Ryan Gratton, a Pleasanton High School senior, finalizes his enlistment with the United States Marine Corps with recruiter Sgt. Tyler Trout on Thursday, Dec. 5. Gratton is joined by his mother, Virginia Poppe, at left, and grandmother Sandy Haynes, at right, along with the following family members, back row, left to right: Telleah Gratton, Jamie Poppe, Keelan Gratton, Ashton Gratton and Josh Haynes.

Coleman Kelley, a senior at Pleasanton High School, makes his enlistment with the Army Reserves official on Thursday with recruiter Sgt. Sherman Lloyd on Dec. 5. Kelley is joined by his mother, Kim Kelley, back row, center, and his grandparents, Sandy and Robin Shumate, back row to left and right. Kelley will leave for 15 weeks of basic training in late July 2020.

La Cygne Miss and Mr. Snowflake contestants line up Friday night for the contest to see who sold the most tickets in $4,765 proceeds. Left to right, Lucy Brooks, 2018 Snowflake Princess Demi Isenhower, Gentry Stevens, 2019 Miss Snowflake Braxtyn Henry, Karlie Ream, Everlee Falls, Blythe Stanfill, Rhyann Frizzell, Issy Frymire, Jebediah Moore, 2019 Mr. Snowflake Layton Hughes.

The Linn County Courthouse is adorned with 12,000 LED lights, plus the gazebo is lit beautifully, all turned on last Friday, Dec. 6. The courthouse was lit in conjunction with the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Lighting event held in Mound City each year that features a food drive, bell ringers and dancers.

Linn County’s top 12 high school cross country runners