This week marks six months of publishing the Sentinel-Times since the merger of the Stockton Sentinel and Plainville Times became official at the end of December 2025.

Here is what we have learned: 

1. Community support is everything. The encouragement, feedback, and kindness from readers have been the foundation that has kept us moving forward.

2. Merging two papers is more than just combining names or pages—it’s about building new relationships, honoring traditions, and creating something greater together.

3. The workload is immense, often feeling like we’re putting out two newspapers every week. Long hours and late nights are the norm, but the stories and connections make it worthwhile.

4. We can’t do this alone. The help of contributors, photographers, coaches, and volunteers has been essential— your involvement truly shapes the Sentinel-Times.

5. Financial realities are challenging. Rising costs for postage and printing, driven by higher page volume and limited advertising, have made it clear how much we rely on community partnerships for sustainability.

6. Flexibility and persistence matter. Sometimes plans don’t work out as expected, but our resolve to bring comprehensive coverage to every part of the county has only grown.

Thank You!

First, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to everyone who has reached out since the merger. Your calls, emails, handwritten notes, and words of encouragement on the street have truly sustained us throughout these past six months.

The support and compliments from both longtime and new readers continue to inspire us. It is no exaggeration to say that this has been a monumental undertaking.

So we thank you, our readers, advertisers, coaches, school secretaries, administration, teachers, city officials, local boards, and everyone else, too numerous to mention, for your cooperation. With just two full-time and one part-time employee (the same staff as with the Sentinel), cooperation is key.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Carol VanDyke of Plainville, former owner of the Plainville Times. As soon as Carol learned that we had purchased the Plainville Times, she immediately came to Stockton and offered her assistance in any way she could. She recognized the magnitude of the challenge before us and wasted no time in getting involved. Carol energetically took charge of advertising for the Valentine and Easter promotions, Graduations, and the special RCH issue. Notably, Carol was also there for us in February 1989 when we launched the Stockton Sentinel, helping us publish our very first issue. Carol has been a steadfast friend over the years, and we are deeply thankful for her support when we needed it most.

We would also like to extend a special thank you to Travis Dixon, the yearbook advisor at Plainville High School. From the very beginning, Travis has generously offered his help whenever needed— even anticipating our needs before we ask. His photographs, detailed identification, and deep knowledge of the students have been invaluable in ensuring that Plainville’s youth receive the newspaper coverage they deserve.

Thank you also to former Times employee Candace Rachel, who so graciously provides photos to the Sentinel-Times when we are unable to attend events for whatever reason. Candace loves taking pictures, and that's good, not only for the subjects she captures but also for the Sentinel-Times when we can’t be in two places at once.

Meeting You!

Immediately following the merger, Susan and Bart met with the Plainville City Council and introduced themselves. Thanks to the council for live-streaming the meetings, Sentinel-Times reporter Virgi Laska can report on them at a time that works best for her schedule. They also attended a Plainville School Board Meeting and met the administration and board. Again, because they livestream the meetings, Virgi can report on them as if she were in attendance.

In addition, they traveled to Palco to meet and introduce themselves to the Palco School Board. Although we have not yet obtained the minutes from their meetings, our commitment remains unwavering. We understand how essential it is to build strong working relationships and trust—a process that takes time. The Sentinel-Times has been receiving the minutes from Palco City, and we are grateful.

Bart met with Troy Rudman, the Plainville Police Chief. The Sentinel-Times is now receiving traffic citations and accident reports when they involve his department. Virgi has connected with Plainville Fire Chief Craig Wise, who graciously answers her questions when a fire call is made in and around Plainville.

It will take some time, but the staff intends to get out and meet as many of you as we can to introduce ourselves and put those names to faces.

Covering The County 

It’s important that we provide as much coverage as possible across the entire county. With our limited staff and resources, cooperation is key.

Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you. The communities and the unique experiences of their residents are the heart of our newspaper.

