Samaritan Medical Center San Clemente

The $23-million sale of San Clemente General Hospital to a group of staff doctors was completed Friday, more than a year after they launched a bid to buy the 116-bed general acute-care facility from a bankrupt hospital chain. In one of their first moves, the new owners changed the hospital's name to Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente.

In a continuing effort to improve care at Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente, officials recently opened the doors to a new intensive care unit, designed to offer privacy and the maximum in comfort to the most severely ill patients. Officials said added privacy is a key to the new seven-suite unit, the latest in more than $2 million in improvements made to the 20-year-old hospital since Phoenix-based Samaritan Health Services took over management three years ago.

In a continuing effort to improve care at Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente, officials recently opened the doors to a new intensive care unit, designed to offer privacy and the maximum in comfort to the most severely ill patients. Officials said added privacy is a key to the new seven-suite unit, the latest in more than $2 million in improvements made to the 20-year-old hospital since Phoenix-based Samaritan Health Services took over management three years ago.

A small boy found unconscious at the bottom of the family swimming pool and flown to Children's Hospital of Orange County was reported improving Monday. San Clemente Police Lt. Hector Rivera said 9-month-old Jacob Robertson fell in the pool Sunday afternoon and was pulled out by his father. A police officer responding to an emergency call administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived and revived the child.

Authorities are investigating the death of a scuba diver who was discovered Friday evening on the beach near the Municipal Pier. Police said passersby found the man, who appeared to be in his 30s, washed ashore just before 7 p.m. in front of lifeguard headquarters just north of the pier. Passersby administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation until paramedics arrived. The man was taken to Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente, where he was pronounced dead at 8:45 p.m.

The Byron Scott Challenge for Children, a charity all-star basketball game, will be played at UC Irvine's Bren Center at 7:20 tonight. Lakers Michael Cooper and Orlando Woolridge are expected to join Scott and other National Basketball Assn. players in the game, which will benefit the Children's Hospital of Orange County, the South County Community Clinic and the Samaritan Medical Center San Clemente. Tickets are available. For more information, call 634-1300.

A Marine based at Camp Pendleton was struck by a car and killed instantly as he walked on Interstate 5 early Sunday. The 21-year-old man, whose name was not immediately released, was walking for an unknown reason on a northbound lane of the freeway just south of Camino de Estrella in San Clemente, said California Highway Patrol Officer Jaime Sanchez. Darryl Bode, 27, of San Francisco, driver of the vehicle that hit the man, was not cited.

The $23-million sale of San Clemente General Hospital to a group of staff doctors was completed Friday, more than a year after they launched a bid to buy the 116-bed general acute-care facility from a bankrupt hospital chain. In one of their first moves, the new owners changed the hospital's name to Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente.

The son of a 76-year-old woman was arrested Sunday on suspicion of homicide after they found her body in their home in the 200 block of Avenida Cabrillo, police said. Lt. Stephen Bernardi said Clifford Burgess, 43, was arrested at his residence after they discovered the body of his mother, Mary Burgess, lying in her bedroom. She had been dead a few hours. Burgess called police about 8:35 a.m. for help after he cut his wrist during a suspected suicide attempt, Bernardi said.

Laker guard Byron Scott and Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton are the captains of teams that will meet at 8 tonight in Byron Scott's Challenge for Children Pro-Stars charity basketball game in the Bren Center at UC Irvine. The coaches are morning radio personalities Mark and Brian of KLOS. The cheers will be led by the Laker Girls. And the proceeds will benefit Children's Hospital of Orange County, Samaritan Medical Center-San Clemente and the South County Community Clinic.