Linn County News

10/18/2025

'Jays lock in league runnersup spot at Uniontown

BY TONY FURSE

Just as last week, Pleasanton turned first-half takeaways into touchdowns and won at Uniontown Friday night, 45-12, in a Three Rivers League and Class 1-A, District 1 matchup.
The win assures the Blu-Jays of at least their third consecutive second-place finish in the five-member 11-man league.
Owen Miller's fumble recovery early to stymie a Uniontown scoring threat resulted in an 80-yard touchdown pass from Kamden Staton to Mario Davis.
Two recoveries of fumbled Uniontown kickoff returns, one a 35-yard Gage McGinnis return, gave Pleasanton a 28-0 halftime lead.
Obscured in the evening's Blu-Jay output was a second-quarter 11-yard swing pass from Staton to Ryker Carpenter that raised the four-year starting quarterback above 5,000 passing yards in his high school career. Staton finished the night at 5,091.

Read the game's details, Coach Clint Johnson's insights, and the box score in next week's Oct. 22 Linn County News.

TONY ON THE ROAD NEXT FRIDAY: Prairie View at Iola.

Friday's other Linn County football scores: Prairie View 49, Girard 20 (Class 3-A, District 2 championship); Jayhawk-Linn 48, Southeast-Cherokee 18.

10/16/2025

Be aware... talk to your children.

Community Alert: This morning, Sgt Metcalf was contacted at the school by a parent who reported the following: In the past week, their children have twice been approached by an individual asking if they had “seen his dog.”

The first incident occurred while children were walking home from school. The 2nd incident occurred at the park next to the community building.

The individual is described as being a white male, dark hair, with glasses. Older white vehicle, unknown make or model. Possibly a 4-door.

Please talk to your children about talking to strangers, and make sure they are walking in groups.

If you see such an individual, please dial 911 so that we have an opportunity to potentially identify this individual and assist them if need be.

10/15/2025

Souza resigns county clerk post

BY TONY FURSE

Linn County’s county clerk is resigning.

At the weekly Linn County Commission meeting Tuesday morning, delayed a day because of Monday’s governmental Columbus Day holiday, Danielle Souza spoke during the public comment agenda section of her intention to resign the post on Nov. 1.

In a prepared statement, Souza referred to the clerk’s office as a “delicate dance” in “trying to balance relentless deadline and mounting tasks.”

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/15/2025

Farmers State Bank under new ownership

By JACKIE TAYLOR

Time moves on and things change – and the banking world is not exempt from those changes. When Farmers State Bank owner Dale Sprague passed away in August of 2024, his wife Janice and family made those changes when they sold the three banks this fall to Citizen Bank owner’s Randy and Lisa Shannon and their daughter Emily Prather.

Elaine Jaeger, Dale’s step-daughter and vice-president of the Pleasanton Farmers State Bank branch said, “The plan going forward was Dale’s son, Lonnie, would take over; health issues prevented that. So, we decided to sell; and in steps Citizen Bank.”

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/15/2025

Linn Valley council updated on water, lagoon projects

By BRIAN KING

Linn Valley city council held its first meeting of the month on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Mayor Lewis Donelson began the meeting by asking city employees present at the meeting to stand up front and introduce themselves and state their job title. The mayor continued by thanking employees of the city. He asked the city to “take value, recognize and thank everyone who works for the city.”

The mayor also stated, “I would like to say that I have the upmost respect for every one of you and would also like you to know how very proud I am of every one of you, for what you do for this community.” The mayor spoke about the first responders’ families and how the “community should come together and recognize that we all should be family.” Donelson finished by saying, “as far as I am concerned, you are our heroes.”

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/15/2025

Schneider makes State for Hawks in girls’ golf

Adam Holt

Celeste Schneider made the 3-1A State golf tournament again this year for the Lady Hawks and will be looking to earn another State medal.

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/15/2025

Wade and Britz advance to State for the Buffalos

Adam Holt

The Prairie View girls’ golf team is doing well. The girls won the Pioneer League championship at Deer Trace on Oct. 7 and then followed that up by placing fourth at 3-1A Sub-State tournament at Crestwood in Pittsburg on Oct. 13. The Lady Buffs won the league tournament with a score of 423 and then placed fourth at Sub-State with a score of 462.

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/11/2025

Blu-Jays convert takeaways into Homecoming win

BY TONY FURSE

Pleasanton converted two second-quarter fumble recoveries and a third-quarter interception into passing touchdowns to break a three-game losing skid and claim a 41-6 Homecoming win over Southeast-Cherokee Friday at Blu-Jay Nation Stadium.
Aaron Cook's fumble recovery after Owen Miller's strip led to a 5-yard scoring pass from Kamden Staton to Aiden Patrick.
Two plays later, Mario Davis' strip-and-steal along the visitors' sideline led to the unusual play of the night--Staton lofting a 25-yard pass to Davis, who had slipped and fallen backward but caught the scoring pass sitting down after the ball had deflected off his Lancer defender.
In the third quarter, Gage McGinnis, the night's royalty along with Natalie Bautista, returned an interception for 65 yards, setting up a Staton-to-Davis 10-yard touchdown, Davis' third scoring reception and Staton's fifth touchdown toss.

Read the game's details, Coach Clint Johnson's insights, and the box score in next week's Oct. 15 Linn County News.

TONY ON THE ROAD NEXT FRIDAY: Pleasanton at Uniontown.

Friday's other Linn County football scores: Prairie View 49, Anderson County 8; Pittsburg St. Mary's-Colgan 55, Jayhawk-Linn 6.

10/08/2025

Mound City Community Garden

A new community garden is growing in Mound City. Located directly west of Food Fair on Main Street and christened the Cultivate Kindness Garden, it has taken root thanks to the hard work of several local residents.

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/08/2025

Suit filed in Sunshine Meadows building permit case

By JACKIE TAYLOR

A court case has been filed in the 6th Judicial District in Linn County by Parker resident Jan Longenecker and 26 other plaintiffs against the Board of Zoning Appeals of Linn County to revoke building permits issued by the acting Zoning Administrator Ben Souza.

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/08/2025

Pleasanton demos asphalt zipper for street repair

By JACKIE TAYLOR

The Pleasanton City Council and street crew had the opportunity to watch a live demonstration of an asphalt zipper last Wednesday on 8th Street between Cedar and Sycamore – a street with heavily damaged asphalt.

Dave Fokken, Asphalt Zipper Government Sales rep, said many cities in Kansas and surrounding states are using the machine, “City of Newport: repairs entire city blocks for $4,000 versus paying contractors $60,000. Thus, they can fix 10 city blocks for $40,000, a $600,000 value!

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net

10/08/2025

La Cygne awards lift station bid

Generator emphasis is the final step in the $6.261 million wastewater project

BY TONY FURSE

La Cygne leaders awarded a bid to replace every diesel-powered generator at the city’s three sewer lift stations to a Kansas City, Mo., firm.

At last Wednesday’s regular meeting, the council voted 4-0 on the award with David Brenneman not present on Tommy Capp’s motion and Jerome Mitzner’s second.

See the rest of the story at www.linncountynews.net