HARLAN — A Harlan man convicted in the murder of an Earling woman was sentenced Wednesday to a maximum of 50 years in prison.Winston “Joe” Joseph Leal, 34, was originally charged with first degree murder for the death of Theresa Kenkel in late July. Her body was found when Deputies went to conduct a requested welfare check on her at her residence. Leal plead guilty to a lesser charge of Second-Degree Murder.

HARLAN — Chief Executive Officer, Barry Jacobsen, will be retiring at the end of the year, and Myrtue Medical Center proudly acknowledges his nearly three decades of leadership.

HARLAN — Children of all ages enjoyed a bounty of family fun in downtown Harlan Saturday at the 24th Annual Harlan Harvest Fest Celebration.Attendees enjoyed a $1 movie, games, food, and fun, all provided by local businesses and the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce & Industry.Pictured: Hansen House provided train rides around the square throughout the event.

HARLAN — Members of the Shelby County Plant Iowa Committee, the City of Harlan, and the Harlan FFA joined together to plant 33 trees in Harlan city parks Wednesday, October 15.Funding for the trees was provided through the “Trees for Kids” grant, a program run by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

SHELBY COUNTY — The Shelby County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the wages of the county death investigators and the county medical examiner, effective in Fiscal Year 2027 at the Tuesday, October 7 board meeting. Jenny Lefeber of Myrtue Medical Center presented the proposed wage increases to the Board.

SHELBY COUNTY — A woman charged as an accessory in the death of an Earling resident has entered a guilty plea. According to online court records, 35-year-old Ashley Elizabeth McWilliams waived her rights and pleaded guilty Friday, October 3.

HARLAN —Harlan Community School District celebrated homecoming last week.

HARLAN — The Harlan City Council voted to increase the wages of waste water treatment employees during the regular meeting held Tuesday, October 7.Upon recommendation from the Personnel & Finance Committee, the council approved a $2 per hour wage increase pending the Union Agreement.

HARLAN — The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying those responsible for extensive vandalism perpetrated over the weekend on the restroom at Pioneer Park in Harlan.Due to the extent of the damage, the City of Harlan has announced that the park’s restroom will be closed for the season effective immediately.Anyone with information with regard to the vandalism is urged to contact the Shelby County She

HARLAN – September is Suicide Prevention Month. While 1 in 20 U.S. adults have serious thoughts of suicide each year, many people struggle to talk openly about suicide- either sharing their own thoughts or reaching out to someone who might be struggling. Talking about suicide isn’t harmful — silence is.

 MANNING — Voters in the IKM-Manning School District will decidethe fate of a nearly $20 million general obligation bond referendumin the Tuesday, November 4 election.If approved, the referendum would fund an elementary addition andother renovations at the current 4th–12th grade building in Manning, aswell as the construction of an all-weather track.The proposed projects are intended to modernize facilities, enhancesafety, and improve learning

ELK HORN — After sixteen years of dedicated service, Tova Brandt will conclude her tenure as Executive Director of the Museum of Danish America October 31, 2025.Tova began her career at the museum as the Albert Ravenholt Curator of Danish-American Culture in 2009 and stepped into the role of Executive Director in 2020.

HARLAN — Fall family fun will fill downtown Harlan on Saturday, October 25, during the 24th Annual Harvest Fest celebration.“It’s amazing that this is the 24th year, and the Harvest Fest committee is really looking forward to October 25,” said committee member Lori Christensen.Cornstalks donated by Farm Service Co-op were placed around the square on October 16 to mark the harvest season.Events will kick off at 9:30 a.m.

SPENCER — Jeffrey Gross andthe HCHS girls cross country teamhave qualified for the State CrossCountry Championship.Gross placed seventh at theClass 3A Iowa High School CrossCountry State Qualifying Meet inSpencer on Wednesday.The HCHS girls’ team finishedsecond, qualifying as a team forthe state meet.

HARLAN — The Harlan Community School District continues to demonstrate excellence across multiple measures in the recently released 2025 Iowa School Performance Profiles, significantly outperforming state averages in key academic and readiness indicators.According to the Iowa Department of Education report, Harlan students achieved strong results in core academic areas: Math proficiency: 77.21% (State average: 70.93%) English Language Arts pro