HARLAN -- Following the February public hearing for the county tax budget where no written or verbal comments or objections were received the Myrtue Medical Center Board of Trustees approved the proposal to lower the current tax levy of $1.17357 per thousand taxable valuation to $1.15366 for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.    Taxable valuations are expected to be at $921,116,431 for 2020-2021 up from $867,926,524 for 2019-2020.

    HARLAN -- Gas and cable TV rates will go up April 1 after approval by the Harlan Municipal Utilities board of trustees Feb.

    IRWIN – The City of Irwin has been awarded a grant from the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund for the demolition of a dilapidated property.    The grant was one of three awarded this month by the trust, the others going to Logan and Malvern.  The grants, each of which is for a maximum of $15,000 per property, may be used for up to 50 percent of the actual asbestos removal and demolition cost for one dilapidated residential property in each

HARLAN -- It’s tournament time, and local basketball teams are wrapping up their seasons attempting to punch their tickets to the state tournament.  The HCHS Pom Squad has been cheering on the Cyclones all season. Above, Zoey Bowers participates in one of the dances.  While the Cyclone girls’ basketball season came to an end last weekend, the boys’ team was in tourney action last night vs. Glenwood, hoping to keep its season alive.

    DES MOINES -- The Iowa Supreme Court has selected Justice Susan Christensen, Harlan, as its next chief justice.  Justice Christensen will succeed Chief Justice Mark Cady who passed away suddenly November 15, 2019.    Justice David Wiggins has served as acting chief justice since Chief Justice Cady’s passing. Justice Christensen will be the second woman to serve as chief justice of Iowa’s highest court.
 

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community Middle School seventh-grader Lael Taylor recently was honored with Silver Key recognition in a scholastic writing competition, sponsored by the Belin-Blank Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Iowa.  The award places Taylor in the top 7-10 percent out of 7,000 entries in Iowa.    Students age 13 and older can submit works in several categories, including art and writing such as

    HARLAN – Essentia Protein Solutions, Harlan, has expansion plans, and part of its future development means requesting an agreement with the City of Harlan to hook into its wastewater treatment facility to handle some of the company’s wastewater streams.    Following a review of the proposal and discussion Tuesday, Feb.

    COUNTY – Shelby County Public Health is advising residents about what they can do now to prepare for potential spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.    While most cases are associated with travel to or from China, person-to-person spread is now being reported in other countries, including Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

    HARLAN -- The Harlan FFA Chapter is celebrating National FFA Week, February 22-29. More than 700,000 members will participate in National FFA Week activities at local, state and national levels. These members have a passion for agriculture.    Designated as National FFA Week in 1947, the week of George Washington’s birthday is FFA Week, and runs from Saturday to Saturday.

    HARLAN -- Josh Travis with the Harlan Municipal Utilities took advantage of favorable weather last week to trim some trees along Willow St. 

    HARLAN -- Amy Keast, Intuitive Soul Healer, Harlan, released her book, Is this Sickness or an Energy Block?  Know the Difference and what to do About it, on Amazon December 12.    The book reached best-seller status in Alternative Holistic Medicine, Energy Healing and New Age Mental and Spiritual Healing.

    ELK HORN -- The Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton and IKM-Manning School Boards have signed off on a sharing agreement for superintendent services.    The one-year sharing agreement for Superintendent of Schools Trevor Miller effectively changes the make-up of the work week to allow for more time in the IKM-Manning School District.    This is the end of the third year of sharing between IKM-Manning and Exira-EHK, with the current agreement coming

    HARLAN -- Shelby County has released the wages paid to its employees during the 2018-2019 fiscal year.    The following employees were among the highest paid by the county, as each had salaries more than $60,000:  Glenn Birks, $61,728.43; Tony Buman, $77,257.44; Brandon Burmeister, $112,395.69; Chad Butler, $64,331.51; Douglas Daringer, $63,177.02; Donavon Dontje, $60,157.52; David Gau, $85,541.20; Susan Giasson, $60,762.07; Julie Goeser,

    HARLAN - The 52 local scholarships available through the HCHS guidance office and another 26 scholarships you will find on Harlanonline.com that are available directly from organizations provide a great planning document for students as they determine which scholarships they may want to apply for whether they are seniors or juniors planning ahead for next year.    Jenni Svendsen, HCHS guidance counselor said, “Harlan Community High School

    HARLAN -- Trial by Combat will be at the center of a custody hearing Friday, Feb.