The Heartland Community Foundation recently awarded $152,515.67 to local organizations in Rooks, Ellis, and Trego County during the organization’s fall grant cycle. In total, the community foundation helped fund 35 projects.

Phone: 785-994-6370 (home) or 785-476-5206 (cell) After putting up some holiday wreaths in the chilly cold, I decided that people who put up their Christmas decorations early, like before Thanksgiving, may not be so bad after all. Maybe hold off on turning on the lights until after Thanksgiving.

At the start of the December 2nd regular Rooks County Commission meeting, custodian Derry Dibble presented the safety inspection results from the Labor Department for the courthouse and other County buildings. Six minor items will be addressed, including breaker box labels and changing the height of the wall-mounted fire extinguishers in the courthouse.

The Stockton City Commission held its regular meeting on Tuesday, December 2nd, and began by approving the Consent Agenda. Included in the Agenda were the Solomon Valley Manor gross payroll for $68,165.32, the Solomon Valley Manor warrants for $83,846.60, the City of Stockton gross payroll for $110,611.03, the City of Stockton warrants for $108,745.27, and the November 18th regular meeting minutes.

The Rooks County Board of Commissioners met with the following present: chairman Tim Berland and members Tracy Rudman and Jake Prockish. Laura Montgomery, county clerk, was present to record the minutes.

STOCKTON EIGHTH GRADE FFA MEMBER HADLEE STERLING.

Present for the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce Zoom meeting at noon on Wednesday, December 3rd, were board members Anna Biggs, Taigen Kerr, and Colton Williams, and executive director Payton Keller. Others were Jana Slansky, April Chesney, and Adam Bryant.

As the sun sets on another harvest season, the fields surrounding Stockton and Woodston have witnessed a truly extraordinary achievement. With just a little milo left to be gathered, this year’s fall harvest has already shattered previous records, promising a total that will be remembered for years to come.

In a thrilling showcase of talent and determination, 13 young competitors from Rooks County's vibrant 4-H Clubs took the spotlight at the prestigious 4-H & FFA Grand Drive, the ultimate livestock show for aspiring agriculturists aged 9 to 18 in Hutchinson during the first weekend of the Kansas State Fair, September 5-7. Among the sea of hopefuls, two stars shone particularly bright—Coy Beesley, a spirited 15-year-old from Plainville, and Eli Atkisson, a driven 13-year-old from Stockton.

The Rooks County Commission Public Hearing on the Proposed Amendment to the 2025 Budget will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 23rd, in the Commissioners' Room at the Rooks County Courthouse. The proposed 2025 amendments apply to the General, Sanitation, Golf Course, and County-Wide Economic Development budgets.