COUNTY -- Gene Gross, chairman of the Shelby County Community Foundation, announced that approximately $108,000 in grant funds are available for local nonprofit organizations and that applications are due no later than February 1, 2016.      Detailed application procedures, fact sheets, and a link to the application form can be obtained online at http://omahafoundation.org/swiowa.

    EARLING -- John and Judy Thraen of Earling will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on January 8. Their family is planning a card shower in their honor.    Cards will reach them if sent to 1003 2000th Street, Earling, IA 51530.

Eleven students from Harlan Community Middle School participated in the Southwest District Iowa Special Olympics Bowling Qualifier held October 13 at Thunderbowl in Council Bluffs. There were approximately 180 total bowlers at the event, which saw blue-ribbon winners in each division advance to the West Region’s state competition November 21 in Sioux City.

 SIOUX CITY -- Former Harlan Community Cyclone Joe Brummer capped an outstanding collegiate football career at Morningside College this past fall, earning second-team All-America NAIA honors from the American Football Coaches Association following the Mustangs’ 12-2 campaign. Brummer, a 2012 HCHS graduate and the son of Tony and Laurie Brummer, Harlan, played offensive left guard for Morningside, starting all 54 of the team’s games during the

    COUNTY – Farmland values in Shelby and surrounding counties dropped significantly during the past year, following a statewide trend that has seen values drop for the second consecutive year.    Average Iowa farmland value is now estimated to be $7,633 per acre.   Per acre value declined $310, or 3.9 percent, since last year’s survey.

TROUTDALE, OR -- Jennifer Hoyt and Dan George both of Hillsboro, OR were married on September 12, 2015 in an outdoor double ring ceremony near the Latourell Falls along the Columbia River near Troutdale.    Parents of the couple are Jamie and Wanda Hoyt, Aloha, OR; and Dennis and Candace George, West Des Moines. 

    IRWIN - Theresa C. Goetz, 86, Irwin, died on Friday, Jan. 1, 2016 at Myrtue Medical Center, Harlan.    Visitation will be Thurs., January 7 from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. with a Rosary at 7 p.m. all are held at Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Harlan. Services will be Friday, January 8 at 10 a.m. at St.

Four factors play into father / son survival
    • Was going into work later that day, instead of first thing in the morning.    • Uncharacteristically decided to scoop her walk in the middle of a snow storm.    • Had a gut feeling, that someone had to be in the house.    • Remembered the house layout and had a good idea where the bedroom was.

 TREYNOR -- The AHSTW wrestling team placed fifth out of nine schools at the Western Iowa Conference Dual Tournament held Friday-Saturday, December 18-19, at Treynor.