Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

WATERTOWN With the project sitting idle for months, work will resume this summer on restoring the exterior of the historic Masonic Temple building on Washington Street.

The owners will focus on two big projects restoring the front portico and installing an elevator in the landmark at 242 Washington St.

Work also will include repairing the soffit, the overhang near the roof thats now covered by netting to prevent pieces of the building to fall from above.

The project has been stalled while owners Augusta Withington and Robert J. Campany, who co-own Fourth Coast Inc., a renewable energy company in Clayton, figure out how to go about completing the exterior work.

Youre going to see some activity there this summer, Mr. Campany said,

For months, orange scaffolding has surrounded one of the six fluted Doric columns on the front of the Greek Neoclassical style building after workers carefully removed its outer layer last year.

The owners are working with the state Historic Preservation Office, or SHIPO, on finalizing the drawings for the project. Theyre also looking at what type of material should be used to restore the columns at the front of the building, he said.

Last week, Mr. Campany met with Carolyn Meunier, the citys code enforcement supervisor, and City Engineer Michael DeLaney about the project. Fourth Coast officials wanted to get feedback on plans to possibly install the elevator within the buildings footprint.

Mrs. Meunier said shes excited about the project. I think its a beautiful building, she said. I think its great theyre going to be working on it.

The project was one of the recipients of the citys $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative program. The Masonic Temple was awarded $2.2 million in DRI funding and $500,000 each in the states Restore NY and Consolidated Funding Application programs.

While the facade work will resume this summer, Mr. Campany stressed that the $10 million to turn the building into multiuse performance and event venue is a multiyear project.

Plans also call for turning the basement into some kind of food business and possibly creating loft apartments in the former gym on the third floor. The first floor has professional offices, with The Tunes 92.5 FM WBLH radio station and a handful of other tenants now occupying space on the main floor.

He would not speculate how long it will take to complete the entire project, saying it will depend on the availability of additional funding.

State DRI folks have not been pressuring Fourth Coast to get the Masonic Temple project done, Mr. Campany said.

I think everyone is anxious for it to begin, said Michael A. Lumbis, the citys planning and community development director.

The Masonic Temple is one of 10 DRI projects getting funding. The projects are in varying stages of planning to completion.

Read more:
Exterior work on Masonic Temple building to resume this summer - NNY360

A plate is dually useful, holding food or church collections, and so, too, is the cup, at once a trophy and a grail. But the vase has always simply held flowers, the vessel and its mate inseparable. Inside, greens stand upright, just as they grow in the fields, the reservoir of water at the bottom a magic trick that prolongs the illusion of life.

But what if the bouquet breaks free to snake up the edge of a door, lies on the tile floor like a thick, knotted carpet or gathers above our heads an unruly poof of twisted, thorny stems and palm fronds laced improbably with purplish-black hydrangea like a stop-motion explosion, miraculous and disorienting? What if we allow flowers to transmogrify into a sculptural medium like clay or marble or steel, unique in their ephemerality but ultimately just another organic formation?

I almost cant remember the time when I was a slave to the vase, says Ruby Barber, 31, among the floral artists who have in recent years rendered the word arrangement quaint. The daughter of contemporary art gallerists, Barber moved from her native Sydney, Australia, in 2012 to Berlin, where, in her studio, Mary Lennox, she often crafts monumental Rorschach-like installations that seem not merely to defy gravity but to openly taunt it: armfuls of dried pampas grass, amaranth and loopy hops that hang from hooks on the ceiling; a geyser of translucent lunaria seedpods glinting like silver dollars in place of a chandelier in a Paris apartment; a staircase banister wrapped with cherry and orange boughs braided with Queen Annes lace. While she works with fresh flowers in the spring and summer, Barber finds herself increasingly using dried materials; their stiffness lends itself to abstraction and frees her from using imported commercial flowers from the Netherlands or China in the autumn and winter. More and more, people want something that can be reused and have another life, she says. I have hardly been asked to do a regular table centerpiece lately, which I think is indicative of change in the air.

It makes a certain sense that the once ubiquitous symmetrical dome of roses, clonelike in its perfection, seems to have vanished. Lets face it, they were like a salon blowout, says Alex Eagle, who often features Barbers concoctions in her eponymous clothing and furniture boutique in Berlin. The demise of conventional floristry has been hastened as well by the rejection of toxic floral foam; its replacements chicken wire or recycled coconut husks have spurred creativity. At a recent dinner Eagle hosted at her London home, the florist Simone Gooch of Fjura placed rose plants in large cubes of exposed soil at the center of the table, their roots fanning out in all directions. They were so transfixing, so beautiful to look at. Afterwards, I took them and planted them in my garden, Eagle says.

Social media is behind some of this change, of course, altering how we perceive beauty, freezing it in place, giving an afterlife to a cluster of blossoms that might wilt overnight, but floral artists have also tapped into an inchoate desire in recent times to cultivate imperfection and even a touch of chaos. As the world beyond seems to spin out of control, we try to soothe ourselves for a while with the illusion of order and symmetry. But at a certain point, we simply let go.

Violeta Gladstone, 40, whose floral studio is in Barcelona, Spain, appreciates the raw geometries of the artist Richard Serra, whose recent series of sculptures, exhibited at Gagosian in New Yorks Chelsea neighborhood last fall, featured 50-ton forged steel cylinders of varying heights and diameters. You want strength and courage in your forms, says Gladstone, who listens to Chet Baker and Claude Debussy, among others, as she works, letting their riffs inspire her floral imagery. For an installation last year, she stacked philosophy books amid a jungle of magnolia leaves, grasses and snapdragons, punctuating the scene with newly sprouted grape hyacinth bulbs caked with dirt, like tiny purple pearls in the wreckage. In another of her arrangements, a mass of tissue-petaled ivory peonies is disrupted by an alabaster anthurium, its spadix jutting up from the flowers platelike surface.

