Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Hospitals / Health Care

Hospitals / Health Care

Rezoning backed for doctor's office (02/09/12)
Bedford County Planning Commission voted Tuesday night to recommend rezoning property at 2739 U.S. 231 North from A-1 (agriculture) to C-1 (commercial) for a doctor's office. Tracey and Desiree Martin applied for the zoning change, saying they want to open a doctor's office at the site...

Hands-on CPR bill moves through Senate (01/31/12)
A proposal to require hands-on CPR practice in high school resuscitation programs, sponsored by State Sen. Jim Tracy of Shelbyville, has passed the Senate. The measure was approved 31-0 last week by the full Senate. The companion bill is scheduled to be considered today by the House Education Committee...

Judgment against Americare overturned (01/20/12)
The Tennessee Court of Appeals has overturned a $5 million judgment against the parent company of a local assisted living facility in a wrongful death suit. In April 2010, a Bedford County jury returned a verdict of more than $5.4 million against Americare Systems Inc, and Shelbyville Residential LLC, which does business as Celebration Way, and two nurses -- Dottie Hunt and Mary Ann Steelman...

World-class care right here at home (01/20/12)
When it arrives, a diagnosis of cancer can be among the most devastating of news to a patient and their families. For local residents, the course of treatment has often meant weekly trips to nearby Murfreesboro or Nashville for chemotherapy. "I don't know what I would do if I had to drive to Nashville every week for treatments," said Chris Adams, who has been receiving treatment for lymphoma at Tennessee Oncology for the past four months. ...

Healthy doses of caring for women (01/18/12)
When Terri Cobb moved thousands of miles away from her former California home to begin a new role in her life, she didn't waste time wondering how she could get involved. The wife of Fair Haven Baptist Church's new pastor Mike Cobb, Terri began planning the church's inaugural Community Health Fair with the help of other local women, including Donna Thomas, Keri Smith and Amy Molder...

Lost breath...lost time (01/15/12)
My friend and fellow Methodist minister, Allen Geeting, passed away on Dec. 29, 2011. He suffered cardiac arrest on Christmas Eve morning, after suffering respiratory arrest brought on by sleep apnea. Al and I attended minister's meetings and church functions together, we laughed at each other's jokes, prayed together, and ate together, but I didn't know that Al was one of the millions of Americans who suffers from sleep apnea...

Another step forward for hospital light (01/13/12)
Shelbyville's city council accepted bids Thursday night for a long-awaited traffic signal to be placed in front of Heritage Medical Center. Low bidder was Stansell Electric Co. of Nashville at a price of $58,498, which was under engineers' estimates of $79,000...

Unhealthy situation for county (12/29/11)
The county's employee base is too small to take advantage of an in-house clinic as a way of saving on employee health insurance costs, according to a report given Tuesday night to members of the county's Financial Management Committee. Finance Director Robert Daniel urged the committee members to study the report, "Containing Health Care Costs: Proven Strategies For Success in the Public Sector," which was prepared by Colonial Life for the Government Finance Officers Association. ...

Family hopes for helpers (12/21/11)
While many of us are getting those final gifts wrapped for Christmas, 17-year-old Hunter Overcast, a senior at Central High, is steeling himself for another round of fighting cancer. He's receiving a transplant this week, after which he'll be out of school for several weeks while a patient at Vanderbilt Medical Center, and his family needs all the help they can get on several fronts...

Sparkling holiday love (12/16/11)
Friends and families of the residents at Christian Care Center of Bedford County celebrated Christmas early this year with the help of the Bedford County Medical Association Alliance (BCMAA). BCMAA's annual Lights of Love program decorates a Christmas tree in the lobby of the nursing center with ornaments and lights donated by people in the community...

Lights of Love shine at Christian Care Center (12/06/11)
Take a break from holiday shopping, and join the residents of Christian Care Center for their annual open house and Lights for Love this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Lights for Love is an annual tradition, sponsored this year by the Bedford County Medical Association Alliance. BCMAA is a non-profit volunteer organization of physician spouses dedicated to promoting good health to all Tennesseans and supporting the family of medicine. It's led locally by Barbara Blanton...

Truly thankful: Cancer patient's family gets good news, and assistance (12/04/11)
Accompanied by a warm smile and tears of joy, the relief on her face was one that only a worried caregiver could wear after hearing some very good news from her husband's doctor. It could not have come soon enough. An early Christmas present? "Yes," said Terri Adams, quietly. "Yes it is."...

Mammos in motion (11/17/11)
The Community Clinic was able to offer mammograms at no cost last week, thanks to the efforts of St. Thomas Health and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The "Our Mission in Motion" mammography coach provided 21 screenings while on site. The women had never had a mammogram previously and fall in the high-risk age for breast cancer...

Brighter days ahead (11/13/11)
A parent's worst nightmares pale in comparison to the reality Kerry Kimmel faced nearly two years ago as she rushed to the scene of a fatal car accident on U.S. 231 that involved her daughter, Victoria Atwell. Most know what happened; the coverage of the event reached many news outlets far and wide. Few can understand the panic and pain the families of the two young ladies involved in the crash have experienced since that dreadful day, Dec. 18, 2009...

'This is our little girl': Family faces cerebral palsy head-on (11/13/11)
Like most 9-year-old girls these days, Hannah Peels appreciates the music of Justin Beiber and Big Time Rush. Unlike those other girls, Hannah struggles on a daily basis with cerebral palsy. Hannah explained recently in a speech to her third grade class that she had been born in Novokuznetsk, Russia but was adopted at 8 months old by Gary and Lori Peels of Flat Creek who had found "the baby of their dreams."...

County to sell nursing home (11/09/11)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to sell the county-owned nursing home on Union Street, along with the vacant adjoining building that once housed Bedford County Medical Center, to Care Centers Management Consulting, the Johnson City-based firm that currently leases and operates the nursing home...

Devastating diabetes (11/09/11)
Years ago, Shelbyville native Debbie Smotherman lost a bunch of weight -- but she wasn't on a diet. She was sick, and tired all the time. Granted, she worked a lot and was also a busy mom, but the way she was feeling could not be explained by the normal definition of stress...

Art for awareness: Harris students step up to fight breast cancer (11/04/11)
Eagle Power transformed into the Power of Pink last week at Harris Middle School. The Harris Middle School Art Club sold buttons to raise awareness for breast cancer issues during lunch period and raised more than $500. Some of the buttons carried student designs, while others were designed by art teacher Rebecca Soper...

'Jail' for good (11/03/11)
Nearly 200 local leaders ended up in jail Wednesday. But it was all for a good cause. "The police never came and got me, so I had to turn myself in," said Colleen Embry, one of the jailbirds charged with being a caring, good-natured and influential person...

Thankful to be alive (10/30/11)
Paul Cathey remembers the moments before death -- and if not finality, he knew his life was about to change. In between jobs as a truck driver for a few days before the Labor Day weekend, he was helping his brother clear hay on a farm just off Whiteside Hill Road, when he stopped the tractor on the hill and turned off the ignition...

Drug Take Back Day scheduled Saturday (10/27/11)
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 29. The local event will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the CPI building, 539 Tate St. The event gives citizens a chance to safely dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs, thereby preventing abuse of the drugs and saving them from entering the water supply. It's free and anonymous...

Only 1 bidder for nursing home (10/26/11)
Bedford County received only one bid for its nursing home and former hospital facility on Union Street -- from the company which is currently leasing the nursing home, Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consultants. CCMC has bid $3,040,520, less $240,520 it claims the county owes it for improvements which had to be made to bring the building in compliance with state law, for a net cash bid of $2.8 million...

Heritage now retains most local patients (10/21/11)
When Brentwood-based Community Health Systems purchased Bedford County Medical Center from the county in 2005, Bedford County's primary care "outmigration" was 65 percent -- more than half of all local residents went out-of-county for their primary hospital care...

Round two: Local woman prepares for 60-mile walk, again (10/09/11)
When people take a stroll for cancer awareness, it's usually for a 5K run - a manageable distance for most restricted to a few hours out of a single day. But next month, Bedford County teacher Kelli Dodson and Murfreesboro resident Cindy Cliche will be taking a much longer journey over a period of three days...

'We're going to beat this': Physician experiences breast cancer personally (10/07/11)
And so it's with a great support system that Adams, a 41-year-old mother of three, has begun her battle against breast cancer. "I'm going to be fine," said Dr. Adams. "I want my patients to know that. I don't want people to worry because we're going to beat this."...

Tough guys wear pink (10/04/11)
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the team at Bedford County Fire Department have stepped up to do their part. "The community has been good to the fire department," said Chief Mark Thomas, "We thought this would be a good way to give back."...

Relay for Life will last longer (09/27/11)
The next American Cancer Society Relay For Life, scheduled for June 1, 2012 at Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center, will have a change in schedule, moving from a 12-hour to an 18-hour format. Local relay committee chair Samantha Chamblee made the announcement Saturday during an open house at H.V. Griffin Park which served as both a wrapup and awards ceremony for the 2011 event and a kickoff for the 2012 event...

Breast cancer section to promote awareness (09/24/11)
Coming Oct. 7, the Times-Gazette will again publish a special section honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The section, printed on pink newsprint, will profile Bedford Countians affected by the disease. Readers are encouraged to submit stories of inspiration and survival, their own or of friends and loved ones, to the newspaper before Sept. 30...

New smile, new life (09/13/11)
A little more than two years ago Kacie Collier's life changed when a local orthodontist promised her a new smile. Good thing, because Kacie has a lot to smile about. Kacie received a free set of braces from Dr. Tracy Pack after being nominated for his "20 for 20 Reason to Smile" program, a gift worth more than $5,000. Last week, Kacie, once called "pumpkin head" by kids making fun of her for her crooked teeth, showed off her new pearly whites...

A love that will survive (09/11/11)
Ann Bradley's eyes filled up with tears as she came to the newspaper last week to submit a photo of her son-in-law, holding his only grandson (Ann's great grandson). The photo had been taken just a few months earlier, and when Ann snapped the candid it was a much happier time in her life -- in her family's lives...