If anyone in the Plainville, Palco, Zurich, Codell, or Damar areas would like to gather and contribute local news to the Sentinel- Times, please reach out to us at 785-425-6354, and we can discuss it. We want all areas of the county covered.

Important To Know!

The Sentinel-Times recently heard that the Plainville Swimming Pool was having difficulty finding lifeguards. Last year, the city had roughly 24 lifeguards; only 10 signed up this year. The representative from the Sentinel-Times asked the individual why he thought there were so few this year. His response was that Plainville no longer has the Plainville Times and that fewer Plainville residents read the Sentinel-Times.

To set the record straight, many people in Plainville received the Stockton Sentinel prior to the merger. In fact, the Stockton Sentinel, even though Stockton has a population nearly 300 fewer people than Plainville, had a circulation nearly three times that of the Times and 10 times as many digital subscribers. In essence, many more people were seeing the Sentinel vs. the Times. Since the merger, the Sentinel-Times has had numerous people who had stopped taking the Plainville Times and, after seeing the Sentinel-Times, chose to subscribe again.

Every week, we continue to get new subscriptions from Plainville and the surrounding area, so please know that we are being read and that we appreciate your support.

Advertising

Advertising is more than the heartbeat of our newspaper—it is the lifeline that allows the Sentinel- Times to serve as the guardian of our community’s collective memory. Every advertisement placed in our pages is an investment not just in your business, but in the stories, milestones, and connections that define who we are as a community.

When local businesses shift their advertising from the newspaper to fleeting posts on social media, something truly irreplaceable is lost. Social feeds are temporary, but the newspaper endures— serving as the living archive of our community’s achievements, milestones, and shared history. Time and again, we are asked to retrieve memories from our bound volumes, preserving moments that would otherwise disappear. Without the steadfast support of local advertisers, the stories that connect us—the ones that define and unite our community—risk fading into obscurity.

If you have ever turned to the Sentinel-Times to learn of a neighbor’s accomplishment, to celebrate our youth, or to seek comfort in times of hardship, you know the value of a trusted source that puts our community first. But that trust and this tradition only survive with your support. Imagine a future where the next generation has no written record of its triumphs, no champion for its causes, and no place to look back and see how we grew together.

Supporting the Sentinel- Times is not just a business decision—it is an act of stewardship for the community you call home. Your investment ensures that our shared story is preserved, that our voices remain strong, and that no one is left unheard. The true value of a newspaper is not measured in pages, but in the legacy it leaves behind. Please help us continue to be that legacy.

To the businesses and individuals who choose to advertise with us, we want you to know how much we appreciate your trust in allowing us to help you “get the word out.” Your support truly makes a difference. For those who have not yet partnered with us, we encourage you to consider the impact of thinking “local” and putting “community first” when promoting your business or event. Studies consistently show that when a community loses its newspaper, the town's vitality often follows. Your support helps ensure our local story continues.

Signature Pages

Our signature pages celebrate the achievements and milestones that define our community—honoring holidays, EMS workers, sporting events, academic accomplishments, the Rooks County Free Fair, FFA, 4-H, and more. We are grateful to the 25 Stockton businesses and the five Plainville businesses— Iron Insurance Partners, Mr. K’s Foodtown, Polymer Technologies LLC, Stahl Products LLC, and The First State Bank—who currently sponsor these pages. Across the rest of the county, however, participation is still at zero. For just $20 a month, sponsoring these pages helps shine a spotlight on our youth and their accomplishments, reinforcing the values of involvement and community pride. Our young people are the future, and your support helps teach them the importance of giving back and staying connected. To get your name or business added to these pages, contact the Sentinel-Times at 785425-6354.

Looking Ahead

As we look ahead, we remain committed to our mission: to be a true county-wide newspaper, to report with integrity, and to reflect the lives and concerns of all our readers. The merger was a beginning, not an end. We thank you for your support, your patience, and your faith in us as we continue this journey together. The Sentinel-Times exists because of you.