Preliminary estimates show the Burklund/Axelton fire burned at least 8,200 acres in Riley and Pottawatomie counties. Deputy Riley County Fire Chief Doug Russell told county commissioners Thursday that the fire is still estimated to be 90% contained. Russell says about 60% of the burned area is within the Riley County boundaries. Officials previously stated that [...]

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K-State and the University of Kansas Health System announced Thursday plans to work together to support health care in rural Kansas communities. The two organizations made the announcement during a joint news conference. The partnership is a first-of-its-kind collaboration that brings together the land-grant mission and statewide presence of K-State through K-State Research and Extension [...]

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By Tim Weideman, The Mercury Riley County’s legal team is about to go through significant changes. County Counselor Clancy Holeman is slated to retire Jan. 1, but the deputy county counselor position will become vacant much sooner. Shelley Woodard, who began in that role last summer, has announced her resignation, effective April 19. With that [...]

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By Emma Loura, The Mercury The USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden school board on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Manhattan Technical College to continue allowing Manhattan High School students to receive concurrent college credit next school year. The memorandum of understanding for the 2024-25 academic year will return to the financial splits it had previously [...]

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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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After five hours of deliberation Wednesday, a Pottawatomie County jury has convicted 22-year-old McKaine Farr of distribution of a controlled substance causing death. The conviction stems from a March 2023 incident at a Manhattan hotel involving Thomas Jackson DeLoach, of Manhattan, who died. This was Farr’s second conviction on the same charge. In December, he [...]

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Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck gave her opening statement Monday in the second trial of 22-year-old McKaine Farr, of Wamego, for distribution of a controlled substance causing death. Farr is accused of distributing fentanyl to Thomas Jackson DeLoach, of Manhattan, in March 2023, causing his death. Farr was convicted of the same charge in December [...]

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Riley County has certified the results of the recent presidential preference primary. The commission, acting as the Board of County Canvassers on Monday, unanimously approved the provisional ballots and certified the election results. A total of 2,624 Riley County residents (about 7%) took part in the primary, the state’s first since 1992. During the meeting, [...]

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By Tim Weideman, Manhattan Mercury Riley County Commissioners approved a request Monday from Community Corrections to continue using as-needed on-call juvenile intake staff in 2025. The department has already been bringing in an additional person to cover on-call needs on Fridays for Juvenile Intake and Assessment Services (JIAS). That person responds to law enforcement requests for [...]

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