JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER School officials from Freeman Public unanimously voted to acknowledge the district’s back-to-school plan released last week that attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 but spent about 40 minutes in discussion — specifically about the recommendation to wear masks. Board president Kyle Weier questioned why that was included in the plan when South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has said otherwise.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER For the Menno town team, a 13-8 win over Irene in the first round of the District 6B Amateur Baseball Tournament on Friday, July 24, put the second-seed Mad Frogs in the position they had hoped for — one win away from a return trip to Mitchell’s Cadwell Park and the state tournament. That’s what makes their elimination so confounding and tough to take.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER Lori Lehr knew she wanted to offer traditional ballpark fare at the concession stand that is part of the Lily Pad baseball complex in Menno during the recent District 6B Amateur Baseball Tournament, so items like burgers, hot dogs and nachos were a given. But she also wanted to beef up the menu with additional options for hungry baseball fans who converged at the ballfield during the tournament’s six-night run, 12-game run, “but I just couldn’t decide on what.”

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER The Freeman Public School District has released its plan for reopening its school building later this month — a 28-page document that includes a host of COVID-19-related guidelines that stem from both data obtained locally, as well as the South Dakota Department of Education and Department of Health. That document, along with two informational videos narrated by Superintendent Kevin Kunz, are available on the school’s website, freeman.k12.sd.us.