Once again our weatherman got the spotlight for his performance. On New Year’s Day he decided to have a showing of freezing drizzle, mixed with tiny little hailstones and even some snow!This caused many activities that had been planned for New Year’s Eve to be postponed or cancelled along with many church services on Sunday morning. The roads were very treacherous and no travel was advised. So once again the weatherman had his own way. Most everyone remained in his or her home, so news this week was hard to come by.The good part of the storm that all of us could enjoy was the fact that when we looked out of the window we saw a blanket of snow covering the ground which was and still is very pretty as we haven’t seen much snow as of yet. However, I could have got along very well a few days more so our schedules didn’t have to be so badly ruined.Jo and Joyce Aykens were guests in the Paul and Carole Aykens home in Orange City, Iowa, on Tuesday where they enjoyed their family Christmas together. Those that attended were Vince and Laurie Kurtz and McKenzie, and Susan and Jadeyn Veldkamp, all of Orange City, and Andrea Aykens, Cedar Falls, Iowa. Mavis Berkhof had angioplasty on Wednesday at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls. She was able to return home on Thursday. A group of members from Steen Reformed Church attended the New Year’s Eve celebration at American Reformed Church in Worthington Friday evening. The Art Boeve family enjoyed their Christmas on Monday at the home of their parents, Art and Henrietta Boeve. Would you believe I made a mistake last week when I reported on the telephone call I had received from Arizona. It should have been Carol Jean (Moser) Klienjon and her grandparents were Otto and Kate Paulsen. Her married name is Klienjon and at the present time they are living in Arizona. Tuesday morning Jo and Joyce Aykens met Kathie Aykens from Crosby in Luverne where they enjoyed coffee together before going their separate ways. The Elementary Health Fair will be Wednesday, Jan. 12, at the elementary school in Beaver Creek for those who wish to attend. As we head into a new year, there are always things to think about. A new year is a challenge to explore new areas, to experience new friends, exhaust new ideas with a new chance and a new challenge. It could be the best year ever. As we plan anew, let us relate to our world today and think about all of the individual rights our forefathers handed down in their legacy to us. None perhaps has been greater or more fruitful to our society than the traditional right of every single American to use and enjoy his individual freedoms and the incentive to develop to the highest possible degree his personal creative talents.This was written by Irvin S. Olds. This is a most precious time to think about these things. It seems we have always taken our personal freedoms for granted. It might behoove us to think what our lives would be like without them.Have a Happy New Year!