Harlan - Erik Paul Rasmussen was born on November 20, 1964, at the hospital in Harlan, Iowa to Franklin “Fraz” and Doris Rasmussen.He lived in Council Bluffs with his friends, where he enjoyed outings, shopping trips, and simply spending time together.

Wichita - Julia Lou Sheck, 84, of Wichita, KS, went to meet Jesus on Sunday, March 23, 2025, surrounded by her family.A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Riverwalk Church of Christ in Wichita. Memorial contributions may be made to Riverwalk Church of Christ.

 SHELBY COUNTY — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig visited Southwest Iowa March 28 as part of Iowa Ag Week and his annual visits to every county in Iowa.

HARLAN — The Iowa Department of Education publicly released the graduation and dropout rates for the graduating class of 2024 Monday, March 31. Harlan Community School District (HCSD) continues to demonstrate strong academic performance, with graduation rates exceeding state averages and dropout rates remaining low.The four-year cohort graduation rate for Harlan’s Class of 2024 stands at an impressive 95.54%.

 SHELBY COUNTY — A Public Safety Project Committee has been formed to discuss the future of the Shelby County Jail. Jail Administrator Kyle Lindberg discussed the need for the committee at the Shelby County Board of Supervisors and the Harlan City Council meetings Tuesday, April 1. Lindberg said recent jail inspections have drawn attention to infrastructure and safety issues at the current jail, which was built in 1983. “We are dealing with an

ELK HORN — In collaboration with Seelman Landscape Architecture and Jensen Ecology, the Museum of Danish America is excited to announce the launch of its comprehensive Campus Master Plan, a visionary initiative aimed at enhancing the museum’s 35-acre campus and enriching visitor experiences.

The Harlan Trap Shooting Team competed over the weekend putting up a strong performance.
“I think we did really good this meet,” said Head Trap Shooting Coach Jason Paulsen. “I think our top five kids are our top squad, and I think in every division, we were number one. Our varsity kids did good.”

HCHS Girls
The HCHS girls track and field team is coming off a strong performance at Thursday’s Monarch Relays in which they earned a third place finish with 122 points, 18 behind the winner, Atlantic with 140.

HCHS Senior Hayden Soma will continue his education and baseball career at Iowa Central in Fort Dodge.
“It’s crazy,” Soma said. “If you told me that when I was probably 10-years-old, I would’ve told you you’re crazy because I’ve always wanted to play football, but now I’m just pumped that I get to play baseball at the collegiate level.”