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MAGAZINE Issue 9 WWW.KILGOREMAGAZINE.COM aditions of a Texas Sheriff pg. 14

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Page 1: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

magazine

Issue 9

www.kilgoremagazine.com

Traditions ofa Texas Sheriffpg. 14

Page 2: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9
Page 3: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

Editor:Mary Ramos

Customer Service:Fallon BurnsErica McCauley

Creative Director:Amanda Reel

Contributing Writers:Fallon BurnsJo Lee Ferguson

Contributing Photographers:Sean LandrySouthwest Studios

Amanda Reel

Mailing Address421 North Center St. Suite ALongview, Texas 75601

Contact UsOffice : 903-757-4444 Fax: [email protected]@gmail.com

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To purchase advertising space or submit editorial stories, call 903-757-4444 or email

[email protected]

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Advertise in Kilgore Magazine!

ON THE COVERSheriff Cerliano is a native of Longview, where he graduated from Longview High School. He was sworn in as Sheriff January 1, 2001 after serving with the Kilgore Police Department for over twenty-two years.

Read Kilgore Magazine online or order your copy

for home delivery at

7 Welcome From KISD Superintendent Cara Cooke

11 Good Shepherd Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary 14 Traditions of a Texas Sheriff By Jo Lee Ferguson

21 Jack Ryan’s Steak & Chophouse By Fallon Burns

24 Longview World Of Wonders By Jo Lee Ferguson

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CONTENTS:

mary ramos

Fallon Burns

amanda reel

MAGAZINE

2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine

www.KilgoreMagazine.com

Page 4: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

For a complete listing of events please visit www.KilgoreMagazine.com

1 First Thursday Downtown Shopping, 10am till...2 JD & The Dirty South Band, at the Back Porch2-10 Jefferson Performing Arts Festival :: Call 847-722-87982 Friday After 5 Concert, World Richest Acre, 7pm3 Dazed, at the Back Porch5-9 LMFA Introduction to Glazing & Bisqueware :: Call 903-753-81037 Chris Wayne, at the Back Porch9 The Kid Icarus Project, at the Back Porch9-10 Arts View, The Knight the Castle Rocked :: Call 903-236-753510 Longview Trade Days, Fairgrounds10 The Alley Venale Band, at the Back Porch10-13 Pump Jacks Playoffs :: visit www.pumpjacksbaseball.com15 LMFA Ladies Night Round Robin :: Call 903-753-810316 Adam Brown & The Triple Crown Band, at the Back Porch17 Jefferson Civil War Symposium :: Call 903-665-277517 The Red Devil Rebels, at the Back Porch17 Legends of Gregg County (July 13-August 17) - Gregg County Historical Museum21 Jason Crabtree, at the Back Porch23 Ricky Lynn Gregg with Guitarded, at the Back Porch 23 Kilgore Horeshoe Heat Beater, 7pm, City Park23 Kilgore College Rangerette Showoffs24 The Darby Warren Project, at the Back Porch26 First day of school28 Sam & Mel, at the Back Porch30 Voodudes, at the Back Porch30 Kilgore Fire Department Golf Tournament31 West Bound 21, at the Back Porch31 Peach Pickin’ at Danville Farms Ends

2 Labor Day5 First Thursday Downtown Shopping, 10am till...12-13 Kilgore Chamber Golf Tournament at Meadowbrook Country Club 20 Adam Brown & The Triple Crown Band, at the Back Porch21 Kilgore Fire Department SAFFE Day, 9am-2pm21 Monster Truck Fall Nationals at Lonestar Speedway :: Call 903-757-444422 First Day of Autumn28 Gregg County Go Texan Sporting Clay Shoot :: Call 903-757-444421-22 Landmarks of Longview -Gregg County Historical Museum28 West Bound 21, at the Back Porch

Calendar of EventsAugust

September

Page 5: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

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Page 7: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

Welcome from Cara Cooke, Superintendent

of Kilgore ISDWelcome to what promises to be a spectacular new school year here at Kilgore ISD. We are

incredibly excited about the opening of our two new campuses. The Primary Campus will house Head Start, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First grade students, while the Middle School will be the new learning environment for Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth grade students.

The new facilities are state-of-the-art in design with careful consideration given to providing a safe, secure environment that is equipped to maximize learning. Each classroom will have an array of technology access that will be integrated into the instructional process. Computer labs and libraries will provide students with various opportunities for extension in the learning experience. The cafeteria and gymnasium at each of the campuses are designed to not only meet the normal functions associated with each area but also provide space to hold school-wide assemblies for students and parents.

