Colonial Day at the Mound City Historical Park and the Mound City Library will feature three musical performers. (Photo by John Timothy / Upsplash) Journal staff report Organizers of “Colonial Day: Live Like It’s 1776” on Friday, July 3, are offering a step back in time to the founding of our country in honor of its 250th birthday. Sponsored by the Mound City Historical Society and the Mound City Library, the morning and early afternoon event will provide live music that hark

Linn Valley's Independence Day parade is the longest parade in the county with as many as 100 decorated golf carts and UTVs participating. (Journal file photo) Journal staff report Linn Valley’s Fourth of July celebration, a three-day affair, is expected to live up to what is now tradition: a spectacular fireworks show off the Main Lake dam, a long parade featuring decorated golf carts and other vehicles, and a boat parade on the lake. The population swells up to five times

Last year's Blue Mound July 4th parade was soggy but given the hot and dry days leading up to it, no one really minded. This year rain is unlikely but sunny, hot weather is expected. (Journal file photo) Journal staff report Blue Mound’s Independence Day celebration is always one of the best summer events in the county, and this year organizers have plans for the 250th birthday of our country to be no exception. It is a daylong event, and this year organizers are very mindfu

Beau Jackson carefully turns the frequency dial on this ham radio setup and writes down places he contacts during the Mine Creek Radio Club field day on Saturday, He was manning the station with his father and grandfather. (Photos by Billy Roudybush / Linn County Journal) By Billy Roudybush Journal contributor A local group of ham radio operators came together on Saturday, June 27, at the rest stop at U.S. Highway 69 and Kansas Highway 52 near Trading Post to practice contact

Wearing an "Est. 1776" t-shirt and a patriotic heart with angel wings in memory of her grandmother, Jaycee Henry is ready for Pleasanton's Stars and Stripes celebration. (Photos by Billy Roudybush / Linn County Journal) By Bill Roudybush Journal contributor Linn County residents began their celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States with the Stars and Stripes celebration in Pleasanton on Saturday June 27. Organizers and volunteers packed plenty of activities into

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY - Linn County Treasurer Joannie Reed met with Linn County Commissioners Alison Hamilton and Jim Johnson on Monday, June 22, to tell them that her office was planning to hire a company to mail out the tax statements rather than have the treasurer's office handle do the mailing. Commissioner Jason Hightower was not present at the meeting. “I hope it’s going to be best for the county,” Reed said. “It’s going to sav

Press release TUSCALOOSA, Alabama – Collin Thomas of Mound City has received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama. UA awarded some 7,000 degrees during its spring commencement ceremonies. A recent economic analysis found that a degree from The University of Alabama has proven to provide an abundant return on investment for graduates, setting the stage for legendary careers while also creating priceless experiences and memories. The un

Pleasanton will host the 250th anniversary Stars and Stripes event on Saturday, June 27. The event will include an afternoon parade and an evening fireworks display. (Photo by Billy Roudybush / Journal contributor) Journal staff report The city of Pleasanton kicks off the 250th anniversary celebration of the Fourth of July in Linn County on Saturday afternoon, June 27. The celebration includes a free day at the city’s swimming pool, a parade, vendors, games, a street dance an

Members of the Prairie View junior varsity and novice trapshooting teams hold trophies earned at the state meeting on Sunday, June 21. (Prairie View Buffalos Facebook) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com SEDGWICK, Kan. – The Prairie View Buffalo trapshooting team walked away from the Class 2A state meet on Sunday, June 21, with two team trophies, two individual champions and four top-10 finishes. It was the best showing the team has had since its incepti

The Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team is ready to compete in the Class 2A division at the state trapshooting tournament near Wichita on Sunday, June 21. An estimated 110 schools and 1,500 shooters attended the two-day event. (Jayhawk USD 346 Facebook) Reporting by Jesse Secrest Head coach The Pleasanton/Jayhawk Linn Trapshooting Team competed in the 2026 Kansas Clay Target League State Tournament on Sunday, June 21, at the Kansas Trapshooting Association facility north of

