EARLING - On Saturday, September 30 from 2-10 p.m., part of Pat and Amy Hoffmann’s dream will come true with their hosting of the grand opening for their Lonely Oak Distillery. The event will feature tours, tastings, product specials, entertainment and food.

COUNTY – There will be contested races in a number of Shelby County communities in this year’s November 7 general election after interested individuals turned in their nomination papers for municipal office by last Thursday’s deadline.    In Harlan, outgoing Mayor Kate Kohorst, who was appointed to fill the term of Gene Gettys, Jr.

HARLAN -- Come together with your neighbors, fellow community members, and hundreds of thousands of other Iowans to support the Healthiest State Initiative on Wednesday, Oct. 4 in Harlan.    The Healthiest State Initiative’s goal is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation.

 HARLAN -- During the first 120 years of Harlan Community Cyclone football, only two players were credited with scoring six touchdowns in a single game: Todd Hansen in 1988 and Ryan Fagan in 1998. HCHS senior Nick Foss has now done it twice in the last six games. Foss put forth another spectacular performance at Merrill Field Friday night, rushing for 283 yards on 26 carries and tying the school record he partially owns with six touchdown runs

 HARLAN -- On a warm, muggy morning to compete, AHSTW’s Dalton Fischer and Heidi Hall posted impressive top-three finishes Saturday while Harlan Community’s girls and boys teams both placed fourth in the annual Cyclone Cross Country Invite at the Harlan Golf and Country Club. Due to a rainout, HCHS was running in its first meet in 12 days but fared well overall as five individuals earned medals and 11 of 14 varsity runners finished in the top

 MANNING -- Stephen Grimm and Carter Irlmeier scored two touchdowns each and IKM-Manning’s defense held Missouri Valley to 137 yards while forcing four turnovers in an impressive 34-7 victory Friday night. The Wolves improved to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in Class 1A, District 7, tied for first place with AHSTW (5-0, 3-0) going into this week’s area showdown in Avoca (Friday night, 7:00 p.m.). Takeaways aided the Wolves’ cause against Mo.

 AVOCA -- Junior fullback Gabe Pauley led the way with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns last Friday night as 7th-ranked (Class 1A) AHSTW hammered Treynor 58-0 for its fourth straight shutout. The Vikings (5-0 overall, 3-0 in District 7) will now host IKM-Manning (4-1, 3-0) in an area showdown for the outright district lead this Friday at 7:00 p.m. AHSTW finished with 328 rushing yards and 526 total yards against Treynor (2-3, 1-2) and cont

 CLARINDA -- Senior Cole Madsen and junior Cole Burmeister combined to rush for 274 yards and five touchdowns Friday night as the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton football team rolled up 579 total yards in a 70-38 win at Clarinda Academy. Junior quarterback Josh Pettepier also had a big night for the Spartans, completing 7-of-10 passes (one interception) for 157 yards and two touchdowns while scoring twice on the ground. Burmeister was the team’s top

 ELK HORN -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton won the first set but struggled the rest of the way Thursday night in a four-set home loss to Coon Rapids-Bayard. The Crusader volleyball team won the match 24-26, 25-22, 25-15, 25-19, handing Exira-EHK its first Rolling Valley Conference defeat of the year. Sydnee Young led Exira-EHK with 12 kills and three ace serves in defeat.