HARLAN -- Following no written or verbal comments or objections during the February public hearing, the Myrtue Medical Center Board of Trustees approved to lower the current tax levy rate from $1.20792 per thousand taxable valuation to $1.17357 for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.    MMC Chief Financial Officer Kristy Hansen told the board in January the new levy rate is expected to generate the same funding as last year’s $1.20 levy with $1,018

 VERMILLION, S.D.

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community senior Derec Weyer signed a national letter of intent on February 6 to play football at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. Weyer earned second-team All-District 9 honors as an offensive lineman last fall - starting at left tackle - and was also part of the Cyclones’ rotation at defensive tackle as the team finished 8-3 overall and advanced to the Class 3A playoff quarterfinals.

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community senior Jon Owens signed a national letter of intent on February 6 to play football at Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. A versatile three-year starter for the HCHS football team, Owens has played outside linebacker, fullback and tight end while also serving as the long snapper and switching to punter for the latter part of last fall’s 8-3 playoff quarterfinal campaign.

    ELK HORN -- Roy Lee Fries, 85, Elk Horn, died March 6 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.    Services will be held Monday, March 11 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Family will greet friends Sunday, March 10 from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home.  Visitation is Sunday from 2-8 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Terry Carley, 75, Avoca, died March 6 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Monday, March 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.  Family will greet friends Sunday, March 10 from 5-7 p.m.

    AVOCA -- David Lynn Jorgensen, 70, Avoca, died March 5 at Avoca Specialty Care.    Services will be held Saturday, March 9 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.  Family will greet friends Friday, March 8 from 6-8 p.m.

    HARLAN – Bob Mahoney says let the school board do its job.

    HARLAN – The Harlan Community School Board had what could be its final interaction with Harlan resident Larry Trickel Monday evening, March 4, answering numerous questions Trickel had presented to the board and board legal counsel (sometimes directly) over the last few months regarding the investigation of HCS Superintendent of Schools Justin Wagner, before announcing it was done spending any more time on Trickel’s escapades.    It was an