Monticello Live

Father’s Day is a celebration of fatherhood and male parenting. Father’s Day is celebrated on a variety of date’s worldwide and typically involves gift-giving, special dinners to fathers, and family gatherings. Also, remembering what our fathers taught us, both good and not so good. We usually tell special stories about our fathers, bringing to mind, why we love them so very much.

As you make plans to honor your father, stepfather, or forefathers; let’s all pause for a moment and think about what your father has done for you or is currently doing, in his role as a father. And all fathers, you need to think about your role too. Fathers play a very important role in the development and lives of their children. They are best friends, mentors, coaches, protectors; typically providing mental, physical, spiritual and financial support. A father influences the shape and direction of a child’s character and values by giving respect, care, love, discipline, encouragement, guidance, being there to just talk to, ask a question and leading through example. (more…)

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, Friday announced that the Drew Memorial Hospital will receive a $12 million Recovery Act loan to construct a replacement bed patient wing and a new allied health building.

“This funding will help the Drew Memorial Hospital continue to provide quality care to the community and surrounding areas. I am pleased that, through my role as Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman, I was able to help secure these funds,” Lincoln said.

“Approval of this loan will allow us to kick off the first phase of the modernization of Drew Memorial Hospital. This project will help us to better provide the highest quality health care services to everyone in Drew County and the surrounding areas,” Drew County Hospital CEO Michael Layfield said.

These projects will provide for fully accessible and modern rooms for area residents. They will also expand health services and education and training opportunities for the public and health care professionals. (more…)

Since 2007, this presctiption assistance program, involving Drew HEALTH, has saved over $518,000 for local residents.

Here are the program details: (more…)

For the second consecutive, Monticello’s First Assembly of God church was the location where Drew County residents went to get free flu shots, last Friday. 

The event started at 7 a.m., with the added difficulty of working by the light of car headlights shining the windows, because electricity wasn’t restored to the area until around 10:30, after storms the night before.

This year, a total of 1562 shots were given: 1426 were for the seasonal flu; 136 were for the H1N1 strain, which was available only for priority risk residents (as designated by the state) such as expectant mothers.

Last year over 1600 shots were given, but this year, workers used all of the available vaccine before 3 o’clock.

Karen Brown, administrator of the local health unit, seemed pleased with the days results, and complimented the 50 staff and volunteers, who made the event possible.

The Drew Memorial Hospital Board Meeting was held Wednesday, in the hospital’s board room.

• Representatives from the hospital administration and the USDA met last week to finalize the application for a $12 million loan from the USDA. The hospital’s new architectural firm, Cromwell, will reassess the hospital’s building modernization program and update the USDA application for the hospital’s architectural plans.

• The board approved the hospital to go forward with a financial feasibility study to complete the USDA application to complete phase I and II of the hospital modernization program. (more…)

Fifteen organizations received Governor’s Quality Awards Monday evening in Little Rock, and Drew Memorial Hospital received the second highest award possible.

The top award went to White River Medical Center, receiving the Governors Award for Performance Excellence. Drew Memorial Hospital received the next highest award from the Governor, the Governors Achievement Award.  Several organizations received the third place award, the Governors Commitment award and several more received the forth place award, the Governors Challenge Award. (more…)

During the regular Quorum Court meeting held last Thursday, County Judge Damon Lampkin brought up the new Medical Office Building. Dr. Sidney Collins and Dr. Jeffrey Reinhart were there to discuss the status of the prospective building. Collins stated that they had come to a roadblock in the building because the land was appraised for much higher than they were hoping to pay.

The county paid for an appraiser to come in and examine the land and his estimate for the five acres of land was around $224,000. The doctors then paid for a different appraiser to examine the land and his estimate for the five acres was $110,000. The doctors do not want to have to pay $224,000 with all the restrictions that were put on the building. They asked the court to lower the price of the land. (more…)

A special called meeting of the Drew Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees was held at noon Thursday. The purpose of the meeting was to select a Architectural firm to provide traditional architect/General contractor bid process and over site services for the planned $14 million Hospital expansion and modernization program.

Proposals from three architectural firms were reviewed . All firms were based in Little Rock ,have extensive hospital experience and are large enough to work with government funding requirements. Proposals were reviewed from: Polk, Stanley and Wilcox Architects; Wittenberg,Delony&Davidson and Cromwell Architects and Engineers.

