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Rodents gnawed thru bags of nacho cheese and left droppings inside a Raymondville convenience store.

Break Time, formerly known as Wright Stop, on 1095 East Hidalgo Avenue was a low performer with 25 demerits.

A health inspector said they also found rodent poop, 50 fresh droppings in all, most of it under the slushy machine where cups are stored.

Other violations included a cross contamination of raw chicken next to cooked barbacoa and vegetables, a can opener with soiled food particles and a temperature violation on foods.

"You know our concern is for public safety," the Food Patrol told a manager questioned over the phone.
 
The manager said pest control did clear the rodent contamination and added how the business is working hard to keep it clean under a new name and new management.

Fruit markets have to follow health rules too.

Gonzalez Fruit on 106 North Expressway 77 in Sebastian was a low performer with 22 demerits.

At issue, the stand didn't have hot water at hand sinks in the male and female restrooms for proper sanitation.

Owner Jesse Gonzalez said previous guidelines didn't require it for fruit sales, but his mother recently added chorizo and other items.

These foods require a proper permit, which the business did not have.
           
"When she did start handling that a couple of months ago, and she told me I needed to get a license… We applied for it,” Gonzalez said.  “We have a water heater and it wasn't working.  All that got corrected the following day."

Subway inside Valle Vista Mall in Harlingen was busted, not with high demerits, rather roaches.

Kitchen cops found them on the walls and even in a worker's Subway cap hanging up.

Pest control was ordered and Subway was re-inspected two days later with no roaches.

The KFC Colonel cooks up ‘finger-lickin' good food,’ but it's the staff at the KFC on 201 South 77 in Harlingen that earned the restaurant a top performer sticker for zero demerits.

"Keep it clean," workers said.

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Top Performers List
Low Performers List 

Weekly Low Performer List: (total # of demerits)

Raymondville
Wright Stop 1095 E Hidalgo (25) *50 Fresh Rodent Droppings/Gnawed Nacho Cheese Bags*

Sebastian
Gonzalez Fruit Market (22) *Expired Permit/No Hot Water in Restrooms*

Harlingen
Subway 2020 S Exp 83 *Roach Infestation/On Walls, Inside Hanging Cap*

Weekly Top Performer List: (0 demerits)

Harlingen
KFC 201 S 77 Sunshine
El Rancho 206 N 77 Sunshine
China Restaurant 1506 S 77 Sunshine
Whataburger 1522 E Harrison
Peso Bills 803 S 77 Sunshine
Pizza Patron 806 N 13th St

Port Isabel
El Papa’s 814 S Garcia
The Galley 201 N Musina

La Joya
Subway 730 E Exp 83
Whataburger 450 Exp 83
Burger King 688 E Exp 83

Alamo
Star’s 104 N Alamo Rd

San Juan
Star’s 701 N Nebraska

Mission
Wendy’s 4410 N Conway

Palmview
Pizza Hut 7222 Exp 83

Pharr
KFC 904 E Bus 83
Rudy’s 209 W Nolana
Church’s 10 S Cage
Dairy Queen 1008 N Cage