HARLAN -- One thing is for certain – you can’t buy a llama in any old Iowan sale barn.    Laura Heimerman and her husband, Trent, are all about their livestock. Laura grew up with sheep and pigs and cows, but Trent’s grandpa was into, and around, all different kinds of animals.

Harlan City Administrator Gene Gettys, Jr. issued a statement Wednesday on behalf of the city elected officials and employees, following the release of a special investigation report by the state auditor's office that outlined improper and unsupported disbursements.
In part, the statement said the contents and outcome of the report are expected to be of concern to the community. 

    HARLAN -- Auditor of State Mary Mosiman today released a report on a special investigation of the City of Harlan for the period July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2016.    The special investigation was requested by city officials as a result of concerns regarding certain travel reimbursements issued to the former city administrator, Terry Cox.    Mosiman reported the special investigation identified $144,872.32 of improper and unsupported disbu

 HARLAN -- Whether it’s a close game or a blowout, the Harlan Community baseball team just keeps on winning. Freshman reliever Connor Bruck retired Ethan Fisher on a ground ball to shortstop for the final out Thursday night (June 15), preserving the top-ranked Cyclones’ 10-9 win over Glenwood as well as their undefeated record. HCHS trailed 4-0 in the second inning and 6-5 in the fourth but rallied twice by posting four-spots in the bottom of

 HARLAN -- Six errors and four unearned runs cost the Harlan Community softball team a victory Thursday night (June 15) as Glenwood beat the Cyclones 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader. Game two was suspended by rain and lightning in the fourth inning with the Rams leading 3-2 and will be completed on Friday, June 23, at 1:00 p.m. HCHS let an opportunity slip away in game one as all four Ram runs were unearned against Cyclone sophomore Mo

 FORT DODGE -- Harlan Community finished in 16th place with an 0-4 record at the Fort Dodge Softball Tournament this past weekend, facing a pair of top-five ranked teams at the Harlan Rogers Sports Complex. On Friday (June 16), HCHS was defeated by Fort Dodge 9-2 in the first round and lost 7-2 vs. top-ranked (Class 2-A) North Union in the consolation bracket.

 ELK HORN -- Always be aggressive and make the other team make plays. That’s been the mantra for Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton baseball so far this season and it paid dividends once again Friday night (June 16) as the 10th-ranked (1-A) Spartans topped Ar-We-Va, 2-1, in a mid-season battle of unbeaten teams. With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Spartan senior Tyson Partridge led off second base with nobody out and Drew Buckholdt stand

 AVOCA -- Withstanding a nine-run third inning by Riverside, the AHSTW baseball team went ahead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and held off the Bulldogs 11-10 Thursday night (June 15), improving to 10-5 overall and 8-5 in the Western Iowa Conference. The Vikings held an early 8-0 lead when Riverside erupted for nine runs against a combination of Blaine Lees and Joey Cunningham in the top of the third. AHSTW was able to tie the game i

 IRWIN -- IKM-Manning stayed right in the hunt for a Western Iowa Conference regular season softball title Thursday night (June 15), defeating 14th-ranked (2-A) Treynor 7-2 to avenge its only WIC loss of the year. Wolves’ junior Peyton Gross pitched a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and also scored three runs as IKM-M improved to 15-4 overall and 12-1 in league play, tied for first place with Logan-Magnolia (13-1) in the loss column. Treynor,