231N light design plan gains funds (09/09/11)
Shelbyville's council gave the go-ahead Thursday evening to have an engineering firm design flashing warning lights to be installed in front of Heritage Medical Center. The hospital had placed $97,780 in escrow with the city's planning office for a full-fledged traffic signal in 2007, but the Tennessee Department of Transportation told the city in May that the area did not meet the requirements for the signal...

Horseback in the moonlight... a perfect ride (09/07/11)
Is there anything better than a moonlight ride, listening to the steady clop of hooves and jingle-jangle of bits and bridles, all accompanied by the night song of crickets, cicadas and owls, and washed soft silver by the light of a full moon? How about a moonlight ride that not only gives you all of that, but also gives you the satisfaction of helping others? The Bedford County Cancer Foundation is holding its second annual Moonlight Trail Ride on Garrett Winnette's property at 161 West Rd. ...

Caution lights may be placed near hospital (09/02/11)
Heritage Medical Center may be getting a traffic signal on U.S. 231 North after all, but it won't be the type they were originally asking for. City Manager Jay Johnson told the city council that Shelbyville received authorization to place flashing caution beacons at the intersection of Industrial Park Drive and Highway 231 North...

New leader joins Christian Care Center (09/02/11)
Christian Care Center welcomed new administrator Mike Rabuka this week. A registered nursing home administrator, he recently transferred to the area from Clarksville. Rabuka will be responsible for the overall operations of the building, management of staff, the center's budget and day-to-day operations...

Fun for a good cause (08/23/11)
Cy Webb, the 2-year-old son of Link and Rhea Ellen Webb, enjoyed the Bulls and Barrels event Saturday night. Will Shaw, who underwent open heart surgery last week and celebrates his first birthday Friday, benefited from the event held at Clearview Farms arena. Look for more photos in Sunday's Times-Gazette.

Justin Handy recovers from burns, now helps prevent fires (08/21/11)
A parent's nightmare came true for Barbara Newsom on an October afternoon nine years ago. Her son Justin Handy, then 8 years old and a third grader, got off the school bus and went to play with the prize he had nabbed from the countertop of a local restaurant the night before. His intent was to start a fire. With gasoline...

Help for Will: Bull riders have a heart for boy with multiple surgeries in future (08/17/11)
Next week Will Shaw celebrates his first birthday. Just last week, he was undergoing open heart surgery in a Nashville hospital. The son of Mandy and Haven Shaw of Bell Buckle was born with complex congenital heart defects. From his fourth day of life through last week, he has undergone six surgeries to repair heart defects...

Hope Lodge offers more than just lodging to cancer patients (08/11/11)
NASHVILLE -- "I think this is our best-kept secret," said Harriett Stewart. The five-story beige building sits just north of Baptist Hospital, near the intersection of Charlotte Avenue and 20th Avenue. It is called Hope Lodge. For cancer patients living 40 miles or more away from Nashville, it is a godsend, a free place to stay while going through cancer treatments. Last year, over 2,000 individuals used the facility, for a total of 23,000 nights of lodging...

Making Strides steps into 10th anniversary (08/10/11)
NASHVILLE -- Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, an annual non-competitive five-mile walk to raise money for the American Cancer Society, will celebrate its 10th anniversary with this year's event, planned for Saturday, Oct. 15, starting at LP Field in downtown Nashville...

Third chance at life (08/07/11)
There was a point two years ago when David Orr, with Co2 levels soaring, was breathing via a machine and temporarily blind from the medicines which were being pumped into his body. On a notepad he scrawled a message to his wife, Donna, "Let me go." He was laying in a six-bed ICU ward at the Cleveland Clinic where he could hear "Code Blue" being called for his roommates throughout the night. ...

County moves closer to sale of nursing home (07/13/11)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted by a 15-1-1 margin Tuesday night to issue a request for proposals for the sale of the county's nursing home license and facility. That doesn't guarantee that the facility will be sold; the county could decide to reject all bids...

Bids may be sought for nursing home (06/22/11)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee has recommended that the county seek bids from potential buyers of the county-owned nursing home and the adjoining building which used to house Bedford County Medical Center...

In-home help available for Alzheimer's patients (06/14/11)
It wasn't until Ava Chambers began getting lost on her way home from work that her husband Wallace began to worry. The drive began to confuse Ava, who was a nurse at the Veterans Administration hospital in Murfreesboro. She retired in 1997, by then diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease...

Funding cuts force layoffs of CDC workers (06/05/11)
"We serve the whole family, not just the child," says Teresa Winnette, manager of the Bedford County Child Development Center. The CDC provides comprehensive, early intervention services to meet the needs of developmentally challenged children ages birth to three years. On average, they serve 72 children each year...

Child Development Center is a lifeline for mom, special child (06/05/11)
At six months of pregnancy, Kim Smithson had only just begun to fill out her maternity clothes. She was settling into the routine of her third pregnancy, working full time, taking care of two sons. Her baby had just entered the active stage, jumping, rolling and kicking...

County may sue nursing home (06/03/11)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee recommended this week that the county consider a lawsuit against Christian Care Center of Bedford County to recoup $107,000 in utility bills the county claims it is owed, and that the county consider forcing the nursing home to take utility service under its own name...

Water Safety Day is fun yet serious (06/01/11)
The third annual Water Safety Day, planned for Saturday at Shelbyville Recreation Center, aims to make information fun for both children and parents, according to Pam Henry, aquatics director for the rec center. It covers water safety for all sorts of venues -- home and public pools and natural bodies of water...

Relay for life...and love (05/29/11)
In the wee hours of Saturday morning, walkers will take turns making the rounds of Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center. It's a labor of love, a way of remembering those who have been lost to cancer, providing services to those now suffering and funding research to help save generations yet unborn...

Heart problems hamper young Samara (05/29/11)
The heart is a miraculous machine; one side pumps blood to the lungs to be oxygenated, while the other side pumps the oxygen-rich blood to the body, where it's needed. That's the way it's supposed to work. But for month-old Samara Powell, a hole in her heart is allowing the unoxygenated blood to mix with the oxygenated. She also has two smaller holes in her heart and a deformed valve known as an Ebstein's anomaly. She needs surgery, but first doctors need to get her tiny body strong enough...

State denies traffic light near hospital (05/22/11)
The city has contacted the CEO of Heritage Medical Center to ask him to request in writing the return of some $100,000 in escrow after a Tennessee Department of Transportation study determined that the area in front of the hospital does not meet the requirements for a traffic light...

Heritage records subpoenaed (05/20/11)
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' office of the inspector general has subpoenaed 71 patient medical records from Heritage Medical Center in Shelbyville, which is owned by Franklin-based Community Health Systems Inc., in connection with its investigation of a CHS-owned hospital in Texas...

A gritty will to survive (05/10/11)
That morning last August was full of promise. Sunshine, new beginnings, new students. Community Middle School teacher Taylor Grissom, 24, had just completed the first day of a new school year, an abbreviated day, and was headed to pick up her brother to take him swimming...

Hope, prayer...and a baby (05/08/11)
"Praise be to God" has been Tracy Layne's affirmation for several years now. She and husband Dereck Layne have faced many trials and tribulations along their journey to first-time parenthood and Tracy kept a personal journal documenting their difficult days, ending each entry with those four powerful words...

Bring drugs for safe disposal to CPI building (04/29/11)
The newest of drugs being abused by today's youth are probably in your own home. Misuse of prescription drugs has grown, and now ranks behind only alcohol and marijuana as most-abused by middle and high-school students. Bedford Against Drugs (BAD) is joining hundreds of other communities who will participate this weekend in the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (USDEA) National Take Back Initiative. ...

Raby doesn't back down from illness (04/17/11)
There is one of those Facebook things going around that you are suppose to read and repost if you agree with it. It states: "You don't look sick! No, I don't. It's hard to explain to someone when they have no clue. It's a daily struggle feeling sick on the inside while you look fine on the outside. ...

Softball league adds memorial for Korley (04/12/11)
There was a sadly familiar shade of green filling the stands at the Daisye Musgrave Hulan ball park late Friday afternoon. It was the same bright, citrus shade of green that beribboned signs and mailboxes around town only months ago, urging everyone first to pray for, and then to remember, Korley Davis...

Healthy response hoped for test (04/03/11)
Bedford and 11 other counties will participate in a drill April 14 to test state and local responses to a public health emergency. The scenario for the exercise involves the release of a nerve agent affecting a limited number of people, and how to deploy medical countermeasures for treatment...

Hee Haw & Howdy offers cornpone for a cause (03/30/11)
The real Minnie Pearl, Grandpa Jones and Junior may have gone on to perform at the Opry in the Sky, but the tradition of country music and down home fun they built on the old show "Hee Haw" continues in Shelbyville. The annual cornpone review "Hee Haw and Howdy" that benefits the American Cancer Society is back, and if you missed last week's shows, don't worry -- this year, extra performances have been added and you can catch the show in Central High's auditorium at 7 p.m. ...

State backs slower 231 (03/20/11)
The state has given Shelbyville approval to lower the speed limit on a section of U.S. 231 North, but the city is still awaiting word about a traffic light at Heritage Medical Center. According to a letter from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, they have performed a speed limit study in the area of 231 and Airport Business Park Drive, and are recommending that it be lowered to 55 mph through a nearly four-mile section of road that includes Shelbyville Municipal Airport and Heritage Medical Center.. ...

Driven to serve (03/20/11)
Service might have been Kelly Pietkiewicz's first word. The daughter of two local educators, the University of Memphis senior has been taught to take a hand in the game and serve her community for as long as she can remember. "My parents are both teachers and Micky and I come from Shelbyville, a very giving town," said Kelly, sister of former Times-Gazette intern Micky Pietkiewicz and daughter of Bill and Miriam Pietkiewicz. "We were both always taught to give back."...

Yes, they're actually waiters (03/09/11)
What do hippies, hula dancers and home builders have in common? Answer: They all served lunch at the third annual Celebrity Waiter luncheon, held Tuesday at the Blue Ribbon Circle to benefit Relay For Life. A representative for each businesses or organization who sponsored the event also donated their talents -- or not -- by making a career change for the day and waiting tables...

