The Sentinel will require early copy for not the next issue dated Thursday, May 27th, but rather for the one dated Thursday, June 3rd because of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 31st. The Sentinel office will be closed but we will print as usual on Wednesday morning so there will NOT be an early issue for next week.

The Smoky Hill Education Service Center held a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, May 11th recognizing the State School of Character for the 2020-2021 year as well as other awards. Stockton was selected as this year’s recipient. Criteria for the selection was based on Character.org’s 11 Principals of Character, which included providing students with opportunities for moral action, fostering shared leadership and engaging families and communities as partners in that character-building effort.

May is National Nurses Month, and Rooks County Health Center (RCH) is proud to honor the nurses of Rooks County who have shown so much compassion, commitment and courage over the past year. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Rooks County nurses have confronted the challenge with strength and sacrifice.

After several executive sessions were held towards the end of the meeting held on Monday, May 3rd to discuss non-elected personnel relating to supplemental and certified staff, the USD No. 271 Board of Education voted to accept the resignation of grade school counselor Kaci Nichols at the end of the 2020-2021 school year, and to hire Kari Becker and Angel Rhodes as grade school teachers for the 2021-2022 school year. They also voted to accept the supplemental contracts as presented.

Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is proud to announce a grant award of $119,935 from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation for vehicles and HVAC units.

At the May 4th regular meeting of the Rooks County Commission, the commissioners voted to go back to a 40-hour workweek for the road and bridge, landfill and weed departments starting with the May 25th pay period.

The 126th Stockton High School Commencement was held on Saturday, May 8th, in the gymnasium at 3:00 p.m. with family, friends and the community on hand for the special occasion.

Now is the time to mark your calendar for a BIG event which will take place later this summer, bringing many people together to celebrate a special annual event. Nicodemus, KS 143rd Emancipation Celebration announces plans for return of outdoor events in 2021.The celebration will take place July 29th, 30th, 31st, and August 1st.

At the April 26th meeting of the Stockton City Commission, Deb Schlesinger and Deb Niermeier with the VFW Auxiliary were present to show the commissioners the proposed vision of the signage for the Veterans Cemetery. The signage will include two flagpoles with metal cutouts of military emblems as well as a kneeling soldier. They asked if the City could pour the cement for the fixtures when they are completed. The commissioners approved the veterans design as presented as well as committing to pouring the concrete. The timeline is to have the signage installed at the Stockton City Cemetery by this fall and before Veterans Day.

Susan D. McFarland Rooks County Museum Coordinator Patrick O’Brien Co.