RED OAK, Iowa – The Board of Trustees of the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital + Clinics (MCMH + Clinics) have announced that Michael O’Neal has officially been appointed Chief Executive Officer. His appointment is effective Monday, March 16, 2026.

O’Neal has served as Chief Operating Officer at MCMH + Clinics since November 2021. He brings more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience, including 13 years as CEO of George C. Grape Community Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa. His background also includes service as Chief Information Officer at Thayer County Health Services in Hebron, Nebraska, as well as distinguished service as a United States Marine and a Nebraska State Trooper. He holds a Master of Business Administration and is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Since joining MCMH + Clinics, O’Neal has played a key role in strengthening hospital operations, advancing strategic initiatives, and supporting staff and providers in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

The Board of Trustees unanimously approved his appointment following a formal succession planning process designed to ensure stability and continued growth for the organization. MCMH + Clinics Board Chair, Jill Bergstrom, states, “We are excited to welcome Mike as the next Chief Executive Officer of MCMH + Clinics. We have been fortunate to get to know Mike over the last four years since he was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2021. His attention to detail, long term planning and active listening will continue to move us forward as we strive to be the regional leader in healthcare. Welcome, Mike!” Mike O’Neal graciously adds, “This hospital and this community mean a lot to me. I’ve had the privilege of working in rural healthcare for many years, and I’ve learned that hospitals succeed because of two things; the people who dedicate their lives to caring for others and the communities that stand behind them. Montgomery County Memorial Hospital has both. We have an outstanding staff and providers, a committed Board, and a community that truly values local healthcare.

Ron Kloewer has led this organization well, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to build on the strong foundation already in place. My focus moving forward is simple: take care of our people, continue strengthening access to care close to home, and ensure this hospital remains a source of pride for the community.”Under O’Neal’s leadership, MCMH + Clinics will continue focusing on strengthening rural healthcare access, investing in advanced technology and facilities, expanding services to meet evolving community needs, and fostering a culture that supports its employees. With a strong leadership team, dedicated staff, and committed Board support, the organization remains well-positioned to build on its legacy while embracing new opportunities for innovation, growth, and excellence in patient care for generations to come.”

(Greenfield, IA) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from Greenfield was arrested last week and held without bond. The Sheriff says 69-year-old Alfonso Ramirez-Meneses was arrested Thursday (March 12th), on the following charges: 3 counts of Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, and three counts of Going Armed with Intent. His arrest followed a report about a man threatening others with a knife at a residence in the 400 block of N. 1st Street, in Greenfield. The victims stated Ramirez allegedly threatened them with a knife and advanced towards them, thrusting the knife in a threatening manner. They said they were in fear for their lives. In addition to the aforementioned charges, Ramirez was being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.

The Sheriff reports also, 50-year-old Michelle Ann Day, of Greenfield, was arrested March 10th at around 8:40-p.m., for Assault causing bodily injury or mental illness.  She was taken into custody at a restaurant in the 600 block of NE 6th Street, after statements from parties involved and video footage of Day allegedly assault another woman. The victim suffered from scratches on her face. Day’s bond was set at  $1,000.

(Glenwood, IA) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports nine arrests took place over the past week.

On March 9th:

• 34-year-old Nicholas James Gragg, of Malvern, was arrested on 188th Street near Pacific Junction, on charges that include: Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS) – 3rd or subsequent offense; PCS – 2nd offense; Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia; Child Endangerment; Theft in the 5th Degree, and Interference with official acts. Gragg’s bond was set at $7,600.
• 29-year-old Jennifer Marie Pickle, of Glenwood, was arrested for PCS – 3rd or subsequent offense, and Child Endangerment. Her bond was set at $3,000.
• 19-year-old Alana Joleen Gerhart, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for OWI/1st offense (Bond $1,000).

On March 10th, Mills County Deputies arrested:

• 35-year-old Nicholas James Bonacci, of Omaha, for Contempt of Court – Resist court order.
• 62-year-old Cedric Jerome King, of Omaha, was arrested for Unauthorized use of a credit/debit card (<$1,500). Bond was set at $2,000.

On March 11th: 48-year-old Aaron Michael Lacy, of Nebraska City, NE, was arrested in Glenwood, for Theft in the 1st Degree (>$10,000). His bond was set at $10,000; 30-year-old Alfred James Hutchings, of Shenandoah, was arrested in Emerson, for Assault with intent – causing serious injury. Bond was set at $2,000.

On the 12th, Mills County Deputies arrested 31-year-old Paige Rae Wooley, of Omaha, on two counts – Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $4,000. And, on March 13th, 64-year-old Jeffrey Richard Pape, of Emerson, was arrested in Clarinda, on an out-of-state/county warrant. Bond was set at $2,000.

(Guthrie Center, IA) – Sheriff’s officials in Guthrie County say no injuries were reported following a collision Sunday evening between a car and a snow plow. The accident happened at around 5:45-p.m. on Iowa Highway 141 from Highway 4. The car, a 2005 Buick Lesabre driven by 43-year-old Troy H. Jorgensen, of Chelsea (IA) and the 2012 International snow plow with its warning lights activated, and driven by 33-year-old Alexander Ray Higgins, of Jefferson, were both traveling westbound on Highway 141, when the car hit the plow from behind.

