AVOCA -- Margaret Marilyn Hanson, 78, Avoca, died January 6 at her home.    Services are pending at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca and will be held at a later date.    Hanson is survived by her husband, Milton Hanson, of Avoca; daughters Rena (Roger) Shaw of Coon Rapids and Rita (David Cummings) Hanson of Sacramento, CA; son Dana (Heather) Hanson of Charlotte, NC; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

    HARLAN -- Merle Bettcher, 80, Harlan, died January 5 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 11 a.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan with burial at a later date.  Visitation is Tuesday from 9-11 a.m.

    EARLING -- Mary Louise Schimerowski, 85, Earling, died January 5 at Crawford County Memorial Hospital.    Services will be held Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Earling.  A wake service will be held Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the church.  Family will greet friends Tuesday from 5-7 p.m.

    KIRKMAN -- Eugene Jakie Larsen, 85, Kirkman, died January 4 at his home.    Services were held Monday, Jan. 8 at 10:30 a.m.

COUNTY -- Welcome to the 2018 New Year’s Baby Natalie Kay Harrison, born Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 4:14 a.m.

ELK HORN - Late Christmas Eve, a visitor from afar left a package at the Danish Windmill in Elk Horn. Instead of Santa, it was historic millwright Ben Hassett from Louisville, KY who delivered the Windmill’s long-awaited new White Oak wind shaft.    The wind shaft is one of the components of the historic restoration project underway at the Windmill so it can return to being a functional working mill.

HARLAN -- Dave Tyrrel will be the Harlan Municipal Utilities Board of Trustees chairman starting Jan.

COUNTY -- Shelby County is teaming up with Live Healthy Iowa to improve the health of the county’s residents and improve its overall ranking in the newly released Active Index.    Live Healthy Iowa’s 10-Week Wellness Challenge provides participants with a fun opportunity to be active while engaging in a simple and affordable, team-based challenge.    For just $22, each participant receives access to a personal dashboard to record progress, set