REGIONAL -- Depending on what area you’re in, it’s a pretty average season for the crops in Iowa.    Randy Pryor has been fortunate. Areas around western Iowa have had differing levels of luck with rainfall, causing some dry pockets in areas around the state such as Harlan.

PANAMA -- Janice Marie Hoffmann, 67, Panama, died August 6 at Methodist Hospital.    Services will be held Wednesday, Aug. 9 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Panama.  A rosary will be held Tuesday, Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Center in Panama.  Visitation is Tuesday from 5-8 p.m.

WALNUT -- Services are pending for Avery Michael Chapman, son of Ashley and Michael Chapman, Walnut.  Avery was stillborn Friday, July 28 at Methodist Women’s Specialty Care Hospital in Omaha, NE.    Avery is survived by his parents; brothers Adam and Ashton; sisters Alexis and Adalynn; maternal grandparents Randy (Eva) Neese of Walnut; and paternal grandfather Dana “Richard” Cook of Casey.    Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca is in charge of

    HARLAN -- Crews from Suez Water Advanced Solutions are performing an annual five point inspection of the water tower at Cyclone Avenue and Highway 59. In the process, the tank will be power washed outside to remove mildew and the paint refreshed.

SHELBY -- Bobby socks and saddle shoes. A can of Green River down at The Chatterbox. Playing volleyball over telephone lines.    This is what life looked like for Norma “Jeanie” Kiesel when she was growing up as a teenager in Avoca during the 1940s. These were the times when her classmates didn’t have cars and she wasn’t allowed to wear pants to school. 

REGIONAL -- Max Kenkel and his niece, Brylie, discovered something special in late July: both of them would be performing at the Iowa State Fair – on the same day – just a few hours apart.    Brylie, who turns eight today, Tuesday, August 8, earned an early birthday present by placing second in her age bracket during the Shelby County Fair in Harlan for her solo jazz dance performance.

COUNTY -- Non-profit agencies within Shelby County will have until the end of August to complete applications for funding from Shelby County Community Chest. Funds from SCCC are made possible by the generosity of local donors to the SCCC annual fund drive which will be taking place this fall.    Shelby County Community Chest accumulates and then disburses the funds from this campaign to local non-profits for a single year.

MAGNOLIA -- Melissa Renz of Harlan and Jacub Hazen of Magnolia will exchange marriage vows on September 9 in an outdoor ceremony at the Hazen farm in Magnolia.