HARLAN -- Junior forward Nicole Lange combined for 48 points and 18 rebounds as the Harlan Community girls swept a pair of recent home games vs. Class 4-A competition, beating Sioux City West 62-47 last Saturday and outscoring Sioux City East 74-70 on Monday night.HCHS 62, Sioux City West 47 The Cyclones trailed 20-11 after one quarter before outscoring the Wolverines 32-12 during the second and third periods and winning by double digits.

 AUDUBON -- Exira-EHK sophomore Dakota Rold and senior Drew Buckholdt formed a solid one-two punch on the interior Monday night as the Spartans improved to 14-5 overall with a 60-54 non-conference home win over Audubon. Rold finished his night with 20 points and 15 rebounds while Buckholdt had 16 points and six boards. The Spartans also got nine points from Noah Pettepier and six each from Josh Pettepier and Cole Burmeister.

    EARLING -- Services are pending at Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Harlan, for Roman Leuschen, 90, Earling, who died Feb.

    STERLING, IL -- The Rev. Donald Matthiessen, 87, Sterling, IL, died Friday, Feb. 3 at Regency Care in Sterling.    Services will be held Thursday, Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. at McDonald Funeral Home in Rock Falls, IL.  Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church Cemetery in Elk Horn.  Visitation will be Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 5-7 p.m.

    URBANDALE -- Delores Lindell, Urbandale, formerly of Harlan, died Sunday, Feb. 12 at Deerfield Home in Urbandale.    Services will be held Wednesday, Feb. 15 at Sellergren Lindell DeMarce Funeral Home in Red Oak.    Lindell is survived by her husband, Ken. 

    MINDEN -- Harold “Shorty” William Bintz, 88, Minden, died February 9 at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home.    Services were held Monday, Feb. 13 at 10:30 a.m.

    EARLING -- Abby Mahlberg and Brian Kooker both of West Des Moines exchanged marriage vows on September 17, 2016 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Father Guthrie Dolan performed the 2:30 p.m. double ring ceremony.    Parents of the bride are Joe and Kathy Mahlberg, Earling. Parents of the groom are Dave and Nancy Woodin, Laurens; and Greg and Vicki Kooker, Ankeny.

    HARLAN – The Harlan Fire Department will have three firefighters re-test for certifications by the state fire academy due to a scandal involving the state’s Fire Service Training Bureau and its former accreditation manager John McPhee.    McPhee has been arrested and charged with misconduct in public office as well as tampering with records.  He is accused of failing to grade tests and assigning random scores to tests.  He has pleaded not

    COUNTY -- Law enforcement have captured a former Harlan man who escaped from a work release facility Sunday, Feb. 5.    Colton Benson-Blaine, 26, was listed as escape status after he failed to return to the Council Bluffs Work Release Facility from his employment.