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Rats a problem at Angel Stadium
Sun Aug 5, 11:03 AM ET
ANAHEIM, Calif. - Angels in the outfield, rodents in the concession stand.
County health officials say they're stepping up enforcement at Angel Stadium, where they've found 118 vermin violations at stadium kiosks and restaurants over the last 2 1/2 years. That's a far worse record than Southern California's other two major-league ballparks.
Thirty-three of those reports represent "major" violations, in which "rodent activity" was observed by health inspectors in a "critical area" of 18 stadium food venues, the Orange County Register reported Sunday.
In the 412 routine inspections of Angel Stadium food venues conducted by the county Health Care Agency since 2005, vermin violations were found 25 percent of the time.
"We realize we have an issue at Angel Stadium," said Richard Sanchez, the agency's director of environmental health. "We're stepping up enforcement."
In about the same period, San Diego's Petco Park had two vermin violations and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles had seven, the Register reported, citing records.
Tim Mead, vice president of communications for the Angels, blamed the infestation on heavy rains in 2005 that contributed to an increase in the rodent population.
"That's a generalization, not an excuse," he said. "I'm not here to offer excuses. We're here to strive for perfection."
The stadium agreed to step up pest-control efforts at a March 2006 hearing with health care officials, but 80 of the violations, and 15 of the major ones, were spotted after that hearing. So far this year there have been two major incidences of vermin, one forcing the temporary closure of the Angelitos Terrace restaurant.
Mike McKay, stadium director of facilities services, said discarded food and unwashed dishes sometimes sit for up to 12 hours. Whether it's a day game or a night game, maintenance crews begin cleaning around 5 a.m. the next day, he said.
"It's a matter of sanity," he said. "This group of people get shifted around a lot. It's hard to find people to do that on a consistent basis."
At Petco Park, crews begin cleaning as soon as the fans clear out, said Ben Coughlin, a spokesman for the Padres' stadium.
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