Grit and willpower: Pickle struggled valiantly (02/20/11)
"Farmers are just tough, gritty people," said Gay Ervin, local dairy farmer and program assistant for the University of Tennessee Extension Office. That grit is what saved the life of a Bedford County man severely burned in a farming accident last month. But Robert Pickle, 52, of the Pleasant Grove community remains in critical condition in Vanderbilt's Burn Unit, with third degree burns on his body from the waist down...

Fundraiser for Davis family doubles predicted amount (02/15/11)
A few weeks ago, friends had hoped to raise $50,000 to help offset the medical expenses incurred by the family of the late Korley Davis. Chili suppers were planned and T-shirts were sold as events to benefit the family of the little girl who passed away earlier this month sprouted up all over the county...

Suffering and Victory for Crohn's Disease patient (02/13/11)
Being 16 is a tough age no matter who you are. Conflict with parents, boys, school, weight, sex ... all tough topics and sources of drama for the teenage girl. But imagine being 16 and having a health problem so scary that made you fear telling anyone ... even your mom...

TennCare may cut hospice counseling (02/04/11)
NASHVILLE -- Counseling services to hospice patients and their families that are now provided by the state's expanded Medicaid program could be eliminated under potential TennCare cuts, state officials said in budget hearings with Republican Gov. Bill Haslam on Thursday...

'Lord...save my baby' (01/30/11)
A trip to California, and moreover, "The Price is Right," would likely be exciting to lots of people, but to one local young man, make no mistake ... It was literally the trip of a lifetime. To understand the significance of this dream come true, we must go back to square one ... a long trip back in time -- nearly a quarter century back in time, to be exact...

Prayers (and more) for Korley (01/30/11)
"Pray For Korley" ... Those three words are appearing at more and more locations around town, thanks to friends of Korley Davis, the 11-year-old Liberty student who remains in Vanderbilt regaining strength so she can be eligible for the lung transplant she desperately needs...

Praying for Korley (01/28/11)

Nursing facility attracts interest (01/20/11)
After hinting last month that it might be interested in selling the county-owned nursing home facility, the county has begun receiving inquiries, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee...

Medical malpractice claim added to suit (01/20/11)
A federal magistrate has allowed a motion adding a medical malpractice claim to a wrongful death lawsuit against the sheriff, jailers and the county. U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan K. Lee ruled Monday that a motion to amend the complaint filed by Doris Rollins, sister of 54-year-old Larry Dale Byford, was granted...

Nonprofits gain help from grants (01/13/11)
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has announced distribution of $8,500 in grants to three Bedford County nonprofits as part of its annual grantmaking process. "This has been an incredibly trying year for Middle Tennessee," said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, "with the devastating flood and a still-challenging economic climate. ...

WEB: Vanderbilt physicians urge caution as kids go sledding (01/10/11)
As schools throughout the area remain closed today, Vanderbilt physicians urge caution as children go sledding. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, thousands of children are treated at emergency rooms, doctors' offices and clinics as a result of sledding, snow tubing and tobogganing-related injuries...

Haven of help: St Jude Children's Hospital gets help from SCHS (01/09/11)
Imagine if your child was diagnosed with cancer. Where should we go for treatment? How long will the cancer last? Will it be fatal? How are we going to pay for everything? These are just a few questions that would weigh down your mind. At St. Jude Children's Hospital you could cross out the last question. No family is ever turned away because they are unable to pay for their child's treatments...

Korley has been winner in game of life (01/06/11)
One of Liberty School's and Shelbyville Central High's biggest sports fans needs our prayers and thoughts. Korley Davis, a student at Liberty and daughter of Central teacher Becky Davis, has suffered with leukemia for years and is in need of a double lung transplant which would take place in Pittsburgh...

Ribbons for Korley (01/06/11)
There is a huge gold and green bow on the outdoor sign at Parkway Diner today, next to the words: "Pray for Korley." Korley is Korley Davis, the Liberty School 6th grader in dire need of a lung transplant. If Christy Boyce, a friend of the family, has her way, businesses all over Shelbyville will display similar ribbons and the same, heartfelt message...

County may look at sale of nursing home (12/29/10)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee agreed Tuesday evening that a closer look needs to be taken at the future of the county's nursing home facility on Union Street. Commissioner J.D. "Bo" Wilson said that even though there are 2 1/2 years left on the county's lease of the facility to Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Group, the county should already be looking at its options for the future, including sale of the facility...

Holiday blues often hit hard (12/28/10)
It's almost Christmas, and everyone is excited. Expectations rise as temperatures drop and the newspapers, television and even the stores are filled with cheerful stories of love and hope and everything that is wonderful about the season. But what happens the day after Christmas? The day after New Year's?...

Signs of depression (12/28/10)
Depression symptoms include: n Feelings of sadness or unhappiness n Irritability or frustration, even over small matters n Loss of interest or pleasure in normal activities n Reduced sex drive n Insomnia or excessive sleeping n Changes in appetite -- depression often causes decreased appetite and weight loss, but in some people it causes increased cravings for food and weight gain...

Holiday outreach to nursing home patients (12/23/10)
There is something about the holidays Caine Warren, 10, looks forward to more than gifts under the Christmas tree. Each year, Caine and his grandmother Christy Warren visit area nursing homes, presenting residents with cuddlies and toiletries. "Christies Cuddlies for Clera" has been going on for five years now...

Commission: Care center costs county (12/22/10)
When the county leased Bedford County Nursing Home to Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Group in August 2009, commissioners thought they were saving the taxpayers from continuing losses and expenses at the facility. But the county, as landlord, has had to continue to make repairs to the building, including a new roof and a new electric generator, and the cost of those has far exceeded the rent the county receives from Care Centers Management Group, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee.. ...

$5M verdict in death suit to be argued (12/21/10)
A judgment in excess of $5 million against the parent company of a local assisted living facility in a wrongful death suit will be going to the Tennessee Court of Appeals after a judge overruled defense motions and approved the judgments. In April 2010, a Bedford County jury returned a verdict of more than $5.4 million against Americare Systems Inc, and Shelbyville Residential LLC, which does business as Celebration Way, and two nurses -- Dottie Hunt and Mary Ann Steelman...

Gifts, songs and love from you (12/09/10)
Gift gathering for the county's nursing home residents is going well, but help is still needed from the public for delivery and perhaps from those who can carry a tune. The fifth annual Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive, which makes sure that the county's elderly receive gifts during the holidays, is well underway, and organizer Lindsey Sudberry said the gift part "is going great."...

Appeal denied in fraud decision (12/09/10)
A woman convicted of prescription fraud and other charges has lost her appeal and will have to complete her 10-year sentence in prison. Mary Cathleena Blindt had been indicted by the county's grand jury in April 2009 for three counts of prescription fraud, and then was later indicted in August of the same year for one count of theft over $500, two counts of forgery, one count of introduction of contraband into a penal facility, and one count of failure to appear...

Blood drive set for Friday (12/02/10)
It's called "The Gift of Life," and yet, fewer than 10 percent of us give it. "Every two seconds, someone needs blood in the United States," said Joette Phillips, communications manager with the American Red Cross headquarters in Nashville that coordinates blood drives in the Tennessee Valley...

Nursing home gift drive opens (11/26/10)
Grassroots organizers are once again gearing up to make sure nursing home residents are not forgotten this Christmas and are asking for the public's help. Lindsey Sudberry and her mother, Lorrie Gunn, are spearheading the fifth annual Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive, which makes sure that the county's elderly receives gifts during the holidays...

Health Department gets booster shot (11/14/10)
Bedford County Health Department will use a $25,000 federal grant to renovate its lobby and adapt its space for better services to WIC clients. The grant, which was announced last week, comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as part of the Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Nutrition Program, commonly called WIC...

Rabid skunk strikes (11/05/10)
According to the local health department's environmentalist Jeremy Williams, a rabid skunk was confirmed near Wartrace recently, and its victim, a dog that had not had its rabies booster in time, had to be destroyed. This news wouldn't surprise Phillip J. Smith, who lives in Wartrace with his wife and two young daughters. On Tuesday, some time after that previously reported incident, he got a panicked phone call from April while he has at his business, the Blockade Runner...

Shoffner's dedication lives on through TTCS nursing program (10/31/10)
Graduation ceremonies for the 2010 graduating class of the Practical Nursing program at the Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville were recently held at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma. Thirty-two members of the Shelbyville class were pinned and received their diplomas before a large congregation of families and friends...

Walking for life (10/17/10)
Barbara Garcia has no strong connection to breast cancer, but a commercial on television caught her attention last year and now she's supporting thousands who suffer from the disease. Barbara and her friend and co-worker Amy Shoemaker are training for the 3 Day For A Cure Walk, to be held Oct. 22-24 in Atlanta. They have raised more than $5,000 so far for the race, which will require them to walk 60 miles in three days...

Breast cancer section scheduled Friday (10/05/10)
Have you been touched by the Power of Pink? Chances are if not yet, you will be. In an effort to play its own small role in the fight against breast cancer, the Times-Gazette will publish a special section Friday called "The Power of Pink."...

Operation clean sweep (09/26/10)

231 traffic study approved (09/23/10)
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) told the city Wednesday they will conduct a traffic study at the intersection of U.S. 231 North and Airport Business Park Drive. Two weeks ago, Shelbyville's city council voted to lower the speed limit on U.S. 231 to 45 mph near Heritage Medical Center so a traffic signal can be installed if the state chooses to do so...

'Clean sweep' is remedy for outdated drugs (09/23/10)
A "medication clean sweep" day on Friday in the Big Springs Shopping Center parking lot will give local citizens the chance to safely and responsibly dispose of unneeded medication. The event will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Friday in the shopping center parking lot. It's sponsored by Bedford County Health Council, Bedford County Sheriff's Department, Shelbyville Police Department, Bedford Against Drugs Community Coalition and by local pharmacists Tripp York, Brad Thames and Barry Childers...

Grand jury indicts TennCare fraud suspect (09/22/10)
A Bedford County woman was indicted by direct presentment by the county's grand jury on Monday for TennCare fraud. Lazandra Delene Teal, 29, Old Pencil Mill Road, was taken into custody and brought before Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler. The warrants said that Teal had been defrauding TennCare from Dec. 1, 2007, until June 3, 2010...

