SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just before  11a.m., Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop for a traffic violation on a 2016 Nissan Rogue driven by Ricky D. Shaw, 24, Alton, IL,  at eastbound Interstate 70 near the Wanamaker exit, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.

Through the investigation of the stop, deputies seized 448 one gram packages of THC Concentrate “Shatter,” 201 grams of raw Marijuana, 658 grams of THC Butane Honey Oil “Butter,” 99 THC Vape Pen Cartridges The estimated street value of these items is $50,000.

Deputies arrested Shaw and booked him into the Shawnee County Dept. of Corrections with charges of Felony Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

By JOHN HANNA

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A ruling from Kansas’ highest court could force the state Senate to vote on a nominee for a lower-court judgeship whose nomination was withdrawn because of his political tweets.

The state Supreme Court waded Thursday into an unprecedented legal dispute between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the GOP-controlled state Senate’s top Republican over filling a vacancy on the Kansas Court of Appeals, the state’s second-highest court. The two disagree over whether the governor can submit a new nominee to the Senate for possible confirmation.

Kelly withdrew Labette County District Judge Jeffry Jack’s appeals-court nomination within a few days of announcing it in March after political posts on his Twitter feed came to light. They included criticism and vulgar language about President Donald Trump and other Republicans.

A 2013 law says that if governor fails to make an appeals court nomination within 60 days of a vacancy, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawton Nuss makes the appointment. Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, contends that Jack’s withdrawal means Kelly failed to make a proper nomination in time. The deadline was March 15.

Kelly points to another part of the law that says if the Senate rejects a nominee, the governor names another. Kelly argues that the Senate rejected Jack’s nomination even though it failed to have even a committee hearing on him.

The law doesn’t say specifically what happens if a nomination is withdrawn, and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, also a Republican, filed a lawsuit against Kelly, Nuss and the Senate to resolve the dispute. Six of the Supreme Court justices and a substitute for Nuss, who removed himself, spent nearly two hours hearing arguments and questioning attorneys.

A majority of the justices suggested that they could declare that the law did not give Kelly — or Jack, for that matter — the authority to withdraw Jack’s nomination. To keep Jack off the appeals court, the Senate then would have to reject his nomination. Kelly would get a second choice.

“Isn’t that scenario the one that makes the most sense out of the statute, that there just isn’t a mechanism for withdrawal, period?” Justice Caleb Stegall said while questioning attorneys.

The Supreme Court did not say when it would rule, but legislators hoped to have a decision within days. Legislators wrapped up most of their business for the year over the weekend, but GOP leaders, anticipating the need to deal with the Court of Appeals appointment, scheduled a Senate session for Tuesday.

“We’re here for one reason, and that is that the governor gave us a nominee that was absolutely unacceptable to the Senate, and clearly that nominee wasn’t vetted,” Wagle said after the Supreme Court’s hearing.

Kelly has already named another nominee for the Court of Appeals vacancy, Sarah Warner, a 39–year-old Kansas City-area attorney. The vacancy initially was created when longtime Appeals Court Judge Patrick McAnany retired on the day Kelly took office in January.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat and Kelly ally, said forcing a vote on Jack’s nomination would be “an exercise in futility.” He said he doubts Jack’s confirmation would receive a single vote in the 40-member Senate.

“It makes absolutely no sense that we would be put in that position, but if that’s what the court decides, then we’re going to have to be forced to have a vote,” Hensley said.

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in an October 2017 shooting that killed three people and wounded two others in a popular downtown area of a Kansas college town.

Prosecutors announced Wednesday that 23-year-old Ahmad Rayton, of Topeka, had been sentenced for attempted voluntary manslaughter. Rayton was one of three men arrested in the days after gunfire erupted as people were leaving bars, concerts and other events on the main downtown Lawrence street.

The victims were 22-year-old Leah Brown, of Shawnee; 20-year-old Colwin Lynn Henderson, of Topeka; and 24-year-old Tre’Mel Dupree Dean-Rayton, of Topeka. Two others were wounded but survived.

A second defendant pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery, and a third man is scheduled to go on trial in June on three counts of murder.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 32-year-old white man has been convicted of attempted aggravated battery and disorderly conduct for kicking a 1-year-old black boy and shouting racial slurs in a Kansas grocery store.

Trace Riff also was convicted of unlawful abuse of toxic vapors and possession of methamphetamine in an unrelated caseafter entering what’s known as an Alford plea to all the charges. The plea means Riff maintains his innocence but acknowledges there’s enough evidence for a conviction.

Witnesses told police the boy was holding his 11-year-old sister’s handon Dec. 23 when Riff knocked the child over, yelled a racial slur and shouted that he is a white supremacist. The toddler was not injured.

Riff’s family says he has a history of mental health and substance abuse problems.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY— A man charged with kicking a toddler and shouting racial slurs inside a Wichita grocery store is scheduled for a status hearing Thursday, according to the Sedgwick County Attorney’s office.

On March 25, a judge ruled that 32-year-old Trace Riff was competent and could face trial on several charges including attempted aggravated battery.

Prosecutors say Riff kicked a 1-year-old black boy inside a Dillon’s Grocery store in Wichita in December. The boy was not seriously injured.

The boy’s mother and witnesses told police Riff shouted racial slurs and said he was a white supremacist during the incident.

Riff is also charged with interference with law enforcement and disorderly conduct.

Riff’s family says he has a history of mental health and substance abuse problems.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Legislation that could thwart a large wind-energy power line has hit a roadblock in the Missouri Senate.

Senators were unable to come to a vote late Wednesday on a bill prohibiting the use of eminent domain to acquire easement rights for the Grain Belt Express power line. Democratic senators who support the project slowed debate on the bill.

The high-voltage power line is to carry wind energy from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana that serves eastern states.

Missouri utility regulators granted approval earlier this year, which could let developers pursue condemnation if landowners won’t sell easements.

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to locate suspects.

During the overnight hours Thursday criminals burglarized 15-20 vehicles in the SE area of Shawnee County, according to Shawnee County Sheriff’s Capt. Danny Lotridge.

This area ranges from Croco Road to Paulen Road; 21^st Street to 37^th Street.  Many of the vehicles were left unlocked; however the criminals also broke out several car windows and stole items inside.

Just after 3:15a.m., a victim who lives in the 4500 block of SE 25^th woke up and found two suspects burglarizing a vehicle in his driveway.

The victim armed himself with a shotgun and confronted the suspects.  The suspects ran from the residence, firing at least four shots at the victim that struck the victim’s vehicle and house.  The victim returned fire at the suspects.  Nobody was shot in the exchange of gunfire, according to Lotridge.

Deputies responded to the scene of the shooting and collected evidence and canvassed the area.  Witnesses reported seeing a newer, white minivan (unknown make/model), with a broke out rear window, leave the area following the shooting.

Anyone with information about this vehicle or the suspects are asked to call the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 251-2200.  Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (785) 234-0007.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office encourages citizens to call to report any suspicious activity.