Author: Brandon Peoples

Rep. Sydney Carlin said Monday she decided to flip her vote last week on a package of 15 overrides of Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget vetoes because of K-State. Carlin, a Manhattan Democrat, told The Mercury her decision was based on protecting a funding request from Kansas State University to construct a diagnostic laboratory at the university’s Veterinary Medical Center. “There’s been some argument about whether it was really a state lab or not,” she said. “(Kelly) vetoed it two years in a row, and I thought, ‘This can’t go on.’” To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for…

One person is jailed following a several-month-long narcotics investigation led by Junction City Police and the Geary County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities said 39-year-old Mashaun Baker, of Junction City, was arrested Wednesday on a host of charges after officers executed search warrants at two homes in the 1100 block of Haven Drive and the 2000 block of Thompson Drive in Junction City. Charges include distribution, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture a controlled substance, unlawful acquisition of proceeds from drug transactions, possession of stolen property and no drug tax stamp. Officers seized approximately 1.25 pounds of…

Jayme Minton was appointed to fill a vacancy on the commission in May 2024, following the resignation of former commissioner Wynn Butler. She becomes the first candidate to officially file for the 2025 city race. In a statement to the Manhattan Mercury Wednesday, Minton said she has enjoyed serving and connecting with the community to better understand the needs and processes of the city. “As a commission, we have engaged in major initiatives to secure and grow our community now and into the future,” she said. “I am excited to run for city commission this fall and continue to grow…

The city of Manhattan is considering a roundabout at Anderson Avenue and Bellehaven Road, near K-State’s Unger Complex. City staff members presented to the commission on Tuesday a proposal to include a roundabout or signalized intersection as part of the city’s upcoming reconstruction of Anderson Avenue over the next two years. Assistant city manager Wyatt Thompson said staff members are in favor of the roundabout option. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local news.

Parking will be a challenge in Aggieville this summer because of construction, so business owners want city officials to nix parking fees. The Manhattan city government plans to close Moro Street from North Manhattan Avenue to 12th Street as well as from 11th to 12th Street for street improvements. City commissioners on Tuesday considered a request to waive parking fees in the garage during the 30-day construction window, from May 19 through June 20. “This is really important for us to try to get some relief and to try to keep these businesses as viable as we can,” said Dennis…

Officials have revised the total acres burned in a Monday evening wildfire in far northeast Riley County. According to a Tuesday news release from the county, the Harmony Road fire scorched an estimated 650 acres, down from initial estimates of 1,000 acres. No injuries were reported to people or livestock and no structures were threatened. The fire involved a prescribed burn that became out of control and burned for several hours before firefighters brought it under control. “We are incredibly grateful for the assistance from neighboring counties, the State of Kansas and our dedicated volunteer firefighters,” said Russel Stukey, director…

Pottawatomie County officials are set to honor more veterans at a ceremony next week. “We are ready to install another plaque on the veterans memorial that has 50 names of citizens that reside or have resided in the county,” said Becky Ryan, Pottawatomie County Public Information Officer. The ceremony is scheduled for 11 am Monday at the memorial, at the northwest corner of Main and 2nd Street in Westmoreland. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more Pottawatomie County news.

Firefighters are responding to a brush fire in extreme northeastern Riley County. According to Riley County officials, firefighters were dispatched around 3:30 pm to a prescribed burn that got out of control. As of 6:45 pm a large area was still burning in a mostly rural area of northeast Riley County, near the borders of Marshall and Pottawatomie counties. The State of Kansas has dispatched the Dickinson County Task Force and the county is receiving mutual aid from Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie counties. An aircraft is also dropping water on the fire, according to county PIO Vivienne Leyva. About 50…

One person was injured Friday in work zone crash on I-70 in Geary County. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash, a Toyota Highlander was traveling eastbound around 9:15 pm near mile post 301, when the driver swerved to avoid an animal in the road. That caused a trailing semi truck to strike the Highlander from behind. The roadway was down to a single lane of traffic due to construction. The 24-year-old semi driver from Mississippi, was transported to a local hospital with only a minor injury. The other driver, 64-year-old Jeffrey Tanner, of Manhattan, was not injured.

City officials on Tuesday will receive an update on Anderson Avenue reconstruction and a proposed intersection improvement project near K-State’s Unger Complex. The Manhattan City Commission meets for its bi-monthly work session at 6 pm on Tuesday at City Hall. The Anderson project will get underway in June and includes new sidewalks, water, sewer and stormwater improvements between Connecticut Ave. to Harris Ave. The project will be done in three phases and is expected to last two years, concluding in summer 2027. City staff will present potential options to improve safety between at Anderson and Bellehaven Road, on the east…