EARLY VOTING IN EASTERN N.C.

I thought I was a smart voter.... but I made a HUGE mistake... I voted for a man I didn't know - but I knew his wife and thought she rocked.

But the backstory is..... our little town had a great SMALL hospital built in in the mid-40's... with an ER that was awesome with little or no waiting, vent rooms, an operatory for procedures like colonoscopy or endoscopy, and a physical therapy department second to none.  Vidant (Greenville/ East Carolina Medical Center) took over the hospital two years ago, under a contract to run and maintain the facility.  Long story short.... Vidant raped the hospital, took out all the equipment, and failed to run/maintain the hospital as they contracted to do.

Seems that if the property is NOT used as a hospital, ownership reverts to the town (from the original deed).  Now my little town is divided..... Vidant has offered to build and staff an URGENT CARE CENTER in the town.... but.... that facility will NOT have an emergency room and WILL NOT accept patients with life threatening problems..... an ER is REQUIRED to take emergencies.... an Urgent Care.... well - you better have cash or plastic.

The county is VERY RURAL and patients have come from 40 miles away to this little hospital for EMERGENCY care... and then helicoptered to Greenville (Vidant).... but if I were to be in a head-on car collision in front of the new Urgent Care.... they would NOT treat me - I would have to be carried by ambulance to the nearest ER - which is 45 minutes away.

On June 30 of this year, Vidant - breaking their contract - closed the hospital. Since then, the town has been fighting like a pit bull to reopen the facility.  The town is suing Vidant for millions for replacement of all the equipment they rode off with.... and the town is applying for EVERY POSSIBLE DIME available to help re-open the hospital.

Tuesday morning, I voted early..... and I voted for Frankie Waters, who is running for County Commissioner.  I voted for him because of his wife.

Tuesday afternoon, I learned that Waters has said he will NEVER CAST A VOTE TO PROVIDE ANY FUNDING FOR MY TOWN TO RE-OPEN THE HOSPITAL.

WELL FUCK THAT!

KNOW WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR AND WHAT THAT PERSON STANDS FOR............ in a town where 900 voters would be a HUGE turnout... I fucked up!