Freeman Public Schools is moving to remote learning only for students in grades 5-12 beginning Tuesday, Nov. 17 for at least the week. This comes after seven new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the building Monday and several other new cases confirmed over the weekend. District administration said it made the decision because of the number of new cases and the number of staff members impacted.

A press release from Freeman Regional Health Services (FRHS) issued Friday afternoon, Nov. 12 confirms that a resident at Oakview Terrace Nursing Home has tested positive for COVID-19. The health care facility issued the release “in an effort to be transparent.”

In a year without much to celebrate, Canistota/Freeman gave its fans and communities something to cheer about in a big way with another Class 9A state championship Thursday night, Nov. 12.

Players from Canistota/Freeman celebrate their semifinal win over Howard last week. The Pride will take the field one last time this season when they face Warner for the Class 9A title tonight, Thursday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The game will be played at the DakotaDome in Vermillion; the team plans to leave from Freeman High School at 3:45 p.m. South Dakota Public Broadcasting is once again televising all seven South Dakota championship games today, tomorrow and Saturday.

Students at Freeman Public who are considered close contacts with a positive COVID-19 case are no longer excluded from school and school-related activities for 14 days — the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control that the district had been following.

JEREMY WALTNER  -  PUBLISHER Freeman Regional Health Services Board of Directors is in the process of looking for a new Chief Executive Officer following the decision by current CEO Nick Brandner to retire.

JEREMY WALTNER  -  PUBLISHER The Freeman Public School Board voted unanimously Monday night, Nov. 9, to establish its winter sports attendance policy — at least for the time being — in anticipation of the basketball and wrestling seasons set to begin next month. The board agreed 5-0 to allow fans to attend without restriction with the exception of students in grades K-4 who do not have a sibling competing. That applies to varsity/junior varsity and middle school athletics.

BY JEREMY WALTNER  |  COURIER EDITOR & PUBLISHER The Tigers delivered the first blow. But the Pride won the fight — and the night.

A positive case of COVID-19 inside the Freeman Middle School-High School building has prompted school administration to alter instruction for the remainder of the week, and possibly into the coming weeks. In-person instruction has been suspended for students in grades 4-12 Thursday and Friday, Nov. 5 and 6, with remote learning set to take place on Friday.

JEREMY WALTNER  -  PUBLISHER The Freeman City Council last week voted 6-0 to allow families and individuals who want to use the Freeman Community Center auditorium for recreation to do so free of charge, as long as another scheduled event is not taking place. School-sanctioned teams — like Marion/Freeman wrestling — who want to use it for practices will still be assessed a fee.