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Mountain Valley Community Bank in Cleveland has formed Mountain Valley Investment Services to provide financial services to its customers. The formation of the investment unit will allow the bank to meet the diverse financial needs of the individuals, families and businesses in the communities it operates.

Mountain Valley Community Bank has hired Josh Reaves to head the new service. Reaves will have his office at the bank’s headquarters in Cleveland.

Securities and investment advisory services will be offered through Nexity Financial Services.

Three Forsyth County Sheriff’s deputies recently completed the Basic Law Enforcement Training Course, Sheriff Ted Paxton has announced.

Deputies Jason Knight, Kevin Pittman and Ryan Yeaton graduated from the 238th Session of the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy in ceremonies held March 28 in Marietta.

The Basic Law Enforcement Training Course consists of 408 hours of classroom and practical training as required by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council. Each new law enforcement officer in Georgia must complete this course prior to becoming a certified peace officer.

The course provides instruction in the areas of criminal justice, criminal law, constitutional law, community relations, modern police procedures, firearms, emergency vehicle operations and first aid training.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center has been named a Top Performer for 2008 by Premier’s Clinical Advisor, a nationwide clinical outcomes database. This is the third year the hospital has received the recognition.

The hospital has achieved the highest ranking in the treatment of five disease categories: acute MI (heart attack), heart failure, pneumonia, stroke and coronary artery bypass.

The designation is based on excellence in clinical performance measures and continuous efforts at providing hospital based care according to research guidelines.

"Northeast Georgia Medical Center’s doctors and nurses provide care that ranks very high in national and state comparisons," said Linette Owen, the hospital’s outcomes coordinator. "To me, this shows that the exhausting efforts of our clinical staff are being recognized as exceptional."

The hospital has also been cited by Georgia Medical Care Foundation for improving its quality of care in the appropriate care measure project. The hospital demonstrated improvement in the treatment of heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia. Treatment for these conditions is measured in a composite score called the appropriate care measure.

Northeast Georgia Medical Center is one of only four Georgia hospitals recognized by the foundation.