What a difference a day makes when it comes to our crazy Kansas weather! Tast Tuesday, March 18 th, had abundant sunshine and near-record-high temperatures for this time of year before it all changed overnight. The more than 35-mph winds blew in a wet snowstorm, turning the area and a good portion of Kansas into a blizzard with whiteout conditions.

Samuel Riley of Butler County is the 2025 Sunflower State Spelling Bee Champion sponsored by the Kansas Press Association. His winning word was 'columbarium,” which means a structure of vaults lined with recesses for cinerary urns. The competition involving 91 spellers from all over Kansas lasted ten rounds.

A reception to recognize the FHSU Department of History and Philosophy’s first named professorship will take place April 10 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Schmidt Foundation Art and Design Hall Atrium. Hollie Marquess, lecturer of history, will be named the inaugural Dr. Teo Oliva Distinguished Professor of History.

As is always the case, deer are the leading cause of accidents in Rooks County. However, this week's report resulting in accidents also includes a cow, a horse, ice, and a sharp turn. We begin this week's report from the Rooks County Sheriff's Department with a deer/ car accident on US Highway 24.

The Rooks County Commission met with noxious weed department supervisor Mike Klein at the start of their morning session on Tuesday, March 11th. Klein presented the commissioners with the annual report to be signed so he could send it to the state.

On Thursday, February 27th, Stockton fourth-grade music student Emery Peterson performed with the 2025 Kansas Music Educators Association (KMEA) All-State Elementary Choir at the Century II Convention Center Concert Hall in Wichita, Kansas.

The Stockton Fire Department was called out on Thursday, March 13th, at approximately 3:20 p.m. to a fire that started at 24 and D in northeast Rooks County.

Have you heard the news? The excitement about the Rooks County Community Farm & Flea Market is “growing” in leaps and bounds, and now is the time to get in on the action if you love to garden, bake, have a home-based business, pop-up business, make jams and jellies, have honey to sell, or do crafts, etc. The idea of having a farmers market in the area began last summer and is now blooming into a reality for the county! The mission is to value the local farmers, cottage industry businesses, and community as a whole and support everyone by buying locally.

Mr. Brayden Ray Wise was pretty excited to meet his mommy and daddy, Megan and Riley Wise, so much so that he arrived on Sunday, February 16th, at 9:35 p.m. instead of waiting until his scheduled due date of Monday, March 31st. Brayden weighed four pounds and ten ounces and was 16.25 inches long.

The Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas, has named 228 high school seniors from 43 Northwest Kansas schools as winners in its 50th annual scholarship competition. Eight of those winners are from Rooks County.