INDIANOLA (Oct. 28) -- Competing for the Lewis Central swim team, Harlan Community senior Abby Bruck qualified for state in three relay events last Saturday as the Titan girls placed second as a team in the Indianola regional meet.

Josh DeWeerd has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into claims that he has engaged on conduct inconsistent with his role as principal of Shelby County Catholic Schools in Harlan. -- Statement from Des Moines Diocese.

Unofficial Shelby County city election results from Nov. 7, 2017 are:
Mayor: Mike Kolbe - Council Member at Large: Sharon Kroger - Council Member Ward 1: Jay Christensen - Council Member Ward 3: Jeanna Rudolph. See Friday's News-Advertiser for more information and results.
 

    WESTPHALIA -- Martin “Mert” Anthony Schwarte, 89, Westphalia, died October 25 at Rose Vista Home, Inc.    Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial in the St. Boniface Cemetery at Westphalia.  Family will greet friends Saturday from noon-1 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Richard C. “Ric” Schneider, 66, rural Avoca, died Wednesday, Nov. 1 in Elk Horn.    Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m. at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia with burial in the Cuppy’s Grove Cemetery in rural Shelby County.  Friends may call Friday, Nov. 3 from 1-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m.

    ELK HORN -- Russell H. Lange, 85, Elk Horn, died October 30 at Southfield Wellness Community.    Services will be held Friday, Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m. at Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn with burial in the Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery.  Visitation was held Thursday, Nov. 2 from 5-7 p.m.

HARLAN -- It was a cold start to the morning Saturday, Oct. 28, but the chilly weather couldn’t put a damper on the Harvest Fest fun in Harlan.  See more photos inside next Tuesday’s Harlan Tribune. 

COUNTY – Shelby County voters will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 7 to cast ballots in a municipal election that will feature a number of contested races as well as positions that will be filled by write-in vote.    Polls are open from noon-8 p.m.

HARLAN – Harlan Municipal Utilities CEO Ken Weber has received a favorable performance review and will continue  as head of HMU under a three-year contract as approved by the HMU Board of Trustees.    Board member Terry Arentson said a committee of the board met with Weber recently and determined that he had met all of his performance goals for the past year.  Additionally, performance goals have been put together for the next fiscal year as w