The wonderful features of each campus are numerous and will be ready for our students to begin using August 26, 2013. Mark your calendars and plan to attend a Community Open House September 8, 2013 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

As we begin this new school year, we want to ensure that within the walls of our new buildings and other existing campuses, that this will be a year full of engaging, meaningful, and rigorous work in the classrooms, along with some fun and special new memories being created. We will continue to build upon and refine the foundation of good work and many worthwhile traditions as we create a culture of excellence in education for all students. Our highly qualified professional educators and support personnel stand ready to provide quality instruction.

We invite and encourage our parents and community members to work alongside us as partners as we seize the opportunities that are before each of our students. We look forward to a very positive and productive year together!

Proud to be a Bulldog!

Page 8: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

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Page 11: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore recently celebrated its one year anniversary by partnering with the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce to host a business after hours.

Last year, Good Shepherd responded when Kilgore expressed a growing need for an emergency center located within their community. Working collaboratively with the Laird Foundation and the City of Kilgore, Good Shepherd designed the Emergency Center to meet the community’s healthcare needs.

Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is equipped with 12 exam rooms, a full chemistry lab onsite and a full digital radiology suite including X-ray, CT and ultrasound. From minor cuts to severe symptoms of stroke or heart attack, Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore is able to treat all patients who walk through the doors. The Emergency Center in Kilgore is staffed by the same Board Certified Emergency Room Physicians who staff Longview, Marshall and Linden Emergency Rooms. In addition, all registered nurses in the Kilgore Emergency Center have had specialized emergency training.

“We are proud to be celebrating this anniversary with the City of Kilgore,” said Ken Cunningham, executive vice president and interim CEO of Good Shepherd Medical Center. “Good Shepherd is committed to bringing a quality level of care that has not always been available in smaller

communities. Kilgore has been graciously supportive of our organization, and Good Shepherd looks forward to the many celebrations to come.”

Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore has treated more than 16,500 patients since opening its doors on May 14, 2012. The Kilgore Emergency Center cares for approximately 50 patients daily, with an average turn-around time of 122 minutes. Approximately 15 percent of the patients seen at the Emergency Center in Kilgore are admitted to the hospital of their choice. Those who choose Good Shepherd in Longview benefit by being directly admitted and bypassing the Emergency

Room. The average turnaround time for this direct admission is three hours.

“The Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore provides area residents prompt, convenient care close to home,” Craig Meek, MD, medical director of Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore. “This winter, patient volumes exceeded 1,700 in both December and January. The increase in patient care was due in part to this year’s excessive flu season.”

In addition to illness, The Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore has had multiple stroke and STEMI (heart attack) cases in which patients have received very timely care. Several of these patients have returned to the Emergency Center to thank the staff.

“The residents of Kilgore have welcomed us into the community,” said Dr. Meek. “We are excited to have completed one year in Kilgore and look forward to serving the community for many more.”

1Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore Celebrates

Craig Meek, MD, Medical Director of Good Shepherd Emergency Center in Kilgore; Crystal Thornton, MPA, BSN, RN, Good Shepherd Divisional Director of Emergency Department; Cindy Campbell, RN, Clinical Director of Kilgore

Emergency Department; Ron Short, Good Shepherd Vice President

Page 12: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

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Page 13: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

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Page 14: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

Sheriff Maxey

By: Jo Lee Ferguson

Gregg County’s chief law enforcement officer, Sheriff Maxey Cerliano oversees a staff of 254 people and a

jail with three facilities housing more than 700 inmates each day. That’s more than 1,000 people who rely on the decisions he makes. That’s more than 1,000 reasons to keep him from sleeping well at night.“You do have that responsibility on you to make decisions that affect your staff and the inmates,” he says. “That’s not something you can take lightly or walk away from. You have to learn how to manage it.”

It’s a challenge he says his education and experience prepared him well for when he took office in 2001 after defeating 20-year-incumbent Bobby Weaver. Cerliano embarked on his fourth term in January, and on July 23, he became president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas. It’s a position he advanced to after first campaigning some four years ago to become sergeant-at-arms and then moving through the ranks to become president.

His framed campaign poster from his election to sergeant-at-arms still sits in his office at the Gregg County Courthouse. “I want to continue the tradition of the Texas sheriff,” he says. As he spoke, he sat behind what was once the 1937 Gregg County auditor’s desk. The matching credenza was behind him, along the wall. The furniture set had deteriorated over the years and was sent to surplus, to be sold or destroyed. Cerliano rescued it and restored it using state jail inmate labor.

