KIRKMAN -- The repaired/renovated entrance gate at Rose Hill Cemetery was installed Wednesday, Sept. 22.  The restoration was done by Matt Bartelson, Bar T Welding, of Irwin.    Pictured above (l to r) -- Danny Mickelson, Keith Fiscus, Douglas Twp. Trustees; Terry Fiscus. former trustee;  Mike Norris, Fire Chief, Douglas Twp Fire Protection, all of Kirkman area; and Matt Bartelsen, Bar T Welding, Irwin.

    AVOCA -- Ashley Branstetter on flute with the AHSTW Band during a recent football game vs. Southwest Valley.  The Marching Vikings performed pre-game, including the Star Spangled Banner and school song.

    HARLAN -- As part of the continuing “2 Artists 2 Weekends” series, The Brick Wall Gallery in Harlan will feature works from Iowa artists Kimberly Piro (Harlan), and Lee Shiney (Arcadia).    The exhibit began with an opening reception Thursday, Sept. 30 from 5-8 p.m.    The complete list of dates and times are:    • Thursday, Sept. 30, 5-8 p.m.    • Friday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.    • Saturday, Oct. 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.    • Sunday, Oct.

    HARLAN – Faith Family Church is proposing to purchase the former Shopko building in southwest Harlan, and sell its current location along Chatburn Ave. to a retail buyer.    A public hearing regarding the measure, which would require re-zoning the area to allow for churches, chapels, schools and day cares, will be held at the Tuesday, Oct. 5 city council meeting.    The Shopko building currently sits in a B-3 zone.

    HARLAN – All students are being required to wear a face covering when transported by a school official in a school vehicle, under a new directive sent to staff and families in the Harlan Community Schools.    Superintendent of Schools Jenny Barnett said in an email that the new masking information for school transportation comes following a sanction from the Department of Education received by HCS, after complaints targeting Harlan Communi

    HARLAN -- The anticipation is building for National 4-H Week, during which millions of youth, parents, volunteers, and alumni across the country will be celebrating everything 4-H.    Shelby County 4-H will observe National 4-H Week this year by showcasing the incredible experiences that 4-H offers young people and will highlight the remarkable 4-H youth in the community who work each day to make a positive impact on those around them.    

    HARLAN – Harlan residents will be getting a private informational letter in the mail soon from two individuals supporting the sale of the Harlan Municipal Utilities communications utility.    Mike and Aaron Anliker took it upon themselves to develop the piece, with hopes that residents will realize the financial difficulties the communications utility is facing and that a sale is a positive move.    It’s an approximate $1,350 expense the A

Shelby County tied for second in Iowa -- among the highest seven-day COVID-19 positivity rates at 18%. Monroe County is 20%. Dickinson County also 18%. According to http://coronavirus.iowa.gov.

    HARLAN -- Congratulations to Harlan Community’s 2021 Homecoming King Kemper Gorden and Queen Claire Schmitz, who were crowned on Friday afternoon.  Gorden and Schmitz rode in Friday’s Homecoming parade along with crownbearers Dilynn Eggerss and Hayden Lyon.

    REGIONAL -- Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone of Harlan (FMCTC) was notified on September 14 that it would be awarded $609,539 and $50,601 from the State of Iowa as part of the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband grant initiative to complete two projects.    The larger of the two projects is to expand service to underserved customers in the rural areas around Aspinwall.

    HARLAN -- Issues plaguing most Harlan businesses are also impacting the Harlan Municipal Utilities (HMU): staffing and supply chain issues.    Staffing at the water department was discussed at length during Thursday’s Harlan Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees meeting as the difficulty in recruiting and retaining employees meant the utilities began to re-examine its work schedule there.    In the past few years, two people rotated workin

    MANNING – Two days following the defeat of a $19.95 million bond referendum, the IKM-Manning School Board voted unanimously in a special meeting Thursday, Sept. 16 to proceed with a new solution to address critical, current facilities needs.    The IKM-Manning Board approved a resolution calling for an election to impose a voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL) tax not to exceed $1.34 per $1,000 taxable valuation.

    HAWARDEN – Patty Anderson remembers when her community decided to be forward-thinking and bring locally-owned telecommunications utility competition to Hawarden.    It was 1993, and she was a long-term government employee and the first Hawarden Telecommunications Manager who became part of the movement to develop HITEC as a telecom option for local residents in this northwest Iowa town.    “In 1993, 63 percent of the voters came out to vot

Congratulations to Harlan Community's 2021 Homecoming King Kemper Gorden and Queen Claire Schmitz, who were crowned on Friday afternoon.
Gorden and Schmitz rode in Friday's Homecoming parade along with crownbearers Dilynn Eggerss and Hayden Lyon. (Photo by Mike Oeffner)

HARLAN -- Harlan Community High School students had a blast at Merrill Field Thursday night during the annual Powderpuff football game and pep rally.
The Red team beat the White team 6-0 in the Powderpuff game as Kaia Bieker scored the only touchdown on the final play from scrimmage.