My heart aches for the law enforcement officers recently killed in cold blood, officers that were sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens of their jurisdiction. The last killing, Deputy Sheriff Darren Goforth who was shot and killed from ambush while pumping gas into his patrol car at a commercial gas station in Cypress, Texas.
Further explained in www.odmp.org (Officer Down Memorial Page), “Deputy Goforth was on patrol and had completed an assignment at the scene of a vehicle collision. He went to a local gas station to fuel his patrol car. As Deputy Goforth stood next to his patrol car filling it with fuel, a male subject walked up behind him and fired multiple shots. After Deputy Goforth fell to the ground, the subject shot him several more times before fleeing the scene in a pickup truck.”
Recent community outbursts and upheavals over the shooting deaths of young, black people have put a target on the back of every police officer in this nation. Suddenly the fact that some of these dead people were criminals means nothing. They were black, therefore they became the masthead of a movement of others crying out about lack of justice in their neighborhoods.
Where is the justice in killing an officer that just responded to a traffic accident? Does that blood-letting heal the years of inner-city decay and depravation that is leading to many of the outbursts that we are seeing today?
Rather, killing innocent officers is causing further separation between people groups – people who need to look at accountability for actions and responsibility for those actions. If a kid stole cigars, pushed the shop owner out of the way, tried to grab a responding police officer’s pistol and shoot him then ended up dead after those events, isn’t that kid accountable and responsible for his actions?
Why blame the police officer?
Our society is getting very good at casting off self-blame and placing it in places it doesn’t belong. We enable children behaving badly and wonder why they are hoods when they grow up.
The Bible clearly states that sparing the rod will spoil the child. Our nation is filling up with spoiled, rotten people who are enabled by a system that works to keep them in the system.
We are eight months into 2015 and we are at 82 line of duty deaths. The Officer Down Memorial Page lists the causes and numbers of those deaths: 9/11 related illness: 3, Accidental: 2, Aircraft accident: 1, Assault: 3, Automobile accident: 19, Fall: 1, Gunfire: 23, Gunfire (Accidental): 2, Heart attack: 13, Motorcycle accident: 3, Struck by vehicle: 5, Vehicle pursuit: 4, Vehicular assault: 3.
2014 line of duty deaths was reported as 133, 2013 line of duty deaths 119, and 2012 line of duty deaths 133. The average age of the officers killed was 40 with average tours of duty length of 12 years, 10 months. In 2015, Kansas was listed as having one on-duty officer killed; Texas holds the top number of 10 deaths followed by Louisiana at nine.
Since law enforcement still remains mostly a male occupation, 79 officers killed in 2015 so far were male and three female. (K9 Line of Duty Deaths: 22.)
Granted, we have seen some brutality by law enforcement, but that is not the norm. The majority of officers out there are good people who feel a sense of duty to their communities. The bad apples have brought light to the need for change in some communities, but the majority of American cities have good law enforcement that upholds the law for everyone.
We need to protect our officers. They put their lives on the line every time they go on duty.
Their families are not immune from danger, either. Many law enforcement officials’ families have been forced to arm themselves against retribution from those trying to “pay back” law enforcement for doing their jobs.
We as citizens of this nation need to step up and help protect our police. This senseless killing of officers because they carry a badge is crazy. This has got to stop and we need to step up to watch the backs of our officers. We are also accountable and responsible for our actions, and those actions include protecting the ones who protect and serve.
OBITUARIES
Ruth Ann Antrim ~ 05-21-1951 to 07-07-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Ruth Ann Antrim, formerly Hueston, passed away July 7, 2025, after bravely battling cancer for many years. Ruth Ann was 74 years old. She lived and worked in the Mound City and Fort Scott, Kan., areas her... [More]
Helen Maxine Wright ~ 05-28-1939 to 06-19-2025

