By Virgi Laska Stockton Sentinel The regular monthly meeting for the Stockton City Commission was on Tuesday, January 2nd. There were several items on the agenda for the commissioners to review to start the new year.

By Virgi Laska Stockton Sentinel At the weekly Rooks County Commission meeting on Tuesday, January 2nd, the commissioners met with Mark Schaukowitch, who talked to them about the Local Ad Valoreum Tax Reduction (LATR) program and Medicare Expansion. He explained the LATR program and asked that the commissioners get the information to the public about how it works.

After looking high and low and everywhere in between for the past few weeks, the Stockton Sentinel was not been able to find the 1926 bound issues of the Rooks County Record/Review. So we are skipping over a few years because there are also no copies to be found of the 1927, 1928, and 1929 books, not even on newspapers.com, the library, etc.

Five Rooks County businesses were recognized at a Business Appreciation event held at the Handle-Bar Tavern & Eatery in Plainville on Monday, December 18th. The local event, sponsored by Rooks County Economic Development, was held as part of the annual Kansas Business Awards given out each year by the Kansas Department of Commerce.

With the arrival of 2024, the Stockton Sentinel would like to present its readers with the Year in Review for 2023, from local happenings, events and tragedies written within its pages over the past twelve months.

The Stockton Public Library will be hosting its Storytime Program with stories, crafts and more for all ages on Friday mornings at 10:00 a.m. starting this Friday, January 5th. The program schedule has fun themes lined up almost every Friday from January through the end of April. Please note there will be no Storytime on the Fridays when school is not in session.

At the regular meeting of the Rooks County Commission on Tuesday, December 26th, a Public Hearing was held to transfer Redbud Village in Plainville to Rooks County Senior Services. In attendance were commissioners Jake Prockish, Tim Berland, John Ruder, clerk Laura Montgomery, county attorney Danielle Muir, Senior Services chairman Rusty Hrabe, and Redbud Board member Ashley Comeau (via phone).

With the New Year just around the corner, it’s time again for the Stockton Sentinel’s First Baby of 2024 Contest. And the Stockton merchants are ready to greet the little Miss or Mister with many fine gifts of cash, merchandise, and gift certificates for Mommy, Daddy, and baby! The list of the area merchants and business people who make this contest possible are 183 Lanes, Diamond K Autowash, Diamond K Designs, Farm Bureau Financial Services (Don Moffet, Agent), Farmers National Bank, Farmers Union Coop, J-Mart, Kester Auto Parts LLC, Kiser Ag Service LLC, LIB Studio, Nova Theatre, RGN Co., Inc.

Rooks County Economic Development Director Roger Hrabe was at the Stockton City Commission meeting on Tuesday, December 19th, to give them an update. A Business Appreciation Dinner had been held honoring local businesses. Hrabe asked about the best way to notify the commissioners for upcoming evenings, with sending emails suggested.

At the regular meeting of the Rooks County Commission on Tuesday, December 19th, the commissioners had a full agenda. During the meeting, commissioners Jake Prockish, Tim Berland, John Ruder, and clerk Laura Montgomery held an executive session to discuss non-elected personnel.