HARLAN – The Harlan Community Schools was placed on lockout Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8, as local law enforcement aided a suicidal subject with a gun at a home near the intermediate building on 19th St.    Harlan Police report they were called to the Harlan address at approximately 12:30 p.m. and secured the scene.  Due to the proximity of the incident to the school, all schools were notified and secured the buildings.

    KINGWOOD, TX -- Captain J. Kerry Boltinghouse dreamed about being an airline pilot at a very young age.    “I always wanted to fly as long as I can remember. I was about 4 when I thought the contrails overhead were caused by the airplanes flying so high they were scratching the sky.

    STATE -- Iowa has updated the positive case analysis dashboard on coronavirus.iowa.gov to include new data for total tests, in addition to individuals tested, providing the public more comprehensive testing data that more clearly illustrates recent virus activity and testing volume.

    COUNTY – The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges throughout 2020.  Nowhere is it more apparent than in the need for continued giving for the most needy during the Christmas season.    With the arrival of the holidays, Shelby County residents know it is time for the annual appearance of the Salvation Army bell ringing campaign, and this year donations are even more important to help those who may have lost employment during the past ye

    HARLAN -- As temperatures drop and campers wane, Prairie Rose State Park employees Brianna Martens, park manager, and Brent Martens, park technician, no relation, are able to finish projects such as burning the wood species they collect during the year that are not native to the prairie.

    COUNTY – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) has announced that the destructive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has been detected for the first time in Shelby County.     The invasive, tree-killing pest was collected from trees recently in Shelby.  EAB is a significant threat to all species of ash trees, infesting and killing both stressed and healthy trees.    The destructive wood-boring pest tunnels just beneath the b

    HARLAN – Motorists traveling in the vicinity of 4th and Main Sts.

    COUNTY – The first round of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc.

    HARLAN – Harlan Community Schools’ holiday concerts are going virtual this year, in a time when safety protocols to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19 are being implemented, but students still are able to participate in most co-curricular activities in the district.    Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone Company (FMCTC) will be recording the high school portion of the annual band and vocal concert on December 7.  Harlan Municipal Utili

    HARLAN -- Myrtue Medical Center has received the Mission: Lifeline® Gold Referring Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association for the treatment of patients who suffer severe heart attacks.    Myrtue is the first Critical Access Hospital in the state of Iowa to receive this elite cardiac care designation.    This is the second year in a row that the American He

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Compensation Board has recommended a three percent, across-the-board raise for elected officials for the 2021-22 fiscal year, a number the county’s board of supervisors approved this week, except for themselves.    The supervisors voted unanimously to give themselves a lower two percent raise, but approved the compensation board’s recommendation of three percent for all other elected officials.  
 

STATE -- A priest who served Shelby County parishes back in the 1980s, the Rev. Robert “Bud” Grant, will return to ministry with restrictions and supervision, following an investigation into an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor.    Evidence gathered during the investigation established the allegation did not meet the criteria necessary to take to the Vatican for further review or canonical trial.
 

  HARLAN -- While the COVID-19 pandemic may have led to the cancelation of the annual downtown holiday lighting ceremony, the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce & Industry decided to bring Santa Claus to the residents of Harlan Saturday, Nov. 28.  The Santa Cruise wound its way through town, with the big guy waving to kids and adults throughout the community, ringing in the Christmas season.

    HARLAN – Students and staff in the Harlan Community Schools have begun wearing masks full-time while in the classroom this week to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.    In an update to district patrons last week, HCS Superintendent of Schools Lynn Johnson said health experts suggest the next couple of months may prove difficult due to the holidays and the mix of influenza and COVID-19.

    HARLAN -- The Myrtue Medical Center Board of Trustees has approved additional compensation to all employees of Myrtue Medical Center during the COVID-19 pandemic.    Effective with the pay period which began November 22, any active employee at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan will be eligible to receive hazard pay for at least through eight pay period weeks which ends January 16, 2021.