POUGHKEEPSIE – Nuvance Health hospitals Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Danbury Hospital have earned the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline^® Gold Plus Receiving Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.

Every year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it’s critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication.

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program’s goal is to reduce system barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks, beginning with the 911 call, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. The initiative provides tools, training, and other resources to support heart attack care following protocols from the most recent evidence-based treatment guidelines.

Vassar Brothers Medical Center and Danbury Hospital earned the award by meeting specific criteria and standards of performance for quick and appropriate treatment through emergency procedures to re-establish blood flow to blocked arteries in heart attack patients coming into the hospital directly or by transfer from another facility.

“We are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication and achievements in caring for patients with acute myocardial infarction,” said Dr. Mark Warshofsky, senior vice president and chair of heart and vascular services at Nuvance Health. “Our hospitals are committed to improving the quality of care for our cardiac patients. We provide a teamwork approach that allows for prompt and appropriate treatment.”

Danbury Hospital also received the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus award for its continued success in using the Get with the Guidelines^® – Heart Failure and Target: Type 2 Diabetes programs.

In addition, Nuvance Health’s Putnam Hospital in Carmel earned the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get with the Guidelines^® – Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence.

For more information about the heart and vascular services at Nuvance Health, visit https://patients.healthquest.org/services/heart-and-vascular/. For more information about the American Heart Association, visit heart.org.

MIDDLETOWN – Golfers attending this year’s Garnet Health Foundation’s Healey Brothers 29^th Annual Golf Classic will be armed with sanitizers from Black Dirt CBD and socially distanced among many other event changes to keep attendees safe.

The event will be held over two days, Monday, September 14^th, and Tuesday, September 15^th at West Hills Country Club in Middletown, and the Golf Club at Mansion Ridge in Monroe to split the field of golfers which normally would be a one-day event.

In addition to social distancing, golfers will have their own cart, to-go meals, and day-of registration and scoring through smartphones. Golfer gifts and prizes are again part of the program.

“We have modified this event to keep everybody’s health and safety a top priority,” said William Dauster, Garnet Health Foundation President. “The event will provide golfer choices for four rounds of golf over the two days to distance participants on and off the course.”

September 14 will offer “Better Ball” at West Hills and Mansion Ridge and on September 15, participants will play “Scramble” at both courses.

Dauster said all event proceeds will benefit the new expansion and renovation of the Emergency Department and Trauma Center at Garnet Health Medical Center.

For more information regarding sponsorships, golfing opportunities, or to join in the virtual raffle, please visit www.garnethealthclassic.org or call the Foundation Office at 845-333-2333.

POUGHKEEPSIE – A one-car accident on Church Street (eastbound arterial) in Poughkeepsie this morning has all three lanes closed.

A vehicle traveling east struck the corner of the building at 187 Church Street, igniting a fire at the building. The car then rolled over and landed on its roof in the road. The vehicle operator was transported to a local hospital.

City police are investigating the accident while Poughkeepsie firefighters await Central Hudson’s arrival to shut down power so the fire can be extinguished.

GARDINER – A Brooklyn woman fell to her death Sunday afternoon as she was rock climbing with two other people at Mohonk Mountain Preserve in Gardiner.

State Police said Lauren Sobel, 25, was a lead climber in the group. She was approximately 70 feet up the rock face and was setting protection gear in the rocks when she lost her grip and fell some 50 feet to her death.

Troopers were assisted at the scene by the Mohonk Mountain Forest Rangers.

CARMEL – Despite the highly charged atmosphere across the country over racial equity, one area county has opted not to form a human rights commission.

By a six to three vote, the county legislature on Friday night rejected a proposal making the county the only one in the region not to have such an organization.

Legislator Nancy Montgomery first proposed the commission in January because of the increase in hate crimes across the region.

Legislator Neal Sullivan, who chairs the Rules Committee, which supported the move, said it would have “assisted residents with educational and informational opportunities related to issues dealing with human rights serving as an advisory board.”

Legislator Paul Jonke said the state has a Human Rights Commission with more than 160 employees. “I cannot envision how a Putnam County Human Rights Commission, a non-funded agency with no investigative authority, will have any power. We don’t need an untrained, unfunded volunteer agency to handle serious allegations,” he said. “You can still be in favor of human rights and be opposed to a human rights commission.”

Legislature Chairwoman Toni Addonizio, who voted against creating the commission, said Putnam is “not immune to discrimination. I am not suggesting that by any means. A local commission would only serve as a duplication of services. There is no need to form a panel when we all have access to the New York State Division of Human Rights.”