Walk for a cure (09/21/10)
Who would have thought an ordinary father-son camping trip would turn a 7-year-old boy into a superhero? Last year, Baker Thomas was camping with his father David when things just didn't seem normal to Dad. "I noticed he was excessively thirsty," said David, a Shelbyville native who now lives in Nashville. "I couldn't get enough (fluids) in him ... But we didn't have a family history so I didn't think much about it ... Then he had to go to the bathroom a lot so that alarmed me."...

Traffic signal dollars can't be diverted -- Cantrell (09/15/10)
Shelbyville's treasurer says that money which was placed in escrow for a traffic signal on U.S. 231 North can not be used for any other purpose. Treasurer Gary Cantrell told the T-G he wished to respond to statements made by a blogger and readers on this newspaper's website about nearly $100,000 in funds from Heritage Medical Center that were placed in escrow for a red light they desired...

Think pink, help T-G fight breast cancer (09/15/10)
The Times-Gazette will publish a very special section Oct. 8 in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Printed on pink paper, this section will not only serve as a visual symbol of breast cancer awareness but the content will prove to be informative and encouraging...

Lower 231 limit awaits state's okay (09/14/10)
The city is awaiting advice from the state before posting the new 45 mph speed limit on U.S. 231 North, Shelbyville officials say. Shelbyville had initially planned to erect the new signs on Monday, after the council voted last Thursday to lower the speed on the highway inside the city limits to 45 mph between Harts Chapel Road and Frank Martin Road...

Council lowers Hwy. 231 speed limit (09/10/10)
Shelbyville's city council voted Thursday to lower the speed limit on U.S. 231 to 45 mph near Heritage Medical Center so that a traffic signal can be installed. However, it will be up to the state whether or not a light will be installed or not....

Hospital signal needed, readers say (09/08/10)
Times-Gazette readers have plenty of opinions about whether a traffic signal should be installed in front of Heritage Medical Center. The hospital has asked the city of Shelbyville for either progress on installing a light in front of the facility, or a refund of nearly $100,000 in escrow that was set aside for that purpose in 2007...

Hospital wants light or refund (09/02/10)
Heritage Medical Center is asking Shelbyville about constructing a traffic signal on U.S. 231 North, requesting a refund of nearly $100,000 in escrow if the city does not proceed with the project. However, the city council would need to lower the speed limit on the state highway before any signal could be installed...

So far, Bedford beats the heat (08/06/10)
Local officials have reported no tragic consequences so far from this week's oppressive heat. Tennesssee Technology Center at Shelbyville now has a weather station which can be accessed through the Web site Weather Underground ( http://snipurl.com/1094xl ). The station reported Thursday's high temperature at 101 degrees, following a high of 105 on Wednesday...

Water, rest, indoor time help prevent problems (08/06/10)
When it comes to heat stroke or heat exhaustion, the best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips: n Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot...

Thorpe is subject of magazine story (07/07/10)
Jennifer Thorpe of Shelbyville is the subject of a cover story in the July/August issue of Hearing Loss Magazine. The first-person account, entitled "I Am Simply Me," recounts how Thorpe's parents learned about her hearing loss when she was four years old, about what it was like going through high school and college facing the challenges of hearing loss, about Thorpe's marriage and family life, depression triggered by her struggles and about her experience with cochlear implants to improve her hearing. ...

You vs. the heat (06/16/10)
With temperatures scheduled to be in the 90s all week, and with outdoor activities like the RC Cola / Moon Pie festival coming up this Saturday in Bell Buckle, it's a good time to review common heat safety tips. Heat-related conditions can range from sunburn to heat stroke...

Local woman accused of TennCare fraud (06/15/10)
A Bedford County woman was charged with TennCare fraud and related counts after a direct presentment to the Bedford County grand jury on Monday. Sonya Marie Leverette, 25, of Shelbyville has been charged with two counts of TennCare fraud and two counts of using TennCare to try to acquire possession of a controlled substance....

Water safety weekend honors memory of young victim (06/13/10)
Tiffany Young's passion for educating children and adults about water safety was obvious as she spoke about her son's drowning accident. Her son, 2-year-old Matthew G. Woods, drowned in a relative's pool in August 2008. The second annual Water Safety Weekend, which is held in memory of Matthew, will take place Saturday, June 19 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Shelbyville Recreation Center...

Hyperbaric clinic to open (06/03/10)
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is not a new technology in the medical field -- but it's about to take off in Bedford County. The Advanced Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center will open in July at Heritage Medical Center. The center will feature two state-of-the-art hyperbaric chambers, costing about $350,000 each...

Longtime commissioner Tune dies (06/01/10)
Long-time county commission member Joyce Tune died Monday at Glen Oaks Convalescent Center. Tune was appointed to succeed her husband, George Tune, in a seventh district seat on the commission following George Tune's death in 1987, and voters continued to re-elect her to the seat. She had already filed to run for re-election this year in the August general election...

Nursing home repairs backed by commission (05/13/10)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to approve a capital outlay note of up to $450,000 to pay for roof repairs to the county-owned building which houses Christian Care Center of Bedford County. The county is working on an arrangement with Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Group, which leases the nursing home from the county, to repay the note at no cost to the taxpayers, according to County Mayor Eugene Ray. ...

Assisted living home found at fault in death (05/04/10)
A Bedford County jury has awarded over $5 million in damages to surviving family members in a wrongful death suit against a Shelbyville assisted living facility. Following a civil trial that lasted two weeks, a jury found that two nurses, Americare Systems Inc, and Shelbyville Residential LLC, which does business as Celebration Way, were at fault in the May 29, 2004 death of Mable Frances Farrar...

Gifts of life: Organ donors give hope to others (04/30/10)
Jennifer Owen gave her sister, Kerrie Upchurch, a kidney. With that, she not only gave her the gift of life, you could even say she gave her the gift of two lives. "I'm 32 weeks pregnant," said Kerrie through her tears. She and Jennifer, now Jennifer Meeks after a recent wedding, were only a few of the inspiring organ transplant stories found at the Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning. ...

Clinic moves to new home (04/09/10)
Community Clinic of Shelbyville & Bedford County is moving this weekend to its fourth home since opening in 2003, but organizers say they're delighted with the new surroundings and hope to be there for many years to come. The non-profit clinic, which serves the working uninsured, had been operating from the old Doctors' Building on Union Street, across from the former Bedford County Medical Center. Now, it is moving into suite 203 of the Medical Arts Building behind the old BCMC...

Life's second chance (03/28/10)
April is National Organ Donor Month. Bedford County native Harrison Trice never thought much about it in previous years -- but he does now. A year ago last Monday, March 22, Harrison's life was saved with the transplant of a new liver. He doesn't share much about the donor...

Governor 'not wringing hands' on health care bill (03/23/10)
NASHVILLE -- Gov. Phil Bredesen said Monday that while he opposed President Barack Obama's health care plan over the projected $1.1 billion cost to Tennessee, he stands ready to prepare the state for the Medicaid expansion that the measure envisions...

Gordon's change of vote draws heavy criticism (03/21/10)
As House Democrats approach an expected vote today on health care reform legislation, candidates to succeed U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon have been criticizing the bill and Gordon's last-minute decision to support it after having earlier opposed it. The measure seeks to extend coverage to 32 million uninsured people and the Congressional Budget Office estimates the proposal would cost $940 billion over 10 years...

Gordon now supports health care bill (03/19/10)
Tennessee Rep. Bart Gordon has changed course and says he will now support President Barack Obama's health care overhaul bill in a U.S. House vote planned for Sunday. The Murfreesboro Democrat, who isn't seeking another term in Congress this year, said Thursday he changed his mind because the proposed changes will be "better for Middle Tennessee than the status quo."...

Nursing home in need of upgrades -- report (03/19/10)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' courthouse and county property committee heard a report Tuesday night about $790,000 or more in capital expenses said to be needed at Christian Care Center of Bedford County, the former Bedford County Nursing Home...

106 and counting: Ora Charles takes it one day at a time (03/17/10)
Ora Charles wanted to hear "One Day At A Time" for her birthday, and so a staffer at Glen Oaks Convalescent Center rushed to a nearby computer to look up the lyrics on the Internet and print out copies so that the crowd could sing along. It was a small gesture, but a measure of how special Tuesday was; after all, your 106th birthday doesn't come along every day...

Arts for the Heart (02/16/10)
Dancing isn't just good for a marriage, as Cliff Gerrard and his wife of 15 years, Linda, will tell you. Dancing is good for your heart -- and that comes from Dr. Cliff Gerrard, the cardiologist. "It's a moderate type of exercise that stresses your heart and lungs -- in a good way," he said. "It's an aerobic type exercise, mild to moderate."...

Swaying to a caring beat (02/12/10)
There's a dance coming up at the Fly Arts Center, which isn't unusual. This one, however, is a fundraiser for one nonprofit held by another nonprofit, which is unusual. The Bedford County Arts Council will hold a sweetheart dance at the Fly on Saturday, Feb. 20, and some of the proceeds have been dedicated to the American Heart Association...

TennCare cuts could hit hospitals (02/09/10)
Gov. Phil Bredesen's proposed cuts to the state's expanded Medicaid program would cost state hospitals hundreds of millions of dollars and may force some of them to shut down, health care officials say. TennCare is the name for Tennessee's program using federal Medicaid dollars....

Crowd welcomes Spay & Neuter Clinic (01/31/10)
It's just as well there weren't actually any pets at the Middle Tennessee Spay & Neuter Clinic's ribbon cutting and open house Thursday afternoon -- even a teacup chihuahua would have had a hard time finding room. Hundreds of people, including County Mayor Eugene Ray and State Sen. Jim Tracy, turned out for the event. The opening marks more than a year of hard work, dedication, donations and volunteerism to bring spaying and neutering services to low-income families...

Inspection scores rise for local restaurants (01/05/10)
Follow-up health inspections for four Shelbyville restaurants shows improvement, according to the man who does the checking. Last week, the Times-Gazette published health inspection scores for Bedford County eatries, some of which had been graded only days ago...

Audit: Nursing home funds were stolen (12/23/09)
The last full-year audit of Bedford County Nursing Home before it was leased to an outside operator found serious deficiencies in financial control which allowed an employee to issue $1,100 in unauthorized payroll checks, according to discussion at Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Financial Management Committee...

