AVOCA -- AHSTW senior AJ Sieh signed a national letter of intent on February 7 to play football at NCAA Division II powerhouse Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.

 ROCKPORT, TEX. -- This 41-inch black drum was caught by Brad Campbell and released off of Rockport Beach in Texas. Brad lives near Polk City, Iowa and is formerly from Irwin. Rockport, Texas, located along the Gulf of Mexico near Corpus Christi, was devastated by Hurricane Harvey last summer but is coming back strong, according to Campbell.

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community Athletic Booster Club Hall of Fame added four new inductees on Friday, February 2, as longtime booster club members Brian and Pam Gubbels and Chris and Joni Larsen were recognized during the HCHS girls and boys basketball games vs. Glenwood.

 HARLAN -- Nine youth wrestlers from the Harlan Community Wrestling Club recently competed at the Iowa AAU State Tournament in Des Moines and/or the Iowa Super Pee Wee State Wrestling Championship meet in Waterloo. Results from the AAU State Tournament, held Feb.

    HARLAN -- Francis “Frank” J. Murtaugh, 88, Harlan, died Sunday, March 4 in Harlan.    Services will be held Monday, March 12 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan with burial of ashes in the Harlan Cemetery.  A wake service will be held Sunday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at the church.  A rosary will be held Sunday at 4 p.m. at the church.  Friends may call Sunday from 4-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Jacqueline V. Jensen, 91, Harlan, died March 2 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Saturday, March 10 at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan with burial in the Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery in Elk Horn.  Visitation is Saturday from 9-10:30 a.m.

    SHELBY -- Lula Margaret Pingel, 108, Shelby, died March 3 at Avoca Specialty Care.    Services were held Thursday, March 8 at 10:30 a.m. at United Lutheran Church in Shelby with burial in the Shelby Cemetery.  Visitation was Thursday from 9-10:30 a.m.

    HARLAN – Music students from Harlan Community High School are headed to the warmth of Florida next week to showcase their vocal and instrumental skills at Disney World.    Traditionally, every four years the marching band has blasted off for sunny Orlando for the Disney trip, to have some fun and to march down Main Street at Magic Kingdom.  This year’s trip is a little different, as it is a combined vocal and band excursion, and students f

    HARLAN – Harlan property owners will see a tax levy decrease this year as part of a proposed budget to be considered by the Harlan City Council Tuesday, March 13.    A public hearing on the proposed $8.58 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year will be Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.