IMAGINE LOSING YOUR BUSINESS, AND YOUR HOME, ON THE SAME DAY, CHRISTMAS WEEK. AT LEAST THE WEARREN FAMILY OF HILTON HEAD ISLAND IS ALIVE AND HEALTHY, BUT THE FAMILY BUSINESS, THE VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT ‘DELISHEEYO’ ON PALMETTO BAY ROAD, WAS HIT BY A CAR A LITTLE AFTER 2-AM SUNDAY MORNING. THEN WHILE BLAKE AND MADDIE WEARREN WERE SURVEYING THE DAMAGE AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RE-OPEN, THE HOME THEY RENT ON MARSHLAND ROAD WAS DESTROYED BY A FIRE. THEIR ONE GOOD BREAK SUNDAY MORNING WAS A GOOD SAMARITAN RESCUING THE FAMILY’S CAT AND TWO DOGS FROM THE BACK PORCH. THE HOME IS A TOTAL LOSS, BUT FRIENDS AT A VACATION RENTAL COMPANY HAVE FOUND THEM A TEMPORARY PLACE TO STAY. OH, AND DID WE MENTION THE FAMILY HAS AN EIGHT-MONTH-OLD BABY. THE RED CROSS IS HELPING AND A GO-FUND-ME PAGE HAS BEEN SET UP FOR YOU TO HELP THE FAMILY GET BACK ON ITS FEET.
WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE POWERBALL SAGA THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS AND WILL NOW GET TO FOLLOW IT THROUGH CHRISTMAS. NOBODY WON THE 1.6-BILLION DOLLAR DRAWING LAST NIGHT, MEANING THE CHRISTMAS EVE JACKPOT IS ESTIMATED AT 1.7-BILLION DOLLARS. THERE WERE NINE NEWLY MINTED MILLIONAIRES LAST NIGHT, INCLUDING ONE IN GEORGIA, WHO HAD THE FIVE WHITE NUMBERS, 3, 18, 36, 41 AND 54, BUT NONE OF THEM HAD THE POWERBALL OF 7 AND NONE OF THEM BOUGHT THE POWER PLAY THAT WOULD HAVE DOUBLED THEIR MONEY TO 2-MILLION DOLLARS. HOPE YOU’RE PROMISING SOME OF THAT LOTTERY MAGIC TO GOOD CAUSES IF YOU WIN, IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT.
BEAUFORT COUNTY’S HOSPITAL WARS CONTINUE WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PROPERTY NEAR HILTON HEAD HOSPITAL AND PLANS FOR A NEW 17-THOUSAND SQUARE-FOOT MEDICAL COMPLEX IN BEAUFORT BY NOVANT HEALTH, THE NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH CARE PROVIDER COMPETING WITH BEAUFORT MEMORIAL, WHO HAS EXPANDED ITS FOOTPRINT IN THE LOWCOUNTRY RECENTLY AS WELL. JUST LAST WEEK, NOVANT GOT APPROVAL FROM THE TOWN OF HILTON HEAD TO BUY THE OLD CLASSIC MOTORS SITE OF 4-1/2 ACRES BETWEEN MAIN STREET AND OLD HIGHWAY 278 FOR 4.34-MILLION DOLLARS. NOVANT PLANS TO BUILD A 25-THOUSAND SQUARE-FOOT MEDICAL OFFICE FACILITY WITH URGENT CARE, PHYSICAL THERAPY, UROLOGY AND PRIMARY CARE FACILITIES, AT A COST OF 25-MILLION DOLLARS. GROUNDBREAKING IS EXPECTED NEXT MONTH WITH COMPLETION WITHIN A YEAR. NOVANT IS ALSO PLANNING A 17-THOUSAND SQUARE FOOT COMPLEX IN BEAUFORT ON THE ROBERT SMALLS PARKWAY BETWEEN THE WALMART, THE ROBERT SMALLS ACADEMY AND A RECENTLY OPENED APARTMENT COMPLEX. THAT FACILITY WOULD INCLUDE AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND A SEPARATE PRIMARY CLINIC BUT IS MEETING SOME EARLY RESISTANCE FROM BEAUFORT CITY PLANNERS. NOVANT’S PROPOSAL DEVELOPS ONLY 3-1/2 OF THE 14-1/2 ACRES IT OWNS THERE. NOVANT AND BEAUFORT MEMORIAL ARE WORKING TO BUILD HOSPITALS IN BLUFFTON. AND BEAUFORT MEMORIAL JUST BROKE GROUND ON AN EMERGENCY CARE FACILITY ON HILTON HEAD ISLAND.