HARLAN (June 29) -- Power numbers typically rise and fall in the sports of baseball and softball. The average slugger might go two weeks without hitting one out of the park, then bash about one home run a day. Right now, senior Emily Brouse is on one of those feel-good tears for the Harlan Community softball team. Brouse homered two more times Tuesday night at H.

HARLAN – A Harlan psychologist and farmer whose life’s work involves improving the behavioral health care of those in the agricultural business will be the featured speaker at a town hall for farmers Thursday, July 15 during the Shelby County Fair.    Michael R.

 PORTSMOUTH -- Carmella Wingert Grap, 88, Portsmouth, died July 4 at Myrtue Medical Center.    Services will be held Friday, July 9 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Church in Portsmouth with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth.  Visitation is Friday from 9-11 a.m.

    PERSIA -- Dorothy Rae Elias Busch, 85, Persia, died July 6 at Rose Vista Home, Inc.    Services will be held Tuesday, July 13 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Persia with burial in the Valley View Cemetery in Persia.  A prayer service will be held Monday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation is Monday from 5-8 p.m.

    REGIONAL -- As the Shelby County Fair approaches, the Boysen family is preparing to show off months of hard work on their projects for this year’s fair.    Mitch and Cindy Boysen live on a farm outside of Wiota with their children Leah, Chet and Greta.

    AVOCA – The Avoca Flower Shop is one of five Main Street programs in Iowa announced as a substate winner in a state program awarding funds for business development and expansion projects.    The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) last week awarded $40,000 to Main Street programs around the state.

    HARLAN – Bill Kearney will take over the helm of the tradition-rich Harlan Community Jazz Program in 2021-22, with plans to continue the standard of excellence while building on music education for the students involved.    Kearney, who will be in his sixth year as high school band director, will step in as jazz band sponsor directing the Harlan Jazz Experience following the resignation of Ryan Meyer, and will be assisted by Tom Cronin, wh

 AVOCA (June 29) -- The AHSTW softball team punched its ticket to the Western Iowa Conference Tournament semifinals Tuesday night with a 7-0 win over Treynor. The third-seeded Lady Vikes struck early with two runs in the bottom of the first and took control by plating five more runs in the fifth to beat the sixth-seeded Cardinals for the third time this season. The quarterfinal win advanced AHSTW to Thursday’s (July 1) semifinal and title game

 UNDERWOOD (June 29) -- IKM-Manning’s seventh-inning rally fell one run short Tuesday night as the Wolves lost a 4-3 decision to Tri-Center in the first round of the Western Iowa Conference Softball Tournament. The ninth-seeded Wolves trailed 4-1 going into their last at-bat before scoring two runs in the top of the seventh.