Stories from surrounding communities, closest first.
Daily Republic · Freeman, SD
Nearby: Freeman, SDVERMILLION, S.D. — With a Class 9A state football championship on the line, Freeman did what it does best on Thursday afternoon, putting up points in bunches and burying Bennett County under an offensive avalanche. The Flyers racked up 504 total yards from scrimmage — a balanced 292 through the air and 212 on the ground — on 45 plays, averaging more than a first down every time they snapped the ball at 11.2 yards per play. En route to a 57-12 victory over the Warriors, Freeman scored touchdowns on eight of its first 10 possessions and punted just once, that coming on a drive derailed by a penalty followed by a bad snap. It was as close to a perfect offensive performance as one could hope for in a state title game, yet, at the same time, it was business as usual for a Freeman team that eclipsed 50 points in 10 straight games to close out a 12-0 campaign. The Flyers finished the year averaging 54 points per game.
Daily Republic · Rutland, SD
Nearby: Rutland, SDRUTLAND, S.D. — Oldham-Ramona-Rutland has made official the results of its Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, dissolution election. Voters decided 393-352 to keep the district open. Voters decided 393-352 to reject a reorganization plan which would have dissolved the ORR School District. The district, which operates a school in Rutland and two Hutterite colonies, will continue teaching its students. If the reorganization plan had been adopted, the district would have dissolved at the end of the 2026-2027 school year. District assets, like buildings and vehicles, would be transferred to neighboring school districts. Property within the ORR School District would have been reorganized into neighboring school districts, including Madison Central, Chester Area and Howard, among others. ORR board members canvassed the vote at their regular meeting in Rutland on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026. Canvassing is the process by which a governing body's elected officers certify the results of an election.
Daily Republic · Rutland, SD
Nearby: Rutland, SDNUNDA, S.D. — The unofficial results are in: 352 in favor of dissolving the Oldham-Ramona-Rutland School District, and 393 against. Even with some provisional ballots to be counted, the voters have spoken, and they want the district to stay. Of the ballots reviewed Tuesday, Nov. 10, and the early hours of Nov. 11, two were spoiled and not counted. An additional two had both options checked, making them uncountable. Another five ballots were labeled provisional and will not be counted until the voters' registrations are validated on Nov. 11 by business manager Amber Malisch. In total, 745 votes were counted the night of the election. Counting concluded at about 1 a.m., with election workers citing a lack of time during the day to complete pre-count tasks for the delay. The absentee vote validation period, during which poll watchers challenged a number of voters' registration, lasted over three hours past the polls closing. "We are staying open.
Daily Republic · Sioux Center, IA
Nearby: Sioux Center, IASIOUX CENTER, Iowa — Dakota Wesleyan University men's soccer's quest for its first Great Plains Athletic Conference championship ran short on Tuesday night, as Dordt downed the Tigers 2-1 with a golden goal in overtime. With the win, No. 2-seeded Dordt (13-5-3) — which was picked eighth in the preseason GPAC coaches poll — will go to the NAIA men's soccer tournament for the first time with the conference's sole automatic bid. DWU, which was seeded fourth in the GPAC tournament and won the quarterfinal and semifinal matches in penalty kicks, finishes the season with a record of 9-6-2.
