TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state board plans to meet Thursday to consider a challenge to independent candidate Greg Orman’s right to appear on the November ballot in the Kansas governor’s race.

The three-member, all-Republican State Objections Board set its meeting for 9 a.m. Thursday in Topeka. A Democratic legislative leader’s chief of staff filed an objection to Orman’s candidacy with the secretary of state’s office Monday.

The objection questions the validity of petitions submitted by the independent candidate and Kansas City-area businessman to get on the ballot.

Orman needed signatures from 5,000 registered Kansas voters. The secretary of state’s office said he had more than 7,000.

Orman’s campaign spokesman has called the objection “frivolous.”

The board is Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s top deputy, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrats launched a legal challenge Monday in hopes of removing Kansas City-area businessman Greg Orman from the November ballot as an independent candidate for Kansas governor after Orman stoked fears that his bid would imperil Democrats’ chances of winning.

Attorney Will Lawrence filed a formal objection to Orman’s candidacy Monday with the Kansas secretary of state’s office. Lawrence is lawyer and chief of staff for Kansas Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, of Topeka, but has hired a prominent Topeka lawyer to pursue the challenge.

WE DID IT.

For the first time in generations, Kansans will have a viable Independent choice in the November election.

The current system has failed the people of Kansas—it’s time to put Kansans ahead of party bosses & special interests! #ormanforkansas

— Orman For Kansas (@OrmanforKansas) August 17, 2018

Many Democrats fear that Orman could siphon votes from their nominee, state Sen. Laura Kelly, of Topeka, helping the Republican, conservative Secretary of State Kris Kobach. The objection will be considered by a state board made up of Kobach’s top deputy, Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, all Republicans.

Orman submitted petitions signed by more than 10,000 people to get his name on the Nov. 6 ballot, needing signatures from 5,000 registered Kansas voters. The secretary of state’s office said last week that Orman qualified; it validated more than 7,000 of Orman’s signatures.

But Lawrence’s objection argues that election officials in seven counties took one day more than allowed by state law to validate more than 6,000 of Orman’s signatures, finishing Friday. The objection also raised questions about whether petitions were properly notarized and whether some circulators were qualified under state law to gather signatures.

His attorney, Pedro Irigonegaray, wrote in a separate letter that the issues “raise serious doubts” about whether Orman’s name can appear on the ballot.

Orman spokesman Sam Edelen called the objection “frivolous” and said it shows “the lengths to which the supporters of the failed system will go.”

“They want to avoid giving voters a real choice at all costs,” Edelen said in an email.

Democrats saw a bigger opening in the governor’s race after Kobach unseated Gov. Jeff Colyer in the Republican primary by fewer than 400 votes out of more than 317,000 cast. Kobach is President Donald Trump’s closest political ally in the state but has a history of alienating GOP moderates, partly by advocating tough policies against illegal immigration.

Orman is potentially the most serious independent candidate for governor since the 1930s. He founded a private equity firm and garnered national attention as an independent candidate against U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts in 2014.

Orman did so well in initial polling in 2014 that the Democratic nominee dropped out to create a better chance of toppling the veteran Republican. But Orman lost by 10.5 percentage points after Roberts got help from GOP stalwarts, including former vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

The GOP began a clean sweep of statewide and congressional races in 2010 but Kansas has a solid bloc of moderate GOP and independent voters and a history over the past 50 years of alternating between electing Republican and Democratic governors.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — After completing their investigation, law enforcement authorities said Tuesday’s reported kidnapping of a teen girl involved no criminal activity.

Just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, police received a report of a 16-year-old who had been taken by force from Highland Park High School in Topeka by a 17-year-old who is known to her, according to Lt. Aaron Jones.

A large amount of resources were dedicated to locating the two individuals. They were located in an area just east of Dornwood Park.

No injuries were reported and both individuals were taken to the Law Enforcement Center for interviews, according to Jones.

Following interviews with all involved, and further surveillance video review authorities determined the juveniles left the school on their own volition, according to Jones. Police released them their guardians.

The Topeka Public Schools Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Park Police all assisted in the investigation.

 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —  Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on parole for murder for alleged child sex crimes.

Parents of an 8-year-old girl contacted police with concerns the child was being sexually assaulted by her 56-year-old baby sitter, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

The sexual assaults reportedly occurred over the past couple of years, according to Davidson.

On Monday, police booked 56-year-old Clifford Eugene Cox on requested charges of rape of a victim under the age of 14, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child, according to Davidson and the Sedgwick County booking report.

Cox was on parole after serving time for a 1984 murder in Cowley County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug allegations.

On Monday night, police arrested two teens and a juvenile in the 1200 Block of West 17th Street in Junction City, according to a media release from police.

Dalton Michael Osborne, 18 and Dylan Charles Spencer, 18, both of Junction City, were arrested on suspicion of Possession of Marijuana with Intent within 1000 Feet of a School, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Speeding and Contributing to a Minor’s Misconduct.

