Newspaper Page Text
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THE JACKSON HERALD
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 2009
Fire at Hwy. 129 restaurant
ARBY’S DAMAGED IN FIRE
Arby’s restaurant near Jefferson was heavily damaged in an early morning
fire on Wednesday, Dec. 23. According to reports, at just after 6 a.m., a call
was received at 911 for a burglar alarm at the restaurant at 4894 Hwy. 129 N.
Jefferson. A deputy went to the scene and found the restaurant in flames. Units
from Jefferson, North Jackson, Harrisburg and the Jackson County Correctional
Institute Fire Departments responded. The fire was quickly extinguished with
smoke and heat damage throughout. No one was at the business when the fire
was discovered. No injuries were reported during this incident. The Jefferson
Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s office are investigating the call.
The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined yet. Photo by Sharon Hogan
Atty. General gives OK to sale of BJC
— L n-v. 5
SHOWING OFF HIS PURCHASES
John Franklin, 10, Maysville, shows off his purchases on Monday after he shopped
with James Simmons (back left), Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, at Wal-Mart. Also
shown is Janis Mangum (front right), JCSO; Melissa Franklin (back right), John’s
mother; and Mark Savage (back middle), JCSO.
A shopping expedition
Closing of $7.1 million deal expected around end of Jan.
BY MARK BEARDSLEY
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Thurbert Baker has given his
approval for the sale of BJC
Medical Center to Tennessee-
based Restoration Healthcare.
Officials expect the $7.1 mil
lion transaction to close by the
end of January.
“We have received the go-
ahead from the attorney gen
eral,” BJC Medical Center
Authority chairman Charles
Blair said Thursday.
Under Georgia law, before
a publicly owned hospital can
be sold, the attorney general
must review and approve the
transaction.
The next step, said Blair, is
for Restoration to finalize its
financial arrangements and for
the authority to officially accept
the purchase offer.
“We have to formally vote on
and accept the letter of intent
we could not act on until the
attorney general approved (the
agreement),” said Blair.
The authority does not meet
in December. Blair said he
expects it to hold a called meet
ing before the regularly-sched
uled January meeting, which is
Jan. 25.
Restoration CEO Steve Clapp
said his company will put the
“finishing touches” on its finan
cial package over the next two
weeks.
“We are not going to close
by the end of December, but
if it all works out, we could
realistically close by the end of
January,” he said.
Still to be determined is the
ownership share to be held by
local investors. Clapp said he
expects “six to eight, maybe
more” doctors to purchase any
where from a 35 to a 50 percent
stake in the facility.
BJC Medical Center operates
a 90-bed hospital, a 167-bed
nursing facility, a specialty clin
ic and a wellness center. It has a
staff of more than 400 medical
professionals. The hospital was
founded in 1960.
The hospital went on the mar
ket late last year after the Banks
and Jackson County boards of
commissioners expressed no
interest in backing bonds to
build a new hospital. Selling the
facility became a survival issue
early this year after BJC’s audit
showed $3.8 million in losses
over the previous two years.
: * •’■fl . —* ‘‘ " •: i ^
SHOPPING HELP ARCADE OFFICERS HELP
Jefferson Police Department employees
James Arwood (L) and James McNatt (R)
help Emon Brawner, 9, Jefferson, as he
chooses a new pair of jeans for Christmas.
Brawner, was one of approximately 40
kids who participated in the annual shop
ping event on Monday at Wal-Mart, Banks
Crossing.
Photos by Sharon Hogan
Arcade Police Chief Randy Williams
(standing) and Arcade Police Officer
Mike Adams help Josh Luthi, 11,
Nicholson, as he shops for clothes on
Monday at Wal-Mart, Banks Crossing.
Luthi participated in the annual shop
ping event that allows each child to
spend $200 on clothes, shoes, toys,
games and electronics.
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