ATLANTIC -- Helen Ruth Blum, 99, Atlantic, died February 22, 2021 at the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center.    Services will be held Saturday, July 31 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Earling.    Blum is survived by daughters Marilyn Munchrath of Omaha, NE, Linda (William) Ebbinga of Griswold and Dr.

By Bob Bjoin, Editor    HARLAN – Harlan residents want more/better retail options, restaurants and biking/walking trails, and point to the school system, safe, small-town living and sense of community/togetherness as key community strengths.    Preliminary results from a community survey recently completed by hundreds of local residents as part of the city’s comprehensive plan effort shows many are very happy to live in the community, but woul

By Bob Bjoin, Editor    HARLAN – The Harlan Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees last week received and filed a second appraisal of its telecommunications utility as part of a required process following the presentation of a petition asking for a public vote to dispose of the utility.    HMU Chief Executive Officer Ken Weber said the appraisal from LWBJ is one of three required as a result of the petition.  The first one was accepted earlier

    WALNUT -- The City of Walnut will celebrate 150 years Friday, July 30 through Sunday, August 1 with events throughout the weekend on Antique City Drive.    Brett Simpson, committee chairperson for the event, said committee members began planning for the sesquicentennial event last August. The last major celebration in Walnut was to commemorate the town’s 125th anniversary in 1996.    The opening ceremonies will begin Friday at 6 p.m.

By Bob Bjoin, Editor    COUNTY – An estimated 30 people could die and 85 new, invasive cancers could be diagnosed among Shelby County residents this year, according to a new report released recently by The University of Iowa College of Public Health.    Cancer in Iowa 2021 is an annual project produced by the Iowa Cancer Registry, in coordination with the State Health Registry of Iowa, that provides information about the projected top 10 cance

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Swim Team, under the direction of first-year coach Levi Culp, finished an undefeated 2021 summer campaign, capped by impressive first-place finishes in both the girls and boys divisions of the Western Iowa Swim League conference meet July 10 in Avoca. Harlan also won nine regular season meets during June and July and its teams combined to win 31 events at the conference meet.

 PORTSMOUTH (July 25) -- The Portsmouth town team built a 5-0 lead after three and won 8-7 on Eric Croghan’s walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth, beating Council Bluffs in the Iowa Western Baseball League Tournament championship game here Sunday. Brett Sears earned the win in relief for Portsmouth while Alex Johnson took the loss. Down 5-0 after five, Council Bluffs rallied back and used a four-run top of the eighth to surge ahead 7

Photo highlights from state.....

    HARLAN – The Harlan Community High School Board of Education and Shelby County Chamber of Commerce & Industry are hosting a meet and greet tonight, Tuesday, July 27 from 5-7 p.m. with new HCSD Superintendent Dr.