HARLAN -- Harlan Community Schools mock trial teams competed well at the state mock trial competition held April 4-6 in Des Moines.    Two HCHS teams qualified for state by finishing first and second at a regional event.  The Harlan Red Team placed 10th overall at state and the Harlan Black Team finished 22nd out of 34 total teams.  Red team finished 2-1 and Black Team 1-2 in competition. 

    COUNTY – An embargo placed on the county’s gravel roads has been lifted effective Monday, April 15, the Shelby County Engineer’s Office reported this week.    County engineer Brandon Burmeister said conditions have improved enough to lift the embargo, which had placed load limits of 10 tons on all granular surfaced roadways in Shelby County.    This is the second time an embargo has been lifted.  An initial embargo was placed on the roads

    HARLAN -- Harlan Municipal Utilities officials suspect a lightning strike overnight Wednesday-Thursday, April 10-11 may have caused a small fire in a utility secondary pedestal in southwest Harlan Thursday.    The investigation is ongoing, but the Harlan Fire Department and HMU were called to the area behind the City of Harlan sign along Highway 59 near Concerned, Inc. about 11:15 a.m.

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community High School announced this week that senior Jayden Swanson, son of Chad and Lisa Swanson, has been named a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.    Swanson, the son of Chad and Lisa Swanson,  is among the more than 1.6 million students in 22,000 schools throughout the nation entered in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Tes

    HARLAN -- Jeanette Kroger of Harlan will mark her 80th birthday today, April 16. Her family is planning a card shower in her honor. Cards will reach her if sent to 1614 9th Street, Harlan, IA 51537. 

    WESTPHALIA -- Betty Specht, 77, Westphalia, died April 4 at Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan.    Services will be held Monday, April 22 at 11 a.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia with burial at a later date.  Visitation is April 22 from 9-11 a.m.

    HARLAN -- Jerry Lee Hansen, 79, Harlan, died April 9 at his home.    Services will be held Saturday, April 13 at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kimballton with burial in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton.  Family will greet friends Friday, April 12 from 5-8 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Christopher Madsen, 38, Avoca, died April 9 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Monday, April 15 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.  Family will greet friends Sunday, April 14 from 5-7 p.m.

    HARLAN -- The annual STEM Extravaganza is a huge hit each year and this year was no exception.  Held Thursday evening, April 4, participants were able to show off their many STEM related projects and participate in STEM activities.