14 Years Ago

The Emerald City Gala Dinner Theatre kicked off Stockton’s Summer Festival on Friday, July 18, 2008 at the Nova Theatre with over 90 advance tickets sold for the evening.

The Rooks County Health Center staff was preparing for transition into the new hospital in a little over two months.

The Stockton Area Arts Council held a pizza party at Stockton City Hall on June 26 for everyone who volunteered their time and artistic abilities to the newest and most colorful addition to the town of Stockton.

Oil valuations for 2008 were up nearly $17.9 million from the year before, a 46% increase. The 2008 wheat harvest was running behind due to the devastating storms of a couple weeks earlier.

What Was Going On 14 Years Ago During the summer of 2006, children in Stockton were asked to take pictures and make suggestions as to what they would like to improve or see added to their town. That was how the Children’s Advisory Committee was formed.

For the past three Thursdays, Stockton and the surrounding areas had been hit hard by dangerous storms. The home of Janet Chesney and son John Page at the corner of Ash and South Fifth streets was crushed in Thursday night’s storm by a huge tree that was thrown on top of it.

The Stockton area was again hit with a severe thunderstorm. Not only did we experience the usual heavy wind and small hail, but the city of Woodston saw firsthand the fury of a tornado. It felt like a storm was brewing all day long as the air was heavy with humidity and it was hot at 90 degrees.

The memories of June 9, 2005 came back over the previous weekend in May, 2008, with the arrival of strong storms on Thursday and Friday nights. While we were spared a tornado’s damage, straight-line winds and over 6.5 inches of rain brought their own brand of damage.

USD 271 board members Greg Beougher and Randal Riffel presented diplomas to 27 members of the Stockton High School Class of 2008 in Commencement exercises for Saturday, May 17. The SHS graduate section was featured in this issue.

Over 150 people attended the Crossroads concert at the historic Nova Theatre on Sunday, May 4 for the benefit of the new county hospital, the Rooks County Health Center.