Morning sunshine lights up these Christmas decorations on the front porch of the Jan and Russ Becker home in Freeman.

It's a windy day across the area, as seen here at the Freeman Area Veteran's Memorial on Sixth Street. Highs are expected to be above normal early this week before cooling down on Christmas Eve. And there's still no snow in the forecast.

Freeman's Rijjy Peterson and Erin Uecker trap a player from Platte-Geddes during Saturday afternoon's non-conference game at the FHS gym. The Flyers led the Black Panthers early, played them even in the second and third quarters before falling behind in the final frame. Platte-Geddes ended up on the winning side of a 43-35 score to improve to 1-2. The Flyers start 0-3.

A lamp post is decorated for Christmas at the Darrel and Renee Hartman home on Cherry Street in Freeman. There may not be snow, but signs of the season are everywhere.

The sign at the front of the Freeman Academy boulevard offers this seasonal message. This is the last day of school for the calendar year for both Freeman Academy and Menno, and Freeman Public is dismissing all students who have completed their work for the semester. Monday and Tuesday will be used for those who still need to turn in assignments.

Gene Elwood Kaufman was born to Walter and Anna (Miller) Kaufman on Oct. 16, 1939, on their farm near Freeman, S.D. He joined older brother, Duane, and was later followed by sister, LeAnne, and brother, Loren. Gene attended Fairview School District #96 country school, Freeman Academy, Freeman Junior College and Southern State College (Springfield, S.D.). As a teenager, he was baptized and became a member of Salem Mennonite (South) Church. Gene was a lifelong and active member of this congregation.

Esther (Waltner) Mandel, 85, died Dec. 16, 2020 in Oakview Terrace in Freeman, S.D. a public visitation and viewing will be from 1 to 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 21 at Walter Funeral Home in Freeman, with a private committal service to follow.

This photo from 1974 shows the Huber Motor corner at Main and Fourth streets, where Black Widow Customs operates today. Across the way, pictured in the background, is what was at the time Freeman Implement — today home to Freeman Chiropractic Solutions. Huber Motor also operated a car lot at the corner of Sixth Street and Highway 81, where Casey's is today. Huber Motor was started by Alvin Huber in 1936 and operated as a Ford dealership, service station and used car business through the rest of the century and into the 2000s, when it discounted the Ford franchise.

Given all that we know about the challenges created by COVID-19 and the toll the virus has taken on health care systems and health care workers, it’s hard to understand what Time was thinking when the magazine announced last week that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had been named its 2020 Person of the Year. It clearly should have been the health care workers fighting this ongoing global pandemic.

Vincent Showers was born to Ronald C. Showers and Adelia “Dee” Ottinger Showers in Aurora, IL. At age six his family moved to California where he attended Whittier Elementary in Long Beach after which the family moved to Hawaiian Gardens where he and his brothers attended Furgeson Elementary and Artesia High School.