Officials await ink on hospital deal

Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to sign legislation passed in April that will create an independent board to find a buyer for the county-owned group of hospitals, which includes Prince George’s Medical Center in Cheverley, Laurel Regional Hospital and the Bowie Health Campus. The medical system has struggled financially for years, in part because of a large number of uninsured patients.

O’Malley’s signature starts a 90-day deadline for county and state leaders to set the terms for how much the two governments will pay to lessen the hospital system’s debt and make it more attractive to prospective buyers.

Last month, a spokesman for O’Malley said the bill could be signed as late as May 22, the last scheduled signing date for bills, to allow officials more time to work out details.

The first step is for both the county and state to appoint a representative to hammer out a funding plan. Dean said the county has discussed possible nominees but has not made a decision.

‘‘We’re having some conversations,” he said.

John Erzen, a spokesman for County Executive Jack B. Johnson, confirmed that officials have been discussing the process.

Though no action has been taken, Dean said he was hopeful.

‘‘We’re going to try very hard,” he said. ‘‘We’ll do the best we can.”

Six honored for good deeds

Hoping to start a regular tradition of honoring selfless acts, county officials gave six ‘‘Good Samaritan” awards to residents at a ceremony last week.

The honorees included a man who helped track down a kidnapped child and a woman who evacuated a dozen dogs from a burning pet store.

All the county residents were nominated through Prince George’s Good Samaritan program, which allows people to suggest names through the county Web site. This was the first ceremony under the program, which began taking applications late last year.

‘‘We’re hoping we can do this twice a year,” said John Erzen, a spokesman for County Executive Jack B. Johnson.

Johnson gave each recipient a plaque of appreciation. The honorees were:

Lamar Elliott, a Washington, D.C. National Guard soldier who helped rescue a 2-year-old sitting in a stolen car last March. According to county officials, Elliott spotted a speeding car in Temple Hills that had been taken from a gas station. The gas nozzle was still attached to the car. He called police and followed the vehicle until the teenagers who took it jumped out, leaving the toddler in a car seat.

Kirk Francis and David Lartey, who helped a woman who was on fire in Suitland last January. According to county reports, the two men rushed to the aid of the woman when they saw her at an intersection at 11 p.m. at night. After getting the fire out, they stayed with her until paramedics arrived.

Bonnie Hatton, who rescued a dozen dogs from a burning PetSmart store in Oxon Hill in January. County officials said that Hatton acted on her own to save the group of animals from the store’s grooming section while employees worked to get other animals out of the burning building. Hatton stayed at the store for hours after the fire to reunite the animals with their owners.

Brandon King, who helped evacuate neighbors from the Holly Hills Condominium Complex in Forestville in May 2007. A fellow resident who nominated King said his door-to-door knocking once the fire broke out in the middle of the night helped save her and others from the three-alarm blaze. The resident also helped several disabled neighbors get out of the building as fire crews arrived.

Judith Wheeler of Laurel, who took in several Beltsville residents after a fire destroyed their home in December. County officials said Wheeler, a recent widow, took in an elderly mother and two sisters during the holiday season.

Nominations for the county’s Good Samaritan program can be made at the county Web site, www.princegeorgescountymd.gov.