Linn County News Published July 16, 2025 Helen Maxine Wright, age 86, formerly of Blue Mound, Kan., passed away at her home in Abbyville, Kan., on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Funeral service was held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Community... [More]
Kelly Kehl ~ 03-25-1938 to 06-28-2025

Linn County News Published July 2, 2025 Kelly Kehl, age 87, of Mound City, Kan., passed away Saturday, June 28, 2025, at his rural Mound City home. Kelly was born March 25, 1938, south of Parker, Kan., to Keith (Tom) Emerson Kehl and Helen Edith (Giffin) Kehl. Kelly... [More]
More Obituaries
- Kandi Kay Cruse ~ 03-29-1958 to 06-27-2025
- Jessica Cae Pritchett ~ 08-30-1981 to 06-26-2025
- Jackie Junior “Jack” Hewitt ~ 07-17-1935 to 06-18-2025
- Priscilla “Pat” Haney Smith ~ 11-19-1935 to 06-07-2025
- Ron Arbogast ~ 08-31-1946 to 06-05-2025
- Richard “Dick” Smith ~ 04-18-1942 to 06-22-2025
- Charles Edwin Sutterby ~ 06-20-1951 to 06-19-2025
- Windfred Allen DeMott ~ 09-15-1940 to 06-07-2025
NEWS
Commissioners discuss various budgets

SEKMHC in mix At the end of a meeting attended by two of the three commissioners, a discussion was held regarding several of the proposed budgets for next year. Commissioners Alison Hamilton and Jim Johnson first discussed the proposed budget for Southeast Kansas Mental Health.... [More]
City learns of fire gear condition

Pleasanton Fire Department ISO inspection July 16 Following the appointment of new Fire Chief Jimmy Watts as Pleasanton Fire Chief, the Pleasanton Council heard of the condition of bunker gear Monday night at their bi-weekly meeting. Watts reported the truck ran with the... [More]
La Cygne leaders discuss food truck follow-up

Police chief to draft updated clarifying ordinance La Cygne leaders anticipate considering a draft ordinance soon on transient food trucks following discussion at last Wednesday’s regular council meeting precipitated by a local business owner’s complaint last month.... [More]
More News
- special: SCOTUS agrees to hear Women's Sports Case
- SPECIA;: Schmidt Votes to Cancel Massive Tax Hike, Secure Border, and Lower Federal Spending
- NOTICE:
- Pleasanton awarded $617,000 KDOT street grant
- Commissioners discuss development zoning appeals
- Questions on employee emails leads to lengthy discussion
- NOTICE:
- Tanglewood Lakes files suit against Board of County Commissioners
SPORTS
Nobodys wins Blue Mound co-ed softball tournament

The team called Nobodys wins the Blue Mound 4th of July co-ed softball tournament on July 5. This year the tournament consisted of eight teams. The Nobodys is Keith Morrell’s team and has been a part of the softball tournament since it started three years ago.
Pleasanton 12-14 baseball wins championship

The Pleasanton 12-14 baseball team wins their league tournament on June 30 to July 1. Pleasanton hosted the tournament and won in the championship against La Cygne 11-7.
More Sports
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Summer Ball Tournaments
- Pleasanton/Jayhawk trapshooting team places seventh at State, Wallace earns State championship
- Joey Ewalt impacting youth wrestling here and abroad
- Prairie View trapshooting competes at State
- Pleasanton and Jayhawk baseball on the 2025 All TRL team
- Jayhawk Linn softball has three All TRL unanimous selections
- Trenton Broyles leads Hawks at State track
OBITUARIES POLICY
• May be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered.
• Must be received by 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning in order to appear in that week's edition.
• Obituaries submitted by funeral homes will be billed to the funeral home.
• Full obituaries submitted by individuals are required to be paid in advance.
• Cost: $40 for 300 words or less. Each additional word over 300, 10¢. Photograph $5.
Call Barbara at 913-352-6235 or e-mail linncountynewsreporter@gmail.com

