Linn County remembers those who served

La Cygne Library kicked off its 2026 summer reading program with its traditional Block Party on Friday, May 29. With rainy weather looming, inflables, motorized hippos, games, authors and musical entertainers were brought into the library. The biggest prize: a $19,500 check presented by First Option Bank staff for the summer reading program.

Libraries in Mound City, Pleasanton, Parker and other cities kicked off their programs in late May or early June. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

Partly sunny, warm

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. East northeast wind 6 to 11 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. East northeast wind 7 to 10 mph.

Link to the National Weather Service radar.

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Prairie View board votes to sign separation agreement with superintendent

The Prairie View school board votes to make Joseph Hornback acting superintendent until further action by the board in a special meeting on Monday night, June 1. Hornback, who was high school principal before becoming assistant superintendent, will replace Chris Johnson after the board voted to approve an agreement of separation at the meeting. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – The Prairie View USD

Roger Sims

Rural Pleasanton man receives four years for moving body

A rural Pleasanton man was sentenced to four years in prison, less time served, after pleading guilty in Bates County, Mo., circuit court for moving the body of a 13-year-old boy that his dogs killed last December. (Photo by Jason Wix / Bates County website) Journal staff report BUTLER, Mo. – Rural Pleasanton resident Damon Leonard, 47, has been sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to abandonment of a corpse, a felony. Leonard pleaded guilty to the charge o

Journal Staff Report

Skyview's new owners look to continue farm's legacy

Derrick and Jessica Crozier are the new owners of Skyview Farm, an operation started by Bill and Sheri Noffke over 25 years ago. Skyview Farm will be one of the stops on the Linn County farm tour on Saturday, May 30. (Submitted photo) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com Skyview Farm in rural southeastern Linn County has been a model of a small farming operation that focuses on quality over quantity for over a quarter of a century. Bill and Sheri Noffke t

Roger Sims, Journal Staff

Pleasanton resident proposes city apply for railroad quiet zone

A Pleasanton man is proposing that city officials step in to apply for a "quiet zone" for trains on tracks running through the town. (Photo by Jad Limcaco / Upsplash) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – With the exceptions of Mound City, Blue Mound and Linn Valley, every city in Linn County is a railroad town. Whether it’s the Union Pacific tracks running down through Parker and Centerville or the BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) tracks t

Roger Sims, Journal Staff

2024 SEPTEMBER 400 x 400 Linn County Journal.jpg

• Theodore 'Ted' Wolf

• Clara 'Butch' Heflin

• David Wayne Henderson

• Robert Louise Childers

• George W. Ernst

For recent local news, go to
page 4
by clicking here.

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Veterans and 'guardians' prepare for Honor Flight journey to Washington, D.C.

Jayhawk-Linn adds second veteran-guardian team, Prairie View to send five veterans and five guardians Veterans and student "guardians" from seven area high schools gather at Lyndon High School on Sunday, May 31, to prepare for the whirlwind two-day tour of Washington, D.C., as part of the Honor Flight program. Both Prairie View and Jayhawk-Linn high schools will be sending veteran-guardian teams on the journey. (Honor Flight 2026 Facebook) Submitted by Kathleen Hinrichs 2026

Press release

Update: County denies permit for power lines from Missouri solar project

The Linn County Commission on Tuesday, May 26, approved a resolution intended to keep power lines from a solar development project in Missouri from connecting with the La Cygne Generating Station's grid. (Journal file photo) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com Update: Linn County has rejected a building permit to install high-voltage lines from Missouri solar farms to the La Cygne Generating Station in Linn County, according to Jennifer Cummings, county zonin

Charlene Sims, Journal staff

Estimated cost to replace old military bridge $1.8 million

Linn County has received a $2 million grant to replace the old, one-lane military bridge on the north edge of Mound City. This photo is from a year ago after rains in late May deposited branches against a support column. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – Public Works Director Jesse Walton told the Linn County Commissioners on Tuesday, May 26, that he will be having one more meeting with the Kansas Dep

Charlene Sims, Journal staff

La Cygne pool opening delayed, payments for lessons, rentals being accepted

Lifeguards are hired and the La Cygne pool is set to open – as soon as repairs can be completed. City officials hope the work is complete so that the pool will open by sometime next week. (La Cygne Swimming Pool Facebook) Journal staff report LA CYGNE – Originally slated to open this Saturday, May 30, the La Cygne city swimming pool now won’t open until sometime the following week because of needed repairs that became evident as workers were preparing the pool for the summer

Journal Staff Report

City Events

La Cygne

• La Cygne Library Block Party on Broadway, begins at noon, Friday, May 29

• La Cygne swimming pool opening delayed, possibly by June 3 (see story)

Linn Valley

Mound City

• City Council meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 2

Parker

• Citywide garage sale, May 30

Pleasanton

• City Council meeting, Monday, June 1, 6 p.m.

