red line is at 21.2 cases a day. That’s the daily average below which Monroe County needs to stay in order to remain in the “yellow” category for weekly cases per 100,000 residents, in the state’s dual-metric classification scheme.
Indiana governor Eric Holcomb announced Tuesday an end to statewide COVID-19 restrictions, starting April 6.
But Monroe County health administrator Penny Caudill said on Friday that Monroe County’s regulations will remain in place for the time being.
That’s based in part on a recent uptick in positive cases in the county, which includes Indiana University’s campus.
Caudill was speaking at the weekly Friday news conference held by local officials on COVID-19 response.
Under the county board of health’s current health order, Caudill and county health officer Thomas Sharp have the “the ability to adjust restrictions—in any particular area—as required, in order to protect the public health.”
After peaking at around 20 in the third week of July, the 7-day rolling average of positive cases in Monroe County dropped to about half that by the first week of August. Now, in the third week of August, it’s reached around 20 cases per day again.
On Friday, the county board of health voted unanimously to give the county attorney and the health officer the authority to convert the recommendations into something stronger—regulations, which can be enforced under county ordinance.
For example, the previously recommended occupancy for a communal living facility was a range from 50 to 75 percent. Friday’s action will cap the occupancy at 75 percent, and that will have the force of a regulation. Based on the discussion at Friday’s board of health meeting, the regulatory cap means some sorority and fraternity members will need to move out of their Greek houses.
The recommendation allowing “essential” guests but prohibiting “non-essential” guests, among other previous recommendations, will also become a regulation.
The board’s action came after Indiana University announced the previous day that it had directed all Greek houses to suspend “in-person organizational activities” other than dining and housing for live-in members until at least Sept. 14, 2020.
In a press release issued late Wednesday afternoon, Monroe county’s health department said it’s investigating a spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases, after the state’s dashboard, updated every day at noon, showed 12 new cases for the county.