Church sponsors events to help accident victim (12/16/09)
Fair Haven Baptist Church is hosting a benefit motorcycle ride, bake sale, chili supper, auction and gospel singing to help a man injured in a head-on collision Dec. 5. The wreck that took place on an ice-slick Fairfield Pike claimed the life of a woman and now threatens the livelihood of another man. ...

Gift drive nears end (12/15/09)
Packaging and delivery times for this year's Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive have been announced and there is still a little time left to get those presents in. The goal of the fourth annual drive is to make sure that all 310 nursing home residents in Bedford County are not forgotten during the Christmas season...

Gift drive benefits nursing home residents (12/02/09)
With a goal to deliver gifts to all 310 nursing home residents in Bedford County, organizers are again asking for help this year to make this happen again. Lindsey Sudberry and her mother Lorrie Dunn are spearheading the fourth annual Linda Hayes Nursing Home Gift Drive that makes sure that the county's elderly are not forgotten during the Christmas season...

Local residents to attend Nashville 'tea party' (11/06/09)
A number of Bedford County residents are planning to travel to Nashville Saturday to join others from across Tennessee to participate in what organizers are calling "the first ever statewide tea-party." The rally is scheduled to occur at Legislative Plaza from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, a date that organizers hold significant because it marks approximately one year from the 2010 Congressional elections...

Relay for Life campaign begins Monday (10/25/09)
Area volunteers are gearing up for the 2010 American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Bedford County campaign, beginning with a birthday kickoff Monday, Oct. 26 from 5:30 to 6:30. The party will be held at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration Grounds...

Golf tourney to benefit Community Clinic (10/23/09)
On an October morning a year ago, about 25 people called the Community Clinic for appointments, but Inda Browning, who does administrative work there, had to answer with bad news. "We don't have a doctor on tonight," she said, last October. "We only have doctors signed up for five nights in October ... Hard times are hitting us."...

Former ER worker arrested on rape charges in Alabama (10/23/09)
Harriet Neiman believes that if justice had been served in Bedford County 15 years ago, certain children might not have been abused in Alabama last year. Neiman is the mother of the teenage boy Dr. Michael Roy Sharpe allegedly slapped in the Bedford County Medical Center emergency room on Dec. 20, 1994...

Committee approves liability insurance plan (10/22/09)
Bedford County Financial Management Committee, at a special called meeting Tuesday night, approved purchase of five years of trailing liability coverage for the former Bedford County Nursing Home, acting on recommendation from their insurance agent, Joe Hunt of H.B. Cowan Insurance, and attorney John T. Bobo...

New medical building will break ground in November (10/22/09)
Groundbreaking for Bedford County's newest medical facility, Russell Plaza, has been set for November, according to its namesake. In August, plans were submitted to the city of Shelbyville for a 30,000-square-foot building that was believed at the time to be office space for local physicians...

Physician suggests local drug court (10/21/09)
Dr. Joseph Rupard suggested to Bedford County Board of Commissioners' law enforcement committee on Tuesday that the county consider starting a drug court, a judicial initiative that diverts some drug-related offenders from jail or prison into a court-supervised rehab program...

Workhouse inmate dies following collapse (10/21/09)
An inmate at Bedford County Workhouse died at a Nashville hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack Monday morning, officials said Tuesday. Larry Dale Byford, 54, of Shelbyville was rushed to Heritage Medical Center after collapsing Monday morning, then taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center, Lt. Tim Lokey, who supervises the workhouse, said...

Former local doctor in trouble (10/15/09)
A former Shelbyville physician is facing charges of rape and sodomy in Alabama. Dr. Michael Roy Sharpe was fired from three Tennessee hospitals -- twice when he was accused of sexual misconduct -- but was allowed to set up a pediatrics practice in Alabama, where he is now accused of having sex with a 15-year-old patient. The third Tennessee hospital that supposedly dismissed him was Bedford County General Hospital (now known as Heritage Medical Center)...

New cancer charity plans benefit horse show Saturday (10/14/09)
A new foundation has been formed to help local cancer patients, and its concept is different from the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. All money raised through the Bedford Cancer Foundation, formed last month, will directly benefit local cancer patients. Starting with Saturday night's Walking For Cancer Horse Show, the foundation will have two large benefits each year, said Jon' Jenn�, board member of the foundation...

Trainer faces difficult times after brain aneurysm (10/14/09)
When Jerry Williams left the hospital, a baby in his mother's arms, it was 38 years before he'd ever have to go to a hospital again. In fact, you might even say the Tennessee walking horse trainer was as healthy as a horse. That changed Sept. 30. "I came home for lunch and I was getting ready to go back to the barn," said Jerry. "I got hot and broke out in a cold sweat, and got a bad headache -- a pain like I've never felt before. I was numb on one side and couldn't move. I yelled for Jamel."...

Hospital programs address breast cancer (10/08/09)
Heritage Medical Center is taking a head on approach toward fighting breast cancer with several educational and informational activities taking place through Oct. 14. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with that comes the celebration of Heritage Medical Center's newly renovated digital mammography suite. Heritage officials say the environment and skilled doctors and nurses will make patients feel right at home...

Flu hits individual schools harder than system as a whole (09/29/09)
Although Bedford County schools' overall absenteeism rate is below the state guideline for a flu-related school shutdown, individual schools have shown spikes. The countywide absenteeism rate was 8.9 percent on Friday but East Side Elementary School had 23 percent of its 383 students absent that day...

Letters to the Editor, Sept. 27 (09/27/09)
To the Editor: I have had a very upsetting situation to happen recently. My great granddaughter, Rylei Hale, was put into developmental kindergarten at Community School by her mother, Amber Hale. She put her in Community School as we keep her during the week while her parents are at work at irregular hours and we live in the Community School district with the bus coming right by our house...

Cancer survivor Nita Carroll wins physical, emotional battle (09/27/09)
For some people, a cancer diagnosis reaches deep into one's soul and takes away life as a person once knew it. Not Nita Carroll. She had way too much to live for. "The night I found out I had breast cancer was the worst night of my life," said Nita, a mother, daughter, sister, wife and elementary school teacher...

Flu scare spreads, as H1N1 and seasonal variations strike area hard (09/15/09)
With Tennessee now being one of 11 states experiencing a widespread flu outbreak, the disease -- and the vaccines -- are growing concerns. "We're not in the peak time for seasonal flu," said Janet McAllister, with the South Central Regional Health Department in Tennessee. She said seasonal flu outbreaks usually start up in late October and early November and peak in January. "So most of the cases we're seeing now are thought to be the H1N1 'swine flu' virus."...

Wash those hands! School kids fight disease with good hygiene (09/15/09)
Bedford County kids are getting a head start on battling illness and the spread of germs. Dee Crabtree, registered nurse and director of Bedford County school nurses, is traveling the county teaching young children the importance of washing their hands -- and washing them properly...

Planning commission approves Russell Plaza (08/28/09)
A number of items being dropped from the agenda led to a short meeting for the Shelbyville Planning Commission, with site plans for one medical building approved and the other tabled until next month. The commission quickly gave approval for Russell Plaza, a 30,000-square foot, two-story medical office building to be located on Frank Martin Road across from the Bedford County Emergency Medical Service offices...

Corker urges bipartisanship at town hall meeting (08/26/09)
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said during a town hall meeting Tuesday afternoon in Shelbyville that it will take a bipartisan approach to get health care reform, or anything else, passed by Congress. About 100 people attended the event, which was held in the Blue Ribbon Circle building on the Celebration grounds...

Gordon faces questioners on health care issues (08/25/09)
MURFREESBORO -- An open meeting Monday night with U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon on the issue of health care reform drew passionate responses from both sides, although opponents of the current health care proposal clearly had an edge in terms of number of people in attendance...

Video of Bart Gordon town hall meeting (08/24/09)
Video courtesy of the Daily News Journal, which is sponsoring the event.

Corker to visit for town hall meeting (08/23/09)
U.S. Sen. Bob Corker will hold a town hall meeting at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds in Shelbyville this Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. to talk to citizens about health care reform and the economy. The event is open to the public. During the Senate's August recess, Corker's staff reports that he is visiting 30 counties across the state and holding 20 town hall meetings...

Medical offices to be built near hospital (08/21/09)
Shelbyville will soon see some growth near Heritage Medical Center with the planned construction of two new medical office buildings. Next week, Shelbyville's planning commission will consider site plans for two structures -- a 30,000-square foot, two-story medical office building to be located on Frank Martin Road across from the Bedford County Emergency Medical Service offices and a 16,000-square foot office building slated to be built on Airport Business Park Drive adjacent to Heritage Medical Center.. ...

Needles stolen from ambulance (08/18/09)
The theft of hypodermic needles from a Bedford County ambulance Friday wasn't discovered until their container was opened during an emergency call several hours later, officials said. But patient treatment wasn't compromised, said Chad Graham, director of Bedford County Emergency Medical Service...

Swine flu cases at two county schools (08/18/09)
Bedford County School Superintendent Ed Gray confirmed this morning that two cases of the H1N1 flu, formerly known as Swine flu, have been identified in Bedford County Schools, one at Shelbyville Central High School and the other at Thomas Magnet School...

Gordon feels the heat on phone open meetings plan (08/12/09)
A few days after Bedford County's congressman said he would only meet with his constituents over the phone, Sixth District Rep. Bart Gordon changed his mind Tuesday and said he will hold three town hall events in upcoming weeks Last Friday, Gordon announced that instead of meeting in person with citizens this year, he would hold two "telephone town hall events" on Aug. 21 to "discuss health care, the economy and other important issues."...

New operator begins leasing nursing home (08/04/09)
Christian Care Center of Shelbyville, a subsidiary of Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consultants, took over operations of Bedford County Nursing Home on Saturday. The county commission met Monday night in a special called meeting to finalize the paperwork...

Local man is state's first swine flu victim (07/16/09)
A Shelbyville man became Tennessee's first fatality of the H1N1 virus, also known as the swine flu. According to a Nashville television station, Joey Woodruff, 48, of Shelbyville died a week ago Monday at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. The Times-Gazette received information earlier this week that Woodruff may have been a victim of the swine flu, but was unable to confirm it through family members...

