Three things for August 28
1. Highway 58 Fire Station 2 to temporarily close
After a training accident on Tuesday night, Highway 58 Fire Station 2 in Hamilton county is temporarily closed. During a routine monthly training, a firefighter was driving a fire engine out of the garage when the side door "malfunctioned, opened on its own and caught the top of the garage door,” said Hamilton County Emergency Management Agent Amy Maxwell.
The accident damaged the front of the station, but no one was injured.
According to News Channel 9, Maxwell said the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department will handle any fire calls in the areas of Birchwood and Georgetown, which are normally under Station 2's jurisdiction.
2. CEO of Bristol hospital resigns after participating in surgery without a medical license
CEO of Bristol Regional Medical Center, Greg Neal, was asked to resign after he participated in a surgery despite not having a medical license. In a statement, Neal said he was watching the surgery when the surgeon offered for him to make the first incision.
“As the case began, the surgeon asked if I would like to make the initial incision for this surgical procedure. I regret I did so,” Neal stated.
According to WYCB Channel 5, Neal was CEO of the hospital for seven years and part of Ballad Health hospitals for three decades before his resignation.
“While there was no harm to the patient, my involvement was a clear violation of Ballad Health policy,” said Neal. “Ballad Health’s mission statement is clear when it says our team will deliver the best possible care.”
In a statement, Ballad Health said, “No one is exempt from complying with our standards, and everyone is expected to comport with our zero-harm culture."
The spokesperson said both Neal and the surgeon are no longer Ballad employees. The surgeon has officially been identified by Ballad Health as Dr. Nathan Smith, a cardiothoracic surgeon.
3. Breonna Taylor appears on cover of Vanity Fair
An illustration of Breonna Taylor is set to cover the September issue of Vanity Fair magazine.
According to USA Today, Vanity Fair's September issue is all about art, activism and power in 21st-century America. The portrait of Breonna Taylor is done by Amy Sherald, the artist who immortalized Michelle Obama at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. in 2018.
The cover story by guest editor Ta-Nehisi Coates, "A Beautiful Life," retells the story of Taylor’s life and her death at the hands of local police in Louisville, Kentucky, through the eyes and voice of her mother, Tamika Palmer.
Taylor, 26, was a Black emergency medical technician who was asleep in her apartment when Louisville Metro Police broke down the door for an alleged drug case investigation. Taylor was killed by gunfire.
Since her untimely death, Taylor has been a motivating force in the Black Lives Matter movement.
