Manhattan

• Manhattan officials approved $504,000 to fund the city's share of a $2.22 million project to add ADA-compliant crossings and sidewalks along Fort Riley Boulevard. The project is primarily funded by a matching grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation and is a top priority in the city's bicycle master plan. →
• Commissioners voted 5-0 to finalize a sales tax exemption for the redevelopment of a 1940s-era factory into 'The Press' event space, saving the developer up to $200,000 on construction materials. The venue recently opened as a multi-use space featuring live music, batting cages, and a church. →
• The county is merging its EMS and fire departments into a single unified department called Riley County Emergency Services. →
• Law board members cautioned the RCPD against pursuing a massive jail expansion, suggesting cost-effective technology and incremental improvements instead of a major construction project. →
• New data shows a significant 86 percent increase in violent crime within the county, though the overall crime rate remains close to its historical average. →
• Police department officials are considering a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to remain eligible for certain federal grant opportunities. →
• Despite large crowds for the annual Fake Patty's Day celebration, police reported a safe event with zero incidents involving the use of force by officers. →
• Riley County EMS responded to 23 calls specifically related to Fake Patty's Day celebrations, noting that crowds were cooperative and call volume was typical for a major event weekend. →
• Monthly rent for the Aggieville substation jumped from $1,000 to $3,000 under a new lease agreement, leading the law board to suggest future caps on rent increases. →
• A grand opening for the new Steel & Pipe Supply Ballpark is scheduled for March 28, featuring tours of the facilities and a ceremonial first pitch by Mayor Susan Adamchak. The community event will include complimentary refreshments and commemorative shirts. →
• An additional $96,166 was approved for 20-foot-tall safety netting and fencing to protect a playground at the Steel & Pipe Supply Ballpark from foul balls. The expense is funded through a voter-approved sales tax fund as part of the $16.5 million CiCo Park improvements project. →
• It’s going to be a beautiful, mostly sunny day in Manhattan with a high near 74 and just a light breeze out of the west.

🌾 Kansas

• Two Kansas National Guard units are currently deployed to the Middle East, the 190th Air Refueling Wing from Topeka since early March and the 130th Field Artillery Brigade from Manhattan since last summer. →

• More than 10 news organizations and 50 witnesses testified against Senate Bill 452, which would grant federal officers authority to impose 25-foot buffer zones and immunity from lawsuits, citing First Amendment concerns. →

• Kansas is now home to five billionaires worth a combined $101 billion, adding two new names this year including Peter Mallouk at $16.1 billion and Douglas Rippel at $1.4 billion. →

• The Kansas House narrowly approved legislation creating a state authority to finance major sports venues, passing 79-41 despite bipartisan concerns about subsidizing billionaire team owners. →

• Wichita State defeated Wyoming 74-70 in a first-round NIT game at Koch Arena, securing the Shockers' first postseason win since 2019. →

🇺🇸 US

• Israel has been systematically striking Iran's internal security forces as part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy to destabilize the regime and create conditions for a popular uprising. →

• The United Arab Emirates and fellow Persian Gulf states now view Iran's theocracy as an existential enemy and want the regime neutered or dismantled when the conflict ends, after enduring weeks of Iranian strikes since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Feb. 28. →

• The average price of gasoline in the United States has climbed by nearly a dollar since the start of the war in Iran, rising from around $2.90 per gallon in mid-February to $3.70 by mid-March. →

• Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won Illinois's Democratic Senate primary Tuesday and pledged to abolish ICE, defeating two House members to become the favorite for a seat held by Richard Durbin since 1997. →

• Entry-level jobs in New York City plummeted 37% between 2022 and 2024, erasing nearly 30,000 positions for recent college graduates, according to a new Center for an Urban Future report. →

Weather

March 18 1925: “Tri-State Tornado” hits, the deadliest in U.S. history

The worst tornado in U.S. history passes through eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, and southern Indiana, killing 695 people, injuring some 13,000 people, and causing $17 million in property damage.

Found a mistake? Have a news tip or feedback to share? Contact our newsroom using the button below: