WALNUT -- Jack and Judy Ploen of Walnut celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Sunday, March 26.    Jack and Judy have four children: James and Brooke Ploen, Jennifer Ploen, Jessica Ploen and Jared Ploen all of Walnut. The Ploens have two grandsons.

    HARLAN -- Gary Lee Smith, 71, Harlan, died March 31 at his home.    Services will be held Wednesday, April 5 at 9:30 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Visitation is Tuesday, April 4 from 4-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    ELK HORN -- Connie A.

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community senior Alyssa Wyman signed a letter of intent on March 2 to continue her academics and basketball career at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls. Alyssa is the daughter of Marty and Amy Wyman. Wyman played in 18 games for the Cyclone girls this past season, averaging 3.8 points per game in a reserve role as HCHS finished with an 11-11 record.

    CARROLL -- The Harlan Community girls and boys track teams both won nine events at Thursday’s Carroll Early Bird Co-Ed Invite (March 23).    No team scoring was kept at the outdoor season opener and all times were hand held. Teams who competed included HCHS, Carroll, Boone, Kuemper Catholic and Earlham.    The HCHS girls won four out of seven relays on the day, placing first in the shuttle hurdle, 4x200, 4x100 and 4x400.

 REGIONAL -- There was no shortage of local representation this past season when it comes to women’s collegiate basketball. Eight former area standouts - ranging from seniors to freshmen; NAIA to NCAA Division I - played women’s college hoops at one of six Midwest institutions during the 2016-17 campaign.

    OMAHA, NEB. -- Harlan Community baseball coach Steve Daeges was inducted into the Nebraska-Iowa Old-Timers Baseball Club Hall of Fame last Saturday, March 18, in a banquet held at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Omaha. Daeges was one of five honorees on the night, joining the Hall of Fame along with Frank Pecha, Jim Thomas, the late Merl Eberly and the late Loren Babe.

    REGIONAL -- Six Harlan Community senior bowlers, including two first-teamers, have been named to the 2016-2017 Hawkeye Ten All-Conference bowling teams. HCHS girls who were recognized include Jessie Phipps on the first team, Molly Wingert (second team) and Nicole Willcoxon (honorable mention). Phipps posted a team-high 151.1 game average as the Cyclone girls finished 5-6 in duals and placed fourth at the Hawkeye Ten Tournament.

 MANNING -- IKM-Manning senior Rylie Muhlbauer signed a letter of intent earlier this month to play volleyball at Morningside College in Sioux City. Rylie is the daughter of Steve and Nancy Muhlbauer of Manning. Muhlbauer was a four-year volleyball letter winner for the Wolves and earned first or second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior.