Morthland College Health Services President Dr. Tim Morthland has announced his intention to build a new hospital to serve the residents of Franklin County, Illinois.

The hospital will be built in Benton. Morthland has been working with city officials to designate a site off Interstate 57 near the Benton airport for a 10-acre campus. “We are in the dark ages in healthcare right now, but there is a bright future ahead of us in Franklin County,” said Benton Mayor Fred Kondritz.

“The City of Benton is committed to partnering with Dr. Morthland to provide assistance with infrastructure and other needs.” Morthland, a practicing physician who is also the founding president of Morthland College, said his vision includes a 25-40 bed hospital with an emergency room and surgical center. The campus would also include clinic space for local providers. “This hospital should be a cooperative with all providers in the county — a bonafide group service with space for the community’s specialists and primary care providers to practice,” he said.

The closing of the UMWA hospital in West Frankfort has been a personal motivator for Morthland. In addition, he said, the scope and services of health care provided through the county’s only remaining facility — Franklin Hospital — is not sufficient for the county’s residents. “Our healthcare market is highly fragmented,” Morthland said. “We see patients leaving this county to seek treatment in Jefferson, Williamson, Jackson and even Saline and Perry counties.”

Every year, millions of federal dollars in Medicare and Medicaid money are traveling outside of Franklin County with the county’s residents who are forced to go elsewhere for medical care — another hit to the economy in what is already one of Illinois’ poorest counties. “There is an ethical mandate in my view to bring a solution to the problem,” Morthland said. West Frankfort Mayor Tom Jordan said not having a sufficient hospital has hurt his city in the quest to attract new business and industry. “Our county desperately needs this,” Jordan said. Morthland College Health Services currently employs 30 health care providers, including Benton native and current resident Dr. Deedra McLain. “Our community deserves a hospital of excellence, a place we can take ourselves, our family and our children for medical care and feel content that we are going to get the care we deserve,” McLain said. “I have no doubt Dr. Morthland has the ability to create and provide that.” The hospital project has a 3-4 year timeline and a projected $30 to $40 million construction budget. Upon completion, it will create an estimated 250 full-time jobs in Franklin County.

State Representative John Bradley tells WJPF that a lot of people have left Springfield but he’s still working hard for southern Illinois. Representative Bradley also tells WJPF that he’s tired of non-southern Illinoisans labeling our area.

John A Logan College has many concerns about the state budget crisis. John A Logan’s Steve O’Keefe tells WJPF that the state is going into it’s second year of budget problems, which is unheard of and ridiculous. O’Keefe also tells WJPF that JALC is financially okay through the calendar year and says he believes everyone thinks there will be a budget before the end of the calendar year.

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President of the American Vaping Association, Greg Conley, spoke with Tom Miller about the studies on vaping versus tobacco and the new regulations on vaping issued by the FDA.

Mike Popovich was made the head coach of the Morthland College football team back in February. He spoke with Leigh Caldwell of WJPF over the phone to talk more about his time as coach for Mount Zion before accepting the position with the Patriots.

Benton Mayor Fred Kondrtiz spoke to Leigh Caldwell of WJPF. One of the topics of discussion is the prevention of the Zika virus, and a particular recycling program that the city is implementing to reduce the numbers of mosquitos.

George Sheffer is the owner and president of Murdale True Value, which recently received an award for "Best Hardware Store in Town", which ranks them among the top 12 stores in the nation. George joined Leigh Caldwell in the studio to talk more about the prestigious award and their service to the local community.