WAUKESHA, WI -- Rita (Hodapp) Mueller, 93, Waukesha, WI, formerly of Harlan, died March 29.  Visitation is Tuesday, April 10 from 9-10:15 a.m. at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Brookfield followed by a Mass at 10:30 a.m.  Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee.

    WALNUT -- Larry Shepherd, 84, Walnut, died Wednesday, April 4 at Good Samaritan Care Center in Villisca.    A celebration of life visitation with family will be held Saturday, April 14 from 2-4 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Walnut.  A private family inurnment will be held at a later date at Veteran’s Cemetery in Van Meter.    Ritchie Funeral Home of Clarinda is in charge of arrangements. 

    EARLING -- Nancy Pauley, 80, Earling, died April 4 at the Little Flower Haven Nursing Home in Earling.    Services were held Monday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Church in Portsmouth with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Portsmouth at a later date.    Pauley is survived by her husband, Lloyd Pauley, of Portsmouth; daughters Debra (George) Martens of Shelby, Deanne (Edward III) Idar of Durango, CO and Christine M.

HARLAN – The Harlan Community High School Drama Department will present the play Baggage this weekend, with shows on Saturday, April 14 at 7 p.m.

    HARLAN – The City of Harlan and employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local #1014 have signed off on a three-year contract agreement that allows for raises and other benefit changes.    Employees will see a 1.5 percent wage increase beginning July 1 of 2018, 2019 and 2020.  In addition, employees are eligible for additional 1.5 percent merit pay increases January 1 of 2019, 2020

    HARLAN -- Congratulations to the Harlan Jazz Experience jazz band from Harlan Community High School!  The band was crowned state champions for the second year in a row in Class 3A at the Iowa Jazz Championships Thursday, April 5.    Two bands from Harlan Community High School performed at the 43rd annual Iowa Jazz Championships held at Iowa State University in Ames.

    NEWCASTLE, ME – A former Harlan Newspapers intern and Iowa State University graduate is making a name for herself on the east coast.    Maia Zewert, intern for the newspaper in the summers of 2013 and 2014, recently received the 2017 Bob Drake Young Writer’s Award from the Maine Press Association, making her the top young journalist in the state of Maine.    She is a general assignment reporter and social media manager for The Lincoln Coun

 KEARNEY, NEB. -- The post-season honors continue to accumulate for University of Nebraska-Kearney senior men’s basketball player Trey Lansman of Harlan. Lansman, who finished his career with 2,042 points to rank fifth on UNK’s all-time scoring list, was named first-team All-MIAA for the second straight year after leading the Lopers with per-game averages of 21.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals this past season.

    ELK HORN -- Timothy L. Hartvigsen, 61, Elk Horn, died April 4 at at Myrtue Medical Center.    Services will be held Monday, April 9 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial at a later date.  Visitation is Monday from 9-11 a.m.