DES MOINES -- The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has awarded a number of area fire departments grants to aid their efforts in protecting Iowans and their property from wildfires.    Local departments receiving 50 percent cost share grant monies include Elk Horn, Harlan and Irwin.    The grants are made possible through the Iowa DNR Forestry Bureau, and offer assistance for wildfire suppression, personal protective and communications

    PEORIA, IL -- Patrick “Pat” Vern Finken, 58, Peoria, IL, died Wednesday, Dec. 2 in Peoria.    Finken is a former Harlan resident who attended St.

    HARLAN -- Students from the Shelby County Catholic School at St. Michael’s Center will be presenting their Christmas program Monday, Dec. 7 in the school gym.  The program at 7 p.m. follows the anticipatory 5:30 p.m. Mass in the church for the Holy Day of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which is Dec.

    HARLAN -- The Annual Harlan Community Blue Out for men’s cancer awareness and fundraising will take place tonight, Friday, Dec.

 HARLAN -- Jordyn Moser led three Harlan Community players in double figures with 19 points as the Cyclone girls topped Sioux City Bishop Heelan, 62-49, in the annual Hall of Pride Scrimmage here Tuesday night. HCHS, ranked third in Class 4-A to start the season, built a 28-15 halftime lead on the 9th-ranked Crusaders and made it stand the rest of the way.

 DES MOINES -- Three area players were named first-team All-State and five more were also honored when the Iowa Newspaper Association released its 2015 All-State Football teams Wednesday. A panel of sports writers selected three all-state teams per class while also naming six honorary senior captains.

    HARLAN -- Donna Unine Ross, 80, Harlan, died November 25 at Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan.    Services will be held Saturday, Dec. 5 at 1 p.m. at First Assembly of God in Harlan.  There will be no visitation and no burial.    Ross is survived by daughers Durinda Wellman of Harlan and Helen Purcell of Harlan; son Russell Lacy of Council Bluffs; 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.

    TERREBONNE, OR -- Word has been received of the death of Patrick Graeve, 56, Terrebonne, OR, formerly of Earling, who died on November 25.    Services will be held at a later date.    He is survived by his wife, Loretta; son Jake (Laurel) Graeve; daughter Katie (Nick) Durighello; grandsons Hudson Durighello and Evert Graeve, all of Terrebonne; siblings LuAnn Brown of Castle Rock, CO, Bernie Graeve of Des Moines, Larry (Kathy) Graeve, Jeff

    MANILLA -- Vyrl Cadwell, 95, Manilla, died November 25 at Eventide Nursing Home in Denison.    Services will be held Saturday, Dec. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at United Church in Manilla with burial in the Nishnabotna Cemetery.  Visitation is Friday, Dec. 4 from 4-6 p.m.