The Gregg County flag, which was a gift to him from Dr. Norman Black, the now deceased longtime chairman of the Gregg County Historical Commission, hangs on a wall behind his desk. “It’s about maintaining the integrity, the

Sheriff MaxeySheriff Maxey

Page 15: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

professionalism of those who came before us,” Cerliano says of his upcoming work on the state association.The word “integrity” is what Steve Westbrook, executive director of the sheriffs’ association uses to describe Cerliano. “He’s straightforward,” Westbrook says.

Cerliano, 55, has served on the association’s legislative committee and has led the jail advisory committee. In those roles, Cerliano was instrumental in providing information to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards as it rewrote many of its rules and regulations, Westbrook says. Also, during the most recent legislative session, Cerliano and other sheriffs worked to make lawmakers aware of the problem jails face with mentally ill people ending up in jail because of a lack of other options. “He’s well-respected around the state,” Westbrook says.

Cerliano hadn’t thought about seeking office until people in the community approached him about running. “There’s a lot of things about the job they don’t tell you until you get here,” Cerliano says three elections later. “I had to be a quick learner.” There’s a difference, he says, between being a municipal police officer and being a county sheriff. “You have a concept of it,” he says, but being sheriff encompasses a number of things that are not part of working for a city police force.

The jail, for instance, is the 26th largest in the state out of more than 240 jails. It sees about 10,700 inmates booked in each year. “You’re dealing with a lot of people, so you have to have a lot of staff to support that function,” he says.

In addition to the patrol division, the sheriff ’s office has a civil division and warrant division and oversees courthouse security. Also, the East Texas Regional Airport is county owned and operated, with the sheriff ’s office overseeing a public safety department there with staff members who are cross-trained to provide police, fire and emergency medical services as well as to respond to aircraft crashes. Also, as opposed to some counties, the county fire marshal and emergency management coordinator are under the sheriff ’s umbrella.

Cerliano says, though, that his training and experience laid a solid foundation for his transition to sheriff. A Longview High School graduate, Cerliano earned his associate’s degree in police science/criminal justice from Kilgore College. Then, he went to work for the Kilgore Police Department, serving first as a patrol officer before becoming a detective sergeant,

lieutenant, captain and, finally, assistant police chief for about three years before he was elected sheriff. He also has more than 1,600 hours of in-service training, with an emphasis on criminal investigation and police administration. His 9 1/2 years of work as a detective have had an even larger impact on his career, Cerliano says, explaining that he’s continued to apply the problem-solving techniques he learned there. “That’s really helped me through the years as a law enforcement administrator,” he says.

When he first took office, one of Cerliano’s goals was to equip the department with current technology. That’s remained a priority. “I think we’ve been able to accomplish that,” he says. “We’ve got to stay on top of that.” The jail operating system has been computerized, and vehicles have been equipped with field computers that allow deputies to communicate with dispatchers, receive information and look at jail photos. The communications center has been updated twice. “It looks more like you would envision a NASA control center than a 911 center,” he says.

Patrol vehicles are equipped with on-board cameras, and many have automated defibrillator machines in the trunk. The department has video cameras to document crimes, and he’s implemented vehicle and ballistic vest replacement programs.

Deputies are all equipped with stun guns, a tool that protects the safety of officers and suspects, he says. Some jail supervisors also have access to stun guns, which are an alternative to the “swarm” method sometimes used to

subdue unruly prisoners. The problem with that technique, Cerliano says, is that someone ends up on the bottom of the pile on the jail’s concrete floor. “(Stun guns have) been a good tool,” Cerliano says.

The sheriff also has been working to address turnover in jail staff by implementing a more detailed hiring process, a new employee orientation and other training not required by the state.

As the 20th sheriff of Gregg County, Cerliano has learned that his work is constant, that meals at restaurants might go cold or trips to Walmart will take longer because he’s talking to people who recognize him while he’s out. That’s OK, though, he says. It’s part of the job.

“I think the thing that keeps you coming back is the hope or belief that you’re making a difference,” and that the decisions he makes can make Gregg County a better place for its residents, he says.

I think the thing that keeps you coming back is the hope or belief that you’re

making a difference.

15

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Page 20: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

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Page 21: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

JackRyan’ssteak & chophouse

By: Fallon Burns

K ilgore has a new hot spot! Jack Ryan’s Steak & Chop House recently opened and is already the talk of the town. Kilgore Magazine had the opportunity to talk with

Longview natives Brad & Wes Ebey about their new labor of love.