The board voted to select Cromwell Architects and Engineers from Little Rock as the hospital’s Architect to provide services for the allied health building and 41 inpatient bed wing.

The Quorum Court unanimously approved the Hospital Board’s request to borrow $14 million to fund the Hospitals building modernization plan. Construction could start within the next 15 months.

With the approval of the loan application; Phase I of the modernization will be to build and construct an Allied Health building containing services such as a sleep center, physical therapy, and an outpatient psychiatric program.

Additional services can be added to the building such as chemotherapy and radiation treatment programs and outpatient clinics. Phase II of the program will be the addition of 41 all private rooms replacing the current medical/surgical rooms.

I was thinking the other day  about how everyone seems to want a “Business Card”. Many of us have one, serving to identify us, by providing our name, title, e-mail address and phone number, as a way to “connect” with us. (more…)

Two representatives with Murray and Company provided preliminary sketches of the phase modernization plan. The Board voted to begin work on Phase I, the allied health building, shown in red in the photo.

The Drew Memorial Hospital Board voted to move ahead with the first phase of the master site plan to modernize the hospital during its regular meeting Wednesday, July 22. Murray and Company will draw up the plans for the new allied health building.

The master site plan consists of six phases, which include new construction, renovations and remodeling to modernize the hospital’s facilities. The Board voted to approach the phase modernization project by starting with Phase I, construction of the allied health building. (more…)

All 7 members of the board of directors of Drew Memorial Hospital unanimously approved a resolution encouraging the quorum court and county judge to support the sale and use of approximately 5 acres of land (located in the pine covered area north of the hospital) to be used as a medical office building.

Dr. Sydney Collins and Dr. Jeff Reinhart were present at last week’s board meeting, representing local dentist Tim Chase, who will also be a part of the venture.  Dr. Michael Fakouri will also work out of the facility. (more…)

Monticello’s  Dr. Sylvia Simon was recently appointed to serve  on the Arkansas Medical Board by Gov. Mike Beebe

Dr. Simon’s term will expire on December 31, 2014.

Skin Cancer: Reduce Your Risk With ‘Safe Sun’ Guidelines

What are the safe-sun guidelines?Safe-sun guidelines are the following 4 ways to protect your skin and reduce your risk of skin cancer: (more…)

(and you can’t guess which organ it is) (more…)

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Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn’t mean it can’t lead to weight gain.

It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages-even if they’re artificially sweetened-may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert-everything. Considering there are 15 calories in every teaspoon of sugar, that’s not good news if you’re watching your weight.

Information provided by Drew Memorial Hospital.

The Drew Memorial Hospital Board met in regular session Wednesday afternoon.

Shannon Jackson was announced as the current Health Hero, and was presented a plaque for her efforts, which had received praise from hospital patients.

Items discussed included the ongoing negotiations in reference to the possibility of building a medical office building near the hospital.

The offer to purchase the McKiever buildings was declined by the bank and no counter proposal was offered. CEO Mike Layfield asked for, and was granted, permission by the hospital board to gather estimates to compare expanses of building a medical support facility next to the hospital, saying, “our goal is to not rent space,”   Board President Jim Searcy agreed, saying, “At 5% interest, that’s $1.2 million in debt over a 10-year period. That’s what we’re paying out now as an expanse.”

Layfield listed many possible uses for a medical support building, such as a possible wound care clinic, sleep center, home health services, and educational and training area, among several other uses. (more…)

This year’s MADD sponsored DWI mock accident was held on the parking lot area of the Monticello High School, Monday.

This year’s event was held in honor of Dustin “Rooster” Ferguson.

The first video show the accident re-enactment.
The second covers Steve Brantley’s comments about the event.
The last video is of Dustin Ferguson’s mother’s statements from Monday, which was the first time she has spoken publicly about the wreck that took Dustin’s life.

MADD MOCK DWI 2009-04-13 from MonticelloLive on Vimeo.

Dustin’s parents came out to speak for the first time since the accident. His mom told the students attending, ”Sept. 22, 2008, two days after his 19th birthday, our son lost his life from a drunk driver. One choice of an indivdual changed our lives and our community. I stand before you as Dustin’s voice. His plans and his dreams could not be achieved because of the choice of another. Remember your choice affects everyone.”

DVD video’s of last year’s presentation are available at James Quick Print.

(more…)

At the Drew County Quorum Court meeting, it was announced that 3 local doctors and a dentist intend to build a 2 story, $4.5 million medical office building, hopefully on the land located just north of the hospital.

