Wade Booth Journal staff report PLEASANTON – Wade Booth, the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Pleasanton, was taken into custody by the Pleasanton Police Department on Monday, Aug. 31, on several charges related to alleged sexual contact with a child under 18 years old. Booth, 70, remains in custody in the Linn County jail on $750,000 bond. Charges against Booth, according to the Linn County Sheriff's Office inmate log, include alleged aggravated incest, lewd fondling w

Despite a temporary pump going down on Thursday, it is expected to be in operation again on Friday. The rented pump has been blasting out sludge that accumulated in the line from the East Lake to the water treatment plant. (Journal file photo) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – An unexpected failure of a temporary pump on Thursday, Aug. 27, has delayed the lifting of a Pleasanton City Council order that bans outdoor watering from the city’s water supply.

New members of the certified staff of Pleasanton USD 344 gather for a group photo during district orientation. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com The Pleasanton school district has four new teachers this year plus a couple of new paraprofessionals. One of the hires was a swap of math teachers with Prairie View, but in the bargain, the Blu-Jays will have the beginnings of a wrestling program. Over the past few

Ready to expose elementary students to art, new teacher Jane Hough is in a La Cygne elementary classroom. This is the first year that elementary students in the Prairie View district will have a dedicated art teacher. (Photo by Cindy Noel / Special to the Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com When students returned to the classroom in Prairie View district earlier this month, they were greeted by several new teachers and staff members. For elementary students at

Improvements to the Jayhawk-Linn facility for 2026-27 include, in order, a new sign pointing the way, the biology lab, the chemistry lab, a general science classroom and new changes to the band room. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com A couple of Jayhawk’s return to their roots – this time as teachers – a new K-5 music teacher plans for performances, a new high school math teacher brings heavy duty credential

The contractors installing a temporary pump at the Pleasanton East Lake will be making a connection at this building on the west side of the lake's dam to make a connection to a line that goes to the city water treatment plant. The caustic quality of the lake's water has corroded fittings at the pump tube in the middle of the dam enough to make connection there impossible. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) Update: On Monday afternoon, Aug. 24, Pleasanton Mayor Mathe

Jason Hopkinson, left, an engineer with BG Consulting, talks with Pleasanton City Council members about options for an alternative water supply at the council meeting on Monday evening. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal.com PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton City Council on Monday, Aug. 17, voted to approve a $345,000 bond to finance replacement of the roof at the water plant clarifier and filter building and replace the pumps that send untr

Richard Smith, standing, supervisor of a crew that is installing a temporary pump at Pleasanton's East Lake, speaks to audience members at a city council meeting on Monday. Seated to his left in a red shirt is Jason Hopkinson with BG Consultants, the city's engineering firm. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton City Council is expected to hold an emergency meeting at the Pleasanton City Hall on Wedn

The Pleasanton City Council ponders the selection of a new city clerk on Monday, Aug. 17, during a town hall-style meeting at the Pleasanton Community Center. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – It appeared like the Pleasanton City Council was going to be able to agree on a nominee for the vacant city clerk post last held by Candy Houtman, who resigned earlier this summer. However after a 5-0 vote to approve the

New Linn County Public Works administrator J.D. Handly talked with county commissioners about the Lake Region's Adopt-a-Bike program. (Lake Region Adopt-a-Bike) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – J.D. Handly, Linn County’s new public works administrator, broached the county commissioners for their opinion about the bicycle donation program at the transfer station. Handly explained that the transfer station staff were segregating bicycles that ca

The electrical panel for the pumps on the Pleasanton East Lake dam is being kept open to keep the service cooler as workers await a new temporary pump. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton City Council during a special meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13, voted to hire Kevin Starbuck to install a temporary pump for $8,126 to restore normal water service to the city. It is anticipated that in

The Linn County Commission has declined to sign a contract with Evergy on bridge maintenance on roads at the La Cygne Generating Station. (Journal file photo) By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – On Monday, August 10, the Linn County Commissioners decided not to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Evergy to take over the bridges along the dam road that Evergy now owns. The commissioners had been discussing this and making changes with Evergy

