PHOTO OF THE DAY: PICTURE PRESERVATION
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: PICTURE PRESERVATION
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 17, 2025
Freeman Academy assistant soccer coaches Andre Eisenbeis and Paul Ortman and head coach Nathan Epp stand for a photo at the conclusion of a spirited p...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: THROWBACK THURSDAY
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: THROWBACK THURSDAY
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 16, 2025
This is one of the oldest photos showing the earliest days of Freeman. Taken in 1880, it was shot looking to the north on what was an infant Main Stre...
FREEMAN BOYS SECOND AT REGION 3B MEET
sports
FREEMAN BOYS SECOND AT REGION 3B MEET
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 17, 2025
The Freeman High School boys will compete as a full team at the 2025 South Dakota High School State Cross Country Championships next Saturday thanks t...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ON THEIR MARK …
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ON THEIR MARK …
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 15, 2025
That's Freeman's Alexa Nanninga and Olivia Schultz and Menno's Zoe Schaeffer ready to go at the Flyer Invitational last month. Runners from Freeman an...
FUGITIVE ARRESTED IN FREEMAN OCT. 10
news
FUGITIVE ARRESTED IN FREEMAN OCT. 10
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 15, 2025
A fugitive from justice out of Harmon County, Okla. wanted for felony child abuse was arrested in Freeman Friday afternoon, Oct. 10 after a strong pol...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: STREET VIEW
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: STREET VIEW
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 14, 2025
Area residents woke to a rainy Tuesday morning, as wet weather returns. The conditions will no doubt have an impact on the harvest, which has benefite...
BOBCATS TO PLAY FOR STATE SOCCER TITLE SATURDAY
BOBCATS TO PLAY FOR STATE SOCCER TITLE SATURDAY
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 14, 2025
The Freeman Academy soccer team is now one win away from what would be the school’s first-ever South Dakota High School Activities Association-sanctio...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: DAY OF ‘DIGNITY’
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: DAY OF ‘DIGNITY’
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 13, 2025
This is "Dignity of Earth and Sky," the sculpture just off Interstate 29 outside of Chamberlain created by Dale Claude Lamphere that "brings to light ...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ACTION FIGURE
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ACTION FIGURE
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 11, 2025
Menno senior Izayah Ulmer eludes pursuit of an Avon defender and fires downfield in Friday night homecoming football action. Ulmer and the Scotland/Me...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: OUTDOOR ASSIGNMENT
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: OUTDOOR ASSIGNMENT
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 10, 2025
The Freeman High School freshman class works on its Harry Potter-themed float in advance of Friday afternoon's homecoming parade in Freeman. The proce...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: NEWSPAPER WEEK
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: NEWSPAPER WEEK
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 9, 2025
This week — Oct. 6-11 — marks the 85th celebration of National Newspaper Week. Since 1940, Newspaper Association Managers has sponsored and supported ...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ROYAL STATUS
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ROYAL STATUS
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 8, 2025
Students at Freeman Public weren't the only ones to choose homecoming royalty on Monday night. In Menno, Brockton Kocourek and Lexie McNinch were crow...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 7, 2025
With the burning “F” — and full moon — pictured behind them, the 2025 Freeman High School homecoming royalty court stands for a photo Monday night, Oc...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: SETTING THE SCENE
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: SETTING THE SCENE
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 6, 2025
The Freeman High School gym is set up and ready to go for the formal start of homecoming week — coronation. The ceremony that will see the crowning of...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: HOUSE OF WORSHIP
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: HOUSE OF WORSHIP
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 5, 2025
The Bethany Mennonite Church of Freeman is pictured on a beautiful fall morning Sunday, Oct. 5. The church pastor, Shane VanMeveren, is featured in th...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: QUEEN OF THE KNIGHT
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: QUEEN OF THE KNIGHT
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 4, 2025
Marion senior, 2025 homecoming queen and football cheerleader Kallie Johnson visits briefly with the officials after delivering the game ball prior to...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: MARCHING ORDERS
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: MARCHING ORDERS
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 3, 2025
The Menno Wolves Marching Band makes its way south of Fifth Street to begin the Menno Band Day parade Friday morning, Oct. 3. Sixteen middle school an...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: LOOKS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: LOOKS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 2, 2025
Keith Andersen, CTE/vo-ag instructor at Freeman Public, helps student volunteers get set up for the construction of the "F" that will be burned follow...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: TAKING NAMES
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: TAKING NAMES
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 1, 2025
If Karen Watson has anything to say about it, a new monument celebrating a new group of military personnel will be erected at the Freeman Area Veteran...
HOMECOMING IN FREEMAN, MENNO NEXT WEEK
news
HOMECOMING IN FREEMAN, MENNO NEXT WEEK
By Jeremy Waltner 
October 1, 2025
Students from both Freeman Public and Menno are gearing up for what will be a big week to come at both schools — homecoming. Coronation will formally ...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ON TOUR
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: ON TOUR
September 30, 2025
Harley Plucker and Joline Thomas pause to enjoy a flower garden at the Freeman Prairie Arboretum. Plucker was among residents of both Freeman Regional...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: STORIES TO TELL
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: STORIES TO TELL
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 29, 2025
A panel of four assembled to recall stories from the one-room county schoolhouse era cracks up during a program hosted by Heritage Hall Museum & Archi...
FULL REPORT: BOARD FINDS DPS NON-COMPLIANT
FULL REPORT: BOARD FINDS DPS NON-COMPLIANT
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 29, 2025
Additional action expected when Turner County Board of Adjustment meets again Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 6:30 p.m., at Parker Community Building So what now?...
PANKRATZ INDUCTED INTO JACKS HALL OF FAME
news
PANKRATZ INDUCTED INTO JACKS HALL OF FAME
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 30, 2025
More than three decades after becoming a four-time All-American wrestler with South Dakota State University, Freeman native and Flyers standout Mike P...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: EARS UP, ARMS UP
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: EARS UP, ARMS UP
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 28, 2025
Mike Pankratz, a 1988 graduate of Freeman High School who went on to become a four-time All-American wrestler with South Dakota State University, ackn...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: BLAST FROM THE PAST
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: BLAST FROM THE PAST
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 27, 2025
It may seem random for today's Photo of the Day to be a Courier file photo of Mike Pankratz wrestling for the Freeman Flyers at the 1988 State Wrestli...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: SIDELINE VIEW
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: SIDELINE VIEW
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 26, 2025
Dayna Peterson was back on the sidelines of her home court Thursday night, not as a Freeman Flyer, but as a Menno Wolf — the head coach, that is, of t...
PHOTO OF THE DAY: COURSE OF ACTION
photo day
PHOTO OF THE DAY: COURSE OF ACTION
By Jeremy Waltner 
September 25, 2025
This was the scene at Valley View Golf Course a mile south of Freeman early Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 24 as runners — including Freeman's Lane McCune...