Looking Back
What Was Going On 14 Years Ago
This was Fair Week, 2008!
The 129th Rooks County Free Fair got off to a fantastic start with the Free Hamburger Feed held on Sunday, Aug. 10th. Approximately 790 people enjoyed hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixin’s before taking in the musical entertainment of The Blackbury Band. A Salute To Our Veterans was also included in the evening’s program.
The Hometown Cafe had opened for business on Tuesday, Aug. 5th at 425 Main Street (formerly Gambino’s Pizza). Owner Frank Brown opened the cafe because he always wanted to have a restaurant where everything on the menu was “homecooked” and made from scratch.
At the regular meeting of the Stockton Unified School District No. 271 Board of Education held on August 4, 2008, board member Patrick Lingg handed out information dealing with the Bond Election Resolution which was to be put on the Nov. 4 ballot. After reviewing the cost of the new heating and cooling system for the school and the replacement of energy efficient windows as outlined, the Board voted to approve the $1.8 million bond issue.
Stockton Lions Club member Roque Garcia was selected to serve as Lions Zone Chairman for 2008-2009 with District Governor John Lee of Kismet. Lion Garcia would attend the first District Cabinet meeting of the year at Rush Center on Aug. 16, 2008.
Grand Champions at the 4-H Style Revue posed with their ribbons following their modeling on July 24. Featured in a photo were: Miranda Wildeman, Cecelia Beck, Nolan Lowry, Alexander Towns, Erin Shaw, Tierney Kester, Becca Jackson, Chance Miller, Amy Keas, Alexandra Tuttle and Amanda Diaz. Announcers were Billie Chesney and Calvin Dix.
Obituaries were published for Clarence Ora Spencer, Jr. (1923); Joan M. Owens (1930); and Dale A. Walraven (1929).
Looking Back 14 Years Ago (1994) — The City was proposing a 1/2-cent sales tax increase to help support the Manor. School was set to start a week later, on August 29, due to construction delays in the new middle school. (ASTS) Maxine Blecha: “This town really livens up when the Fair comes to town.” Richard and Annette Paulson of Woodston had a new baby girl. Linda Yohon received her credentials as an Economic Development Financial Professional. David Reed was newly affiliated with Don Hamit Land & Auction Co.
56 Years Ago (1952) — An unusually large attendance at the regular Chamber of Commerce meeting was the result of an anticipated report from the recently appointed Health Center Committee by Chamber president Howard Webster. In order to meet the problems that were found to exist in the community, the committee felt that the community should sponsor the construction of a Health Center. The Chamber unanimously approved the report of the committee and authorized it to continue its investigation concerning location, cost and plans for a new Health Center.
What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago (1910) — The foundation of the new Carnegie Library building was under construction. Forrest Van Horn’s burro threw him off and shook him up pretty bad one day last week. Charlie Sanders and George Reeder are the next to purchase fine new buggies. Two farmers were killed in a freight wreck on the U.P. 25 miles west of Kansas City on Wednesday morning. One of them was E. T. Handy of Palco. The men were in the caboose of a cattle train when a Rock Island freight crashed into it.
