“Sentinel-Style” Review of 2019
With the arrival of 2020, the Stockton Sentinel would like to present its readers with the year in review for 2019, from local happenings, events and tragedies written within its pages over the past twelve months.
The staff always looks forward to printing the happy, uplifting stories, shares in the sorrow on the loss of a loved one, rejoices in the triumphs of others, and never looks forward to having to report the tragedies and criminal offenses that are also a part of a newspaper.
Here is the Sentinel’s 2019 year in review….
Jan. 3—The Stockton Farmers Union Elevator and Woodston Coop recorded the largest fall harvest on record with a combined harvest of milo, corn and soybeans bringing in a total of 1.9 million bushels. The 2018 Rooks County Vision Leadership Class with graduates Brett Greenwood, Hayley Keller, Stephanie Niblock, Kelsie Putz, Lexie Schaben and Cody Werner at the Rooks County Health Center. Alena Lee Riffel was born on November 20th to parents JD and Ginger Riffel of Stockton.
Jan. 10—The foreclosure of 18 commercial buildings in Hays owned by DFC Holdings Inc. (headed by Plainville businessman Chuck Comeau) had been announced. Parade of Christmas Tree winners were Jayne Prockish and family, Sigma Phi ESA, Stockton Public Library, SHS Second Grade, SHS Kindergarten and Star 4-H. Shirley Ann Hrabe, Billy Dean Lumpkins, Rex Parron Curry, Irvin Lee Vinzant and Archie M. “Slim” Wardell passed away. Vincent Randall Shubert was the Rooks County Health Center’s 2019 New Year’s Baby.
Jan. 17—Caleb Coleman’s business, River Entertainment, was featured in an article. PRIDE officers Amber Muir, Chelsey Peterson, Carissa Brass and Kayla Hilbrink were set to serve another year. Greg Balthazor was sworn in as the new county commissioner. Walter Gray Casner Jr. and Charles “Don” Donald Baxter passed away.
Jan. 24—Madisyn Snyder was the 2019 Stockton Grade School Spelling Bee Champion. Marilyn S. Wasinger and Shirley M. Sarver passed away. Grayson Mongeau had placed first at the Ellis Open and Novice Wrestling Tournament. Sheila Plante was the January RCH Employee of the Month. The Stockton FFA Greenhand team consisting of Maddy Moffet, Camden Iwanski, Harley Kester and Mazzy Sacia brought home the gold at the Northwest District Food Science and Milk Quality Contests. An article highlighting Rooks County Holdings, LLC (Steven Mongeau, owner) was reprinted from The Hays Daily News.
Jan. 31—Courtney Flower was hired as the new Stockton City Manager/Clerk. A rental home owned by Mark Kollman on the 500 Block of Main Street in Woodston had been destroyed by fire. Rita Catherine “Kate” Erickson, Dixie Lee (Patterson) Horton and Stanley James “Stan” Werth passed away. Senior Emma Bedore was recognized as a member of the Mid-Continent League All-Academic Team at the WaKeeney basketball game.
Feb. 7—Kaydence Grebowiec spelled her way to become the Rooks County Spelling Bee Champion. A dead mountain lion was found in northeast Rooks County. Linda Collins, Gordon M. McCauley, Ronald Paul Calhoon, Paul L. Newman and Gregory Lynn Brown passed away. Tom and Mary Casey were the Rooks County Conservation District’s Bankers Award recipients. Rod Marcotte was named the 2018 Grassland Bankers Award winner. Dennis and Kathy Hamel were named 2018 Windbreak Award winners. Stockton High School music students Haley Ciarallo, Kaden Kriley and Laura King performed at the 49th Annual Youth for Music concert.
Feb. 14—SHS piano students Beatrice Griebel and Isaac Reed were headed to the State Piano Festival. Mark and Deanna Hammerschmidt had purchased the floral shop in Plainville and had changed the name to Mill Street Market. Beau Edwards and D. J. Ard had placed first at the Plainville Novice Wrestling Tournament. Janice Rae (Nech) Underwood passed away. Knights of Columbus Free Throw champions at the Regional contest were Brin Muir, Kaelyn Means, Noah Griffin, Cameron Lindsey and Jace Kesler.
Feb. 21—Bud Rodman and Verna Mauck were crowned the Solomon Valley Manor Valentine King and Queen. Four Stockton businesses, Rooks County Holdings, Twig & Vine, Stitch and Chatter, and Stockton Recreation Center, were to participate in the Nex-Generation Student Internship Program. Barbara Ellen Berkley, LaVern Heller and Patricia Ann “Patty” Karst passed away. Markeis Spiller and Trenton Howell were headed to the KSHSAA 3-2-1A State Wrestling Championships. Stockton High School junior Beatrice Griebel received a I Rating at the State Piano Festival.
Feb. 28—Sara Balthazor was the lucky winner of a $10,000.00 prize drawing at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas. LaVern (Stillwell) LaRue, Lynn Dee (Pfaff) Easter-berg, Diane L. Neises and Sandra Mae Smith passed away. Markeis Spiller placed fourth at the Class 3-2-1A State Wrestling Tournament. The Stockton Tiger basketball team earned a Class 1A Regional Runner-Up plaque and advanced to Sub-State play. Rooks County Conservation District poster winners in their age category were Daylen Beesley, Blaire Beougher, Shiloh Duhn, Kaylee Wise and Brilynn Trumpp. Carolina Northup wrestled her way to the Championship spot in the Hill City Rumble Open.
