A former Manhattan city commissioner and school board member has announced he’s seeking a seat in the Kansas Legislature. Aaron Estabrook has announced his candidacy for the Kansas House of Representatives in District 66, a seat held by Democrat Sydney Carlin since 2003. Estabrook will run as a member of the United Kansas party, an [...]

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Riley County commissioners approved a plan to keep the county’s waste transfer station open as it undergoes construction to install a new tipping floor and chute later this year. Assistant county engineer Evan McMillan presented two potential plans to commissioners Thursday. The board ultimately selected a proposal to construct a temporary chute and dumping area [...]

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Rich Vargo will not serve a ninth term as Riley County clerk. Vargo has been in office since 1997 and is in his eighth term as Riley County’s top administrator. “I do not intend to seek reelection in 2028,” Vargo said in an email to KMAN and The Mercury Thursday. He declined to comment further. [...]

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Rich Vargo will not serve a ninth term as Riley County clerk. Vargo has been in office since 1997 and is in his eighth term as Riley County’s top administrator. “I do not intend to seek reelection in 2028,” Vargo said in an email to KMAN and The Mercury Thursday. He declined to comment further. [...]

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Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Junction City. The Junction City Police Department says officers were called to the 300 block of West Fourth Street late Saturday afternoon for a person possibly suffering from gunshot wounds. When officers arrived, they discovered 66-year-old John Day, of Junction City, with an apparent gunshot wound. Day was [...]

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Local government officials will soon get some concrete data on the feasibility of a second river crossing that would connect Manhattan and residents who live in Pottawatomie County. The topic is one that residents, especially those living east of the Big Blue River, have had at least some interest in debating, though it never materialized [...]

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Following Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address Tuesday night in Topeka, KMAN caught up with members of the local delegation, including State Rep. Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan) and State Sen. Kenny Titus (R-Manhattan). Both provided their thoughts on the governor’s message and outlook for the 2026 legislative session. State Rep. Sydney Carlin  State [...]

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Riley County Public Works director John Ellermann highlighted a host of upcoming projects that will soon enter design, bidding or construction in the coming weeks. Design work continues for improvements on Marlatt Ave. after his office received drawings from local firm Benesch and the completion of a recent traffic study. “They favored turning lanes where [...]

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The Riley County Historical Museum reported strong visitation numbers as it closed out 2025, thanks in part to a new holiday program. Museum director Katharine Hensler told county commissioners Monday that a first-time candlelight tour of the Goodnow House helped the museum exceed its typical winter attendance averages for the month of December. “We had [...]

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The Kansas Department of Agriculture has confirmed a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial poultry operation in Pottawatomie County. The business is currently under quarantine after a case was reported on Jan. 6. A KDA spokesperson told KMAN and The Mercury Friday that this is an ongoing response but did not disclose [...]

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