It comes as no surprise that the biggest increase in the County’s tax revenue for the 2022 year is again in Oil with an increase of $1,054,439.78 for a total of $2,907,562.33. The 2021 total was $1,853,122.55.

The PRIDE committee has announced the winners of the Christmas Light Contest. They are: first place, Victoria Hrabe ($75.00 Chamber Check); second place, Cory Jones and Melissa Hemphill ($50.00 Chamber Check); and third place, Wade and Jacque Inglsbee ($25.00 Chamber Check).

As adults, we can all probably reflect on a time when we can point to one person who made a huge difference in our lives. For Cameron Lindsey, that just might be a guy in a lime green shirt who seemed to appear out of nowhere at a most difficult time in a road race.

With the arrival of 2023, the Stockton Sentinel would like to present its readers with the year in review for 2022, from local happenings, events and tragedies written within its pages over the past twelve months.

The gracious Stockton merchants and sponsors that make the 2023 Stockton Sentinel’s First Baby of 2023 Contest possible are: J-Mart, RGN Co., Inc. Oilfield Services, The Daily Grind, Farmers Union Coop, Solutions North Bank, Kester Auto Parts LLC, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Don Moffett, agent, Farmers National Bank, Stockton Recreation Commission and Fitness Center, Stockton Housing Authority, Stockton Pharmacy, 183 Lanes, Nova Theatre, Stockton Dental Center and the Stockton Sentinel.

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 6th. The program schedule has fun themes lined up almost every Friday from January through the end of April.

The Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas Passport winners were Lavinia Haines, Julie Kriley and Chelsey Peterson, who each won $100.00 in Chamber Checks. Winning the grand prize of $250.00 in Chamber Checks was Virginia Laska.

At the Rooks County Commission meeting held on Tuesday, December 20th, commissioners John Ruder and Tim Berland were informed by clerk Laura Montgomery that the County had a cash flow shortfall of approximately $150,000.00 to $200,000.00, which is needed to cover payroll and other bills for the month of December. Some expected reimbursements were not going to be deposited until next year. After a discussion with the department heads, it was decided by the commissioners to transfer $150,000.00 from the ARPA fund and $20,000.00 from the Ambulance Equipment fund to cover the deficit for the remainder of the year.

The Rooks County Commissioners met in a special session on Wednesday, December 14th for the purpose of transferring funds from ARPA to County General, then to Redbud Village. Those present were chairman John Ruder and commissioners Greg Balthazor (facetime) and Tim Berland.

With no Old Business for the Stockton City Commission to discuss at their weekly meeting on Tuesday, December 20th, they turned their attention to the items listed under New Business. They first met with Rooks County Economic Development Director Roger Hrabe to discuss Industrial Revenue Bonds and other options dealing with Wilkens Manufacturing, Inc.