Having a proper administrator will help Riley County have a “seat at the table” with other entities, Mike Dodson told commissioners at Thursday’s meeting. Dodson, a former legislator, mayor and commanding general at Fort Riley, spoke as part of the Citizen Group for Advancing Riley County Growth and Prosperity, to share its conclusions in a presentation. The commission in February hired a consultant to make a recommendation on changes to the county’s leadership structure. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Author: Megan Moser
USD 383 officials said Wednesday they’ve seen modest academic gains and are addressing ongoing challenges in the district’s latest accountability report. Andrea Tiede, director of teaching and learning for the Manhattan-Ogden District, shared with the school board some data comparing 2024 and 2025 in several areas. According to data, the district’s graduation rate stood at 83.3% percent in 2025, up from 82.8% in 2024. The state rate is 90.5%. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
One year in, the cell phone policy in USD 383 schools is driving improved classroom engagement and behavior, district officials said Wednesday, though a new Kansas law may soon require stricter enforcement and create new challenges. Officials gave a report reflecting on the policy’s first year during the Manhattan-Ogden school board meeting Wednesday at Lincoln Education Center. The policy requires students keep devices in bags, pockets or special pouches, though they can use them during passing periods and at lunch. More than 92% of educators reported improved student engagement under the policy, while about 94% said classroom climate has improved,…
The USD 383 school board on Wednesday voted unanimously to refinance old debt to save money. The issue arose because the district’s outstanding Series 2016 bonds are approaching eligibility for refinancing. Superintendent Eric Reid said at the board meeting that every so often market conditions shift so that it becomes prudent to refinance past debt. The outstanding amount for the Series 2016 bonds is $43.19 million, with interest rates ranging from 3% to 5%. The district is in a position to get a lower interest rate, which could result in a savings of an estimated $600,000 to $700,000, depending on…
Officials are planning for a lot of comings and goings at Fort Riley over the next two years. Unit deployments and redeployments will see a high of 14,000 soldiers on post and a low of 6,000 soldiers on base, according to a recent report from Fort Riley officials. The estimate of “troops on station” is tentative and a little vague, but it provides a snapshot of what the 1st Infantry Division is doing and how that affects the regional economy. Fort Riley’s total Army soldier population is about 14,000. That doesn’t count family members (15,482), civilian employees (4,475) and a…
The Manhattan-Ogden school board on Wednesday debated whether too much screen time was hurting students — and whether moving away from devices would hobble students down the road. The board was revisiting a discussion about replacing iPads after having tied 3-3 on the issue at a previous meeting. On Wednesday, board members voted 5-2 to replace 1,200 iPads in the district at a cost of $388,800. Board members Courtney Jane Hochman and Katie Allen opposed. Currently, every student in the district has an assigned device. The district repairs or replaces them on a rolling basis. To view the full article…
Manhattan Housing Authority is in a state of “substantial default,” according to a letter from the federal government obtained by The Mercury. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development officials say MHA, which oversees federally subsidized low-income housing, is in default “with respect to the covenants or conditions to which the public housing agency is subject.” In 2018, MHA received a low score on its routine assessment and was required to show substantial improvement on subsequent annual assessments. To view the full article visit theMercury.com. Click here for more local Manhattan news.
USD 383 school board president Jayme Morris-Hardeman on Thursday attracted attention for an anti-ICE post on Facebook. Morris-Hardeman, who in November was re-elected to the Manhattan-Ogden board and in January became president, commented on a friend’s post “Thank you for being an amazing support for all our students. And F*** ICE.” The post to which she was responding was an image that said, “Every student. Every background. Every identity. Every learner. Every story.” To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Recess is about to get even better for students at Lee Elementary. The USD 383 school board on Wednesday unanimously approved new turf and equipment for the school’s playground at a cost of $375,000. According to a memo, the district has a rotation for replacing turf on all its school playgrounds and playground equipment every 20 years. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.
Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark told Kansas legislators on Monday that states should invest in their public universities because they are economic drivers. Yormark spoke during meeting of the Joint Committee on Commerce at the Capitol. The meeting was an informational session that touched on recent changes that have changed the face of college athletics, including the player portal and revenue sharing, which involves universities paying athletes directly. Yormark, appearing via Zoom, said he is looking for innovative ways to stay competitive among the other Power 4 conferences. To view the full article visit theMercury.com.