SHELBY COUNTY – Curtis Schnack is excited to be back home doing the things he loves, meaning anything that has to do with the outdoors.    A 2016 graduate of Harlan Community High School, Schnack has joined the Shelby County Conservation Department as a naturalist and park technician.

    HARLAN – The popular motorcycle bike night Roar Into Harlan is returning this summer with a series of events following a 2020 year that was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.    Celebrating its 10th anniversary, organizer Seth Johannsen said each night will host live entertainment, food, fun and prizes, with hopes of attracting as many as 150 motorcyclists each evening to the community.    “Our first night was May 20 and it did rain,

    HARLAN – U.S. Rep.

    REGIONAL -- Many Iowa farmers have completed their planting for the season, finishing up early due to warm weather and rain early in the season.    “Planting of Iowa’s expected corn crop is nearly complete at 97 percent, two weeks ahead of the five-year average,” Iowa secretary of agriculture Mike Naig said in a report released May 24.    According to the report, 89 percent of Iowa’s soybean crop had been planted by May 23, which is 15 day

 CARROLL (May 24) -- Try as he might, Heath Stein won’t soon forget his first game as Harlan Community’s head baseball coach. Stein’s Cyclones showcased their promise in the first three and a half innings of Monday’s season opener at Kuemper Catholic, playing large amounts of small ball to build an 8-1 lead by the top of the fourth. The Cyclones showcased their youth from that point on, committing five errors in the last three innings and allo

 CARROLL -- The Harlan Community softball team opened the season last Monday night (May 24) with a 13-1 Hawkeye Ten Conference win at Kuemper Catholic, using a three-run second inning, a four-run fourth and a five-run seventh to turn the game into a rout. HCHS outhit the Knights 15-1 and also took advantage of seven Kuemper errors.

 WATERLOO -- Harlan Community senior Brock Bruns, son of Chad and Molly Bruns, Harlan, will be participating in the Class 1A Boys State Tennis Tournament this weekend in Waterloo. The tournament will be held May 28-29 at Byrnes Park, with competition beginning at approximately 9:30 a.m.

 HOLSTEIN (May 24) -- IKM-Manning sophomore Kylie Powers advanced to the Class 1A Girls State Golf Tournament on Monday by winning the Class 1A Region 1 Final held at the Holstein Country Club. Powers shot an 18-hole score of 86 on the day, finishing one shot ahead of Newell-Fonda’s Alexis Barber, Gehlen Catholic’s Jayden Barthole and Tori Galle of Remsen St. Mary’s.

 ANITA (May 21) -- A rough back nine cost Trey Petersen a trip to the state golf tournament in last Friday’s Class 1A District Tournament at Anita’s Crestwood Hills Golf Course. Petersen, a sophomore from Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton, shot an even-par 35 on the front nine of his district round but finished 10-over (46) on the back nine to score a seventh-place 81.