The Inspection Services Department carries out the general health & safety inspections of occupancies requiring a health permit within the jurisdiction of the City of Nacogdoches. The primary function of the Health Inspector is the interpretation, inspection and field compliance efforts of the technical codes and laws. These codes and laws are Federal, State and Local. In addition the Health Inspector with support from the Inspection Services Department carries out the responsibility of data entry, account billing and record keeping.
Keep up the good work!
Health Inspections: Sombrero’s Scores 18 Demerits; Several Local Cafeterias Earn Perfect Marks
NACOGDOCHES — The latest round of health inspections conducted by local authorities during the week of Oct. 24 revealed a wide range of results, from spotless food trucks and school cafeterias to a restaurant cited for nearly a dozen violations.
Top Performers: Several establishments earned perfect scores with zero demerits, including:
- Clear Springs Bar, 211 Old Tyler Road
- Travelin Tom’s Coffee Truck and Southern Ice Shaved Ice Truck, both inspected during the Old Town Rig Down event
- Nacogdoches High School Cafeteria, 4310 Appleby Sand Road
Inspectors noted that these locations were 100% compliant, with up-to-date paperwork and clean facilities.
Minor Violations: A number of businesses received only one to four demerits, typically for easily correctable issues:
- Emeline Carpenter Elementary School Cafeteria (2 demerits): Missing paper towels at a handwashing sink, corrected on site.
- McDonald’s – North Street (2 demerits): Milk containers lacked legible date stamps.
- Taco Bell – North Street (3 demerits): Cleaning and storage issues, including a dirty vent and damaged flooring.
- Dollar Tree – North Stallings Drive (4 demerits): A discarded milk product, cooler spillage, and ceiling/floor damage.
- Nacogdoches Senior Center (2 demerits): Sweeping needed and a missing hair restraint.
- Clear Springs Restaurant (3 demerits): Missing thermometer and damaged areas near the walk-in cooler.
- Raguet Elementary School Cafeteria (1 demerit): Paint peeling and a damaged drain cover.
More Serious Concerns:
- Burger King – North Street (6 demerits): Lacked a backflow preventer, had damaged floors, and improper storage of an ice scoop.
- King Tacos N More (5 demerits): Issues included improper dating of sandwich meat, missing thermometers, and unused equipment needing removal.
Lowest Score:
- Sombrero’s Restaurant, 3000 North Street, received the highest number of demerits—18 in total. Violations included:
- Improper food storage and labeling
- Lack of hot water at a sink
- Inadequate lighting
- Damaged walls and floors
- Dirty vents and cooler bases
- Missing thermometers and use-by dates
- Hair restraint violations
Despite the high number of violations, some issues were corrected on site, such as discarding a spatula.
Health inspections are conducted regularly to ensure food safety and sanitation standards are met. Demerits are issued based on the severity and number of violations, with immediate corrections often mitigating potential risks.
Inspection Report