not mean a deal in Cook County is out-of-the-question. We appreciate the due dili- gence of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, the City of Adel, the Cook County Economic Development Com- mission and the Adel Industrial Development Authority. They are being responsible stewards and we will continue working with them on different op- tions.” Finding a suitable location for a Cook Medical Center re- placement facility and receiv- ing financial assistance from the city and county to offset the growing expense of indigent and charitable care for the community have been the focal point of these conversations. Tift Regional Health System is also seeking aid from the county in a land/facility use project for the current hospital and nursing home facilities once the replacement facility is completed. Changes in the healthcare landscape, which are affecting rural hospitals across the state and country, are why Tift Re- gional Health System is work- ing on a new delivery model for health care in Cook County. Tift Regional Health System recently announced that the hospital will be closing its emergency room on Feb. 28 and will be offering a new after-hours clinic for minor in- juries and illnesses on March 1. According to Purvis, about 95 percent of Cook Medical Center’s ER patients were non- emergent. “By opening a new conven- ient care clinic in Adel for minor medical issues and send- ing emergency patients to the closest, appropriate ER, we will be able to offer a more ap- propriate level of care for the community,” said Purvis. “We have to adapt in order to thrive in the future. If we can secure assistance from the city and county, we can build a new contemporary facility, which will continue to provide impor- tant medical services such as primary care, geriatric psychi- atric care, skilled rehabilita- tion, diagnostic services and introduce new services such as ambulatory surgery.” In 2015, the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution to allocate an annual amount of $250,000 of the county government’s general fund budget to Cook Medical Center for 20 years, beginning October 1, 2015. The allocation’s purpose is to help off-set the growing ex- pense of charitable and indi- gent medical care provided to the county by the hospital, ac- cording to hospital officials. The Adel City Council has voted to provide funding to Cook Medical Center not to exceed $2 million to use for improvements in the hospital’s medical facilities. These funds will be paid for over a 20-year period. County Administrator Faye Hughes said Monday that none of the funds called for in the resolution have been trans- ferred thus far from the County to Cook Medical Center. She added that there is no docu- mentation of the funds being provided in exchange for a new hospital; however, the funds are intended to help the hospital continue to function and meet health care needs in Cook County. Adel Mayor Buddy Duke said Monday that none of the funds pledged in the City Council’s action have been transferred to the hospital. Duke said the City and County are working together to find grants and other funding sources to help fund the hospi- tal replacement project in Cook County. “We realize the great need to have a hospital in Adel, and we certainly want to do whatever we can to keep one here,” he said. “With the strong movement and aggressive activity that Hahira officials are implement- ing, it looks as if they under- stand the magnitude of the economic impact of having a hospital in a community,” Mayor Duke said. Cook Medical Center has more than 200 full-time em- ployees, making the not-for- profit health care provider the second largest employer in Cook County next to the Cook County School System. Page 2-A – Adel News Tribune – February 15, 2017 GRANT From Front Sterile Grass Carp $12.00 ea. 8”-11” Recommend 20 or more per acre Fish will be delivered on: 2/22/17 at 2 p.m. SHARP $1.00 Bag Fee for each type of fish you order Please place your order before 2/20/17 BRING A COOLER OR BOX TO PLACE YOUR FISH IN Southland Fisheries Corporation 600 Old Bluff, Hopkins, SC 29061 1-800-422-8211 POND STOCKING Adel Feed & Seed Call to place your order-229-896-4131 or 1-800-422-8211 Wednesday, February 22, 2017 • 2:00 p.m. Channel Catfish 40¢ ea. 3”-5” Recommend 100/acre up to 1000/acre (Must be in multiples of 100) Bluegill/Shellcracker 35¢ ea. 1”-2” Recommend 1000/acre (Must be in multiples of 100) Hybrid Bluegill 40¢ ea. 1”-2” Recommend 3000/acre (Must be in multiples of 100) VOTE “YES” for Education Continue the 1¢ Education Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) March 21, 2017 Paid for by AdelCookChamber.org No membership revenue expended for this ad. CHAMBER HOSTS RIBBON CUTTING THURSDAY , FEBRUARY 23 The Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce will host a Ribbon Cutting for Candy Cane's Learning Center, LLC, on Thursday February 23, at 9 a.m. Candace Horne is the proud owner of Candy Cane's Learning Center, LLC. The ribbon cutting for will be located at 404 S. