The City of Manhattan announced on Tuesday the appointment of Stephen Bridenstine as the next Director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center. As Director, Bridenstine will provide strategic direction and leadership for the Discovery Center, a leading museum and science center with the mission to inspire and educate guests about the history, heritage, and ecology of the Flint Hills tallgrass prairie. This includes managing a diverse team of museum and education professionals who oversee the day-to-day operations of the facility including its exhibits and program offerings. Bridenstine has been the Interim Director since May 2024 after the previous Director, Susan…
Author: KMAN Staff
Clay County Medical Center (CCMC) provided an update on the progress of its ongoing construction project, designed to expand and improve its facilities. The construction of the new addition to Clay Center Family Physicians (CCFP) has reached significant milestones. Exterior framing is well underway, establishing the structural framework for the expansion. The installation of exterior sheathing is set to begin soon, while wood blocking in window openings and parapet areas is being prepared to support the upcoming roofing installation. In the weeks ahead, the focus will shift to enclosing the building, marking a critical step toward preparing for interior work.…
City officials on Tuesday launched a plan to plow the lingering snow still piled along many streets from the blizzard more than a week ago. “Snow Blitz,” as local government officials are calling it, will focus on clearing space for two lanes of traffic on public streets, where possible. “We will address the following public infrastructure: alley entrances, ADA/sidewalk ramps, side streets and intersections and their corners,” Manhattan city officials said in a written statement. “The day after clearing a street, city crews plan to come back and apply treatment with salt brine to accelerate melting this week.” The plan…
Officers filed a report of theft in the 400 block of S. 6th Street on January 13, 2025, at approximately 3:33 PM. Officers listed a 53-year-old male as the victim when it was reported a known subject stole a phone from the victim. Total loss associated with this report is approximately $1,000. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000. Click here for past RCPD reports.
By Lewis Marien/The Mercury The K-State Gardens are celebrating a milestone birthday in 2025. More than 200 people filled the K-State Alumni Center Saturday for a luncheon to kick off a year-long 150th anniversary celebration of the gardens. K-State President Richard Linton announced a $150,000 donation to the gardens from the university to celebrate 150 years. In his welcoming remarks, he said he and his wife, Sally, walk the campus each week — except last week because there were 15 inches of snow on the ground — and several of their routes include the gardens at 1500 Denison Ave. The…
By Annie Wolfe/Times of Pott County The county commission was back to business this week after last week’s blizzard closed the county Monday, Jan 6. It was standing room only to bid farewell to Commissioner Pat Weixelman and Commissioner Greg Riat, as well as to witness the swearing in of newly elected officials. Several of those in attendance thanked the two outgoing commissioners. Pottawatomie resident Steve Minton kicked things off during the public comments portion of the meeting. He thanked Weixelman and Riat for their “common sense solutions” and for being “straight shooters”. The full story can be read at…
By Emma Loura/The Mercury Manhattan’s only available refuge for people needing warm shelter during last week’s severe winter storm was a volunteer-run shelter, and one local pastor is urging county officials to be more prepared in the future. During last week’s snow storm, the only refuge in town available for those without a place to stay was a volunteer-run shelter. The warming center, run by Center of Hope Ministries, is located at First Congregational United Church of Christ. Rev. Caela Simmons Wood, pastor at First Congregational, said this isn’t just to help people who are homeless but also those who…
President Joe Biden has awarded former U.S. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum the Presidential Citizens Medal. “The first woman to represent Kansas, Nancy Kassebaum was a force in the United States Senate,” the White House said in a statement. “From supporting a woman’s right to choose to reforming health care, she stood up for what she believed in even if it meant standing alone, and she reached across the aisle to do what she believed was right.” Kassebaum was one of 20 recipients of the medal, which was presented in a ceremony at the White House earlier this month. The full…
K-State on Friday unveiled a collaborative office space meant to facilitate cooperation between the university and the private sector. The facility is in the Kansas State University Foundation’s Edge District and brings together three entities: the Kansas State University Research Foundation, the Office of Corporate Engagement and K-State 105. Kansas Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland joined K-State President Richard Linton and other university leaders on Friday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The full story can be read at The Mercury. For more K-State news, click here.
The first Republican to hold the 22nd District seat in the Kansas Senate in more than a decade said he wants to prioritize trust, local control and fiscal responsibility. Brad Starnes officially took office in the state legislature Monday after defeating incumbent Usha Reddi, a Democrat Senator and former Manhattan mayor, in a November upset. Describing himself as a “moderate conservative,” Starnes is the first Republican to represent Manhattan in the State Senate since Roger Reitz left office in 2013. The full story can be read at The Mercury. For more local news, click here.