HARLAN -- On Thursday, May 31, the Harlan Municipal Band will hold its first practice and performance of the summer.    Every summer, community members and students join together to perform on the Harlan downtown courthouse square and continue a 142 year tradition.    Under the direction of Bill Kearney, the HCHS band director, the concerts will feature a variety of songs that range from upper middle school to high school level.    The pra

    HARLAN -- Dan and Gladys Rau of Harlan will mark their 50th wedding anniversary on June 1. They celebrated with their family during Memorial Day weekend.    The couple’s children are Jeff and Cherie Rau, Waukee; Michelle and Brian Launderville, Grimes; and Jason and Sharla Rau, Harlan. The Raus have 11 grandchildren.

    LE MARS -- Alan D. Olson, 73, Le Mars, formerly of Irwin, died Monday, May 21 at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen.    Services will be held Friday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Le Mars with burial with military honors provided by the Wasmer American Legion Post #241 of Le Mars in the Memorial Cemetery in Le Mars.  Visitation with family was held Thursday, May 24 after 4 p.m.

    AVOCA -- Albert Varner McMichael, 80, Avoca, died May 15 at his home.    Services were held Thursday, May 24 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca with burial in the Graceland Cemetery at Avoca.    McMichael is survived by sons Eugene McMichael of Arabi, LA and Dennis McMichael of Metairie, LA; daughter Sherry Todd of Paradis, LA; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

    REGIONAL -- Tivoli Fest is this weekend, and the theme this year is “Tivoli Traditions.... Hygge and Æbleskiver.”    “The first time I went to Denmark with my family, we went to my grandmother’s friend’s house and she didn’t know we were coming. We walked into her house and she took us into the parlor, which was closed, and on the table was a vase of flowers, just fresh flowers, she didn’t know we were coming.

    REGIONAL -- Area schools held their graduation ceremonies Sunday, May 20.

    REGIONAL -- Harlan Memorial Day services will take place at the Veteran’s Memorial Building at 10 a.m.

    HARLAN -- Local firefighters held a controlled burn Saturday, May 19 at a vacant home in east Harlan.  Prior to the training burn on Saturday, local firefighters had used the structure three times for training new firefighters.    The training topics were: Search and Rescue, Ventilation, Fire Behavior, Fire Attack Techniques and Pumping Operations.    The department’s Firefighter I class started back in January and the students will have t

    COUNCIL BLUFFS -- Greta Dael Knudsen and Alex Ryan Mosher both of Omaha were married in an outdoor ceremony on the dock of the Council Bluffs Country Club on October 28, 2017.         The 4 pm double ring ceremony was performed by Pastor Chris St. Clair, Broadway United Methodist Church, Council Bluffs.    Parents of the couple are Stan and Judy Knudsen, Harlan; and Paula Mosher, Omaha, and the late Bradly Mosher.