COUNTY -- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds Saturday, March 23 announced that U.S. President Donald Trump had approved the disaster declaration for 56 counties, including Shelby County, freeing up federal aid for areas devastated by flooding.

    SHELBY – Citizens of Shelby will head to the polls Tuesday, April 2 to cast ballots in a special election to fill a vacant city council seat.    Polls will be open from noon-8 p.m. at the Shelby Community Hall.  Absentee ballots also will be accepted, and absentee voting in person will take place from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

 STARKVILLE, MISS.

 CARROLL (March 21) -- The Harlan Community track teams won a combined 23 events on Thursday, both placing first at the Carroll Co-Ed Early Bird Invite in the first outdoor meet of the season. The HCHS girls won 10 of 18 events - the discus was not held - and scored 110 points to finish well ahead of Boone (47), Carroll (46) and Kuemper Catholic (44).

 PELLA (March 22) -- The Harlan Community and AHSTW girls track teams combined for 18 top-10 finishes at Friday’s Central College Girls High School Indoor Meet at the Kuyper Fieldhouse in Pella. The Cyclones and Lady Vikes competed against a large field of teams - many from Class 4A - with some events including more than 100 or 200 entries. HCHS senior Chloe Hansen recorded the highest area finish, placing third out of 105 competitors in the 6

 HARLAN -- Harlan Community senior Olivia Petersen signed a national letter of intent on February 22 to play volleyball at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City.

 MARYVILLE, MO. (March 16) -- Winning two individual events and one relay, the Harlan Community boys track team posted some impressive early-season performances at last Saturday’s Northwest Missouri High School Open. The indoor meet was held at Hughes Fieldhouse on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University.

 TABOR (March 17) -- Brett Sears of Harlan Community and Cole Burmeister of Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton both played for Glenwood coach Curt Schulte’s winning team as part of the 2nd Annual KMAland All-Star Basketball Classic held Sunday at Fremont-Mills High School. Also selected to play in the senior showcase was IKM-Manning’s Gabby Cadwell. In the boys game, Sears had 10 points and four rebounds while Burmeister added five points and three boa

 PANAMA -- The Earling CYO basketball team finished the season by placing first in the CYO Tournament held Tuesday, February 26, at the St. Mary’s Parish Hall in Panama. Members of the winning team included, front row, L-R: Wesley Muenchrath, Preston Mulligan and Kyle Knudson. Back row, L-R: Coach Ernie Peters, Thomas Fah, Hunter Frum, Mason Peters and assistant coaches Hunter Manz and Jonathan Cheek. (Photo contributed)