Are there limits to floral abstraction, as the vase recedes further and further into the distance? Perhaps only those of nature; the New York-based floral designer Emily Thompson, 46, a pioneer of sculptural interpretation, cautions us not to stray too far from what makes a flower bloom: a source of water. Flowers, she says, remind us of what it takes to sustain life. At the Pool, one of two restaurants inside the landmarked Philip Johnson-designed space that was once the Four Seasons, her massive revolving installation was erected for nearly a year in the dining rooms 14-by-14-foot pool, transforming it into a giant vase. Like a volcano, it seemed to spit forth its arrangement: a 14-foot-high foundation of gloriously twisted mountain laurel branches covered in lichen, wrapped in foraged invasive greenbrier vines. Each week, Thompson altered its identity, dappling the mass with local flowering quince, velvet philodendrons or autumn foliage and berries, depending on the season. The flowers spilled, they climbed, they drenched one another. There is a balance between pushing the boundaries of art and retaining identity, the very essence of what makes flowers so powerful, Thompson says. Its as much a moral question as an aesthetic one.

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How Floral Arrangements Began to Take Over the Table and the Entire Room - The New York Times

When you walk through the doors at Station Gallery in Whitby, Ont., you're immediately hit with a warm, creamy scent emanating from the inner gallery. It might not be obvious when you see it, but artist Noni Kaur's brightly coloured installation is made using 200lbs of pure desiccated coconut.

Her exhibition "Microbial Feasts" has taken over Station Gallery, and includes her multimedia works, windowcoverings, and the show-stopping coconut installation that covers almost the entire floor of one room.

Kaur has created her coconut installations around the world, from Tokyo to Havana (you can also currently find another one at the Ottawa School of Art until March 28) and no two installations are ever the same. "What you see here is only going to be shown in this space and every time the work is shown in a different space it takes on a different form," she explains.

The installation references the tradition of rangoli where colourful designs in rice, sand, pigment or flowers decorate floors in homes and public spaces. Rangoli is practiced in India and Singapore, where Kaur grew up, but she has put her own mark on the practice by using coconut and her signature abstract designs.

"It takes a long long process for it to even get to this stage," says Kaur. She uses her own formulas to hand-dye the coconut for maximum saturation. After several weeks, when the coconut is completely dry, she spends hours pouring out the design on the floor of her installation space.

The design evokes the female reproductive system, and like the human body, it breaks down as time goes on. The show will be up for almost two months (until March 22, 2020), and Kaur welcomes bacteria and decay to take over the coconut hence the name "microbial feasts."

When the exhibition is over, Kaur sweeps up the coconut and moves on to the next show. The installation is ephemeral just like life.

See the rest here:
You'll never guess what this installation is made of...until you smell it - CBC.ca

City officials are one step closer to giving the nod for interior renovation work to begin at Blackshears historic train depot, but theres still one hurdle to navigate revision of the citys alcohol ordinance.

The city council will need to consider a revision to its alcohol ordinance to potentially allow for alcoholic beverages to be served at events in the depot, if the former freight depot is renovated as an event venue for weddings, family reunions and other gatherings.

If theres any issues about the lack of alcohol service in this building, if it wouldnt get passed, you can forget doing this, says Angela Manders, Chamber of Commerce executive director. Thats got to pass before we ever start on (the renovation).

Larry Jones, architect with Valdosta-based firm Ellis, Ricket and Associates, agrees.

Last week, Jones told a committee of council members and city department heads tasked with researching the renovation project at a meeting the ability to serve alcohol at events would be the number one question people interested in renting the space will ask.

Mayor Kevin Grissom appointed Manders, council members Corey Lesseig and Charles Broady, Better Hometown Manager Bethany Strickland and Police Chief Chris Wright to a committee several months ago tasked with researching the renovation project. The committee, except for Broady, met with Jones last Thursday to review project plans his firm created several years ago when the exterior of the depot was renovated. That work was completed in 2017.

Councilman Keith Brooks, Industrial Development Authority Director Matt Carter, Mayor Kevin Grissom and City Clerk Jenny Grant also attended the meeting.

Lesseig and Brooks indicated they would have the alcohol ordinance revision placed on the councils work session agenda for Monday, March 2. (See related story).

Well know by Tuesday how its going to go, Lesseig told the group.

Blackshear could potentially model their ordinance after the City of Patterson. Their ordinance allows for alcohol to be served at events held in Eagle Station, one of the most-booked event venues in Pierce County.

Should the renovation work proceed, it would also include renovation of the Chamber of Commerce and IDA offices housed in the front section of the depot as well. The committee asked Jones to draft plans for that work to include removing the drop ceiling and restoring the original beat board, pine ceilings above, tearing out the carpet and staining the concrete floor underneath. The renovation would feature exposed ductwork and beams throughout the building.

Well build cross beams that look original to use for duct work, Jones says.

Bathrooms in those offices will be remodeled to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

Renovations to the freight depot will include construction of bathrooms, a catering kitchen and a mechanical room. Most of the room would be restored as an event space able to accommodate 240 people. Contractors will fill the walls with insulation, cover them in felt, and then install heart pine boards as many of the originals as can be restored over the walls. The boards will be sanded and finished to look like new, Jones says.

The depot floor will also be stabilized with plywood underneath to help absorb the vibration of passing trains, and the cracks between the pine planks sealed before the floor is refurbished. A removable platform will be constructed over the old scales still in their original location on the depot floor and LED lighting that appears to be 19th century period will be installed.

New electrical wiring, HVAC system and technology to accommodate group presentations will also be installed in the depot. The depot will be equipped with Wifi.

Manders and Carter would move their offices temporarily to the newly refurbished depot while renovations to their offices are completed as the second phase of the project.

Jones was not able to provide the committee with a budget estimate for the work last week, but was instructed to draw up two contracts one for the freight depot and one for the Chamber and IDA offices that would include those estimations.

Jones did advise the committee that renovation work moves slowly, and estimated it would take 18 months to renovate the freight depot.

New construction goes real fast. Restoration work goes real slow, he said. A lot of this is hand labor, not just machine work.

A lot of gold youll find when you start tearing out you say, my plans were to tear all this up, but my plans just changed, Jones added.

