Looking Back
What Was Going On 14 Years Ago
The 127th version of the Rooks County Free Fair was underway with over 1,000 people served at the free hamburger/hot dog event to kick-start the fair, plus Roger Cooper in concert on Sunday evening. There was still plenty of excitement and entertainment to come throughout the coming week.
Sawyer Brown was the headliner concert slated for Wednesday night at the Rooks County Free Fair. On Saturday afternoon of the Fair, a Radio-Controlled Plane Fly-In was scheduled, featuring pilots from Hays, Kensington, Phillipsburg, Smith Center and Stockton, bringing in 25-30 planes.
During the Celebration of 100 Years of Motorcycle Racing at the Rooks County Fair, several racers told of their experiences. All who spoke said they always looked forward to racing here and enjoyed the good racing conditions. Pictured on the front page of the Sentinel, under a caption of “A Century of Racing,” were Stan Engaul, who first raced in 1957; Lee Parker, 1964, later a referee; Steve Serefko, 1961-62; Larry Dickey, 1982, who was also a sponsor to riders Gary and Hank Scott; Mike Bibbe, 1967-72; Bill Dusenburg and Scott Adams, 1982- 1990; with mention made of Doug and Ryan Stewart, who were not pictured.
The Bond Election for the Rural Hospital District No. 1 (RCHC) was to be conducted August 22nd. A “Yes” vote on the ballot would allow the hospital district to issue revenue bonds in an amount not to exceed $19,000,000, to pay the costs of a new hospital.
Over 70 people attended a Public Forum at Stockton City Hall on Aug. 10 for the Rooks County Health Center Board to answer questions the public had concerning the financing proposal for a new hospital.
A preliminary hearing was set in the state’s case against Cliff Ehrlich, 37, of Stockton, who was charged with Involuntary Manslaughter While Under the Influence, DUI, Transporting an Open Container, and Driving On the Left Side of the Roadway. The charges stemmed from a car accident on June 11, 2006, south of Stockton on Highway 183, which caused the death of Jessica Y. Jones, 28, of Phillipsburg.
Classes for the 2006- 2007 school year at USD 271 were scheduled to begin on Thursday, Aug. 24.
Don Kiehl, Goodland, the District Lions Club Governor for Northwest Kansas District 17K4, visited Stockton on July 26 and attended the local club meeting at Home Cookin’.
Construction was underway on the new tennis courts located to the east of the football practice field at the City’s Lower Park, with construction to be completed sometime in the fall.
And So They Say — Mary Fix: “I did something for the first time the other day—I spent the night in an RV!”
Laurence and Marvel Hull celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on August 22, 2006. The celebration included a weeklong campout at Webster State Lake, with their entire immediate family in attendance.
Looking Back 14 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1992 — A school bond issue was put on the November ballot, which would provide $800,000 to remodel/add on to the middle school building. Thirty-six jurors were to be called for a grand jury trial, brought about by a petition signed by 190 people, which alleged violations of law, including theft and criminal deprivation of property against the City of Woodston.
56 Years Ago, Spotlighting the Year... 1950 — Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bellerive had recently returned from a trip which took them back to Canada to visit relatives and friends after an absence of 36 years. Grover Wilkins was slated as a “one man show” which included tap-dancing, singing, playinf the ukelele, ventriloquism, and bits of comedy magic. Wilkins was scheduled to perform at the Rooks County Fair.
What Stocktonites Were Doing 98 Years Ago — Spotlighting the Year... 1908 — Stockton was entirely out of gasoline on Tuesday and Wednesday, and men were frantically running around with cans vainly trying to borrow the precious liquid. The automobilists were the hardest hit, and offers of 50 cents a gallon were made. If John D. Rockefeller and Uncle Sam Oil Co. can’t keep Stockton supplied we will have to go back to corn cobs and cow chips.