Dr. Sidney Collins made the presentation, while local dentist Tim Chase, who is also a part of the proposed venture, was present showing support.

The other 2 physicians involved are Dr. Jeffrey Reinhart and Dr. Michael Fakouri.

(more…)

Drew Memorial Hospital Administrator Mike Layfield, while giving his monthly report to the Quorum Court, announced that the hospital is now charging $150 up-front payment for emergency room patients that are not “emergency” cases. (more…)

This week we will continue our visit with the Drew Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. Someone has coined the term “Bedside Angels” for Auxiliary members because of the many patient-oriented tasks they freely perform at the hospital. (more…)

The Drew County Health Unit practiced it’s Mass Dispensing Plan last Friday, and provided a major service to the community by giving over 1600 free flu shot to citizens who came by First Assembly of God Church.

Shown here, Kim Ray (an instructor at UAM College of Technology at McGehee) supervises as Crystal McCarty of McGehee (a nursing student) gives a flu shot to Bobby Cornelius of Monticello. (more…)

Mike Layfield, Drew Memorial Hospital’s new CEO came on staff this week, and is currently spending most of his time getting to know the hospital staff at Drew Memorial.

Layfield, shown here with Vonda Russell at a “Meet & Greet” held in the hospital cafeteria Wednesday morning, wants to meet with all employees and physicians personally, and he seems to be making a positive impression on all.

Layfield told MonticelloLive, “I’m impressed with community’s interest and support of our hospital.”  “We are all partners in healthcare and health education: the hospital, the doctors, the Health Dept., and home health.” (more…)

“The Centers For Youth & Families” held their “open house” recently, with nearly 100 people attending.

(more…)

Working on photos, hope to have them posted Wednesday night.   Joe B.

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Today’s Safe and Ready Schools Drill turned out to be very successful, involving all local law enforcement agencies, as well as state and national entities.  Both ambulance services were involved, as well as several other responders.  There were approximately 60 people in attendance.

MonticelloLive was on the scene and will post photos by morning of the SWAT entry team, as well as many others that were involved in today;s drill. 

(more…)

Paramedic Jason Beckman and Mr. Taylor are shown here in a phot taken from Taylor’s appearance Saturday night, here in Monticello.

SouthEast Emergency Medical Services had posted an ambulance at the matches, and Jason was present night of the fight and had the  picture made.

Richard Goddard, Drew Memorial Hospital’s administrator, resigned Monday during a special called hospital board meeting, which was announced as being held for “personel issues”.

Goddard would have held that position for 6 years this June.

His resignation was effective as of 4 p.m., Monday.

The hospital board will appoint an interim administrator during today’s regular monthly meeting, which begins around 11:30 with reports.

Monday’s meeting began in a public forum, and then went into executive session, which is normal procedure for most personel matters.

When the board returned out of executive session, a motion was made to accept Mr. Goddard”s resignation. The motion passed unamously.

Someone present described the meeting as “very professional and courteous”.

MonticelloLive will post a report of today’s meeting. As soon as possible, with any recent developments..

Shannon Clark, Drew Memorial’s Cheif Financial Officer told MonticelloLive, “Mr. Goddard was very much loved and respected.  We will very much miss him.”

As many drove by Monticello High School this morning something out of the ordinary was happening on school property. Unfortunately, the scene was all too familiar for the many public servants who took part in helping. An organized reenactment of a drunk driving accident was staged for high school students to observe, complete with rescue teams from the Fire Department, Police Department, State Police and ambulance service. A helicopter even landed to med-flight some of the victims.

Teresa Belew, Executive Director for the Arkansas Mothers Against Drunk Driving, visited from Little Rock and spoke to students. She related to the audience that a survey of the youth of Drew County reveals shocking facts. Twelve years of age is the age most reported for having a first taste of alcohol. Of young people who regulary drink alcohol, most say they began regular use at age fourteen. She also reported that in Arkansas alone, there are four to five people killed each week because of an alcohol related accident. Countless others are injured.

Steve Brantley, organizer of the reenactment today, has first-hand experience of an alochol related accident. Today, he shared his story with students of how his wife, Patricia Brantley, was killed in a collision with a drunk driver on June 21, 1996. It forever changed his life and the life of their four children. Steve is passionate about educating others about the dangers of drinking and driving and is very involved in the local chapter of MADD as coordinator for the county.