ELK HORN -- The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton baseball team will feature some new faces in 2020 as just four full-time starters return from last year’s 10-12 campaign. The Spartans, who placed sixth in the Rolling Valley Conference at 4-9, graduated five seniors off the 2019 squad, including a trio of all-conference selections in first-teamers Cole Burmeister (.420, 43 stolen bases) and Trey Nelson (.377, 16 RBI) and second-teamer Josh Pettepier

    STATE -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order last week establishing the Governor’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

    HARLAN – Disappointing is an understatement for students in the Harlan Community Schools music program when describing the end of this past year.    The COVID-19 pandemic and closing of the school buildings with cancellation of school-sponsored events was a bummer.  The students missed out on so many opportunities to perform, including the Iowa Jazz Championships, small and large group contests and graduation, to name a few.    “School was

    NEOLA -- Jimmie Darlene “Toe” Driver, 68, Neola, died June 16 at her home.    Services were held Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m.

    AVOCA -- Clarence L. Harder, 92, Avoca, died June 19 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Tuesday, June 23 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.  Family will greet friends Tuesday from 9-11 a.m.

    HARLAN -- Arthur “Art” James Hibray, 94, Harlan, died June 15 at Elm Crest Assisted Living.    Services will be held Friday, June 26 at 2 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  Visitation (10 visitors at a time) will be Friday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

 AVOCA -- Deep, versatile and competitive. That is the type of team AHSTW softball coach G.G. Harris envisions as the Lady Vikes prepare for this year’s three-and-a-half week sprint to the postseason. AHSTW finished 12-11 overall in 2019 and went 9-6 (fourth place) in the Western Iowa Conference.

 AVOCA -- A veteran cast of eight seniors has AHSTW poised for a fun 2020 season on the baseball diamond. The Vikings return seven letter winners - six seniors, one junior - from last year’s 12-12 campaign, and nearly all seven will be playing at least their third season of varsity ball. AHSTW will be looking to improve on a seventh place finish (7-9) in the Western Iowa Conference last year, when it lost to a talented St.

 HARLAN -- While all swim meets have tentatively been cancelled for 2020, the Harlan Summer Swim Team will hold a practice season starting Monday, June 15, at the Norman D. Stamp Aquatic Center. A total of 83 youth swimmers have signed up for the season, which runs through Friday, July 17. On May 17, the Harlan Swim Team Board of Directors voted unanimously to pull out of the Western Iowa Swim League for the 2020 season.