HARLAN – Faith Sound, the interdenominational, contemporary music group based out of Harlan, will kick off its concert season Sunday, Jan. 3, with a performance at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Harlan.    Now in its 41st year, members of the group are students in 7th-12th grade from Harlan and surrounding communities, representing seven churches from the region.

    COUNTY -- There are two ways to win in the Harlan Newspapers’ First Baby of 2016 contest. The first baby born at Myrtue Medical Center will be the recipient of several great prizes from greater Shelby County merchants.

    HARLAN - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders held a rousing town hall meeting with upwards of 325 - 350 in attendance in the standing room only Therkildsen Activity Center here. Bernard “Bernie” Sanders, is a junior U.S. Sen. from Vermont and as of 2015, he had been the longest-serving Independent ever in the U.S.

    HARLAN -- Myrtue Medical Center Trustees in an October meeting heard their CPA tout that MMC had another very good year of operations which ended on June 30, and that over the past 15 years they have had an amazing consistency in operations.        But five months later, finances have changed and MMC is looking at a variety of options to handle a revenue dip that as of Nov.

ELK HORN -- Ryder Dicicco, 5, Elk Horn, the son of Dale and Cass Dicicco, visits with Santa Claus recently at the Elk Horn Library. (Photo by Kim Wegener)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDrcLqBrGwQ
...Winter storm watch remains in effect from Monday morning thru late Monday night...
* Timing...Snow will spread north into the area Monday morning and continue into Monday night. Periods of heavy snowfall are possible late Monday morning into Monday afternoon.

 WAUKEE -- The Harlan Community wrestling team salvaged a 45-29 win over Chariton in its final dual to finish with a 1-4 record at Saturday’s Al Garrison Memorial Duals in Waukee. The Cyclones went 0-3 in Pool C before splitting a pair of duals in the consolation round, dropping their overall season record to 5-5 going into the holiday break. Led by All-Tournament selections Nick Foss and Aaron Johannsen - both 5-0 on the day - HCHS actually f

 CLARINDA -- Harlan Community improved its Hawkeye Ten dual record to 4-0 Thursday night with a double dual sweep, beating Clarinda, 42-30, and St. Albert, 66-18. The host Cardinals beat St. Albert, 78-6. Eight out of 12 Cyclone wrestlers finished 2-0 for the meet, led by two pins each from Elias Shaeffer, Nick Foss and Jacob Wingert. HCHS (4-1 overall) finished 7-4 with five pins in contested matches vs.

 COUNCIL BLUFFS -- It wasn’t easy, but then again it wasn’t supposed to be. In a span of less than 24 hours this past weekend, the Harlan Community girls basketball team beat a pair of state-ranked unbeatens while making two separate bus rides to Council Bluffs. One night after outlasting sixth-ranked (4-A) Lewis Central, 43-40, the Cyclones overcame a rash of turnovers Saturday to hold off No.