HARLAN – The racing season roars into action this weekend with the opening night at the Shelby County Speedway in Harlan.    Under the promoting team of Doug and Robin Batz and Denny and Mary Petersen, the 2016 season opener will be Saturday, May 7 under the theme Mother’s Day at the Races.  Drawings for prizes for mothers will be held during the evening. 

    HARLAN -- Amanda Brewer of Denison began her duties as the new director of the Harlan Community Library on April 18. Brewer said she is excited to bring some new ideas to the library and is eager to attend state meetings to learn more at roundtable discussions that she can incorporate at the Harlan Community Library.    “I would like to bring the best practices that have worked in my previous jobs and incorporate them here also.

    COUNTY – The latest county population estimates from the Iowa State Data Center in Des Moines shows Shelby County continues to lose population.    The data center, which is an associate of the U.S. Census Bureau, released the population data of Iowa and its 99 counties last month.  Most of Iowa’s counties saw a loss in population according to the data, with 71 showing decreased numbers.

    DES MOINES -- The Harlan FCCLA Chapter along with more than 500 members from FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) chapters across the state attended the Iowa FCCLA State Leadership Conference on April 3-5.    Harlan FCCLA Chapter member Gabe Madson attended the conference and was elected as a member of the Iowa FCCLA 2016-2017 State Executive Council.

    COUNTY – Keith Bauer remembers the days when the Western Iowa Arts Association performed full-blown Broadway musicals.    Oklahoma and The Music Man.  Those were some awesome productions.    They used to rehearse and perform in the old St.

    HARLAN – School board members who attended a national conference in Boston, MA this month said they were excited to bring back information from the convention that will directly improve student learning in the Harlan Community School District.    Those sentiments come from Kathy Mahlberg and Joni Larsen, who indicated Monday that the National School Board Association conference April 8-11 was definitely worth the $4,713.96 price tag.    “I

    HARLAN -- The Harlan City Council this week appointed Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. as special legal counsel to represent the City of Harlan in employment law matters.    The council met in special session Wednesday, April 27 for the sole purpose of appointing special counsel.  The council voted unanimously approving the measure. 

    ELK HORN -- A gas leak in Elk Horn Monday, April 25 forced a small evacuation until the leak could be contained and fixed.    At approximately 11:15 a.m., Shelby Co. Emergency Management and 911 were notified of a gas line rupture near 4013 Main Street (Highway 173) in Elk Horn. Elk Horn Fire Department was dispatched and established incident command. 

    HARLAN -- Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co., Atlantic, will continue to provide auditing services to Myrtue Medical Center. The MMC Board of Trustees approved the recommendation made by Kristy Hansen, chief financial officer at MMC to remain with Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co.

    HARLAN – Harlan City Administrator Terry Cox admitted last week that he wrongly submitted a reimbursement request for a hotel room that was provided to him for free, and he’s now facing some serious questions from city officials who are further investigating Cox’s expense reports.    Harlan City Council members questioned Cox Wednesday, April 20 at a meeting of the Personnel and Finance Committee about expenses related to recent conference

    HARLAN – It’s not official policy, but it doesn’t look right and shouldn’t happen.    Those words come from some Harlan City Council members who agreed last week to develop a policy that eliminates providing alcohol free of charge for city employees at a city event such as the city’s annual appreciation dinner or fire department annual awards dinner.    “There is not an official law that I know of…that says you can’t purchase alcohol, but

    COUNTY – Grants totaling $107,719.12 were awarded last week to Shelby County nonprofit agencies by the Shelby County Community Foundation.
 

    HARLAN – Two Harlan Community School Board members recently attended the National School Board Association convention in Boston, MA, at a cost of $4,713.96 to the school district.    HCS Superintendent of Schools Justin Wagner confirmed that board president Kathy Mahlberg and board member Joni Larsen attended the convention April 8-11.

    HARLAN – Eleven HOSA-Future Health Professional students from Harlan Community High School have qualified for nationals following successful showings at the state conference held last month in Des Moines.    HCHS Chapter Advisor Nancy Osborn said the students will head to Nashville, TN in June, competing in events, attending educational symposiums and sightseeing.  They’ll get a chance to see such areas as Broadway, the Grand Ole Opry and

    HARLAN - The Shelby County Encore Concert series will be hosting its last concert on Sat., April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church. The program will feature the Alex Meiner Band.    “We are ending our 30 year run due to lack of membership,” 30-year event chairman Steve Lawson said.