Ashland, KY) -- Ashland police and firefighters are searching the banks of the Ohio river for a handgun. A Huntington Police officer was wounded in that West Virginia city early Wednesday. The officer is listed in fair condition. Police have a suspect in custody, but they're looking for the weapon. Police believe the shooter or an accomplice may have tossed the weapon off the bridge in Ashland.
(Frankfort, KY) -- Rescuers and divers search for the body of a Louisville man lost in the Kentucky River in Frankfort. The unidentified man was kayaking near the Singing Bridge when the kayak overturned and he disappeared underwater.
(Frankfort, KY) -- State military officials say a welcome home celebration will be held late this afternoon at the Boyd County Middle School Gymnasium. The celebration is for more than 400 Kentucky Army National Guard troops who have been serving in Afghanistan for the past year.
(Frankfort, KY) -- The free Derby Day breakfast tradition is broken. Citing the need to cut back, Governor Steve Beshear announces the breakfast on the Capitol grounds will continue, but the eggs and all the trimmings won't be free. People will be charged one dollar for each item. The governor also cancels the annual VIP train ride to the Derby. Both measures expected to save the state a total of more than 200-thousand dollars.
(Georgetown, KY) -- A group or workers at the Toyota plant in Georgetown are big winners. 13 co-workers have been playing the Powerball game together for years. Saturday they hit a 200-thousand dollar jackpot.
(Washington, DC) -- A bit of controversy has swirled around Senator Jim Bunning in recent weeks, his comments about a Supreme Court justice's health, and his displeasure with support from his party. A Survey USA/ WHAS-11 poll this week shows Senator Jim Bunning's job approval rating is at 41-percent while the disapproval rating is a 44-percent. This compares to a 49-percent job disapproval rating last month and an approval rating of 46-percent.


Here are the latest stories making news at this hour: About two weeks after being ambushed outside a Jeffersonville Motel 6, Jeffersonville Police Officer Dan Lawhorn has been released from the hospital.
A volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician from Dublin will be sharing his thoughts on the country's heathcare system with President Obama today.
The FBI plans to build a new 40-million-dollar field office in the Castleton area.
Carmel, Indiana-based Telamon Corp, has opened an office in Louisville.
And Indianapolis Public Schools kindergartners learned pre-math concepts by breaking things yesterday.
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Wounded Jeffersonville Officer Release From Louisville Possible
About two weeks after being ambushed outside a Jeffersonville Motel 6, Jeffersonville Police Officer Dan Lawhorn has been released from University Hospital In Louisville.
Lawhorn and fellow officer Keith Broady were serving a warrant on drug charges on February 19th and were both shot.
Broady is still in the hospital, listed in fair condition.
Lawhorn is starting rehabilitation at the Southern Indiana Rehab center in New Albany.
Robert Dattilo is suspected of firing the shots that injured Broady and Lawhorn.
He committed suicide the night after the shootings after a standoff with Louisville police.
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Local Man To Talk To President Obama About Healthcare
(Washington, DC) -- Volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician Travis Ulerick of Dublin will be sharing his thoughts on the country's heathcare system with President Obama today.
The 25-year-old has been invited to a healthcare forum at the White House today, as one of seven "Everyday Americans" who hosted community discussions on the healthcare issue back in December.
Ulerick plans to present the president with a summary of all of his community's discussions on the topic at the forum.
Ulerick will also be featured in a White House video on health reform that will play on the website.
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FBI To Build Office In Castleton Area
(Indianapolis) -- The FBI plans to build a new 40-million-dollar field office in the Castleton area.
The office would be near Allisonville Road and I-465.
Officials say site work could start as early as this July and full construction could start by fall.
The new office is slated for completion in December of 2010.
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Telamon Corp Moves Into Louisville
(Carmel) -- Carmel, Indiana-based Telamon Corp, has opened an office in Louisville.
The company provides computer and technical support for AT&T Inc.
The new office in the Newburg neighborhood of the city employs 15 people.
Telamon plans to hire another 20 to 25 people throughout Kentucky to help support the new operation.
Telamon was established in 1985 and have over 300 employees in eight locations worldwide.
U.S. locations include Little Rock, Arkansas; Chino, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and McAllen, Texas.
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kindergartners Learn Pre-Math Skills Through Mosaics
(Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Public Schools kindergartners learned pre-math concepts by breaking things yesterday.
The group Young Audiences put together the program, which allows the kids to work with concepts like classifying, patterns, shapes and sorting through art, like mosaics.
The manipulative activity helps cement the abstract concept seen in a "regular" math problem.
Liza Hyatt represented the group at IPS school . 114.
She'll be back next week to help students create a large mosaic to be showcased on school grounds.


Medical Marijuana Clears Big Legislative Hurdle
(Springfield) -- Democratic State Representative Lou Lang knows he has some tough politicking ahead, but has won a big victory in the push for medical marijuana.
Lang's plan to allow some sick people to get state permission to grow and use small amounts of the drug is headed to the full Illinois House for a vote.
It's the first time the plan has gotten this far at the Capitol, but Lang says he has more "convincing" to do before he calls for a roll call.
The Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act would allow some cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis patients to have seven marijuana plants and two-ounces of the drug on hand.
Police groups and some Republican lawmakers say medical marijuana could find its way into the hands of people who aren't sick as well.
The Illinois State Police say it's a slippery slope.
