RENO COUNTY— Five people were arrested after a chase with Hutchinson police just before 4:30p..m Wednesday.

Lance Moody, 17, was taken into custody and faces possible charges of felony flee and elude, interference with law enforcement, and leaving the scene of an accident after the vehicle he was driving struck a parked vehicle during the chase in the 400 block of North Adams Street.

Four passengers in the vehicle — 21-year-old Clinton Smith, 23-year-old Zach Mountain, 21-year-old Richard Marshall and 19-year-old Nikkita Obrist were all arrested for interference with law enforcement when they fled the vehicle after the crash.

They are free on bond, according to online booking records.

JOHNSON COUNTY — Lenexa police reported Thursday they had identified the suspect in the alleged checkbook theft. The investigation continues, according to police. They released no additional details.

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JOHNSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged theft.

According to Wednesday afternoon social media report from Lenexa police, a victim accidentally left behind a checkbook on the store check-out counter.

Here’s the story: vic accidentally left her checkbook on the store counter. This shopper (suspect) picks it up and rather than turning it in to the clerk, stuffs it into her purse (theft of lost or mislaid property). If you can help us ID this suspect, DM or call 913-825-8097 pic.twitter.com/P3tHwWeKEq

— Lenexa Police (@LenexaPolice) February 20, 2019

The shopper(suspect) in the security camera video picks it up, and rather than turning it in to the clerk, stuffs it into a purse. This is a theft of lost or mislaid property, according to police.

If you can help  ID this suspect and the victim, send a direct message to Lenexa Police or call 913-825-8097.

By JOHN HANNA

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Rural state lawmakers are pushing a plan to allow the Kansas Farm Bureau to offer health insurance coverage to members without having to comply with federal Affordable Care Act mandates in hopes that the influential agriculture group can offer a lower-cost product.

But the proposal is drawing strong criticism from Democrats and health groups because the Farm Bureau would not be required to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions. The Farm Bureau also would face relatively little regulation, and critics of the bill worry that the group could lure healthy individuals away from other, more-regulated plans, making them less affordable.

The state Senate approved the bill Wednesday on a 28-11 vote , sending it to the House. The bill’s support came mostly from Republicans, who see it as an opportunity to give consumers a choice after spikes in health insurance rates that they blame on the 2010 federal health overhaul championed by former President Barack Obama, a Democrat.

The Kansas bill also was inspired by a long-standing law in Tennessee and new ones in Iowa and Nebraska.

“The goal has been stated many times, to increase the number of Kansans with coverage,” said state Sen. Elaine Bowers, a Concordia Republican. “Let’s allow Farm Bureau members across the state to help reach these people, who find the ACA plans unaffordable.”

The bill would allow the Kansas Farm Bureau to provide “benefit coverage” to members and their dependents to cover their health costs.

While its coverage might work like health insurance, the measure, like the Iowa law enacted last year, declares that the coverage “shall not be considered insurance.” That would effectively exempt it from federal mandates and most state insurance regulations.

Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat and Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, a Republican, have not yet taken a public position on the legislation.

The Kansas Farm Bureau has about 100,000 members, and the Senate vote was a testament to its political clout, particularly with rural Republicans. All but one GOP senator — Majority Leader Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican — supported the bill.

Farm Bureau officials said they expect about 42,000 people eventually to take its coverage if the law passes and that rates will be significantly lower than plans that comply with Affordable Care Act mandates. They said their coverage would be targeted to individuals who either have no coverage now or people who are struggling to find or pay for individual coverage.

Kansas has seen the number of individual coverage plans offered through the federal ACA marketplace decline to 23 for 2019 from 42 in 2016, according to the Kansas Insurance Department. While average rate increases for 2019 were smaller than in past years, they’ve sometimes previously topped 25 percent, according to the department’s annual reports .

House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the bill has appeal among GOP lawmakers outside rural areas because, “a lot of people look at that as a free market thing, giving people choice.”

But Democrats noted that people don’t have to be farmers or work in agriculture to join the Farm Bureau, only pay a $50 annual membership fee. Also, the bill requires only that Farm Bureau file a certified statement of its coverage plan’s reserves annually with the Kansas Insurance Department.

And they honed in on how Farm Bureau would be able to set higher rates or reject coverage for people who have pre-existing medical conditions, a feature of the Iowa law . Groups including the American Diabetes Association, the Cancer Action Network and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society have opposed the bill for that reason.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, proposed an amendment to require the Farm Bureau’s plan to cover pre-existing conditions. But it was voted down, 24-15 , with Republicans arguing that such a requirement would eliminate the flexibility Farm Bureau needs to offer an affordable product.

“Consumers with pre-existing conditions will almost certainly surely be turned away or offered excessive prices,” said Sen. Tom Hawk, a Democrat from Manhattan, where the Kansas Farm Bureau has its headquarters.

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a Kansas murder trial and have made an arrest.

On Tuesday, Bland was arrested in Texas on a Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness who testified against her brother Steven Meredith during the January preliminary hearing for murder, according to Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson.

The judge found sufficient evidence for Meredith of Junction City to stand trial in the killing of a confidential drug informant 48-year-old Carrie Jones. Her body was found by deer hunters in rural Riley County.

During the preliminary hearing, witnesses testified that Meredith believed Jones might reveal information about him and others in a 2013 drug case.

One witness testified that Meredith told her that he and another man drove Jones to a field, forced her to get out of the vehicle and then shot her.

Bland remains jailed in Webb County Texas on a $125,000 bond. Meredith was arrested almost a year after Jones’ body was found in October 2017.

BARTON COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 8a.m. Wednesday in Barton County

A 2001 Sterling trash truck driven by Charles Feist, 54, was eastbound in the 1100 block of Northwest 40 Road just southeast of Albert, according to the Barton County Sheriff. The driver fell asleep at the wheel.

The truck traveled off the road, struck a bridge rail and overturned. Feist was transported to the hospital in Great Bend for his injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Kansas Highway Patrol, Albert Fire Department, and Great Bend EMS at the scene.

PAWNEE COUNTY – A Kansas man has waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered a guilty plea to one count of Attempted First-Degree Murder.

According to a media release from the Pawnee County Attorney, the charge stems from patient on patient attacks October 22, 2018 at the Isaac Ray Building on the campus of Larned State Hospital (LSH).

Two patients sustained great bodily harm requiring transport to outside medical facilities.  One of the patient’s injuries were life-threatening at the time due to severe head trauma.  All individuals involved were at LSH at the time for forensic evaluations related to out of county criminal charges.

Anthony Ruiz-Hernandez, 22 of Topeka, told investigators the attacks were done in part to gain standing in a prison gang.

In exchange for his plea, the State agreed to dismiss two counts of Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder and one count of Aggravated Battery, against Ruiz-Hernandez. The Attempted First-Degree Murder carries a maximum penalty of 653 months with the Department of Corrections.

Ruiz-Hernandez is currently being housed on local charges in the Shawnee County Adult Detention Center.  His Sentencing has been scheduled for April 15, 2019.

Co-defendant Andres Gustavo Barrientos, 24 of Leavenworth, is scheduled for Arraignment on March 14, 2019.  He is being housed in the Leavenworth County Jail on local charges