By Dana Hess/For the S.D. Newspaper Association No handshakes. No high fives. No awards ceremonies. 

A 29-year-old male, who has been identified as Mitchell C. Dairy, Freeman, sustained life-threatening injuries and charges are pending against Freeman 23-year-old Amy Mehlhaf following a two-vehicle accident south of Freeman late Monday night, July 20.

  JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER In an effort to continue enforcing ordinances on the books, the city of Freeman will soon be sending letters to property owners who have neglected to maintain their lawns and weeds per city ordinance Chapter/Title 4.02, which falls in the category of “Vegetation.”

If you ever get an email from Tom Rice, the tagline below his signature will read “attitude matters,” because if there’s anything that the new superintendent at Menno Public School carries with him on his broad shoulders, it comes in the weight of those two words. What’s your message to the staff in Menno, Mr. Rice? “Attitude matters.” What’s your message to the students, Mr. Rice? “Attitude matters.” What’s your message to the parents?

Freeman residents who water their lawns are being asked to do so in the evening/at night rather than during the day. More water was used on Monday then city water reserves can handle (37 feet dropped to 19 feet); the reserves are being utilized during the city's 45-day water tower maintenance project.

The city of Freeman begAn maintenance and repairs on the water tower Monday, July 13. The project is expected to span 45 days, during which time water reserves will be relied on. Those receiving water services can expect that water service will continue throughout the duration of the project. However, low water pressure may be experienced at times and there may also be some very brief intervals when there is a lapse in service as reserve water sources are switched.

The Freeman School District, in cooperation with the Cornbelt Educational Cooperative and Head Start, is pleased to announce a preschool screening scheduled for Monday, July 27 in the morning and Tuesday, July 28 for all children ages 3 to 5 years old.

Driver education has been underway at Freeman Junior-Senior High School all week as instructor Tyler Uecker has instructed students in the school's chorus room Monday through Thursday, July 6-9. Driving begins next week and will continue through much of July.

It has been nearly five months since South Dakota reported the first COVID-19 case. Our knowledge of the virus has dramatically changed over this time and advice on how we should respond has continued to evolve. This week we asked the outgoing and incoming Chief of Medical Staff at Freeman Regional Health Services, Ken Kirton, MD and Shakil Hafiz, DO, to answer questions to help us understand the current COVID-19 situation.

“It doesn’t get any better than this.”