Child in critical condition after vehicle crash
A 4-year-old Browning girl is reportedly in critical condition at a Great Falls hospital after a two-vehicle crash near Woody's west of Kalispell on Thursday morning.
Trooper Jim Hawkins said a minivan from Browning turned left from Montana 206 onto Montana 35 into the path of a Dodge truck that was driving west. The pickup struck the van on the driver's side, Hawkins said.
None of the six occupants of the van were wearing seat belts, Hawkins said. Two children were thrown from the vehicle, including the girl who suffers life-threatening head injuries. The driver of the truck was belted and was not injured.
Three children, ages 3, 4 and 6 were taken to the hospital, along with three adults. The 4-year-old child was later flown to a hospital in Great Falls.
Citations are pending, Hawkins said. The accident is still under investigation.
There were six ambulances on the scene, along with ALERT helicopter, highway patrol and the sheriff's office.
Kalispell fire department did not respond to the wreck.
Fire Chief Randy Brodehl said the crew was tied up with a man having a critical heart problem, requiring several paramedics.
It was more efficient to send ambulances from Bigfork and Columbia Falls than to call in off-duty personnel, who would have to get to the fire hall and then take equipment to the accident, Brodehl said.
Kids invited to fish at new, local pond
A "kids fishing day" is planned for the new Shady Lane Family Fishing Pond on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
The event is open to children ages 12 and younger, with some fishing gear and bait available courtesy of the state's "Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs" program.
The event is sponsored by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Sportsman Ski Haus and the Boys and Girls Club of Glacier Country.
This is the inaugural opening for the Shady Lane Pond, which was added to the Old Steel Bridge fishing access site in January. The pond has been stocked with cutthroat trout and there are 2 1/2 miles of hiking trails in the area.
Volunteers will be on hand to help children with their fishing.
The Boys and Girls Club will offer concessions and there will be discount coupons for roller skating at the club's new headquarters on Shady Lane on Saturday afternoon.
Hospital scores well with its patients
North Valley Hospital won national recognition recently for exceeding its patients' expectations.
The award was presented by Avatar International Inc., a leader in measuring customer expectations in health care.
Avatar gathers data from patient surveys. According to North Valley Hospital Chief Executive Officer Craig Aasved, the staff encourages every patient to complete a survey.
"Our goal is to provide them with knowledge to make them active partners in the decision-making process for their care and treatment," he said.
Aasved said the feedback from patients lets the hospital know if it continues to improve the health and well-being of people in the community.
"In no other arena is the power of relationship more important than in health care," he said.
A nonprofit, community hospital, North Valley Hospital provides 18 private and semi-private rooms to serve the north valley area of Whitefish and Columbia Falls.
The hospital has begun site preparation for a new facility near the intersection of Montana 40 and U.S. 93.
- The Daily Inter Lake