By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Madison County Memorial Hospital CEO David Abercrombie announced Friday, Jan. 16, that the hospital would be making a five percent payroll cut across the board, including a ten percent cut to his own pay. The action was obviously not desirable, but considering the circumstances, few options remained.
“It was ultimately done to preserve jobs, and I’m so grateful at the way the hospital family is committed to getting through these times,” Abercrombie explained.
“One of the keys to our financial health is timely insurance payments from Medicaid, Medicare and other health plans that have seriously delayed payments, now stretching to nine months and even more convoluted billing systems which defy ‘clean claims.’”
MCMH has added several key resources over the last six months, including two doctors, in response to the growing needs of the community. In the end though, these quality services must be accompanied by timely payments, most of which are outside the hospital’s control, making the process financially unsustainable.
The hospital is the third large Madison County employer behind Nestle and Pilgrim’s Pride to announce payroll and employee cutbacks.
Michael Curtis can be reached at michael@greenepublishing.com

MLK Speaker: "Freedom And Change Now"

By Michael Curtis
Greene Publishing, Inc.
This year’s national observance of the birthday of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was celebrated at the Madison County Courthouse on Monday, Jan. 21, where hundreds gathered to remember the fallen champion of equality and freedom for all Americans. Sponsored by the Madison County Charmettes, invited guests, elected officials and friends from throughout the community spoke, sang and celebrated, which was made all the more impassioned by the fact that the inauguration of Barack Obama was scheduled for the next day.
Featured speaker, Rev. Dr. Charlie Barfield provided a moving message that culminated with the insight that King’s work was manifest in the new presidency. In fact, Barfield combined King’s historic message of freedom, with Obama’s modern call for change, to announce the arrival of “freedom and change now.”
Local officials, including County Commissioner Alfred Martin, Sheriff Ben Stewart, Superintendent Lou Miller and City Commissioner Sumpter James, joined faith-based leadership in acknowledging the solemn, yet festive, occasion. In the end, all sang in celebration of those like King who made the ultimate sacrifice, carrying the torch of freedom and change, so one day those like Obama could live the dream.

Murdered Woman Found In Greenville

By Jacob Bembry
Greene Publishing, Inc.
The body of a 52-year-old woman was found by hunters in a wooded area off Pettis Springs Road, west of Greenville on Thursday morning, January 15, at approximately 11 a.m. Following an autopsy on Friday, January 16, the woman was identified as Marilyn Harris of Woodville. The identification came following a fingerprint check by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
According to Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart, the death was not a natural one and Harris was murdered. Stewart said that the Sheriff’s Office could not release how she was killed, due to the case being an ongoing investigation.
Stewart said that the FDLE and the State Attorney’s office are assisting with the investigation. Stewart also noted that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office had also been called, because of the proximity of Pettis Springs Road to Jefferson County. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office is also assisting with the investigation because Harris was from that area.
FDLE crime scene investigators processed the scene where the body was found on Thursday.
Harris’ truck was found in western Jefferson County on Wednesday night, according to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Major Bill Bullock said. At the time, law enforcement had no report of Harris being missing.
The Sheriff’s Posse searched the wooded area where Harris’ body on Saturday, searching for more clues.
Captain Mark Joost is the chief investigator in the homicide investigation for the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
If anyone has any information on the murder, they are asked to call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office at (850) 973-4001.
Your help is greatly appreciated.