The city is researching several funding options for the work, including a Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) loan/grant program, and/or interim financing through a local bank. The city also has SPLOST (special purpose local option sales tax) monies allocated for capital improvement projects available.

The train depot exterior renovation was funded through a $250,000 grant that required the city to match $25,000 for a total project cost of $275,000. Exterior renovations, also designed by Jones firm, included a new insulated roof, brick repair and vandalism damage repair, trim paint, skirting around the building. The deck was rebuilt, wheelchair ramp and railings installed.

Ellis, Ricket and Associates specializes in designing historic renovation projects. See photos of other train depots theyve renovated at https://eraarchitects.com/.

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Will Train Depot be restored at last? | News - Blackshear Times

Thyssenkrupp, the German engineering giant, announced last week that it would sell its elevator business to a group of private equity companies for $18.9B more than 2x the value of the entire parent company.

The sale was a last-ditch attempt to turn around years of declining profits.

But it was also the largest private equity deal in Europe since the 2008 financial crisis.

Simple: The market is dominated by an elevator-gopoly that keeps prices at the top floor.

Four companies command more than 60% of the elevator market:

In 2006, these 4 companies (along with rival Mitsubishi Elevator Europe) were found guilty of price fixing. They paid fines but continued to dominate the lucrative lift business.

After years of declining revenue in a struggling German economy, even Thyssenkrupps moneymaking elevators could no longer hold up its other businesses.

Thyssenkrupps debt got so heavy $7.1B on its latest earnings statement that activist investors began to call for the company to sell off its elevator business to pay down debts.

And so they did for $18.9B, or about 2.8x the entire parent companys market cap of $6.7B.

The elevator market is expected to remain strong thanks to increasing construction of tall buildings, particularly across Asia (more than 60% of new elevator installations occur in China).

And as elevators become more complex, giants like Otis have begun to sell subscription-based management services.

That service revenue is going up and fast. In 2018, Otis raked in $12.9B in revenue. The company says 45% of its revenue comes from the sales of new equipment and 55% comes from service.

Read more:
After ups and downs, Thyssenkrupp sells its elevator business at a top-floor price - The Hustle

Do you need to have the HVAC ducts in your home cleaned? (DepositPhotos)

Duct cleaning has become popular in recent years, with commercial cleaning services popping up everywhere. But is the service worth it, or is it a scam? Heres some information to help you decide whether or not your home might benefit from having the HVAC ducts in your house cleaned.

Professional duct cleaning services use specialized blowers, vacuums, and brushes to clean out the supply, intake, and return ducts throughout your home. Duct cleaning should also involve a thorough cleaning of the air handler, registers, grilles, fans, motors, housings, and coils of the HVAC system.

Theres no research at present proving that routine duct cleaning improves the air quality or reduces dust in your home. There is, however, evidence that dirty heating and cooling coils, motors, and air handling units can make your HVAC unit less efficient.

While duct cleaning alone doesnt seem that necessary, there are cases where cleaning the HVAC unit and ductwork could be useful.

Due to growing concerns about indoor air quality, its easy to convince homeowners that their ducts need cleaning. But unless ducts are really dirty, theres no reason to clean them. The EPA takes a similar stance on the issue, recommending cleaning only if the ducts and HVAC unit are contaminated.

If done properly, duct cleaning doesnt hurt; but its not something that needs to be on your regular home maintenance list. You probably dont need to have your ducts and HVAC system cleaned unless:

Originally posted here:
Air Duct Cleaning: Scam or Worth It? - Today's Homeowner

The clothes dryer is found in almost every home. We use it weekly if not daily. Its main purpose is to take the heat and moisture out of your clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle, or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

There is much more to it than meets the eye and you can potentially have a house fire if you are not aware of how to clean your dryer vent thoroughly Cleaning the exterior dryer vent is not the same as cleaning the lint catch or screen inside the dryer.

The dryer vent is an exhaust pipe that vents hot air to the outside. Vents can go long distances and are generally installed with bends. The bends create places where lint can collect, and birds can nest. It important to keep the vent clean and properly maintained, said Rebecca Derendal, owner of Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts, a Rosie-Certified Partner.

The clothes dryer is found in almost every home. We use it weekly if not daily. Its main purpose is to take the heat and moisture out of your clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle, or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

There is much more to it than meets the eye and you can potentially have a house fire if you are not aware of how to clean your dryer vent thoroughly Cleaning the exterior dryer vent is not the same as cleaning the lint catch or screen inside the dryer.

The dryer vent is an exhaust pipe that vents hot air to the outside. Vents can go long distances and are generally installed with bends. The bends create places where lint can collect, and birds can nest. It important to keep the vent clean and properly maintained, said Rebecca Derendal, owner of Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts, a Rosie-Certified Partner.

A dirty and full dryer vent can cause:

Appliance Inefficiency: the dryer will run longer than necessary.

Wear and Tear: A dryer taking twice as long to dry clothes will cut its lifetime in half and lead to expensive repairs.

Carbon Monoxide: Gas dryers that are not exhausting correctly can cause carbon monoxide in the home.

Obstructions: Nests, dryer sheets, and pieces of clothes tangles with lint blocks the vent.

The most serious consequence of not keeping the dryer vent clean is fire and property damage. A dirty dryer and/or vent can ignite as a result of overheating and overworked safety controls.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration:

2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.

Failure to clean the dryer (34 percent) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires.

More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January.

The Consumer Product Safety Commissions safety report, Overheated Clothes Dryers Can Cause Fires, recommends to check the dryer vent and exhaust vent periodically to ensure that exhaust air is completely escaping.

Every vent is installed differently. It can depend on the length of the vent, how many turns and how often the dryer is used every week.

If you use a professional dryer vent cleaning service, there are several different applications depending on how your dryer is situated. The most common technique is with the help of the blower motor and flexible extension rods with a bristle brush on the end. The rods easily navigate several 90 degree turns in your vent line, according to Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts.

This is on a rotor system, so the spin action of the brush really gives the vent a thorough cleaning. The technician will move the rod/brush in and out repeatedly until the vent is clear of lint and obstructions.

