PORTSMOUTH - Helen M. Kleffman, 93 died Thurs., Dec. 21 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    A visitation will be held at Portsmouth’s St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima on Thursday, Dec. 28 from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.; family will greet friends from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. and with a Rosary at 7 p.m.    Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday, Dec. 29 at 10:30 a.m. at Portsmouth’s St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima with burial in the St.

REGIONAL -- After having fallen in each of the three previous years, the average value of an acre of farmland in Iowa saw an increase in 2017. The average statewide value of an acre of farmland is now estimated to be $7,326.

HARLAN -- With half the school year now over, the four foreign exchange students at Harlan Community High School this year took a moment to share memories they have made during their first few months in Harlan.    Anna Bornhøft, Isa Marques and  Hannah Bläsius will be students at HCHS until May 2018.    Clara Brunner was scheduled to return home to Germany after Christmas.    Anna Ellegaard Bornhøft is from Denmark and she is residing with Sha

in in the Harlan Newspapers’ First Baby of 2018 contest.

See the video at:
http://www.wowt.com/content/news/Fourth-generation-retail-shop-in-Harlan...
 

    WESTPHALIA -- Gary Kafton, 79, Westphalia, died Tuesday, Dec. 19 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Friday, Dec. 22 at 1:30 p.m. at the Armstrong-Van Houten Funeral Home in Mapleton with committal services following in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery of Mapleton.  Visitation will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. at the funeral home on Friday one hour prior to the funeral service.

    DEFIANCE -- Jeanette “Shun” Marie Dotzler, 88, Defiance, died December 15 at the Little Flower Haven Nursing Home.    Services will be held Wednesday, Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance with burial in the Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Defiance.  Family will greet friends from 9-11 a.m.

    EARLING -- Mary Agnes Schaben, 98, Earling, died December 15 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Thursday, Dec. 28 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Earling.  Family will greet friends Thursday from 10-11 a.m. at the church.    Schaben is survived by her nephew, Dave (Janis) Stessman of Defiance; and great-niece Patty (Tom) Myers of Earling. 

COUNTY -- The Shelby County Courthouse is 125 years old this year, and local historian Ron Chamberlain brought a cake celebrating the birthday to the county supervisors’ meeting Tuesday.  Chamberlain, left, said the courthouse where it stands today was built in 1892.  Eighty boxcar loads of stone were brought in from Ohio, and 1,000 wagon loads of brick were used in the construction of the courthouse, he said.  A parade including local America