New briefs
April 23
Two injured in Main Street crash
POLSON — Two adult females were transported St. Joseph Medical Center with injuries after hitting a parked truck on the 600 block of Main Street at a substantial rate of speed on April 13.
According to Polson Police, the accident occurred at approximately 1:30 a.m. when the southbound Pontiac car smashed into the truck parked outside the Glass Doctor, pulverizing the passenger side door and propelling the truck to spin around 180 degrees.
Polson Volunteer Fire personnel used jaws-of-life equipment to extricate the passenger from the vehicle and then packaged both patients for ambulance hospital transport.
Crews extricated a passenger from the vehicle with the jaws of life and two patients were transported to St. Joseph’s Medical Center with critical injuries before later being Life Flighted to Missoula.
Fire personnel helped package the patients for ambulance transport and also put down absorbent on the road due to vehicle leakage in the crash.
Police Chief Doug Chase reported that the roads were wet as it had been raining around the time of the accident.
Patient names and medical conditions were not available as the investigating Montana Highway Patrol officer for the crash did not return phone calls to the Leader by press-time.
- Reporter Ty Hampton
St. Joes names CEO
POLSON — St. Joseph Medical Center will soon have a new chief executive officer. Current CEO of Community Hospital of Anaconda, Steve McNeece, will fill the shoes of former CEO John Glueckert beginning July 6, as announced on April 14.
“When we interviewed Steve we were excited about his maturity, experience, energy and innovation,” current chairman of the board at St. Joseph, William Beck said in a press release.
Beck goes on to praise McNeece for his impressive accomplishments in Anaconda.
McNeece currently serves as the chair-elect for the Montana Hospital Association and is a member of Senator Max Baucus’ Health Reform Advisory Committee. He has received several professional awards including the Cambell Award in 2003 for outstanding leadership in local economic development, and the Innovation in Health Care Award presented by the Montana Hospital Association for 2005-2007.
McNeece has been at CHA since 2001. While there he was instrumental in the emergency department upgrade.
Moving more than 150 miles across the state, McNeece’s wife Beth will join him when she finishes her physician assistant studies in less than a year.
“I know I have some big shoes to fill in Polson,” McNeece said in a press release. “I know the people we serve are more than patients; they are our neighbors and an extended family of the hospital.”
- Reporter Erin Scott
Residents travel to MIBC
An array of tribal business owners and artists met in Missoula on Monday and Tuesday to showcase products at the 2009 Montana Indian Business Conference and Showcase.
Booths of original native sculptures, jewelry and art were on display for the public to admire and purchase at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula.
Pablo resident Velda Shelby sold her NuSkin anti-aging products at the event. She said the products “maintain total wellness as we age” and added that through her efforts the product is being introduced to Montana.
Herbal and therapeutic skin care products and nutritional items were also sold. Purchases went to support native Montana business owners.
-Reporter Erin Scott