(Radio Iowa) – A southeast Iowa medical clinic will be closing its doors next month. MercyOne says it will stop seeing patients at its Ottumwa facility on February 27th. In a letter to patients, MercyOne says it will inform them of a medical record transfer to its clinic in Centerville or another facility of the patients’ choice. MercyOne says it must “strengthen its ministry by expanding access where possible and consolidate or relocate services where barriers exist.”

In a Facebook post, a MercyOne healthcare provider said the news was a shock to staff as they were informed just hours before the public. MercyOne’s Ottumwa location is a 33,000 square-foot facility that opened in 2017.

ATLANTIC, IA – Cass Health Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Matt Weresh, a distinguished physician with more than 30 years of service in Iowa, announced his retirement effective May 2026. Dr. Weresh will complete his final orthopedic surgeries at Cass Health during the first week of April.

Dr. Weresh relocated his practice to Cass Health in 2017 and has since provided expert care in a wide range of procedures, from complex hip and knee joint replacements to general surgeries. He was a pioneer in the region—the first orthopedic surgeon to serve central Iowa with specialty training in trauma and fracture care, areas which remained primary interests throughout his career. His impactful work has been published in several national articles and presented at numerous conferences in the fields of hip, knee, and general trauma/fracture care.

Dr. Matt Weresh (CCHS submitted photo)

“Dr. Weresh’s impact on orthopedic care in this region cannot be overstated,” said Brett Altman, Chief Executive Officer at Cass Health. “His expertise, particularly in trauma and joint replacement, has served our community exceptionally well. While we will deeply miss his contributions and dedication, we are well-prepared for this transition and excited to announce a significant expansion of our orthopedic capabilities to meet the growing needs of our patients. Thanks to Dr. Weresh pioneering the way, Cass Health will be offering our most robust orthopedic care with six 5-star professionals much like Dr. Weresh.”

Cass Health has been proactively planning for Dr. Weresh’s retirement and is expanding its orthopedic team to offer more comprehensive services. This strategic expansion ensures continuity of high-quality care and introduces new specialized expertise.

Currently, the orthopedic team includes Dr. Dan Hatz, Dr. Caliste Hsu, and Zachary Hollingsworth, PA-C. Dr. Hatz provides comprehensive orthopedic care including hip, knee, and shoulders. Dr. Hsu specializes exclusively in hand and microvascular procedures including carpal tunnel release, arthritis management, and traumatic injury repairs. Hollingsworth is a dedicated physician assistant to the orthopedic team, specializing in surgical and inpatient follow-up care, assisting in orthopedic and general surgeries, and coordinating comprehensive patient evaluation and clinical orders.

Cass Health also recently partnered with MD West ONE, the region’s largest private practice for orthopedics, neurosurgery, and spine care. Four physicians from MD West ONE will begin practicing at Cass Health in February 2026:

• Dr. Todd Sekundiak, Dr. Kimberly Turman, Dr. Charles Rosipal, and Dr. Jordan Lacy.
• Dr. Todd Sekundiak is a nationally recognized leader in joint replacement, who specializes in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgeries, including the innovative “Jiffy Knee” procedure.
• Dr. Kimberly Turman is an expert in arthroscopy and reconstructive surgery of the knee, shoulder, and hip, and has a particular passion for sports medicine.
• Dr. Charles Rosipal has advanced fellowship training in shoulder instability and rotator cuff repair.

Additionally, Neurosurgeon Dr. Jordan Lacy will return to Cass Health. Specializing in complex spine conditions, Dr. Lacy provides expert diagnostics and surgical procedures for back and neck health. “This next chapter of orthopedic care at Cass Health is really exciting for us and our patients. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Weresh’s service here, and we look forward to working with a team that continues his legacy of excellence,” said Altman.

(Red Oak, IA) – Police in Red Oak, today (Thursday) arrested a man on an active Montgomery County warrant. 65-year-old Terry Joe Halvin, of Red Oak, was taken into custody in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh St. at around 12:30-p.m. on the warrant for Probation Violation.

Halvin was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Ames, IA) – A man who authorities say failed to use a crosswalk, was struck by an SUV early this (Thursday) morning, in Ames. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 47-year-old Joshua Benjamin Kutcher, of Ames, was struck at around 4:14-a.m. by a 2020 Buick Enclave when he entered the traveled lanes in the 400 block of Duff Avenue. The SUV was traveling northbound when the collision occurred.

Kutcher was transported by ambulance to Des Moines Mercy Hospital. The accident remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – A particularly nasty flu season is peaking in Iowa and several hospitals in the state report admissions spikes and flooded emergency rooms. One Des Moines hospital even postponed all elective surgeries that require overnight stays. Brian Simmons, infection preventionist at Emplify Health by Gundersen, is urging Iowans to learn how to identify the key symptoms of the flu versus a cold so they’re not unnecessarily contributing to overcrowded E-Rs.

“The main difference when you’re looking at — do I have influenza, do I have the common cold — is going to be that fever, having a high fever or the chills or body aches,” Simmons says. “Usually if you have those body aches and a fever along with a sore throat, cough, runny nose, that seems to be more of having the influenza.” If there’s just a sore throat, runny nose and sneezing, it’s likely just a cold. While some areas are seeing a rise in cases of R-S-V and COVID-19, Simmons says colds and the flu seem to be the worst, at the moment.

“The best thing really to do if you get either one is stay home and rest,” Simmons says. “Stay hydrated, drink plenty of fluids, just lay low for a little bit and rest your body, let your body’s immune system take over and fight those illnesses.” The four UnityPoint hospitals in the Des Moines metro area report a tenfold increase in the number of patients testing positive for the flu in recent weeks, with several hundred cases confirmed since late December.

