I ran across the following, posted on the Lubbock, Texas, News Radio website today.  James Clark wrote the article, Why The Code of Silence On Deadly Botulism?  He brings up some really good points about the information available to the media concerning the recall of Castleberry’s products after they were found to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum.  After all, the public relies on the media for all of our information about the recall, and if the media can’t get answers, who can?

News Radio 1420 demands some accountability for the lack of public announcements and lack of answers to news media inquiries on botulism and the Castleberry recall.

Local news media including News Radio 1420 knew about the local angle of the national food recall story for well more than a week. But knowing it and getting official information for a story are two different issues.

News Radio 1420 asked Lubbock’s public health coordinator, Tigi Ward, why did the general public not hear from the Lubbock Health Department on the issue of botulism and the recall of Castleberry products?

Ward says, “The cases were not in our local jurisdiction. Consequently any information regarding the cases would come from that jurisdiction.”

In other words the case did not start in Lubbock. It started in another town. So, if we understand this correctly it is her contention that either Abernathy officials needed to say something about it or the state health department needed to say something about it. The Lubbock Health Department was not the lead agency.