Regional Medical Center is expanding its reach into Piedmont, where the hospital plans to open a critical care clinic this summer. The hospital is partnering with the Piedmont Healthcare Authority to develop the clinic, being built adjacent to the Piedmont Nursing Home. The facility will become a key component of an emerging senior care campus there, but it will be open to everyone, said Benjamin Ingram, president of the authority. “It allows us to get some things done in Piedmont that normally we would have to go to Jacksonville, Anniston or Gadsden to have done,” Ingram said. The new facility will be staffed with a physician, at least one nurse practitioner, other nurses and office staff. It will offer a range of services, including treatment for general ailments such as colds and treatment for more urgent matters, said David McCormack, the chief executive of RMC. “It’s sort of like an emergency room, but not quite to that level,” McCormack said. The location of the facility is intended in part to help the Piedmont Healthcare Authority develop a more complete senior care center. RMC, meanwhile, is expanding its regional footprint in an effort to remain competitive as federal health care reform is fully implemented. “Now as health care is changing, we need to go out to the community,” McCormack said. “We have to cover the whole region.” RMC recently expanded to Jacksonville, where it bought the hospital there in December, as well as to Talladega, where it opened a clinic; it has plans to open facilities in Weaver and Roanoke. Piedmont Mayor Rick Freeman said the new facility will help the hospital and the authority meet their goals, as well as help residents of Piedmont and the communities that surround it. Ingram and Freeman said Piedmont has a shortage of physicians. Currently two physicians work in the city part time, and two others work full time. Of the two full-time doctors, one exclusively treats children and the other holds a second full-time job as the medical director at the nursing home, Ingram said. “We felt like we needed that,” Freeman said of the new center. “The impact is going to be very big for us.” Staff writer Laura Gaddy: 256-235-3544. On Twitter @LJohnson_Star.

The Jacksonville Planning Commission held a public hearing Tuesday night for the rezoning request for four rental properties located at 110, 114 and 116 Mountain St. NW and 419 Spring Ave. NW. Jane Self Burnham owns the four properties located near the intersection of Pelham Road and West Mountain Street. Her son Patrick Burnham, who served as her representative during the meeting, said one reason for the request is difficulty finding appropriate tenants. “These properties are important to our family,” Burnham said. “However, maintenance has declined over the past few years.” In addition to poor tenants, Burnham cited increased retail activity surrounding the rental properties near Alabama 21 as an additional need for rezoning. “Traffic on the street has increased,” Burnham said. “The Grub Mart and Burger King have changed the neighborhood situation.” Burnham said if the rental properties were to be rezoned for commercial use, his mother would ensure the properties reflect historic Jacksonville. “My mother is hoping the future of these properties will be appropriate and good for the entire community.” Burnham said. Burnham said he has made preliminary contact with a commercial developer from Atlanta who would be willing to come analyze the property value. He also mentioned that a credit union had expressed interest in the properties. Several residents attending the meeting were concerned about not knowing what type of business would be entering the neighborhood. Debbie Harper rents property on neighboring Spring Street and is concerned about a new business encroaching on her property. “I don’t want a business looking right into my home,” Harper said. “Not knowing what it’s going to do to my property value is a concern of mine.” Jacksonville resident Joe Donahue said he sees the business development as a positive move for the city. “I think having commercial property that’s owned by somebody in the county on this street is a good thing and will increase the city’s livelihood,” Donahue said. Following the public hearing, the commission determined the request was in compliance with the requirements of the city’s comprehensive land use plan and officially turned the item over to the Jacksonville City Council. The council will meet Monday at City Hall at 7 p.m. following a 6 p.m. work session. Burnham stressed that he and his mother will take the concerns of the surrounding landowners into consideration. “We are ready to move forward with this,” Burnham said. “We want the property to have the highest and best use.”

WEDNESDAY’S LIST . . . of beans ’n greens ’n other things:

***

DON’T TELL me I’ve nothing to do.

From the window of my barn I see Ozzie coming through the hedgerow from next door. I like Ozzie a lot, but I’m not sure he feels the same. Efforts to pet and feed over the years have been a flop at best.

What Ozzie likes to do is hunt. I mean really hunt.

You see, Ozzie is a brindle, bob-tailed, three-legged cat and he loves to feed on whatever he can find in the hedgerow across my back yard, including field mice and squirrels.

Ozzie is flat out deadly, too.

Since losing his right front leg to a tumor a couple of years back, he has taught himself a new way to hunt. He keeps stalking to a minimum. But with the patience of Job, he settles down and waits for a meal to come within striking distance.

When the meal does, it’s “Wham” and Ozzie heads for the dinner table.

He’s a wonder to watch ...

^^^

IT IS A typical day at the Smith Estate. I am out in my barn kicked back in what I call “Archie’s Recliner.” I am reading a book, listening to Merle Haggard on the stereo, and watching TV (how’s that for multi-tasking, huh?) The blonde is out and about.

The phone rings. It is from the blonde. She is at Sears in the Quintard Mall ...

“Sweetheart, I’m at Sears looking at vacuum cleaners. I can get a small one to go with a regular one. What do you think I should do?”

Recovering from the shock of her asking my permission for anything, I agree to the double dip and then make a mistake with “What’s going on, you asking my permission?”

From the other end, there is a happy laugh with:

“It’d be different if it were shoes and a dress.”

I managed a quiet goodbye (without choking), hung up, and went back to singing along with Merle. It seemed fitting he was in the middle of “I’m Gonna Sit Right Here And Drink” at the time.

^^^

JOE ESTEP deserves a standing ovation. Joe runs the Calhoun County Sports Hall of Fame and, this past Saturday night, put together another classic.

Held at the “new” Oxford Civic Center, the 2013 induction played to a near packed house.

Outstanding Joe, outstanding.

^^^

FOR THOSE asking, the Peach Man’s tomatoes are a week away, but Ken Easterling will be at Regions in Oxford on Friday morning at 6 with another load of Chilton County peaches.

If no sell-out in Oxford he heads for the Anniston post office along about 8 . . . but don’t bet he gets there.

^^^

IF YOU’RE lining up at the Walmart deli at Lenlock, I hope you get lucky and a young lady by the name of Vanesa Durham waits on you. She did for me a few days back and while I’ve had an unpleasant moment or two there, Vanesa left me feeling pretty good.

Walmart could use more like her.

^^^

BIRTHDAYS: June 12 – Annette Vice; June 14 – Sage Snow; June 15 – Twins Brettnie and Dakota Smith; June 17 – Aiden Lloyd; 11; June 18 – Don Beabout.

And Jeff Jones, June 17. A member of a vanishing breed (The Great Generation), Jeff drove a “weasel” jeep ashore at Normandy, June 6, 1944.

^^^

QUOTABLE: “My doctor tells me I should start slowing it down - but there are more old drunks than there are old doctors so let's all have another round.”

                       --Willie Nelson

Thanks for visiting ...

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George Smith may be reached at 256-239-5286 or email: gsmith731@gmail.com.