The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the 2025 enrollment periods for key safety-net programs – Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) as well as Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC). Agricultural producers can submit applications to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) for ARC and PLC for the 2025 crop year from Jan. 21 to April 15 and for DMC for the 2025 coverage year from Jan. 29 to March 31.

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Since starting in her new position on November 8th, Clare Ballard has been on the go with her duties as site manager at Stockton’s Walker Senior Center. Clare’s duties include running the meal site for the Homestead Nutrition Program, booking the building for rentals and events, and keeping the building clean and inviting.

The November 18th, 2024 Crossroads Quilt Guild meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments brought by Jennifer Guffey, Jackie Wright, and Terrii Collins. Roll Call was taken, and minutes from the October meeting were approved as read. The Treasurer’s Report was given with a motion to approve by Kenda Ross and seconded by Terry Wies, and the motion was carried. Linda Gardner motioned to pay VFW #8871 for the use of the building for the last five months of $175.00. The motion was seconded by Janie Lowry and carried. The count for Sew Days was 12 for Plainville and five for Stockton. The next Sew Days are December 11th for Plainville and December 14th for Stockton. January’s Sew Days will be January 8th for Plain-ville and January 11th for Stockton. There was no Old Business. During New Business, it was announced that Idona Fry will be opening her new shop in Benkelman, Nebraska, and Nicole Ganoung will be opening her shop in Plainville sometime after the first of the year. The Challenge for next year is to get a few programs to be presented, maybe a couple of times a year. Diane Maddy made a motion to pay the Stockton Church $50.00 for the use of their building for Sew Day. Janie Lowry seconded the motion, and the motion carried. The next meeting will be on January 20th, 2025, with hostesses Toni Anderson, Betty Bedore, Diane Maddy, and Terrii Collins. Membership dues are $15.00 and will be collected at the January meeting. A motion was made to adjourn by Terrii Collins and seconded by Kenda Ross. The motion carried.—Sent In by secretary Terri Collins.

On Monday, December 30th, the Stockton Fire Department was called out to a grass fire on U. S. Highway 183 south of Wilkens Manufacturing plant at 2:00 p.m. High winds had reignited a control burn area from a few days prior. The fire crew worked the site for over four hours with additional help from the Plainville Fire Department, keeping the fire away from the Clayton Taylor residence. Approximately 40 acres were burned.

1 - 16 oz. bottle Italian dressing 1 - 16 oz. box of tri-colored pasta noodles, cooked and drained 1 small package of cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cucumber, diced 1 red onion, chopped 1 small can of sliced black olives, drained Combine pasta with vegetables in a large container.

A Zoom meeting was held on Monday, January 6th, for the Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce. Taigen Kerr gave the Treasurer’s Report, which included the 2025 budget before Old Business was discussed.

OUR COMPASS. Life often feels like a labyrinth— a confusing maze of twists and turns, dead ends, and unexpected detours. We yearn for a clear path, a guiding light to illuminate the darkness and lead us to our destination. In the midst of this uncertainty, the timeless wisdom of the Bible offers a beacon of hope and a compass to navigate life's complexities. The book of Proverbs, a collection of Solomon's wise sayings and practical advice, reminds us of the profound truth that God is on the side of His own. Proverbs 3:6 says, 'In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.' We first must acknowledge that God is who He is—the eternal, infinite, all-knowing, loving Creator. The word 'acknowledge' is a command. Therefore, those who refuse to obey the command to acknowledge who God truly is, have no claim to the promises He makes concerning our lives. The command here encompasses 'all of our ways'—everything in our lives. The word 'Trust' in verse 5 is also a command: 'Trust in the LORD with all your heart.' God wants our full heart-trust. He wants ALL of us, not just part of us. He desires and deserves to have whole-hearted obedience. For those of us who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we have learned that we can fully, unreservedly trust Him to direct our paths daily. And that's His exact promise. The idea of the verse is, 'He will continually, ongoingly direct your paths.' While we may not always understand the 'why' behind our circumstances, we can trust that God is guiding our journey. This doesn't mean life will be without challenges. It means that even in the midst of storms, a divine purpose and a greater plan are unfolding. Just as a compass points north, our faith can provide a consistent direction. Life's journey may be unpredictable, but with God guiding our lives day by day, we can navigate its complexities with confidence, peace, and rejoicing for His glory.

In our continued study of the Book of Acts, Pastor Matt had us examine the minutes after Peter and John preached Jesus' words to the Jewish leaders weeks after the crucifixion and resurrection. The rulers questioned Peter and John's authority. Even though the leaders were amazed at what they said, they didn't want their words to spread. They responded, 'What are we to do with these men?'

GRACE TOWNE was among the many Mini Striders who danced at halftime of the Stockton vs. Natoma basketball game last Friday.