HARLAN -- A former Harlan Community Schools superintendent was the highest paid individual in the HCS district based on the 2019-20 reported earnings as published in last week’s Harlan News-Advertiser.    Justin Wagner earned $158,050.50 according to the legal notice, required to be published by the district annually.    Thirteen individuals, exclusive of Wagner, were paid more than $90,000 annually, according to the legal, and include:• 

    REGIONAL -- Shelby County residents may be seeing significant damages to trees, bushes and flowers this summer, courtesy of the Japanese Beetle that has emerged during the past month.    This nasty new visitor to Iowa devours roses, fruits, lawns, and just about anything else that gets in its path.    It used to be that we heard about Japanese beetles only from eastern gardeners. It arrived in New Jersey in 1916 from Japan and has spread.

    HARLAN – The Harlan Municipal Utilities (HMU) is seeking damages from an engineering firm and construction company over alleged problems and issues with its water treatment plant.    HMU filed a petition in Shelby County District Court June 26 against Veenstra & Kimm, Inc.

    SHELBY -- Rick Kiesel received 58 votes in the special election Tuesday, July 7 to fill a vacant seat on the Shelby City Council.    The unofficial results has Kiesel the winner, with Patty Welsh earning 46 votes.    The city council vacancy became open upon the unexpected death of Donavon Dontje.  Once the vote totals are certified and Kiesel declared the official winner, he will serve the remainder of the term through 2023.

    COUNTY – Shelby County is receiving a $3,000 grant from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office, the proceeds of which will be utilized to purchase and install more plexiglass barriers as safety measures during election and voting in November.    The monies, from the Vote Safe Iowa Initiative, must be used “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically and internationally, for the 2020 Federal election cycle.”    Shelby Co

REGIONAL – Harlan native Sean Sorensen and his band, Devil in The Details, have been selected to perform at the popular River Riot rock concert in Council Bluffs in September, marking a significant moment in the band’s rise as one of the Midwest’s popular hardcore rock bands.    Sponsored by 89.7 The River in Council Bluffs, River Riot draws thousands to the Westfair Fairgrounds and Amphitheater each year.  The concert was postponed due to the

    IRWIN -- Ministering to people of all ages and in many different situations and settings continues to be one of the main reasons Pastor Laurie Riley of Irwin is glad she chose the ministry.    She has always had a strong interest in helping people.

    REGIONAL -- Shelby County and much of west-central Iowa remains in an abnormally dry state this week, according to the United States Drought Monitor (USDM).    The monitor releases weekly reports on drought in the United States.  It’s a team effort produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S.

    HARLAN – A Harlan Special Events Committee has announced the creation of A Roarin’ 20s Summer Formal 2020 for Harlan Community High School junior and senior students, set for Friday, July 24 in Harlan.    On the docket is a specially-prepared dining experience at local restaurants, a grand march (details to be announced) and entertainment, dance and casino night at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Harlan.  The event is not sponsored by the

    COUNTY -- With the current surge of COVID-19 cases that Shelby County is experiencing, local health officials are saying it’s important that everyone in the county continues or begins to practice mitigation standards and follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).    Local public health offices follow direction provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health i

    HARLAN -- Chloe Hays joined exclusive company on Thursday, June 18, when the 2020 Harlan Community graduate was named this year’s Special Olympics Iowa Girl Athlete of the Year during the fifth annual Des Moines Register Sports Awards program.    Hays is just the second student-athlete from Harlan Community selected as a category winner for this event, joining Taylor Frederick, who was named the All-Iowa Volleyball Player of the Year in 20

    REGIONAL – Construction work on Highway 59 between Avoca and Harlan will get under way later this month and likely continue through September, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.    Local residents have been anticipating the overlay project since patching and repairs were completed this spring, and word from engineers on the project is that the roadwork will get started in mid/late July.    “The patching on the project is c

    HARLAN – After 46 years of owning her own business and reaching the age of 73, Marty Burchett decided it was time to retire.    “I have had two cardiac events in the past 18 months,” she said.  “I have recovered, but I did not want my husband or sons to deal with liquidating the store if I could not.”    The Fourth Generation has been a staple in downtown Harlan, offering women’s fashions and accessories for decades.  In a letter to her cu

    REGIONAL – Outstanding debt obligations for local governmental agencies decreased in the past year, following the state trend that saw an overall increase in debt, according to a report released by the state treasurer’s office.    Shelby County saw it’s total debt obligations decrease from $34,577,568 in 2018 to $31,464,158 in 2019.  Much of the reported debt can be attributed to the City of Harlan/Harlan Municipal Utilities and Harlan Com

    HARLAN -- A neighborhood in south Harlan was lit up Saturday, July 4 by a public fireworks show put on by one of the residents to honor Fourth of July.