Author: Brandon Peoples

Manhattan city officials say the major phase of its levee improvement project is nearing completion and the nearby trails will be allowed to reopen in a few weeks. The city announced on Monday that beginning June 28, the southern section of the Linear Trail from South Manhattan Ave. to the boat ramp at U.S. Highway 24 will reopen to the public for the first time in 2 and a half years of construction. The River Trails, along the west bank of the Kansas River, will also be reopening. Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Stewart says the reopening ties in with June…

Riley County has officially announced the appointment of Bryant Parker as the county’s new Deputy Counselor. His appointment follows months of shuffling within the County Counselor’s office, following the April departure of Shelly Woodard, who held the position for less than a year after replacing Craig Cox, who retired in September. He’ll assist County Counselor Clancy Holeman, who also will be retiring at the end of this year. Parker will assist in providing legal counsel to county commissioners, handling contractual agreements, benefit districts, human resource matters and the annual filing of tax foreclosure cases. He will also represent the county…

Authorities are investigating after an incident of forgery in Manhattan. According to the Riley County Police Department, Thermal Comfort Air reported a known subject cashed a check written to a vendor. totaling more than $15,000. As of Monday, police hadn’t made any arrests. The incident was reported Friday morning in the 700 block of Pecan Circle, in southwest Manhattan. The investigation is ongoing.

A Manhattan man is jailed in Riley County after police say he injured a woman by throwing a chair at her. The Riley County Police Department says 42-year-old William Webster has been charged on suspicion of aggravated battery. He also is charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. A 61-year-old woman reported to police that Webster struck her with a metal patio chair. The incident was reported in the 800 block of Dondee Drive in southwest Manhattan. She was transported to Via Christi by EMS for non life-threatening injuries. Webster remains jailed on a $20,000 bond.

Former Fort Riley Fire Chief and Pottawatomie County Emergency Management Director John Boyd died Friday at the age of 70. Boyd retired as the Fort Riley Fire Chief in 2004, following a 31-year career with the federal government, according to his obituary. He was emergency manager in Pottawatomie County from 2003 to 2008 and was employed by the State of Kansas with the Firefighters Relief Act until his retirement in 2014. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps until his discharge in 1976. Boyd will lie in state at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home…

Flint Hills Breadbasket has secured the location of its new building in Manhattan. The organization said in a Facebook post Friday that it has completed the purchase of the Furniture Warehouse buildings at 2326 Skyvue Lane and 620 Rosencutter Road. The move will allow the Breadbasket to expand and continue to meet a growing need for food in the community. Steve Williams, the second generation owner of Furniture Warehouse, told The Mercury that he and his wife have been working on a 10-year-plan to move toward retirement. It began selling off its remaining inventory on June 6. The “quitting business…

Local officials are responding to Thursday’s announcement from Caterpillar that it plans to shutter its Wamego facility sometime next year. Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem says they learned of the situation late in the day Thursday. Eichem says the announcement comes as a major blow to the community. Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Shanna Goodman provided the following statement Friday morning. “This news is a significant disappointment for our entire region, as Caterpillar has been an integral part of our community for decades. We are actively collaborating with regional partners to provide resources and support for displaced workers.…

Riley County Commissioners on Thursday unanimously approved an easement requested by the Kansas Department of Transportation for an upcoming roundabout project at Hwy 13 and Tuttle Creek Blvd. KDOT is purchasing a little more than an acre of land on county property near the volunteer fire district’s station 112, located on Hwy 13 near Tuttle Creek Dam. KDOT will pay the county $1,837.50 as it prepares for the upcoming project. Public Works Director John Ellerman… “Basically the easement was to improve the drainage. They increased the depth of the creek and lined it with rock to ensure the drainage comes across there…

Caterpillar has announced it will close its Wamego facility next year. The closure will occur in mid-2025 according to a company spokesperson. An official statement was released late Thursday: “To better utilize capacity and ensure alignment with the company’s long-term strategy, Caterpillar Inc. today notified its workforce at its Wamego, Kansas, facility that it will close in mid- 2025. This facility manufactures work tools and attachments. The company will support employees during this transition.” The Wamego facility manufactures and distributes a large variety of machine attachments for than 25 different product groups, according to information on its company website. The…

One person was injured Wednesday afternoon following a crash in east Manhattan. The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened just after 12:30 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of Hwy 24 near the Manhattan Town Center when a van failed to yield while crossing the eastbound lanes and was struck by an oncoming pickup. The driver of the van, 64-year-old Odessa Richardson-Williams, of Manhattan was transported to Via Christi for a suspected minor injury. The crash report states there was a minor in the vehicle, but juvenile records are protected data. Authorities say the driver and passenger in the other vehicle,…