Local News

Riley County officials issued a disaster emergency declaration late Monday after the county’s P25 public safety agency radio communication system lost connection as part of a cybersecurity incident that developed earlier in the day. Emergency responders in Riley County are currently using the backup state system for emergency communications. P25 is a solution for intra-agency [...]

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Riley County Police have released surveillance video from a local retailer in an attempt to identify a man suspected of making fraudulent purchases in Manhattan. The individual, who appears to be a white male, is seen exiting the Best Buy store. Police say they’re seeking to speak with the man regarding the unauthorized use of [...]

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Police are investigating after someone reportedly cashed checks or paid for services with fraudulent checks, totaling more than $10,000. The Riley County Police Department says it filed a report Friday morning, listing Community First National Bank and Bayer Construction as the victims. The suspect is a 56-year-old Topeka man. As of Monday, police had not [...]

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After the Kansas House unanimously approved a bipartisan tax bill this week, changes are likely coming from Senate leadership during conference committee this week. Manhattan State Sen. Usha Reddi says the fiscal note on Senate Bill 300 is too expensive, at close to $500 million per year. Her major frustration has been that she believes [...]

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The Junction City Police Department says officers and detectives have seized over 2,300 fentanyl-laced pills in the past two weeks from ongoing drug investigations in the area. The pills, commonly referred to as “Dirty 30s” were recovered along with 3 kilograms of pure fentanyl, the department said in a Saturday social media post. The seizure [...]

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  The Manhattan Lions Club hosted their annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday morning at City Park. Local children ages 2-8 collected easter eggs hidden around various locations within the park. Leila Gillespie has been a Manhattan Lions Club member for over 20 years, and says the Easter egg hunt tradition is a long-standing one. [...]

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Riley County Police Department Director Brian Peete is approaching the upcoming budget cycle cognizant of the current, more conservative Law Board’s desires to maintain a lean budget. Peete spoke Thursday on KMAN’s In Focus podcast about the upcoming budget process, which will begin to take shape in April. Budgets have gone up every year since 2020, [...]

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With the impending retirement of CEO Robbin Cole at Pawnee Mental Health Services, a new CEO is set to the take the reins in the coming months. Michael Rezkalla was appointed by the Pawnee Mental Health Governing Board in late-January and he has been working with Cole through the transition before her retirement. Rezkalla arrived [...]

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Riley County emergency management teamed up with the National Weather Service to teach a free storm spotter class Thursday night at Pottorf Hall. Meteorologist Chad Omitt spoke to a few dozen residents about many topics including severe weather safety tips, how to report information, and an in-depth look at local weather patterns. “We talk to [...]

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By Tim Weideman news@themercury.com Short-term rentals are causing a stir in at least one Riley County neighborhood. Several residents of Terra Heights Drive raised concerns during Thursday’s Riley County Commission meeting ranging from parties causing disturbances to trespassing on neighbors’ properties. Popularized by platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO, short-term rentals are privately owned homes, [...]

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