According to NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM & WNWS.COM, here are the top 10 most visited online news stories for 2019. Date each story appeared online is in parenthesis.
1) National survey unkind to City, Jackson-Madison County General Hospital
The report written by 24/7 Wall St. that ran in USA Today is scathing, but it’s one that West Tennessee Healthcare isn’t taking sitting down.
In a story titled ’25 cities where you don’t want to get sick,’ Jackson – home to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital – is ranked ninth, nationally.
According to the report, “The likelihood of a full and speedy recovery varies depending on the nature of the illness or condition, but other factors, including the quality of medical care, can play a significant role.
“24/7 Wall St. created an index of three such measures at the metro area level to identify the cities with the worst health care system outcomes.
“The first measure we included in our index is the metro area level hospital readmission rate – or the share of Medicare patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of initial discharge. The second index component is the hospital mortality rate – or the share of Medicare patients who die within 30 days of admittance to a hospital. The third and final measure is the rate of preventable hospitalizations – or the frequency at which Medicare patients are admitted to a hospital for conditions that could or should have been treated in an outpatient setting.”
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Measures for Jackson-Madison County General Hospital
• 30-day hospital readmission rate: 15.6%
• Mortality within 30 days of hospitalization: 14.8%
• Preventable hospitalizations: 54.5 per 1,000 Medicare enrollees
• No. of physicians: 105.0 per 100,000
• Median household income: $45,610 (OCTOBER 30)
2) Vargason, Hall charged in bank, wire fraud scheme
Ben Vargason, owner of Great American Sports, and Jennifer Azbill Hall, an employee for B&H Finance, a mortgage company in Jackson, have been charged with knowingly and intentionally devising a scheme to defraud and to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent pretenses monies and funds under the custody and control of a federally insured financial institution.
According to the indictment, which was handed down by in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee – Eastern Division – Vargason and Hall were part of the scheme where Hall would open retired or closed mortgage accounts in the name of former and current B&H customers.
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Hall would obtain loan funds using the names and identities of the customers without their knowledge and consent.
It was further part of the scheme to defraud that Hall would take B&H Finance checks, drawn on the Commercial Bank account, and would forge the signature of R.S. on the checks. Hall would make the checks payable to the names of the unwitting customers, or to B&H Investments.
It was further part of the scheme to defraud that Hall would take the B&H Finance checks to Benjamin Vargason (“Vargason”) at his business, Great American Sports, in Jackson. (DECEMBER 20)
3) Shooting in North Jackson sends 2 to hospital; JPD continues investigation
A few minutes after 5 p.m., Saturday, the Jackson Police Department responded to a call of shots fired at Sonic Drive-in on University Parkway.
Using security camera video officers determined that a shooting took place inside a pickup truck.
One person fled the truck. A shooting victim was located at the Circle K convenience store on North Highland
Jackson police officers found the pickup truck in a field on Demonbreun Street near North Park. A second shooting victim was located at that scene. (DECEMBER 28)
4) Woman found in ditch in Haywood County
According to a press release from Billy Garrett Jr., sheriff of Haywood County, Ebony Fields was found semi-conscious lying in a ditch in front of 12694 Highway 70 West, with what appeared to be severe head wounds.
She was taken from the scene by Haywood County Ambulance to the Air Wing site, where she was flown to Regional One Hospital in serious condition. (FEBRUARY 10)
(NOTE: Fields later died from her wounds)
5) THP, TDOT closes Highway 45 Bypass at Interstate 40
The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Department of Transportation has closed lanes from Old Hickory Boulevard northbound and southbound at Country Club Lane on the U.S. Highway 45 Bypass for construction.
It is not known if the area will reopen for traffic, Thursday. (JUNE 26)
6) NAACP responds to school bus incident
The incident regarding a student and the Madison County Sheriff Department at Liberty High School was in our opinion the use of “excessive force.” The public video showed only what occurred on the outside of the bus however, the public should have questions as to how the deputies and principals handle this situation. Let’s be clear, security in our schools are unique and we should have clear directives as to how we do it.
No child should be treated in this fashion and any officer that has not been trained properly should not be in our public school system. These deputies and principle should be trained to handle situations of this nature. The JMCSS Policies and procedures should be reviewed immediately and if not proficient, should be brought up to-date. No one should be hired in these capacities without proper training. (OCTOBER 30)
7) Jackson businessman takes issue with City over construction dumpsters
NEWS/TALK 101.5 FM and WNWS.COM obtained a letter from Lou Bosco, the owner of Bosco Contractor Services LLC, who started his business in 2010.
The letter details his company – according to a court hearing – can no longer offer roll off dumpsters inside the city limits.
“Thank you for your business and support of Bosco Contractor Services LLC. Without you, small businesses like ours could not survive.
Now, I am reaching out to you in a time of need. The City of Jackson has decided that my family’s company, Bosco Contractor Services LLC is no longer allowed to service customers with roll off construction dumpsters inside the city limits.
This is a service that we started in 2010, in response to the local builders and contractors looking for a way to safely transport their construction debris to the landfill, and make for a healthy and safe job site – which in turn protects the welfare of the neighbors and the community.
In a court hearing, the City ruled against Bosco Contractor Services stating that the ONLY company allowed to provided dumpsters to jobs sites would be Waste Management – under the Refuse and Trash Disposal Ordinance, TITLE 17, Section 17-103, stating that the city will determine whose containers shall be used at commercial and industrial activities. (SEPTEMBER 4)
8) Suspect arrested in early morning shooting death of Jackson man
A Memphis man is in custody following the shooting death of an 18-year-old male near a Valero convenience store at 2089 Hollywood Drive, at 9:20 a.m., Sunday.
The Jackson Police Department responded to a shooting in the area of Hollywood Drive and Old Hickory Boulevard and found the victim on the parking lot of business in the 2000 block of Hollywood Drive.
The victim was transported to Jackson-Madison County General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Following the shooting, the suspect drove northbound on Hollywood and the vehicle was found abandoned and recovered by officers.
After information developed, the suspect was identified as a 35-year-old male from Memphis.
Around 1:15 p.m., the suspect was arrested in Jackson. (JUNE 23)
9) ‘What a tremendous loss’ – Jackson residents John McCutchen, Susan Hays die in automobile accident
Jackson residents John McCutchen and Susan Hays died as a result of an automobile accident on Interstate 40 at Mile Marker 167, Saturday, near Dickson.
John, 77, and Susan, 73, were driving eastbound when a tractor trailer – traveling westbound – had a tire to blow out, which caused the vehicle to cross the center line and into the median.
“Jackson has suffered a great loss with the loss of John McCutchen and Susan Hays,” said Frank McMeen, president of the West Tennessee Healthcare Foundation, “Susan’s regional leadership in Rotary and The Rotary Student Exchange Program brought an international flavor to Jackson, as well as sharing our students with the world.
“John loved our city, and worked to make downtown a much better place as a past Executive Director of Jackson Downtown Development. What a tremendous loss to our community.” (AUGUST 28)
10) Driver airlifted to MED in Memphis following automobile accident on U.S. Highway 45 South
One person has been airlifted to the Regional Medical Center in Memphis following an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 45 South near Bethel Springs.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is working the accident in McNairy County. (MAY 14)
David Thomas, Twitter – @DavidThomasWNWS
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