KIMBALLTON -- Rick and Jo Brown of Harlan announce the engagement of their daughter, Ashley Brown to Jeff Hambrecht both of Urbandale. Jeff is the son of Deb Shull, Adel; and John Hambrecht, Abilene, TX.    The couple will marry on April 22 at the Cottonwood Barn in Kimballton.

    HARLAN -- The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry will host a legislative coffee on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m. at Town and Country Credit Union in Harlan.    On hand will be Iowa Sen. Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) and Iowa Rep. Steve Holt (R-Denison), who will answer questions from the audience and give updates on the current legislative session.    The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

 The following story was originally published by the University of Nebraska-Kearney website on February 13. It is being republished in the Harlan Tribune with persmission from UNK. KEARNEY, NEB.

 DES MOINES -- Mike Huegerich of Exira received the Iowa Farm Bureau Sportsmanship Award at the Girls State Basketball Tournament on February 27, representing the community of Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton. A fan from each school participating in the tournament was presented a sportsmanship award prior to the team’s first-round game.

Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Results1-A Quarterfinal: Exira-EHK 58, Sidney 431-A Semifinal: Turkey Valley 48, Exira-EHK 46 (OT)Spartans’ final record: 24-2

    HARLAN -- Ruth L. Ridge, 100, Harlan, died March 15 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Saturday, March 18 at 11 a.m. at Congregational United Church of Christ in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.    An Eastern Star Service will be held Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation is Friday from 2-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    OMAHA -- Former Harlan resident Mike Kaufman of Omaha will mark his 80th birthday on March 15.      His family is requesting a card shower in his honor. Cards will reach him if sent to 5020 S 83rd Terrace, Ralston, NE 68127.

 TOPEKA, KAN. -- Just two years after winning his second state wrestling title in the Iowa high school ranks, Kimballton native Evan Hansen is a national champion for the most dominant NAIA program in the country. Hansen, a redshirt freshman for Grand View University in Des Moines, claimed the 197-pound championship Saturday, March 4, at the 2017 NAIA Wrestling National Championships in Topeka, Kansas.

 DES MOINES -- Area girls basketball standouts Sophia Peppers of Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton and Kia Rasmussen of IKM-Manning were both recognized on all-state teams this week by the Iowa Newspaper Association and/or the Iowa Girls’ Coaches Association. The junior tandem has combined for more than 2,100 career points and helped their teams win 129 games over the last three seasons. Peppers, a 5-10 forward, was named first-team All-State by the I