Earlier this summer, the Rooks County Healthcare Foundation was awarded $25,000 implementation grant as part of the Office of Rural Prosperity's Rural Champions grant program, announced last year in collaboration with the Patterson Family Foundation. The Rooks County Rural Champion team is addressing healthcare workforce challenges in Rooks County, and this grant funding will support the implementation of the Healthcare Workforce project.

The Rooks County Board of Commissioners met with the following members present: Chairman Tim Berland, Tracy Rudman, and Jake Prockish. Laura Montgomery, County Clerk, was present to record the minutes, and Tonia Goertz with Plainville Times was present to write a report for the newspaper.

The Rooks County Board of Commissioners met with the following members present: Chairman Tim Berland, Jake Prockish, and Tracy Rudman. Laura Montgomery, County Clerk, was present to record the minutes. Berland called the meeting to order and asked all to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced Friday, September 12, the members of his 2025 Service Academy Selection Board. The Board will review applications and conduct interviews with candidates applying for admission to the U.S. Service Academies.

Traditions include Dress-Up Days, Pep Rally, Tailgate, and the Crowning of royalty Stockton High School will celebrate Homecoming this Friday, Sept. 19, capping off a week full of school spirit and community traditions.

Since receiving the Rural Champion grant award from the Kansas Department of Commerce last September, the Rooks County Healthcare Workforce (RCHW) initiative has been working towards developing a recruitment and retention plan for healthcare entities in Rooks County.

As the new school year unfolds in Stockton, students have been welcomed by a familiar face in a new role—Bobbie Phlieger, the town's newest special education teacher. With a passion for fostering connections and a dedication to nurturing young minds, Phlieger is eager to embark on her teaching journey, bringing her unique background and experiences to inspire elementary students and strengthen the community ties that make Stockton special.

In a series of recent accidents in Rooks County, two incidents resulted in injuries while three involved collisions with deer. On July 22, Ryan Lee Carstens was transported to the hospital following a DUI-related crash with his cement truck he was driving, leaving the vehicle overturned.

In the heart of Stockton, a fresh wave of enthusiasm is sweeping through the halls of the junior high, thanks to the arrival of a passionate new social studies teacher, Ken McNatt. With roots in Pennsylvania and a wealth of educational experience, McNatt is not just stepping into the classroom; he’s stepping into a mission to inspire and nurture the next generation.

A bridge in western Rooks County has been named as one of 27 local and off-system bridge projects across Kansas that will receive a combined total of $40.5 million in state and federal funding as part of two local bridge improvement programs. The announcement was made last Thursday, September 4, by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed.