Tristate Regional News, Friday 4/27

Indianapolis Summary Lawmakers Scrambling To Pass Legislation Ahead Of Deadline (Indianapolis) -- Lawmakers are scrambling in the final few days of the legislative session to avoid massive property tax hikes and find ways to fund education along with the states operations. The General Assembly is required to finish its work by the end of the day on Sunday. Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman says she thinks Democrats and Republicans will be able to work out their differences on some key issues. The debate over property taxes became even more heated this week as counties began reporting property tax hikes for this year that averaged almost 24-percent. Lawmakers are also scrambling to craft the states next two-year budget. Gambling, health and education issues also remain on the table and the Statehouse stayed busy through the weekend. --- Northwest Suburban Man Involved In Deadly Tollway Crash (Wolcottville) -- A Chicago-area man could face charges in a deadly crash on the Indiana Toll Road that left eight people dead. Indiana State Police told the "Chicago Tribune" that the driver of a semi, 31-year-old Leonardo Cooksey of Mount Prospect, wasnt focusing on the roads as he headed toward traffic which had slowed in the right lane. A total of three semis and four passenger vehicles were involved in the crash, near the town of Bristol, 25 miles east of South Bend. All of the dead were in the passenger vehicles, including five who were in a single vehicle. Authorities are trying to determine if weather or speed were a factor in the accident. --- Woman Okay After Speeding Car Crashes Into House (Indianapolis) -- A speeding car being chased by police early this morning on the Indianapolis southside crashed into a house and struck a 73-year-old woman. Police say shell be okay. Investigators say that a police officer was sitting in the parking lot of a White Castle restaurant when a car bumped into the back of his car. The officer says he suspected the driver was drunk and called for backup. At that time, the car sped off. It struck another police car and a 15-minute chase ensued. The car then crashed into a home and struck Gloria Munn. She was trapped briefly under the car amid the wreckage of her home. Police say she was taken to the hospital, treated for injuries and has been released. Police have arrested 31-year-old Benjamin Foreman. He faces numerous charges today. Police say Foreman has a lengthy arrest record, including outstanding traffic tickets. He was treated at the hospital for minor injuries. --- Possible Tornado Flips Squad Car (LaPorte) -- A possible tornado is being blamed for flipping over a sheriffs deputys squad car and knocking down some trees and power lines in Indiana. However, yesterdays as-yet-unconfirmed tornado appears to have largely spared homes and other structures in LaPorte County. The "South Bend Tribune" reports that LaPorte County Sheriffs Detective Shayna Mireles had her squad car lifted up and over a fence before it landed upside down as she tracked yesterdays storm. Mireles was taken to the hospital with cuts and bruises. No other injuries have so far been reported from the storm. The possible tornado came from a line of severe weather that made its way across Indiana yesterday afternoon. --- First IMPD Academy Recruit Class Graduates Today (Indianapolis) -- The first class of police officers under the merged Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department graduate today. IMPD Chief Michael Spears and Sheriff Frank Anderson will be on hand today as the first 50 officers graduate under the training program. The recruit class will begin their field training in May and will be paired with training officers for 20 weeks before the officers are given their permanent district and beat assignments. The class began training last November. --- Trees Being Given Away Today To Celebrate Arbor Day (Indianapolis) -- About a thousand free trees will be given away today on Monument Circle in Indianapolis for Arbor Day. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful is teaming up with Indianapolis Power and Light to give away free Star Magnolia trees over the noon hour today. The tree giveaway has been an Arbor Day event in Indianapolis for a number of years. --- Experts Talk About Bringing Cell Phone Video Games Into The Classroom (West Lafayette) -- Some scholars and game developers say cell phones may soon be used for more than sending secret text messages to friends in class. Purdue University is holding a workshop today for professors to talk to video game developers about ways to make educational cell phone-based video games that can be used in classes. Organizers of the workshop say educational cell phone games can be used to teach history and chemistry, among other things. The organizers say using cell phone games to teach can be a good way to relate to students and bring interactivity to education. --- Press Conference Today To Discuss Indy Pro Series Open Test (Indianapolis) -- Indy Pro Series drivers Logan Gomez, Sean Guthrie and Al Unser will be the guests at a press conference today during the Indy Pro Series Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The press conference starts at 12:15 p.m. in the Economaki Press Conference Room on the first floor of the Media Center. Gomez, Guthrie and Unser will be among the 24 drivers preparing during the test for the Freedom 100 on Friday, May 25th at IMS. Indy Pro Series rookie Gomez is from Crown Point, Indiana and made his series debut during the Liberty Challenge last June at IMS, finishing tenth. Guthrie, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, finished eleventh last year in the Freedom 100, his series debut. His father, Jim Guthrie, is a three-time Indianapolis 500 starter. Unser, also from Albuquerque, finished fourth in the 2005 Freedom 100. Unser, son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., has eight top-five finishes in 12 Indy Pro Series starts. KentuckySummary: Governor Upset With American Idol (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Ernie Fletcher is upset with "American Idol", according to the "Courier Journal" a special "Idol Gives Back" episode this week raised money for organizations that fund relief program. During the broadcast several students from Beckham Bates Elementary School in Letcher County appeared. A number of Kentucky viewers and officials dont like the way eastern Kentucky was depicted in the broadcast. Jodi Whitaker, spokesperson for the governor says the governor isnt happy with the broadcast , it left the impression of children in Eastern Kentucky are being neglected by an administration that has made great efforts in funding literacy programs. The "Herald Leader" reports the governor is drafting a letter to the program. Bunnings Step Up To Help Northup (Southgate, KY) -- Senator Jim Bunning and his wife Mary are appearing in campaign commercials for Anne Northup. Bunning has already publicly announced his support for Northup, while his Senate colleague Mitch McConnell says he wont be publicly supporting any of the Republican candidates in the primary. According to the "Kentucky Enquirer" Bunning says Northup is "a solid conservative, her fundraising is strong, and I think she is the best person to lead Kentucky as our next governor". The ads expected to run primarily on a northern Kentucky cable system. Lexington Man Indicted For Frankfort Fire (Lexington, KY) -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Lexington man for starting the downtown Frankfort fire on St. Clair St. 34-year-old Stephen Malcolm is charged in connection with the March 4th fire at the St. Clair Mall that damaged several buildings. The indictment also charges that during the investigation Malcolm made false statements to a federal investigator. Investigators Look For Suspects In Shooting Deaths Of Scott County Couple (Sadieville, KY) -- Scott County Sheriffs deputies and Kentucky State Police are searching for suspects in the death of a Scott County couple. According to the "Herald Leader" the bodies of James and Vivian Gray were discovered by a family friend in their home on U.S. 25, the Cincinnati Pike, north of Sadieville. Scott County Coroner John Goble says both had been shot to death and foul play is suspected. UK Campaign Meets One Billion Dollar Goal (Lexington, KY) -- The University of Kentucky has reached its one-billion dollar capital campaign goal and nine months before the ten year fundraising campaign began. UK President Lee Todd says "I think this accomplishment shows the nation something a lot of us have known for a long time: the University of Kentucky has great friends". The campaign attracted gifts exceeding one-million dollars from sixty-six donors, with many of them giving more than one gift. Dr. Todd also credits the "Bucks for Brains" program, where the state matched some of the donations, that accounted for several hundred thousand dollars. Jobless Rates Down In Many Counties (Frankfort, KY) -- The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training reports unemployment rates fell in 104 counties between March 2006 and March 2007, the unemployment rate rose in twelve counties. The lowest unemployment rate of 3.9 percent is in Woodford County, the highest unemployment rate of 14 percent in Jackson County. State Adds To Natural Bridge Park (Frankfort, KY) -- The Kentucky Department of Parks is adding to the Natural Bridge State Resort Park, sixty three acres adjoining the 24-hundred acre resort have been purchased. The land is long the Middle Fork of the Red River in Wolfe County. Natural Bridge is adjacent to the Daniel Boone National Forest near the Red River Gorge. Chicago Summary: More Details Expected On Suspect In Child Murder (Chicago) -- Chicago Police are holding a press conference at this hour to discuss the arrest of a man in connection with the murders of two young boys. Yesterday, police charged 36-year-old Brian Gilbert with two counts of murder, attempted murder and aggravated criminal sexual assault. He is scheduled to appear in Bond Court sometime today. --- Mount Prospect Trucker Allegedly Caused Deadly Indiana Crash (Wolcottville, IN) -- A truck driver from Mount Prospect could face charges in connection with a crash on the Indiana Toll road that killed eight people. Chicago area man could face charges in a deadly crash on the Indiana Toll Road