Press release Mine Creek Amateur Radio Club TRADING POST – Mine Creek Amateur Radio Club will participate in an annual event for disaster communications training. This Saturday, June 27, clubs and groups across the country will participate in this 80-year-old tradition. The Mine Creek club will be set up at the Trading Post rest stop at U.S. Highway 69 and Kansas Highway 52 interchange. Members will set up their station and begin transmitting and receiving from 1 p.m. to dark

The 66th annual Mound City High School reunion gives alumni, their families and friends the opportunity to visit and catch up. The reunion was Saturday, June 20. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com More than 80 people gathered in the Jayhawk Elementary School gym on Saturday, June 20, for the 66th annual Mound City High School reunion. Alumni and their family members began arriving before 11 a.m. to visit with

By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com PARKER – Vandals on four-wheelers continue to use the Parker city lake as their playground. And while the ruts those vehicles made before were reserved to areas on the banks around the lakes, they are now using the steep dam and spillway on the south end of the lake as vertical climbing tracks. That was the report of city maintenance worker James Hazelet to the Parker City Council at its regular meeting on Thursday, Ju

Don George, a fisheries biologist for the state, lifts a net of wiper fingerlings at La Cygne Lake on Wednesday, Jun 17. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com Don George spent Wednesday, June 17, trying to beat the heat as he stocked three lakes in eastern Kansas with a little over 35,000 wipers. By the time he was delivering the fingerlings to La Cygne Lake, the sun had warmed air temperature into the lower 90s

Joseph Hornback takes over the reins as superintendent of Prairie View USD 362 following school board action on Tuesday, June 16. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – Joseph Hornback has been named the new superintendent of Prairie View USD 362. Following a two-hour-plus closed door session on personnel matters, the board voted on Hornback’s new post just before adjourning its meeting on Tuesday, June

Outlining changes in the organization since the beginning of the year, representatives from Southeast Mental Health Center asked the Linn County Commission to restore funding to assist clients who were eligible for programs and couldn't otherwise afford services. (Journal file photo) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – Representatives of Southeast Mental Health Center (SEKMHC), interim CEO Doug Wright and Chief Financial Officer Amber Morrison me

Two Linn Valley men are being held in the Linn County jail after being charged in an ongoing investigation by Linn Valley Police into allegations of sexual assault of a child. (Journal file phono) Journal staff report LINN VALLEY – The Linn Valley Police Department has announced the arrest of two Linn Valley men following allegations sexual assault of a child. Officers took Colin Wilson, 21, into custody on Saturday, June 13, for alleged aggravated indecent liberties with a c

Officer John Marino, from left, Police Chief Zachary Mathies, and Officer Kurtis West have been the mainstays of the La Cygne Police Department over the past two years. (Submitted photo) By Zachary Mathies Special to the Journal To the La Cygne Community, Over the past two years, your police department has worked diligently to strengthen and modernize public safety services while remaining committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and professional policing. One of ou

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners made the decision to stay with Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), the county’s current health insurance company, on Monday, June 15. The decision came after much discussion and a presentation from Jen Elliott, vice president of Employee Benefits at USI One Consulting on June 8. In staying with BCBS, commissioners will be asking county employees to absorb a portion of the increase in co

Max McLiney, Pleasanton's financial advisor, passes out copies of a schedule of the bond process to members of the city council. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – After voting to hire a contractor to replace the roof of the water plant building and clarification system at the June 1 meeting, the Pleasanton City Council on Monday, June 15, voted unanimously to pass a resolution on financing the $2

Students from last year's summer program try their hands at making cardboard boats at the Pleasanton municipal swimming pool last year. (Photo by Sarah Conley / Special to the Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton municipal swimming pool finally opened on Wednesday, June 17, and to celebrate the delayed opening pool manager Morgan Wills announced that it would be a free day for swimmers. Originally slated to open on May

The staff from First Option Bank presents a couple of checks for the city of La Cygne on Friday, May 29. From left, Keri Peterson, Grayce Lowe, Audrey Huffman, Police Chief Zachary Mathies, Russell Pope and Kari Bradley participated in the impromptu ceremony outside La Cygne City Hall. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) Journal staff report The staff from First Option Bank presented a couple of checks for the city of La Cygne on Friday, May 29. One check for $42,376