ELK HORN -- Even as his team glides into Christmas break unbeaten, Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton girls basketball coach Tom Petersen sees vast room for improvement in many key areas. The 2nd-ranked (Class 1-A) Spartans improved to 7-0 last Friday night with a 58-35 win over Ar-We-Va - their second victory against a team over .500 - but everything from poor outside shooting to a lack of communication left Petersen frustrated with the girls’ progre

 HARLAN -- On a history-making night for senior Taylor Frederick, the Harlan Community girls basketball team finished December on a high note Tuesday with a 65-35 win over Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln. Next on the agenda is a well-deserved breather before focusing squarely on January, February and beyond. Frederick, who broke Jess Schaben’s school record for career points last Saturday, became the first Cyclone five-player girl in program hi

 HARLAN -- The Harlan Community Cyclones didn’t quite find a way to defeat Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln here Tuesday night, but they became a better basketball team for trying. Battling from behind the entire game - even turning a 16-point third-quarter deficit into their only lead with 2:31 to go - the third-ranked (Class 3-A) Cyclones ultimately came up short, 64-57, against the sixth-ranked (4-A) Lynx. A poor start to both halves proved c

    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.