Official discusses economic state of downtown Manhattan
Many businesses in downtown Manhattan are reporting a steady recovery from the pandemic.
Downtown Manhattan executive director Gina Scroggs spoke to the city commission Tuesday about the results of their annual business survey.
She says the results show many downtown businesses are recovering from the pandemic.
Scroggs
Scroggs
The district has also seen a net gain of 12 new businesses over the past year, which Scroggs says is about average.
She says a better show of the area’s health is the number of renovations that took place.
Scroggs
Despite these signs that downtown Manhattan is doing well, the area as a whole is experiencing issues with job vacancies.
Third Thursdays returning to downtown Manhattan
Downtown Manhattan is bringing back Third Thursdays.
Gina Scroggs, Executive Director of Downtown Manhattan Incorporated, says after a year without the event, they are excited to begin the Third Thursday season on May 20. Scroggs says the event is a a great way to explore downtown Manhattan and in a family friendly manner.
“We’ll have art projects and local businesses will be engaged on the sidewalks,” Scroggs adds. “We will have the ever-popular ‘cake walk’ that Bourbon and Baker hosts in front of their business. So a lot of fun things to see and do.”
In Focus 5/12/21
Thursday guests included USD 320 Wamego Superintendent Tim Winter and USD 323 Rock Creek Superintendent Kevin Logan, discussing end of year activities and district news.
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VFW Post 1786 Commander Dan Watkins highlighted upcoming activities including a May 27 ribbon cutting for a memorial walkway at Valley View Cemetery and Memorial Day activities.
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Downtown Manhattan, Inc. Executive Director Gina Scroggs highlighted the events happening downtown, including a recap of the Pink up the Pace 5K for the Johnson Cancer Research Center.
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Only in 2020 would we have a story about alligators being found in Wildcat Creek.
For a brief time in June the public was advised to avoid Linear Trail and Wildcat Creek after two alligators were stolen from Reptile World. Public reports of seeing the gator in the water led to a social media frenzy including memes of the Manhattan flag changing from an apple to a gator.
The female gator, named Pebbles unfortunately died in June after a trap slipped under the water, which the owners believe was tampered with. The other gator Beauregard was returned safely to his tank a few weeks after the ordeal.