Author: Kadie Johannson

Great River Health has announced a change in leadership. President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Michael McCoy has stepped down effective immediately to devote his full attention to his family during a difficult time.

The Great River Health Board of Directors has appointed longtime Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Alexander as interim president and CEO while the board begins the process of selecting a permanent leader.

Dr. McCoy served as president and CEO for the past four years after spending decades as an OB/GYN in southeast Iowa, where he delivered thousands of babies and cared for families throughout the region. During his time leading Great River Health, he guided the organization through growth, transformation, and challenges while focusing on its mission of improving the health of the communities it serves.

Board Chair John McKillip thanked Dr. McCoy for his years of service, saying his impact extends far beyond the organization’s hospitals and clinics. McKillip also said the board’s thoughts and prayers are with Dr. McCoy and his family.

Alexander has served as Great River Health’s chief financial officer and has been a member of the executive leadership team for many years. He says he is honored by the board’s confidence and is committed to supporting employees, caring for patients, and continuing Great River Health’s mission of providing high-quality care throughout southeast Iowa and west-central Illinois.

Great River Health says, out of respect for Dr. McCoy’s family’s privacy, no additional information about his personal circumstances will be released.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors met Thursday to discuss several financial and administrative matters. Chair Chad White and Supervisor Marc Lindeen were present. Supervisor Steve Detrick was absent.

The board approved a resolution bringing the county into compliance with new Iowa requirements for public meeting notices and agenda postings under House File 2490.

The supervisors also approved an $11,000 intra-fund transfer to the Henry County Historic Preservation Commission. The commission’s fund balance had fallen to about ten dollars, and there are outstanding bills that need to be paid. The funds will be transferred from the Rural Services Fund at the beginning of the fiscal year, with the board and commission agreeing that this will likely be the practice moving forward.

Representatives from the Historic Preservation Commission thanked the supervisors for their support and said the commission is looking at ways to regularly communicate the benefits of historic preservation to county residents.

The board also approved a resolution addressing more than $2,000 in outstanding Fiscal Year 2025 warrants. Officials said this is a normal process used to clear the county’s books and cancel checks that were never cashed or deposited.

More discussion on the county treasurer’s Fiscal Year 2026 year-end report will come at a future meeting. Chair Chad White said Supervisor Detrick had several questions about the report, which have been provided to the Auditor’s Office so the information can be presented at the next meeting.

The supervisors also approved a $520 payment to All Makes for space allocation work.

The board discussed maintenance and service of the county’s generators. Generators are located at the courthouse, the former Sheriff’s Office at 106 East Clay Street, Henry County Public Health, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Henry County Jail. The county works with Cummins Sales and Service for annual inspections and required maintenance. Sheriff Rich McNamee is working with county maintenance to determine whether coordinating the service between departments could save time and money.

The county’s solid waste collector, All American Sanitation, is scheduled to appear at the August 6th Board of Supervisors meeting to provide a report on tonnage and other details related to the county dumpsite.

County Assessor Nathan Milks also provided an update on the county’s GIS services. Milks worked with Schneider to reduce the cost and adjust the level of services to better meet the county’s needs. The new contract is expected to save the county more than $25,000 and will cost about $35,200 annually. Milks said his Assessor’s department budget can absorb the cost on behalf of the county and the various departments that use the service.

Chair Chad White also told the board that Sheriff’s Deputy Carlos Lopez has applied for reimbursement of legal fees. A judge reviewed Lopez’s case and approved the request. Following passage of a state law allowing counties to reimburse legal fees for law enforcement officers who were improperly placed on the Brady-Giglio list, the county will now determine which fund will be used to pay the reimbursement. Click here for more information.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the Henry County Emergency Management building on West Washington Street in Mount Pleasant.

Great River Health employees showed their support during Donate Life Month in April by raising over $1,700 for the Iowa Donor Network. Bake sales were held at Henry County Health Center and Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center–Fort Madison. Employees baked and donated items, raising $1,400 at HCHC and $376.48 at Fort Madison, with all proceeds benefiting the Iowa Donor Network.

In addition to fundraising efforts, Great River Health campuses observed Donate Life Month by flying the Donate Life flag and providing educational materials and information to patients, visitors and employees. These activities helped raise awareness about the lifesaving impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation while honoring donors and donor families who make transplantation possible.

Donate Life Month is a national observance focused on educating the public about organ, eye, and tissue donation and encouraging donor registration. Iowa Donor Network is Iowa’s sole federally designated organ procurement organization, serving as the link between organ and tissue donors, healthcare professionals, donor families, and transplant recipients. The nonprofit organization educates Iowans about donation, supports donor families and coordinates organ and tissue donation throughout the state.

To become an organ, eye, and tissue donor with the Iowa Donor Network, click here.