Bad debts to be written off before nursing home lease (07/15/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted to write off $279,782 in bad debts at Bedford County Nursing Home in preparation for leasing the nursing home to Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consulting. Financial Management Committee chairman Joe Tillett said it's possible a few more bad debts might turn up as the county and CCMC work towards finalizing their lease agreement, which was approved in principle on June 30...

BCEMS ends fiscal year better than projections (07/15/09)
Bedford County Emergency Medical Services ended the 2008-2009 fiscal year above projected revenue and below projected expenses, although director Chad Graham told BCEMS board members Monday night that the under-spending was partly the result of personnel factors that are difficult to control from year to year...

Life-preserving choice makes Raby a new man (07/12/09)
Andy Raby, 27, of Shelbyville, suffered a lifetime of struggles related to his obesity before he decided to do something about it. Diets and exercise did not work for Raby, an employee of Bedford County Sheriff's Department. About a year ago, he was approved for gastric bypass surgery, a weight-loss surgery in which the stomach is made smaller and part of the small intestine is bypassed, reducing the amount of food a person can eat as well as the amount of calories that can be absorbed...

Nursing home lease, county budget approved (07/01/09)
Within 30 days, Bedford County Nursing Home will be under new management. In a special called meeting Tuesday evening, the county commission passed a resolution approving a lease agreement with Christian Care Center of Shelbyville, a subsidiary of Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consultants...

No tax hike in county funding (06/24/09)
Bedford County will hold the line on county property tax rates, and employee salaries, this year, according to the budgets recommended Tuesday night by the Financial Management Committee. The budgets will now go to Bedford County Board of Commissioners for approval. ...

CORRECTED: Nursing home board recommends lease (06/19/09)
Bedford County Nursing Home Board of Trustees voted Thursday night to recommend that the county enter a five-year lease of the nursing home to a subsidiary of Johnson City-based Care Centers Management Consulting Inc. (CCMC). The lease would have to be approved by Bedford County Board of Commissioners in order to take effect...

Nursing home lease offer to be studied by board (06/17/09)
Bedford County Nursing Home's board of directors will discuss a lease proposal from Care Centers Management Group at its meeting 5 p.m. Thursday night at the county courthouse. Any lease agreement would ultimately have to be approved or denied by Bedford County Board of Commissioners...

Water safety event to honor drowning victim (06/14/09)
Tears streamed down Tiffany Young's cheeks as she recounted the horror of the day her son died. Two-year-old Matthew G. Woods drowned on Aug. 2, 2008, in a relative's pool in Chapel Hill. "I still don't know what happened," Young said. "I took his life jacket off when he went to the bathroom and was done swimming, and in a matter of minutes he was gone...

Above and beyond (06/14/09)
Kindergarten teacher Heather Conditt wasn't expecting any kind of award at Liberty School's Honor Day, just the joy of seeing her students rewarded for their hard work, but she was surprised by an award from the National Autism Society, naming her "Teacher of the Year."...

Relay for Life raises funds, celebrates hope (05/29/09)
The annual Relay for Life, which is the American Cancer Society's signature fundraising event, will be held from 6 p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. Saturday at the Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center. Twenty-two teams have signed up for the event thus far, according to Wendy Stacy, co-chair...

Economy adds to mental stress (05/27/09)
May is National Mental Health Month and the professionals in that field are trying to get the word out. This year, because of the downturn in the economy and so many lost jobs -- especially in Bedford County -- it has become even more important to recognize the signs of mental distress and treat them -- and prevent them...

A struggle with cancer (05/24/09)
James Clanton's voice is gravelly because he lost his voice box and vocal cords to cancer. His lungs are weak due to COPD and post polio syndrome. He can't walk more than 45 feet at once, but his spirit is not defeated. "Over the years, the Lord has answered my prayers and given me miracles," he said...

Clinic board feeds Tyson workers after donation (05/17/09)
At about noon on Thursday, Wally Taylor was about halfway through grilling 1,250 pieces of chicken for his employees at Tyson. Tyson employees weren't the only ones reaping the benefits of Taylor's master technique on the grill. Last week, Tyson pledged $25,000 to the Community Clinic of Bedford County over the next five years, reported the clinic's board chairman Kay Adcock...

Relay for Life preparations continue (05/07/09)
Twenty-two teams have signed up to participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life walk to be held May 29 at the Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center. "We have a couple of other teams that may come on," said organizer Wendy Stacy. "People can join any time. We hold sign-ups year round."...

New ambulance chassis request backed by committee (05/03/09)
A change in environmental standards for diesel engines may make the kind of truck chassis used for ambulances hard to come by during 2010, and so Bedford County Financial Management Committee voted Tuesday night to recommend that Bedford County Emergency Medical Services purchase a new chassis now, even if it can't be used right away...

Preparing for swine flu (04/28/09)
State epidemiologist Tim Jones said Monday that the swine flu, for most sufferers, may be no more serious than the regular seasonal flu strains that are felt every year -- but the problem is that there's no vaccine for this new strain yet, and that means people who are already at a health risk -- the very old, for example -- can't be protected from the disease...

Bikers hit the streets for autistic kids (04/28/09)
In one corner of H.V. Griffin Park, children -- most of them autistic -- were playing in an inflatable bounce room. A few feet away, leather-clad bikers with tattoos and pony tails were playing poker. Did someone need to call the law? "Oh, they all know," said Leta Frame, laughing, in a rare moment of peace Saturday morning. "We told them they were coming!"...

Pulmonologist speaks at TTCS meeting (04/24/09)
Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville held its General and Craft Advisory Council meetings Thursday night, with recognition of those involved in renovating the TTCS lobby, presentation of the distinguished alumnus award, and a guest speaker, Dr. Frederic Seifer, who discussed taking a proactive approach to health care...

Heart patients to benefit from new Internet technology (04/14/09)
A partnership between Bedford County Emergency Medical Services and Heritage Medical Center could make more and better cardiac information available to doctors while a patient is en route to the hospital. Over the past several years, BCEMS has been upgrading its cardiac monitors from older "three-lead" models to "12-lead" models, which use more electrodes to produce a much more detailed analysis of heart rhythms and function...

Pancake supper funds Caregiver Relief Program (04/02/09)
When people are in need, many folks in Bedford County are there to help in any way they can. Provide those helpers with pancakes, and they might even go the extra mile. The Caregiver Relief Program of Bedford County's annual pancake supper, held Tuesday in the First United Methodist Church fellowship hall, proved this...

Nursing home lease too short, say bidders (03/25/09)
Companies interested in leasing Bedford County Nursing Home have indicated that a two-year agreement may be too short, County Finance Director Robert Daniel told Bedford County Financial Management Committee during the committee's regular meeting Tuesday night...

New vision revives BCAES (03/25/09)
A local organization that has worked for the benefit of exceptional students in Bedford County for decades is being revitalized -- and refocused. "We have a new vision, a new mission," said Leta Frame, the new president of the Bedford County Association for Exceptional Students. "We're no longer just for special education students."...

Hee Haw & Howdy: a tradition of charity and fun (03/22/09)
The cast of Hee Haw and Howdy got together Thursday night for dress rehearsal in preparation for the group's opening performance Friday night. The show is scheduled to be performed at 7 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, and next Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, at Harris Middle School...

Second 'little miracle' arrives against all odds (03/22/09)
Death is a part of life, and so are miracles. Dr. Melita Bradley, a Shelbyville native, understands both concepts well. Melita's bittersweet journey with love, loss and renewed life began when she met Dr. Donald Hughes Bradley Jr. The perfect pair "We were a match," Melita said, of Don. "We were perfect for each other ... best friends and absolutely in love with each other."...

Support group formed for cancer survivors (03/18/09)
When Pat Peller learned of the grim diagnosis two years ago, he felt -- naturally -- scared. But Peller could deal with being scared -- scared of the treatments, the loss of work, and potentially the loss of his own life. What was most difficult about being diagnosed with Leukemia, Peller said, was the lack of local support from people with whom he could relate...

'Wheelbillies' dress up for cancer fundraiser (03/17/09)
Cindi Lauper once sang, "Girls just want to have fu-un ..." Well, a few local men and boys were no exception as they donned high heels and lipstick to raise money for a good cause Saturday night. The Wheelbilly's of Bedford County Miss Wheelbilly Pageant, held at Liberty School, raised funds for the Relay For Life Cancer Walk of Bedford County...

Sides square off over nursing home bill (03/12/09)
State Sen. Jim Tracy says a bill he is co-sponsoring would help improve patient care by lowering liability insurance costs for nursing homes. Critics, however, say the bill would make it harder to hold nursing homes accountable for error and is backed by nursing home operators who made campaign contributions to its sponsors...

County moves toward leasing nursing home (03/11/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to issue a request for proposals (RFP) from companies interested in a two-year lease of Bedford County Nursing Home. At the end of the two years, both parties would decide what to do next -- which could mean continuing the lease, selling the facility outright to the leaseholder, or returning it to county control...

BCEMS budget options compared (03/10/09)
Bedford County Emergency Medical Services board approved three separate budget proposals Monday night, as requested by the county's finance department. It was the first board meeting held at BCEMS's new operations center at Airport Industrial Park. The center is still unoccupied; BCEMS office staff will move in soon, after telephone lines have been connected...

Child struck by rare brain disease (03/08/09)
In driving up to East Side Elementary School, it is evident that Eddy Ramirez has a lot of little friends pulling for him. "Pray for Eddy," reads a sign in front of the school's main entrance. "We love you, Eddy," could be read 100 times over on a poster inside the school made by East Side students...

Cancer benefit is anything but a 'drag' (03/04/09)
What do all these men -- truckers, farmers, businessmen, sons, fathers and husbands -- have in common? They look divine in Dior. Okay, maybe "divine" is stretching it a bit, almost as much as the Dior gets stretched. What these men, contestants in the Wheelbillys Relay For Life Womanless Pageant, have in common is they aren't afraid to sacrifice their dignity for a good cause -- and a lot of laughs. ...

Nursing home not profitable, committee told (02/25/09)
Bedford County Nursing Home's January financial report shows a profit of $31,123 for the month, and a profit of $52,888 for the fiscal year so far -- but county Finance Director Robert Daniel told members of Bedford County Financial Management Committee those figures are misleading...

