At their regular monthly meeting last Thursday, November 17, the Russell County Hospital Board of Directors canceled a meeting that was planned for last Monday night with representatives of LifePoint Hospitals, a national hospital company, which had recently expressed interest in purchasing the local hospital.

“With all of the discussion that we’ve had I think it would probably be in the best interest if we now cancel that meeting,” said Board Chairman Chris McQueary. The board’s vote was unanimous to cancel the meeting.

Last month, County Judge/Executive Gary Robertson, McQueary and Assistant Board Chairman Mark Antle had met with LifePoint officials after it surfaced that the hospital company was interested in the hospital. That was when the proposed meeting was scheduled for the Russell County Schools Auditorium for last Monday night. With the cancellation of that meeting, McQueary said that the hospital was not for sale at the present time.

“We’re moving forward like we have been with the expansion of the hospital,” McQueary said. “Over the past month, board members have heard from different folks in the community against (the sale of the hospital) and as I’ve said from the beginning it was a community decision. It was not in our best interest to (look into selling the hospital).”

McQueary said the hospital has made great strides financially over the past few years, is now financially sound and will look to the future of the facility with the current leadership in place.

The hospital board voted to pay Dean, Dorton and Ford CPAs of Lexington, the firm that audits the hospital each year, up to $15,000 to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed expansion project, which is currently around the $15.6 million mark.

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A Jamestown man was arrested two weekends ago on charges he allegedly had sexual contact with a minor.

Steven Daniels, 34, of Hwy. 1058 Jamestown, has been charged with first degree sexual abuse and sodomy for allegedly having sexual contact with a child less than 12 years of age.

Daniels was arrested Saturday, November 20 around 7:30 p.m. by State Trooper Adam Likins and was lodged in Russell County Detention Center.