The flag at City Hall is pictured in front of an unsettled sky Monday evening as storms make their way across the region. Severe weather is expected throughout the July 4 holiday. 

Jake Weier, right, and Austin Smidt tend the grills at the chislic stand during Sunday's Independence Day celebration in Freeman, which was once again sponsored by Merchants State Bank and staffed by volunteers with the Freeman Baseball Association. Sunday's celebration was a hot one and featured youth baseball and softball games, as well as teener and a amateur baseball. The 14U Sticks defeated Scotland/Menno 12-2 while the 16U Sticks beat the Trappers 5-4 in extra innings. In the evening game, the Freeman Blacksox lost to Tabor 7-0. The night ended with fireworks. 

Those attending the Patriotic Worship Service in Menno Sunday morning, July 2 joined together in singing the national anthem at the onset of the 10 a.m. service. The traditional acknowledgement of God and country once again took place at the city park and this year included a sermon from Rev. Michael Hecht titled “Holding Forth the Word of Life.” 

With classmate and teammate Penny Schultz looking on, Holly Becker practices her pitching with Becca Schultz at the Freeman softball field Saturday morning. Penny and Holly will both be sixth graders in fall and play with the Rebels 10U softball team, which will play at the state tournament in Sioux Falls July 14-16. A number of local softball and baseball teams will take the field Sunday for Freeman's Independence Day celebration:

Starting Saturday, July 1, Fensel's Electric located on the northeast corner of the Freeman community will be under the ownership of Kleinsasser Heating and Cooling. The Freeman-based business will close Fensel's Electric for at least the new two weeks for inventory. Current owner Don Beier will remain involved.

Menno businessman and owner of Ken's Electric, Ken Steponik, helps take down senior banners from the light poles on Fifth Street Thursday morning — just in time for the American flags to go up in anticipation of next week's Fourth of July celebration in Menno. The senior banners, which were hung for the fourth year, are being given to families thanks to the sponsorship support that helps make the project possible and may be picked up inside the main entrance to Menno Public School.

This was the scene in the basement of Pioneer Hall Wednesday morning as Michelle Pepper, a driver's education instructor out of Sioux Falls, leads this year's class of learners at Freeman Academy. More than 30 young men and women from the area are taking the class, which includes four full days of lecture Monday though Thursday of this week, with driving beginning on Friday and continuing through July 20. Each student will be required to pass a written test and the six hours behind the wheel that is required.

A city of Freeman garbage container sits curbside following the weekly pickup for properties north of Sixth Street. Residents and businesses living on that side of Freeman should note that next week's Tuesday collection will be moved to Wednesday instead because of the Fourth of July holiday.

Lavender, one of the schoolchildren attending Crunchem Hall, declares classmate Matilda her best friend during a scene in the Freeman Area Children's Choir's production of "Matilda, Jr.!" presented Sunday night, June 25. Lavender and Matilda were played by Hannah Bradley and Ella Lewter, respectively, who are the daughters of FACC directors Amber Bradley and Iwona Lewter. They were part of cast of 32 young actors in grades 4-8 to present the popular children's story to a large and appreciative audience following a two-week rehearsal schedule.

The was the cloud formation looking to the east late Saturday as unsettled weather dotted the region. Rainfall totals across the larger Freeman community varied considerably, but was well over an inch in most places — especially after a brief but hard shower rolled across the area early Saturday evening. Sunday will be windy and cooler.