HARLAN – The Harlan Community Schools is reporting its first cases of COVID-19 among its students.
Unofficially, it’s noted that there have been as many as six cases in total in the district.

HARLAN – Tonight’s homecoming football contest at Harlan Community may seem a little leaner in the number of total fans in attendance as the school district works to implement updated guidance from the Shelby County Board of Health geared to keep students, staff and the community safer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    REGIONAL -- Two area high school seniors have been notified this week that they are semi-finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program®.    Jack Klitgaard, a senior at Harlan Community High School, and Benjamin Wessel, a senior at AHSTW (Avoca), are two of 16,000 semifinalists in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, as announced by program officials Wednesday, Sept.

    COUNTY -- For the first time in months, it rained substantially in Shelby County over an extended period of time.    For the crops in extreme drought-ridden western central Iowa, it’s likely too little, too late.    Official tallies for Harlan show 2.38 inches of rain during the week.  For the year, Harlan remains 10.29 inches below normal in precipitation.    Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said as fall approaches, corn silage and

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Area Solid Waste Agency is sponsoring its annual free cleanup crew event for residents wishing to dispose of household hazardous waste from their homes.      The event will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 9-11 a.m.

The title of this column is one of those sayings I would use often but had never tied to my faith until moving to Harlan last week.The first time I should have realized it, I was sitting in a pew struggling to decide between a $7.25/hour reporter job in Roswell, NM, or a salaried manager position with an up-and-coming coffee franchise.

• District moves ahead with Board of Health requests
• Includes additional safety protocols at FB games, including limiting tickets
• Speakers disappointed in homecoming cancellations and mask requirements.
SEE NA for full articles, available tomorrow afternoon.

Due to unforeseen circumstances and with health & safety in mind, a collective decision to postpone flag football has been made.

    COUNTY – Shelby County has applied to receive $16,000 in state funding as reimbursement for COVID-19 pandemic-related election expenses for the November general election.    Shelby County Auditor and Election Commissioner Mark Maxwell said this week that the monies come from the state through the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act.    Maxwell said each county in Iowa is eligible for $

    HARLAN -- Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig made a stop in Harlan Thursday, Sept. 10 as part of his 99-county tour of the state.    Naig (right) visited with Howard Lansman at Nelson Farm Supply about the ag economy and about how COVID-19 is affecting local businesses.    He also learned about Nelson Farm Supply’s expanded location on the east side of Harlan.

Full Statement from the District:

September 14th Spartan Football Update for Friday September 18th.

Dear Students, Staff, Parents, and Community Members:

As a school district we want to abide by legal and privacy issues while still informing our communities about COVID-19 and positive cases and exposure in our area and school district.

Can't say enough about the Harlan Community High School Cyclone Marching Band! Sounded awesome Friday night!
Watch the Harlan Newspapers for more HCHS band news over the coming month!

CONGRATULATIONS! to this year's homecoming candidates at Harlan Community High School!

Front L to R -- Jocelyn Cheek, Ashley Hall, Kylie Albertsen, Kennedy Kjergaard and Justine Buman. Back L to R -- Trey Gross, Wyatt Muenchrath, Isaiah Ahrenholtz, Jacob Schechinger and Jordan Schechinger.

    HARLAN – The City of Harlan learned this week it is named an All-Star Community Award winner by the Iowa League of Cities for its Harlan Plaza Development in south Harlan that includes Bomgaars, The Buck Snort Restaurant, The Baymont Inn and Harlan Dental.    In a Zoom meeting announcement Wednesday, Sept.

    HARLAN – Harlan Community High School Senior Jack Klitgaard has been named a Coolidge Scholar, and is the recipient one of the most prestigious scholarships in the nation named after Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States.    Klitgaard, 18, the son of Dr.