CLARINDA (July 1) -- Emily Brouse hit her eighth home run of the season and also notched her 500th career strikeout Thursday night as the Harlan Community softball team swept a doubleheader at Clarinda by identical scores of 8-0. Junior Tianna Kasperbauer (12-2) pitched a four-hit shutout in game one, striking out seven, walking one and also hitting one batter. Brouse, a senior, improved to 13-6 in the night cap with a one-hit shutout, walkin

 CLARINDA (July 1) -- Harlan Community split a baseball doubleheader at Clarinda Thursday night, losing game one 11-5 before dominating the night cap 15-1 in just five innings. The Cyclones finished the twin bill with a record of 12-12 overall and 10-9 in the Hawkeye Ten Conference. The Cardinals finished the regular season 14-10 overall and 10-10 in league play. Following Monday’s 10-1 home loss to St.

    HARLAN – Harlan Community Theatre’s presentation of the classical Disney® musical Beauty and the Beast kicks off Friday, July 16 at 7 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Elizabeth Marie Markham, 99, Harlan, died July 12 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Friday, July 16 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  A rosary was held Thursday, July 15 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation was Thursday from 5-8 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Verle E. Greer, 96, Harlan, died April 12, 2020 at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital.    Services will be held Friday, July 16 at 4 p.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Visitation is Friday from 2-4 p.m.

    WALNUT -- Donald Dale Hansen, 92, Walnut, died July 8 at Peace Haven Retirement Home.    Services will be held Saturday, July 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut with burial in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca.  Visitation is Friday, July 16 from 3-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m. at the church.    Hansen is survived by sons Donald (Loleta) Hansen Jr.

    DEFIANCE -- The Mulligan family is looking forward to participating in the Shelby County Fair this year after activities were reduced during the pandemic last summer.    Andy and Tiffany Mulligan have been avid supporters of the fair for years.

    KIMBALLTON – Bella Muller, 14, finished sixth in the nation out of 18 competitors at the USA Olympic Weightlifting Youth Nationals Competition held June 25-July 4 in Detroit, MI.    Muller, the daughter of Ilee and Michael Muller and a freshman-to-be at Elk Horn-Kimballton High School this fall, is among the best young weightlifters in the country and has lofty goals of making the Olympic weightlifting team in future years.    It was last

    COUNTY -- Six young women are in the running to be crowned Shelby County Fair Queen this week.    Coronation will take place Thursday evening, July 15 in the show ring at the fairgrounds at 8 p.m.