Latest news with #healthstandards
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bay Area veteran and restaurateur fired by VA hospital after sounding alarm on alleged unsafe food
Dennis Berkowitz just got fired from his volunteer job. His transgression? He says it was looking out for the veterans of the Palo Alto VA Hospital, where he was working in the kitchen — and where he says food was stored unsafely and served to patients. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it 'While the VA denies the allegations, the hospital refuses to provide a copy of the inspection report it claims it passed six months before the allegations surfaced,' reports ABC7. 'They didn't care,' Berkowitz, 85, told the news station. 'It's below health standards for anyone ... especially for patients who are already vulnerable.' When it comes to food safety, Berkowitz knows what he's talking about. His 70-year career began by helping out his father, who was in the restaurant business. 'I was dipping ice cream by the time I could reach the cabinets,' he told The Daily Journal. After earning a restaurant management degree from Michigan State University, he worked for several hotel chains, including Hyatt, where he became vice-president of food and beverages when he was just 29. In 1978, he opened his first Max's restaurant, which eventually became a popular chain. So Berkowitz understands food safety. Perhaps even more shocking than being fired from his volunteer position at a VA hospital is that — in addition to being an accomplished restaurateur who values food quality and safety — he's a former second lieutenant, which means he's a veteran himself. While working at the VA hospital, Berkowitz told ABC7 he witnessed food being stored at unsafe temperatures and alleges that staff were falsifying temperature logs — and he claims he has photographs to prove it. For instance, he says he saw chili being stored at 65 degrees below the minimum safe temperature for hot food as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'That's the perfect incubation temperature for E. coli,' Berkowitz said in the interview. He also said he witnessed food that contained meat being labeled as vegetarian. When he reported these shortcomings to management, he said he was told, 'You're not allowed to take pictures. If it were up to me ... you'd never would have got this job.' Read more: Americans are 'revenge saving' to survive — but millions only get a measly 1% on their savings. This is a relatively common whistleblower experience, explain researchers Aiyesha Dey, Jonas Heese and Gerardo Pérez Cavazos in an article for the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance. 'Employee whistleblowers report in their lawsuits that, in most of the allegations, firms ignore the issue raised by them, and, in 10% of the allegations, firms try to cover-up the issue internally. In only 6% of cases, firms open an internal investigation,' they wrote. In Berkowitz's case, he says not only were his concerns ignored, but he was fired in retaliation for voicing them. 'Employee whistleblowers report that firms typically retaliate against them via firing (in more than one third of all cases), harassment (about 16% of all cases), threats (about 10% of all cases) and demotions (about 6% of all cases). In only 21% of all cases, the firm does not retaliate against an employee whistleblower,' said the article. Not only do whistleblowers face a potential loss of income, they could also face legal costs and difficulties landing a new job, as well as emotional strain. Whistleblowers do tend to land on their feet eventually and typically find a new job within about a year, according to Dey, Heese and Pérez Cavazos. In about half of cases (52%), this job is equivalent to or better than their old one, although this may mean moving to a new state or industry. About 10% end up in a worse job and a fifth (21%) become self-employed. If, like Berkowitz, you're compelled to become a whistleblower, it helps to have an emergency fund of at least three to six months (or longer), just in case you're let go. In the U.S. there are legal protections and, in some cases, financial awards available to whistleblowers through such laws as the False Claims Act, the Dodd-Frank Act and the IRS whistleblower law. However, whistleblowing is not a path to riches. Dey, Heese and Pérez Cavazos looked at whistleblower lawsuits and found that, 'In the short term, whistleblowers are also more likely to face judgments and liens ... The expected reward for blowing the whistle is approximately $140,000, which seems to offset the financial costs.' You should be prepared to take legal action to remedy any retaliation by your employer and factor in the financial costs this might entail. In addition to these financial costs, you'll need to be prepared to possibly lose friends and colleagues, while being exposed to public scrutiny. If you decide to go this route, the National Whistleblower Center provides resources, advocacy and, in some cases, legal assistance. You should also assemble a team that includes a lawyer who specializes in whistleblower cases and a financial planner who can help you navigate the potential disruption to your finances. Doing the right thing isn't always easy, and you'll need to consider whether you can withstand the costs. But one by one, whistleblowers are making the world a better place. In the meantime, Berkowitz wants a safe dining experience for VA patients — and he wants to get back to work. 'I want my job back!' he told ABC7. 'Let's see if they give it to me.' This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Here are the 6 levels of wealth for retirement-age Americans — are you near the top or bottom of the pyramid? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Money doesn't have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
