DES MOINES -- Gracie Assmann of the Harlan Community Schools Delegation has been selected by Special Olympics Iowa as one of three finalists for the Special Olympics Girl Athlete of the Year at the Des Moines Register Sports Awards, set for Friday, June 21, at Wells Fargo Arena. The event honors the state’s best athletes, coaches and teams for their achievements throughout the year and will be headlined by Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warn

 AMES -- The Harlan Community School District Special Olympics team competed at the 2019 Summer Games (state meet) held May 24 at the Lied Recreation Center and Hilton Coliseum in Ames. HCSD qualified 25 athletes in 34 events based on their efforts at the Southwest Iowa Area Spring Games in April. Athletes were allowed to participate in one throwing event and one jumping event at state.

 AMES -- Scott Erlbacher of Dow City Erlbacher and Samantha Thorne of Harlan Twizzlers were local gold medalists in the 22-29-year-old divisions at the Special Olympics of Iowa Summer Games May 24 at Iowa State University. Erlbacher placed first in the softball throw and sixth in the 50-meter dash. Thorne placed first in both the 25-meter walk and the tennis ball throw.

    HARLAN -- Dorothy M. Gaul, 94, Harlan, died June 15 at Elm Crest Retirement Community.    Services will be held Wednesday, June 19 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling with burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling.  A wake service will be held Tuesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan.  Visitation is Tuesday from 4-8 p.m.

    HARLAN -- Thomas Lee Ludwig, 72, Harlan, died June 12 at Cass County Memorial Hospital.    Services will be held Saturday, June 22 at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan.  A wake service will be held Friday, June 21 at 7 p.m. at the church.  Family will greet friends from 5-8 p.m.

    HARLAN - For many years, the Shelby County Health Foundation has been dedicated to helping support healthcare resources that benefit patients and their families, employees, volunteers, and the communities they serve in Shelby County.

    COUNTY -- In the lower level of the Shelby County Courthouse is the Veteran Affairs office. It is just one of numerous offices across Iowa, with one in each county.    The director of the Shelby County’s Veteran’s Affairs office is Gene Cavenaugh, who helps veterans with receiving benefits and financial support for their service in the military. 

    HARLAN – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors have signed off on agreements with the three unions representing some county employees – the secondary road department, sheriff’s office employees and emergency management commission.    The three-year agreements take effect July 1, 2019.

    HARLAN -- For many years Red’s Cafe was the gathering place of numerous Harlanities for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Despite closing in 1988, fond memories of the cafe still loom today.    Those memories were revealed when the old sign of Red’s Cafe saw the light of day as the Harlan Nail and Spa building began performing renovations on the front of the structure in downtown Harlan.