Headlines

It's that delightful time of year again in Stockton! Lower City Park will transform into a Pumpkin Patch for the annual Pumpkin Patch Festival! Join us this weekend for some great family fun!

Before we know it, the fall harvest will be underway and Kansas farmers will be busy taking fall crops to the elevator. The Kansas Highway Patrol reminds motorists to use extra caution when traveling around farm trucks, tractors, combines, and other implements.

According to the Rooks County Clerk's Office, Rooks County valuations dropped by $4,909,088 in 2026, bringing the total from $92,578,140 in 2025 down to $87,669,052 in 2026.

Heartland Community Foundation is gearing up for another Give Fest, bringing communities across Ellis, Rooks, and Trego counties together for a day of giving, connection, and Oktoberfest-inspired fun on Wednesday, October 7.

The Rooks County Commission met on Tuesday, September 22nd, and began the morning session with an executive session attended by commissioners Jake Prockish and Tracy Rudman, along with clerk Laura Montgomery.

In addition to what was reported in last week’s Sentinel-Times, Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced on September 14 the recipients of $16 million in Emerging Technology Grants at an event hosted by Prairie View, Inc., in Newton.

Before the regular meeting of the Stockton USD 271 Board of Education on Monday, September 14th, the Board held a special Local Option Budget (LOB) meeting and adopted the 2026-2027 budget.

The Rooks County Commission's first order of business on Tuesday, September 15th, was a meeting with emergen-cy management director Adam Bryant. Bryant noted he has money in his budget to purchase two new weather stations for the Plainville Police Department and one for his office.

The Plainville USD 270 School Board met on Monday, September 14th. After approving the August 10th meeting minutes and bills, they moved to Reports.

The Plainville City Council met on Tuesday, September 15th, and first approved the Consent Agenda. Members approved the September 1st regular meeting minutes and bills totaling $42,617.40.