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The Lyons Progress Established 1894 The Vidalia Advance Established 1901 Easter Garden Peep Cake See Azure 11A tttt Vol. 123 No. 13 Your Newspaper - Toombs, Montgomery & Wheeler County, Georgia March 31, 2021 I still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and true love. Don’t even try to tell me different. - Dolly Parton News BYTES Covid Vaccines Are Available Locally Covid Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines are avaiable locally from the healthcare agencies listed below. Please call for an appointment. Moderna Vaccine Allergy and Asthma Clinic Of SEGA 912.537.9488 Toombs County Health Dept 855.473.4374 Meadows Regional Medical Center 912.535.5555 Walmart Pharmacy 912.537.7765 East Georgia Healthcare 912.537.6565/583.2271 East Georgia Healthcare Mt. Vernon 912.583.2271 Johnson and Johnson Vaccine Phillips Pharmacy 912.547.3049 City Drugs 912.537.4147 No New Covid Cases On Friday, March 26, Montgomery County Schools COVID-19 Report reflected NO Total Current Positive Cases and NO Total Current Quarantine Cases. The school system continues to monitor students and administration for COVID guidelines. Vidalia's Got Talent Scheduled A talent event is scheduled April 6-8 for adults and children. For more information call 912-535-0290 or visit thepaltheatre.com. IN THIS ISSUE Editorials Page 5A Obituaries Page 7A From the Record Page 10A Your Mind On Line Page 8A Sports Page 1 B SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE 30% OFF NEWSSTAND PRICES! Call 537-3131 (or delivery! Dr. Mark Davidson Appointed Interim Superintendent for Montgomery Schools By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail.com In an emotionally- charged and heavily- attended called meeting last week, the Montgomery County Board of Education announced its choice for an interim school super intendent. The decision followed sev eral days of community tension during which some members of the Board were criticized for a 3-2 vote to terminate popular Superintendent Hugh Kight. Dr. Mark Davidson, a retired educator who has been teaching part-time at Montgomery County Schools for the past four years and who formerly served as Superinten dent of Wheeler County Schools, was named to succeed Kight. The Board voted unani mously to place Davidson in the interim position until a permanent successor can be appointed. Right’s ter mination took place in a called meet ing held March 18 at the Board offices. During the session Dr. Jim Paul Poole, Board Chairman, and members Debra Gay and Eugene “Pete” Ward Please see MoCo page 3A Dr. Mark Davidson Photo by Deborah Clark BOARD MEETS - Dr. Jim Paul Poole, center, presides at a called March 22 meet ing of the Montgomery County Board of Education. A large crowd filled the small meeting room and spilled into the hall beyond as citizens gathered to make their voices heard, The community was stunned by the March 18 firing of popular School Superintendent Hugh Kight, Also shown, near right, Board member Susan Beard, Board attorney Daniel O'Connor, and far left, Board Vice Chair Henry Price, Meadows-HCA Deal Supported By Community Leaders Photo by Mike Branch HEARING PANEL - Members of the Meadows Health team attending a public hearing about the sale of the local hospital to Hospital Corporation of America included, from left, Michelle Williams, Meadows attorney; Michael Calhoun, Chairman of Meadows Healthcare Alliance; Alan Kent, Meadows Chief Ex ecutive Officer; and laian Briggs, Financial Advisor. The hearing was held by the State Attorney General's Office at Southeastern Tech on March 18, By Deborah Clark Regional Editor dclarkadvance@gmail. com A public hearing on the sale of Meadows Re gional Medical Center to Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) held Thursday, March 18, in Vidalia provided a forum for both parties to present statements and for public comment. A number of community residents and officials voiced their sup port of the transaction, but there were also questions from those in attendance about the sale process, the future of the Meadows Health fitness center, and an appeal from the presi dent of the 94-member Meadows Health Auxilia ry to be included in the fu ture of the medical center. Meadows Testimony Michael Calhoun, chairman of Meadows Healthcare Alliance, opened the testimony with his remarks about MRMC’s decision to se- Please see HCA page 9A Former Magistrate Judge Killed In Wreck Near Glenwood A head on collision near Glenwood Satur day night claimed the life of former Montgomery County Mag istrate Judge Mona Rich ardson Bell. Mrs. Bell, 68, of Mount Vernon, was killed when her vehicle was struck by a car driven by Randono- van Anthony Lewis, 23, of Alamo. The accident oc curred on Georgia High way 19 near Cat Squirrel Road in Wheeler Coun ty. Mrs. Bell’s grandson, Bragg Alford, 11, who was seated in the rear of her vehicle, was seriously injured and taken by am bulance to Meadows Re gional Hospi tal. Lewis was taken by heli copter to Ma con where he was still being treated for in juries at 11:30 a.m. Monday morning, ac cording to a Wheeler County official. A report by the Geor gia State Patrol, which Please see Bell page 2A Inspire, Care, Support, and Lead: Guiding Motives for Wheeler's New K-12 School future -Home of the New Photo by Andrea Towns PRINCIPALS AND PUPILS - Along with their principals, Wheeler County students helped "turn the dirt." Pictured above, from left to right are: High School Senior, Jaci Hill; WCHS Principal, William Bell; WCMS Principal, Hal Ford; and Middle School Student, Jay Ashley. By Andrea Towns Contributing Writer “For many in the community, it may seem as if we’re just beginning this journey, but actually... we started this [process] in April of 2018,” Su perintendent Suzanne Couey said in her address at the groundbreaking ceremony for Wheeler County’s new K-12 school on March 22. “When we started (this project) Please see School page 4A # Appling Healthcare MARCH 3 0, 20 2 1 Join us as we celebrate the contributions of the outstanding physicians in our communities We thank you for your dedication and compassion!