KIRKMAN — High on a hill in Kirkman is the Rose Hill Cemetery. Headstones dating as far back as the 1800s dot the landscape.

    HARLAN — When a person dials 911 they are connected to a call center in Harlan. Susan Cooper and Roxanne Petersen are two of the voices that answer and calmly walk a person through on the other line.    Many times it is gathering information on an accident or fire, learning where to send police or fire response. At other times it is teaching callers CPR over the phone until medics can arrive.

AREA — When the weather gets warmer, it seems as if the orange cones on the roads come out in full force.Locally, the City of Harlan will be completing an over $1.4 million dollar project this summer.

 SHELBY COUNTY — Shelby County homeowners may have been surprised when they received their property tax assessment in the mail last week, showing home values in the county increasing 25% - 35% for the 2023 assessment. Shelby County Assessor Tony Buman said the statewide increase is a result of the housing market the last few years. “This is reflecting what people paid for real estate in Shelby County last year.

    HARLAN — The City Council approved the maximum property tax levy for fiscal year 2023-24 at $2,303,959, which represents a decrease of 6.45% from the maximum property tax dollars requested for FY24.    There were no written or oral objections received during the public hearing.    “The max property levy is the maximum of the allowed levies if we need to make any changes, of which we anticipate none,” City Administrator Gene Gettys said.

 HARLAN — The Harlan Community High School Jazz Experience received 2nd place at the Iowa Jazz Championships Tuesday in Ames.      Outstanding Performance Awards went to Seth Anderson on trombone, Eric Torneten on trumpet and Ian Kearney on drumset.

 HARLAN — Kayla Weis has been a part of thirty-seven theater productions since she was cast in the Harlan Community School District Theatre’s production of the “The Sound of Music” when she was in fourth grade.“That’s what started it all for me,” Weis said. “I was cast as Marta Von Trapp.

HARLAN — HCHS Theatre will present the musical “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” Friday, April 14 and  Saturday, April  15 at  7 p.m. and Sunday, April 16 at 2 p.m. at the HCHS Auditorium, 2102 Durant St., Harlan. The show features big dance numbers and special guests in cameo roles, Director Kayla Weis said. “It’s very funny and will appeal to most everyone,” she said. “The cast is fantastic.

Staff Reports    SHELBY COUNTY — The Shelby County Community Foundation awarded $140,932 to Shelby County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2023 Grant Cycle.    All grantees met the criteria as Shelby County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services.

HARLAN — Harlan Community High School mock trial team had a successful program this year, with a trip to state.“This is the twenty-fourth time a HCHS mock trial team has qualified for the state tournament since the inception of the program fourteen years ago,” teacher-coach John Murtaugh said.  “The credit for this success mainly belongs to the students.  They work very hard in preparation spending countless hours perfecting their roles.”Murta

    HARLAN — Students who want career preparation and training have a new avenue to pursue.    “Harlan Community School District is extremely excited to have been asked to be a part of the Lakin Foundations program, Avenue Scholars,” said Superintendent Jenny Barnett.

Staff Reports    HARLAN — Imagine being in your teens and having the chance to fly in a Black Hawk helicopter or take the controls in a small airplane. It’s the reality for participants in Civil Air Patrol.    Civil Air Patrol is an auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, a nationwide program there for emergency services and disaster relief in local communities.

HARLAN —  FMCTC hosted its 119th annual meeting Tuesday at which Directors of the Cooperative were elected for a three-year term and highlights of the year were shared.    Darrell Jacobsen was elected for Hancock Town Exchange, Lynn Schmitz for the Westphalia Exchange and Joel Berndt was elected to the Harlan Town Exchange for three years.    “One of the changes that came out of the last retreat was we said by 2036 we want to get 100 gig to so

 HARLAN — Harlan Community School District received a STEM planning grant for a total of $60,000.    “We do a lot of things with Iowa Western Community College for juniors and seniors,” said Steve Sauvain, HCSD Director of Education.

    IRWIN — The Shelby County Farm Bureau held its 105th annual meeting Monday in Irwin, where they presented awards, approved minutes and treasurer reports, and officers were elected.    Judy Obrecht received the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award.