A group of basketball ambassadors will come to Harlan this (Monday) evening to take on some local celebrities. The Harlem Ambassadors are an organization similar to the Harlem Globetrotters and will bring high flying slam dunks and family comedy to the Harlan Community High School Gymnasium starting at 7pm. Dawn Gardner from the Harlan Community High School says the Ambassadors will play against the Harlan Community Hoopsters.

The Hoopsters will be coached by the Harlan Mayor Gene Gettys and Izzy Clark and the team is made up of current Harlan Community staff members such as Superintendent Justin Wagner, teacher Dan Hoch and former Harlan Community graduates including Randy Bissen, Paul Bruck and Kevin Osborn.

The entire event is sponsored by the Harlan Community Teammates Mentoring Program. Gardner says “The Teammates Program was started by Doctor Tom Osborne and Nancy Osborn in Nebraska as a school based mentoring program. Students meet once a week for an hour during the school year. It gives students an extra adult to look up to other than family members.”

No ticket is needed to get into the family show this evening at the high school gym but seating is limited. A free-will donation will be taken at the door with proceeds going to the Teammates program. Along with the basketball fun, the concession stand will be open as well as a merchandise stand from the Harlem Ambassadors. A signed basketball from the Ambassadors will be auctioned off to coach Izzy Clark, too.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A Veteran from Kimballton has written a fictional novel based on the life of a Vietnam veteran. Steve Heuton is the author of “Back in the Day” about two young men growing up in the 1960’s. Heuton says “It starts about the end of their junior year of high school, goes on to their senior year as they chase girls, hot rod around and play football. They do pretty good at everything and they are on top of the world. Then they are drafted and end up going to Vietnam. It’s a long fall from top of the world to the bottom and they crawl back out again.”

He says parts of the book are true and happened to him or friends of his. Heuton says the book was inspired by an English professor in college.  “I graduated from college about two weeks before my 30th high school reunion and had an engineer’s degree. My English Professor told me I had a gift and I should get out of engineering and into journalism. The rest kind of came to me as the years went by and I figured I better do it before I forget everything.”

The story inside “Back in the Day” is quite moving from the highs of being rock stars in high school to the lows of the war. Heuton, a high school graduate from Elk Horn and Vietnam Veteran, says he is dedicating the book to Veterans. “The book is dedicated to the men and women who served in Vietnam and we need to be thankful for all those men and women.”

“Back in the Day” will hit bookstores set to be released in stores and online December 31st, 2013.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Firefighters in Harlan responded to a silo fire south of Harlan, twice Saturday, the third time in two days they had been called to the same location. According to Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen, the first call about a silo fire at 1610 Maple Street, came around 9:30-am, Friday. Bissen said at the time, it was a lost cause. “There wasn’t anything we could do about it because we had silage burning on the inside of the silo and I couldn’t send anyone in because it was too dangerous. It was contained at the time. We determined the silo structure was deteriorating and needed to come down with an excavator.”

Firefighters doused the flames but were called back at around 3-a.m. Saturday. Chief Bissen said “We had some embers that left the silo and caught a hog house on fire. We had to go extinguish that. That shed was burnt to the ground.”

The Department returned around mid-morning on Saturday to assist as an excavator was brought to the farm and tore the silo down. No injuries were reported and no dollar amount was given.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Assisting the H-FD were firefighters from Elk Horn, Kimballton, Walnut, Avoca and Shelby. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A disturbance that brought Police in Lenox to a residence Sunday afternoon resulted in the arrest of a 27-year old female.

Ruth Graham

Officers dispatched to a 601 South Walnut at around 2:30-p.m., and determined Ruth L Graham, of Lenox, had allegedly assaulted two other females at that residence. Graham was arrested for 2 counts of assault simple and transported to the Taylor County Sheriffs office.

An 18-year old from Lenox was arrested Sunday evening in Lenox, after police responded to a complaint of threats being made against the resident of a home. Officials say officers went to the home at 601 S. Walnut Street in Lenox, at around 5:15-p.m.