• Fishing Derby, Saturday, June 6, Stegge Lake

Screenshot 2026-05-27 at 11.14.21 PM.png

Kids 1-18 can show up and get a box of food each Thursday. A parent or guardian needs to bring children first time and they will get a pickup card they can use to pickup after that without children with them.

Matters of Faith by Dr. Bascom Ratliff
For more Matters of Faith columns, follow this link.

Living our faith: Serving God

Photo by Elijah Pitchard / Upsplash Matters of Faith By Dr. Bascom Ratliff, pastor Beagle, Fontana, Parker United Methodist Churches Matthew 19: 16-30. Jesus answered, “if you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sad, because he had great wealth.“ This dialogue between Jesus and the young rich man can also be found in Mark, chapter 10 and Luke

Dr. Bascom Ratliff

Country Notebook by Rogene 'Jeannie' McPherson
For Country Notebook articles follow this link.

What bugs me . . . No.2

These musk thistles were growing in a field in northern Linn County. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) Country Notebook By Rogene "Jeannie" McPherson Journal columnist Today was one of those days. I had an entire agenda mapped out including an exercise class then Bible study, and home before noon. I began yardwork including mowing. At 4 p.m., I showered to wash off any chemicals that missed the lawn and landed on me. My late afternoon plan is often to take a little

Rogene "Jeannie" McPherson, Country Notebook

Opinion: Commission needs to honor the public comment time on the agenda

By Charlene Sims Journal co-publisher Am I dreaming? I watched the video of the Linn County Commission meeting of May 26. Then I watched it again. No, I wasn’t dreaming. The meeting lasted only 35 minutes with two commissioners, Jim Johnson and Jason Hightower, in attendance. Often, there are things I would like to write opinions about from the commission meetings, excessive executive sessions for questionable reasons, taking comments on their phones during the meeting, inten

Charlene Sims, Journal co-publisher

Opinion: Kansas kids are ‘sliding into silence.’ Let’s talk about why they are chatting less.

Our columnist asks you to “consider it a cultural public service that you are listening to me and my nonsense” when he tries to talk to you (Illustration by Eric Thomas for Kansas Reflector) By Eric Thomas Kansas Reflector In the flotsam of things I read each week — academic research, online news, sports stories and fiction — one tidbit can get naggily lodged in my thoughts. This week, the splinter in my mind is titled “Sliding Into Silence? We Are Speaking 300 Daily Words Fe

Max McCoy, Kansas Reflector

More Local News

Blu-Jays send seven to the Class 1A state meet in Wichita

Pleasanton Blu-Jays head out to the state track and field meet on Thursday, May 28. (Pleasanton Schools USD 344 Facebook) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com Update: Pleasanton officials have posted that the girls 4x400 team set a new school record with a time of 52.13 seconds. We will post official results when they are available. Seven Pleasanton High School athletes will be headed to the Class 1A state championship track and field meet on Friday and S

Roger Sims, Journal Staff

Eight Jayhawks head to Wichita for state track

The Jayhawk-Linn track team with coaches heads out to the state meet in Wichita. (Jayhawk USD 346 Facebook) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com Eight Jayhawk-Linn athletes will be headed to the state track and field championships at Wichita State University on Friday and Saturday following their success at the Class 3A regional at Fredonia on Friday, May 22. The girls will be sending a larger contingent to state, but the two boys headed to Wichita includ

Roger Sims, Journal Staff

Prairie View to send three to state track this weekend

Prairie View junior Laramie Stevens tried throwing the javelin for the first time this season. She now holds the school record, is the regional 3A champ and is headed to state with her sights set on a gold medal. (Prairie View Buffalos Facebook) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com Three Prairie View athletes will head to the state championship track meet at Wichita State University on Friday and Saturday, hoping to bring home gold in the Class 3A events.

Roger Sims, Journal Staff

Engineer estimates military bridge replacement at $1.8M

Linn County receives a $2 million grant to replace the old military bridge on the north side of Mound City. This photos from June 2025 shows brush and logs piled up on the south side of the pier following a rainy May. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – Public Works Director Jesse Walton told the Linn County Commissioners on Tuesday, May 26, that he will be having one more meeting with the Kansas Depar

Charlene Sims, Journal staff

Quilt guild to raffle patriotic quilt, discusses group excursion

By Meribeth Kehl Guild secretary The Materials Girls quilt guild met on Thursday, May 21, at the F&M Bank Community Building in Mound City with 20 members and two visitors attending. The visitors joined and membership has reached 29. Patriotic raffle quilt blocks have been turned in. Denise Jurgens will set the blocks together and quilt. Raffle tickets will be available soon at $5 each or five for $20. The quilt will be shown at several events, including at Mound City Histori

Meribeth Kehl, secretary

For recent local news, go to
page 4 by clicking here.

