When considering all that the Freeman community is and has to offer, the pillars on which it stands are pretty obvious: Faith. Service. Health care. Agriculture. Industry. Retail. Education. Recreation. Freeman continues to do well as a small rural community because it has paid attention to — and nurtured — those key elements that make for good living, and the future looks bright because of it.

We live in the country and not the fine city of Freeman, so I’m kind of butting in here. I see you are considering an ordinance regarding parking of vehicles on lawns. Since I live in the country, I don’t quite get it, but would have you consider one issue. I have spoken with friends who do live in Freeman and heard their frustrations with snow plowing.

Freeman Police Chief Scott Brewer and the city of Freeman are correct to assess speed control in this town, but it’s also up to individuals to take responsibility to be careful out there — especially during these busy summer months.

Of the 27 amendments to the United States Constitution, none can claim the title of “Most Divisive” quite like the Second Amendment can. Those oh-so ambiguous words — “A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”— have spurred passionate debate fueled by personal experience over gun control for decades (U.S. Const. amend. II).

JEREMY WALTNER  |  PUBLISHER & EDITOR People used to keep diaries. Maybe they still do. I was never into it, but my wife kept an active journal in high school and college that includes musings about our on-again, off-again relationship. She, of course, still has these writings and no doubt cherishes them; they are, after all, a valuable piece of history and a look back on the life she once lived.

Five weeks ago, The Courier editorial titled, “Can we get a sports deal done already?” outlined why a cooperative between Freeman Public, Freeman Academy and Marion was the right move. We stand by that opinion — that a partnership is long overdue, that it would do wonders for the relationship between the schools and the communities, and that it would be good for the student-athletes who would build a new identity together while competing at their age-appropriate level.

Newspapers play different roles in the communities they serve, just by being newspapers. They inform the public of what is going on, like the upcoming Schmeckfest Drive-Thru highlighted in this week’s issue of The Courier. They tell people’s stories, like that of the Kerry and Lori Hofer family and the unexpected turn their trip to Europe took last March. They provide a platform for businesses to share information about sales, special promotions, employees who have done important things and/or employment opportunities, like those you’ll find on pages 10 and 11B.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has ruined much of our lives over the last year. We’ve been separated from family and missed holidays and big life events. The end is in sight because of the massive rollout of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. We must still stay vigilant as we bring the worst pandemic in over 100 years to a close in the United States.

I was looking forward to a Saturday at home when Ella asked me that morning if I would take her to Huron so she could watch the final session of the State B Girls Basketball Tournament. She had been there one day earlier thanks to an invitation from a friend and wanted to return for the last two games Saturday evening — No. 3 Corsica/Stickney vs. No. 5 Ethan for third and No. 1 Castlewood vs. No. 2 White River for the title. I didn’t want to go. “Can’t we just watch the games on TV?” I asked, hoping for a response that would satisfy both of us. I didn’t get it.

When Freeman Academy/Marion and Lower Brule squared off in Mitchell on Saturday for the second annual Sacred Hoops Classic, it was about more than just a basketball game. It was also about building a sense of respect for, and understanding of, cultures that are difference from one another. According to a statement read prior to announcing the starting lineups, “This classic is about bringing athletes from all corners of South Dakota together to not only play the game of basketball, but also to build relationships and gain a better understanding of all races in our state.”