🌱 Paulding Hospital Top Patient Safety Grade + GA Health Insurance

Hello and happy Thursday! I'm back in your inbox this morning with the most important things happening these days in town. In today's issue of the newsletter, you'll learn about these stories and more...

• Paulding Hospital was one of 14 Georgia hospitals to obtain an A grade for patient safety.
• North Paulding High School placed seventh in the High School Fishing Open Tournament.
• Legislation will allow Georgia to operate its own marketplace for health insurance.

But first, today's weather: Beautiful with plenty of sun. High: 72 Low: 50.

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Here are the top stories in Dallas-Hiram today:

1. Wellstar Paulding Hospital was one of 14 Georgia hospitals to obtain an A grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group, while numerous others received lesser scores. The survey also revealed an increased risk of getting health care-associated infections such Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and catheter-associated urinary tract infections. According to the research, patient experience indicators such as communication with nurses and doctors have also dropped. The Leapfrog Group believes that these findings should serve as a wake-up call to hospitals around the country to recommit to patient safety and resilience. (Patch)
2. North Paulding High School's Caden O’Neal and Matthew Wright placed seventh in the MLF High School Fishing Open Tournament on Lake Guntersville, competing against 70 other teams. The Pike County High School team of Joe Haren and Cohen Smith of took first place with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 3 ounces, and advanced to the 2023 High School Fishing National Championship, along with the top 10 percent of teams competing. The national championship will be held on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in June and offers a $5,000 college scholarship to the winning team members. (The Bass Cast)
3. The city of Atlanta has announced a $200 million investment to create affordable housing through a public and philanthropic partnership, with half of the funding coming from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation and the Joseph B. Whitehead Foundation. The goal is to build and preserve 20,000 affordable housing units in the city by 2026, making it the largest single investment in affordable housing in Atlanta's history. The funds will either build new units or preserve affordability in existing public housing units and will help projects that have been stagnant over rising interest funds. Officials say residents should see groundbreaking in the next few months. (Fox 5)
4. Gov. Brian Kemp has signed legislation that would allow the state to operate its own marketplace for individual health insurance for the first time, pledging that it will increase competition and provide consumers with more options. The measure is one in a series of reforms that will affect hundreds of thousands of Georgians who receive subsidized health insurance from the state and federal governments. In addition, the Kemp administration intends to partially expand Medicaid in July to include some low-income individuals who are employed or enrolled in school. The new state-run marketplace is scheduled to open in November 2023, although it could be delayed until 2024 due to federal requirements. (ANF)
5. The fourth reactor of Georgia Power's facility Vogtle nuclear power facility has completed a critical testing phase, bringing it one step closer to producing electricity. The hot functional testing, which involved heating the reactor to the high temperature and pressure required for atomic splitting, implies that the reactor can now load radioactive fuel pending approval from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Southern Co., the plant's Atlanta-based operator, expects fuel loading to begin between July and October, with commercial operation projected between December 2023 and March 2024. The third reactor on the site is already producing electricity and is anticipated to be operational by the end of June. The completion of these two reactors marks the completion of the first modern reactors built from the ground up in the country. (WGXA)

Today in Dallas-Hiram:

• Babypalooza — Maude P Ragsdale Hiram Library (10:00 AM)
• Silent Meditation — Bee Humble Studio (12:00 PM)
• Knitting & Crochet — Paulding Senior Center (1:00 PM)
• "Star Wars" Day — Dallas Public Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Georgia Classic Rides: Georgia Classic Rides is thrilled to invite everyone to their 33rd Annual Car Show on Saturday, May 6, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., where they will showcase outstanding cars, serve excellent food, and provide opportunity to meet with other car enthusiasts. The event promises to be a fun-filled day with something for everyone, and all earnings will benefit Paulding County's needy children. Georgia Classic Rides appreciates everyone's support and hopes to see you there. (Georgia Classic Rides via Facebook)
• Paulding County School District: The Paulding County School District held its Retirement Luncheon at Greystone Power on May 2 to recognize and honor retirees for their years of service and dedication to the students and the district. Superintendent Steve Barnette and PCSD Chief of Staff Dr. Jason Gregaydis presented each retiree with a picture, showing gratitude for their contributions. The district expressed appreciation to all the employees for their hard work and wished them the very best in their future endeavors. (Paulding County School District via Facebook)
• Paulding County School District: The Paulding County School District greets their community and reminds them to spread the word about the Kindergarten Roundup for the 2023-2024 school year. It's important to register their child before attending the event at their districted school. Families can find registration information on the PCSD website or by contacting their school's registration office. (Paulding County School District via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• Ride Ro Rescue Run and Dog Walk (May 6)
• May Market at Rose Lawn (May 6)
• CHRIS WILLIS a Jazzy Mother's Day, BRUNCH and SHOW, Sunday, May 14 (May 14)
• Add your event

Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with another update!

— Linda Marlow

About me: Linda Marlow is an experienced writer and communications professional with a diverse background in industries such as healthcare, education, publishing, and performing arts. She is a Dallas resident who is passionate about sharing the latest news and events happening in Paulding County through her writing. Linda is currently serving as a contributing writer for the Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter, where she continues to use her storytelling skills to inform and engage the local community.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Dallas-Hiram Patch newsletter? Contact me at Dallas-Hiram@Patch.com