HARLAN – Harlan Community Schools will have five sections of kindergarten next year due to increasing numbers of students coming into the district in 2018-19, up from the current four sections.    The HCS Board of Education approved the hiring of Chelsy Petersen as a new kindergarten teacher.  The Harlan native and graduate of Harlan Community High School currently is teaching kindergarten at Missouri Valley.    HCS Superintendent of Schoo

    AVOCA – Darin Jones, currently the elementary principal at Montezuma CSD in Montezuma, has been named the new superintendent of schools at AHSTW, replacing Jesse Ulrich who has taken the superintendent’s position at Fort Dodge.    The AHSTW Board of Directors announced Jones’ hiring this week, and he will begin his duties officially on July 1.    The announcement comes following an interview process involving approximately 60 members of th

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Plant Iowa Committee handed out trees to fifth-graders in Shelby County’s schools last week.     The committee said they are handing out hundreds of trees this year to the students.  The project has been ongoing for the past 35 years.

    EXIRA -- Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton students enjoyed great weather for their prom festivities Saturday evening, April 28.    Grand March was at 6 p.m. followed by a dinner and dance at the Exira Rec Center and after-prom at the middle school in Exira.

    HARLAN -- Work officially has begun on the development project in south Harlan, soon to be home to the new, larger Bomgaars store, the Buck Snort Restaurant and Harlan Dental.    Local utility crews began digging a trench to lower the utilities in the berm along Highway 59.  The lines are being buried lower so the berm can be taken down to level.  An access road will then be constructed to the new business location just south of the Settle

    HARLAN -- At the 23rd annual Iowa Emergency Nurses’ Association (ENA) Conference, Dr.

    HARLAN -- Volunteers turned out Tuesday, April 24 to make their mark with sidewalk chalk around the Shelby County Courthouse to promote April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Participants were bringing awareness to child abuse prevention efforts in Shelby County.    The free event included a meet and greet with Harlan Police, Harlan Fire and Shelby County Sheriff’s officers.  There was a car seat check, and refreshments were served by the

    HARLAN -- Harlan Police and Harlan Fire Department officials are trying to get to the bottom of a series of small fires being set in northeast Harlan during the past two years.    Another one occurred Monday, April 23 at about 8:51 a.m.

HARLAN – A $5.2 million Honda jet parked at the Harlan Airport the past week has created quite the conversation piece, and it doesn’t look like it will be moving anytime soon.    The Honda HA-420 aircraft, a plane that can travel up to 38,200 feet and 438 miles per hour, had a minor landing issue Tuesday, April 17, sustaining some possible damage upon landing, which necessitated investigation by the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) as well a

    HARLAN – Long-time Iowa Supreme Court Justice Jerry Larson, 81, Harlan, died April 25 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Monday, April 30 at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Family will greet friends Sunday, April 29 from 5-8 p.m.

    HARLAN – The 2018 Iowa legislative session is winding down, and local representatives say there’s much that has been accomplished, but still much to do in what is hoped to be the last week of the session this week.    Iowa Rep. Steve Holt (R-Denison) and Sen.

    HARLAN -- The racing season roars into action this weekend with the opening night at the Shelby County Speedway in Harlan.    Under the direction of Doug Batz, Highbankds Promotions, LLC, the season opener is set for Saturday, April 28.    Classes during the 2018 season will include modified, late model, stock car, sport mods, hobby stock and sport compact.    Like last year, pits will open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 6 p.m.

MANNING --   The theme for this year’s prom was A Night in Paris, and students were treated to dinner and the dance held at Hansen Halle, Manning Hausbarn Conference Center.  (Photo courtesy of the Manilla Times)

“We desperately need more foster families in our area,” said Dawn Luetje, project manager with Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI), Denison, who works with foster families and children in need of placement in western Iowa.    “In Shelby County we currently have nine licensed foster families.  Of those nine families, two are only taking relative placements.  There are currently 18 children placed in foster homes in Shelby County.    “As a result th

    COUNTY – Elimination of a backfill of funding for Shelby County cities, county entities and schools would be detrimental, requiring those groups to get creative on how best to fund essential services in the future or face service cuts or possible tax increases.    There’s been much discussion this legislative session about eliminating the backfill of funding, but as of this week it looks like the issue may have been shelved for one more ye