The Parsons Sun

06/02/2026

Deep Fission just announced a partnership with Day & Zimmerman to complete above-ground construction of the company's Gravity Nuclear Reactor.

We’re excited to announce our partnership with Day & Zimmermann for the construction of our Gravity Nuclear Reactor.

As an engineering, procurement, and construction company and leader in the nuclear power industry, they will oversee the project’s pre-construction planning and perform above-ground construction.

Our project site is located at the Great Plains Industrial Park in Parsons, Kansas, as part of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Reactor Pilot Program.

Read more: https://www.dayzim.com/news/day-zimmermann-deep-fission-partner-to-build-underground-small-modular-reactor?utm_campaign=34502730-DZMC%20Nuclear&utm_content=378547602&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&hss_channel=lcp-12273 U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy

06/02/2026

UPDATE: 6-2-26 11:50am, the subject has been located and taken into custody. There is no longer any other outstanding subjects.

🚨🚨PSA 06-02-2026🚨🚨

The Kansas Highway Patrol - Troop H along with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Coffeyville Police Department are in the area of US Highway 169 and County Road 3000 north of the Coffeyville industrial Park. Looking for a subject that fled from KHP on a traffic stop.

We are asking the public to keep an eye out for a dark complected, female, small in nature, wearing a tie-dye shirt and green shorts. She is roughly 5’6in and weighs 130 pounds. She is not from this area.

If you see her please do not approach. There is information that she could be armed with a knife. If you see her please call 911!!

06/01/2026

A ribbon-cutting was held for the Douglass School Memorial, located at 822 S. Central this morning. A full story will be included in an upcoming edition of the Parsons Sun

05/21/2026

MUSIC IN THE PARK, MOVIES ON BROADWAY POSTPONED DUE TO WEATHER

From Music in the Park Concert Series

The weather is continuing to get worse and colder, so we have made the decision to postpone the Music in the Park's Dillon Leggett Band Concert tonight. The band has agreed to perform Thursday, August 6, extending our series by one week.
The Movie in the Park will also be rescheduled as a part of the Movies On Broadway Series - watch for the new date!
Thanks for your interest in the series and for being so patient for the information concerning tonight's concert.
Enjoy Katy Days this weekend. Lots of music and entertainment.

05/20/2026

Statement Regarding Media Coverage of Personnel Matter

From Labette Community College

Labette Community College is aware of recent media coverage concerning allegations of unprofessional conduct involving a college employee.

The College takes all concerns regarding employee conduct seriously. In accordance with established policies and procedures, the matter was reviewed through the appropriate internal process. That process included an investigation, prior to and after the media coverage, to determine whether College policies or procedures had been violated.

Because this matter involves personnel information, Labette Community College is legally and ethically obligated to protect the privacy rights of those involved. As a result, the College cannot disclose specific details of the investigation, its findings, or any personnel actions that may have been taken.

“Labette Community College is committed to maintaining a professional, respectful, and safe learning and working environment,” said President Dr. Mark Watkins. “When concerns are brought forward, we review them carefully and take appropriate action consistent with College policy, applicable law, and our responsibility to protect confidentiality.”

The College understands the public interest in this matter and appreciates the role of the media in seeking information. However, personnel privacy laws and institutional policy limit what can be shared publicly. The College remains committed to transparency where possible while also honoring its legal obligations and the privacy of employees, students, and others involved.

Labette Community College will continue to uphold its standards of professionalism and accountability and will follow its established processes whenever concerns are reported.

05/19/2026

Alex Coplon is no longer the head baseball coach at Labette Community College.

No interim coach has been named yet.

The move comes after the Sun published a report examining Coplon's tenure with Labette.

A full report on Coplon's departure will be published in the Friday, May 22 edition of the Sun.

05/19/2026

With school getting out and summer on the horizon, there are lots of activities to do in Parsons this week and throughout the season.

This Thursday, Music in the Park kicks off with the Dillon Legget Band at 7:30 p.m. at the Seaton Family Pavilion in Forest Park.

The Parsons Public Library will then present “The Greatest Showman” after dusk.

The Medallion Hunt for Katy Days began yesterday, and the main activities will begin on Friday.

What are some of your favorite Katy Days memories? What are you most excited to do this year?

This will be my first Katy Days as a new resident of Parsons!

-Hannah E.
Editor

05/06/2026

MULTIPLE SCHOOLS ADDRESS THREATS MADE

Multiple locations in Southeast Kansas have had reported threats of violence made this afternoon, including Parsons, Chanute, Humboldt, Oswego and Fort Scott.

Parsons High School did go on lockdown after this threat was made at roughly 1:30 p.m., and Parsons Police Department responded, checking the interior and exterior of the building for threats. Students are released to move between classes, but not to leave the building at this time.

According to Police Chief Bob Spinks, PPD will remain on site for now to monitor the situation at the school.

Across the state, multiple schools have had threats made against them in what appears to be a statewide "swatting" incident.

Swatting is where an individual or group attempts to get emergency services to respond in a specific location under false pretenses.

More details will follow as more is learned about this incident.

05/04/2026

U.S. 160 in Montgomery County to close for reconstruction

From Kansas Department of Transportation

The Kansas Department of Transportation will begin on or about May 6 to reconstruct a section of U.S. 160 in Montgomery County at the Bartlett soybean processing plant.

The contractor began setting up the detour signs on May 4, and U.S. 160 between U.S. 169 and County Road 5500 should be closed on or near May 6, conditions permitting.

The official state detour follows U.S. 169, U.S. 166 and U.S. 59. KDOT uses state highways for official detour routes for safety, weight and maintenance concerns. While K-101 is in the detour boundaries, many bridges on this section of road are not rated for heavier trucks. The road is also narrow.

Through traffic on U.S. 160 will be stopped at County Road 5500 on the east and U.S. 169 on the west. Commercial traffic will be able to access the soybean plant and landfill from U.S. 169 during construction using a temporary road.

The project will create 12-foot driving lanes on U.S. 160, add 8-foot shoulders, build turning lanes on the highway at County Road 5300 for Bartlett and the landfill and smooth out/expand ditches. A paved surface also will extend north from U.S. 160 on CR 5300 for a short distance. Work should be done by May 2027, conditions permitting.

Wildcat Construction Co. Inc. & Subsidiaries, of Wichita, has the $8,730,036.03 contract for the project.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. For current road conditions, visit kandrive.gov or call 511. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/projects/southeast-kansas-projects.

In other KDOT news, A Kansas Department of Transportation bridge repair project on U.S. 160 in Montgomery County has been completed.

The project repaired a bridge over Big Hill Creek about 2 miles east of U.S. 169 to extend the bridge's useful life. Work concluded around May 1.

05/01/2026

A months-long investigation by the Sun into Labette Community College baseball coach Alex Coplon’s conduct revealed several trends that have adversely impacted athletes and the community.

Concerns discovered by the Sun through several interviews with sources include multiple baseball players being accused of violating the college’s policy on sexual harassment during Coplon’s tenure. Coplon took over as head coach in the summer of 2019.

In the midst of a futile season this spring, Coplon allegedly stopped holding organized practices, according to sources.

Coplon was also antagonistic to the Parsons High School baseball coach, which led the high school to move its home games from Marvel Park to Winway Park.

The full report is published in today's edition of the Sun.