As one new business owner arrived in Caledonia this week, another pondered the future during Tuesday night’s Board of Aldermen meeting.
Dr. Ray Beezley, owner and physician at Caledonia Medical Care, told the aldermen that even though his office doesn’t officially open until Monday, he has already met a few of his patients.
Earlier in the week, while Beezley was continuing renovations at the space formerly known as The Hottest Dog, Beezley heard a knock on the window: A child had lacerated his thumb, and his grandmother brought the bleeding child to Beezley’s office, hoping that even though he wasn’t officially open yet, he could help.
He said it was fortunate that he had just received a shipment of supplies, enabling him to staunch the bleeding and suture the child’s thumb.
Beezley, a native of Texas, will specialize in internal medicine and pediatrics.
He assured aldermen that though he has already been contacted by patients seeking painkillers and anti-anxiety drugs, he is aware of what he characterized as “a big problem around here” with fraudulent prescriptions and prescription drug abuse.
“I want to work to make this community drug-free,” Beezley said. “It’s a major problem being a clinic in this area.”
He said he plans to run “a high-class operation,” offering an array of services including vaccinations and trauma treatment. He has already been volunteering for Caledonia High School’s athletics program, offering free sports physicals for the football team as well as pacing the sidelines during Friday night football games to offer assistance for injured players.
“I’m not looking to make millions of dollars,” Beezley said. “I want to be an asset to this community.”
The aldermen also heard from Valerie Riley, who expressed concern that Cal-City Grocery continue to be included in a grandfather clause which permits the store to sell beer. Riley and her siblings inherited the store following their father — Bill Pearrow’s — death Sept. 26, 2010. It is the only store within the city limits that is allowed to sell beer following a 1983 revision of the beer ordinance, which only allows the sale of beer at retail establishments if “sold hot,” and prohibits the sale of alcohol within 1,500 feet of a school or church.
Riley said she wanted to make sure that if the store had to close for an unspecified amount of time, it would be allowed to sell beer again once it re-opened.
Town Attorney Jeff Smith told Riley if the store was voluntarily closed by the owners for more than 24 hours, it would most likely render the grandfather clause null and void.
“Your store is one of the most significant stores in town because of the grandfather clause,” Smith said.
Riley said she doesn’t plan to close, she just wanted to make sure she understood the legalities in case there was a necessity due to lease issues or renovations.
“We don’t want to close,” Riley said. “It’s a landmark in Caledonia. I’d hear thunder rolling down from the cemetery up there if we let it close.”
In other news, the aldermen also heard from local business owner Michelle Cox, who has been sponsoring and organizing the popular “Movies on the Mound” series at Ola J. Pickett Park.
Cox said at the August showing, more than 796 people attended the movie and back-to-school bash, which included a fireworks show. High grass, and a lack of toilet paper in the bathrooms, upset many attendees, Cox said, and she asked the aldermen who was in charge of making sure the park was presentable for public events.
“This thing has grown into a real benefit to the community, and people look forward to it,” Cox said. “Something’s really been lax the past several months.”
Caledonia Mayor George Gerhart assured her he would take care of the issue.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 49 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.