AVOCA – An Avoca family will be in the national spotlight next week as contestants on the hit game show Family Feud.    The Greg and Teri Becker family will appear on the television game show Monday, Feb.

OUNTY – Shelby County caucus-goers backed Bernie Sanders and Ted Cruz as their Democratic and Republican candidates of choice for president, in a Monday night meeting that saw record numbers of voters both locally and statewide head to their caucus sites.    At Veteran’s Auditorium in Harlan, an estimated 1,000 people packed into the building to hear from candidate representatives, cast their ballots for presidential nominations, and elect del

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community School’s Large Group Speech team, under the direction of Ms. Lisa Hagemeier, participated in the Iowa High School Speech Association’s Contest on Saturday, Jan.

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office this week announced the hiring of two deputy sheriffs.    Michael Jurgensen was a patrolman with the Harlan Police Department prior to joining the sheriff’s office 18 months ago.  Jurgensen is assigned road patrol and investigations.    Braden Quist was a patrolman with the Red Oak Police Department prior to joining the sheriff’s office.  He started duties on January 11, and currently is riding

    HARLAN -- The Harlan Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to pay $25,000 for a rate study of their three main utilities.    A proposal from Dave Berg Consulting of Minneapolis, MN would perform electric, natural gas and water cost-of-service and rate design studies for HMU.  It would be a retail rate analysis and design study beginning July 1, 2016 and thus falling in next year’s fiscal budget.    The firm would us

    HARLAN -- Riding a nationwide trend of declining patient visits and procedures, as well as tighter insurance payment procedures, Myrtue Medical Center’s revenues were up slightly in December to help it erase nearly $143,000 in losses - but they are still in the red with a fiscal year-to-date loss of $125,634.    To shore up those losses, both Barry Jacobsen, CEO, and Myrtue CFO Kristy Hansen told the board of trustees at their monthly meet

https://youtu.be/jUiyiVvYZJ8
An estimated 950 Shelby County Republicans packed into the Harlan Veterans Memorial Auditorium, while the Therkildsen Center held another 300 Democrats for the annual Iowa Caucus...on the Republican side Ted Cruz topped Donald Trump in a heated battle while Bernie Sanders upped Hillary Clinton on the Democratic side.

Maybe it was the non-stop barrage of warnings that started on Thurs., Jan. 28 that warned us of impending Winter Storm Kayla...it didn’t hit with a whimper...it’s pretty much what we expected....heavy wet snow with estimates in the eight inch range but worse as you go north of Shelby Co....

    COUNTY – Local political chairpersons are excited about caucus night next Monday, and are urging residents to turn out and participate in the process that will ultimately vault presidential hopefuls into frontrunner status.    The countdown to the caucus is on, with only a few days left until the eyes of the nation will be squarely on Iowa.  The Republican and Democratic caucuses will be Monday evening, Feb.

    HARLAN – Shelby County Catholic School, along with other Catholic schools across the nation, will celebrate Catholic Schools Week January 31-February 5.    Catholic Schools Week is an annual observance meant to highlight the value of Catholic education and its contributions to communities and the nation.    The theme for this year is Catholic Schools:  Communities in Faith, Knowledge and Service, which encompasses the concepts that are at

    Highlights include:  Nancy Osborn and Lori Baughman share an embrace after Baughman was honored as a Cancer survivor.  The half-court basketball shot fundraiser was a success.  Students sell ducks as a fund-raiser event during the evening.  Clare Klein hands a rose to Cancer survivor Ruth Hoffmann.

COUNTY – Shelby Countians heading to the driver’s license office to renew their driver’s license have the option of now selecting the REAL ID, a two-year old program that is hoped to provide more federal security and cut down on identity theft and fraudulent activity.    Iowa began implementation of the REAL ID in 2013.

    COUNTY – Roger Schmitz has been named chairman of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors this year, and will preside over a board that is currently working diligently to prepare next year’s budget.    Schmitz is joined on the board by supervisors Charlie Parkhurst and Steve Kenkel.    Schmitz was unanimously elected chairman while Kenkel was unanimously elected vice-chairman of the 2016 board.

    HARLAN -- Tonight, Tuesday, Jan.

    COUNTY – Most elected officials in Shelby County will see a 2.5 percent salary increase under a proposal approved by the county’s board of supervisors Tuesday.    After hearing recommendations from the county’s compensation board, the supervisors voted to implement the 2.5 percent increase for the auditor, treasurer, recorder, attorney and sheriff (and chief deputy).  The three supervisors will not receive an increase next year.    The com