Author: Brandon Peoples

Federal and state engineers have started an innovative dredging project at Tuttle Creek Reservoir which aims to address decades of sediment buildup. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Kansas Water Office on Wednesday began a 10-day demonstration of water injection dredging — a technology never before tested in a reservoir. It’s the first of three phases to gauge whether the method can remove sediment and extend Tuttle Creek Lake’s lifespan. “We are about half full of sediment right now from the original constructed storage that we had there in the multi-purpose pool,” said Laura Totten, Army Corps of Engineers…

The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday sent a rezoning request for two properties east of City Park back to the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board. The applicant, Gavin Schmidt, has been petitioning to rezone 300 North 11th Street and 1020 Leavenworth, for almost a year. Doing so would allow both properties, which currently have deteriorating older homes on them, to potentially be used for single family-attached housing, such as a townhome or duplex. “If we can allow for more people to live in its urban core, more people get to experience this neighborhood, more people get to interact with these…

An amended development agreement was approved this week for a workforce housing project on Moro Street after the developer increased the scope of the project. The city commission in June approved an initial agreement for Frontier Development to receive a property tax abatement for a five-unit townhome project at 716 Moro St. Company partner Tyler Holloman said after an oversight on parking regulations, he and fellow developer Ben Burton were able to increase the project from five to seven units, taking the project from a single-floor concept to a two-story concept with a smaller footprint. To view the full article…

A week after controversial comments made by board member Katie Allen, regarding the murder of conservative pundit Charlie Kirk, the USD 383 school board Wednesday evening approved a resolution calling for her resignation. The measure passed on a 5-1 vote, with Jayme Morris-Hardeman the lone member to oppose. Allen abstained from voting, but in her opening statement Wednesday night said she had no intentions of stepping down. We’ll have more on this story Thursday on KMAN’s Morning News and at TheMercury.com.

After several meetings and public discussion, the Manhattan City Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday to consider exceeding the revenue neutral rate before voting to finalize the 2026 fiscal year budget. The budget includes a 1.35-mill increase, bringing it to 54.459, and increasing property taxes for the average Manhattan homeowner by 7.7% based on a 5% average increase in existing, single-family home valuations. For example, a homeowner who paid $610.75 in property taxes on a $100,000 home in 2025 would pay $657.59 on a home worth $105,000 in 2026. The budget includes a 0.216-mill increase for the general fund,…

The future of indoor aquatics and upgrades to CiCo Park remain a hot topic in Manhattan. Parks and Recreation officials are preparing a revised survey to gauge public support for a $60 million indoor water facility. Director Aaron Stewart told the Parks and Rec advisory board Monday that he and deputy city manager Jason Hilgers gathered feedback last week from city, county and school district officials to help shape the survey. All three entities own a stake in the park. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local news.

Riley County dispatch officials said the storm siren activation that occurred just after 10 a.m. Wednesday was accidental and was believed to have been caused following testing of K-State’s emergency notification system. Officials said there was no emergency reported. Typically, the sirens are tested on the first Monday of each month, unless the first Monday is a holiday. Because of inclement weather on Sept. 8, county officials decided to push back the regular monthly testing one week. It is now scheduled to take place Sept. 15.

City officials are moving forward with plans to acquire final easements for the K-18/Fort Riley Boulevard sidewalk gap project. City commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved an ordinance that allows the city to continue negotiations with the two remaining property owners and, if necessary, proceed with condemnation to secure the land. “We do have monetary verbal agreements on those two easements with exact details yet to be completed,” public works director Brian Johnson said. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local news.

City commissioners pushed back Tuesday on a draft survey that would measure public interest in supporting a future indoor aquatics center. The city of Manhattan hopes to poll 400 registered voters to gauge support for funding a potential project through property or sales taxes. Commissioners, including Jayme Minton, raised concerns that some of the survey questions may be unclear or give conflicting options. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local news.

City commissioners meet Tuesday night with a full agenda, including finalizing a survey on a potential indoor aquatics facility. Previous studies showed a strong desire from the community for indoor aquatics, which only increased with the shuttering of K-State’s Natatorium. City staff have contracted with ETC Institute to design the statistically-valid survey, which they hope will also gauge community support for a broader improvement project at CiCo Park. Commissioners also will weigh an ordinance allowing condemnation of two properties tied to the Fort Riley Boulevard sidewalk gap project. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local…