Leah Wankum 

Village_Fest_Bubbles_playing-1

Fourth of July 2023 options include the 27th annual VillageFest.

There are many ways to celebrate Fourth of July 2023 in Johnson County, from family-friendly events like VillageFest to fireworks displays. Above, kids play with bubbles at VillageFest 2022. File photo.

Hi there! I'm Leah Wankum, and I'm the Post's Deputy Editor.

I'm thrilled to call Johnson County home, and I'm deeply committed to the Post's philosophy that an informed community is a strong community.

But we can't produce truly local coverage of Johnson County without your support. To the more than 7,000 of you who already subscribe, THANK YOU! If you don't subscribe yet but want to support our truly local community reporting, please sign up for a trial today — it's just $1 for your first month, and you can cancel anytime.

A bit about me and my background:

I'm a native of mid-Missouri, and attended high school in Jefferson City before going on to the University of Central Missouri, where I earned a master's degree in mass communication.

Prior to joining the Post as a reporter in 2018, I was the editor of the Richmond News in Ray County, Missouri. I've also written for several publications, including the Sedalia Democrat and KC Magazine.