Rare eye cancer strikes toddler (02/24/09)
She may have had a slightly lazy eye, according to her mom, but in looking at a picture of Madison Toombs -- innocent smile, bright eyes and golden locks -- one would have assumed she was the healthiest 2-year-old on the planet. The reality was quite the opposite...

Food Lion recalls peanut-related products (02/17/09)
The Food Lion grocery store chain is recalling several items containing peanuts. In a message to customers, Food Lion stated that the recall was announced by National Raisin, one of its suppliers. The message said the recall is due to an inspection by the Texas Department of Health at the Peanut Corporation of America's plant in Plainview, Texas...

State: Heritage OB unit must stay open (02/13/09)
A move by Heritage Medical Center to close its obstetrics unit due to financial necessity has been denied by the Tennessee Health Service Development Agency. In October, the hospital announced it intended to close its obstetrics department due to an insufficient volume of patients...

Gordon calls for reducing excessive health care costs (02/10/09)
U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon, visiting Heritage Medical Center Monday, said health care costs affect everyone and discussed ways to try to bring them under control. Gordon said he's come face-to-face with health care concerns in recent years. Last November, his mother had an aortic valve replacement, while his daughter had health problems six years ago...

Want a flu shot? They're stiil available (02/01/09)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February is the hardest hitting month when it comes to influenza, and already, cases have been reported in Tennessee. The largest outbreak, the CDC report stated, usually comes about two weeks after the first cases are seen. ...

Go red and fight women's heart disease (01/29/09)
February often has people seeing red -- from the color of cold noses to the endless displays of valentine cards. But on Friday, Feb. 6, people will be seeing red for a different reason, especially around First Baptist Church. Heritage Medical Center is sponsoring its first "Go Red for Women" luncheon at noon, featuring guest speaker Dr. Jeffery Webber, a cardiologist with the Frist group, now associated with Heritage...

Cold weather health tips (01/15/09)
Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure, your body is already working hard just to stay warm, so don't overdo it. The Wind Chill index is the temperature your body feels when the air temperature is combined with the wind speed. ...

Cancer survivor carves niche (01/06/09)
Lee Edward Warren of Flat Creek may have stopped his long-time hobby of hand-carving wooden animals for 18 months during his treatment for heart disease and cancer, but now that he's healthy again, he is trying to pick up right where he left off. His love of wood-carving started when he was just a child. His mother paid 50 cents along with a coupon for a "Hopalong Cassidy" knife, which he carried with him at all times. "I used it to whittle pieces of wood I would find," he said...

Death caused low BCNH rating: Schumann (12/31/08)
Bedford County Nursing Home received the worst rating possible in a study released Dec. 18 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, mirroring the state as a whole's lower than average ratings. Wayne Schumann, nursing home administrator, said the death of a resident last May, which landed the facility on immediate jeopardy status with the state, was the main reason for the low rating. The death came as a result of a resident falling out of a lift chair...

Commission approves tax relief for hospital (12/11/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to create a Health Facilities Board, made up of the same members as the local Industrial Development Board, so that Heritage Medical Center can be taken off the county's property tax rolls. Commissioners, County Mayor Eugene Ray and County Attorney John T. ...

Funds sought for spay-neuter clinic (12/11/08)
For months now, committee members have been striving to raise $20,000 to open a spay-neuter clinic to help with the county's overwhelming stray dog and cat population. Approximately 75 to 80 percent of dogs and cats are euthanized locally as a result of this overpopulation, said Bedford County Animal Control Director Michael Gregory...

Vaccination could save pet from euthanasia (12/10/08)
Teresa Pendergrast of Unionville is calling herself "a very irresponsible pet owner." The day before Thanksgiving, her kids called her at work to tell her that their family dog, Little Bit, had something trapped in their garage and "was barking up a storm."...

Alzheimer's steals minds, creates burdens (12/09/08)
Imagine what life would be like if your brain began to gradually shut down, with no reason as to why. Living with an incurable disease provides many challenges affecting everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease is no exception....

Heritage may be taken off tax rolls (12/01/08)
A resolution to be considered at this month's Bedford County Board of Commissioners meeting may make it possible for Heritage Medical Center to be given an in-lieu-of-tax agreement and taken off the city and county's property tax rolls. Bedrod County Mayor Eugene Ray said this morning the in-lieu-of-tax agreement was agreed upon when the county sold what was then called Bedford County Medical Center to Brentwood-based Community Health Systems in 2005. ...

Red Cross provides disaster relief (10/28/08)
"Blood, military, and disasters -- that's what we do," said Greg King, of the American Red Cross Heart of Tennessee chapter, which is based in Murfreesboro and which includes Bedford County in its service area. The chapter, a United Way member agency, is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance and disaster relief....

First Heritage health fair draws good crowd (10/26/08)
Heritage Medical Center hosted its first health fair last week, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October. The fair was the monthly program for the hospital's Healthy Women group, and nearly 150 people showed up to take advantage of the free screenings and other important health-related information provided by the hospital...

Child's play is serious business at safety day (10/26/08)
There were fire engines, police cars, a Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter, and ambulances everywhere. Children ran around screaming and people snapped pictures of everything they could. A major disaster? On the contrary -- the United Way Child Safety Day was an overwhelming success...

Hospital volunteer 'retires' for second time (10/21/08)
As the jovial, elderly woman took her time walking through the hospital lobby, a hospital volunteer looked at her and asked, "Well, are you feeling retired yet?" The woman responded, with a laugh, "I ought to be feeling that way, hadn't I!" Thirty-two years ago, Mary Gray retired from her duties as a high school English teacher, a career she devoted her life to for nearly 40 years. About a month ago, she had a chance to retire all over again...

Beavers continues pre-natal care despite OB closure (10/16/08)
Local doctor Lana Beavers says her patients will continue to receive the care they need, despite Heritage Medical Center CEO Dan Buckner's recent announcement about the hospital's intent to close its obstetrics department. "There's nothing about my practice that has changed, except for the delivery of babies," said Beavers, who delivered 95 percent of babies born in Bedford County last year, according to Buckner. "My practice will continue to include pre-natal care."...

Heritage to close obstetrics department (10/09/08)
Heritage Medical Center announced Wednesday that it intends to close its obstetrics department due to an insufficient volume of patients, according to CEO Dan Buckner. "Myself, my board of trustees and the corporation (Community Health Systems) have been debating this decision for many months and the official decision was made, frankly, today," Buckner said. "Our decision (to close the OB) was a tough decision for the hospital, and for me personally, but the OB wasn't in demand."...

BREAKING: Heritage confirms closure of OB services (10/09/08)
Heritage Medical Center announced Wednesday afternoon its intent to close the hospital's obstetrics department, according to Dan Buckner, hospital CEO. Complete details will be included in Thursday's Times-Gazette

Nurse killed in accident (09/12/08)
A night shift nurse at Heritage Medical Center was killed in a accident on Interstate 24 Monday near exit 105, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. According to a report by Trooper Jason McGee, 42-year-old Melissa Grace Bennett, of Manchester died after her eastbound Ford F-150 truck swerved to miss being hit by a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by a Tullahoma woman, 19-year-old Stacie LeAnn Lowe...

'Wash for Life' to benefit local crisis pregnancy center (09/12/08)
Mark your calendar for this Saturday, because the "Wash for Life" car wash will be held with participants from churches across the Shelbyville area to benefit First Choice Pregnancy Counseling Center. First Choice offers free pregnancy tests, "Earn While You Learn" parenting classes, abstinence-only education, life-affirming alternatives to abortion and compassionate counsel, care and support to those who face pregnancy and abortion-related issues...

September marks suicide awareness (09/09/08)
Bedford County jumped on board with the nation's campaign of suicide prevention last week when County Mayor Eugene Ray and City Mayor Wallace Cartwright signed a proclamation declaring September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. "We all are aware that the national rate of suicide is increasing," said Cissy Gilbert, a health council facilitator for the Tennessee Department of Health. "And suicide is preventable ... if we're aware, we can prevent this from happening to our loved ones."...

Heritage evaluates OB unit (08/13/08)
Heritage Medical Center is evaluating its obstetrics unit to determine whether it will remain open, according to hospital and county officials. County Mayor Eugene Ray told the Times-Gazette this morning that Heritage CEO Dan Buckner is "looking at the possibility of closing it" because not enough babies are being born there...

Future uncertain for BCNH (07/23/08)
Heritage Medical Center may have settled into its new location on U.S. 231 North, but the skeleton of Bedford County Medical Center remains on Union Street in Shelbyville, and right next door sits its sister, Bedford County Nursing Home. Over the last several months, questions have been raised at county meetings and around town, as well as comments being posted on the Times-Gazette web site, as to what's next for the county-owned buildings...

Marking memories on the wall (07/20/08)
Some were long and sentimental, while others were short and sweet. Some were funny, and some consisted of only a signature. Regardless of the length or tone of the messages written in marker on Pam Fisher's former office wall, they all said, in one form or another, the same thing...

New hospital has its first delivery (07/18/08)
It may have been the fact that it was child number two, but the peaceful room -- which she had all to herself -- the great food, and the welcoming staff certainly made it so much easier than the first time. "The delivery was wonderful," said Misty Lee. "The first one was really rough."...

Nursing home admissions suspension lifted (07/15/08)
Tennessee Department of Health announced Monday its decision to lift a 15-day admissions suspension at Bedford County Nursing Home. "I find, based upon the follow-up survey report that the deficient practices and conditions detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of the residents were corrected and the facility has returned to substantial compliance," said Susan Cooper, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, in a letter to BCNH administrator Wayne Schumann...

Hospital makes its move (07/13/08)
Heritage Medical Center completed its scheduled move Saturday without any problems, said Pam Fisher, public relations and marketing director, in a Saturday afternoon telephone interview. The patient move process was begun at 7:02 a.m. and the last patient was received at 11:26 a.m., she said...

Nursing home awaits inspection results (07/13/08)
State health officials left Shelbyville Thursday after completing a reinspection of Bedford County Nursing Home, but results of the inspection have not yet been announced. The inspection will determine whether the nursing home's status of "immediate jeopardy" following the May 25 death of a resident will be lifted...

