HARLAN – The Harlan Community boys basketball team enters the 2024–25 season with a new face leading the program after longtime head coach Mitch Osborn retired following last year’s 9–13 campaign. 
Stepping in is Dean Mosher, who served on the staff last season and now takes over a roster blending returning firepower with limited varsity experience.

HARLAN – The Harlan Community girls basketball team kicked off their season against preseason No. 2–ranked Treynor, falling 52–38. 
Both teams started slowly, combining for just five points midway through the first quarter. 
Treynor’s full-court press caused issues for Harlan early, but the Cyclones began to settle in as the quarter progressed.

MANNING – The IKM-Manning boys basketball team is coming off a .500 season at 12-12 overall but finished with a 5-10 conference record. 
The Wolves return their main core from a season ago, graduating only two seniors. 
Among the returners, the Wolves bring back their top three leading scorers, their top three rebounders, and their top assist producers.

Larry Raymond Wingert was born on December 15, 1953, in Harlan, Iowa to the late Anthony “Tony” and Rosemary (Freund) Wingert. The second of seven children, he grew up on the family farm outside Portsmouth and graduated from Harlan High School in 1972 where he was active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA). In 1978 he married Shirley Hipsher, and they were blessed with one son, Kenneth. 

Lloyd Charles Carlson, 86, formerly of Ricketts, Iowa, passed away on November 28, 2025. Lloyd was born on October 24, 1939, to Charles and Clara (Zobel) Carlson in Charter Oak, Iowa. He graduated from Charter Oak High School with the Class of 1958. After graduating, Lloyd served in the United States Army from April 6, 1959, until his honorable discharge on May 4, 1962.

Verdell May Jensen was born September 9, 1930 to Folmer and Bonnie (Andersen) Jensen in Clay Township. Verdell was baptized and confirmed at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church. Verdell attended school at Clay #5 country school. In 1943 her family moved to a farm outside of Kimballton, Iowa. She then attended school in Elk Horn, Iowa and would go on to graduate in the year of 1948. Verdell worked at Twenstrup and Lund in Kimballton in high school.

Jane Mary Henscheid was born on September 19, 1932, in Westphalia, IA, to Joseph “Joe” and Marie “Mary” Henscheid. Jane was very proud of her Westphalia roots. She graduated from St. Boniface High School in 1950. She then became a Franciscan nun and served as the cook for the religious in the communities of La Crosse, WI; Spencer, IA; and Bozeman, MT.

 HARLAN — Michael Christopher Butler, 45, of Harlan faces multiple charges for alleged sex and drug related offenses and is currently being held in the Cass County Jail.
According to documents filed against Butler in Shelby County District Court, he is scheduled to be arraigned December 22. His pre-trial conference has been set for January 12, 2026, with trial set for February 3, 2026. 

Karen Kay Dant, age 83, of Walnut, Iowa, and formerly of Atlantic, Iowa, passed away on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, at Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, IA.