Jennifer Day, candidate for the Kansas Secretary of State office, is holding a meet-and-greet event at F&M Bank Community Building on Wednesday, August 12, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. (Journal file photo) Journal staff report MOUND CITY – Jennifer Day, the Democratic candidate for the Kansas Secretary of State office, will be hosting a meet-and-greet at the F&M Bank Community Building on Wednesday, August 12, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. Day (D-Mission) wo

Dave Trabert, CEO of the Kansas Policy Institute, is scheduled to speak on the county budget on Wednesday, August 12, at the 4-H Building on the Mound City fairgrounds. (Kansas Policy Institute website graphic) Journal staff report MOUND CITY – David Trabert, CEO of the Wichita-based Kansas Policy Institute (KPI), will be making a second appearance in Linn County this year in a talk Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the 4-H Building on the Mound City fairgrounds, 8510 Kansas Highway

John Marino, interim police chief for the city of La Cygne, is congratulated by City Clerk Jodi Wade after she has sworn him into office on Friday, August. 7. (La Cygne Police Department Facebook) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – John Marino has been named interim police chief for the La Cygne Police Department. The La Cygne City Council voted 3-0 at the Wednesday, August 5, council meeting to make the appointment with Councilmember Oscar

Mechanical problems at the Pleasanton water plant are forcing city officials to enact water supply emergency measures. (Journal file photo) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal.com PLEASANTON – The Pleasanton City Council on Saturday, August 8, voted unanimously to enact a water supply emergency that immediately restricts the use of outdoor watering. Until the emergency measure is lifted, the watering of lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, playing fields on private and p

KDOT press release Northbound U.S. 69 in southern Miami County has reopened to two lanes at the West 399th Street bridge as of late Friday afternoon, Aug. 7, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation. A crane on the back of a log truck struck the bridge this morning, causing damage. The northbound U.S. 69 driving lane as well as the bridge were closed until KDOT bridge inspectors could examine the structure. Engineers determined that the highway and bridge could be

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff LCJeditor@icloud.com MOUND CITY – The Linn County Commission met briefly in session lasting less than 40 minutes on Monday, August 3. Twenty minutes of that meeting was held in a closed-door session for attorney-client privilege with two attorneys, County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta and contracted lawyer Scott Nehrbass from Foulston Siefkin LLP. Newly hired Public Works Administrator J.D. Handly reported to the commission that he had gone up to t

By Roger Sims, Journal publisher linncountyjournal@icloud.com With the Linn County Commission down to just two commissioners for many of the recent meetings, that means that each commissioner holds plenty of sway in what is approved and what is shoved into the dustbin of local history. Take the recent issue of the dog control resolution. One commissioner, Alison Hamilton, was willing to pass a modified version (apparently the limit of number of dogs per household exceeded her

Results of Tuesdays election in Linn County for the most part was the same as the vote across the state – except the vote on the constitutional amendment. However, it appears that more Republican and unaffiliated voters cast votes against the change than the total of Democrat votes. (Wix photo illustration) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com MOUND CITY – Republican voters in Linn County appeared to, in general, follow statewide or districtwide trends, a

By Max Theel La Cygne There are signs popping up saying Kansas should get rid of property taxes. I understand why people are frustrated, but we need to think through what property taxes actually pay for. Around here, they fund the things we rely on every day: schools, the sheriff’s office, fire and EMS, county roads, bridges, libraries, parks, public health, and rural districts like hospital and cemetery boards. If property taxes disappear, those services still have to be pai

Prairie View FFA members, from left, Brody Wilcox, Matthew Stolle, and Edward Squires-Riley were given certificates of achievement from school board President Russell Pope at the board's July 21 meeting. The students were part of a group of PVHS students who earned State FFA Degrees earlier this summer. (Photo by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal) By Roger Sims, Journal staff linncountyjournal@icloud.com LA CYGNE – What should a portrait of the Prairie View High School graduat