FORD COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Ford County are investigating an armed robbery and looking for a suspect.

Just before 11:30 a.m. Friday, police responded to report of an aggravated robbery in progress at the Insurance Center of Kansas in the 2200 Block of First Avenue in Dodge City.

By the time officers arrived, the suspect was gone. Witnesses described him as a white or Hispanic man, with light colored eyes, approximately 5 foot 10 inches tall and 150 pounds. He was wearing a dark hoodie, dark pants and black boots.

The suspect allegedly demanded money and threatened several people present inside the business during this crime.

No one was hurt during this act. The DCPD is actively working some leads. Anyone with information please call the DCPD at 620-225-8126. You may also call Crimestoppers at 620-227-7867 anonymously.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — An affluent suburban Kansas City woman with a history of shoplifting has been ordered to spend a year and seven months in prison for the thefts.

Forty-seven-year-old Kelli Jo Bauer of Overland Park, Kansas, also was ordered Friday in Kansas’ Johnson County to pay more than $22,000 in restitution to merchants.

Bauer has admitted she stole tens of thousands of dollars of clothing and merchandise she was peddling out of her nearly $1 million home.

Bauer had two prior Johnson County theft convictions when she was charged in 2015 with felony theft. That was after police who searched her home found a large amount of stolen merchandise.

Last November, she was charged again after stealing bras from a Lenexa department store.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Officials in a Kansas City suburb where a fire destroyed a multimillion-dollar apartment building under construction and spread to about two dozen homes estimate the blaze caused as much as $23 million to $25 million in damage.

The Kansas City Star reports that Overland Park based the estimate on exterior damage and property values, and that a more precise figure would emerge once insurance adjusters finish evaluating the fire’s impact.

Fire officials say a welder accidentally ignited wooden building materials on Monday at the CityPlace development.

The blaze destroyed the four-story apartment building, heavily burned a second and rained burning debris onto a nearby neighborhood, damaging at least 22 other homes.

Overland Park says the damage at the CityPlace site accounted for $20 million of the overall estimate.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man imprisoned in Kansas since being convicted of a 1995 robbery slaying is getting paroled.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Kansas Prisoner Review Board has granted the release of 44-year-old Ramon Noriega Jr. Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Todd Fertig says Noriega will be freed from a prison in El Dorado as soon as a parole plan is approved.

Authorities say 56-year-old Sidney Robinson was shot and killed as Noriega and Douglas Abel committed aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery at his Topeka home.

Noriega and Abel received life sentences for first-degree murder and shorter sentences to be served simultaneously on the burglary and robbery convictions.

Abel is imprisoned in Lansing and next will be eligible for parole in July of next year.

WASHINGTON — In a humiliating setback, President Donald Trump and GOP leaders pulled their “Obamacare” repeal bill off the House floor Friday after it became clear the measure would fail badly.

First District Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. was disappointed the bill didn’t get a vote,

“I am deeply disappointed in my colleagues who couldn’t look past their personal agendas to put the priorities of the American people first. The skyrocketing cost of Obamacare, and the toll it is taking, is on their hands, no matter the party.”

 

The House bill was not the answer, but Obamacare is still failing too many. We must keep our promise & continue working to provide relief.

— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) March 24, 2017

Marshall also said, “The American people elected this Congress to get things done – not to be obstructionists. Republicans have the House, Senate and White House, and there is no reason to continue acting as the ‘opposition party.’ It is time to lead.

Rural health care in Kansas has unique issues that we will continue to put under the spotlight. I stand ready, as I always have been, to work to improve our broken healthcare system.”

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a hit and run accident and looking for a suspect and vehicle.

Just before 11:30a.m. Thursday, three bicyclist were stopped along the north curb line in the 2000 block of Iron Avenue in Salina, according to a social media report.

A vehicle which was west bound on Iron swerved right and struck two of the three riders.

One bicyclist had a broken left ankle and lacerations to the back of his head. The second rider received minor cuts and scrapes.

This vehicle is reported to be a white two-door 2013-2016 Toyota Scion. There will be damage to right (passenger) front end and right side.

If you have any information concerning who committed this crime, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Alorica has announced it will close its Topeka call center, eliminating 300 jobs.

A company official told the Topeka Capital-Journal on Thursday that it plans to close the center May 26.

Company spokesman Ken Muche says the company decided to transfer the Topeka positions to other U.S.-based offices where employees serve the same client.

An employee in Topeka says the company let employees know as they came in for their shifts Thursday.

The number of positions at Alorica has fluctuated since it’s opening in 2007. Spokeswoman Irena Boostani says there were 395 employees in June 2016 and that the company had planned to have 600 team members by August 2016.

Officials haven’t yet indicated whether employees will receive severance pay.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators who have resisted proposals to legalize marijuana for medical use are advancing a proposal aimed at making the state an industrial hemp powerhouse.

The state House gave first-round approval Friday on a voice vote to a bill that would allow state universities and colleges to grow industrial hemp and conduct research on it. The House plans to take a final vote Monday to determine whether the measure goes to the Senate.

A 2014 federal law allowed states to set up such programs. Supporters said hemp could become a big crop for Kansas farmers.

A majority of states have legalized medical marijuana, but even limited proposals have foundered in Kansas.

The House bill would define industrial hemp as cannabis containing 0.3 percent or less of the high-producing chemical THC.