Newly-appointed District 3 Harlan Community Schools Board Member Seth Piro was sworn into office Wednesday.  He will serve until the next election.  An article in this week's Harlan News-Advertiser erroneously reported he would serve the remainder of the vacant term through November, 2021.  The Harlan Newspapers regrets the error.  Read all about Seth Piro and his educational background in this week's NA.

    ELK HORN -- Tivoli Fest, Elk Horn’s annual Danish festival celebrating their Danish heritage, was a fun and exciting time for Danes as well as visitors from around Iowa and the nation.  With the rise in new businesses coming to town, the Museum of Danish America becoming accredited and the historic Danish Windmill being restored to working condition again, they had many reasons to celebrate!    This 40th annual festival was packed with an

    HARLAN -- Librarians put a lot of work into making sure their services stay relevant to the times. For Kristen Bieret, Harlan’s adult services librarian, that meant bringing the concept of an escape room to the Harlan Community Library.    Escape rooms are entertainment venues cropping up in cities everywhere: participants sign up to get locked into a room with a group of people for a set period of time.

    HARLAN -- As the school year comes to a close the four foreign exchange students who have spent the year at Harlan Community High School reminisced about their experiences and  memories.    Natalie Brockt of Germany, Valeria Chirila of Moldova, Sina Fluor of Switzerland and Luiza Oliveira of Brazil will all return to their home countries in June.    Natalie Brockt is the daughter of Sabrina and Thomas Brockt who live in a small town about

    HARLAN -- The Harlan Community Schools Board of Education voted 6-0 Wednesday, May 22 to hire Grundmeyer Leader Services to find both its interim superintendent for the upcoming school year and permanent superintendent for the 2020-21 school year.    Approving the hire were board members Amy Rueschenberg, Jessica Anderson, Monte Schechinger, Al Hazelton, Tara Devlin-Lawler and Joni Larsen. 

REGIONAL -- Seniors from area schools graduated during commencement ceremonies Sunday, May 19.  See more photos inside today and in Friday’s Harlan News-Advertiser.

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community High School students performed outstanding at the national Business Professionals of America competition earlier this month, with nine finalists earning top 10 honors at the event.    This year’s BPA competition was held in Anaheim, CA May 1-5 with more than 6,300 students attending.  Earning finalist awards were:    -  Tyler Schaben, advanced accounting, 6th place    -  Brooke Goshorn, fundamental accounting, 10

    HARLAN - Midstates Bank, NA and Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Neola, announced the merger of Farmers & Merchants State Bank into Midstates Bank, NA, pending regulatory approval. The transaction is expected to close on August 30, 2019. 

    HARLAN – The Harlan Community School District has partnered with Hy-Vee Food Store to offer again this summer the Summer Food Service Program.  Meals will be provided to all children without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or disability, with no discrimination in the course of the meal service.    Meals will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.  Serving time is 11 a.m.-1 p

HARLAN -- The annual Conservation Day at Prairie Rose State Park was Wednesday, May 15.  Those fishing can identity the fish by examining what it would be able to eat.  Conservation Day allows students to learn all about the outdoors as well as fire safety and law enforcement.  See more photos inside today’s Harlan Tribune. 

    REGIONAL -- Ten students will graduate this week with the highest distinction at Harlan Community High School, ranked as the top senior students at HCHS based on grade point average.      The students will be recognized during commencement ceremonies to be held Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. at the Harlan Community High School gymnasium. 

    REGIONAL -- IKM-Manning and Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Schools each will host commencement exercises on Sunday, May 19.    IKM-Manning will graduate 54 students in ceremonies that will be held at 2 p.m.

    HARLAN -- The Harlan Police Department will be partnering with the Iowa State Patrol and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office for a special traffic enforcement project along with their regular Special Traffic Enforcement Program May 20 through June 2.    The project will be focused around vehicle’s equipped with dark window tint.

    HARLAN -- Ryan Pattee, Avoca, has joined Harlan Newspapers to be its intern for the summer.    Pattee just completed his sophomore year at Iowa State University and hopes to major in Journalism and Mass Communications as well as minor in Digital Design. 

    HARLAN -- Friday, May 10 marked the last elementary track meet coordinated by long-time elementary physical education instructor Mark Vande Berg, who is retiring at the end of the school year.    Each year the elementary track meet is a highlight for upper elementary students, who finally get a chance to hit the track.