Chambers County Judge threatens oyster safety
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We all want the oysters we eat in our favorite restaurant to be totally safe. Now you can thank a State District Judge in Anahuac if they aren’t!
Judge Randy Mcdonald has stopped the State of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from allowing anyone to touch the oysters in a large swath of Galveston Bay…and he did it without even notifying the State of Texas of the hearing.
The state had given oyster producers just two days next week to transfer oysters to safer waters to protect public safety so they could be checked out by the health department before harvesting. Judge Mcdonald’s ruling suddenly stops that. Oh, by the way, his ruling also helps another Chambers County Judge heavily invested in the oyster business. Surprise surprise.
S.T.O.R.M, the company owned by Chambers County Judge Tracy Woody requested the restraining order stopping the oyster rescue mission. S.T.O.R.M claims it is now the boss of Galveston Bay, not the people of Texas or the oyster companies that have paid for the right to harvest oysters. STORM says it now controls 23,000 acres of Galveston Bay and has issued trespassing letters.
You may remember S.T.O.R.M. got a sweetheart deal from the Chambers-Liberty County Navigation District last year to lease 23,000 acres of Galveston Bay bottom for a small fraction of what it is worth. The State of Texas filed suit, saying the deal was illegal and warned S.T.O.R.M they would pay if oysters were damaged.
Last week a Travis County judge killed an attempt to move the lawsuit to S.T.O.R.M.’S hometown of Anahuac, The state also issued orders for oyster companies so they could have Oct 5 and 6th to move their crops before the November harvesting season. Then Judge Woody found his Chambers County Colleague Judge Randy Mcdonald.
“We expected this home town ambush,” says Lisa Halili of Prestige Oysters. “It is just one smelly deal after another, but we are fighting with the People of Texas to stop this madness. This Anahuac home cooking will not stand.”
The restraining order by Judge Mcdonald calls for a hearing Oct 8th, but expect the State of Texas to go to court in the next 48 hours to try and stop the Judge.
Of course, this is Chambers County where the home cooking runs deep. Stay tuned.
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