RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged sexual assault in Manhattan and have made an arrest.

Just before 4a.m. Sunday, Kansas State University Police received a report of an active situation on the west side of campus along the Denison corridor, according to a media release.
Upon arrival to the area, officers contacted and transported a victim to the local hospital. While officers were still in the area, a suspect identified as 23-year-old Jason C. Seifert returned to the scene and was arrested by K-State Police officers. Neither Seifert or the victim have any relation to the university, according to the release.

Seifert is being held on a bond of $100,000 on requested charges that include “Rape; Sexual intercourse without consent and use of force, Aggravated kidnapping, Aggravated battery; Knowingly use weapon cause, great body harm/disfigure/death, according to the Riley County Police Department booking report.

Police have released no additional details.

By Martin Hawver

In one of the more interesting political machinations in recent memory, Kansas Democrats have virtually eliminated a costly and party-divisive primary election campaign for the nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being retired by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.

That whirlwind change? State Sen. Barbara Bollier, D-Mission Hills, formally announced she will run for the U.S. Senate. Former U.S. Attorney for Kansas Barry Grissom—a couple of months into his campaign for the nomination—about the time most of us were walking back in from the driveway with our newspapers with the Bollier-in story, got out of the race.

Bollier immediately became the No. 1 Democrat candidate to take Roberts’ chair. There are a couple other Democrat candidates for the Senate nomination: Manhattan city councilwoman and former mayor Usha Reddi and retired Sedgwick County Court Services Officer Robert Tillman, of Wichita.

But…we’re thinking that Reddi and Tillman aren’t going to get a lot of cosigners for their races with most of the attention directed to Bollier. The Democratic nomination is essentially locked up for her, especially after the leading candidates, Grissom and former 2^nd District U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda D-Kan., looked and then dropped out of the contest.

So, for Democrats in Kansas, it’s pretty well wrapped up. Reddi and Tillman can have a good time campaigning, meeting people, probably spending less than $100,000 on their races, and generally getting free dinners and drinks at Democratic events until next August.

Republicans? Well, they have a real scrap on their hands to select a nominee, with former Kansas Secretary of State—and pretty well healed-up after his beating by Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly last  year—Kris Kobach, State Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, 1^st District U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, former KC Chiefs football player and restaurant owner Dave Lindstrom, Manhattan political consultant Bryan Pruitt and already-filed Gabriel Mark Robles, of Topeka, in the race.

But, practically, we’re wondering whether Pruitt and Robles would have to offer free drinks to attract enough voters to fill a room at a campaign rally.

Count on Kobach to be worth maybe 35% of the GOP primary vote, Marshall to have to introduce himself to Republicans in three congressional districts, Wagle to have to manage a typically divisive election-year Senate, and Lindstrom may have to dig out his old football jersey because, well, who knows him for owning a few Burger Kings?

At this point in the GOP campaign, Kobach’s supporters will be loyal to him, and represent the biggest identifiable portion of GOP primary voters…for now. But he’ll have a spirited and expensive and likely exhaustive primary that if he manages to win, will see him spend a lot of money that he’s going to need in the general election.

Wagle? Marshall? Lindstrom? They will spend probably better-used campaign funds trying to defeat Kobach. Now, the party will, of course, gather behind the GOP primary winner, but the contest will be not only expensive but divisive.

That’s how primary elections work: Candidates tout their best ideas, their most politically attractive actions…and a laundry list of reasons to vote against their party’s other candidates. Chances are good that whoever survives the primary will have some flesh wounds from his/her own Republican Party voting base.

And don’t forget that every primary election issue that Republicans use to win the nomination is a primer for the Democrat who runs in the general election. Yes, Democrats will politely hold the coats of Republicans as they punch each other in the primary.

Might just make the GOP primary more interesting to Bollier and Democrats who work to win a Kansas seat in the U.S. Senate for the first time since the 1930s.

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com

Public Works encompasses a wide variety of duties and projects.

Javon George of JCHS looked around the community and photographed some of the work being done and recent street markings on McFarland Road, one of the busy streets in the city. Junction City Public Works provided assistance on this photo project.

DICKINSON COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 6p.m. Saturday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Ford F150 driven by Earl A. Hansen, 85, La Faria, TX., was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of Abilene.

The driver  stopped to make an illegal U turn and was struck by a Honda CRV driven by Johnny R. Korgan, 66, Evans, Colorado.

A passenger in the Honda Susan K. Korgan, 55, Johnstown, Colorado was transported to Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Hansen and Korgan were not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.