Midwest Energy announced Monday, April 6th, it will not ask for its Board of Directors to proceed with a proposal to change natural gas rates while its communities are facing challenges from COVID-19.

William Galloway made a stop in Stockton on Tuesday, April 7th during his cross-country bicycle trip to raise awareness for brain injuries. Fifteen yeas ago, Galloway was hit by a drunk driver. The accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury, making concentration difficult and causing seizures, which in turn makes it difficult for him to keep a job. Before the accident Galloway was a truck driver but can no longer pass the physical.

Sarah Quillen of Brighton, Colo.: “This will be the first year in many years that my mother, Alys Veal, myself and my daughters haven’t returned to Stockton for Memorial Day. My daughters and I may still come.”

Since the Purdums can't go on a spring trip this year, the bear in the window seems to be a good alternative. This isn't just any old bear, mind you. No, he has quite a history - having survived living in 20 different houses in nine different states during the 60 plus years in the family. Two college freshmen (Harry and Willardene) were coming up to Christmas. What would you like for Christmas, Harry asked. A Panda Bear, replied Willardene! Sounded like a simple request; however, at that time in history the U.S. and China were pretty much at war, so there were no pandas to be found in Wichita. As an alternative, Harry found a white teddy bear with a black nose and a red bow, which now, 60 some years later, has been entered in the Stockton Bear Hunt! Teddy Bears can be given to anyone from babies to the elderly. So, boys remember, a teddy bear may be the perfect present for that special girl in your life, says an old sage!

WICHITA — When the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office called Wichita Brewing Company co-owner Jeremy Horn and asked him if his brewery could start producing big batches of hand sanitizer alongside its beer, Horn wasn’t sure. He’d never brewed anything but beer at his big production facility in south Wichita before, and he wasn’t sure what kind of demand there would be if he did. But he quickly got the answer.

C & L Cattle, Damar, are new members of the American Angus Association®, reports Mark McCully, CEO of the national breed organization headquartered in Saint Joseph, Missouri.

The Stockton PRIDE and the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce meetings for April and May have been cancelled. Please stay safe!

HORSE'S MOUTH. After the Governor put out Executive Order 20-16 on Saturday, March 28, it seemed to differ from her EO 20-14 from March 24 leaving our church, and many others, scrambling to find alternatives to meeting in person. On Monday morning, March 30, I figured the fastest way to find the truth was to go straight to the "horse's mouth," as the saying goes. Upon calling the Governor's office, I was told that EO 20-14 still applied to churches allowing meetings to continue - as long as social distancing was maintained. Although we could legally meet, we've decided not to due to abundance of caution to protect each other. The bottom line is that it's best to go straight to the source. Application - with all the unknowns with the virus, our economy, homeschooling, etc., if there was ever a time for genuine Christians to go straight to the Source of our faith, it's now. In our isolation, our God-given source of encouragement is God's Word! Interestingly, with Resurrection Sunday this weekend, it was on Thursday before Jesus' crucifixion on Friday that He told His Disciples they were about to face a great trial. Jesus told them, "Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own home...." (John 16:32). Sound familiar??? The Disciples had spent 3 years walking with Jesus, being taught by Him, seeing His compassion as He healed the hurting. But now...they would no longer have Jesus, their Rock, to lean on. They wouldn't even have each other to cling to. No, Jesus indicated they would suffer through their fears of the unknown by themselves. My concern for true believers today is that we will "leave Jesus alone." Yes, we're scattered and will "suffer" through many unknowns, but we desperately need to go to the horse's mouth, God's Word, and be fed. As Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The Kansas Department of Transportation began or resumed work recently on several road construction projects across northwest Kansas. Project work and locations include:

THE STOCKTON SENTINEL has set out its old newspaper stand in front of the office so people can keep up with the news. Please note that the coin pay doesn’t work, but we know that the “honor system” in Stockton does! There is a basket inside to pay for the newspaper.