There is new leadership at the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport in Burlington. Robert Ciszewski joined the airport as manager on July 1^st, taking over as Sara Sandburg prepares to retire.

Ciszewski brings extensive aviation experience, including airline and airport operations, station management and fixed-based operations. He also has leadership experience in multi-site operations, strategic growth, negotiations and workforce development.

Ciszewski is a U.S. Navy veteran and former aircraft electrician. He has also completed specialized training in areas including airport security, fire safety, HAZMAT and OSHA.

Outside of work, Ciszewski enjoys mentoring future leaders, traveling with his family and volunteering with veteran support organizations.

He says he is passionate about building strong teams and believes trust, clarity and accountability are key to long-term operational success.

Southeast Iowa Regional Airport welcomes Robert Ciszewski to the area and looks forward to his leadership as he takes on his new role.

A transportation improvement project in Burlington has received approval for state funding through the Iowa Department of Transportation’s RISE program.

The Iowa Transportation Commission approved up to $853,017 in RISE funding for the City of Burlington during its meeting Tuesday.

The funding will help with construction of a roundabout at the intersection of West Burlington Avenue and Division Street on the west side of Burlington.

According to the Iowa DOT, the project is designed to improve access to more than seven acres of land planned for industrial development.

The Revitalize Iowa’s Sound Economy, or RISE, program provides grants and other funding assistance to cities and counties for construction or improvements to public roadways that support economic development.

The Burlington project is expected to be completed by November 2027.

The Transportation Commission also approved a separate RISE project in Butler County, providing up to $360,000 to assist with paving improvements near Shell Rock to support an industrial expansion. Click here to view more from the Iowa DOT’s July 14 meeting.

Southeast Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks is among the lawmakers introducing legislation aimed at expanding hepatitis C testing and treatment across the country.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can cause serious liver damage, including cirrhosis and liver cancer, but it can be cured with medication when it is diagnosed and treated.

The Cure Hepatitis C Act of 2026 would establish a national Hepatitis C Elimination Program within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The bill would create a federal program to purchase hepatitis C treatments through agreements with drug manufacturers and provide those treatments without cost-sharing to certain covered populations. That would include eligible people without health insurance, some Medicaid and CHIP recipients in participating states, people receiving care through Indian Health Service programs, and certain current and recently released inmates.

The legislation would also provide grants to states, community health centers, tribal health programs, opioid treatment programs and correctional facilities to expand hepatitis C screening, diagnosis and treatment.

For Medicare Part D recipients, the bill would eliminate deductibles and other cost-sharing for hepatitis C antiviral medications beginning in 2028, although implementation could be delayed until 2029 if the federal government determines it is not feasible to begin in 2028.

The bill would provide billions of dollars in federal funding for the programs, including five-point-five billion dollars for the hepatitis C treatment subscription program and more than four-point-two billion dollars for public health activities, testing, outreach and related efforts.

The legislation has bipartisan support in Congress and has been introduced in the House. A companion bill has also been introduced in the Senate.

The bill would still need to move through Congress and be signed into law before any of its provisions could take effect. Read the proposed bill in its entirety here.

Stan and Martha Nelson of Des Moines County have been recognized with the Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig presented the award to the Nelsons during a ceremony July 9, 2026, at their family farm near Danville.

The Nelson family has farmed the land, known as Metairie, since 1894. The operation includes corn and soybean production, and over the years has included cattle, seed crops, popcorn, alfalfa, hay and wheat.

The Nelsons were recognized for their commitment to conservation and stewardship. Their farm uses practices including no-till farming, terraces, grassed waterways, buffer strips and cover crops.

The family has also participated in agricultural research and conservation demonstrations for decades. Their conservation leadership was recognized with the Iowa Farm Environmental Leadership Award in 2024.

In addition to their work on the farm, the Nelsons have been active in their church and community, and Stan has held leadership positions with several Iowa and national agricultural organizations.

Secretary Naig said the Nelsons have earned the respect of their neighbors through decades of hard work, integrity and service, and praised their commitment to responsible farming and environmental stewardship.

The Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award recognizes Iowa livestock farmers who care for the environment and their livestock while also being good neighbors and community leaders.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a manure release from an animal feeding operation south of Albia in Monroe County.

The DNR says it received multiple reports Friday morning of the release from a vacated manure storage basin located about six miles south of Albia. Field staff from the DNR’s Des Moines office have been on-site investigating.

Officials say the animal feeding operation had been vacant, but manure mixed with rainwater remained in the basin. The discharge has now stopped, but most of the contents from the basin emptied into Soap Creek, a tributary of the Des Moines River.

The DNR says the stream was dry at the point where the manure entered, but it now contains a mixture of water and manure. So far, officials have observed no impacts to aquatic life.

The agency says enforcement action will be determined once the investigation is complete. The public is being advised to avoid the area until conditions clear.