Kilgore restaurant picketed over accusation of bad food
By LESTER MURRAY news2@kilgorenewsherald.com

Grandmother and grandson say they got sick eating at this Church's Chicken in Kilgore.

An Elderville woman claims she and her grandson became ill after eating in Church's Fried Chicken restaurant here.

Murrell Cook said she and her grandson, Dakota Warner, went to the Church's Chicken in Kilgore on Feb. 11 and they both became ill. "We went to the hospital and the doctor told us we had salmonella from eating bad chicken," said Murrell. "I called the restaurant to inform them of the problem and the manager starting yelling at me."

Cook said the last thing the manager, who gave his name only as Ali, said to her was "I don't care."

"I don't want to sue anybody, I'm just not like that," said Cook. "It just made me so mad when Ali said he didn't care," said Cook. "I then called the Kilgore Health Inspector, B.J. Owen.

Cook said Owen did an extensive interview with her and conducted a health inspection of the restaurant.

Owen said he inspected Church's Chicken on Friday morning and the restaurant scored 88 out of 100 on their inspection.

"Usually when a restaurant that sells chicken has a problem with salmonella it is for one of two reasons; one is cross contamination which usually means someone is not washing their hands before handling the food, the other is under-cooked chicken," said Owen.

Chicken must be cooked to a minimum of 165 degrees internally, said Owen. "If chicken is cooked on the outside to 165, but 135 close to the bone it can be a problem," said Owen.

Ali said he was the supervisor of the Church's Chicken here and that when he spoke with Cook she would not listen to what he had to say. "I tried to tell her if she had a problem to submit paperwork and I would send it to the corporate office," said Ali. "That is what I carry insurance for."

Cook said she spoke with the Church's Corporate office and was told the Kilgore store was owner-owned and -operated. The local owner leases the Church's name and nothing more. "They told me they would investigate the allegation and get back to me," said Cook.

"I am out here protesting in the rain because I want people to know that this man doesn't care that someone got sick from eating at his restaurant," said Cook.

Owen said Cook did everything she was supposed to do before she picketed the store and that she was not on Church's property.

Cook said since she has been in front of the store, other people have stopped and said they, too, have gotten sick from eating there.

Owen said if a restaurant gets several complaints about the same incidents he has the option to then turn the investigation over to the state health department.

Owen did say however when he conducted the inspection of Church's Chicken, the chicken was properly heated and that the average scores on many restaurants in Kilgore are A's and B's, which means 80 to a 100 on there inspection scores. "I try and inspect as many restaurants as I can, I did over 70 last year," said Owen. "When I do inspect a restaurant there is no notification given, I just walk in."

Until this inspection, Owen said, Church's was last inspected in February, 2007.