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive in Adel. Please join the Chamber in welcoming Candy Cane's Learning Center, LLC, to Adel. Everyone is invited to take part in the opening of this new business in Cook County. world of opportunities. Mem- bers have access to scholar- ships, workforce development programs, college readiness programs, digital literacy pro- grams and leadership opportu- nities. This grant will enable the Boys & Girls Club to provide a computer lab and research capabilities needed to allow teens to succeed in school. A recording studio will be launched for projects and a cre- ative outlet for our teens. A study space and fun activities will also be available. It is im- portant for teens to have their own space and feel independ- ent. With that in mind, The CLUB is a unique environment created especially for teens, apart from the younger kids. Teen members describe The CLUB as “my home away from home,” “a safe place I can go after school,” and sim- ply “my family.” “The streets cannot have our kids. We want them to be productive and capable citi- zens and lead a good life. We want them to know they are ca- pable and they are loved. This grant is truly a game changer for our club. I am thrilled that our work and service has been recognized and the need for a new teen center was seen and the prayer was answered,” said Jori Thompson, CEO. served as lead agency and re- ceived assistance from Pine Valley, Cecil, Lenox, and Southeast Cook. The Adel Fire Department was dispatched to the fire with reports of possible entrapment of a person in the burning structure, but the call was canceled while units were en route because there was no entrapment, said Adel Fire Chief Jimmy Walker. Firefighters arrived to ob- serve flames shooting out from under the eaves on the west side of the house with the attic fully involved, Chief Dent said. The old house had been built with fat lighter wood and vinyl siding, so the structure went up quickly, he said. Mrs. Tyler said she at first wasn’t aware that the house was burning up. She was sit- ting on a couch when people burst in and told her that the house was on fire. She left the house only wearing the bathing suit cover she slept in at night. She didn’t even have time to put on shoes. She was able to ask some- one to take one dog outside, but she wasn’t able to get some of her other pets out. The fire killed three dogs, a Chihuahua, a Dachshund, and a small mixed breed; a cat; a cockatiel bird; and four goldfish. The dog named “Happy” that she tried to get out of the house re- ceived some burns, and Mrs. Tyler was taking her to the vet for treatment. “She came out hopping,” Mrs. Tyler said. “I hollered for her, and she jumped in my friend’s arms. (Happy) will survive. I’ll make sure she will have burn cream.” Chief Dent said the cause of the fire was undetermined. Mrs. Tyler said she had been told that the fire started in a pot-bellied stove. But she in- sisted that she had cleaned the ashes and embers out and there was no way that wood she had then placed inside could have then been set ablaze. Chief Dent said the fire was so intense that it took 15,000 to 20,000 gallons of water to bring it to heel. At one point, the firefighters ran out of water, and Pine Valley had to bring in their 5,000-gallon tanker truck. A propane gas tank exploded as the firefight- ers worked hard to contain the flames. After the fire appeared to be gone, the firefighters returned Friday night and then Saturday as the blaze flared up again twice. The debris was still smoldering with small patches on fire as late as Monday after- noon. None of the property was insured. The Tylers had to rely on the community’s generosity to replace their clothing. Mrs. Tyler, who is diabetic, thanked Harveys Supermarket for re- filling her insulin medication (she still needed a sugar moni- tor stick device at last report). Cecil Baptist Church donated a food voucher and money for personal items, while the Red Cross provided a debit card for the Tylers to buy groceries. If you wish to help, please call Mrs. Tyler at (229) 237- 2876. FIRE From Front FACILITY From Front about to start high school and wanted to play soccer. “Alexis wanted to move back and watch her play,” Gosse said. Livingston had been home just a couple of weeks and was staying with her family lived at Sunshine Acres, about to get her own apartment. She was at Cook High soccer practice on the Thursday before the week- end twister, watching her sister and wanting to be around soc- cer and her family, with plans to start coaching. She was to take a test to become the com- munity coach the following week. The Hornets boys’ and girls’ soccer teams played hard in the matches with Berrien after re- membering Alexis, said Coach Gosse. “Proud of their effort even though we came up on the wrong side of the score- board. We really appreciate the Berrien County girls’ and boys’ teams helping us honor Alexis with the balloon re- lease. I believe she would have been proud!” Coach Gosse also expressed appreciation to the Tift County team members for the roses and card given to our community before the mid- dle school girls’ soccer game. “Class Act!” she remarked. For the pre-game release last Thursday, Piggly Wiggly in Adel donated the helium, and Cook High teacher Julie Hoffman donated the balloons. NEIGHBORS From Front for some of the other chil- dren in the class. The event was held Friday night at First Baptist Church in Val- dosta as part of the Tim Tebow Foundation-spon- sored #NightToShine proms all over the world as a cele- bration for people with spe- cial needs. Ms. Swanson drove students in her class on a bus to the Night- ToShine. She took the young people to eat at Cheddarʼs before she drove them home. “She is truly an angel for what she does for those kids,” Mrs. Holt-Moore said. PROM From Front L-R: Connor Holt, Jacki Swanson, Jonathan Cassity, Deverick White, Shanqueshia McNorton, and Yessenia Bautista.