The 5-Minute Interview that is included in the April 1 edition of The Courier is with Freeman Academy senior Titus Roesler, who last week participated in his fourth All-State Band Festival. Read about how long Titus has been playing the euphonium, what he enjoys (and doesn't) about the festival, where he plans to go to college and what is goal is for this year's track season in our e-Edition published Wednesday afternoon and in print tomorrow.

This photo shows just how windy it has been the past couple of days. Even as warm as it was on Monday, strong gusts made being outdoors unpleasant, and today it is significantly cooler but just as windy. Breezy conditions are expected throughout the week.

Signs like this one are popping up in yards around Freeman as a shoutout to health care professionals and others who have been on the front lines amidst the coronavirus pandemic, which has been a worldwide reality now for more than a year. While more and more people are getting vaccinated, there has been a recent uptick in confirmed cases of COVID-19. To track the daily numbers, check out The Courier's Facebook page.

Fruit pockets are bagged up and for sale at the Schmeckfest Drive-Thru over the weekend — a country kitchen favorite that was among various foods available at the drive-up event. This fundraiser was held March 19-20 and 26-27 in lieu of the traditional Schmeckfest celebration for the second year in a row.

Meranda Van Ningen points a driver in the right direction to pick up their order at the Schmeckfest Drive-Thru Friday afternoon, March 27. Van Ningen, the marketing and development director at Freeman Academy and a member of the FA Auxiliary's executive committee, was charged with greeting and visiting with guests waiting in line at the school's parking lot — a line that extended around the perimeter of the lot north of Pioneer Hall and onto the street during the first few hours of Friday's pick-up window, from 1 to 6 p.m.

Steve Mendel packages a ring of sausage in preparation for the second run of the 2021 Schmeckfest Drive-Thru, which begins at 1 p.m. today and concludes tomorrow afternoon. Guests will be served drive-up style outside the Freeman Academy maintenance building from 1 to 6 p.m. both days. In addition to the food sales, Heritage Hall Museum and Archives is open extended hours today and tomorrow, welcoming the public from noon to 8 p.m.

Freeman High School junior Jacob Swensen works on a piece for the school's prom Thursday morning, March 25. The junior class is preparing for and hosting "A Garden Getaway" in the FHS gym Friday night, March 26; a banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m., the public is invited to the Grand March beginning at 7:30 p.m. and there will be a student dance from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m.

The first visible sign of the city's proposed rebuild of Main Street came Wednesday morning, March 24 when Geotek Engineering began the process of soil borings that will help determine fill and pavement recommendations. While the city has not officially approved the estimated $3 million project, it is moving forward with discussions and plans for the capital project to be completed in 2022.

This is the interior of Mimi's Diner, located in the former Kairos building on Main Street, as it was on Tuesday, March 23 — one day before its scheduled opening. Owner Amy Beck said she plans to open for business at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 24 when she will begin serving home-style meals and breakfast all day. The new restaurant will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (although she notes that evening meals will not begin until this Friday). A menu is available on her Facebook page, Mimi's Diner.

The Freeman Public School Board is hosting a special public meeting tonight, Monday, March 22 at 7 p.m. the high school gym to discus a possible sports cooperative with Freeman Academy and Marion. As the agenda shows, there will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions and offer comments. The meeting will be live-streamed; click here for a link.