Workers from Maquire Iron of Sioux Falls are getting ready to finish up their first week of work on the city of Freeman’s water tower maintenance project, which is seeing general repair as well as a complete inside/outside overhaul of the paint job. Led-based paint that is chipping is partially what drove the city to take on the project, which is costing $50,000 annually for the next five years, and then $10,000 a year after that.

"Tree work ahead" signs have been common around Freeman the past could of months as Jacobsen Tree Experts out of Sioux Falls has been trimming and taking down trees. The project is one of NorthWestern Energy as a way to clear power lines. This photo was taken looking south on Wipf Street and shows the east side of the Freeman Regional Health Services campus.

The red of a stop sign contrasts with the green of summertime growth and the dark blue of a summertime sky Tuesday morning, July 14. While showers moved across much of the region overnight and early Tuesday, the local region saw just enough moisture to get the ground wet.

The lot on the northeastern corner of Main and Fourth streets is now an empty one following the removal of the building that many remember as the home of Kaufman Optometric/Eye Care. The brick building was taken down late last week after sitting empty since Vision Care Associates moved to the North County Road a decade ago. The former Kaufman Eye Care property is owned by the Johnny Stahl estate. 

Solomon Ortman takes an order from the walk-up window at The Chislic House Saturday night, July 11. Solomon, his brothers Liam and Christian and their parents Will and Sherilyn, have been serving up homemade ice cream from the otherwise closed restaurant the past few Saturdays and Sundays. Chislic was also available this weekend.

Maintenance on the city of Freeman's water tower will begin Monday, July 13 and is expected to last for 45 days. The city announced on Friday that, while there will be no water outage during this time, there may be a reduction in water pressure. Because water reserves will be used, residents are being asked to conserve usage as much as possible during this time.

Sprinklers water the first fairway at Valley View Golf Course shortly after sunrise Friday, July 10. The 9-hole course, located one mile south of Freeman, opened in 1992 and is in its second year being run as a municipality of Freeman.

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.

Lane McCune fishes at the Freeman Prairie Arboretum early Tuesday afternoon, July 7.

For the first time since the Freeman Public Library closed its doors to the public and suspended all organized activities amid coronavirus concerns in mid-March, driver license renewals are returning. The station is set up for appointments inside the library's front entrance; with all slots for the July 7 renewals full, they will also be available Tuesday, July 14.