Week of September 16–20, 2025

Many Schools with Zero Violations

Most of the week’s inspections were conducted at schools in Bedford, Campbell, Amherst, and Lynchburg. Encouragingly, the majority of schools earned a clean report with zero violations. Among the highlights were:

• The Children’s Lounge (Moneta)
• Temple Christian School (Madison Heights)
• Rustburg Elementary (Rustburg)
• Fort Hill Community School (1350 Liggates Rd.)
• Amherst Education Center (Madison Heights)
• Rustburg Middle School (Rustburg)
• Heritage Elementary (501 Leesville Rd.)
• Monelison Middle School (Madison Heights)
• Brookville Middle School (320 Bee Dr.)
• Tomahawk Elementary (155 Bee Dr.)

These inspections underscore strong compliance with food safety and health standards at the region’s schools.

Restaurants and Food Service Establishments

Several restaurants and food businesses also reported no violations, including:

• Waffle House #2269 (2137 Wards Rd.)

Other restaurants and food operations logged only a handful of issues (1–3 violations):

• Hardee’s (Rustburg) – 1 violation
• The Maple Leaf Tea Room (1215 Commerce St.) – 1 violation
• Pavino’s Pizzeria (2117 Broadway St.) – 1 violation
• Heritage High School Cafeteria (3101 Wards Ferry Rd.) – 1 violation
• The Filling Station (Amherst) – 2 violations
• The Dogwood Café (Amherst) – 3 violations

Higher Violation Counts

A few establishments saw more notable findings this week:

• Long Mountain Grill (Rustburg) – 5 violations
• Food Hall (3405 Candlers Mtn. Rd.) – 5 violations
• La Carreta #3 (2245 Langhorne Rd.) – 7 violations

Follow-Up Inspections

Health officials also conducted follow-up inspections at a number of locations to ensure corrective actions were being maintained:

• Annie’s Indian Kitchen (Forest Rd.)
• Vinny’s Italian Grill (Moneta)
• Troublemaker Café (2236 Lakeside Dr.)
• Choice Hibachi Grill (2623 Wards Rd.)
• LJ’s Creations (Bedford)
• Dale’s Diner (Montvale)
• Osaka Japanese Express (2117 Wards Rd.)
• Subway #29275 (7803 Timberlake Rd.)

Pre-Opening Inspections

Two businesses preparing to open their doors underwent pre-opening checks this week:

• Phillin Philly Mobile Unit #2 (2100 12th St.)
• Sheetz #403 (3927 Wards Rd., Lynchburg)

La Carreta #3 Leads Weekly Inspection List with Seven Violations

Lynchburg, VA – La Carreta #3, a full-service Mexican restaurant at 2245 Langhorne Road, recorded the highest number of health code violations in the Central Virginia Health District’s inspections for the week of September 16–20, 2025. The popular dining spot was cited for seven issues during its routine inspection on September 18.

Key Findings

The violations ranged from employee health documentation to food handling practices and physical facility concerns. Among the most significant:

• Employee Health Training – Inspectors found that one employee, a dishwasher, had no signed health policy form on file. All food workers are required to acknowledge they understand not to work while sick. Blank forms in English and Spanish were available, and management was instructed to train and document all staff immediately.
• Improper Storage of Beverages – Inspectors observed partially drunk water bottles stored alongside clean dishware in the dishwashing area, and an open cup of lemonade placed above a prep table. Drinks for staff must have lids and straws and be kept away from food or clean equipment.
• Handwashing Lapses – A cook changed gloves between handling raw meat and toppings without washing hands in between, creating a cross-contamination risk. The inspector advised using utensils for toppings instead of gloved hands.
• Bare-Hand Contact with Food – A server was seen retrieving lime slices from a bar cooler with bare hands. Those limes were discarded, and the employee was counseled.
• Unlabeled Containers – Several squeeze bottles around the restaurant contained red liquids, oils, and sour cream but were not labeled. By regulation, all foods transferred into new containers must be clearly identified.
• Lighting Issues – One light in the walk-in cooler was out, limiting visibility for checking food condition and cleanliness.
• Personal Items with Dishware – An employee’s cell phone was stored with clean dishware in the dishwashing area, raising contamination concerns.

Corrective Actions

Most of the problems were corrected on-site (COS), with employees retrained and items discarded as needed. For longer-term fixes, the restaurant was given 90 days to label all food containers properly and replace the broken light in the cooler.

The inspection also included some positive observations. Inspectors noted better stacking in the walk-in cooler, a fixed plumbing issue from a prior visit, and an up-to-date cleaning procedure for vomit/diarrhea incidents. The restaurant’s ventilation hood had been serviced just days before the inspection.

Food Safety Snapshot

Despite the violations, La Carreta demonstrated compliance in many areas. Ground beef, beef with vegetables, and other hot items reached safe cooking temperatures well above 170°F, while cold items like tomatoes were held at 36°F. The chemical dishwasher registered proper sanitizer levels.

Looking Ahead

La Carreta #3 remains permitted to operate and has until December 17, 2025 to address the outstanding items related to labeling and lighting.