The state health department has cited four restaurants in Douglas County, claiming they violated the state’s food code.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recently released information about suspected violations found by inspectors at the China House, 4821 W. Sixth St., Suite D, and Clay’s Cafe, 1910 Haskell Ave., both in Lawrence.

The KDHE also cited Walt’s Pizza Cafe, 711 High St., and the Black Jack Diner, 516 Ames St., both in Baldwin.

Business owners have the right to request hearings.

The KDHE filed notices March 2 with intention to suspend the licenses of Clay’s and Walt’s Pizza. The KDHE has fined both restaurants’ owners within the last year for violations.

After an inspection Feb. 1 at Clay’s, a KDHE inspector alleged several violations, including failure to show knowledge about preventing foodborne disease, an employee observed drinking in food preparation areas, failure to adequately store potentially dangerous food, failure to label potentially hazardous foods with a consumption date and failure to throw away food that had passed its consumption date.

Kelly Church, owner of Clay’s, said she hired new employees after the restaurant was fined last year. She also said she asked the KDHE to come help train her new employees about the food code, but the inspector never responded to her calls.

Church has appealed the citations, and she has a pre-hearing in May. The restaurant will remain open, she said.

“I’m hoping it works out. I know we are doing a bunch of remodeling right now,” Church said.

After a Jan. 30 inspection, a KDHE inspector cited violations at Walt’s Pizza for failure to show knowledge about preventing foodborne disease, failure to adequately protect stored foods, failure to label potentially hazardous foods with a consumption date and failure to throw away food that had passed its consumption date.

Calls to Walt’s Pizza on Thursday were not answered.

The KDHE also has ordered owners Yu Pan and Wang Hat Pong of the China House to pay a $500 fine for operating without a license between Jan. 7 and March 2.

Owner Penny Caskey-Berndt of Black Jack Diner was ordered to pay an $850 fine for failure to properly store potentially dangerous foods, failure to label food with a consumption date and failure to throw away food that was held past its labeled consumption date.

Calls Thursday to those restaurants and owners also were not answered.