The first order of business for the Rooks County Commission on Tuesday, February 4th, was a meeting with economic development director Roger Hrabe. Hrabe notified the commissioners that the State dispersed funds to 40 counties for the Rural Opportunity Program for student tuition reimbursement for this year. Rooks County has received this program for the past several years. Since the funds need to be used by June 30th, Hrabe asked to use digital marketing to the universities, tech schools, etc. to get the information out to the public. The commissioners approved the use of Alpha Media for this purpose so the information can be marketed throughout the state.

During the Stockton City Commission meeting on Tuesday, February 4th, water and wastewater superintendent Ian Snyder informed the commissioners that the bearing for the water plant had finally arrived and was installed at the end of January. The system is now working well, and the City did all the prep work before the installation.

If you're interested in variety, you're in the right place! Over the past three weeks, from January 9 to February 1, Rooks County has witnessed a busy stretch of vehicle accidents. One incident was caused by wintry weather, two were due to deer crossing the road, one was the result of speeding and losing control, and another involved a driver choking on a banana.

Did you wonder why your local pharmacy was closed last Wednesday, February 5th? Over 450 independent pharmacists and businesses across the state shut their doors that day and traveled to Topeka to ask lawmakers to protect their livelihoods and safeguard their services.

.

Twenty-five students from Rooks County are among the 1,884 students named to the Deans’ Honor Roll for the fall 2024 semester. The Deans’ Honor Roll includes undergraduate students only.

The Tuesday, January 28th regular meeting of the Rooks County Commission started off with two executive sessions to discuss attorney/client privileges with commissioners Jake Prockish, Tim Berland, Tracy Rudman, and county attorney Danielle Muir in attendance. There was no further discussion after they returned to the open meeting.

Rooks County Health Center in Plainville is thrilled to welcome Dr. Matthew Comeau back to the community as he begins his medical practice at Rooks County Health Center Clinics in Plainville and Stockton. While Dr. Comeau is a native of Plainville, this marks his first opportunity to provide care in the town where he grew up.

The Rooks County Conservation District had 156 students participate in the 2025 Rooks County Conservation District Poster Contest. It was down from the 233 in 2024. This year’s theme was “Home Is Where The Habitat Is.” The first-place winners in their division will be submitted and judged by the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts Education and Youth Committee to compete at the State level in the fall at the KACD Convention in Wichita.

Adam D. Toll, 40, Stockton, was charged Tuesday, January 14, in Rooks County District Court with two counts, one of which related to the seizure of drug paraphernalia from his home in Stockton on December 25, 2024.