<b>BMH, MUSC </b><b>to&nbsp;</b><b>open micro hospital</b>

Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC Health) have announced plans to open a micro hospital that will expand services to the greater Bluffton community. The two organizations will form a joint venture to open the facility adjacent to Beaufort Memorial’s planned 60,000-70,000-square-foot medical campus in Okatie Crossing.

The micro hospital will have an estimated 15 to 25 beds to serve both adult and pediatric patients. The BMH Board of Trustees voted to approve the joint venture in December during its regular meeting.&nbsp; Micro hospitals are acute care hospitals that focus on treating low-acuity patients with a higher level of service, providing ambulatory and emergency services while leaving more complex surgeries and service lines for their associated full-service hospitals. They have fewer beds, usually around eight to 12, and are located near residential areas to provide quick, convenient access to the communities they serve.&nbsp;

<b>Smoke detector&nbsp;</b><b>alerts family to fire</b>

The Burton Fire District responded to a house fire on Parker Drive on Friday, Jan. 26 which resulted in minor damages thanks to a smoke detector.

Just before 4 p.m., Burton and MCAS Beaufort firefighters responded to a reported house fire on Park Drive in Burton. Firefighters arrived on scene and reported smoke coming from a single wide mobile home. The fire was quickly extinguished with minor damages, and the family was able to remain in the home. Firefighters assisted with removing smoke and installed three new smoke detectors. The fire was caused by unattended cooking on the stove, and cooking fires are the leading cause of local fires.&nbsp;

Burton firefighters arrived quickly and extinguished the fire, limiting damages to the stove and cabinets. Burton fire officials again stress a common theme also present in this fire; fires in homes with smoke detectors result in less damages, injuries, and deaths.

<b>Sen. Scott accepting&nbsp;</b><b>internship applications</b>

U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) is accepting congressional internship applications for available positions in his Washington DC, North Charleston, Columbia and Greenville offices for the summer.&nbsp;

The internship program offers undergraduate and graduate students practical experience in constituent services, the legislative process, government policy, and press. All internships are unpaid, but students will learn invaluable work experience and skills throughout their internship that will help them gain a better understanding of how their government functions.
Internship hours are flexible to accommodate students' course schedules, but can generally run 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Interested students should contact the internship coordinator at internships@scott.senate.gov or 202-224-6121.

<b>A total of 580 new&nbsp;</b><b>Marines to graduate</b>

Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, will graduate with 448 new Marines. November Company, 4th Recruit Training Battalion, will graduate with 132 new Marines.