REGIONAL – Warm, dry and windy conditions over the past few weeks have allowed farmers to harvest nearly half of the state’s corn for grain.    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the harvest has progressed rapidly for both corn and soybeans due to the favorable weather conditions, despite rain mid and late week last week.    The forecast this week also calls for cooler condit

GLENWOOD -- For the second year in a row, the State Cross Country Meet will be a true co-ed affair for Harlan Community High School. Both Cyclone teams punched their ticket to Fort Dodge with top-three finishes in Thursday’s Class 3-A State Qualifying Meet at Glenwood Lake Park. The HCHS girls placed second and the boys took third - a flip-flop of last year’s SQM results - to mark just the second time in school history that both squads qualifi

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community football team is back at the top of the mountain in Class 3-A, District 8. One year after missing the playoffs for just the second time in 34 seasons, the sixth-ranked Cyclones are co-district champions and a number-one playoff seed after crushing Adel-DeSoto-Minburn 49-7 in Friday night’s regular-season finale at Merrill Field. HCHS also got a little help from Glenwood when the Rams topped Dallas Center-Grimes,

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community Cyclones won’t have to look far for a scouting report in preparation for their first-round opponent in the Class 3-A football playoffs. The video from their Week 7 game at Creston/Orient-Macksburg is just two and a half weeks old. The 6th-ranked Cyclones (8-1) will host the Panthers (5-4) at 7:00 p.m.

 AREA -- The AHSTW and Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton football teams will host first-round playoff games Wednesday night while IKM-Manning will open its playoff journey on the road following the release of the Iowa high school playoff pairings late Friday night. AHSTW (6-3) finished the regular season with a dominating 85-0, Week 9 win over West Monona/Whiting on Friday, earning second place in Class 1-A, District 1 with a 4-2 record.

    HARLAN -- Lester and Viola Hass of Harlan will mark their 69th wedding anniversary on October 27.    Cards will reach them if sent to 2008 20th Street, Harlan, IA 51537. Their daughter, Linda and family, resides in Texas.

    HARLAN -- Bob and Melissa Golden of Harlan will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary today, October 23.    Their family includes Rob and Deb Golden, Harlan; Dawn Golden, Harlan; and Doug Golden, Denison; and four grandchildren.

    IRWIN -- CDR Douglas Patrick Kiem, 50, Irwin, died October 22 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.    Services were held Monday, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m.

    ELK HORN -- Charles “Chuck” Bergstrom, 85, Elk Horn, formerly of Harlan, died Thursday, Oct. 22 in Elk Horn.    Services were held Monday, Oct. 26 at 11 a.m.