5 Alachua County restaurants fail health inspection
You can use the database to search by county or by restaurant name. Florida's restaurant owners are not required to post restaurant inspection results where guests can see them. So every week, we provide that information for you. For a complete list of local restaurant inspections, including violations not requiring warnings or administrative action, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspections site. Here's the breakdown for recent health inspections in Alachua County, Florida, for the week of June 23-29, 2025. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here. Disclaimer: The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a 'snapshot' of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment. For full restaurant inspection details, visit our Alachua County restaurant inspection site. These restaurants met all standards during their June 23-29 inspections and no violations were found. Crazy Wings, Mobile food dispensing vehicle** Jersey Mike's Subs, 2803 SW 42nd St., Gainesville** Manhattan Gyros and Subs, 490 NE 23rd Ave., Gainesville** ** Restaurants that failed an inspection and aced a follow-up inspection in the same week 2803 SW 42nd St., Gainesville Routine Inspection on June 24 Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public. 4 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: the front line display cooler indicated these temperatures: block ham 54°, beef 57°, ham 54°, turkey 58°. Per the manager, all items were below 42° on the pre lunch line check. All items were moved to the walk-in freezer. **Corrective Action Taken** **Warning** High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food identified in the written procedure as a food held using time as a public health control has no time marking and the time removed from temperature control cannot be determined. Observed: full pans of lettuce and tomato on the front line, no time mark. Time marks were added. **Corrected On-Site** 3205 Clark Butler Blvd., Unit 70, Gainesville Routine Inspection on June 26 Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public. 10 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: in the walk-in cooler: salsa 49°, 50°, garlic mix 50°, house dressing 50°, marinated chicken 50°. Truck delivered today, curtains are at the door. Temperature has dropped 2 degrees over 15 minutes. **Warning** High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Observed: blue window spray stored on the front line prep table. This was moved to cleaning. **Corrected On-Site** 3205 Clark Butler Blvd., Unit 70, Gainesville Routine Inspection on June 27 Follow-Up Inspection Required: Violations require further review, but are not an immediate threat to the public. 1 total violation, with 1 high-priority violation High Priority - - From initial inspection : High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Observed: in the walk-in cooler: salsa 49, 50, garlic mix 50, house dressing 50, marinated chicken 50. Truck delivered today, curtains are at the door. Temperature has dropped 2 degrees over 15 minutes. **Warning** - From follow-up inspection 2025-06-27: Ground beef 50°, bagged beef 50°, chunk raw beef 50°, diced chicken 55°, cheese sauce mix 50°, cooked onions and peppers 50°, salsa 45°, refried beans 50°, pouch avocados 50°, atom bombs 50°, black beans 51°, shred lettuce 50°, shredded cheese 51°, block cheese 50°, cream cheese 50°, chicken 50°. **Admin Complaint** Routine regulation and inspection of restaurants is conducted by the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Department of Health is responsible for investigation and control of food-borne illness outbreaks associated with all food establishments. If you see abuses of state standards, report them and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation will send inspectors. Call the Florida DBPR at 850-487-1395 or report a restaurant for health violations online. Get the whole story at our restaurant inspection database. Basic violations are those considered against best practices. A warning is issued after an inspector documents violations that must be corrected by a certain date or within a specified number of days from receipt of the inspection report. An administrative complaint is a form of legal action taken by the division. Insufficient compliance after a warning, a pattern of repeat violations or existence of serious conditions that warrant immediate action may result in the division initiating an administrative complaint against the establishment. Says the division website: "Correcting the violations is important, but penalties may still result from violations corrected after the warning time was over." An emergency order — when a restaurant is closed by the inspector — is based on an immediate threat to the public. Here, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants director has determined that the establishment must stop doing business and any division license is suspended to protect health, safety or welfare of the public. A 24-hour call-back inspection will be performed after an emergency closure or suspension of license. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville area restaurant and food truck inspections June 23-29 2025
