A new CEO has been elected to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. During a brief, special session this (Wednesday) morning, the CCMH Board of Trustees unanimously selected Todd Hudspeth to succeed retiring CEO Pat Markham, whose 29-year career ends January 17th. Hudspeth, who brings more than 15-years of experience as a CEO in critical access hospitals, will take over as CEO at CCMH, on January 20th.

Todd Hudspeth, MBA, FACHE

CCMH Board Chair Ned Brown said the Board is “Confident (Hudspeth’s) expertise and leadership are just what (is needed) to guide (the) health system through the many challenges facing the healthcare industry today, and in the years to come. Hudspeth was selected from more than 100 applicants for the position, which Brown says reflects on “The positive reputation of the CCHS workforce and facilities.”

Hudspeth was most recently the President and CEO of Jamestown Regional Medical Center, a 25-bed regional hospital in Jamestown, ND. Prior to serving there, he was CEO at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. He’s also served as CEO at the Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center. His other experiences include positions at the Storz Cancer Institute at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha, and at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Hudspeth graduated from ISU in 1989 with a BS in Industrial Engineering. He also received a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska. He is board certified in healthcare management, and in 2007, became a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Todd Hudspeth and his soon to be wife Jessica, along with two of her five sons will relocate to Atlantic, with Jessica and her boys moving here at the end of the school year. The boys will be in the sixth and fourth grades next fall.

There were few surprises in locally contested races during Tuesday’s City Elections in the KJAN listening area. In Atlantic, where the voter turnout amounted to a little more than 5-percent of the registered voters, there were no contested races. There was however one write-in for the Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors. Erin McFadden was elected to the Board, along with announced candidate Charlene Beane. McFadden received 57 votes.

In Anita, where two candidates had filed to run for 3 seats on the City Council, there were four write-in candidates. Incumbent Dennis Zimmerman was re-elected to the Council, along with Mark Harris, and write-in Wade Jessen. In Cumberland, Incumbent Mayor Nancy Virginia Coughlin was re-elected after receiving 21 votes. Write-in Kim Bagshaw received just two votes, Tuesday. And, two incumbents, Gary Cooper and Douglas C. Neiner, were re-elected to the Cumberland City Council, along with a write-in, Mike Martin, who received 15 votes.

In Griswold, Incumbent Jared Wyman was re-elected to the City Council, along with Barry Moore. Voters in Lewis re-elected incumbents Matt Klein and Marilyn Mundorf, who were unopposed. In Marne, Randy Baxter was re-elected as Mayor, with Barb Fischer having received two votes. Elected to the City Council in Marne, were incumbents Alan Cranston, Randy Henningsen and Angela Redler. Joining them is Randy L. Fischer and Lori Holste. Voters in Massena elected Jackson Bissell and Doug Venteicher to the City Council, where there were four people running for two open seats.

In Wiota, incumbent Mayor J. Ford Lillard was re-elected, with 25 votes. Write-in candidate Jeff Schaaf received just two votes. Incumbents Kathryn Havens and Deanna Spry were re-elected to the Wiota City Council, where there were three seats open. Joining them will be Jeff Lillard, who received 16 votes. Lillard narrowly defeated write-in Steven Hayes, who had 15 votes. Lamar Spies received 14.

Voters in the City of Adair elected John M. Larson as their Mayor by a slim margin, Tuesday. Larsen received 152 votes. Challenger Dennis Weigel received 145 votes. In Bridgewater, where no candidate had filed for Mayor, a write-in, Steve Frese was elected, after receiving 17 votes. Two other write-in candidates, Dean Griffith and Marlo Smith, were elected to the City Council in Bridgewater, and Merrill Bower, another write-in, was elected to fill a vacancy seat on the Council.

In Fontanelle, where no one had filed to run for Mayor, Nathan Jensen, a write-in, received 13 votes, while Scott Homan, another write-in candidate, received 9. Elected to the City Council in Fontanelle, was Ron Reed and Jim Warrior. In the City of Greenfield, Robert Guikema and write-in Willard Olesen, were elected to the Park Board.

In Adams County, a write-in candidate, Dwight Sunderman, was elected Mayor in Carbon over two other men. In Corning, Courtney Turnis was elected Mayor over three other candidates. In Nodaway incumbents Hartford Cooper, Christine Dunn, Becky Poen, Gary Poen and Christine Wiechman were re-elected to fill 5 open seats on the City Council.

In Audubon County, Jason Hocker, Teresa Murray and Thomas R. Nielsen were elected to the City Council in Audubon. In Gray, write-in candidate Bryan Olsen was elected Mayor, while Brandon Bruch and Joan Cramer were elected to the City Coucil At-Large seats. Voters in Exira elected Dwight Jessen and Jeff Jensen to At Large seats on the City Council, and Robert Sorensen, who will fill a vacancy At-Large position on the Council.

In Guthrie County, Jamie Galivan, Deanna Gibson and Ruth Riley were elected to the City Council in Bagley, while Gary Allen Long, Ben Sease and Tom Wardyn were elected to the Council in Bayard. In Casey, Marilyn Harden and Robbi Sneller were elected to the City Council. Voters in Guthrie Center chose Randy Nickel and Dennis Patrick for 2 open seats on the City Council, and in Menlo, Larry Jacobsen and Briane Wolfe were elected to serve on the City Council.

In Pottawattamie County, voters in Carson elected Donnie Hendricks, Adam Houser and Timothy Todd to the City Council. In Macedonia, Eileen Adickes was elected Mayor and Susan Goos, along with Gary Wax, were elected to the City Council. In Neola, Scott Brooks was elected Mayor. And in Walnut, Dennis Hullinger, Robert Kreeger and Sue Shepherd were elected to the City Council.

Other area election results are available under the News tab at kjan.com.

Police in Red Oak say a woman from Missouri Valley was arrested Tuesday on fraud and drug charges, following an investigation into bad checks written at two Red Oak businesses. 48-year old Delise Renee Steadman was arrested at the United Farmers Mercantile in Red Oak, after officers responded to a call about a woman writing checks on a closed account at the Mercantile.

Officials say Steadman allegedly wrote six checks at the United Farmers Mercantile and five checks at the Cubby’s Store in Red Oak. The checks amounted to a little more than $660. 

Steadman was taken into custody on 11 counts of Fraudulent Practices in the 3^rd Degree. While the woman was being searched, officers discovered a pipe used to consume illegal controlled substances. Steadman was subsequently charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.