The car came to rest on the road, while the truck stopped on the shoulder. Damage from the collision amounted to $11,000 altogether. Authorities said Jorgensen was not wearing his seat belt. The vehicle’s airbag deployed upon impact. Jorgensen was cited for Failure to maintain control.

(Creston, IA) – Officials with the Creston Police Department, today (Monday), said two people were arrested on separate OWI-related charges, Friday. At around 9:40-a.m., Creston Police Officers arrested 37-year-old Lisa Joanne Squibbs, of Afton. She was arrested at the Creston Law Enforcement Center on an Outside Agency Warrant for Operating While Under the Influence – 1st Offense, and a warrant for Failure to appear on an original, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, charge. Squibbs was taken to the Union County Jail where she posted bond totaling $1,300 and was released.

And, just before midnight, Friday, Creston Police arrested 47-year-old Genea Collaine Moore, of Des Moines, a the intersection of Highway 34 and Abell Street.  Moore was charged with OWI – 1st Offense. She was transported to the Union County Jail where she posted a $1,000 cash or surety bond before being released.

(Mount Ayr, IA) – The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on March 12th, of 58-year-old Randell Lee Osborn, of Tingley. He was taken into custody on an active Ringgold County warrant for Animal Neglect with Serious Injury or Death (an Aggravated Misdemeanor), and, Animal Neglect without injury/serious injury or death (Simple Misdemeanor). Bond was set at $2,300.

[UPDATED] (Atlantic, IA) – White out conditions and a glaze of ice on the roads caused multiple crashes on Interstate 80 in western Iowa late Sunday afternoon and evening, resulted in injuries and stranded motorists being ferried to shelter in Cass and area Counties. The Iowa State Patrol reports there were 61 crashes covered between 9-a.m. Sunday and 9-p.m. Nine of those accidents involved injuries, and 61 resulted in property damage. There was one fatality accident in Davis County. The Iowa Department of Transportation shut down Interstate 80 between West Des Moines and Council Bluffs, Sunday evening, and would later shut down the Interstate from Altoona eastward to Iowa City. I-35 was also closed between Ames and the Minnesota border.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says emergency services and law enforcement were kept very busy all night long.

Kennon said with the interstate having been closed, a number of vehicles remained in the ditches. He wasn’t sure how many cars and trucks were strewn about the ditches and median, but those motorists needed a place to stay and in some cases, receive medical treatment. The Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic was the designated shelter.

Officials in Cass County coordinated rescue services from a number of surrounding towns and counties, to transported multiple persons injured in the I-80 crash.

The YMCA guests were served a hot meal this (Monday) morning. Now, Kennon said, the trick is to get those motorists back to their vehicles once the roads re-open.

The accidents began being reported in Harrison County at around 3:45-p.m., when multiple vehicles piled-up between the 93 and 99 mile markers, Sunday. It wasn’t long after the snow began to fall and the winds began to gust, that the crashes began to occur on I-80 in Pottawattamie County near mile marker 30, and in Cass and Adair Counties, as the storm pushed eastward. An Iowa State Patrol cruiser was struck during one of the accidents. Prior to the statewide shutdown of I-80, the Interstate was blocked westbound near the Marne exit at around 4:45-p.m. due a multi-vehicle injury accident that reportedly included at least one semi. Separate crashes occurred not far from the initial accident site, and on I-80 in Adair County.

Overnight, winds gusted to 55-mph in Atlantic, 58-mph wind gusts were recorded in Spencer, Storm Lake, Algona and Creston yesterday (Sunday). The National Weather Service in Omaha reports a 64-mph gust was recorded near Villisca, Sunday. 61-mph gusts were reported near Council Bluffs and Emerson, and a 56-mph blast of wind occurred at the Harlan Airport.

(Radio Iowa) – Despite the snow, it’ll soon be spring and Iowans will need to take greater care when using a host of products inside their homes and outside in their yards to avoid accidental poisonings. Janna Day, spokeswoman for the Iowa Poison Control Center and a licensed practical nurse, says they handled nearly 24-thousand poisoning cases last year, with calls from all 99 counties. The most common call involved pain relievers, medications found in nearly every household. “That could be things like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, those types of things. It’s important to note that when you’re taking an over-the-counter medication, to just be mindful of how much you’re taking, what the correct dose is,” Day says, “and if you ever have questions, you can always call us.”

Of all the calls to the toll-free number last year from Iowans, she says more than half involved children. Day says the Sioux City-based center is offering a new communications feature on its website: Iowa Poison-dot-org. “We understand that there are some folks who would rather connect with us via a chat feature and so we have launched that and we are excited to be able to offer that to the public,” Day says. “You can go onto our website and chat with us. You will still get connected to one of our nurses or one of our pharmacists.” Without access to the Iowa Poison Control Center, a study found 78-percent of callers report they would have gone directly to a hospital emergency room.

By providing immediate expert assessment and follow-up care, Day says the center saves Iowans nearly 16-million dollars in healthcare costs every year. “If you call the Iowa Poison Control Center, oftentimes we can manage your case with you right at home and save you a trip to the emergency department or save your child a trip to the emergency department,” Day says. “We can help with those cases just right over the phone or right over our chat feature.”

Contacting the hotline is free, confidential, and available around the clock at 1-800-222-1222.