ELK HORN -- Laura Christine Smith and Tate Douglas Stetzel both of Guthrie Center will marry  in September at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church. 

HARLAN -- Joseph and Rosemary Vandenberg of Kirkman will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on August 13. A 50th renewal of vows was held on April 26, 2017 officiated by the same priest, Father George Murphy, that performed their wedding ceremony.

PORTSMOUTH -- Kelsey Cro-ghan and Jarad Gaskill both of Irwin exchanged marriage vows on July 22, 2017 at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Father John Dorton and Father David Smith performed the 2:30 p.m. ceremony.    Parents of the couple are Bob and Janet Croghan, Portsmouth; and Greg and Lori Gaskill, Irwin.

    ARNOLDS PARK -- Gertrude Harriet Ohm, 85, Arnolds Park, died August 8 at Lakes Regional Healthcare.    Services will be held Monday, Aug. 14 at 11 a.m. at United Church of Avoca with burial on Thursday, Aug. 15 at 1 p.m. at the Westlawn Cemetery in Orange City.  Visitation is Sunday, Aug. 13 from noon-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-8 p.m.

    COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Viola M. Brown, 93, Council Bluffs, formerly of Harlan, died Wednesday, Aug. 9 in Council Bluffs.    Services will be held Saturday, Aug. 12 at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Harlan with burial in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Kirkman.   Friends may call Friday, Aug. 11 from 1-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m.

    MINDEN -- Joseph Daniel Lehan, 77, Minden, died August 7 at his home.    Services will be held Friday, Aug. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Neola.  A rosary was held Thursday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation was held Thursday from 5-8 p.m.

    OMAHA, NE -- Jacqueline Jane Moon, 87, Omaha, NE, formerly of Harlan, died August 6.    A family burial will be at the Elkader, IA cemetery at a later date.    Moon is survived by her son, Todd Moon, of Waukon; daughter Jill (Kurt) Powers of Omaha; grandson Tim Moon of Elizabeth, IL; great-grandson Aiden Moon; granddaughter Stephanie (Justin) Papka of Alexandria, VA; brother Merrill (Elaine) Smith of Mt.

SHELBY --     Verna and John Christensen lived lives that could be called congruent far before they were married.    They went to the same church, had the same mutual friends, and had children who were in school with each other.

REGIONAL -- Areas of western Iowa are lacking rain in what has been an uncharacteristically dry summer season.    “It’s a pretty typical year until you get into June and July, where the rainfall numbers really started to go downhill,” said Iowa’s State Climatologist Harry Hillaker.    The state of Iowa often relies on heavy, wide-spread rainfalls that cover up to 10 or 12 counties and at times, in bigger systems, up to 1/3 or 1/2 of the state.