ELK HORN – In a live Facebook video Wednesday, March 15, staff of the Museum of Danish America announced that the organization has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. 

    HARLAN – Two Harlan Community High School Mock Trial teams have qualified for state competition following top finishes at regional competition in Council Bluffs March 14.    The top three teams from regional competition qualify for state.  The overall regional champion team from HCHS consists of Laura Kaufmann, Ellen Keast, Alexis Irlbeck, Reagan Hansen, Jacob Bartley, Irelynn McMurphy, Anna Nelson and Allyssa Obrecht.  Finishing in third

    HARLAN -- The Iowa League of Heroes’ very own Batman came to the Harlan Community Intermediate School Monday, March 20 to meet local superhero Jaxon Rold. Batman even came in the Bat car!    Rold, 8, a third-grader, currently is undergoing treatment for brain cancer.  Batman is his favorite superhero.  He is the son of Trent Rold and Devin Mahoney.  (Photo contributed)

AVOCA -- Jett Peterson, a fourth grader at AHSTW Elementary School, was selected to display his science project on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Friday, March 17, in a segment that featured Outstanding Kid Inventors.    The science assignment was to come up with an invention to make a chore more enjoyable or easier. Jett told his parents he wanted to make a trash catapult because he dislikes taking out the trash.

PORTSMOUTH -- Bob and Janet Croghan of Portsmouth announce the engagement of their daughter, Kelsey, to Jarad Gaskill, son of Greg and Lori Gaskill, Irwin.         Kelsey is the granddaughter of Stella Lefeber, Portsmouth. Jarad is the grandson of Joleen Sievertsen, Manilla, and Lynn and Myrna Gaskill, Manilla. He is the great-grandson of Opal Gaskill, Manilla. 

DES MOINES -- AHSTW junior R.J. Harris was named third-team All-State by the Iowa Newspaper Association earlier this week after leading the Vikings to one of their best basketball seasons in school history. The INA announced its 2017 All-State Boys Basketball selections on Tuesday, choosing three teams per class and naming Gladbrook-Reinbeck’s Joe Smoldt as this year’s Mr.

VERMILLION, S.D.

DES MOINES -- Harlan Community senior Joshua Cheek was one of just 21 senior boys basketball players statewide named to the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association’s 2017 Boys Academic All-State Team. Josh is the son of Kevin Cheek and Janell Leinen. Selected from more than 170 nominations, this elite group combined to average an ACT composite test score of 29.6, a cumulative GPA of 3.98 and 15.7 points per game on the basketball floor.

 IOWA CITY -- Moving up one spot on the podium from last year, IKM-Manning senior Taylor Gross finished as a state champion last Saturday (March 11) in the Special Olympics Basketball Skills competition for ages 16-21. The event was held at Iowa City High. The daughter of Paul and Joy Gross, rural Manilla, Taylor has been competing in Special Olympics state competitions for many years.