It was around 8:15 on Monday night when Oliver announced that Jupiter was as close to the Earth as it has been in almost 60 years and that he was going to step out onto our front porch and have a look. It was a matter of seconds before he hurried back into the house and said he saw something strange — like “a bunch of shooting stars or something.”

Senior Chris Cardona moves with the ball in soccer action Tuesday evening. Freeman Academy hosted Vermillion in the evening matchup with the Bobcats falling 6-0. Still, it appears as though the local soccer team will make the postseason as the No. 6 seed, which means they would travel to St. Thomas More next Tuesday, Oct. 4 for the first round of the playoffs. Read more about it in this week's Courier.

JEREMY WALTNER - PUBLISHER In the same way eyes have been on Freeman’s Main Street since its reconstruction began in April, the downtown area will be the center of attention on Friday, Sept. 23 for a ribbon-cutting marking the completion of the primary business district that will coincide with the community parade and Freeman High School’s homecoming celebration. The parade will  begin at 11:30 a.m. and make its way south from Main and Railway streets.

POWER SHOW RETURNS THIS SATURDAY, SUNDAY For those looking for something to see, experience, eat and enjoy this weekend, there’s no need to look further than to Pioneer Acres on the northern edge of Menno and the 36th annual Pioneer Power Show hosted by the Menno Pioneer Heritage Association (MPHA). The event will be held the mornings and afternoons of Saturday, Sept. 24 and Sunday, Sept. 25, and there will be something for everybody – from threshing and a working sawmill to games and rides for children to live music.

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER The Menno community will take its turn at celebrating school spirit and Wolves/Trapper pride next week. Coronation will formally kick things off Monday night beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the city/school auditorium. This year’s candidates for king are Owen Eitemiller, Ajay Herrboldt, Cody Munkvold, Brayden Sattler and Daniel Sayler; standing for queen are Abby Bender, Julia Buechler, Alana Fergen, Madelyn Kludt and Halle Van Hove.

Freeman seniors Kate Miller and Zac Sayler were announced as homecoming queen and king as Freeman High School opened a week of Flyer/Phoenix pride Monday night with the traditional coronation. Miller and Sayler were elected royalty by a student body among a court that also included, from left, Brooklyn Mendel, Erin Uecker, Jayden Jacobsen and Jonathan Slevin. 

Top-ranked and defending Class 9AA champion Howard proved to be too much for Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy as the Tigers (5-0) routed the Phoenix (3-1) 51-0 in Howard Friday night, Sept. 16. Howard’s explosive offense put up 528 total yards and averaged 12.3 yards per play while F/M/FA tallied just 120 yards and 2.5 yards per play.

This photo was taken looking to the north/northwest from the iron bridge that connects the island to the rest of the Freeman Prairie Arboretum, and shows several of the outbuildings that are part of the Heritage Hall Museum & Archives campus. It's a cloudy, cool but pleasant Friday following a nice rain shower Thursday night. Freeman received about 2 1/2 inches of moisture while some rural areas are reporting more. There is a slight chance of additional rainfall this weekend. 

JEREMY WALTNER  - PUBLISHER The first homecoming in the Phoenix-era of football arrives next week. Freeman Public Schools will honor school spirit in the traditional way beginning Monday night, Sept. 19 at coronation. The formal start to homecoming week will begin at 7:30 p.m. inside the Freeman High School gym. Candidates for king are Jayden Jacobsen, Jonathan Law and Zac Sayler, while Brooklyn Mendel, Kate Miller and Erin Uecker will stand for queen. Ava Andersen and Evan Scharberg will serve as junior emcees.

“And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” — From Chariots of Fire JEREMY WALTNER - PUBLISHER Corey Miller wasn’t more than a third grader when, one day while motoring to school on the family’s 1940s-era Doodlebug with his older brother Craig, the belt on the 5-horsepower scooter with a John Deere seat broke and the two boys were left stranded well short of Hillside Country School, District 92 located about 2 ½ miles as the crow flies from the family farm. Craig ended up hitching a ride with a passing bicyclist to get help. Corey?