Q&A on the News

Q: I think it’s wonderful that The Atlanta Journal-Constitution publishes the inspection scores of restaurants. Who inspects, and how do we get the scores, of food in supermarkets, schools, food trucks, airport restaurants, stadiums and other venues?

— Van Howard, Atlanta

A: County health departments, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Public Health, inspect restaurants, schools, hotels, athletic facilities, airports and other establishments where food is prepared. The counties send inspectors anywhere food is cooked to make sure it abides by state guidelines. Non-prepared food in a grocery store — such as produce or meat — is inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but food in a grocery store's deli or restaurant is inspected by the health department, a spokeswoman with the Georgia Department of Public Health told Q&A on the News. If food is prepared in a food truck, the truck is inspected, but if it's prepared at another facility and then sold from the truck, both the facility and truck likely would need to be inspected, she said. Go to health.state.ga.us/programs/envservices/inspections.asp to view inspection scores for every Georgia county.

Q: After reading the story about the costly North Atlanta High School, I’d like to know if there is an open house or an opportunity to see this facility. I am an Atlanta taxpayer and would like to see how my tax dollars are being spent.

— Ann Ferretti, Atlanta

A: There are two open houses planned for North Atlanta High School on Monday. One is from 10 a.m. to noon and the other is from 1-3 p.m., according to school officials. The new school cost nearly $147 million.