HARLAN -- Dennis George Usher, 71, Harlan, died August 31 at his home.    Private services will be held at a later date.    Usher is survived by mother Mina (McCord) Usher of Glenwood; wife Marti Usher of Harlan; daughter Mackenzie Usher of Denver, CO; brothers Melvin Usher of Omaha, NE and Gary (Tracy) Usher of Glenwood; sister Toni (Wess) Hunt of Glenwood; mother-in-law Marcia Harper and father-in-law Lowell Harper, both of Harlan.    Pa

    AVOCA -- Bernice D. Woltmann, 94, Avoca, died August 31 at Avoca Specialty Care.    Services will be held Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Shelby Cemetery.  Family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.

PORTSMOUTH – Harold W. Huebner, 89, Portsmouth, died August 29 at Rose Vista Home, Inc. Services will be held Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth. A rosary will be held Friday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. at the church. Visitation is Friday from 4-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-8 p.m.

PARKERSBURG – Mildred “Millie” Elaine Petersen, 97, Parkersburg, died August 28 at her home. Services will be held Saturday, Sept. 1 at 11:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca. Family will greet friends Friday, Aug. 31 from 5-7 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.

    EARLING -- Ivo A. Finken, 91, Earling, died August 28 at the Little Flower Haven Nursing Home.    Services will be held Friday, Aug. 31 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling.  A wake service was held Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Family greeted friends Thursday from 5-8 p.m.

    PORTSMOUTH -- Joseph Carl Springman, 81, Portsmouth, died August 28 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Friday, Aug. 31 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Portsmouth.  A rosary was held Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Visitation was Thursday from 4-8 p.m.

AVOCA -- Charles Richard Ronnfeldt, 74, Avoca, died August 26.    Services will be held Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.  Family will greet friends Wednesday from 10-11 a.m.

    WALNUT -- James E. Tooley, 77, Walnut, died Sunday, Aug. 26 in Atlantic.    Services will be held Friday, Aug. 31 at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Walnut with burial in the Layton Township Cemetery at Walnut.  Friends were asked to call Thursday, Aug. 30 from 4-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    HARLAN – Renovation of the high school’s auditorium is one of the large-ticket cost items of an overall school district facilities upgrade plan being recommended by a district facilities study committee to the HCSD Board of Education for evaluation and review.    Total cost of the improvements is estimated at $28.5 million to be paid for with bond proceeds recommended by the committee for a December 11, 2018 vote.    The board heard a pres