The most common way is done from the outside, which keeps your home spotless. This is an extremely effective method to give your dryer vent a clearer passage for the moist hot air to move through.

If you are going to clean the vent yourself, the Consumer Protection Safety Commission recommends the following steps:

Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes.

Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.

Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.

Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of such metal ducts, which provides maximum airflow. Metal flex ducting is a must as flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and are more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.

Make dryer vent cleaning a regular part of your home maintenance!

Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.

Rosies Safety Tip: Do not leave your house while the dryer is running. A fire could easily ignite in the few minutes you are away from home.

For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert since 1988, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8 to 11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and from 7 to 10 a.m. on KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.

Continued here:
Rosie on the House: Cleaning dryer vents more than you think - Green Valley News

(Arizona Chimney and Air Ducts Photo)

The clothes dryer is found in almost every home. We use it weekly if not daily. Its main purpose is to take the heat and moisture out of your clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.

If you are wondering why this article is so long keep reading! There is much more to it than meets the eye and you can potentially have a house fire if you are not aware of how to clean your dryer vent thoroughly!

Nope, that is not what we are talking about. Cleaning the exterior dryer vent is not the same as cleaning the lint catch or screen inside the dryer.

The dryer vent is an exhaust pipe that vents hot air to the outside. Vents can go long distances and are generally installed with bends. The bends create places where lint can collect, and birds can nest. It important to keep the vent clean and properly maintained, said Rebecca, owner, Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts, a Rosie-Certified Partner.

A dirty and full dryer vent can cause:

Appliance Inefficiency Because the dryer will run longer than necessary. Wear and Tear A dryer taking twice as long to dry clothes will cut its lifetime in half and lead to expensive repairs. Carbon Monoxide Gas dryers that are not exhausting correctly can cause carbon monoxide in the home. Obstructions Nests, dryer sheets, and pieces of clothes tangles with lint blocks the vent.

The most serious consequence of not keeping the dryer vent clean is Fire and Property Damage. A dirty dryer and/or vent can ignite as a result of overheating and overworked safety controls.

(Arizona Chimney and Air Ducts Photo)

According to the U.S. Fire Administration:

2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss. Failure to clean the dryer (34 percent) is the leading cause of home clothes dryer fires. More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January.

A proper annual dryer vent cleaning should include a visual inspection to make sure it is visibly sound, said Rebecca.

The Consumer Product Safety Commissions safety report, Overheated Clothes Dryers Can Cause Fires, recommends to check the dryer vent and exhaust vent periodically to ensure that exhaust air is completely escaping.

Every vent is installed differently. It can depend on the length of the vent, how many turns and how often the dryer is used every week, said Rebecca.

If you use a professional dryer vent cleaning service, there are several different applications depending on how your dryer is situated.

The most common technique is with the help of the blower motor and flexible extension rods with a bristle brush on the end. The rods easily navigate several 90 degree turns in your vent line, said Rebecca.

This is on a rotor system, so the spin action of the brush really gives the vent a thorough cleaning. The technician will move the rod/brush in and out repeatedly until the vent is clear of lint and obstructions.

The most common way is done from the outside which keeps your home spotless. This is an extremely effective method to give your dryer vent a clearer passage for the moist hot air to move through.

If you are going to clean the vent yourself, the Consumer Protection Safety Commission recommends the following steps:

Step 1 Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes.

Step 2 Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.

(Arizona Chimney and Air Ducts Photo)

Step 3 Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.

Step 4 Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. Metal flex ducting is a must as flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and are more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.

Step 5 Make dryer vent cleaning a regular part of your home maintenance!

Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains.

If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle.

To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.

Rosies Safety Tip: Do not leave your house while the dryer is running. A fire could easily ignite in the few minutes you are away from home.

Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts specializes in chimney, dryer vent and air duct cleaning. A family owned and operated company, they have served the Phoenix metro area since 1985. A Rosie on the House Certified Partner since 2009, Arizona Chimney & Air Ducts, is also associated and affiliated with some of the most trusted names in the industry, including National Chimney Sweep Guild and the National Fire Protection Association. We have Team members with the CSIA Certification by the Chimney Safety Institute of America and National Fireplace Institute of Gas Hearth Appliances along with the EPA Universal technician Certification.

Join Rosie on the House every Saturday morning from 7 to 11 a.m. on KTAR News 92.3 FM. If youd like to send us questions or comments, emailInfo@RosieontheHouse.com. Follow us onTwitterand like us onFacebook.

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Heres how to clean your dryer vent thoroughly - KTAR.com

If you didnt read The Hunger Games in middle school, where were you? Were you hiding under a rock? Probably, because that series was making big waves in the early 2010s. But did you ever happen to stumble upon Suzanne Collins critically acclaimed series The Underland Chronicles?

I was visiting home for the weekend and doing some light spring cleaning when I came across my copies of the books in the series. I had completely forgotten about them even though the series was one of the best I had ever read.

I read The Underland Chronicles before The Hunger Games, so I didnt catch the fact that they were both by Collins. This makes sense though because the detail and the world-building in this series blew my fifth grade mind just like The Hunger Games series blew my seventh grade mind. And while these books are predominately for fourth-eighth graders, I think they would be interesting to anyone. Heres why.

The first book in the series Gregor the Overlander stars Gregor, and 11-year-old living in New York City. His mom leaves him at their apartment with his grandma and little sisters. While he is doing some laundry in the basement with his baby sister Boots, she falls down an old air duct grate. Gregor dives in after and finds the Underland.

The Underland is composed of humans (or underlanders) with almost-clear skin and giant rats, bats and bugs. The two land in the Underland on the outskirts of its capital city, Regalia. They meet some giant cockroaches who believe the two are there to fulfill a prophecy. The roaches then bring them to the city.

They meet some locals Luxa, who is slated to be the queen of Regalia, and her cousin Henry. They also meet the bats that are bonded to the humans.

Henry and Boots learn about the conflict between the Regalians and the rat king Gorger. Then Gregor gets attacked by some gigantic rats but the underlanders save him. This fuels the conflict between the underlanders and the rats.