How did you discover your passion for cooking?Brad : “We grew up cooking as a family. Our fathered owned a BBQ restaurant in San Antonio. It’s always been a big part of our family and it’s something we love to do.”

What made you pick Kilgore?Brad: “Once we had our son, Jack Ryan, we said we wanted to raise him in East Texas. I really like this area. It’s got good people and good businesses. Our family is here and my wife’s family is not far.” Wes: “We got tired of the never ending rat race in Dallas and wanted to work for ourselves. We grew up in Longview and graduated from Pine Tree High school. This area is home and we thought Kilgore would be a great central location for our restaurant.”

What’s special about Jack Ryan’s Steak & Chophouse?Wes: “We cook using the Sous-vide* method. We have an excellent wine selection, infused vodkas and tequila. We’ll specialize in homemade sangria for the summer.”

Brad & Wes bring extensive knowledge, training and experience to the restaurant comunity. Brad and Wes graduated from the internationally renowned Parisian culinary school, Le Cordon Bleu, famous for producing Chef ’s like Julia Childs & Mario

Botali. Brad interned at the Adolphus Hotel, French Room which achieved a five star rating for two years in a row during his tenure. Wes interned at the Four Seasons in Las Colinas, worked at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco and the Ritz Carlton in Chicago. Most recently, he opened a Cru Food &Wine Bar in Denver CO and Allen TX.

Kilgore Magazine asked a local resident to give us a Mystery Food Review of Jack Ryan’s Steak & Chophouse.

Jack Ryan’s Steak and Chophouse, located on Longview Street, opened only months ago but is the talk of the town. After hearing several reviews from my fellow Kilgore-ites, I had to try the food for myself. I was thoroughly impressed from start to finish. The atmosphere of this establishment is very different for Kilgore – it has a New Orleans’ style vibe with a mix of a modern, white-linen flair.

The waiter was very knowledgeable and helpful in describing each of the items on the menu, as well as extending his helpful personal preferences. The presentation of each entree was marvelous, and the flavors were outstanding!

I had the Airline Chicken Breast and it was the most tender chicken breast I have ever tasted. The crabmeat, Yukon potatoes and sauce served with the entrée were phenomenal. As per the suggestion of our waiter, we tried Chocolate Molten Lava Cake and the Warm Bread Pudding. Both items were scrumptious! Overall, I was very impressed with Jack Ryan’s Steak and Chophouse. I would highly recommend it to anyone wanting a nice dinner in downtown Kilgore.

*Sous-vide (/su: ’vi: d/; French for “under vacuum”) is a method of cooking food sealed in airtight plastic bags in a water bath for longer than normal cooking times—72 hours in some cases—at an accurately regulated temperature much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 55 °C (131 °F) to 60 °C (140 °F) for meats and higher for vegetables. The intention is to cook the item evenly, and not to overcook the outside while still keeping the inside at the same “doneness”, keeping the food juicier.

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One family’s generosity, combined with support from the Junior League of Longview, has moved plans for a children’s discovery center forward in downtown Longview.

In April, Longview World of Wonders announced that it had purchased the former Texas Furniture building at 112 E. Tyler St. Renovations were set to begin on the building thanks to the first major donation to the project, $56,000 from the Junior League of Longview, and a fundraising campaign was well underway to raise a total $1.9 million for the discovery center.

Longview WOW is a nonprofit organization that formed in 2009 with the goal of opening a hands-on children’s discovery center in Longview, similar to Discovery Science Place in Tyler or Sci-Port in Shreveport. The organization began operating as a “museum without walls,” staging fun and educational events for children at various locations around Longview while working toward the ultimate goal of establishing a permanent facility. An event featuring The Traveling Space Museum and programs based around Legos, the power of wind and air or books such as the Percy Jackson series are among the activities Longview WOW has organized.

“Over the past 4-1/2 years this group of volunteers has spent hundreds of hours in the effort to provide the children of East Texas an interactive, hands-on learning center to be enjoyed for generations to come,” Karen Ritch, Longview WOW president, said during April’s announcement.

She offered the group’s “heartfelt thanks” to Jim and Liz Lockhart, the former owners of the Texas Furniture building. It was the Lockharts who approached Longview WOW about possibly locating the discovery center inside the former furniture store.

“The Lockharts’ generous purchase arrangement with Longview WOW provided the catalyst to move the organization into its next phase,” Ritch said. “The purchase of the building... grants the first three years payment free in a 15 year purchase agreement. For this we are exceedingly grateful.”

Jim Lockhart, in a statement provided through Longview WOW, encouraged businesses and individuals to provide financial support to complete the discovery center.