Dustin Clayton

They determined that Dustin Clayton, of Lenox, had illegally entered the residence of another person and allegedly threatened to kill him. After officers located Clayton as he was driving a few hours later, was stopped and arrested on charges of Trespass and 1st degree Harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor. Clayton was transported to the Taylor County Sheriffs office for processing.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Today is Veterans Day where Americans honor our Veterans for helping to keep us free.

Some events scheduled for today include: The Griswold Community School District Veteran’s Day Program which will be held at 7:00 pm in the school auditorium.  The guest speaker is World War II Navy Veteran Clarence Pfundheller if Greenfield who will share his experience of being on the USS Maryland when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.  Fellowship time will follow the presentation in the cafeteria with a dessert bar.  The program is open to the public.

This past weekend, several activities took place including a breakfast in Harlan and Brayton. This morning, the Harlan Community Middle School will present their annual Veteran’s Day program inside the Harlan Community High School Gym. Bob Cook, American Legion Post 150 Commander, says the events and day mean a lot to Veterans everywhere. “People in southwest Iowa do a magnificent job. Speaking of all Veterans, we really do appreciate that. The sense of patriotism and those who served is extremely positive. The day means a lot and the events touch all our hearts.”

Veterans can start filing in to the gym at 9am with a pre-show at 9:30 and the program at 10-a.m. The theme this year is “With Them We Stand” and a reception will follow. Harlan Community isn’t the only one with a Veteran’s program as Tri-Center School District and Boyer Valley also have a tribute to the Veterans today. This evening, Veterans can get a soup supper at the Shelby Community Building. A choice of chicken noodle or vegetable beef soup with a salad, dessert and beverage will be served from 5 to 7:30pm with carry outs available. Veterans can eat free and proceeds from the event go to the Shelby County American Legion.

Cook says the Harlan Community School has another event on Tuesday evening to finish the local Veterans activities.  “From 6 to 7 at the high school cafeteria a sort of a new thing where the Legion provides cookies and coffee to serve those who are participating in the sing-a-long. And that is magnificent; they all are by the way. The 4^th grade music class will sing to the Veterans that evening. I tell you what the guys are escorted in and you get to see one another. The numbers are incredibly high for an area this size. I don’t think I have ever been moved that much to see that.”

(Ric Hanson-KJAN/Joel McCall-KNOD)

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A 28-year-old man sought in an Omaha assault case has been arrested after a two-state chase.  Omaha police say Allen Williams was spotted late Saturday night in a pickup that soon halted after officers deployed stop strips that flattened the truck tires. But police say Williams then threatened a woman at a gas station nearby, stole her car and then took off on a chase that crossed the Missouri River into Iowa and then back into Nebraska.

Police say Williams was arrested after the vehicle he was driving plowed through some backyards in western Omaha. Police say an officer fired his gun but didn’t hit anyone.  Williams faces robbery, drug, assault and other charges. He’s previously served prison time.

A chase in Montgomery County early this (Monday) morning that began with a traffic stop, ended with the suspect vehicle getting away, and Sheriff’s vehicle going up in flames. No injuries were reported. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Red Oak Police attempted to stop a vehicle at around 1:03-a.m., but the car took off. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy’s Buttercase and Anderson engaged in the pursuit just southeast of Red Oak.

As the suspect vehicle continued westbound from J Avenue on 215th Street and was able to maneuver around a deputy’s vehicle that had approached eastbound on 215th from Hickory. Officials say Deputy Buttercase was behind the offender and continued past Deputy Anderson’s patrol vehicle, attempting to maintain a visual on the suspect’s vehicle. During the chase, Buttercase attempted to slow down as he approached a the t-intersection after topping a hill, but his patrol car skidded past the turn and went into the west ditch off Hickory. The car sustained minimal damage at the time. The deputy secured his cruiser and was picked up by another officer as they continued to pursue the suspect.

The chase was called-off after authorities lost sight of the vehicle. When deputies returned to the ditched patrol vehicle, they found it to be fully engulfed in flames. Red Oak Fire was called and extinguished the fire. The 2011 Dodge Charger owned by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and its contents, were a total loss.

An investigation into the offender’s identity continues.