Lang says the same argument can be made for prescription pain killers.
Illinois Senators voted down a medical marijuana proposal in the last General Assembly, but this is the first vote for State Representatives Lang says he hasn't talked with Governor Quinn about medical marijuana, he wants to get the plan past lawmakers first.
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Lawmakers Look At Deficit And Education Funding
(Springfield) -- As lawmakers look to cut Illinois's deficit, education leaders say they need more funding.
Representatives from teachers unions and state universities told a Senate panel looking for creative ways to fill in the budget gap that they need new taxes to fund education.
Dave Piccioli 1/81/8 pitch-ee-oh-lee 3/83/8 with the Illinois Teachers Federation says expanding the sales tax could bring needed money to elementary and secondary schools.
SIU president Glenn Poshard says a temporary income tax will help slow down rising tuition prices.
He says universities have to raise the cost of college due to lower government funding.
Several senators aren't sure new taxes are necessary.
Republican Pam Althoff says education is a top priority but is becoming too expensive.
Dale Syverson 1/81/8 SEE-ver-son 3/83/8 says the cost of public education is rising too quickly and needs to be reigned in.
The chair of the deficit reduction committee, Democrat Donne E. Trotter, says lawmakers need to look at tax increases to close the state's budget hole.
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Lawmakers Worry Stimulus Money Won't Prevent Teacher Firings
(Springfield) -- Pink slips for teachers across Illinois could start going out later this month despite the promise of two-billion dollars in stimulus money that is supposed to add jobs.
Illinois State Superintendent Chris Koch 1/81/8 cook 3/83/8 says he still doesn't have any answers about how the money will be spent, or when schools will see a check.
State Representative Roger Eddy says maybe in a month when the info is available the state will be able to answer questions from local districts.
Schools in Illinois have to notify teachers within 60 days of the end of the school year if they won't be coming back the next year.
Eddy says that deadline starts at the end of this month.
Democrat Linda Chapa LaVia says she wants answers to other questions, as schools are expecting "bonus checks." However, she says no one know what or how much they will be receiving.
Koch expects some clarification from Washington later this week and more details in a month or so, with the first stimulus checks arriving possibly by the start of the next school year in August.
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Lawmakers Advance Pension Penalty For Impeached Officials
(Springfield) -- Lawmakers in Springfield continue to try and legislate away their Blagojevich hangover.
The Illinois House has okayed a plan that would strip pension benefits from any elected official who is impeached.
The only statewide leader who would fit in that category is Rod Blagojevich.
But the plan wouldn't take away the former governor's pension because he has already been impeached and removed from office.
Lawmakers can currently lose their retirement benefits if they are convicted of a crime.
Many at the statehouse expect that to eliminate Blagojevich's pension from his time as a lawmaker and his six years as governor.
Republicans in the House blasted the plan as a copy-cat version of their idea.
The GOP is accusing the Democrats of playing politics with the proposed law.
But 106 of the 118 members of the House did vote for the plan.
State Senators will now take-up their own version of the pension penalty later this spring.
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Senate Panel Okays Mandatory Helmet Law
(Springfield) -- State lawmakers have once again taken the first step toward making helmets mandatory for motorcycle riders in Illinois.
A Senate panel has okayed a law that would, for the first time, require helmets in the state.
The idea is not new.
In fact lawmakers have talked about a helmet law for years.
Motorcyclists, and their advocacy group ABATE, have successfully killed the legislation each year.
Members say they should decide whether to wear a helmet.
They say they don't need the government to parent them.
But, lawmakers say helmets save lives, and think the state needs to have safer roads.
The plan now heads for a vote in the full Senate, where there are no guarantees.
If it survives that vote, the helmet proposal faces an even more uncertain future in the House.
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Pontiac Mayor Gets Few Specifics From Governor Quinn
(Springfield) -- The mayor of Pontiac, Illinois, came to the state capitol to get some answers about the fate of the prison in his town.
He left with the same answers he's been getting for weeks, "be patient" and "we'll see." Mayor Scott McCoy met with the governor and Quinn's chief of staff to talk about the future of the Pontiac Correctional Center.
McCoy hoped to get a commitment to keep the prison open.
Former Governor Blagojevich had targeted the maximum security lock-up for closure.
But, Governor Quinn's top man says there are no firm answers yet.
McCoy says Quinn will make a decision within a month.
The new governor will deliver his budget proposal in two weeks.
Lawmakers have said that's the first step to saving Pontiac's prison.
The mayor says he'll have to live with that answer.
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Police: Man Threw Knife At Wife Over Bad Dinner
(Kincaid) -- A Christian County man faces aggravated domestic battery charges after a fight with his wife that sparked a four hour manhunt.
Police believe 64-year-old Harry Lash of Kincaid threw a kitchen knife and a pocket knife at his wife, hitting her her in the thigh and side.
Police say she suffered minor wounds.
Kincaid Police Chief Richard Adams says the argument that led to the stabbing stemmed from Lash's "dissatisfaction with the dinner his wife prepared for him." The Chief believes alcohol may have played a factor.
After the incident police say Lash fled.
His wife then walked to a nearby tavern to call the police.
Officers say they found Lash later in a nearby trailer court, where he was taken into custody.
The victim was taken to a Springfield hospital, where she was treated and released.
Lash, who is next scheduled to appear in Christian County Court next week, and remains in jail on 50-thousand dollars bond.