Khaleej Times
28-06-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Philippines: Overweight cops get 12 months to meet weight standards or lose jobs
Police officers who are overweight have one year to meet physical fitness standards or risk losing their jobs, according Speaking in a radio interview, Gen. Nicolas Torre III Torres emphasised his commitment to enforcing health and fitness requirements across the Philippine National Police (PNP). 'After one year, there will be a separation from the service," the PNP chief warned. Torre cited Republic Act 6975, also known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act, which mandates that officers maintain a weight no more or less than 5kg from the standard based on their height, age, and sex. "The standard weight will adjust automatically because one's build is taken into consideration. So you cannot say that you're overweight just because you're bigboned," Torres underscored. He also noted that the qualifications for police officers listed in the law are 'continuing in nature and failure in any one of them can be a cost for termination". "We have regulations for that. They will be given one year to comply with the standard," the PNP chief added. 40 push-ups required To support physical fitness, police officers working the 8am to 5pm shift are now allowed to end their workday at 3pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so they can engage in their chosen fitness routines. Personnel on frontline duties, however, must find their own time to exercise. The PNP chief also added that officers should also be able to perform at least 40 push-ups — or face dismissal. "The reckoning will come during the physical fitness test. We won't show any mercy there," he said. He also warned that if he gets suspicious and he encounters someone who supposedly passed the test, but couldn't do 40 push-ups when asked, he will "find out who approved his results — and both will be dismissed". Fitness as core standard Torre, the PNP's 31st chief, has made physical fitness a cornerstone of his leadership — one that applies to everyone from senior officials down to rank-and-file patrol officers. "It is incumbent upon every police officer to maintain a physical appearance acceptable for a police officer,' said PNP spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo. Fajardo encouraged officers to start monitoring their Body Mass Index (BMI), which is computed by dividing a person's weight in kilos by the height in meters squared. For officers dealing with health issues, the PNP chief said they are exploring two options: either a full disability discharge or reassignment to administrative roles. The PNP leadership also plans to consult the National Police Commission (Napolcom) regarding proper handling of personnel with medical conditions that affect their weight or fitness levels. 'The directive does not dictate how you are going to lose weight, but of course, we will give considerations,' Fajardo said. Not the first time This isn't the first time fitness has been pushed within the police force. In 2000, then-PNP chief and now Senator-elect Panfilo Lacson also introduced strict standards, famously saying no policeman should have a waistline exceeding 34 inches. His rationale: physical fitness helps project discipline — and a fat policeman 'gave the illusion' of being more prone to corruption. Back then, officers were given only a few months to comply, triggering a wave of fitness programs and mandatory workouts. Even senior officers found themselves under scrutiny, with at least one high-ranking official scolded by Lacson for missing a scheduled fitness test.
Arab News
13-06-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Tabuk Municipality intensifies inspection campaigns
TABUK: Tabuk Municipality has launched intensified inspection campaigns aimed at monitoring the compliance of food and commercial establishments with municipal requirements. Owaid Al-Atwi, deputy mayor for licensing and compliance, said that 1,253 field visits were conducted as part of the campaign, resulting in 184 establishments being issued warnings, and seven others being shut down due to more serious violations. In addition, 46 kilograms of spoiled raw materials and 54 kilograms of rotten meat were confiscated. Al-Atwi said that the most prominent violations included the absence of health certificates for workers. He emphasized that these efforts are made to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food services and to enhance establishments' adherence to approved health standards.
News24
11-06-2025
- Health
- News24
‘Being clean is a feeling everyone deserves': Campaign uplifts Eastern Cape school toilets
The Unstoppable Together campaign has increased the percentage of functional toilets meeting health standards in Eastern Cape schools from 8% to 44% this year. Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once.
