The official ground-breaking for the new 16 bed edition was held Saturday, April 15, immediately following the parade.
Several hundred people turned out to watch a large number of dignitaries ceremonially move the first dirt at the new addition. In reality, the construction is well underway with the foundation and much of the floor already poured.
Miller County Hospital CEO Harley Smith welcomed the crowd and the dignitaries to the auspicious event and told of some of the many projects that were underway at the hospital. He then invited the dignitaries to say something.
U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop (D) started by saying, “This is the day the Lord has made. He then complimented the city of Colquitt, the county of Miller and the many organizations that were making Colquitt and Miller County an example of what to do and how to do it.”
State Senator John Bullock (R) commented that although this area is primarily agriculture based, and will be for many years to come, that Colquitt and Miller County is diversifying to create jobs like improving the hospital and nursing home and is a entrepreneur-friendly community.
State Representative Gerald E. Greene (D) told the crowd how Colquitt and the people that are doing these great things are keeping Congressman Bishop and the state senator and himself busy trying to help us. He stated that the results are here for everyone to see.
City and county officials thanked our political leaders for taking their time to come down to Colquitt and help us celebrate the good things that are going on.
The new doctors and some of the old ones stated how much they appreciate the powers-that-be for helping make this hospital one of the best, most aggressive hospitals in the area. They all agreed that we were heading in the right direction of quality health care for the people in this area.
It was noted by several that it is amazing that just a few years ago the citizens of this community were meeting to decide if we needed to close the hospital or make the effort to keep the doors open. The right decisions were made, and all were in agreement that with positive changes and good leadership, this area needed and deserved a high quality health care facility. The dream and the plans have paid off.
Everyone agreed that the volunteers and community support made all of these dreams and plans come true.
Miller County Hospital is known for good, competent health care providers with some of the best physicians and technicians in the state, and it continues to improve and add needed services.
Watch for great strides as the hospital and nursing home continue to expand and improve.

If you missed any or all of the 23rd National Mayhaw Festival last Friday and Saturday, you have missed one great time.
There were clowns, bands, beautiful girls, horses, trains, bagpipes, tractors, old cars, motorcycles, motorcycle gangs, floats, scouts, politicians, baseball teams, queens, law officers, firemen, Easter rabbits, scooters, four-wheelers, movie actors, stage actors, wagon drawn horses, dogs, cowboys, cowgirls, soldiers, cannons, fire trucks, more beautiful girls in cars, trucks and floats and much, much more. And that was just in the parade.
On Friday evening, there was the best local and area talent that you could ask for. Most of us knew what talent there was around here. Now everyone that attended that event on the square Friday night knows for sure. They were all super.
This was by far, the biggest and best we've seen. The parade was bigger and better with our own State Baseball Champs as the grand marshals.
The Chamber of Commerce outdid themselves by providing almost everything anyone could ask for a festival to be.
There were 5K races, one mile races, fun walks that drew good participation.
Then the great parade that led thousands of people to beautiful Spring Creek Park to the most arts and craft vendors ever.
The chamber volunteers had nothing to do with it, but the weather was nearly perfect. It started off with a cool morning for the runners. It was cloudy, but not too cool. Just as it was time for the parade to begin, the clouds left, and the sun came out bright and warm. Other than that bright sun shining down rather warm, it couldn't have been much better.
The entertainment was as good as any concert you pay highly for. There was music for everyone, and all the performers were very, very good.
The best thing of all, other than what the thousands of people purchased from the vendors, the entire day didn't cost those who came to enjoy it one thin dime. This is not done without hundreds of volunteers, which Colquitt is known for and the sponsors who put up the funds to make a national festival so successful.
Don't take the volunteers or the sponsors of an event like this for granted. None of them have to do it. They all do it because they love the community and love to see the people in this area and anyone who comes here enjoy themselves.
If you see a volunteer or one of the sponsors, thank them for having one of the best festivals and events in this area of the U.S.A.
If there might be some chance that your photo at the 23rd National Mayhaw Festival and Parade did not appear in this edition, there are over 900 more photos in the photo section of our www.millercountyliberal.com. website. We would have liked to use them all, but -

