JEREMY WALTNER  -  PUBLISHER Less than a week after administration at Freeman Public Schools issued a mandate requiring students in grades 6-12 — as well as staff — to wear face coverings in the hallways in-between classes, the Freeman Public School Board voted 3-2 to rebuke that requirement.

Freeman Public moved to a 2-0 early in this volleyball season with a straight-set win over Irene-Wakonda in Freeman Tuesday night, Sept. 1. The Flyers won 25-13, 25-20, 25-20.

Last year's homecoming queen at Freeman High School, Isabel Sayler, crowns the 2020 queen, Taylor Fransen, during an abbreviated coronation at the football field Monday night, Aug. 31. Fransen and Ethan Ortman were named royalty by a vote of the 9-12 student body and will reign over this week's celebration of "Flyers Pride" at Freeman Public.

More than four decades after his late grandmother, Pam Ortman, and her grandfather, John Weier, were named homecoming king and queen at Freeman High School, Ethan Ortman and Taylor Fransen were crowned royalty at the 2020 coronation held at the football field Monday night, Aug. 31.  Ortman and Fransen were part of a royal court that included Collin Helma, Clayton Smith, Madeline Hofer and Madison Hofer and will preside over homecoming week at Freeman Public that culminates Friday with a 1 p.m. parade and a 7 p.m. football game.

Two of these seniors at Freeman High School will be crowned king and queen as homecoming gets its formal start tonight, Monday, Aug. 31 at coronation. The celebration will be held at the football field starting at 7 p.m. No skits are planned. Spirit days will continue through the week with a homecoming parade planned at 1 p.m. Friday and a football game against Oldham-Ramonda/Rutland Friday night. Pictured are, from left, Collin Helma, Madeline Hofer, Clayton Smith, Taylor Fransen, Ethan Ortman and Madison Hofer.

The morning sun illuminates the steeple at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman Sunday, Aug. 30. The clouds that provide the backdrop are symbolic of the weather that may be coming later today, as the forecast shows a threat of rain and possible severe weather late this afternoon.

This photo shows the construction of Ampride in 1991, a convenience store at the corner of Sixth Street and Highway 81 today known as Total Stop. In the decades prior to the 1990s, this location was home to a Dairy Queen.

Top-ranked Canistota/Freeman trailed De Smet by a touchdown going into the fourth quarter, but a 5-yard run by Tyce Ortman put the Pride ahead 14-12 and the two-time defending champions held off the Bulldogs for a dramatic road win Friday night, Aug. 28.

This photo shows Valley View Golf Course right after it was built in 1993. This is the ninth green — barely recognizable as such given the growth of the trees in the 25-plus years since.

The Menno Wolves won their volleyball opener 25-18, 26-24, 25-18 over Centerville Thursday night, Aug. 27 at home. Jesse Munkvold had a big game with 10 kills and 21 digs to lead Menno. Kylie Harriman had 12 digs, 11 set assists and 3 aces, and Kaylie Schempp added a dozen digs. Additionally, the Wolves got 5 kills and 2 blocks from Madelyn Heckenlaible and 5 kills from both Bridget Vaith and Adrian Nusz.