By RACHEL C. DOVE

Staff Writer

PIKEVILLE, KY. - What does a restaurant inspection score really mean?

That’s a question often asked by local residents who hear the scores associated with the inspection of eateries and other businesses, but knowing what they truly mean isn’t something that is clear with the majority of the public.

According to a representative of the Pike County Health Department, they typically inspect restaurants and other eating establishments twice a year, checking food storage, preparations, personnel, restrooms, water and other health conditions.

A perfect score on an inspection is 100 percent. Points are subtracted if violations are found. 85 percent and above indicates compliance with the health department guidelines. 70 to 84 percent means the establishment must be re-inspected within 30 days. If problems have not been corrected, it faces possible closure.

60 to 69 percent means the establishment will have five days to request a hearing to show why it should be allowed to continue operations. 50 percent or less means an automatic and immediate closure if conditions pose a health risk to the public. Certain conditions and practices are considered potentially serious threats to the public’s health. These require correction within a 10 day period.

The following inspections were conducted during the month of January.

Big K Mart, North Mayo Trail, 100 percent; Landmark Inn Bar, South Mayo Trail, 99 percent; Mark II, South Mayo Trail, 99 percent; Domino’s Pizza, Pike Street, 97 percent; Huddle House, South Mayo Trail, 79 percent with violations including not using gloves for ready to eat food items.

Kids R Us, East Shelbiana Road, 98 percent; Frank’s Market, Shelby Gap, 99 percent; J-Mart, Douglas Parkway, 97 percent; Family Dollar, South Williamson, 88 percent which included violations for badly dented cans of food; Subway, South Williamson Goody Road, 84 percent including critical items noted of cooler temperatures not documented properly and potentially toxic items being stored around food items.

Dollar General Store, Thompson Road, 100 percent; Dollar General Store, Zebulon, 95 percent; Bo’s Convenient Store, Elkhorn City, 100 percent; Kentucky Fried Chicken, Weddington Branch Road, 87 percent; Thacker’s Grocery, Shelbiana, 100 percent; Shelby Valley Senior Citizens, Douglas Parkway, 86 percent, included violations of meat stored at improper temperatures and no employees present with a food manager certification.

Mouthcard Super Market, Mouthcard, 89 percent; Gino’s Express and Tudor Bisquits, Belfry, 90 percent; Pizza Plus of Belcher, 91 percent; Playtime Amusements, Millard Highway, 100 percent; Dollar General, Belfry, 96 percent; Family Dollar, Dorton, 92 percent; JR’s Pizza & More, Dorton, 99 percent, Kid’s World Child Care & Learning, Church Street, 98 percent; and the Dollar General Store, North Mayo Trail, 93 percent.

Follow-up inspections for previous violations were conducted on the following businesses: Peking II, South Williamson; Justice Quality Food, McCarr; Reno’s Roadhouse, North Mayo Trail; Fiesta Mexicana, North Mayo Trail; T&J Family Foods, Kimper; Southside Elementary, Toler; Pikeville Medical Center Cafeteria, By-Pass Road; Family Food, Freeburn; Gino’s Express and Tudor’s Bisquits, Belfry; Gattiland, Pikeville; Subway of South Williamson, Goody; Shelby Valley Senior Citizens Center, Douglas Parkway and the Family Dollar Store in South Williamson.