Hospital set for big move (07/10/08)
Patients at Bedford County Medical Center, located on Union Street, will be moved Saturday to the new Heritage Medical Center on U.S. 231 North. "The move is right on schedule with all the new equipment in place, tested and approved," said Pam Fisher, public relations and marketing director. "The final state survey was conducted on Monday, July 7, and our license for operations was granted with zero deficiencies."...

BCNH awaits inspection (07/08/08)
Bedford County Nursing Home is still waiting for health officials to inspect the facility to determine whether its status of "immediate jeopardy" following the May 25 death of a resident will be lifted. "We anticipated them last week, but they have yet to show up," said Susan McGee, marketing director for the nursing home...

Nursing home responds to deaths (07/02/08)
Government officials were scheduled to re-evaluate Bedford County Nursing Home today to determine whether its status of "immediate jeopardy" may be lifted. Admissions to the nursing home were suspended June 25 following an investigation into the May 25 death of a resident who fell out of a lift chair while under the watch of a certified nursing assistant, who has since been terminated...

Nursing home admissions suspended (06/27/08)
Tennessee Commissioner of Health Susan Cooper on Wednesday suspended new admissions to Bedford County Nursing Home and fined the nursing home $3,000 following the death last month of a resident. The resident had been taken in for a bath on May 25. The technician did not have her properly restrained, according to BCNH Director Wayne Schumann, and she fell out of her lift chair onto a tile floor and hit her head. ...

'Terrific' day at Heritage preview (06/14/08)
The rain dampened the grass but not the excitement as hundreds showed up for Heritage Medical Center's Community Preview Day Saturday. "It is terrific!" exclaimed Mildred Markum after touring the hospital with her granddaughter, Haylee Faulk. "I am so impressed with it. I think everyone in Bedford County should be here looking at it, because it is a wonderful facility."...

Heritage to host community (06/13/08)
Heritage Medical Center is finishing its final preparations today for its Community Preview day, to be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. Massive white awnings stretch in front of the hospital's main entrance and a bouncing playground for the children waits to be inflated...

New hospital's CEO hopes to win local trust (06/07/08)
Heritage Medical Center CEO Dan Buckner has thrown down the gauntlet. "There are people in our community who don't trust our hospital," he said Friday at a special media event, the last official guided tour until the Community Preview Day June 14. "Too many. It is time to put the kibosh on that right now...

Relay for Life begins tonight (05/30/08)
The American Cancer Society's Relay For Life kicks off this evening at the Bedford County Agriculture and Education Center and will run until 6 a.m. Satuday. The opening ceremonies will start at 6 p.m. with the National Anthem, prayer, and a welcome from this year's chairperson, Wendy Stacy. A Survivor's Walk will start at 6:20 for participants who have been afflicted with the disease, and the parade of teams will start at 6:45...

Survivor gets her special space (05/30/08)
After months of anticipation, Hailee Green can finally take comfort in a new bedroom designed especially for her. And, like any 9-year-old child, she'll take great pleasure in the entertainment that will be provided by the 42-inch flat screen television that now hangs on her bedroom wall...

Cancer survivor lives life to the full (05/28/08)
Pat Peller has learned to look at life in a totally different way since he found out he had cancer. He was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and small cell Non-Hodgkins lymphoma in August 2006. It's in his bone marrow and affects his immune system...

New Glen Oaks administrator says he's 'here to serve' (05/27/08)
Wanting to do "something good for others everyday" is what drove Colin Chesley to go into health care administration. Today he finds himself fulfilling that desire as the new administrator of Glen Oaks Convalescent Center. Chesley assumed the helm at Glen Oaks in mid-May, and is thrilled to be undertaking this new role. ...

Bird flu's potential impact could be massive (05/20/08)
Bedford County Emergency Management Director Scott Johnson and Avian Influenza Planning Project Manager Dr. Carl Bailey have been examining what difficulties the county will likely face in the event of an Avian Flu pandemic. The pair stressed they do not want to frighten the public about what an outbreak of the deadly virus could mean, but encourage preparedness for everyone -- no matter if they are involved in government, business, civic groups or just protecting their families...

Emergency planners brace for bird flu pandemic (05/19/08)
"We're not trying to be paranoid, we're trying to be prudent." Those are the words of Scott Johnson, director of Bedford County Emergency Agency, about the planning his department is doing to prepare for the day when the avian flu, or "bird flu", becomes pandemic...

Avian flu: a primer (05/19/08)
Many people have heard the terms "pandemic," "avian flu" and "bird flu" over the past few years, but may be confused about what they mean and about the difference between the flu outbreaks seen many years and the deadly H5N1 virus. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), seasonal (or common) flu is a respiratory illness which can be transmitted person to person. Most people have some immunity to it, and a vaccine is available...

Commission seeks bids on hospital, school buildings (05/14/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night to put out a request for proposals from parties interested in buying the old Harris Middle School building and from those interested in buying the soon-to-be-vacant Bedford County Medical Center...

New ambulance station may go unstaffed (05/13/08)
The alternative austerity budget proposals being asked for by county officials, if adopted, could mean that a brand new BCEMS station now under construction in Airport Industrial Park, behind the new Heritage Medical Center, would go unstaffed. BCEMS board member Whitney Neeley, at the board's regular monthly meeting Monday night, said that the budget would be a step backwards from BCEMS's efforts to reduce response time in rapidly-growing or heavily-populated rural areas...

Health, safety festival planned for October (05/09/08)
United Way of Bedford County will partner with Bedford County Health Council to turn its annual child safety day into a health and safety festival including a health fair and a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run. The plan was discussed at the United Way Board of Directors meeting Wednesday...

Couple raises autistic grandson (05/08/08)
Life changed considerably for Ed and Tina Ruth when Ed's job brought him from Lebanon to Shelbyville. They had barely settled into their new home when their 5-year-old granddaughter, Eileen, came to live with them a month later. Soon Eileen was joined by her brother, Aidan, 8, who had been diagnosed with autism...

Teen pregnancy problems discussed (05/06/08)
Bedford County Health Department is joining other areas Wednesday in recognizing the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The health observance was established in 2002 to focus the attention of teens on the importance of avoiding pregnancy, parenthood and other serious consequences of sex...

Autism hits family doubly hard (04/30/08)
If there are challenges in having an autistic child, those challenges more than double when there are two. Ronnie and Jeanne Edwards' two older children, Mark, 14, and Jonathan, 11, were diagnosed with autism when they were toddlers -- and while Jeanne was pregnant with their third child, Mary Margaret....

New EMS hall rises near new hospital (04/28/08)
Walls have risen at the new Bedford County Emergency Medical Services station in Airport Industrial Park. The station, built on land donated by Wal-Mart Distribution Center, will become the new headquarters and administrative offices of BCEMS, a short distance away from the new Heritage Medical Center which opens this summer. BCEMS's existing headquarters on Union Street will remain open as an ambulance station...

Utility plan for BCNH will cut costs (04/24/08)
Bedford County Nursing Home presented a plan Tuesday night to the county's Financial Management Committee which will allow it to separate its utility services from the Bedford County Medical Center building. Earlier this year, some county officials, hearing that it would cost up to $50,000 per month to operate the boiler which serves both buildings, were concerned that the nursing home would become a drain on county finances once the hospital moves to a new location this summer. ...

A year later, Odom's license revoked (04/17/08)
Over a year after a Bedford County paramedic was sentenced to 35 years in prison after nearly 200 sex crimes charges, Tennessee's Board of Emergency Medical Services finally revoked his license. Edward Raven Odom, 31, accepted a negotiated sentence of 35 years in February after he was charged in April 2006 with child rape, rape and statutory rape over a period of several years...

Legendary sheriff's daughter to speak (04/17/08)
Friday evening's "It's in the Bag" fundraiser, which benefits Community Clinic of Bedford County, will feature special guest speaker Dwana Pusser. The event will feature a silent auction at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. Dress is casual. Community Clinic of Bedford County serves the working uninsured...

Local woman convicted of TennCare fraud (04/17/08)
A Bedford County woman has been convicted on TennCare fraud charges, state officials reported Tuesday. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) said Deborah Ann Jewell, 51, of Shelbyville, pleaded guilty to one count of TennCare fraud and was ordered to repay TennCare $4,686...

Commissioners call nursing home survey too hasty (04/09/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday night against a public opinion survey to determine the fate of Bedford County Nursing Home, saying it is premature until the county has more facts about the situation. The county Financial Management Committee had recommended the survey after an unscientific Times-Gazette web poll showed a majority of participants in favor of selling the nursing home. ...

Clinic fund-raiser to feature Pusser's daughter (04/07/08)
Community Clinic of Bedford County has gone country! The clinic, which provides medical care to the working uninsured, announced its annual fundraiser event, "It's In The Bag (Goes Country)," will be held April 18 at the Blue Ribbon Circle. Dwana Pusser-Garrison, daughter of the late McNairy County sheriff, Buford Pusser, will be the guest speaker...

County panel wants survey on nursing home issue (04/02/08)
Inspired in part by the results of an unscientific Times-Gazette web poll, Bedford County Financial Management Committee said Tuesday night it would like to conduct a more scientific poll of local attitudes towards selling Bedford County Nursing Home...

Tracy bill promotes health insurance (03/31/08)
The Tennessee State Senate has given final approval to legislation to let more small business owners join together to negotiate lower health insurance rates. Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) is one of the sponsors of the bill, SB 4014, which is designed to encourage more small employers to purchase health insurance, and give them predictability and stability in health-insurance rates...

Bredesen pushes long-term care plan (03/28/08)
Gov. Phil Bredesen said that his own mother, last year, was in a position where she was too sick to be home alone and yet not disabled enough to be in a nursing home. Fortunately, she had "a son who knows a little bit about the system," in the governor's words, and he was able to arrange for her needs to be met...

Shelbyville man to lead Marshall EMS (03/26/08)
LEWISBURG -- A Shelbyville man has been named interim director for Marshall County Emergency Medical Service by the county's emergency medical services committee. James Whorley, 42, of Candlewood Estates, is one of three shift supervisors for MCEMS, headquartered at offices in the ambulance station on South Ellington Parkway in Lewisburg...

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