RITE AID FINED; RAT INFESTATION COSTLY FOR DRUGSTORE CHAIN RITE AID PENALIZED.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Staff Writer VENTURA - Rite Aid Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) is a United States retailer and pharmacy chain, operating over 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains. agreed Tuesday to pay $124,000 in fines and administrative costs administrative costs, n.pl the overhead expenses incurred in the operation of a dental benefits program, excluding costs of dental services provided. to settle complaints of massive rat infestation infestation /in·fes·ta·tion/ (-fes-ta´shun) parasitic attack or subsistence on the skin and/or its appendages, as by insects, mites, or ticks; sometimes used to denote parasitic invasion of the organs and tissues, as by helminths. and other health code violations at 17 of its 20 Ventura County stores. The settlement with the county District Attorney's Office also forces the drugstore chain to educate its employees about sanitary conditions and to allow independent inspections for pests. Ventura County Environmental Health Division officials said their investigators found fecal matter on food and contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. or chewed food and packaging, indicating vermin vermin /ver·min/ (ver´min) 1. an external animal parasite. 2. such parasites collectively.ver´minous ver·min n. pl. and rodent infestation. Inspectors also found unsanitary un·san·i·tar·y adj. Not sanitary. conditions, improper food and utensil storage and inadequate and poorly maintained hand-washing and restroom facilities. ``The reason for them having to go through training and to improve the condition of the store was to eliminate the rodents and to get (employees) to understand how the existence of rodent infestation affects the sanitation of these stores,'' said Debra Borsos, acting manager of the county department. Rite Aid officials welcomed the settlement with the county, and said they are confident that the issues have been resolved. The problems were limited to the Ventura County area. ``We have really only been cited once since September and we've worked very hard to rectify any issues that were brought to our attention,'' said Sarah Datz, manager of public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most for the chain. ``I think it was a combination of the older stores that needed structural improvements and store personnel needed additional training.'' Datz said the chain has taught managers and employees better pest-control practices and also has made improvements, such as adding shelves and ensuring that windows and doors are secure. The drugstore chain was ordered to pay a total of $124,188 - $115,000 in civil penalties to the county, and $9,188 in costs and attorney fees to the District Attorney's Office. The company also will have to reimburse the Environmental Health Division more than $45,400 for inspection and administrative costs. ``The county was not out of pocket for the resources and time that Environmental Health had to put in to ensure that the problem was corrected,'' said Senior Deputy District Attorney Mitchell Disney. The investigation began in late 1998, after the EHD EHD epizootic hemorrhagic disease. received a series of consumer complaints about cleanliness at local stores. Those complaints, combined with their own regular inspections, led authorities to schedule a sweep in February of all Rite Aid stores. The 17 affected stores were in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. , Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , on Reino Road in Newbury Park and on Lindero Canyon Road in Agoura. Nine had their food permits temporarily suspended after an inspection. The EHD conducted a second sweep in late June and another in early July, and nine stores - most repeat offenders - were again suspended and prohibited from selling food until the problems were rectified. Finally, in mid-September, both stores in Simi Valley were closed for rodent infestation and unsanitary conditions. WHICH STORES? The following Rite-Aid stores were closed temporarily last year by the Ventura County Environmental Health Department for a variety of code health violations: --618 Lindero Canyon Road, Agoura; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed June 9-10. --11696 N. Ventura Ave., Mira Monte; no hot water for utensil or hand- washing; closed June 1 only. --161 Reino Road, Newbury Park; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed Feb. 18-19. --1159 Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Ave., Simi Valley; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed June 7-10, Sept. 14-16. --5845 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed June 7-10, Sept. 16-20. --387 Avenida de los Arboles, Thousand Oaks; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed Feb. 18-23, June 1-3, June 23-29. --570 W. Main St., Santa Paula; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed Feb. 18-22, June 1-4. --183 N. Moorpark Road (ice cream station), Thousand Oaks; severe cockroach cockroach or roach, name applied to approximately 3,500 species of flat-bodied, oval insects forming the order Blattodea. Cockroaches have long antennae, long legs adapted to running, and a flat extension of the upper body wall that conceals the infestation; closed May 28-June 9. --131 W. Main St., Ventura; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed Feb. 17-19, June 1-3, July 6-9. --3400 Telegraph Road, Ventura; rodent infestation, unsanitary conditions; closed Feb. 18-22. CAPTION(S): Box Box: WHICH STORES? (see text) |
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