That was the temperature as area residents awoke to a new work week Monday morning. It's going to be a chilly few days, with a slight chance of precipitation, as the second half of December unfolds.

This photo was taken this past week on a sunny, crisp morning in Freeman. A tree and the city's water tower are pictured looking west on Fourth Street. The tree stands next to the property that was formerly Vision Eye Care and Kaufman Eye Care before that.

Gregg Uecker, a custodian at Freeman Public Schools, dry mops the court at halftime of the girls basketball game between Freeman and Viborg-Hurley. Friday's doubleheader was the first time high school basketball teams took to the new court at the local public school, which was refurbished as part of a gym facelift over the summer. The Freeman boys and the girls both lost to the Cougars to start their seasons 0-1.

These seniors/returning letter winners on this year's Freeman High School boys basketball team will take to the court tonight, Friday, Dec. 11 for the season opener — a home doubleheader with the girls against Viborg-Hurley. Pictured are, from left: Tegan Derry, Evan Scharberg, Ethan Balvin, Brady Kaufman, Blake Rumlehart, Collin Helma and Jacob Swensen. Tonight's action begins with the girls JV game at 5 p.m. The Menno boys and girls open their seasons in a Dec. 12 doubleheader at Armour against Tripp-Delmont/Armour, with the girls beginning at 2 p.m.

This is Scott Brewer and his police dog, Lexi, who will be moving to Freeman with the family early next year. Brewer, who works for the state police in Maryland, has been hired as Freeman's new police chief — a job he hopes to start the second or third week of January. Scott will be joined in Freeman by his wife and their 14-year-old daughter.

The area was treated to this spectacular sunrise Tuesday morning, Dec. 8. This photo was taken looking across the basketball court at the Freeman Elementary playground.

This was the scene inside the Menno High School gym Monday afternoon, Dec. 7 as technology coordinator Marty Sieverding records the middle school band playing their holiday selections. Sieverding spent all day recording various groups from Menno Public School singing and playing their Christmas songs for a YouTube showing that night. The district decided to move forward with a virtual Christmas concert rather than the planned in-person event scheduled for Monday night. The school's 7-12 concert scheduled for Thursday night, Dec. 10 is still on as planned as of today; it begins at 7:30 p.m.

Without any snow on the ground — and without anything substantial in the forecast anytime soon — folks will have to settle for decorative snowmen like this one at 316 Cedar Street near the North County Road. The weather, meanwhile, remains sunny and mild for this time of the year, with highs expected in the 50s mid-week. 

It was another sunny day in Freeman on Sunday, Dec. 6 as demonstrated by the scene at the Bethlehem Reformed Church OPC around 10 a.m. The dry and mild weather is expected to continue in the week to come, with Christmas now less than three weeks away.

It's December, and that means that Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and their helper are making their rounds in communities big and small around the world. It was Freeman's turn on Friday night, Dec. 4 as the gift-givers spent a few hours greeting families in downtown Freeman. Because of safety concerns surrounding COVID-19, the greetings were done socially distanced and a number of children had lists that were handed to Santa for review. The visit was part of the Frost Fest holiday promotional event that included retail specials and other Christmas-themed activities for families.