Officials to break ground on updated Ripley hospital

Officials with the city of Ripley, Lauderdale Community Hospital (LCH), USDA Rural Development, and the state have broken ground on a new critical access hospital to replace the current facility, which opened in 1983. The Lauderdale Community Hospital, in partnership with Stone Bank headquartered in Mountain View, Ark., received a $15.9 million loan through the USDA Business and Industry Loan Guarantee program. This project will save 93 jobs and will provide access to modern healthcare for rural residents.