The Kansas Department of Transportation began a resurfacing project on a portion of U.S. 24 in Graham and Rooks counties this Monday.

(The following article is taken from the unapproved minutes of the July 24th special school board meeting.) The Stockton Unified School District No. 271 Board of Education held a special meeting on Friday, July 24th in the District Conference Room.

All Rooks County registered voters are urged to exercise your right to vote on Tuesday, August 4 in the primary election. Please remember you must bring with you to the polls a photo ID, such as a driver’s license.

FUSION recently received a $2,500.00 grant from the Heartland Community Foundation to purchase an outdoor movie-grade screen, popcorn machine and Christian film license. The organization now has the equipment and will be hosting pop-up movies throughout the rest of the summer.

The Stockton Satellite Facility of the Norton Correctional Facility has its first case of coronavirus. Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) Secretary Jeff Zmuda announced Thurday that one resident at the Norton Correctional Facility’s (NCF) Stockton Satellite Facility tested positive for COVID-19.

The Heartland Community Foundation has awarded Smoky Hills PBS with a grant for $1,500 to support their literacy leadership initiative. The literacy leadership initiative is an effort from Smoky Hills PBS to engage and inspire children to be ready and eager to learn.

Rooks County’s Webster Reservoir remains one of several lakes in Kansas in a blue-green algae watch. On Thursday, July 23, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), released its list of public health advisories for the algae in the state’s lakes.

Stockholders of High Plains Farm Credit, ACA, have re-elected Tim Benoit of Damar, Howard Boese of Brownell, Keith Kennedy of Hoxie and Monte Thom of Medicine Lodge to the board of directors at the conclusion of mail balloting on July 2. All will serve three-year terms.

The Kansas DOT began resurfacing work on 6 miles of U.S. 283 in Norton County July 27.

The State of Kansas saw a better-than-predicted close to Fiscal Year 2020. In June, the state’s total tax collections were up by $135.6 million or 22.3% more than estimated with $744.4 million collected. Compared to the same month last fiscal year, June tax collections were down by 4.8%. For FY 2020, total tax collections were up by $163.7 million or 2.4% more than estimated with collections of $7.0 billion; a 5.7% decrease from last year.