Newspaper Page Text
scss
BUS
ROUTES
pages 6 & 7
VOL.i NO.29 July 27, 2022
LEGAL ORGAN OF SCREVEN COUNTY
Sylvania, Georgia $1.25
Potter arrested for
suspected child
molestation
Joe Brady
Editor
George Ezra Potter, Jr. was
arrested last Monday, July 18 as
The Times was going to press
on a warrant for suspected child
molestation. Potter was being
held without bond at the Screven
County jail pending a bond
hearing in Superior Court. No
information is available as this is
an ongoing investigation, (photo
contributed)
George Ezra Potter, Jr.
County in shock
over Blanchard
death
Joe Brady
Hospital unveils new
Emergency Department
State of the art facility opens in Sylvania
Joe Brady
Editor
County residents were in
shock last week over the
suspected murder of 22 year
old Dolan Blanchard. Dolan
was discovered on Maria
Sorrel Road, off Clito Road in
Bulloch County just before 2
a.m. Sunday, July 17th.
When law enforcement
arrived on the scene,
Blanchard was discovered with gunshot wounds.
Before Air Evac could arrive, the young male died
from his injuries. His body has been sent to the state
crime lab to determine the cause and manner of death.
Dolan was employed at the Savannah Pizza
Company in Sylvania. He enjoyed collecting knives
and guns as well as playing video games.
A coworker said of him, “Dolan was a bright light
%
■i
€
D
•CREVEN
Co
in a gloomy
world. We are
all better for
J — having known
him.” Funeral
details are still
incomplete but
Joiner Anderson,
Screven Chapel
are in charge of arrangements.
No further details were made
known. This is an ongoing
investigation and anyone with
information pertinent to the
case should contact the Bulloch
County Sheriff’s Office at 912-
764-8888.
Editor
Optim Medical Center-
Screven opened their new
state of the art Emergency
Department last week with
a ribbon cutting. The state
of the art facility includes,
“a dedicated airborne
isolation room, the newest
technology on medical
vacuum and medical gas
systems, a decontamination
room, as well as expanded
ambulance loading and off
loading,” Lagina Evans, CEO
of the local medical facility
explained. The renovation has
taken 24 months to complete.
Optim purchased the hospital
in June 2015. Chief Executive
Officer David Perry said, “we
saw at that time the future
of the Screven Hospital was
bright. This is just the first of
many upgrades to Optim Medical Screven.” The
facility has a swing bed program in the works as
well as an upgrade to the laboratory. “Our goal is
to give excellent service and provide a place that
Screven County can be proud of,” says Perry.
Lagina Evans further explains, “we witnessed from
the trial of covid that it was more important than
ever this emergency department be opened so we
could provide even better care to the citizens of
Screven County and surrounding areas.”
The ED saw their first patient on Thursday, July
21st at 7 a.m., when the unit went live. Evans goes
on to say, “we are proud to partner with Screven
County EMS, they provide excellent ambulance
service to the residents of Screven and surrounding
areas.” (photo by Debbie Hearn).
Hollingsworth bids
farewell to Health
Department
Joe Brady
(L to R) Meg Pace- Director of Marketing, Dr. Sid Morgan, Will Boyd- County Commissioner, Hunter
McCall- Optim Healthcare Maintenance Director, Lagina Evans- CEO Optim Screven Hospital, David
Perry- Chief Executive Officer for Optimhealthcare, Jon Burns-State Representative, Lora Duncan- Chief
Nursing Officer Optim Healthcare , Maria Sowell- Marketing Liason Optim Healthcare and Christian
Rekowski- IT Director for Optim Healthcare
Meg Pace and CEO, Lagina Evans
Overton
Rebel Yell
winner of
Jake Gay
Reporter
The second night of the Rebel Yell was just
as action packed as the first night. Ms. Brooke
Collins performed the national anthem that was as
soul stirring as the race itself. After the opening
ceremonies, there wasn’t much time to sit around
for anyone cause the action was under way! Fans
got to see some hot laps by different classes but the
main part of the night was the featured races for the
classes. The first one
we saw was the Street
See REBEL page 12
Above: Brandon “Big Sexy” Overton took home the $10k purse from the 23rd Annual
Rebel Yell race, (photo by Jake Gay).
Editor
On Friday, July
29th, Margaret
Hollingsworth will
bid a fond farewell
to the Screven
County Health
Department
after holding the
reins for the past
fourteen years, she
has been there over
20 years. “I think
it’s time to give
someone else a
chance to put their
mark on the job. I
need to spend time
with my family,” Margaret explains in a recent interview.
The family she
refers to are her Margaret Hollingsworth will retire from
two grandchildren, the Screven County Health Department
2 children, and on July 29, 2022, after 20 years on the job.
her husband of “My patients are like my family,” she says
35 years, Rick. In in a recent interview.
1985, Margaret
was a part of the traveling nurse program. “I came down here and
never left!” says the New Jersey native.
“I became a nurse to help people and I moved over to the public
health side to help stop the health crisis before a person must go to
the hospital. I get to help my friends and neighbors and participate
in their preventative care,” Hollingsworth has been a nurse for
forty-one years.
As she trains her replacement. Tiffany Rollins, she wouldn’t
have it any other way. “The best advice I can give Tiffany or
anybody going into nursing is to be flexible. A nurse’s job is
constantly changing, that’s why most of us go into this line of
work.” Margaret admits that she also likes the connections she
has made with her patients.
Tiffany is a Screven County native; she and her husband Beejay
have two children. Tiffany is the daughter of Mitchell Austin
and Sheila Rountree, she has been a nurse for 12 years. “I look
forward to carrying on the work that Mrs. Margaret has started,
she has taught me so much as a nurse.”
The public health department is much more than a place to get
free shots. They offer a breast and cervical cancer prevention
program that is one of the best in the state and in addition to
immunizations, the department also offers wellness, preventative
medicine, and other medical programs, “although we are funded
by the state, we also accept private insurance,” Tiffany explains.
As Margaret begins the next chapter in her life she leaves us
with these words, “nursing must be in your heart. There was
never anything else I wanted to do. Medicine is about more than
diagnosing the patient. These are
people and they are scared and
apprehensive about the unknown.
We as nurses should treat every
patient as if they are part of our
family. We can never lose sight of
the fact that we are the caring side
of medicine.”
t school *
5
days until
FIRST DAY
of School
$
Lifestyles ... 2 Mark your Calendar ... 2 Editorials ... 3 Church News ...4 Obituary ... 5 Classifieds ... 9 Legals ... 9 Booking Log ... 9 Sports... 11 Farm and Land ... 13
Possum Eddy ACE Hardware
Store Hours:
Monday - Friday 7:30 - 5:00
Saturday 7:30 - 3:00
dosed Sunday
136 Industrial Road
Sylvania, Georgia,
(912)564-2003
Last Chance to $AVE On These Items!!
