USD 383 school board member Katie Allen is seeking more than $6 million in compensation in her lawsuit against Kansas Department of Education officials, according to new court documents.

Allen filed a federal lawsuit against her former boss, Randy Watson, commissioner of education, for “demanding” she resign after she made a Facebook post in September. She said it was a violation of her First Amendment right to free speech. She has named Watson in his individual capacity and added Jake Steele, the new education commissioner, in his official capacity. The department itself is no longer listed as a defendant.

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WAMEGO — The Kansas Department of Transportation hosted the first of two open houses this week to provide information on the U.S. Highway 24 corridor management plan in Riley and Pottawatomie counties at the Wamego Senior & Community Center on Monday.

The US-24 corridor plan will evaluate traffic operations along the corridor in both counties to identify short- and long-term improvements that serve the communities while keeping traffic moving efficiently and safely. According to KDOT, this segment of US-24 is one of the most traveled roads in the region.

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Manhattan’s debris collection effort is halfway complete and on schedule, according to the director of public works.

Brian Johnson said after finishing the initial pass for large debris, workers will now collect remaining, smaller debris over the following five to seven days.

“That first pass was really the big brush and tree piles that were blocking sidewalks and streets and those kind of things,” he said. “So we didn’t pick up all the little stuff on the first pass. The first pass was really stuff that was serious and was blocking access.”

To view the full article visit theMercury.com.

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Following an investigation into three Riley County Health Department employees, Riley County officials said Tuesday that while the department used all taxpayer dollars “appropriately,” their use did not align with Riley County policies.

The investigation, which arose because department employees had procedural concerns, resulted in putting three employees on administrative leave and the resignation of the department director.

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David Gemoll, the owner of Culver’s in Manhattan, filed a $10 million lawsuit against his former employer Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. District Court of Kansas on June 10 for wrongful termination.

In the lawsuit, Gemoll says Microsoft hired him April 1, 2014. Microsoft later recruited Gemoll for promotion to a senior role in its Azure Cloud and Artificial Intelligence organization within its Microsoft Connected Vehicle Platform business unit.

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By Bryan Richardson

After initial discussions regarding data centers, Riley County commissioners on Monday still weren’t ready to provide any direction on the future of those facilities in the area.

“The more I learn about this, the more I’m just confused,” commissioner John Ford said. “It literally changes on a dime. You figure out one thing, and then it changes. There’s so much depth to it. It’s insane.”

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A Manhattan woman was arrested early Saturday morning on multiple warrants and an additional charge of interference with law enforcement, according to the Riley County Police Department.

Pamela May Hall, 21, of Manhattan, was arrested at approximately 2:45 a.m. June 20 in the 1100 block of Moro Street.

Hall was wanted on three Riley County District Court warrants, including two for probation violations and one for failure to appear. She was also arrested for interference with a law enforcement officer.

The warrants stem from original charges that include criminal threat, interference with a law enforcement officer and disorderly conduct.

Hall was issued a total bond of $20,000 and remains confined in the Riley County Jail at the time of this report.

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An 81-year-old Manhattan woman was injured in a two-vehicle crash Friday morning near downtown Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department.

Officers responded to a report of an injury accident at approximately 8:09 a.m. June 19 in the 300 block of North Fifth Street.

Upon arrival, officers found a 2019 Kia Sportage driven by Mary Margaret Keithley, 81, of Manhattan, had collided with a 2020 Chrysler Pacifica driven by Elizabeth Marie Passmore, 36, of St. George.

Three children were passengers in the Pacifica and were not reported to be injured.

Keithley was transported to Via Christi Hospital for treatment of her injuries. She was issued a citation for failure to yield the right of way at a stop sign.

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A Las Vegas man was arrested Sunday on a Riley County District Court warrant tied to drug distribution charges dating back more than a year.

Martin Frank Stovall, 65, of Las Vegas, was arrested at approximately 3:22 p.m. June 21, 2026, in the 1000 block of South Seth Child Road.

Stovall was wanted on a Riley County District Court warrant for distribution of a controlled substance and distribution of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant substances. The warrant stems from an original report filed in February 2025.

He was issued a total bond of $75,000 and remains confined in the Riley County Jail at the time of this report.

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