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.

JEREMY WALTNER | PUBLISHER Menno managed to get the tying run to the plate, but pitcher Brandon Nickolite and the Lesterville Broncs staved off a bottom-of-the-ninth inning rally to claim a 7-5 win and a trip to the state tournament in District 6B amateur action in Menno Thursday night, July 30.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER City officials from Freeman appear to be serious about the possibility of rebuilding Main Street from Fifth Street all the way to the North County Road. Meeting in regular session Monday night, July 27, Mayor Michael Walter and the Freeman City Council discussed whether the time has come to move forward with what would be a multi-million-dollar downtown infrastructure project. The idea was presented by the mayor, who noted the city has $5.7 million “in the bank” he would like to see invested back into Freeman.

JEREMY WALTNER | PUBLISHER A young team made up of a number of first-year amateur players with their eyes fixed on the state tournament saw their season end earlier than they had hoped when the Freeman town team lost an elimination game to Irene Sunday night, July 26.

The plan to return to face-to-face teaching and learning at colleges in South Dakota in August is causing great concern among faculty and staff.

Workers from Maquire Iron are nearing two weeks of progress on the city of Freeman's water tower project that includes general upkeep, a cleaning inside and out and repainting. This show the tent that will be lifted up to cover the structure as led-based paint is removed. Workers say weather conditions will determine when the tent is elevated, but it could be as soon as this weekend. This is expected to be a month-and-a-half long project.  

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER Officials from Freeman Academy, Freeman Public and Menno Public schools are making plans to start the 2020-21 term as planned. Menno will be the first to return to the classroom with half-days planned Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 17 and 18 (1 p.m. dismissals).

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER The Freeman City Council is expected to approve a new chapter to the ordinances established by the city of Freeman 30 years ago that creates a board of directors that would oversee the city-operated Valley View Golf Course.