KIMBALLTON (June 10) -- With three home games on the schedule this week, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton softball coach Ashton Koehlmoos is hopeful that her team is poised for a consistent stretch of play. So far, so good. Getting a two-hit shutout from freshman pitcher Macy Emgarten, error-free defense behind her and a fast start with the bats, the Spartans blanked Glidden-Ralston 3-0 on Monday for their third victory in four games. They made it f

 IRWIN (June 12) -- The IKM-Manning softball team scored 37 runs over three nights and went 2-1 in Western Iowa Conference games against Tri-Center and Missouri Valley. The Wolves won at T-C 15-4 on Monday, lost to Missouri Valley 12-9 in Irwin Tuesday night and crushed the Trojans 13-1 in three innings here Wednesday. Bianca Cadwell pitched all three games for the Wolves.

 ELK HORN (June 10) -- Sophomore Hunter Andersen pitched a complete game five-hitter for his first varsity win and seniors Cole Burmeister and Dawson Carey both went 3-for-4 as the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton baseball team beat Glidden-Ralston 5-2 here Monday. Andersen (1-1) took a shutout into the sixth and allowed just two unearned runs, finishing his work in 95 pitches.

    HARLAN --  Summer is finally here and with it comes rising temperatures, longer days, fireworks and many more summer activities.

There was a good turnout of family, friends, townspeople and firefighters at the Harlan Fire Department-sponsored water fights.

    HARLAN – The Harlan Community Schools Board of Education was expected to approve an interim superintendent contract at its regular meeting last night, Monday, June 24.    Four finalist candidates were interviewed Friday, June 21 by the board as well as administrators and teams of staff.    School board interviews were conducted in closed session.  In total, the board met from 3 p.m. until 10:05 p.m.

    SHELBY – The 2019 WHO Great Iowa Tractor Ride will make a stop at Carstens 1880 Farmstead south of Shelby Tuesday, June 25 as part of its tour of western Iowa next week.    More than 500 tractor enthusiasts from all over Iowa and the United States gathered at Westfair Fairgrounds and Amphitheatre on Sunday, June 23 with the first days’ ride on Monday, June 24

    COUNTY -- For another year the Shelby County Farmer’s Market will be open for business in the Shopko parking lot beginning this month.    Every Saturday the farmer’s market will be open at 8:30 a.m. until noon. The market will also be open on Wednesdays starting July 3 from 3:30-6 p.m. with a $10 entrance fee for vendors as well as $5 for non-profit vendors. 

    HARLAN -- The American Library Association (ALA) announced this week that the Harlan Community Library is selected to participate in Libraries Lead with Digital Skills, an initiative of ALA and the Public Library Association (PLA), sponsored by Grow With Google, the tech company’s economic opportunity initiative.     Harlan will use the $1,000 in funding to create a four-part series on Digital Skills Learning in the Library and expand digi