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Approximately 100 people turned out for Tuesday's ribbong cutting for Trinity Medical in Ridgecrest. The hospital hopes to be open in January. (Sabrina Robertson, The Natchez Democrat)

Approximately 100 people turned out for Tuesday's ribbong cutting for Trinity Medical in Ridgecrest. The hospital hopes to be open in January. (Sabrina Robertson, The Natchez Democrat)

Approximately 100 people turned out for Tuesday's ribbong cutting for Trinity Medical in Ridgecrest. The hospital hopes to be open in January. (Sabrina Robertson, The Natchez Democrat)

Approximately 100 people turned out for Tuesday's ribbong cutting for Trinity Medical in Ridgecrest. The hospital hopes to be open in January. (Sabrina Robertson, The Natchez Democrat)

Retiring special projects manager for Riverland Medical Center Billy Rucker cuts the ribbon in front of the new Trinity Medical hospital in Ridgecrest Tuesday. (Sabrina Robertson / The Natchez Democrat)

RIDGECREST — More than 100 people including medical workers, public officials and everyday residents gathered outside a new $36 million hospital on U.S. 84 in Ridgecrest for a ribbon cutting on Tuesday.

Construction of Trinity Medical, a 61,000 square-foot hospital and 17,000 square-foot medical office building, began in March 2019. The hospital is expected to open in early January after surveying and licensing from the Louisiana Department of Health is completed, officials said.

Hospital Special Projects Manager Billy Rucker had the honor of cutting the ribbon for Trinity Medical hospital on the day of his retirement Tuesday.

Rucker oversaw the construction process as his last project before his retirement, said hospital board chairman, Jim Graves.

“He tried to retire over a year and a half ago but I talked him into overseeing the construction of a new hospital,” Graves said jokingly during Tuesday’s ribbon cutting celebration.

Rucker said the project has actually been six years in the making and started when a few doctors came into his office with the request for a new hospital.

“They said, ‘We got to have a new hospital,’ and I said, ‘Well let’s get it done,’” Rucker said. “Six years ago, we planted the seed and thank God we’re here today.”

The former Ferriday hospital, which was called Riverland Medical Center before being rebranded as Trinity Medical, is 57 years old and is being replaced with a brand new facility fitted with all new equipment to meet the medical staff’s needs, Graves said.

“A lot of people made this possible,” Graves said, giving special thanks to many who supported the project.

Graves thanked Gov. John Bell Edwards and Andy Anders for procuring $3.5 million in capital outlay funds that purchased the new hospital equipment.

“Everything that you see in this hospital is better or as good as what you would find anywhere else,” he said.

The project is also being funded by a $30 million United States Department of Agriculture loan, new market tax credits and financing through United Mississippi Bank.

Graves said approximately $3 million was put back into the local economy during the construction process.

Updates and more information about Trinity Medical can be found at www.trinity.med.

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