March 7—Boone Earl Bouchey was announced as the Stockton Sentinel’s New Year’s Baby. Stockton junior Ellie Bellerive was chosen to attend the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp in Colorado in July. Courtney Flower began her duties as the new Stockton City Manager/Clerk on Friday, March 1st. Everett Glen Chesney, Leah R. Crowley, Lawrence “Larry” Joseph Havlas, Mary Ballard and Diego Armando Gallaway passed away. Justin Knoll wrestled his way to an MCEL Championship in his weight division. Rooks County Conservation District annual poster contest winners in their grade were Samantha Clark, Morgan Stahl, Keaton Bedore and Sterling Dohe.
March 14—The City of Stockton was under a Drinking Water Warning due to the high levels of nitrates found in the water samples. The three Stockton teams took the top three spots at the Rooks County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge with the technology software/ hardware repair business team of Quinn Coffey and Trenton Howell (AT&Q) winning the competition. Bill Lowry was hired as the Stockton USD 271 Superintendent for the coming school year. Traci L. Barry, 50, was facing several drug distribution charges. Clyde “Bud” Wyatt Jr. and Thomas E. “Tom” Bigge passed away. Anne Givens was the March RCH Employee of the Month. Stockton Wrestling Club members Quintin Trevino and Ryan Mongeau were heading to the state competition. Suspect Daniel Robert Reid was apprehended without incident following a high speed chase by the Rooks County Sheriff’s Department and with the help of the Stockton Police Department.
March 21—The St. Thomas Parish was set to host its annual Mardi Gras! after it had been postponed earlier in the month due to a snowstorm. The Plainville Livestock Commission, operated by Tyler Gillum, had filed for bankruptcy.
Charles Lee “Chuck” Wheeler, Edward Charles (Chuck) Hageman, Kay Lene Hahn and Susan (Allen) Hassett passed away.
March 28—Ryan Paul Thompson, 34, of Ellis had been charged with the alleged premeditated first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of twenty-six-year-old Diego Gallaway of Hays. The Stockton Fitness Center received an A.E.D. through a grant written by Rebecca Bigge from the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation. Margaret McReynolds Dawson, Kristie Mearl (Fenton) Johnston, Darrell Lee Cain and John Wayne Wiehl passed away. The 2019-2020 SHS Spirit Squad was announced with Beatrice Griebel, Tatum Hamilton, Payton Keller, Faith Wallace, Bailey Talbott, Olivia Dix, Maddy Moffet, Delany Snyder, Logan Winklepleck, Delanee Bedore, Coryn Hahn and Taigen Kerr making up the squad. Senior Brady Beougher was a unanimous choice for the boys’ MCL First Team with junior Shae Griffin named to the girls’ Second Team.
April 4—Solutions North Bank donated $5,000.00 to Stockton High School for the purchase of a CNC router and laser printer for the Industrial Arts department. Heading to the State Solo and Small Ensemble Competition in Hesston were Stockton High School music students Emma Bedore, Emil Benavides and Beatrice Griebel. Junior Dean Lamm, James “Jim” Burton Dalton, and Donley F. Ruder passed away.
April 11—SHS Prom candidates were Katy Kriley, Nathan Thomas Savanna Baumgart, Zeb Cole, Bailee Hemphill, Felipe Derrico and John Weigel. Jana Dale Westhusing, Linda Sue “Susie” Normandin and Mary E. (Fischli) Fix passed away. SHS senior Brady Beougher captured first place at the Smith Center golf tournament. Michele Hinger was named the April RCH Employee of the Month. Sylven (Boulanger) Hartzler was celebrating her 90th birthday. Makinley and Carson Riener announced the arrival of their little sister, Gracelyn Isabella, who was born on March 8th to parents Jeff and Megan Riener.
April 18—Katy Kriley and Felipe Derrico were crowned the SHS Prom Queen and King. The Coast to Coast Title Company, Inc. hosted its grand opening. Stockton Farmers Union General Manager Deb Miller was chosen as the first-ever chairwoman for the Kansas Grain and Feed Association. Eldora Jean Keiswetter, Leonard “Lenny” Gerald Gager, Demma Jean Diekman-Sammons, Marvel Arlene (Stanfield) Hull and Glennys Yvonne “Jerri” Thyfault passed away.
April 25—Kylie Jo Waldschmidt (24) had been charged for her alleged role in the death of Diego Gallaway. Stockton Grade School students raised $1,193.78 for Nebraska Flood Relief. Nathan Glendening was sworn in as a Stockton City Commissioner. Delores Irene Glendening and Ruth Kope had passed away. Stockton Junior High student Jonathan Hamel had brought home the gold in the Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump and 400 Dash at every track meet he had participated in, bringing home a total of 16 medals, with Kaelyn Means undefeated in Discus. Celebrating their 88th and 90th birthdays, were Alice Lurane (Pratt) Paulson and John Paulson, respectively.
(Continued Next Week)
