AVOCA -- Gordon Nelson, 84, Avoca, formerly of Harlan, died December 14 at the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center.    Services will be held Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harlan with burial in the Harlan Cemetery.  A prayer service was held Monday, Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation was Monday from 5-7 p.m.

    ELK HORN -- Janet Freeman, 83, Elk Horn, died December 17 at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.    Services will be held at a later date.    Freeman is survived by her husband, Larry Freeman, of Avoca; daughter Mary Jo (Peter) Hall of Avoca; sons Michael (Jean) Junis of Iowa City, Martin (Deborah) Junis of McLean, IL and Mitchell (Margie) Junis of Bloomington, IL; brother John (Bonnie) Engel of Bettendorf; sister Jane Egert of Warrenvill

    HARLAN -- The annual Blue Out Event to raise funds for Cancer research was a huge success last Friday evening, raising more than $5,000 for the cause.

WESTPHALIA -- Firefighters from multiple departments battled a house fire in Westphalia Friday evening, Dec. 9.  Westphalia Fire Chief John Henscheid said crews were called to 107 4th St.

    HARLAN – The recent death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro brings back memories of a particularly interesting story involving Castro, an Omaha man who happens to be friends with Ray Buman of Harlan, and a seized camera after a 1960 international incident in Havana.    Castro died November 25 at 90 years old, and his death has created headlines in recent weeks.  He ruled Cuba for approximately 50 years before his brother, Raul, took o

    COUNTY -- The Shelby County Board of Supervisors has four options heading forward in developing next year’s budget, including an offer from a Harlan citizen to prepare it pro bono, and will determine soon how best to proceed in developing the county’s 2017-18 fiscal year plan.    At the request of the board, auditor-elect Mark Maxwell attended Tuesday’s regular meeting to discuss auditor duties, including whether or not he will serve as bu

    HARLAN -- Funeral services are pending at Pauley Jones Funeral Home for Gordon Nelson, 84, formerly of Harlan, who died Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the Avoca Specialty Care in Avoca.

    HARLAN -- Funeral services are pending at Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Harlan, for Barbara Morgan, 87, Harlan, who died Wednesday, Dec. 14 at Elm Crest Retirement Community in Harlan.    Morgan is survived by children Kathy Lee of Austin, TX, Kent (Deb) Morgan of Harlan and Karen (Roy) Fordyce of Papillion, NE; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. 

    ELK HORN -- Edwin “Ed” Larsen, 96, Elk Horn, died Tuesday, Dec. 13 in Elk Horn.    Services will be held Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 10:30 a.m. at Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn with burial of ashes in the Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery.  Friends may call Tuesday, Dec. 20 from 5-8 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.