Author: Troy Coverdale

The Manhattan City Commission approved a new revenue bond program for developers who want to build speculative industrial buildings within city limits. The program would provide tax relief for builders who construct at least 50-thousand square feet in industrial space. It would give as much as a 95-percent abatement over the first five years if 50-percent or more of the building is leased. That number would then be 50-percent for years six-through-ten. Mayor Wynn Butler was enthusiastic about putting the plan in place. Commissioners Usha Reddi and Linda Morse did have one area of concern, seeking language in the agreements…

Update as of 4:00 pm on 10/04/21 The Geary County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victim of a shooting that took place on Sunday. 22 year old Enfinnity Latania Hayes, of Pensacola, Florida, was the victim. The incident took place at the Milford State Park Group Shelter around 8:30 pm at Milford State Park. Hayes was approached by a male described as 6’1” or taller dressed in all black. The suspect approached Hayes and her husband and attempted to rob the couple at gun point. There was a gun shot and the victim fell to the ground and she was…

Not quite a year after his passing, a crowd gathered at the Kansas State University Alumni Assocation Friday to celebrate the life of agricultural economics professor Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh. The farm policy heavyweight who harbored a love of cigars passed away November 2nd of last year. Former Senator Pat Roberts first met Flinchbaugh when working for then-Congressman Keith Sebelius. That first meeting came as they shared the backseat of a car on a trip to Oklahoma. The two worked on agricultural policy issues over nearly five decades and Roberts said that while the issues may have been serious, the conversations…

A process to resettle Afghans displaced by the upheaval when U.S. forces left their country will see the first group arrive in Manhattan in coming weeks. Manhattan-Ogden Schools USD 383 Assistant Superintendent Eric Reid addressing the county’s intergovernmental group earlier this week, as a local organizing group has been working in preparation ahead of refugees moving to the area. Reid said the early number he had been given was that the first group would total 50 in number and be coming the region within two weeks.

The weekly positive rate of coronavirus on campus at Kansas State University has dipped to its lowest point of the fall. According to the school’s weekly testing data dashboard, only nine people on campus tested positive for the virus last week out of 506 who were given tests. That’s a positive rate for the week of one-point-78. KSU Chief of Staff and Director of Community Relations Linda Cook says the school has been able to avoid outbreaks due to being proactive. The decline to the low percentage comes after a peak of an over eight-percent positive rate the week following Labor Day.

The draft of the first five-year strategic plan for the city of Manhattan will be made public later this week. The city commission got a look at materials tied to it at Tuesday’s work session, weighing in. Part of the discussion included remnants from the recent budget sessions, with Mayor Wynn Butler noting that he was looking for more substance when it comes to fiscal responsibility, including a suggestion that a debt limit be considered. Commissioner Mark Hatesohl was one expressing concern that the “at-a-glance” presentation was full of priorities sought by city staff. Sarah Bongiorno with Planning NEXT, the…

The Pottawatomie County Treasurer’s Office continues to deal with the after effects of a cyberattack that effectively shut it down last week. County treasurer Lisa Wright told the County Commission Monday morning that her office continues to work with the state to get Drivers License services back up and running. Wright said her office worked through the problems sporadically early last week before everything locked down at midweek. cyber Email remains down for all Pottawatomie County personnel and offices because of the attack.

The Courtyard by Marriott in Aggieville was the site of a Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting Thursday evening. McNeill Hotel Company CEO Mark Ricketts tells KMAN there was so much that made sense when the company was approached about building on the former city-owned parking lot along Bluemont Avenue. Ricketts says the hotel sold out for last weekend’s game against Nevada and is already on mark for bettering it’s expected income by the end of next month. The hotel includes a parking garage after being built on a former city-owned parking lot. Ricketts says it offered some design…

Manhattan City Commissioners signed off Tuesday night on a change order that will add 500-thousand dollars to the total paid for construction of the new parking garage in Aggieville. A fire suppression system is mandated for buildings four stories or taller, according to Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers. Hilgers told commissioners Tuesday night that it was an “unforced error” by city staff. But, commissioner Mark Hatesohl was critical of the late change The 450 spot garage is scheduled to open next spring, having cost more than 14 million dollars to build.

The Riley County Law Board has approved letters requesting the city of Manhattan and Riley County provide funding through American Rescue Plan Act grants that they’ll be receiving from the federal government. The funding would provide for a two-percent employee pay adjustment for the remainder of the year, cover Emergency Leave for COVID from 2020 that hasn’t been reimbursed, the purchase of a digital citiation system for use on patrol and to buy a truck for the Hazardous Evidence Response Team’s use. Captain Josh Kyle told the board the request was built around one-time funding items. Board member and Riley…