ELK HORN -- Outscoring Coon Rapids-Bayard 49-10 during the second and third quarters, the Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton girls cruised to 16-0 last Tuesday night with a 72-29 win over the Crusaders. The game was close for one quarter (15-13) before the 2nd-ranked (1-A) Spartans dominated the rest of the way. Sophia Peppers (9-for-11 shooting) and Mara Burmeister (8-for-13) scored 20 and 19 points, respectively, to lead Exira-EHK, which shot 61.5 p

    HARLAN -- Sandra S. Brennan, 65, Harlan, died Tuesday, Feb. 2 in Omaha, NE.    Visitation will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 from 2-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 4-7 p.m. at Burmeister-Johannsen Funeral Home in Harlan.    Brennan is survived by daughter Jennifer Brennan of Harlan; sister Janice Grote of Harlan; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

    OMAHA, NE -- Marvene A. Gubbels, 92, Omaha, NE, formerly of Denison, died Wednesday, Jan. 27 at Remington Heights in Omaha.    Services will be held Friday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at St.

    BELLEVUE, NE -- Darlene Bernice Kenkel, 77, Bellevue, NE, died January 31 at Hillcrest Care & Rehabilitation Center.    Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Earling.  A rosary will be held Friday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation is Friday from 3-9 p.m. with family greeting friends from 4-8 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Juanita McDermott, 94, Harlan, died January 30 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at Congregational United Church of Christ in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 5 from 3-9 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    PANAMA -- Eldred “Mick” Keane, 84, Panama, died January 31.    Services will be held Friday, Feb. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church in Panama with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery.  A rosary was held Thursday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Center in Panama.  Visitation was Thursday from 4-9 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Harlan Community School’s Large Group Speech team, under the direction of Ms. Lisa Hagemeier, participated in the Iowa High School Speech Association’s Contest on Saturday, Jan.

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office this week announced the hiring of two deputy sheriffs.    Michael Jurgensen was a patrolman with the Harlan Police Department prior to joining the sheriff’s office 18 months ago.  Jurgensen is assigned road patrol and investigations.    Braden Quist was a patrolman with the Red Oak Police Department prior to joining the sheriff’s office.  He started duties on January 11, and currently is riding

    HARLAN -- The Harlan Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees has approved a proposal to pay $25,000 for a rate study of their three main utilities.    A proposal from Dave Berg Consulting of Minneapolis, MN would perform electric, natural gas and water cost-of-service and rate design studies for HMU.  It would be a retail rate analysis and design study beginning July 1, 2016 and thus falling in next year’s fiscal budget.    The firm would us