HARLAN – A Kansas City firm made a pitch to the Harlan City Council last month about the possibility of finishing out the Dye Street Development area/Christiansen subdivision in north Harlan with housing units.    The project would address the housing the community so desperately needs, officials said.    “This is housing that’s really needed in all communities,” said Jared Nook, owner representative/principal – development and constructio

    DES MOINES -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds chose Fourth Judicial District Judge Susan Christensen of Harlan to serve on the Iowa Supreme Court.    Last week Reynolds announced Christensen as her choice during a ceremony at the Iowa Capitol. Christensen will be filling the vacancy created when Justice Bruce Zager retires on Monday, Sept.

    DES MOINES -- Nothing Compares to State Fair Moments in 2018. The moment you ride the big slide, the moment you share a corn dog, the moment you earn a purple ribbon, the moments are endless and unique.    With more than one million attendees and 11 fun-filled, action packed, can’t miss days, there are billions of moments waiting at the Iowa State Fair, August 9-19, 2018.

    COUNTY -- Growing up in Harlan, it was easy to think I knew everyone. I could name all the students that I had shared classrooms with for 13 years (especially the ones I grew up with at Beth’s house) and every time I left the house, I ran into at least one person I knew.    When I found out I had received this internship, I was excited.

Construction has been ongoing along the Highway 59 corridor where the new Bomgaar’sbuilding and the new Buck Snort Restaurant are being constructed.

    HARLAN -- Crews from contract PSC recently set the base for a new switchgear basement and vault on the south side of Chatburn Ave. at 6th St.

    ELK HORN -- Back in 2011 or 2012, Lou and Mike Howard had a vision to open a new restaurant in Elk Horn. Even though plans changed, the dream lived on. The Howards are currently working to open a restaurant with Danish influences in the Keysight Technology building west of where the Danish Inn stood.    In August of 2017, the Howards purchased the Danish Inn with plans to remodel it.

    HARLAN -- Having world-class cancer care available in southwest Iowa has been a source of comfort and hope for Harlan resident Erin Berkley.    Erin, 41, has been named a 2018 Spirit of Courage award winner by the Jennie Edmundson Foundation. She will be honored during the Spirit of Courage Celebrity Weekend on Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5 in Council Bluffs.

    HARLAN - With the departure of seasoned executive director Nate Buman and grants coordinator Aaron Hicks, the Historical Society board sprung into action and have two new leaders this summer.    The new executive director, Sarah McDonald, relocated from Dallas, TX to Harlan this April.  She earned her B.A. degree in anthropology from Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX and her masters in history/museum studies from the Univ.

    HARLAN – Harlan Community Superintendent of Schools Justin Wagner’s total salary and benefits package under a recently-approved contract amounts to $232,543.69 this school year.    Wagner is being paid a base salary of $173,290.11 in 2018-19 under a contract agreement approved by the Harlan Community Schools Board of Education Monday, June 25.  The board approved the contract 6-0 (Lonnie Muxfeldt, Amy Rueschenberg, Al Hazelton, Jessica And

    HARLAN – Harlan Community Schools Board of Education members this week are backing their votes approving a contract extension for their superintendent of schools, Justin Wagner, but one board member said although she voted for it, through more research she has learned there are areas where the board can be a better steward of taxpayer dollars. 

DES MOINES -- Fans were on hand cheering on the HCHS Cyclone baseball team to a 5-4 win over Boone Tuesday evening.    The Cyclones advanced to the semi-finals of the tourney and take on Waverly-Shell Rock today at 11 a.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines.    See sports pages today for highlights from the quarterfinal game vs. Boone and a preview of the semi-final contest.  (Photo by Mike Oeffner)

    COUNTY – Shelby County is celebrating 100 years of organized county extension work this year, and was honored with a plaque presented by Dr.

    EARLING – The City of Earling has filed a petition in Shelby County District Court seeking title to an abandoned property within the city limits.    The city filed the petition July 5 under Chapter 657A.10A of the Iowa Code regarding abandoned property.  Defendants in the petition include Vaughn Gross, the State of Iowa Department of Human Services, Shelby County, and other persons in possession.    According to the petition, Gross is the

    HARLAN – The Harlan City Council has passed a resolution allowing for the acquisition of permanent easements near the Harlan Municipal Airport, as per Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) required guidelines.    The council voted 5-0 (Jay Christensen, Jeanna Rudolph, Sharon Kroger, Greg Bladt and Dave Miller aye), authorizing initiation of agricultural land easement acquisition.    The move came after a public hearing Tuesday, July 17 tha