The juvenile was arrested on suspicion of Possession with Intent within 1000 Feet of a School and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas City woman was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison for selling heroin to a user who suffered a near-fatal overdose, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Loretta Gilliard, 35, Kansas City, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. The investigation began when a user from Overland Park, Kan., bought heroin from Gilliard and then overdosed and lost consciousness.

Emergency medical technicians responded and saved the user’s life by administering an opioid reversing agent called Narcan. Investigators learned that Gilliard had sold heroin to the user more than 100 times, usually two to four times a week. Investigators made controlled buys from Gilliard.

MONTEZUMA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities said on Tuesday that they have charged a man living in the U.S. illegally with murder in the death of an Iowa college student who disappeared a month ago while jogging in a rural area.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Rick Rahn said that Cristhian Bahena Rivera, 24, was charged with murder in the death of Mollie Tibbetts.

Investigators say they used surveillance video in tracking down Rivera. The video showed Tibbetts, 20, jogging in a rural area near her hometown of Brooklyn as well as Rivera’s car.

Police announced the charge at a press conference just hours after they found what they believe to be the body of Tibbetts in a field covered with corn stalks.

Tibbetts was last seen July 18 in Brooklyn, a rural town of about 1,400 people, as she took a routine evening jog. It’s unclear whether she returned to the home where she was dog-sitting for her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s brother, who have said they were both out of town . She was reported missing by her family the next day, after she didn’t show up for work at a day camp for children.

Tibbetts’ disappearance set off a massive search involving dozens of officers from the FBI, as well as state and local agencies. They focused much of their efforts in and around Brooklyn, searching farm fields, ponds and homes. Investigators asked anyone who was around five locations , including a car wash, a truck stop and a farm south of town, to report if they saw anything suspicious on July 18.

Last week, Vice President Mike Pence met privately with the Tibbetts family during a visit to Iowa and told them that “you’re on the hearts of every American.”

At Brooklyn City Hall, city clerk Sheri Sharer said Tuesday was a sad day for the town.

“It never crossed our mind that she wouldn’t come home safe,” she said.

Willey’s group has been publicizing a reward fund that raised around $400,000 for any tip that led to Tibbetts’ safe return. He said the fund, which included more than 220 donations from individuals, will now likely be used for any information that helps police catch anyone responsible for her death.

“Once they catch their breath, this will turn into a weapon going the other direction, to catch the person who did it,” he said.

Tibbetts, a psychology major, would have started her junior year this week in Iowa City, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Brooklyn. She was staying with her longtime boyfriend and working while home from school over the summer.

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10 a.m.

Police say a body believed to be that of 20-year-old college student Mollie Tibbetts has been discovered in a rural area near where she went missing last month.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says the body was found Tuesday morning in rural Poweshiek County, which includes Tibbetts’ hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa.

The agency called a 4 p.m. news conference to provide an update on the search for Tibbetts, saying investigators were working to confirm the identity of the body.

Tibbetts has been missing since July 18, when she was last seen jogging through the streets of Brooklyn.
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8:30 a.m.
Investigators believe they have found the body of Mollie Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student who has been missing for more than a month.
The 20-year-old woman was last seen July 18, jogging in her hometown of Brooklyn in central Iowa.
Greg Willey, the vice president of Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa, says a body found Tuesday is believed to be Tibbetts.
No information has been released about where the body was found.
Willey says a nearly $400,000 reward fund for her discovery will now become a reward for information leading to the capture of any suspects.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators believe they have found the body of Mollie Tibbetts, a University of Iowa student who has been missing for more than a month.

The 20-year-old woman was last seen July 18, jogging in her hometown of Brooklyn in central Iowa.

Greg Willey, the vice president of Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa, says a body found Tuesday is believed to be Tibbetts.

No information has been released about where the body was found.

Willey says a nearly $400,000 reward fund for her discovery will now become a reward for information leading to the capture of any suspects.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—  Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a shooting and have made an arrest.

Just after 6p.m. Monday police responded to report of a shooting in the 3900 Block of East Lincoln in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

When officers arrived they found a 21-year-old man identified according to Sedgwick County booking records as Nicholas Baker. with head injuries but had not been shot.

Investigators learned that a 30-year-old man, Baker and an unknown woman were in 2010 Cadillac traveling on East Lincoln. The 30-year-old and the woman started fighting, according to Davidson.  The 21-year-old attempted to intervene and then the two men started fighting.

Baker brandished a handgun and fired multiple shots that struck the 30-year-old, according to Davidson.

The 30-year-old then battered Baker who fled from the Cadillac. The unidentified woman also fled on foot.

The 30-year-old flagged down a citizen in the area and asked to be driven to a local hospital. Police contacted the 30-year-old at the hospital. Following interviews and after taking Baker for treatment they arrested him for aggravated battery, according to Davidson.

The 30-year-old remains hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds, according to Davidson.