Those hoping to land a parking spot along the first base line for this Sunday's baseball game will have a tough time finding one. Even by the middle part of this week, vehicles were lined up in anticipation of Freeman's Indepedence Day celebration on July 5. Activities get underway with girls softball games at 12 p.m. and will continue throughout the afternoon and evening. The Blacksox will take the field against Tabor starting at 7:30 p.m., with fireworks to follow.

Andre Eisenbeis helps a customer at the Freeman Farmers Market Wednesday evening, July 1. The local farmers market is held every Wedensday during the spring/summer produce season from 5 to 7 p.m. on the east side of the Freeman Shopping Center parking lot.

Larry Donald Graber, age 90, formerly of Yankton, S.D., died Monday, March 16, 2020 surrounded by his family at Oakview Terrace in Freeman, S.D. A memorial service was held Wednesday, July 1, 2020 at Goglin Funeral Home in Yankton. Interment of ashes was in Freeman Cemetery.

Gwynn Marie Bodewitz was born on Jan. 10, 1949 in Sioux Falls, S.D. to Henry and Etoyle Aljets, the third of seven children. She passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by loving family after a two-year battle with cancer. She was baptized on May 22, 1949 at Memorial Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls by Pastor Curtis Schleicher. She was confirmed at Memorial Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls on June 19, 1963 by Pastor Carl Paul. She attended elementary school in Sioux Falls until fourth grade and then continued at Valley Springs Elementary.

This was the scene inside the Freeman High School gym Wednesday morning as workers install new bleachers. This is the second phase of a major capital improvement project giving the gym a new look; the court was stripped, sanded and painted this past spring.

Incumbent Justin Plooster and challenger Jon Schempp won three-year terms on the Menno School Board of Education in the Tuesday, June 30 election. Plooster earned the most votes with 191 while Schempp defeated Mary Schoenfish — a veteran and vice president of the school board — 153 to 138. Challenger Bryan Kludt won 54 votes.  By percentage, that breaks town to: Plooster          35.63% Schempp         28.54% Schoenfish      25.75% Kludt               10.07%            

Voters living in the Menno School District are voting today in the Menno School Board Election, where Bryan Kludt and Jon Schempp and challenging incumbents Justin Plooster and Mary Schoenfish. Results will be posted later tonight.

The Canistota/Freeman 10u Sticks won the Yankton Twins Invitational Sunday night, June 27, coming back to defeat West Lyon 6-4 for the title. The Sticks also defeated Sioux City and Watertown en route to the championship that came one day of the 12u Sticks finished runner-up in their division of the tournament.

The Canistota/Freeman 12u Sticks finished second at the 2020 Yankton Twins Invitational at the Seratoma ballfields in Yankton Saturday, June 27. The Sticks went 2-1 in the tournament, losing only to Madison 6-4 in the final inning of the game. The Sticks 10u team is playing in the same tournament today, Sunday, June 28, and won their first two games. They will play for the championship tonight at 6:30.

Carolyn Preheim tops cheese pockets with white sauce for a to-go order Friday evening, June 26 as part of the Schmeckfest drive-thru event. More than 200 orders for a meal were placed online and then filled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday as a stream of cars circled in and out of the school's parking lot. In addition to the meals, volunteers working inside the Link sold other items like frozen Schmeckfest sausage, kuchen and other Schmeckfest Country Kitchen items. The drive-thru was held in response to the cancelation of the 2020 "festival of tasting" because of the coronavirus.