SD restaurants fighting for survival The COVID-19 pandemic has hit South Dakota restaurants harder than just about any other industry in the state. Six months into the pandemic, with the state economy mostly open for business, restaurants across the state are still struggling to make ends meet and keep their doors open as patrons and employees worry about spreading the potentially deadly coronavirus.

These are the 2020 royalty candidates for next week's homecoming celebration at Freeman Public Schools. They are, from left, Clayton Smith, Taylor Fransen, Collin Helma, Madeline Hofer, Ethan Ortman and Madison Hofer. Coronation will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31 at the school's football field; no skits are planned. A community parade will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 with the theme "Under the Sea." School themed days are as follows: Monday - Pirate, Tuesday - Fishing (Redneck), Wednesday - Florida Retiree, Thursday - Hawaiian, Friday - Spirit.

Freeman High School lost its first set 27-29 but came back to win the next two 25-18, 25-16 to take down Avon in the season opener in Freeman Tuesday night, Aug. 25. Rijjy Peterson had seven kills, a pair of blocks, 12 digs and nine aces to lead the Flyers while Oddy Pankratz added six kills, two blocks of her own, 11 set assists and five digs. Mesa Mehlhaf had six kills and Cara Maske 11 set assists. The Flyers host Irene-Wakonda on Tuesday, Sept. 1.    

Freeman Academy was the last of are schools to return to class for the 2020-21 school year, with students and staff reporting for instruction Wednesday morning, Aug. 26. Masks and temperature checks are the new reality for the private school that saw its first term of education in 1903.

Lucille B. Rembold, 96, of Miller, S.D. and formerly of Freeman, S.D., died Monday, Aug. 24 at the Good Samaritan Society in Miller. Visitation will be from 12 to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Freeman, with a funeral service to follow at 1 p.m.

This photo clearly shows the work that has been done to replace the badly damaged intersection at Main and Third streets in Freeman. Workers from Koerner Construction spent the past weeks on the job, which closed the area to through traffic. The intersection was reopened Monday morning, Aug. 24.

Gregg Uecker, part of the custodial team at Freeman Public Schools, mows on the east side of the school Monday morning, Aug. 24.

A dramatic scene unfolded on the western edge of Freeman on a hot Saturday night, Aug. 22, as Freeman firefighters and EMTs were called to a fire in an abandoned two-story house on Cedar Street once owned by Richard and Barbara Salis. The property is now owned by the city of Freeman.

After more than two hours of discussion in special session Thursday night, Aug. 27, the Freeman Public School Board voted 3-2 to stick with the back-to-school plan acknowledged earlier this month that uses a three-tiered system to determine what level of COVID-19 mitigation efforts are in place.

There was plenty to cheer about for Rijjy Peterson, Mesa Mehlhaf, Taylor Fransen and Cara Maske as the Canistota/Freeman Pride faced Chester Area in the 2020 season opener in Canistota Friday night, Aug. 21. The top-ranked and two-time defending champion Pride wasted little time jumping ahead to a multi-touchdown lead just minutes into the game before blowing past the Flyers 46-0. Canistota/Freeman travels to De Smet next Friday before hosting Oldham-Ramona/Rutland in Freeman on Sept. 4 — Freeman's homecoming game.