The Prophecy of Gray, Gregor and Boots learn, is a tale that tells of two overlanders who team up with 10 underlanders to find Gregors father, who went missing in Underland long ago. They gather the team and set out on their journey.

I dont want to spoil too much, because I really do believe this is a series worth reading, even if youre not in fifth grade. The five books all contain action, emotion, struggle and some really cool characters. Its honestly a good read for any gender or any age. Besides, it may be nice for your brain to have a break from college-level reading.

Even though I read the series in grade school, I can still picture the Underland in my head today. While Collins Underworld may not have made as big of a splash as may the odds be ever in your favor, I promise that it is still worth your time.

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The Suzanne Collins series you probably didn't read as a kid but should have - Standard Online

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture keeps records offood safety inspectionsat restaurants and food vendors.

Berks County is divided into three jurisdictions: Reading, Muhlenberg Township and the rest of the county. The results will be posted every other week. All food vendors are inspected at least once a year. View any vendor'slast inspection reportonline. Click on the PDF version of the inspection report for all details.

If a food provider is labeled "out of compliance," that means it has one or more violations that require a return visit by an inspector. The establishment is given time to fix the problem(s) and remains open for business.

Complaints can be filed onlinewith the PDA.

Below are the results of inspections conducted betweenFeb. 11 and Feb. 25, 2020, that were filed in the state database as of Feb. 27, 2020. They include the inspector's comments on violations.

The Well Dressed Cake, 713 Penn Ave., West Reading, Feb. 21, one violation. Observed cake boxes in the front area stored directly on the floor, and not 6 inches above the floor. Corrected.

Tulpehocken School District, Bethel Elementary, 8390 Lancaster Ave., Bethel, Feb. 20, no violations.

Brandywine Heights Elementary School, Barkley & Weis streets, Topton, Feb. 19, three violations. Freezer has frozen condensate hanging from lines behind fan box that is creating an ice dam above food storage shelf and must be removed/repaired. Air vent between prep area and three-bay sink area of the food facility is dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning. Exterior door located in the kitchen area of the food facility has a gap at the bottom that does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

Brandywine Heights Middle School, 200 W. Weis St., Topton, Feb. 19, three violations. Condensate lines at the fan box in walk in freezer have an ice damn build up above food storage that must be removed/repaired. Rear exterior door located in the walk in freezer area of the food facility has a gap at the bottom that does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. Dry storage ceiling air vent cover area of the food facility is dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning.

Dunkin, 1123 Ben Franklin Highway, Douglassville, Feb. 19, no violations.

Fleetwood Grange #1839, 2864 Moselem Springs Road PO Box 27, Fleetwood, Feb. 19, no violations.

Tony's Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, 15 N. Home Ave., Topton, Feb. 19, five violations. Working containers in kitchen area, used for storing *chemicals, cleaners* taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected. Plastic food container in reach in refrigerator was cracked and had duct tape covering crack which is not an approved material. Corrected by discarding container. Three-compartment sink was set up so that dirty wash water was right next to clean dish drainboard of dish machine and could possibly contaminate clean dishes. Order of sinks was reversed so only clean sanitized dishes are next to each other. Caulking at the warewashing sink wall area and pre-rinse sink at dish machine is getting moldy and must be resealed/repaired.Observed waitress soda fountain equipment, in waitress area, with an accumulation of splash residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces. Corrected.

Tony's Pizza Shop, 6 W. Franklin St., Topton, Feb. 19, three violations. Knife in clean utensil drawer has a chipped blade and must be discarded. Corrected. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Floor crevice between reach-in cooler and mixer has some old spilled food debris that must be cleaned up. Observed bags of onions stored directly on the floor in basement area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Corrected.

Topton Fish & Game Association, 26 Tina Lane, Topton, Feb. 19, no violations.

American Legion Post #471, 100 Walker Drive, Boyertown, Feb. 18, one violation. Observed 1 quart of Clover Fat Free Milk with a sell-by date of Feb. 15, and 1 half gallon of Clover Fat Free Milk with a sell-by date of Feb. 8 in the upstairs kitchen refrigerator. Corrected onsite by disposal.

Central Beneficial Association, 1409 Park Place, Laureldale, Feb. 18, no violations.

Dollar General # 13695, 230 S Reading Ave., Boyertown, Feb. 18, one violation. Observed two True Fresh Foods reach-in coolers with an accumulation of mold, dirt, food residue, debris on non-food contact surfaces.

Giant Food #6273, 600 E. Lancaster Ave., Reading, Feb. 18, 14 violations. A temperature measuring device for measuring warewashing sanitizing water temperatures is not available for deli warewashing machine. Observed prep and hand sink equipment in the chicken prep area, with encrusted grease and soil accumulation on faucet handles and sides of sinks, old food debris on floor in corner below sink. Also, chicken cooler floor has grease food residue build up on floors. Plumbing system not maintained in good repair observed drain leaking at the produce prep sink. Chicken prep and hand sink has missing gapped caulk that must be resealed and also produce warewashing sink has mold in caulk along wall and must be resealed. Fan covers in the deli/produce cooler area of the food facility are extremely dusty and in need of cleaning. Trays of water/chicken blood left in racks in the fried chicken prep room. Corrected. Waste receptacle for disposable paper towels not provided at the handwashing sink in deli/bakery area. The electrocuter insect control device located in deli area is not designed to retain the insect in the device. Cover is missing. Loose disfigured rubber door gaskets observed on both bakery and deli warewashing machines. The wash solution temperature in the stationary rack, dual temperature mechanical warewashing equipment was 130 F, rather than not less then 150F as required. Service call placed. The hot water used for sanitizing in the mechanical warewashing machine in the deli area did not reach 180F (or 165F for stationary rack). Repair call placed. Ceiling tiles missing in the deli area, and need replaced. Mechanical warewashing equipment in deli area observed with build up of filth/grease and food residue and not cleaned before use, and frequently throughout the day. Spray nozzles of the prep and warewashing sinks in deli/produce areas have a heavy slime/mold residue around nozzle heads. Corrected. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Floor drain at chicken cooler has a build up of slime and food debris and must be cleaned. Out of compliance.

