Sacramento Walgreens closed after more than 1,000 droppings, live rat found inside

A Walgreens in Sacramento’s Golf Course Terrace neighborhood remained closed Friday morning after a Sacramento County Environmental Management Department inspector found more than 1,000 rat droppings in the back storage room and a live rat inside.

The store at 7155 24th St. also had several dozen droppings on the floor under shelves with food, and chewed chips and Top Ramen packages were found on the ground as well. A live rat had run past the inspector in the storage room, and movement from another animal was detected behind an adjacent storage cabinet, according to the inspector’s report.

The rats likely entered through a hole by the fire riser pipes where more droppings and dried blood were found, according a pest control technician the inspector consulted. A “large amount” of nesting material and droppings were found in a corner of the storage room, and more holes were found in the walls. Some had been stuffed with foam, but the rats had chewed through that as well. Walgreens subsequently failed reinspection on Thursday, though that report wasn’t available as of Friday morning.

Eric’s Donuts failed inspection Wednesday as well, though cockroaches, not rats, felled the doughnut shop at 5669 Mack Rd. An inspector found eight live and two dead cockroaches between the kitchen sinks, walls and floors, and Eric’s Donuts remained closed as of Friday morning.

Eric’s was also hit with a major violation for keeping a mozzarella croissant at 74 degrees Fahrenheit with no written log of how long it had been out. All perishable foods must generally be stored between below 42 degrees or above 134 degrees, but can be between those marks for up to four hours provided the time is recorded.

The Cinders Bar’s problem was more structural. The North Highlands bar’s restrooms were already out of order due to sewage overflow when an inspector came by Monday, and it had rented portable toilets in the meantime.

A bartender told the inspector the sewage overflow had begun last Thursday and a plumber was scheduled to come back later in the week, according to the report. Nevertheless, the bar at 5340 Auburn Blvd. failed its inspection and remained closed as of Friday morning.

St. Mary’s School’s cafeteria was also closed for vermin/animal contamination on Wednesday but passed reinspection Thursday. A report for the school at 1351 58th St., which has students ranging from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, was not available as of Friday morning.

This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 5:00 AM.