HARLAN — A group of South Sudanese refugees have found their homes in Harlan and a place to belong  at Immanuel Lutheran Church.
“It’s a quiet town,” said Tino Ngelo. “It’s close to the city. I like the community. It’s been very welcoming.”

Harlan – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Shelby County office will host a Pest Control Operators Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The program provided by the ISU Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) can be seen at office locations across Iowa.

HARLAN — HCHS has welcomed four new teachers this year, and today we introduce one of them: Mr. Gebel, the school’s new English teacher.
A graduate of OABCIG High School, Mr. Gebel was active in cross country, track and field, theater, and speech. He initially double-majored in biology and chemistry at the University of Northern Iowa, but after a few changes in direction, he found his path in Communication Theatre Teaching.

HARLAN — Blood donors recently hit milestone donations at the Red Cross Blood Drive held at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Harlan Tuesday.
 Jan Wilwerding has donated 23 gallons; Sue Smith, program co-ordinator, has donated 20 gallons; Alice Kenkel donated 13 and Leo Kenkel has donated 12 gallons, making a combined total of 68 gallons of blood donated.

HARLAN — After three years of rigorous academic study, philosophical inquiry, and scholarly contribution, Dr. Dan Schumacher, a dedicated Chiropractor serving the Shelby County community, has been awarded the Diplomat of Chiropractic Philosophical Standards (DPhCS) degree – one of the most esteemed honors in the Chiropractic profession. 

HARLAN —A beloved holiday tradition is making its long-awaited comeback as the 1st Annual Deck the Homes Light Competition invites residents to rekindle the magic of Christmas City. Community members are encouraged to bundle up, sip hot chocolate, and tour the town to enjoy the glittering lights and festive displays that have long defined the season.

by Renée Brich,
Managing Editor
SHELBY COUNTY — Shelby and Story counties have received written support from the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) and a group of preemption law professors in their request for U.S. Supreme Court review of their case involving Summit Carbon Solutions.

HARLAN — HCHS News returned as a class to Harlan Community High School this year. This class was originally created back in 2008 with the goal of creating fun and informational videos about the school. Unfortunately, the school district had to cut some classes after the 2009/10 school year and HCHS News was one of them.

HARLAN — Construction of Harlan’s Grandma B’s Dream Playground at Harlan’s Pioneer Park is well underway, and while recent warm weather has allowed crews to continue working this fall, city officials said the playground likely will not open until spring.

COUNCIL BLUFFS — Two Harlan Community Middle School Mock Trial teams competed in the regional competition held at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs November 7. 

SHELBY COUNTY — The Shelby County Community Foundation has awarded $39,531 in grants to local nonprofit organizations and community projects as part of its Fall 2025 grant cycle.

SHELBY COUNTY — The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday November 12 and Tuesday, November 18 and canvassed the results of the November 4,2025 City/School Election.
The Supervisors, which consists of Bryce Schaben, Mike Kolbe, and Charles Parkhurst unanimously voted to certify the following results.  
Official city results
City of Earling Mayor – Janice A. Gaul

SHELBY COUNTY — A woman who plead guilty to being an Accessory After the Fact in connection with the death of an Earling resident was sentenced Monday, November 17 in Shelby County District Court.

HARLAN — Hansen House is proud to announce the launch of its newest innovation in tenant engagement: all-electric carriages. Owners Rick Hansen and Bill McCarty recently hosted a special event where tenants became the first to experience these modern carriages, marking a significant milestone in the facility’s Life Enrichment Programing.

NATIONWIDE — As of Wednesday, a penny saved is more than just a penny earned — it’s a piece of history.
The United States Mint hosted a ceremonial strike event Nov. 12 at its Philadelphia facility, where U.S. Treasurer Brandon Beach struck the final circulating one-cent coin. The event marked the official end of the penny’s 232-year run as a circulating coin.