that left eight people dead. Indiana State Police say 31-year-old Leonardo Cooksey wasnt focusing on the roads as he headed toward traffic which had slowed in the right lane. A total of three semis and four passenger vehicles were involved in the crash, near the town of Bristol, which is 25 miles east of South Bend. All of the dead were in the passenger vehicles, including five who were in a single vehicle. Authorities are trying to determine if weather or speed were a factor in the horrific accident. --- Hero Cops Pull Man From Burning Car (Chicago) -- Some Chicago Police officers may have saved a mans life when they pulled him from a burning car on the West Side this morning. The incident happened after a car and an SUV collided around 1 a.m. near the intersection of Chicago and Homan Avenues. Harrison District Sergeant Michael Spagnola said after the SUVs driver flagged him down, he saw flames coming from the other vehicle. Spagnola and two other officers forced their way into the burning car and rescued the unconscious driver inside. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, while the officers suffered minor injuries. Police are still investigating the accident. --- Priest Looking At Prison Time After Sex Assault (Joliet) -- A 77-year-old priest has been sentenced to a month in prison and four years on probation after pleading guilty to molesting two teenage brothers in the 1990s. The "Chicago Tribune" reports 77-year-old Reverend Louis Rogge of Joliet struck a plea deal with Will County prosecutors. Rogge, who also pleaded guilty to child molestation in Georgia in 1974, will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. The boys father reportedly told Carmelite authorities in 2005 that Rogge allegedly abused one of his sons in 1996 and the other in 1999. Rogge was removed from the priesthood in 2002 because of his previous abuse allegations. --- Welcome News For Midway Passengers (Chicago) -- Chicagos Midway Airport has installed a new 42-million-dollar baggage checking system which means travelers will have one fewer line to stand in. "Crains Chicago Business" reports that with the new system, bags are placed on a conveyor at an airlines ticket counter and then routed to planes. Under the old system, passengers had to take their bags first to an airlines counter to be ticketed, then over to the lobby to a scanning machine. Five of the ten new scanning machines are up and running and the rest are scheduled to be ready in July. Airport officials say once all the machines are working, security personnel will be able to examine about 45-hundred bags per hour, three times the number using the old system. --- Jordans Son Will Try To Make The Team At U Of I (Champaign) -- Basketball legend Michael Jordans son, Jeff, is apparently going to attempt to play college basketball at the University of Illinois. Jeff Jordan played his high school career at Deerfields Loyola Academy as a three-year starter and averaged 15 points a game. He recently turned down scholarships to Valparaiso and Loyola University. --- Sox On To Help Kids (Chicago) -- White Sox sluggers Paul Konerko and Jim Thome along with their wives, are teaming up with state officials and others for "Family Champions for Family Champions," which will focus on promoting positive perception of foster care and raising awareness about the need for foster families. The players will be a part of public service ads and will host events for the foster care agency Childrens Home and Aid. There are more than 16-thousand abused and neglected kids under care of the states Department of Children and Family Services. Jennifer Konerkos parents have taken in between 50 and 60 foster children over the past decade. --- Lights, Camera, Bug Spray! Lineup Announced For Outdoor Movie Fest (Chicago) -- The City of Chicago has released its lineup for the 2007 Chicago Outdoor Film Festival. Movies are shown on Tuesday nights beginning July 17th through August 28th in Butler Field which is in Grant Park at Monroe and Lake Shore Drive. All the movies are free and begin at sunset. The first movie of the year, on July 17th, will be the classic Mel Brooks comedy "Young Frankenstein" starring Gene Wilder and Peter Boyle. On July 24th, Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck star in "Double Indemnity." "Written on the Wind," starring Rock Hudson and Lauren Bacall, will be the feature on July 31st. Irene Dunne and Cary Grant take centerstage on August 7th in "The Awful Truth." "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, will ride onto the big screen on August 14th. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis will breathe in the "Sweet Smell of Success" on August 21st. Finally, on August 28th, the hills we be alive with "The Sound of Music" starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The work of local filmmakers will also be featured in short presentations before each nights movie. The City says the public is invited to join Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper as they introduce the opening night screening, with a discussion that begins at 8:15 p.m. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions/Regional News Service) RNS-04-27-07 1046CDT