This American Goldfinch is caught having a morning snack earlier this week. 

This sign north of Freeman bore the brunt of the brutal storm that hit a widespread region late Thursday afternoon, leaving hundreds picking up the pieces on Friday. Damage in towns like Freeman and Menno was caused primarily by toppled trees, but rural areas and farms saw significant damage caused by both straight line winds and what some believe to be tornadoes. Watch for more on what many are saying is a weather event unlike anything they’ve seen before.

Trees are down and reports of rural buildings either damaged or destroyed are coming in following a wicked spring storm that tore across eastern South Dakota late Thursday afternoon, May 12. The Argus Leader reported wind speeds of 84 miles per hour in Freeman and 107 miles per hour at Tripp.

Banners like these honoring the 13 graduating seniors at Menno hang on Fifth Street in recognition of the Class of 2022, which will graduate Saturday afternoon. Similarly, banners recognizing the Freeman Academy and Freeman High School Class of 2022 hang on Sixth Street; like Menno, Freeman Public seniors will graduate Saturday afternoon while Freeman Academy will hold its graduation one week later — on May 21. Today is the last day of school at Menno; Freeman Public dismisses for the year Friday and Freeman Academy is out next week.

Workers with subcontractor Slowey Construction spent Monday and Tuesday, May 9 and 10 tearing up the 200 block of Main Street as visible progress on the city of Freeman's rebuild of the downtown infrastructure is finally being made. Deconstruction will continue moving south to Fifth Street; in the meantime, the remainder of the business district remains open to traffic.

Seniors from Freeman Public and Menno will formally say goodbye to high school this Saturday  afternoon, May 14 when they participate in their respective graduation ceremonies. Freeman Public will hold its 2022 commencement beginning at 2 p.m. while Menno’s graduation will begin at 2:30 p.m. Both will be held in the schools’ main gyms. Fifteen seniors from Freeman Public and 13 from Menno are set to graduate.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER This week Friday, students at Freeman Public Schools will say goodbye to their classrooms, their teachers and their friends they won’t see much of during the summer break. For 13-year-old Kahlen Salis, those goodbyes have already been said and came on Wednesday afternoon, April 27 — one day before the seventh grader finished her schoolwork and made a temporary move to St. Louis with her mom and dad to be closer to a medical treatment that could save her life.

Tom Rice will not return to his position of superintendent/high school principal at Menno next school year, and it’s not by his own choice.

This photo shows the Jim Woehl Athletic Complex in Menno during the Menno Relays Monday afternoon, May 9. The track and field meet included both a junior high and varsity competition. Twelve teams, including Freeman Academy/Marion and Freeman Public, took part. The FAM boys finished second in the team standings and Menno was third for both the boys and the girls. Click here for the full results.

While Railway Street has been torn up and closed to traffic for more than a week, a "Road Closed" sign first appeared on Main Street Monday morning, May 9 in anticipation of work beginning on the 200 block of Freeman's downtown business district. Additional blocks will close to vehicle traffic as work continues to the south in the weeks ahead.