Four local offices will be up to be filled as qualifying time for the offices opens Monday, April 24, at 9:00 a.m. and closes at noon on Friday, April 28.
Those seats open are for County Commissioner in District 2, now held by Kreg Freeman and District 4 seat, now held by India Taylor. The Board of Education seats in District 2 held by Vicki Merritt and District 4 seat held by Jack Nicholson will also be open for qualifying.
Incumbent officers or anyone qualified in those two districts may go to the Miller County Courthouse at Room 110, between the hours of 9-5 Monday through Thursday and from 9-noon on Friday.
With the exception of one commissioner not being contacted, none of the incumbent board members or commissioner gave a definite “yes” or “no” answer as to if they were going to offer for re-election or decide not to offer for the office that they now hold until December 31, 2006

Last Friday, April 14, 2006, my favorite granddaughter attained the age of 15. Almost everything up to that tender age is a milestone. Joanna, unlike her mother, Tammy, was chewing at the bits to get her driver's license, or at least her learner's driver license, preferably on her birthday. We had to almost make Tammy apply for her driver's license after she was 16.
For one of Joanna’s many birthday gifts, her dad took her to the drivers’ license office early Friday morning to let Joanna attempt to pass the written exam for a learner’s driver's license.
Now if you haven't taken a license exam recently, you might be in for quite a surprise. I have known "smart" people recently who have had to take the written exam two, three or more time before they pass the test.
We were all waiting at the office to hear the results of Joanna's tests. Kent called her mother and said, "I'm just going to have to take Joanna home. She is heart- broken."
All of her friends knew that she was going for the test. We all knew that she had been studying more for her license test than she had her school tests. I had seen the book that the tests are taken from and heard some of the questions asked. I'm just glad I don't have to take a test to renew my license.
We believed Kent when he called to say she was upset.
Joanna’s mother came in to get me to come out front with my camera. There Joanna and her dad drove by, with Joanna behind the wheel. The sun could have gone out, and I believe that the shine from her face would have kept it bright enough to give us plenty of light. The above photo was the first thing I saw when the tinted window was rolled down.
This was one of these happy moments that will be remembered for a lifetime.
All of you driving and walking citizens have been forewarned. Another teenager has received her legal right to drive, with certain stipulations.
Another warning – more old codgers, like "ye scribe," have wrecks than teenagers. We just don't have the stipulations that the young people have. I would think the reflexes make the difference.
Joanna got some nice gifts for her 15th birthday. I do believe that plastic card giving her the legal right to drive, with stipulations, was the greatest gift that she received. It was definitely one of those Kodak moments. Speaking of stipulations, check out the article on new TADRA laws that affect young drives from 15 to 18 years of age on page 19 of this edition.

China Buffet, located at 118 Main Street, Colquitt, held its grand opening and ribbon cutting Monday morning, April 17, 2006 at 11:00 a.m.
Veryl Garland Cockey, president of the Colquitt/Miller County Chamber of Commerce, welcomed everyone to the ribbon cutting and told how glad Colquitt was to have the new restaurant.
The restaurant has been completely renovated and is now under new ownership. The new owners are Ping and Tracy Wang. They have one son, Qiang Wang. The Wang family came to Colquitt from Atlanta. They invite everyone to come in and dine with them and see the new look that has been given to the restaurant.
They will be open seven days a week, Monday through Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
They offer a lunch buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily. A dinner seafood buffet is offered Sunday through Thursday from 3:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, a super special seafood dinner including crab legs is offered from 3:30 p.m. until closing. A kids’ menu is also available, and kids under three eat free.
A carry-out buffet is available if time doesn’t allow you to eat.
If eating from the 100-item buffet doesn’t suit your taste, a wide variety of items are available from the menu.
So come in and enjoy the great taste of Chinese food at the new China Buffet on the square in Colquitt.

Week of April 16, 2006