If you are a motorist wanting to pass a KDOT truck plowing snow or putting down salt or brine to fight ice, you might not realize why it is moving so slowly. It comes down to physics and performance.

The Kansas Highway Patrol released its Christmas Weekend Holiday Activity Report Tuesday, December 29th. The reporting period for the holiday ran from 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24 through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27.

With the arrival of 2021, the Stockton Sentinel would like to present its readers with the year in review for 2020, from local happenings, events and tragedies written within its pages over the past twelve months.

While there may have been a huge increase in many COVIDrelated statistics, it would appear that the court system saw a decrease in nearly every kind of filing. Not only was the court system basically shut down for an extended period of time, but the number of cases filed diminished, at least in Rooks County. Also, marriage licenses could not be issued in Rooks County during the COVID shutdown, with a decrease of 26 as shown below.

The Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce weekly winners during December are as follows: Bodye Stithem, Harry Purdum, Liz Busonic, Jennifer Hrabe, Hayden Hilbrink, Beth Hazen, Will Gibbs and Pierce Gray won $10.00 gift certificates from 183 Lanes; Brandi Edwards, Jon Brand and Anna Galligher won gifts from Alta Convenience; Courtney Flower and Alexandria Eck won Stockton-Opoly games, Stephanie Fitts, Aislynn Ray, Michelle Smith, Kelsey St. Clair, Jaxon Dunlap, Clara Strutt won gift bags, all from the City of Stockton; August Ochoa, Alyssa Jones, Karin Alsheimer and Darlene Walker won $25.00 gift cards to Web- market from Farmers National Bank; Crystal Dunlap, Reese Taylor, Ruth Ann Bigge, Jase Brin, Abigal Champagne, Lisa Moyer, Shelia McPeak and Lucy Strutt won $25.00 gift cards from J-Mart; Mia Odle won a slime and putty lab kit from Muir Law Office; Sue McFarland and Melissa Adams won large combos from the Nova Theatre; Jean Lindsey, Naomi Earl and Diane Strutt won a medium three topping pizza, and Jade Jackson, Paisley Shamberg and Lily Yohon won a one topping medium pizza from Pizza Hut; Kase Brown and Bill Dibble won $50.009 Chamber checks from Solutions North Bank; Lisa Gilmore, Corbyn Glendening, Lora Belle Sander, Sam Ramirez, Sharon Pettijohn, Shoni Jones and Rekker States won gift bags from the Stockton Public Library; Bev Carpenter, Kim Terrell, Betty Stamper and Janie Lowry won $10.00 gift certificates from Stitch & Chatter; Sharon Pettijohn, Deb Carsten, Piper Creighton, Tammy Zamboni, Jaxson Dunlap, Gina Deutscher, Kit Snyder and Lucas Earl won gift bags from the Stockton Pharmacy; Debbie Williams, Sadie Look and Lavinia Haines won online subscriptions from the Stockton Sentinel; Ernestine Kee, Royce Williams, Brenda Brady and Jolee Sterling won floral arrangements from Twig & Vine; Tanner Post, Jaxson Dunlap, Angie Lowe and Betty Bedore won Stockton–Opoly games, Deb Inglsee, Marilyn Dryden and Susan Gartrell won $20.00 Chamber Checks, and Brenna Odle, Saj Snyder and Rekker States won $10.00 Chamber Checks from the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce.

Louis Moses Thyfault was born in Canada February 16, 1843. He immigrated to this country in 1857 and settled in Kankakee, Illinois. When the Civil War broke out in 1861, he enlisted in Co. A, 26th Illinois Infantry Volunteers. A physical description is part of the official record: 5’10” tall, black hair, black eyes, dark complexion, and his marital status is given as “single.” His service occupation is listed as “Teamster”—or the driver of the muledrawn supply wagons so necessary for an army on the march. He was 18 years old at the time.

The 2020 Parade of Christmas Trees winners have been announced and are as follows (ADULT): Ladies Auxiliary to VFW Post 8873 placed first; Stockton Recreation Commission and Fitness Center placed second; and The Sunflower Shed—Jayne Prockish placed third; (YOUTH) Mrs. Dunlap’s mentor group placed first; Stockton Grade School Kindergarten class placed second; and Stockton Grade School Preschool classes placed third. The winners will receive Chamber Checks in the amount of $25.00, $15.00 and $10.00 respectively. Congratulations to all of the winners!

The Kansas Department of Transportation started a series of field surveys to gather information for proposed bridge replacement projects in Rooks County. Survey crews are working near the South Fork Solomon River drainage bridge on U.S.

Applying for a marriage license in Kansas is now easier and more convenient, thanks to a grantfunded project to move most of the process online. Couples applying for a marriage license in Kansas are now able to complete the application online at www.kscourts.org/marriage.

The Rooks County Commission started off its regular Tuesday morning session by approving the December 15th regular meeting minutes. The commissioners then gave their weekly reports.