Linn County Commission Chair Jim Johnson asked that one of the county's representatives to the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center Board of Directors be replaced at a meeting on Monday, Dec. 29. (Journal file photo) By Charlene Sims info@linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – Commission Chair Jim Johnson was clearly agitated following a presentation by Tisha Coleman, one of two Linn County representatives on the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center (SEKMHC) board, at the commi

By Roger Sims Linn County Journal KANSAS CITY, Kan. – The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department posted on social media on Monday, Dec. 29, that Damon Leonard, a rural Pleasanton man, faces additional charges on both sides of the state line in the death of 13-year-old Airen Andula. Airen Andula Airen, who lived with his family in the Holiday Lakes development east of Pleasanton, was last seen alive on Sunday morning, Dec. 21, when he went to feed a neighbor’s dog. When he hadn’

The Prairie View USD 362 Board of Education at its December meeting did not vote to extend Superintendent Chris Johnson's contract for an additional year through July 2028. (Submitted photo) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – The continued employment of Chris Johnson as Prairie View district superintendent was uncertain as the district schools closed for the holidays on Friday, Dec. 19. As part of its annual review of district principals and administrators,

By Charlene Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com MOUND CITY – On Monday, Dec. 22, the Linn County Commissioners rehashed different options for hiring a person to do economic development in the county. County Clerk Chasity Ware brought the concerns of the Linn County ECommunity Foundation about not having an economic development director for the county. The ECommunity Foundation is a spinoff from the economic development committee with the same members ,but it is a registered 501

Journal staff report PLEASANTON – According to media reports, a 47-year-old rural Pleasanton resident has been taken into custody by the Bates County, Missouri, Sheriff's Office after he transported the body of a missing 13-year-old boy from the lake development across the state line. Damon Leonard was charged with abandonment of a corpse, a felony, after he left the boy's body in a ravine in a creek bed, according to the reports. He is being held on $100,000 bond and is expe

Motocross riders practice on a track on a property on Young Road north of Kansas Highway 52 during a weekend event in October 2023. Owners of the 42-acre tract are seeking a conditional use permit to continue to operate a motocross school and weekend races. (Journal file photo) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – An application for a conditional use permit for a motocross track east of the Trading Post/Kansas Highway 52 exit on U.S. Highway 69 was tabled for furt

Linn County Sheriff's deputies, firefighters and officers from other agencies searched for a missing 13-year-old boy on Sunday night and Monday mo. The sheriff's office used their drones to aid in the search. (Journal file photo) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@cloud.com MOUND CITY – The Linn County Sheriff's Office on Monday evening, Dec. 22, reported on social media that a 13-year-old boy, first reported missing on Sunday, was found dead. The boy was last seen Sunday mornin

Press release PITTSBURG – The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) has expanded its graduate medical education offerings with the addition of a community-based pharmacy residency program.  CHC/SEK, with a long-standing commitment to clinical education, also offers a family medicine residency developed in partnership with the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Both residency programs were created to address the healthcare workforce shortage by cultivatin

By Charlene Sims info@linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners received reports from the ambulance and fire department services on Monday, Dec. 15. Linn County Fire Chief Randy Hegwald took the opportunity to remind the commision and residents about the dangers associated with the return of lower temperatures. “With cold weather, I know there have been some instances in the county with carbon monoxide and extension cords,” he said. “So just urging ever

Two-year-old Charlotte tests out bicycles to see which one her parents want to win at the Parker community Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec. 13. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) Journal staff report Parker-area residents packed the Parker Elementary School multipurpose room on Saturday, Dec. 13, to enjoy a chicken and noodles dinner, catching up with neighbors and friends, a visit from Santa and a gift giveaway that ranged from frozen turkeys to bicycles and

On Wednesday morning, La Cygne firefighters remained on the scene of the fire that gutted the Wagon Wheel in the early morning hours. Layers of construction keep the firefighters busy extinguishing hot spots. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – Linn County’s premier steakhouse was severely damaged early Wednesday, Dec. 17, in a fire that started sometime before 3:20 a.m. The building and much of its contents appe

Parker City Council President Kari Brandt gives Councilman Gary Earley a plaque commemorating his service on the city council, He was appointed to the council in January 2007 and has served nearly nineteen years. The council's Dec. 11 meeting was his last, (Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com PARKER – At the suggestion of departing Councilmember Gary Earley, the Parker City Council on Thursday, Dec. 11, decided to wait until the new c

The Linn County Commission over the next couple of weeks will look at proposed fee increases for Linn County Park. (Journal file photo) By Charlene Sims info@linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – After hearing a report from Linn County Park Manager Sheri Loveland  on Monday, Dec. 8, the Linn County Commissioners decided to review profit and loss reports from 2024 and 2025 and other information before deciding on price changes for the services at the park. The commissioners also

Owners of the Blue Dog Wine Co.'s Coyote Tasting Room in Mound City are among those establishments asking to loosen Linn County's requirement that at least 30% sales of sales be food items in order to serve alcoholic drinks. (Blue Dog Wine Co.) By Charlene Sims info@linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commissioners discussed the issue or removing the requirement that businesses that serve liquor by the drink have to have 30% of their sales from food items on Mo

Work has been completed on the roof of the Linn County Courthouse, however, county commissioners are asking questions as the cost of the project continues to increase. (Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Charlene Sims info@linncountyjournal.com MOUND CITY – On Monday, Dec. 8, the Linn County Commissioners approved signing a proof-of-loss statement for the courthouse roof presented by Public Works Director Jesse Walton that would allow the insurance company to release funds

Erika Gilbert dressed as the Grinch in Santa's clothes for Pleasanton's annual Christmas festivities on Saturday, Dec. 13. (Photos by Billy Roudybush / Linn County Journal) By Billy Roudybush Journal contributor Despite the cold, blustery weather Pleasanton-area residents held their annual Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec 13, packing the city’s community center for the dinner and later on for a visit from Santa. During the afternoon toward evening, people could enjoy se

California-based Deep Fission says it will install an underground reactor in Kansas. (Deep Fission) Deep Fission says it plans to install a nuclear reactor underground at an industrial park in southeast Kansas. State and local government leaders are on board. It’s part of a national push for new nuclear energy generation. By Celia Llopis-Jepsen Kansas News Service Parsons, Kansas, will be the site of a California startup’s first ever 1-mile-deep nuclear reactor — with support

Santa welcomes a young believer at last year's celebration at Parker Elementary School. This year's event is set for this Saturday, Dec. 13, beginning at 5 p.m. (Journal file photo) Journal staff report The Parker Area Ladies Society (PALS), the city of Parker and community volunteers are coming together again this year to sponsor a Christmas celebration at the Parker Elementary School on Saturday, Dec. 13. The event begins at 5 p.m. with a chicken and noodle dinner (free-w