Author: Brandon Peoples

Manhattan has found its next Director of Community Development. Stephanie Peterson, who currently serves as Executive Director of the Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Organization, has been hired to fill the position and will start on May 9. She will succeed Eric Cattell, who retired in March. Peterson will oversee the city department which administers different aspects of development, land subdivision, long-range and current planning and housing and zoning issues within Manhattan. Peterson joined the Flint Hills MPO as Transportation Planner in 2013, shortly after its designation by the State of Kansas. It provides a regional forum to coordinate transportation planning…

Firefighters responded to a house fire Sunday afternoon in southwest Manhattan. The Manhattan Fire Department says crews were dispatched shortly before 12:30 p.m. to 2911 Dondee Drive. Upon arrival, firefighters found light smoke showing from the rear of the single-story home. Crews searched the home for occupants and extinguished a stove fire that had spread into the hood and to the outside of the structure. The fire was put out within 10 minutes. One occupant was evaluated on scene by Riley County EMS for smoke inhalation. That person and five dogs got out of the home prior to firefighters arriving…

As the hospitality industry continues to rebound from the past two years of slow activity, those who market Manhattan as a meeting destination are out promoting its offerings. Members of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted the “Oh Manhattan Road Show” at the KSU Olathe campus Thursday, an opportunity to showcase why Manhattan is a great place to host events. CVB Executive Director Karen Hibbard says some meeting planners aren’t aware of what Kansas has to offer beyond Lawrence. “Kansas is a great place to enjoy and certainly we want them to choose Manhattan,…

A Manhattan businessman who operated a concrete company is now banned from doing business in Kansas. According to a release from Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office Thursday, Douglas L. Bell III, doing business as Custom Concrete Contractors, LLC, was permanently banned for violating a 2021 consent judgment that alleged violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act. Shawnee County District Judge Mary Christopher ruled Wednesday that Bell was in contempt for failing to abide by the provisions of the 2021 judgment, including the payment of $13,606.55 in restitution to two Shawnee County consumers. He was also fined $40,000 in penalties…

Pottawatomie County officials say road construction will impact a rural route south of Olsburg for the next month and a half. Starting Monday, Booth Creek Road will be closed between Garrison and Sagebrush Roads to allow for work to repair an area along Booth Creek that slid due to groundwater. The project location is roughly 4.5 miles south of Olsburg. Excavations will be made along and across Booth Creek Road to intercept the groundwater and the west slope and shoulder will be rebuilt and stabilized. The work is expected to be completed by May 20, weather permitting.

Area lawmakers are scheduled to take part in a mid-term legislative forum Saturday. The forum will take place at the Manhattan Public Library Auditorium. State Sen. Tom Hawk will take part in the event along with Manhattan State Representatives Sydney Carlin and Mike Dodson, Wamego State Representative Ron Highland and Clay Center State Representative Suzi Carlson. The event is being sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County, the local chapter of the American Association of University Women and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. The event begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. Those who can’t attend can stream the…

A late Wichita businessman’s estate includes a $17 million scholarship and recognition fund that is being established at Kansas State University. According to a release from the university Thursday, Robert “Bob” Campbell, who owned and operated his oil and gas operation in Wichita for 56 years, left the gift as part of his estate following his March 2021 passing. The World War II Army veteran graduated from K-State in 1950 and launched his company in 1963. He was inducted into the K-State College of Business Administration Distinguished Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2016. The Robert E. Campbell Opportunity Scholarship…

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ♡٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ EᖇYKᗩᕼ?ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ٨♡ (@weeluvv._erykah) A police investigation continues following a series of large fights which broke out at Junction City High School one week ago. The above video, shared publicly following the incident on a student’s Instagram page, shows how quickly the situation escalated. Since the March 24 incident in the building’s cafeteria, 14 students have been suspended. Geary County Schools Superintendent Dr. Reginald Eggleston weighed in on the situation Wednesday on KMAN’s In Focus, where he noted steps are being taken to discourage acts of violence. “We try to…

The City of Manhattan has announced a new spokesperson who will lead the city’s communications efforts. Andrew Lawson has been hired as the Communications Manager and Public Information Officer, and will be tasked with strategic development and implementation of citywide communications for external and internal stakeholders. He will also provide and coordinate communication activities on a broad range of programs, services, issues and policies, including day-to-day operations under a newly formed Communications Division, comprising of two additional marketing positions. Lawson comes to Manhattan after working as the PIO for the City of Arkansas City. He also served as president of…

A Manhattan man is now in custody after he reportedly failed to show for his trial last November and then disappeared for several months. 29-year-old John Galloway was brought into custody Friday on three counts of failure to appear and a single count of probation violation. Galloway has three pending cases in Riley County District Court. He’s charged with four counts of theft, two counts of attempted aggravated burglary, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, motor vehicle burglary and other charges. Galloway was reportedly located in Kansas City, Missouri at the time of his arrest. He was jailed on a total bond…