City commissioners on Tuesday dissolved the Frederick Douglass Recreation Complex Advisory Board upon its request. The commission’s decision also added two positions to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and amended that board’s bylaws. This consolidation makes a nine-member PRAB board with a requirement to use best efforts that two members are from Ward 1, Precinct 1 to preserve the Douglass board’s community representation. The Douglass board’s members voted 4-2 in favor of the dissolution because they felt they lacked purpose while struggling to meet a quorum and recruit new members. Their vote was predicated on PRAB’s expansion. To view…
Author: Cole Bertelsen
Carlos O’Kelly’s closed its doors permanently Tuesday after 37 years of business in Manhattan. The company confirmed the closure in a statement. “Closing our Manhattan Carlos O’Kelly’s was a difficult business decision,” restaurant officials said in an email to The Mercury. “Like many in the restaurant industry, we continually evaluate performance, and despite our best efforts and trying everything we could, we simply couldn’t make it work in this location. Our focus right now is on our team. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local Manhattan news.
The building at 520 McCall Road can now be the site of restaurants and retail operations after city commissioners approved its rezoning. The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the rezoning from light industrial to industrial commercial services zoning. Dave Dreiling, owner of Booth Creek Wagyu and whose real estate company applied for the rezoning, told The Mercury this opens up far more potential for the space. “The new zoning will allow us to do a lot wider range of things in there since we don’t know who all the tenants will be yet, and the front of the…
Riley County Police Department will be solely responsible for enforcing animal-related ordinances as of Jan. 1 after entering a new contract with the city. The Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board approved an agreement Monday for the city to transfer specialty vehicles and equipment for animal control needs. RCPD acknowledged and agreed that it will be the sole enforcement authority of animal-related ordinances within city limits. The Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board approved the contract Monday in a 5-2 vote, with Barry Wilkerson and Kathryn Focke voting against. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more Riley…
A new camera surveillance agreement will allow the Riley County Police Department to access city camera feeds in real time. Manhattan city commissioners approved the license agreement with RCPD and the Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board on Tuesday. RCPD has a contract with the intelligence platform Axon Fusus to deploy a RealTime Intelligence Center program. Fusus allows RCPD to integrate with RCPD’s existing cameras and third party camera systems such as local business and now the city of Manhattan’s camera system, including its traffic cameras. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local Manhattan news.
The Manhattan City Commission awarded a quarter-million dollar construction contract Tuesday to ABcreative Inc. for a new playground to be located next to the new Steel and Pipe Supply Ballfields, currently under construction in CiCo Park. The playground will sit at the northeast end of the park near Kimball Avenue. Aaron Stewart, director of Parks and Recreation, said a playground was always planned to accompany the ballfields, but “we just weren’t sure when that would be.” “We actually tried to salvage the original equipment from 2001,” he said. “We looked into what it would cost to refurbish that and reinstall…
Riley County has experienced a lower crime rate than the state average for the past 21 years, Riley County Police Department Director Brian Peete told city commissioners Tuesday. At the same time, Peete said 214 of the jail’s 224 allotted spaces are filled, and stressed the continued need for additional room in the jail. He said the county is aware of the jail’s need. There were 198 violent crimes reported during 2024, which is a crime rate of 2.8 per 1,000 individuals. Aggravated assault and battery accounts for 161 of those crimes. In 2024, 1,018 property crimes were reported. Thefts…
The city of Manhattan is preparing for snow-clearing this winter through cooperation with Riley County, Pottawatomie County and USD 383. Director of Public Works Brian Johnson told city commissioners during a work session Tuesday that some roads are designated as a coop, meaning that while a road belongs to and is typically maintained by one entity, another maintains it for snow and ice removal. Maps detailing what entities maintain different roads in Manhattan can be found on the city’s website. They also show what roads are designated as primary or residential. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here…
The Kansas Livestock Association wrapped up its yearly convention Friday after swearing in its new president and approving two new policies. The event was Wednesday through Saturday at the Manhattan Convention Center and Hilton Garden Inn. Last year, its 130th anniversary, KLA had its convention in Manhattan for the first time. Ty Breeden, a 2003 Kansas State University graduate and Quinter, Kansas, native, began his year-long term as KLA president on the final day of the conference. Members selected Jeff George, a cattle feeder from Garden City, as next year’s president-elect. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Manhattan city commissioners approved Kansas State University’s request to rezone a tract of land as part of its Edge District development plan. The 15.7 acre area on the northeast corner of Kimball and College Avenue was rezoned from university college district to mixed use in a unanimous 4-0 vote. Commissioner John Matta was not present at Tuesday’s commission meeting and did not vote. The planning board recommended approval of K-State’s request. Stephanie Peterson, director of community development, reminded the commission that the land could not be conditionally rezoned depending on what the university planned to do with it, providing it…