Hissho Sushi @ Giant 6273, 600 E. Lancaster Ave., Reading, Feb. 18, one violation. Food facility HACCP plan does not have all required elements as outlined in the PA Food Code and is missing current parasite destruction letter of guaranty and also has not been reviewed and signed for current year. Last review was January 2019.

Josh's Pizza Zone, 51 E. Second St., Boyertown, Feb. 18, two violations. Filters in the exhaust hood have observable grease like build up. Two are missing. Globe meat slicer, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Corrected.

Laudenslager's Concessions, Route 100 Jake's Flea Market, Barto, Feb. 18, no violations.

Main Street Pub & Restaurant, 505 Main St. PO Box 628, Bally, Feb. 18, five violations. Observed the two-door Advantco freezer, and refrigerator with an accumulation of dirt,food residue debris on the non-food contact services. Observed the fryer and grill equipment, in kitchen area, with an accumulation of dirt, grease, food residue underneath grill and floor area under, and wall behind the fryers. Old food residue, observed in the handwash sink, indicating uses other than handwashing. Corrected Observed gravy, chili, and mashed potatoes being held at 115F, rather than 135F or above as required. Corrected. The latch to the door of the walk-in cooler is broken. Observed frozen beef stored directly on the floor in the walk in freezer, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required.

Muhlenberg School District Middle School, 801 Bellevue Ave., Laureldale, Feb. 18, no violations.

Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, 62 Ashley Way, Leesport, Feb. 18, no violations.

Schuylkill Valley High School, 929 Lake Shore Drive, Leesport, Feb. 18, no violations.

Schuylkill Valley Middle School, 114 Ontelaunee Drive, Leesport, Feb. 18, no violations.

Amity Fire Company, 47 Pine Forge Road PO Box 383, Douglassville, Feb. 14, three violations. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the bar area. Corrected. Small scoop at the bar is stored with the handle in direct contact with the drink ice. Corrected. The floor, wall, and hood in the area of the fryers have an accumulation of grease and/or old food debris.

Deep Roots Valley Farm, 1047 Irish Creek Road, Mohrsville, Feb. 14, no violations.

Kempton Hotel, 9910 Kistler Valley Road, Kempton, Feb. 14, one violation. Mop is not being hung to air dry. Rather it is being stored next to the ice macine directly on the floor.

Malizzi Cakes and Pastries, 1203 Old Swede Road, Douglassville, Feb. 14, no violations.

New Great China, 2675 Shillington Road, Sinking Spring, Feb. 14, six violations. Observed in-use knives and /or cleavers stored between table edges or between tables, an area not easily cleanable & sanitized. Corrected. Food dispensing utensil in corn starch and flour bins observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food and the container. Corrected. Cardboard used on shelves of refrigerator and prep tables must be removed. Drain line from warewashing sink has a plastic bag around directing water into drain that is dirty and not an approved material and must be repaired to a proper piping material. Rear kitchen door located in the back area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. Exposed food preparation observed in kitchen grill area under ansul system piping and hood duct system that is dripping grease, and subject to potential contamination. Catch strainer in floor drain under warewashing sinks has a build up of food debris around lip of strainer.

Papa John's #2294, 2612 Penn Ave., West Lawn, Feb. 14, five violations. Keyboards of computer equipment all have a heavy food residue build up and are dirty and in need of cleaning. The floor / wall juncture in kitchen area is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch. Coving tile is broken at doorway on pizza oven side. Handwash sink next to pizza bain marie has a food dust residue build up on faucet handles and must be cleaned more frequently. Also pizza oven metal spindles under wire mesh pizza conveyor have a heavy build up of dirt, dust and food residue. A working container of *cleaner / sanitizer* was stored above or on the same shelf with food, equipment, and/or single service articles in the side table area. Corrected. The food facility does not maintain Food Employee Certification records as required.

Petra's Empanadas, 164 W Main St., Kutztown, Feb. 14, one violation. Ceiling tile missing in the back room needs to be replaced.

Sinking Spring Veterans, 550 Columbia Ave., Sinking Spring, Feb. 14, no violations.

The Nesting Box, 230 Snyder Road, Kempton, Feb. 14, two violations. Observed a full box of ice cream cones stored directly on the floor behind the counter area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. The shelves in the McGray reach-in dairy and lettuce refrigerator, a non-food contact surface, has the coating wearing off and the steel material underneath is rusting.

Utopia Cabaret, 395 W Benjamin Franklin Hwy, Douglassville, Feb. 14, one violation. Small scoop at the bar stored with the handle in direct contact with the drink ice. Corrected.

Wanamakers General Store, 8888 King's Highway, Kempton, Feb. 14, one violation. Observed some food items being stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer and refrigerator area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required.

West Lawn Beverage Co., 2330 Penn Ave., West Lawn, Feb. 14, two violations. Observed peanut-roasting equipment, in front area, with an accumulation of dust, dirt, food residue, debris on front of machine above the peanut chute, a non-food contact surface. Side main door located in the peanut storage area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals. Peanut bags to be stored in closed container when garage door is left open in summer.

West Lawn Quoiting Association, 19 Perkasie Ave., West Lawn, Feb. 14, two violations. Under counter ice machine at bar has a mold build up along side wall and a pink slime residue on the water curtain in rear and was not clean to sight and touch. Chlorine chemical sanitizer residual detected in the final sanitizer rinse cycle of the low temperature sanitizing glass washer in bar was 0 ppm, and not 50-100 ppm as required. Facility will use 3 bay sink until repaired.

Black Jax American Pub and Grill, 668 Ben Franklin Highway, Birdsboro, Feb. 13, four violations. There is a build-up of ice around the walk-in freezer door and inside the unit. Working containers (spray bottles) in the bar area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected. Small scoops at the bar are stored with the handles in direct contact with the drink ice. Corrected. Some lights are not shielded or shatter proof in the kitchen.