“We are thrilled to have a project like this in downtown Longview,” he said. “Knowing the space will serve families and children in our community, is something, our family is supportive of. The purchase arrangements allow the board time to raise the dollars needed to open this very important gift to our city and we look forward to seeing that happen.” The Junior League’s donation made it possible to start renovations on the building and begin work on exhibits.

“With education being a major focus area for the Junior League, this project is a perfect community partnership between nonprofits to serve the children of our community,” Ritch said.The discovery center’s first phase is expected to open early next year, with board member Michelle Norris leading Longview WOW’s efforts to build-out the museum. Longview WOW hired Hugman Architecture and Construction to help “renovate and re-imagine” the more than 60-year-old building. Longview WOW also secured Ohio-based Exhibit Concepts to “transform our vision for the hands-on discovery center into a reality,” Norris said.

The discover center’s first phase will feature two exhibits. Energy City will be a hands-on look at different types of energy sources found in East Texas and how they interact with each other. Exhibit modules include a power plant, an alternative energy farm and market, a coal mine, hydroelectric water table, hands-on-house, café and more. Build It! will feature LEGO bricks in a free-build zone for all ages. Children also will be able to create race cars built with LEGO bricks and test them out on a downhill raceway.

After Phase I, possible future exhibits include Heritage Hall (an early childhood exhibit), the Invention Garage (focusing on physics) and a section open for traveling exhibits, temporary exhibits, a classroom and more.

Rhonda Bullard, a Certified Fund Raising Executive and nonprofit consultant, is working with Longview WOW to raise

LongviewwoRLD oF wonDeRS

By: Jo Lee Ferguson

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the remainder of the $1.9 million needed to get the museum off the ground. That total would cover building renovations, exhibits, staffing and initial operating money.

Bullard said at the April event that the campaign had kicked off in October and already had commitments for one-fourth of the total.

“Downtown Longview is already the city’s hub of cultural activities, and Longview WOW is excited to join this group,” Bullard Said. “We look forward to partnering and co-existing with these well established organizations: The Longview Museum of Fine Arts, ArtsView Children’s Theatre, Main Street downtown activities like Alley Fest and Downtown Live, Preservation Longview, and our special partner, the Gregg County Historical Museum. This group has been so very supportive of Longview WOW efforts and we appreciate them very much.”

The Longview WOW building originally was constructed as a W.T. Grant store. Before that, the site was home to a fire station and Bodie Park, named for former Mayor Gabriel Augusta Bodenheim

“Mr. Bodenheim served as mayor of Longview for almost 20 years. Under his progressive leadership, the city developed a fire and health department, a waterworks and filtration system, a modern sewer system, paved streets, concrete sidewalks, and street lights,” Bullard said.

“We believe it is no coincidence that a place that began as a recreational destination for families to gather over 90 years ago will once again be a place of laughter, fun and learning,” she continued. “Mayor Bodie paved the way for great advancements for our city; we believe he would be thrilled to know the land that was once a park in his honor will now be a place of learning and developing young minds to be our leaders of tomorrow.”

For informatione-mail [email protected]

or visitwww.LongviewWOW.org

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Kilgore RangeretteSign Drop Banquet

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Tea PartyGregg County Historical Museum

Good ShepherdChamber Mixer

Page 30: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

30 2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine 30 2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine 302013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine

Managed ServicesWireless and Security

Web Sites and DatabasesServers and Workstations

Interactive Boards and ProjectorsSystems Engineers and Support

Warranty and Installation ServicesEmail and VOIP Phone Platforms

Video Conferencing and Surveillance

Tyler, Texas(903) 581-7000

www.ComputerlandEastTexas.com

Longview, Texas(903) 757-5900

Page 31: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9
Page 32: Kilgore Magazine Issue 9

CHOOSE QUALITY.CHOOSE GOOD SHEPHERD.

Hours of Operation:Monday - Friday • 8 am to 5 pm

Appointments and walk-ins are welcome.1711 S. Henderson, Suite 100 Kilgore

(903) 984-1394

SERVICESFamily Practice Medicine • Internal Medicine • Urgent Care Services • Outpatient Referrals

Labs and EKG • Women’s Health Screenings • Spirometry/Pulmonary Function Test

Occupational Medicine Services: DOT Physicals • Non-DOT Physicals • School Physicals • DOT Drug Screens

Non-DOT Drug Screens • In-House Drug Screens • Breath Alcohol Testing

UPCOMING SERVICES (Available in 30 to 90 Days):Occupational Medicine/Audiometry

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY

www.GoodShepherdMedicalAssociates.org