UNDERWOOD -- Nick Pedersen passed for 146 yards and three touchdowns and the Underwood defense held AHSTW to just 73 total yards last Friday night as the fifth-ranked (1-A) Eagles beat the 10th-ranked Vikings, 40-0, to stay undefeated on the year. The game was marred by a season-ending knee injury suffered by AHSTW senior quarterback and safety Nate Herbst in the first quarter.

 NEWELL -- Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton did everything but win the game in last Friday’s battle of 8-Player unbeatens at Newell-Fonda. Tied at 35 with the top-ranked and defending state champion Mustangs, the 6th-ranked Spartans were driving for the possible game-winning score when disaster struck inside the 20-yard line. With just 29 seconds left, Newell-Fonda’s Cole Wise scooped up a Spartan fumble and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown, givi

    HARLAN -- David John Turner, 61, Harlan, died October 18 at his home.    Graveside services were held Thursday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at Branson Cemetery in Loveland.    Turner is survived by sons David Turner Jr.

    WEST DES MOINES -- Donald “Si” Gene Mathiasen, 86, West Des Moines, formerly of Harlan, died October 15.    Services will be held Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. at Edgewater Retirement Community in West Des Moines with inurnment to follow at 2:30 p.m.

    HARLAN – Star Wars is the theme for this year’s Harlan Harvest Fest celebration, to be held Saturday, Oct. 24, with trick-or-treating at businesses, a parade, children’s games, scary story time and Street Market among the events scheduled for the one-day event.

    COUNTY – Beer enthusiasts save the date…Saturday, Oct. 24.  The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the first-ever International Beer Festival from 6-9 p.m. at Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Harlan.    Tickets are available in advance by calling 755-2114.

    COUNTY -- Shelby County Emergency Service Officials, including Fire Chiefs, Law Enforcement, and Emergency Management will begin twice weekly updates on local fire danger conditions.    Signs placed strategically in each community, primarily at the fire stations will indicate what the fire danger is for any particular day.     This program, implemented in 2010, resulted in a reduction of fire responses county-wide.

    COUNTY --     Local residents getting calls regarding applying for a business property tax credit can do so for free at the assessor’s office.    Shelby County Assessor Tony Buman said some residents are reporting having received a letter in the past week from a company offering to assist them in filing an application for the Iowa Business Property Tax Credit, for a fee.

    HARLAN -- Les and Janet Blum of Harlan observed their 50th wedding anniversary on October 9. The couple celebrated their anniversary with their family at Honey Creek Resort at Lake Rathbun this summer.    The couple has four children: Todd and Karla Blum, Harlan; Brad Blum, Shelby; Nicole and Jeff Steenbock, Springfield, NE; and Kelli and Matt Rueckert, Ossian, IA. Les and Jan have 10 grandchildren.