A C-D-C report says about 300-thousand Iowans get the flu every year and, along with complications from pneumonia, it kills about one-thousand of them each year.

Emplify Health by Gundersen has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Radio Iowa) – Federal health officials say an untold number of Iowans have gotten sick after using a weight loss powder that’s now subject of a nationwide recall. Reports say at least 45 people have come down with salmonella food poisoning in Iowa and 20 other states. The Associated Press says at least a dozen had to be hospitalized, but there were no deaths reported, and there’s no break-down by state.

The A-P story says the F-D-A and C-D-C attribute the poisonings to the Super Greens brand of diet supplement powder. Superfoods Inc., which makes Live it Up-brand Super Greens powder, is recalling some of its products. That includes the original and wild berry flavors with expiration dates of August 2026 to January 2028.

Related illnesses are reported in 21 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

(Radio Iowa) – G-O-P activists in two Iowa counties are rising to the defense of Republican Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City, one of a dozen senators who refused to vote on budget bills last year until carbon pipeline restrictions were debated in the senate. The legislature’s website shows Campbell has been removed from all five senate committees he served on last year. John Rosenfeld is chairman of the Cerro Gordo County Republicans — in Senator Campbell’s home county.

“He was stripped of his committee assignment on Health and Human Services. He’s a retired pharmacist,” Rosenfeld said. “His knowledge is vital not only for the residents of Senate District 30, but also the residents of the state of Iowa.” The Republican Party of Cerro County has passed a resolution urging Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh to reconsider Campbell’s removal from senate committees. The Plymouth County Republican Party — in northwest Iowa — has also passed a resolution accusing Klimesh of what it calls “a brazen act of political retribution” against Campbell.

Don Kass is chairman of Plymouth County Republicans. “Who do you work for, Mr. Klimesh? Do you work for the people of Iowa or do you work for Bruce Rastetter? Answer the question,” Kass said. “Let us know who you actually work for because this is outrageous.” Rastetter owns Summit Carbon Solutions, the company planning to build a pipeline to collect carbon from Midwest ethanol plans. A spokesperson for Senator Klimesh was not immediately available for comment.

Senator Campbell gave a brief speech on the Senate floor yesterday (Wednesday), but did not mention he’d been stripped of all committee assignments. Instead, Campbell quoted from the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution in explaining his opposition to the use of eminent domain for the pipeline. “Citizens of the United States have the rights to free property ownership, not encumbered by unconstitutional government interventions,” Campbell said. It apears three other senators who pressed for a pipeline bill last year have had changes in their committee assignments, but are still serving on senate committees.

Senator David Sires, a Republican from Waterloo, posted a statement on Facebook about his removal from one of the committees he served on last year. Sires says under Senate rules, committee slots can be used as rewards or punishments — and Sires says “sometimes doing the right thing comes with consequences, but in my book standing up for the constitution and the rights of Iowans is always worth it!”

Senators Kevin Alons of Salix and Sandy Salmon of Janesville are the other senators impacted by removal from committees, but they still have committee assignments for the 2026 legislative session.

(Atlantic, IA) –  The Atlantic Police Department has issued a report on arrests occurring between Dec. 10, 2025 and Jan. 11, 2026. All subjects were arrested and taken the the Cass County Jail.

1/11/26: Paytyn Klahn, 19 of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference With Official Acts, Possession of Contraband in a Correctional Facility, and Violation of a No Contact Order; And, Jesse Carlton, 25 of Audubon, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts and Violation of a No Contact Order.

1/10/26: Jeremiah Jacob, 45 of Atlantic, was arrested for Harassment 3rd Degree; Jessica Blumberg, 38 of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense and Attempted Burglary 1st Degree.

1/4/26: Patrick Lockard, 35 of Atlantic, was arrested for Driving While License Denied of Revoked.

1/3/26: Yunier Suarez-Rodriguez, 38 of Oakland, was arrested in Atlantic for OWI 1st Offense.

12/30/25: Benard Mcgee, 24 of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Burglary 2nd Degree.

12/28/25: The following were arrested in Atlantic – Franklin Deion, 20 of Atlantic, for Possession of Paraphernalia and Harassment 1st Degree; Zachary Watkins, 46 of Atlantic, for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts; and Mason Jordan, 21 of Atlantic, for Domestic Abuse 1st offense.

12/18/25: Mixon Founa, 30 of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI 1st Offense.

12/16/25: Tiffany Ray, 35 of Atlantic was arrested on a Pott. County Warrant; Nathan Johnson, 46 of Atlantic, Keeping Vehicle or Premises for Controlled Substance,  Possession of Controlled Substance 3rd of Subsequent Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Gathering where Controlled Substances are used, and Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive weapon by a Felon.

12/15/25: Jeff Knight, 38 of Atlantic, Public Intoxication.

12/13/25: Taylor Montgomer, 21 of Atlantic, Assault Causing Serious Injury.

12/12/25: Alex Keeler, 19 of Clarinda, Violation of a No Contact Order.

12/11/25: Milton Etomara, 31 of Atlantic, Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury.

12/10/25: Alex Keeler, 19 of Clarinda, Harboring a runaway; Nathan Johnson, 46 of Atlantic, Domestic Abuse 3rd of Subsequent, False Imprisonment, Harassment 3rd Degree, and Obstructing Emergency Communication; Dorothy Tatashy, 35 of Atlantic, Assault Causing Bodily Injury.

The A-PD reports also, 19-year-old Caleb Fulk, of Atlantic, was cited into court on Jan. 11th, for OWI/1st Offense.