Des Moines - Former Shelby County Extension council member Gwen Hansen met with Iowa legislators at the Iowa Extension Council Association legislative breakfast held at Capitol Building in Des Moines February 11.Hansen is currently serving as a representative for Audubon, Crawford, Harrison and Shelby Counties on the Iowa Extension Council Association Board of Directors.

 SHELBY COUNTY ­ ­— The Shelby County Board of Supervisors voted to increase the salaries of some elected officials by 3.5% in fiscal year 2026. The increase was based on the recommendation of the compensation board, represented by Ruthanne Grimsley, at the board meeting Tuesday, February 18. Grimsley said the recommended increase was based on current salaries for those same positions in similar sized counties.

 AREA — Schroer & Associates, P.C. recently released an audit report on the Harlan Community School District. The report showed the District’s revenues totaled $26,132,616 for the year ended June 30, 2024, a 13.62% increase from the prior year.

 SHELBY COUNTY — An estimated 21,000 Iowans were diagnosed with cancer in 2024, according to an annual report that tracks yearly cancer trends. The annual Cancer in Iowa report by the Iowa Cancer Registry found the state has the fastest-growing rate of new cancers and the second-highest rate of new cancers in the country.

Harlan Newspapers won several awards at the 2025 Iowa Newspapers Association’s (INA) Iowa Better Newspaper Contest, chief among them First Place in Community Service for the team’s work following the 2024 tornado disaster that devastated rural Shelby County.

 AREA — For 25 years, a dedicated group of volunteers have dedicated their time and talents to perform for residents of area nursing homes. This year marks the silver anniversary of the Goldenaires.“We love to volunteer and see the enjoyment in the residents’ eyes,” said member Kathleen Eckerman. Eckerman said the majority of the songs they sing are standards from the residents’ early years.

 HARLAN — In an effort to advance student learning and career readiness, Harlan Community High School will soon be the home of The Cyclone Corner Café, a student-operated coffee shop.

HARLAN — Longtime offensive coordinator for the Harlan Community High School football team Mark Kohorst has been recognized as the Iowa Football Coaches Association’s Class 3A Assistant Coach of the Year.Kohorst said he was honored to be nominated and humbled to win.“I never entered teaching and coaching for the glamour or awards, but to hopefully make a difference in each student’s athlete’s life,” he said.“One of the best feelings I get is t

HARLAN — Heartland Funeral Homes (formerly Burmeister Johannsen) is proud to announce a new chapter of service and care as Tina Bartelson and Danielle (Sondag) Mikels assumed ownership in September 2024.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – A Shelby County man was sentenced on January 14, 2025 to more than 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Richard D.

 HARLAN — After a distinguished 42-year career at the Harlan Newspapers, Mike Kolbe is retiring January 31. Kolbe began his newspaper career as an advertising account executive in Harlan in 1983 after graduating from Iowa State University, where he received a degree in journalism/mass communications. Harlan Newspaper Graphic Design Manager Lori Christensen and Kolbe both started at the newspaper office the same month. “I couldn’t have asked fo

AREA — Senior students throughout southwest Iowa can apply for multiple scholarships using one application now through March 15th, thanks to local nonprofit Southwest Iowa Educational Foundation (SWIEF).

Harlan – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Shelby County will host an Ag Pest Control Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Wednesday, February 12, 2025. The program, provided by the ISU Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP), is available at office locations across Iowa.The local attendance site is 906 6th Street, Harlan. Preregistration may be required.

  HARLAN— Harlan Community School District was one of many schools across the United States and Canada recently involved in a cyberattack of the cloud-based educational software company PowerSchool. PowerSchool, which provides K-12 software to more than 18,000 schools to support some 60 million students in the United States, confirmed the breach in early January.