HARLAN – Patrons in the Harlan Community School District have offered their opinions on the most desired qualifications they’d like to see in a new superintendent of schools.    In a stakeholder survey offered for 10 days last month, district patrons said being approachable, accessible and welcoming, as well as demonstrating ethics and integrity, were the most important characteristics when considering superintendent candidates.    Trent G

    HARLAN -- Volunteers have donated their time to put up the holiday decorations on the downtown courthouse grounds in recent weekends.    The display lights up the downtown and can be seen each night through the Christmas season.

    HARLAN – Harlan Pharmacy has been selected to serve as a COVID-19 patient self-swab collection site for Harlan, providing no-cost testing for eligible patients.    The Health Mart pharmacy is partnering with eTrueNorth, a contractor for the U.S.

    COUNTY – Long-term care facilities in Iowa continue to see additional outbreaks of COVID-19, including in Shelby County where the state is reporting Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan and Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn with a combined 127 positive cases, 11 of which have been reported in the last 14 days.    In Iowa, 155 long-term care facilities have had outbreaks.

By Bob Bjoin,Managing Editor    COUNTY – The COVID-19 pandemic has forced local officials to make the difficult decision to cancel a number of holiday events for safety reasons, including the annual Welcome to the Holidays celebration originally slated for this weekend.    Todd Valline, executive director of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said with COVID-19, the communities in Shelby County are unable to do many of the t

    HARLAN -- The city’s Josh Travis works to trim branches off the bottom of the official Shelby County Christmas tree on the courthouse square last week.  The tree this year was donated by Tim and Kristi Pederson, and will light up the east side of the square beginning this weekend.

    COUNTY – No masks mandated, but they’re still requested.    The Shelby County Board of Supervisors in special session Tuesday, Nov.

    REGIONAL – The annual holiday adoption program continues this week with 16 needy families on the adoption list with many already adopted.    Administration of the adoption program is being handled by West Central Community Action, and the Harlan Newspapers remains actively involved in promoting and publicizing the adoptions.    Dena Briones, adoption coordinator for WCCA, said she recognizes the holidays can be a tough time for people, esp

    CEDAR FALLS — An unforgettable Harlan Community football season ended in the Class 3A state championship game Thursday night, Nov.

    HARLAN – COVID-19 hospitalizations at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan as well as in the Omaha metro area are increasing to the point where medical officials are asking local residents to take public health guidelines seriously, to mitigate the risk of full hospitals and unavailable patient beds.    While Myrtue Medical currently has an average daily census of 10-15 patients in its critical access, 25-bed hospital, half of those this week a

Tough game for the Cyclones Thursday, but how about this Saturday morning? A Cyclone Cloud....

We'll be back next year!

Thanks to Tony Hough for this awesome photo!

    REGIONAL -- The Iowa Western Community College Board of Trustees unanimously approved the hiring of Dr. Daniel Kinney as the fourth president of the storied institution during a meeting Nov. 16.    Kinney, who served 11 years as president of Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, replaces his father, Dr. Dan Kinney, who is retiring after serving 26 years as president.

    COUNTY – Face coverings are now mandatory for visitors doing business in county-owned buildings, and employees, under a policy unanimously approved by the Shelby County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning, Nov.

     STATE – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday signed a new Public Health Disaster proclamation that imposes a number of additional public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including further mask requirements for Iowans.    The new measures became effective at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, November 17 and will continue until 11:59 p.m.

    CEDAR FALLS (Nov. 19) -- An unforgettable Harlan Community football season ended in the Class 3A state championship game Thursday night as the Cyclones fell to a talented North Scott team, 30-6, at the UNI-Dome.
    The game was tied 6-6 at the half following a thrilling 58-yard TD connection between Cyclone sophomores Teagon Kasperbauer and Aidan Hall with :01 left in the second quarter.