Haywood County

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.

Today Haywood County Democrats held a protest in front of the courthouse on Main Street in Waynesville.

WLOS video and report on today's Democrat rally on the courthouse lawn.

Just got this email from our county party communications team..

Tonight the Haywood County Democratic Party Executive Committee unanimously passed a resolution supporting a public option for health insurance.

About 1000 volunteers showed up at 14 Haywood County Schools on Saturday as part of our "Save a Teacher" campaign.

Story in today's Mountaineer newspaper in Waynesville.

The Board of Commissioners disclosed during their February 2, 2009 meeting that landslides are serious threats to Haywood County residents.

In their petition to the General Assembly for hazard mapping the Commissioners stressed the fact that “Haywood County has experienced numerous landslides in recent years, with two in the first month of 2009.” The Board requests that Haywood County be hazard-mapped at “the state’s earliest opportunity.” In an unusual move the Commissioners asked for a state-funded landslide insurance program.

History of Haywood County Hazardous Land Development

Earlier this month, long-time Haywood County Sheriff Tom Alexander, in a surprise move to many, announced his retirement effective February 2.  Since his term expires in 2010, it is up to the county's Democrat Executive Committee to name a replacement.

Local attorney Bill Jones, the county's party chair, along with the executive committee, has set up a process for the Executive Committe to do its job.  Potential candidates submitted their resumes to Mr. Jones earlier this week.  An open forum will be held Saturday, January 24, for candidates to make their pitches and answer questions from Executive Committee members.  Balloting will be held on Saturday, February 7, with each precinct having one vote for every 100 votes cast for Gov. Perdue in November.

The Asheville Citizen-Times listed the following candidates:

-- Albert Allen, a retired N.C. Highway Patrol trooper who lost a bid for sheriff in 2002 to Alexander.