The Bridge Inn, 3 Covered Bridge Road, Oley, Feb. 13, one violation. Two working containers (spray bottles) of cleaner / sanitizer were stored on the same shelf with food in the kitchen area. Corrected.

CVS #1923, 3100 Shillington Road, Sinking Spring, Feb. 13, no violations.

Giant Food #6289, 2104 Van Reed Road, West Lawn, Feb. 13, two violations. Caulking around prep sink in produce, deli areas has mold and must be resealed. Produce and dairy fan box covers in walk in cooler are dirty, dusty, and in need of cleaning. Also dairy cooler has trash and broken eggs under racks and near doorway.

Oley Turnpike Dairy Diner, 6213 Oley Turnpike Road, Oley, Feb. 13, five violations. Observed dried food residue on some surfaces of the milkshake machine. Corrected. Large double door located in the rear kitchen area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other pests. Lights are not shielded or shatter proof over the rear cooking area (in the hood over the stove), and the lights above the front food preparation area are missing end caps. Soap was not available at the handwash sink in the small front cooking area. Corrected. Working container (spray bottle) in the dishwasher area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, was not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

Paolo's Pizza & Restaurant, 2480 Lancaster Pike, Reading, Feb. 13, seven violations. Ambient air and water temperature measuring device for ensuring proper food storage in cook line refrigerator equipment in kitchen area, is not accurate to +/- 3F. Replace broken thermometer. Also need thermometer in small reach-in cooler on waitress station. Observed in-use knives and /or cleavers stored between table edges or between tables, an area not easily cleanable & sanitized.Corrected however this is a repeat violation. Floor cleaner dispenser hung on wall at prep table is too close to prep table shelf and must be moved below table shelf areas. Soda gun dispenser nozzles at bar have a residue build up. Corrected. Wall mounted french fry cutter has old dried residue build up. Corrected. An improper insect control device located in dishroom area with potential to contaminate food, equipment, and / or utensils. Corrected. Wall area of the dough mixing area of the food facility has cob webs and is dusty, and in need of cleaning. Also some appliance cords above food/cook line areas have a dust build up and must be cleaned. Cook line reach in refrigerator has a build up of splashed food residue on interior fan box and ceiling area.

Union Fire Company of Kulptown, 1082 Chestnut St., Douglassville, Feb. 13, one violation. Some working containers (spray bottles) in kitchen area, used for storing chemicals, cleaners taken from bulk supplies, were not marked with the common name of the chemical. Corrected.

A Plus 40205h, 3100 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, Feb. 12, no violations.

Betty's, 129 W. Main St., Kutztown, Feb. 12, one violation. Two sets of lights are not shielded or shatter proof over the prep area.

Boyer's Food Market #3580, 408 Park Road, Fleetwood, Feb. 12, five violations. Old unused equipment and other items stored in the unused walk-in cooler in the back area need to be more organized or removed from food facility. The area is inaccessible due to the clutter. Observed old food debris and other items on the floor under the shelves in the bakery walk-in cooler. The handwash sink in the meat room does not have single use towels or air drying device. The handwash sink in the produce prep room was blocked by a plastic container and was not accessible at all times for employee use. Corrected. Double doors located in the back area of the food facility have a gap and do not protect properly against the entry of insects, rodents, and other pests.

Fraternal Order of Eagles, 209 W Main St., Kutztown, Feb. 12, two violations. The hood filters have an accumulation of grease dirt. The small ice scoop at the bar is stored directly against a dusty liquor bottle. Corrected.

Countryview Kitchen, 2934 N. Fifth Street Highway, Feb. 15, four violations. Food dispensing utensil in oatmeal, brown rice and other bulk bins observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food. Cooking utensils stored in plastic bins are not stored with handles in the same direction. Mixing bowls not stored inverted or covered. The handwash sink in the prep area was blocked by a table and not accessible at all times for employee use. Prepackaged assorted spreads are not labeled to clearly indicate any "Big 8" allergen ingredients and / or the allergen warning statement. Prepackaged assorted spreads are not labeled properly with the name of product, ingredient statement, net weight, distributed by statement and/or nutritional facts.

Dino's Wings & Things, 5306 Allentown Pike, Feb. 15, two violations. Non-food contact surfaces, trash can exteriors, wire racks and bin exteriors are food splashed/soiled. Food contact surface of walk-in shelving is not smooth, easily cleanable and/or resistant to pitting, cracking or scratching.

Domino's Pizza, 3007 N. Fifth St., Feb. 15, three violations. The food facility does not employee a certified employee as required. A food safety certification class is scheduled for new General Manager of two weeks, on March 13, 2020; per District Manager. Ceiling tile missing in the middle soda storage room, and needs replacement. The floor / wall juncture in hall area is not coved and closed to 1/32 inch due to missing/broken tiles.

Infinito's Pizza Buffet, 3023 N. Fifth St., Feb. 15, one violation. Several holes remain in ceiling area of the main kitchen/dry storage areas.

Monte Lauro European, 2934 N. Fifth St., Feb. 15, two violations. Observed gas range/oven, bain marie, refrigeration equipment, and walls in prep area, with an accumulation of dust, and food splashes (on non-food contact surfaces); specifically sides of equipment and underneath. Handwashing sink leaks at faucet.

Alebrije Mexican Restaurant, 3225 N. Fifth St., Feb. 12, four violations. Food employee observed in kitchen area, not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets, hats, or beard covers. Can opener blade, a food contact surface, was observed to have food residue and was not clean to sight and touch. Several raw animal foods were stored above ready to eat food (cooked pork)in the cook's refrigerator, corrected immediately on inspection. All food items stored properly in bain marie and walk-in refrigerator. Observed wet wiping cloth in bain marie area, not being stored in sanitizer solution.

13th & Union Elementary School, 1600 N. 13th St., Feb. 24, no violations.

Armani Deli & Grocery, 700 N. 13th St., Feb. 24, "two violations. Food facility can either maintain City trash receptacle out front or provide their own. Repair flooring around newly installed ATM machine. Flooring needs to be easily cleanable, smooth and non absorbent.

