usna77's blog

For a number of years, Haywood County's Good Samaritan Clinic provided a compassionate and quality alternative to the hospital emergency room for those who needed care, but could not qualify for Medicaid or Health Department assistance. Haywood Regional Medical Center helped support the clinic, finding that less expensive than paying ER doctors and staff to provide routine primary care.

However, HRMC and Harris hospital in Sylva combined a couple of years ago to form Medwest, and that has recently come under the management of Carolinas Health Care of Charlotte -- no doubt in a power play to challenge the mighty Mission Hospitals in Asheville.

Apparently the Good Samaritan Clinic is now caught in the fallout of Carolinas Health Care coming to the mountains, as HRMC will no longer support Dr. Don Teater and the clinic.

We will see when local newspapers catch up to this news.

Based on reliable sources, it seems that former District Court Judge Danny Davis will face former State Senator Joe Sam Queen in the Democratic Primary for the NC-119 seat currently held by Phil Haire of Sylva. Haire is stepping down at the end of this term.

Davis's niece is married to Heath Shuler. Queen has served two separate stints representing Senate District 47. Both live in Waynesville.

Queen's apparent decision to run for the House seat will clear the way for former Senator and Chief District Court Judge John Snow of Murphy to run in a rematch against incumbent Republican Jim Davis for the 50th District Senate seat.

Below is a brief summary of some goings on west of I-77. I know that some don't believe the state exists out here ... and some of us don't believe anything that happens in Raleigh should apply.

Asheville Citizen Times is reporting that Phil Haire (D-Jackson) will not run for re-election. Haire has been co-chair of the appropriations committee, and has spent seven terms in Raleigh. Haire plans to continue his law practice in Sylva.

The Smoky Mountain News is reporting that a non-profit group in Haywood County will seek grant money to proceed with landslide hazard mapping in the county.

Carolinas AGC is touting all the success in the past legislative session, chief among their successes being the General Assembly's failure to cap the gasoline tax.

Asheville fire chief has identified one dead firefighter and another transported to burn center in Augusta, GA in a fire today at 445 Biltmore, a medical office building near Mission Hospital in Asheville.

In the 2011 session that recessed in June, the North Carolina General Assembly considered more than 200 “local” bills, ranging from makeup of local boards, fire district fees, annexations, and many other subjects. Generally, such bills have not been very controversial, because as a matter of legislative courtesy the members would defer to the local delegation and input and advice from local governing boards. Quite frequently, such bills were pro forma permission from the General Assembly because of some constitutional requirement for such permission.

Politico is that Heath Shuler is exploring the AD post at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee. Not sure yet what to make of this.

Paul Krugman writes today in his NY Times blog that we appear to be heading into a Japan-like lost decade.