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highest court could force the state Senate to vote on a nominee for a lower-court judgeship whose nomination was withdrawn because of his political tweets.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The law doesn’t say specifically what happens if a nomination is withdrawn, and Attorney General Derek Schmidt, also a Republican, filed a lawsuit against Kelly, Nuss and the Senate to resolve the dispute.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.

 

By JOHN HANNA

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Supreme Court that has repeatedly forced state legislators to increase spending on public schools directed tough questions Thursday to an attorney attacking a new funding law as inadequate, with one justice wondering when the protracted legal battle would be “crossing the finish line.”

The court had pointed questions for both the state’s attorney and a lawyer for four school districts suing the state as the justices reviewed the new law, which increases education funding by roughly $90 million a year. But in hearings over the past six years, the justices have directed their toughest questions at the state’s lawyer.

The tone Thursday was different enough that the state’s Republican attorney general was encouraged after watching the arguments.

Comments from two justices who have pushed lawmakers to boost spending suggested that they want to find a way to end the lawsuit and remove the high court from annual school funding debates. The four districts sued the state in 2010, and the court has promised its next ruling before July.

Chief Justice Lawton Nuss pointed to criticism that the court has acted as a “super-Legislature.”

Justice Eric Rosen noted that for most of his 14 years on the court, the state has been in litigation over whether it is spending enough money on schools and distributing it fairly enough to satisfy the Kansas Constitution.

“Is there ever crossing the finish line in these types of cases?” Rosen asked Alan Rupe, the attorney for the school districts. “… Is this just indefinite?”

When Rupe answered, “I don’t think so,” Rosen shot back, “Well, tell me why … Where does this ever end?”

The new school funding law contains Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan for addressing a Supreme Court order last year that said education funding still wasn’t sufficient to finance a suitable education for every child, as the state constitution requires. The measure passed the Republican-led Legislature with bipartisan support and was based on recommendations from the GOP-controlled State Board of Education.

State officials hoped the broad support for the new law would persuade the Supreme Court to accept it. State Solicitor General Toby Crouse even suggested that the justices should dismiss the lawsuit.

That led to the sharpest exchange between Crouse and the court, with Justice Dan Biles, a former state school board attorney. The four districts sued after the state backtracked on past funding promises following the Great Recession. Biles said the Legislature “reneged.”

He told Crouse: “I’ve got to tell you, I don’t have a lot of sympathy for the idea of dismissing this lawsuit.”

The Supreme Court has issued six rulings directing lawmakers to increase the state’s spending on public schools in a little more than five years, so that aid to public schools tops $4 billion a year — about $1 billion more than it did for the 2013-14 school year. The court said in its order last year that a 2018 law promising additional funding increases into the future wasn’t sufficient because it hadn’t accounted for inflation.

The four school districts argue that the state botched what was a straightforward math problem of accounting for inflation. They contend it requires increasingly larger amounts of money each year through the 2022-23 school year. Under their calculations, the increase for that year would be about $360 million instead of the roughly $90 million under Kelly’s proposal.

“They’re not reaching the target,” Rupe said.

Four justices repeatedly questioned Crouse about the state’s math, and he repeatedly said officials were following the court’s guidance in its opinion last year. But in questioning Rupe, Rosen suggested that the school districts had adopted a standard of “you know it when you see it” to determine whether funding is adequate.

“I was encouraged by the tone of the court’s interaction with counsel, especially the plaintiffs’ (school districts”) counsel, in this case,” said state Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

___

Update 4:15p.m.

MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Police and Riley County Police Department continue their investigation of shots that were fired around 11 a.m. Thursday at the KSU Foundation Building at Kimball and Denison avenues. There were no injuries and there is no ongoing threat.

According to K-State Police, the situation involved a dispute between individuals that appears to be unrelated to the Manhattan campus. The original contact between them occurred on the east side of Manhattan off campus and continued to the parking lot north of the KSU Foundation Building, where shots were fired. After the shooting, the victim, who is not a student, drove to Riley County Police Department to report the incident.

———–

Update 1:15p.m.

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University officials have confirmed that shots were fired at a parking lot on campus but that no injuries have been reported and there is “no ongoing threat.”

University spokesman Jeff Morris says the shots were fired around 11 a.m. Thursday in a parking lot north of the Foundation Building, where fundraising efforts are organized. No vehicle damage was reported.

Morris says officers rushed over from the nearby university police station and locked down the building while they investigated. The university initially ordered people in the area to shelter in place.

Morris says authorities haven’t made any arrests and are interviewing witnesses. He said he had no other details about the shooting.

———–

MANHATTAN —Authorities are investigating a report of possible shots fired at the Foundation Building at Kimball and Dennison in Manhattan, according to a campus alert.

The original alert asked employees to shelter in place.

A short time later, the K-State Police Department reported the Scene was safe and there were no injuries.

They did ask the public to avoid the area to allow officers to investigate the incident.

Just after noon, the foundation staff was allowed resume normal work, according to an updated campus alert.

Just after 12:30p.m., police reported they had cleared the scene, completed a preliminary investigation of the incident and released the scene for normal activity, according to the police twitter account.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

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MANHATTAN —Authorities are investigating a report of possible shots fired at the Foundation Building at Kimball and Dennison in Manhattan, according to a campus alert.

The Scene is safe. No injuries are reported. Authorities asked that the public avoid the area to allow officers to investigate the incident.

Foundation staff are being allowed resume normal work, according to a campus alert.

Authorities released no additional detail late morning Thursday.

Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged sexual assault and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a sexual assault call at the downtown YMCA, 402 N. Market in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Two 16-year-old girls and one 17-year-old girl reported being sexually assaulted by  31-year-old Keith Magoon while in the pool area.  Officers located Magoon inside of the YMCA and he was arrested without incident.

He is being held on requested charges that include on one count of rape, one count of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of sexual battery, according to Davidson.

 Police will present the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are asking the public for help to identify a motorcycle involved in a high-speed chase in Junction City,

The riders and or owners were involved in the chase on Thursday, according to Junction City Police Department’s social media page. The sport motorcycle is black with no markings, no visible license plate, and has a short, low hanging, exhaust pipe.

If you can provide any information that leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward.

By the Associated Press

Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes says it’s time to break up the social media behemoth.

He says in a New York Times opinion piece that CEO Mark Zuckerberg has allowed a relentless focus on growth to crush competitors and “sacrifice security and civility for clicks.”

Hughes says Facebook is a monopoly and should be forced to spin off WhatsApp and Instagram. He says future acquisitions should be banned for several years.

Hughes roomed with Zuckerberg at Harvard and left Facebook in 2007 to campaign for Barack Obama.
He says he liquidated his Facebook shares in 2012, the year he became publisher of The New Republic.

Last year, Hughes published a book advocating a universal basic income. In 2017, Forbes put his net worth at more than $400 million.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials aren’t sure when the Kansas Turnpike will reopen near the Oklahoma border after a surging creek sent floodwaters pouring over the asphalt.

Issues arose early Wednesday when a tributary of the Arkansas River called Slate Creek overflowed. No one was hurt, but the toll road is closed south of the exit in Wellington, which is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Wichita.

Rachel Bell, of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, says crews have to “get in and assess the condition of the pavement, of the actual asphalt, after the water recedes.”

The best detour around the closed highway is also unclear. The Turnpike was planned and mostly completed before the interstate highway designation in Kansas, and federal planners chose not to build parallel routes.