EARLING -- Al and Mick Graeve of Earling will  observe 70 years of marriage on July 19. They plan to celebrate at a later date.    Their family includes Dr. Allen and Val Graeve, Tacoma, WA; Mike and Nancy Graeve, Westminster, CO; Marcia and Mike Linton, Plymouth, MN; Craig and Lori Graeve, Omaha; Eric and Judy Graeve, Eagan, MN; Doug and Kim Graeve, Westminster, CO; 15 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

 HARLAN (July 2) -- Emily Brouse blasted her fourth home run of the year and notched her seventh pitching win here Thursday night as Harlan Community defeated the Red Oak softball team 8-1. The 13th-ranked (Class 4A) Cyclones won their third straight game and improved to 12-2 overall and 8-1 in the Hawkeye Ten Conference.

 HARLAN (July 2) -- A six-run third inning propelled the Harlan Community baseball team to an 8-1 home win over Red Oak Thursday night at Jim Goeser Field. The Cyclones finished 3-1 on last week’s four-day home stand, including Hawkeye Ten victories vs. Atlantic, Clarinda and the Tigers. They improved to 7-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

 HARLAN (July 1) -- Madison Schumacher slid home with the winning run on Kate Heithoff’s fielder’s choice grounder in the bottom of the eighth Wednesday night as the Harlan Community softball team rallied past Logan-Magnolia for a 4-3, extra-inning win. The Cyclones trailed 3-1 before plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh and the international tiebreaker rule was used in the eighth - each team starting their inning with a runner on sec

 HARLAN (July 1) -- One bad inning proved to be the difference on Wednesday as the Harlan Community baseball team’s upset bid fell one run short in a 5-4 home loss to sixth-ranked (4A) Sioux City East. The Black Raiders (11-1) took advantage of a walk, two Harlan errors and five stolen bases in a four-run sixth inning that turned a two-run deficit into a 5-3 lead. HCHS (6-3) pushed across a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it close, bu

 AVOCA (July 2) -- AHSTW beat IKM-Manning 12-1 in five innings Thursday in WIC softball action. The Lady Vikes improved to 7-7 overall and finished 4-4 in league play. The Wolves dropped to 2-9 and 2-6, respectively. AHSTW racked up 13 hits, led by Ally Meyers, who was 3-for-4 with a triple, four RBI and three runs scored.

    COUNTY – Shelby County is receiving a $3,000 grant from the Iowa Secretary of State’s office, the proceeds of which will be utilized to purchase and install more plexiglass barriers as safety measures during election and voting in November.    The monies, from the Vote Safe Iowa Initiative, must be used “to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically and internationally, for the 2020 Federal election cycle.”    Shelby Co

    ELK HORN -- Clarice Andersen, 89, Elk Horn, died July 12 at the Salem Lutheran Home.    Private family graveside services will be held Tuesday, July 14 at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan.    Andersen is survived by daughter Marsha (Kent) Larson of Las Vegas, NV; son Richard (Laura) Andersen of Jackson, WI; sister Linda Buehlmann of Austin, TX; sister-in-law Nancy Axland of Rio Verde, AZ; two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, one step-

    PORTSMOUTH -- James Darrell Crawford, 72, Portsmouth, died July 3 at the Veterans Medical Center.    Services will be held Saturday, July 25 at 1 p.m. at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Church in Portsmouth with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth.  Visitation/Reception will be held that Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at the St.