Operating losses at Westlake Regional Hospital continue to rise, and it could be another two or three months before any turnaround is seen. That was the word from Interim Chief Financial Officer Ken Doran at last Tuesday night’s regular meeting of the Westlake Board of Trustees.

In presenting the monthly financial report to the board, Doran painted a rather bleak picture.

“The break even point for a hospital this size is (a daily average) of 26-27 patients,” Doran said. “Westlake was far below that in April.”

While the number of Emergency Room visits were up from March to April, Doran said that the percentage of Emergency Room admissions were down to 13% (it normally is 18-27%), and the number of hospital days billed to Medicaid and Medicare were down as well.

“This trend can’t continue,” he stated.

Doran said that gross charges by the hospital were down from $4.85 million in March to $4.1 million in April, and April’s net revenue of $1.66 million was down $130,000 from March.

While some operating expenses are down, primarily due to the fact the hospital has cut back on staff when the patient census is low, other expenses, such as the money being paid to Spectrum Health Care Partners, and for legal fees, are up.

For the 10 months of the 2010-11 fiscal year to date, Doran said that the hospital has lost $778,000, and the clinics $330,000 for a total of $1,108,000. This compares to a $332,000 loss (hospital only) for the same period last fiscal year.

Doran said that several things are being done to get everything on the right track, but it’s going to take time.

“The results of the efforts being done now won’t be seen until August,” he said. “The turnaround usually takes 60-90 days.”

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A call to respond to an accident where a car had struck a house in the early morning hours last Tuesday on Allen Schoolhouse Road led to the arrest of two men.

According to a report from the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Justin Claywell responded to the call reporting the accident, which occurred approximately 12 miles east of Columbia on Allen Schoolhouse Road around 1 a.m. When he arrived, he determined there had been an altercation between Jose Miguel Delgado Arellano and Martin A. Medrano.

Arellano had intentionally rammed his vehicle into the house and then intentionally rammed another vehicle which was occupied by Medrano and three children. At some point during the altercation, Medrano fired shots at Arellano’s vehicle, striking Arellano.

After being treated and released at Westlake Regional Hospital, Arellano was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, aggravating circumstances, no operator’s license and wanton endangerment.

Medrana was also arrested and charged with assault.

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Two Adair County residents were arrested a week ago Sunday on methamphetamine related charges.

Bobby Morrison, 33, and Ashley Grant, 26, both of Columbia, were arrested at 12:07 a.m. Sunday and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, first offense, and drug paraphernalia buy/possess, first offense. The arrests were made after Sheriff Harrison Moss and Deputy Aaron Rainwater conducted a search of Grant’s residence at 3834 Pelham Branch Road.

Several items used in the manufacturing of methamphetamine were found in the residence and on the property, including the remains of a burnt methamphetamine generator.

Both Morrison and Grant were lodged in Adair County Regional Jail on $50,000 cash bonds.

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Charles R. Marshall, two-term mayor of Columbia and long-time prominent businessman in the community passed away a week ago Monday. He was 81.

Marshall first served as mayor of Columbia from 1966-69, then was elected to another four-year term in 1986. During his terms as mayor, several improvements were made to the city’s infrastructure.

He also served as a member of the Columbia City Council, and served two terms on the Westlake Regional Hospital Board of Trustees.

An innovative businessman, Marshall will probably be best remembered as the long-time owner and operator of the Colombian Theater. He and his father, the late Clyde Marshall, opened the theater in 1947, with Charles working as a carpenter by day and operating the theater’s projectors at night.

In 1957, Charles and his wife, Yvonne, took over the operations of the theater from his father and ran it for the next 20 years.

While the Columbian Theater was a success, Marshall played a major role in bringing entertainment to the masses in Columbia by being the founding operator of City TV, the first cable television in Columbia.

Marshall operated City TV until selling it in the late 1980s.

He was also one of the driving forces in the formation of Pinewood Country Club. He was a charter member of the club, and was the first person to tee off when the golf course opened.