The Harlan Newspapers, Hy-Vee and Keast Auto Center have again teamed up to sponsor a coloring contest for children in Pre-K thru 2nd grades. The winning entry and artist will be featured on the cover of this year’s Holiday Greeting issue Dec. 20 and Dec. 23. Look inside today’s paper for details. Watch this Friday’s Harlan Newspaper for a coloring contest for 3rd thru 5th grade students!

    SHELBY -- Ila R. Briggs, 60, Shelby, formerly of Council Bluffs, died Sunday, Nov. 20 at Elm Crest Retirement Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. at Cutler-O’Neill-Meyer-Woodring Funeral Home with cremation to follow service.  There will be no burial.  Visitation with family was Monday, Nov. 21 from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

    EARLING -- Linus Peter Koch, 88, Earling, formerly of Panama, died November 20 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.    Services will be held Wednesday, Nov. 23 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama with burial in the St. Mary’s Cemetery at Panama.  A rosary will be held Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Parish Center.  Visitation is Tuesday from 5-9 p.m. with family greeting friends from 6-8 p.m.

    EARLING -- Mark and Peg Stessman of Earling marked three milestones in 2016. They celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 5. Peg marked her 80th birthday on June 20. Mark observed his 88th birthday on November 16.    Cards will reach them if sent to Box 242, Earling, IA 51530.

    AVOCA -- Eldon and Agnes Riesgaard of Avoca will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on November 19.    Their children and their spouses are Charlene and Larry Friederich, Avoca; and Monte and Serena Riesgaard, Avoca. The Riesgaards have three grandchildren.

    REGIONAL – Needy families will get some help from generous donors this holiday season as part of the annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas program in Shelby County.    The Christmas season is just around the corner and a few families already are signed up for adoption.    Since the program was first started 59 years ago by the Harlan Newspapers, more than 4,000 low-resource families in need of assistance have had a merrier holiday season.  In 20

    HARLAN – A fund drive that will help light up Harlan like it used to be in the 1960s has been established, with hopes of continuing the tradition of making Harlan the Christmas City.    With the help of several donors, the community has purchased white lighted garland and ribbon for the light poles in downtown Harlan, and colored lights for the poles in Pioneer Park.  In addition, there will be bright red bows on the tops of each of the po

    COUNTY – The general election is over, and in reflection it’s interesting to note how some Shelby County voters chose to cast ballots for not the candidates, but for write-ins they saw as more qualified than those on the ticket.    Shelby County Election Commissioner Marsha Carter said it isn’t unusual in any election for voters to offer their support for everyone from celebrities and fictional characters to the ever-popular “none of the a

    HARLAN -- Harlan firefighters and police quickly extinguished a small camper fire at the Shelby County Fairgrounds Tuesday afternoon, Nov.