Local News

Riley County officials painted a grim picture of rising employee benefit costs following a new long-term analysis presented to county commissioners Thursday. The county’s human resources and budget and finance departments recently completed a seven-year review of benefit expenses, which concluded that the county’s long-standing estimate is no longer sufficient. Since 2020, Riley County budgeted [...]

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During this week’s Manhattan City Commission retreat, commissioners considered permitting beer sales at concession stands and adopting the riverfront concept to its parks and recreation master plan. Parks and rec director Aaron Stewart proposed serving cereal malt beverages and hard seltzers at the Anneberg Sports Complex and Steel and Pipe Supply facility concessions. Stewart said [...]

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Residents made several reports of ICE activity in multiple locations in Manhattan Thursday morning. Riley County police confirmed that federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials were active in the area, but a spokesman said the police department was not directly involved and couldn’t comment on any operations. RCPD director Brian Peete said the department was [...]

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The Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board has advanced new clarifications on Riley County’s short-term rental regulations, aiming to make enforcement more consistent and less subjective. The decision attempts to clarify vague wording with how county staff interpret when a 500-foot separation distance between units can be waived, so that decisions are based on clear standards [...]

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Manhattan city officials are discussing ceasing the publication of legal notices in The Mercury and instead posting them on the city government’s own website, driving through a loophole in state law. City manager Danielle Dulin proposed the switch during the city commission’s retreat Tuesday, saying that it would save $17,000 to $20,000 per year and [...]

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Civilian employees at Fort Riley were briefly furloughed this week when federal funding lapsed. A partial shutdown affecting much of the federal government began Saturday and ended Tuesday when President Donald Trump approved a $1.2 trillion government funding bill. During that time, some operations on Fort Riley were affected, officials said. Normal operations resumed Wednesday. [...]

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City commissioners on Tuesday chose not to rezone a 0.36-acre portion of the Acacia fraternity’s 2005 Hunting Ave. location after significant pushback from surrounding neighbors. The fraternity applied for the space’s rezoning from low-density residential to residential with university fringe overlay, with the expressed plan of then expanding on the fraternity’s building to make space [...]

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City commissioners on Tuesday permitted parks and recreation to purchase additional robotic mowers, portable pitching mounds and a mobile digital screen. Steel and Pipe Supply Ballpark will be maintained by Husqvarna robotic mowers whose cutting widths range from 9.45 inches to 26.8 inches. These machines can mow day and night, perpetually keeping ballfield grass at [...]

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Matthew Dunaey Klingforth was sentenced Monday in Riley County District Court to register as a sex offender and pay designated fees related to his December trial. Klingforth, 18, was convicted Dec. 19 of sexual battery, but a jury found him not guilty of rape and aggravated sexual battery. Judge John Bosch sentenced Klingforth to the [...]

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A familiar voice has filed for a seat on the Riley County Commission. Democrat Rob Voelker announced Monday his intent to seek the District 1 seat currently held by Republican John Ford. The 46-year-old former broadcaster says running for public office is a new challenge he wanted to take on. “I am deeply invested in [...]

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