HARLAN -- Dale Ruha, 77, Harlan, died Saturday, Aug.

    CLARINDA -- Mary Ann Assmann, 87, Clarinda, died August 17 at Westridge Quality Care and Rehabilitation.    Services will be held Monday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling.  A wake service will be held Sunday, Aug. 25 at 6 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Family will greet friends Sunday from 5-7 p.m.

    SUN CITY WEST, AZ - Dorothy Joan Alff, 86, died on Saturday, August 10 in Sun City West, AZ.    Funeral services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.  Public visitation will be Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.    Survivors include her daughter Dr.

    NEOLA -- Vonda Koch, 90, Neola, died August 17 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 10:30 a.m. at United Church of Christ in Minden with burial in the Minden Cemetery.  Visitation was held Monday, Aug. 19 from 5-8 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca, with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    KIRKMAN -- Norman “Gene” Wiig, 74, Kirkman, died August 15 at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital.    Services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation is Wednesday from 9-11 a.m.

    HARLAN -- The Harlan Community Schools has 10 new teachers/administrators to start the new school year. 

    HARLAN -- Harlan appears to be on a downward trend in crimes committed in the city. According  to statistics on Areavibes.com, showed that Harlan was 87 percent safer than other cities located in Iowa.    When compared to other United States cities, Harlan was listed as being 77 percent safer than other cities.

    COUNTY – Shelby County Auditor Mark Maxwell said this week that new legislation will be used this fall as the regular city and school elections will be combined and be held on the same day.    This will make for some changes from past school elections, in particular, with the most noticeable being polling places. 

    REGIONAL – Outstanding debt obligations for local governmental agencies increased in the past year, following the state trend that saw an overall increase in debt, according to a report released by the state treasurer’s office.    Shelby County saw it’s total debt obligations increase from $35,735,239 in 2017 to $39,402,568 in 2018.  Much of the reported debt can be attributed to the City of Harlan/Harlan Municipal Utilities and Harlan Com