State, Regional & National News

Senate candidate in Kansas faults Democratic rival’s handling of reported sex abuse

Kansas Sen. Patrick Schmidt, D-Topeka, talks to reporters during a May 27, 2026, news conference at the Statehouse in Topeka, where he faulted pastor Adam Hamilton for his handling of reported sex abuse at a church retreat in 2005. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) State Sen. Patrick Schmidt attempts to incite controversy with allegations against pastor Adam Hamilton By Anna Kaminski Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate on Wednesday den

Anna Kaminski, Kansas Reflector

Kansas legislative leaders approve extended monitoring of three residents exposed to hantavirus

Will Lawrence, Gov. Laura Kelly’s chief of staff, speaks to the Legislative Coordinating Council about extending an emergency declaration related to hantavirus during a May 26, 2026, meeting. (Photo by Baya Burgess / Kansas Reflector) By Sherman Smith Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — Kansas legislative leaders on Tuesday approved the governor’s request to extend an emergency declaration in response to three residents who are being monitored for a potential hantavirus infection. Will

Sherman Smith, Kansas Reflector

Five of six Kansas public universities seek student tuition increases of 3.5% to 6%

The Kansas Board of Regents is scheduled to vote in June on tuition proposals for the 2026-2027 academic year at public universities in the state's higher education system. While Emporia State University wants to hold tuition flat, requested increases range from a low of 3.5% at Pittsburg State University to a high of 6% at Fort Hays State University. (Photo by Tim Carpenter / Kansas Reflector) By Tim Carpenter Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — Five public universities in Kansas are

Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Four Kansas school districts plan legal action against state for underfunding public education

Scott Rothschild of the Kansas Association of School Boards wears a button advocating for full funding of special education during a 2023 hearing of the House Education Committee. Four school districts now want to sue Kansas for inadequate funding of special education. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) By Baya Burgess Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — Four Johnson County public school districts want to sue the state of Kansas for more than 15 years of inadequate special education fund

Kansas Reflector

Commission appoints interim fire chief, emergency director

Linda Simons and Brian Shroyer were at the Linn County Commission meeting on Monday, April 27, to express interest in being appointed to interim heads of their departments. Simons will take over as head of the Emergency Management Department and Shroyer will be interim county fire chief. (Screen capture / Linn County Kansas Livestream) Editor's note: In the original version of this story, Linda Simons' new salary was reported in correctly. We regret the error. By Charlene Sim

Charlene Sims, Journal staff

For recent local news, go to page 4 by clicking here.

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Linn County Journal

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Linn County remembers those who served

Partly sunny, warm

Link to the National Weather Service radar.

Want to get the Linn County Journal's free email newsletters? Enter your email below and then click on 'Subscribe.' Be sure to put 'info@linncountyjournal.com' in your contacts so you don't miss a message.

Top Stories

Prairie View board votes to sign separation agreement with superintendent

Rural Pleasanton man receives four years for moving body

Skyview's new owners look to continue farm's legacy

Pleasanton resident proposes city apply for railroad quiet zone

For recent local news, go to page 4 by clicking here.

Veterans and 'guardians' prepare for Honor Flight journey to Washington, D.C.

Update: County denies permit for power lines from Missouri solar project

Estimated cost to replace old military bridge $1.8 million

La Cygne pool opening delayed, payments for lessons, rentals being accepted

City Events

La Cygne

Linn Valley

Mound City

• City Council meeting, 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 2

​

Parker

Pleasanton

Kids 1-18 can show up and get a box of food each Thursday. A parent or guardian needs to bring children first time and they will get a pickup card they can use to pickup after that without children with them.

Matters of Faith by Dr. Bascom Ratliff For more Matters of Faith columns, follow this link.

Living our faith: Serving God

Country Notebook by Rogene 'Jeannie' McPherson For Country Notebook articles follow this link.

What bugs me . . . No.2

Opinion: Commission needs to honor the public comment time on the agenda

Opinion: Kansas kids are ‘sliding into silence.’ Let’s talk about why they are chatting less.

More Local News

Blu-Jays send seven to the Class 1A state meet in Wichita

Eight Jayhawks head to Wichita for state track

Prairie View to send three to state track this weekend

Engineer estimates military bridge replacement at $1.8M

Quilt guild to raffle patriotic quilt, discusses group excursion

For recent local news, go to page 4 by clicking here.

State, Regional & National News

Senate candidate in Kansas faults Democratic rival’s handling of reported sex abuse

Kansas legislative leaders approve extended monitoring of three residents exposed to hantavirus

Five of six Kansas public universities seek student tuition increases of 3.5% to 6%

Four Kansas school districts plan legal action against state for underfunding public education

Commission appoints interim fire chief, emergency director

For recent local news, go to page 4 by clicking here.

Back to Top

Phone: 913-259-2546
Email: linncountyjournal@icloud.com

For recent local news, go to
page 4
by clicking here.

Matters of Faith by Dr. Bascom Ratliff
For more Matters of Faith columns, follow this link.

Country Notebook by Rogene 'Jeannie' McPherson
For Country Notebook articles follow this link.

For recent local news, go to
page 4 by clicking here.