HARLAN – Unpleasant odor allegedly emanating from a plant east of Harlan in recent weeks has community members on edge, asking for an explanation that hasn’t yet come.    City officials via Shelby County Environmental Health have been in contact with representatives of the Essentia plant on the east edge of town, sharing the complaints and concerns they have had from the public.  To date there has been no official word from the company on

    MANNING – It was back in 2011 that the IKM-Manning Jazz Band last qualified for the Iowa Jazz Championships, so to say that the director and students are excited for their opportunity this year is an understatement.    Don Struve was the director back then, and the band had consistently through the previous years qualified and placed among the top eight of 15 bands in their class at IJC.  Ryan Runyan is in his first year this year as IKM-M

    COUNTY – Shelby County Emergency Preparedness partners will participate in a county-wide tornado drill to be held on Wednesday, March 28 from 10-10:30 a.m.  Shelby County Emergency Management, Shelby County Public Health and Myrtue Medical Center encourage everyone to take this opportunity to prepare, plan, and protect their loved ones from the effects of severe spring weather.    This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 26-30, as

    HARLAN – Eight Harlan Community High School HOSA-Future Health Professionals students participated in the State Leadership Conference in Des Moines March 11-13.    A number of students are eligible to advance to the International Leadership Conference in Dallas, TX June 26-30.  Any HOSA students receiving 1st through 3rd place can advance. 

    HARLAN -- The City of Harlan has begun its new project to replace all of the street signs in town.  The two-three year project began with these new red signs being put up in the southeast quadrant of town.    New Iowa Department of Transportation regulations require certain sizes of signs, letters on signs and reflectivity, and the city is making the changes to follow those regulations.  Costs for this year’s portion of the project is $4,2

    ELK HORN – Millright Ben Hassett and his crew are planning to arrive in mid-April to complete the construction on the Danish Windmill project, officials announced this month.    The Mill’s restoration project has been met with delay after one of the 67-foot timbers for the new sails that had been air drying for more than a year turned out to be of inferior quality and could not be properly shaped.    Officials said it was determined that r

    HARLAN -- The 32nd Annual Home, Garden & Living Show will be hosted by the Harlan Newspapers this Saturday, March 24 in Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium, Harlan.    Thirty-seven venders will be on hand to show visitors new ways to improve their homes, lawns, gardens and other aspects of living in Shelby County, said event coordinator, Mike Kolbe.

    HARLAN -- Today’s high school students have many opportunities to get a jump start on fulfilling college requirements by completing college classes before graduating from high school.

    AVOCA -- AHSTW Superintendent of Schools Jesse Ulrich has announced his resignation effective June 30 as he has accepted the superintendent’s position with the Fort Dodge Community Schools.    In a statement sent to the AHSTW community this week, Ullrich said, “I have submitted a letter of resignation to the AHSTW Board of Directors effective June 30, 2018. 

    BRITT -- Former Harlan City Clerk and Finance Director Debra Sawyer has been named Britt’s new city administrator/clerk effective Monday, March 19.    Sawyer was hired in 2012 in Harlan, replacing long-time city clerk Sue Lambert, but was discharged from duties October 27, 2015.

    AVOCA -- Things will look a little different around the Western Iowa Development Association office.  After 22 years of service, executive director Lori Holste, and assistant Donna Peters, with 11 years of service, will be leaving effective March 22-23.    Holste said, “It was a tough decision to make but it is time for a change.  It seems that there are many things changing in the economic development world so maybe the time is right for

HARLAN – Two Harlan Community High School mock trial teams have qualified for state competition following top honors at the regional event held at Iowa Western Community College in Council Buffs March 7.    Harlan Community’s Red and Black teams finished first and second at regionals, and have qualified for the State Mock Trial Competition in Des Moines March 26-27.

    HARLAN – Shelby County is in a good financial position heading forward and had no instances of non-compliance or internal control deficiencies, according to an audit report presented last week by Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co., PC.    Auditor Chris Nelson told the Shelby County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, March 13 that the county has a clean audit for the year ended June 30, 2017. 

    HARLAN -- A Harlan Community High School junior has been honored with all-state honors, and he will perform later this month at the Iowa High School Speech Association’s All-State Festival in Cedar Falls.    Jayden Swanson was nominated for the all-state festival in the category of Expository Address.  He was nominated by at least two of the three judges who evaluated his performance at the state level speech competition held in early Marc

    HARLAN – Shelby County residents will soon see some development work at the Harlan Plaza area in south Harlan as final plans have been approved and bids set to be let in early April on initial dirt and road work.    Within a year the south corridor into town will see the likes of the Buck Snort Restaurant and a new, larger Bomgaars facility, as well as a proposed new dental office located in the Harlan Plaza near the Settle Inn motel.    T