By Robert Lucke
Hill County sanitarian Heidi Bischoff instituted what she called the Gold Star Program last year for county establishments serving food and beverages, and she's excited about the results to date.
"I am signing more people up all the time," Bischoff said. "And there are several establishments who have picked up gold stars twice now, which is what we want."
Bischoff explained a little about the program.
"The Gold Star Program is an effort to get food purveyors to comply to county and state standards," she said. "In order to get a gold star, there has to be no critical violations and get a passing score on an inspection of at least 90 or 95 out of 100 depending on the level of production."
Area businesses that currently have a gold star are the Oxford Bar, Palace Bar, Shamrock Bar, Bullhook Bottoms Casino, Wolfer's Diner, Magic Diamond Casino, Rod's Drive Inn, Subway/TCBY, Boxcars, The Park Restaurant, Gildford Merc, Kelly's Pub, Inverness Bar and Caf, Hiway Bar, Eagles Nest, Quench and Bench, Gallery Restaurant, Uncle Joe's, Parthenon, Lucky Lil's Casino, Arctic Circle, Emporium, 15 West, Horizon Room, Pizza Pro, The Lunch Box, Taco Time, and McDonald's.
Bischoff is hopeful about the response she has gotten from area food purveyors.
"I think the program is going well and that it is going to be an ongoing program," she said.