Barrio 27 De3 Febrero Deli & G, 352 N. Ninth St., Feb. 21, seven violations. Hand wash sinks in deli area and bathroom do not have paper towel or soap dispensers. Out of date milk was being stored for return in a cooler that was accessible to customers. Potential rodent harborage areas inside the food facility observed in the front area due to mouse feces observed on shelving. Cheese in the deli cooler is being stored open with no covering. The handwash sink located in the deli area does not have water at a temperature of at least 100F. No light bulb cover observed under ventilation hood. Ventilation hood does not have up to date documentation of cleaning.

Manzueta Grocery, 926 Perry St., Feb. 21, five violations. Observed cat food and litter box, indicating the presence of a live animal on the premise of the food facility. Bare unsealed wood, is in contact with floor at front counter and steps on side. Old food residue, dishes and utensils observed in the hand wash sink. Observed broken floor tiles through entire facility. No paper towel or soap dispenser observed at hand wash sink in kitchen or bathroom.

Max Butcher Shop, 835 Hiester Lane, Feb. 21, one violation. Observed food stored directly on the floor in cooler area, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Out of compliance.

Crown Fried Chicken, 450 Centre Ave., Feb. 20, no violations.

Mi Familia Grocery, 1122 Elm St., , Feb. 20, two violations. Observed bare wooden material being used that is in direct with the floor. No documentation is available to show the last time the hood ventilation was cleaned.

13th & Green Elementary School, 501 N. 13th St., , Feb. 19, no violations.

Emily Mini Market, 349 N. 13th St., Feb. 18, two violations. Light bulb in hot hold unit has peeling outer coating. Ventilation hood is out of date for professional cleaning.

Turkey Hill #54 A5204250, 425 N. 13th St., Feb. 18, no violations.

5th St Deli Market Inc.348 N. Fifth St., Feb. 13, no violations.

El Patron Restaurant , 346 N. Sixth St., Feb. 12, one violation. Observed a bare wood base for the handwash sink in the kitchen area.

King of Cheesy Pizza, 841 Washington St., Feb. 12, three violations. Wooden legs for Bain-marie are not corrosive resistant. No paper towel dispenser is present in bathroom. Documentation not provided for ventilation hood cleaning.

The following reports for the period of Jan. 29 to Feb. 11, 2020, were added to the state database after Feb. 13 and were not part ofthe last Reading Eagle published report.

Austins Restaurant, 1101 Snyder Road, West Lawn, Feb. 11, no violations.

Camp Adahi, 172 Hartz Store Road, Mohnton, Feb. 11, one violation. Lights are not shielded or shatterproof over the kitchen area, cover missing on light near doorway. Also dry storage has a bulb that is not shatterproof or covered.

Dollar General #15084, 2471 Lancaster Pike, Shillington, Feb. 11, no violations.

Global Libations Coffee, 544 Noble St. Suite A, Kutztown, Feb. 11, two violations. Observed some liquid spills on the counter and loose coffee beans on the floor in the middle room. The handwash sink in the back area does not have single use towels. Corrected.Out of compliance.

Heritage Of Green Hills, 200 Tranquility Lane, Reading, Feb. 11, 10 violations. Observed deeply scored salad bain marie cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Stagnant water under bain marie cutting board. Corrected. Food facility person in charge does not have records to demonstrate routine inspection and service of backflow prevention devices and other water treatment devices. Filters for soda dispensing equipment do not have a date of maintenance. Food dispensing utensil in flour/sugar bins observed stored in the food and not with handle above the top of the food in the container. Corrected. A temperature measuring device for measuring warewashing hot water sanitizing water temperatures is not available. Warewashing machine has a rust-like debris build up on top near gauge area. Observed wet wiping cloths in kitchen area, not being stored in sanitizer solution. Corrected. Warewashing room area does not have a hand sink for washing hands after racking dirty dishes. Sanitized water bucket method is to be used at this time. Corrected. Waste receptacle for disposable paper towels not provided at the handwashing sink in kitchen at door area. Preset tableware is not wrapped, covered or inverted, or being removed at a frequency to assure tableware remains clean and sanitized. Corrected.

J R's Pizzeria, 24 Village Center Drive, Reading, Feb. 11, three violations. Food dispensing utensil (bucket) in pizza flour observed stored in the food without a handle above the top of the food and the container. Corrected. Non-food contact surfaces not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil. Shelving unit near dough mixer has a residue/dust build up and must be cleaned. Observed grill equipment in the kitchen area, with encrusted grease and soil, dust accumulation on underside of front board and grill.

Bethel Food Shop, 8558 Lancaster Ave., Bethel, Feb. 10, no violations.

Flying J #518, 2210 Camp Swatara Road, Frystown, Feb. 10, two violations. Temperature measuring device for ensuring proper temperature of equipment is not available or readily accessible in storage room refrigerator equipment. Canned good with missing label on shelf offered for sale. Item removed. Corrected.

Rainbow Pit Stop, 8602 Lancaster Ave., Bethel, Feb. 10, seven violations. Various packaged sandwiches, a refrigerated, ready to eat time temperature control for safety food in the reach in self serve cooler area, was date-marked by the facility, but was beyond the 7 day use or sell by date and requires discarding. Corrected.Temperature measuring device for ensuring proper temperature of equipment is not available or readily accessible in counter top hot hold equipment. Old soda splash residue/mold build up around nozzle and splash guard area of the soda fountain. Observed 3 bay warewash and mop sink with water backing up into drains. Call placed for service. Fan box cover area in the walk-in cooler of the food facility is dusty and in need of cleaning. Also some drink racks have a slight mold build up on wire racks and on some plastic shelf covers. Rolls for self-serve hot dogs were not packaged for individual self service and customers were able to reach in a whole pack of rolls with bare hands to select a roll. Corrected. The food facility does not maintain Food Employee Certification records as required.

See original here:
Berks food safety inspections February 12 to 25: Trays of water/chicken blood left in racks in the fried chicken prep room of a market - Reading Eagle