Regional Summary, Wednesday 11/21

Indiana Summary: Firefighters Continue Battling House Blaze In Indianapolis (Indianapolis) -- Firefighters continue to fight a house blaze in the 26-hundred block of North Gail Avenue in Indianapolis. A partial collapse of the structure has hampered the fire fighting. Right now, there have been no injuries and it appears the fire is under control. --- Mayor-Elect Ballard Meets With Sheriff Anderson Hoping For Agreement (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Mayor-elect Greg Ballard met briefly with Sheriff Frank Anderson yesterday. The two didnt talk about a possible switch that would put the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department under the mayors rule and a police chief. Anderson heads the IMPD now which has been the case since IMPD was created from the merger of the Indianapolis Police Department and the Marion County Sheriffs Department under the rule of Mayor Bart Peterson. Anderson says he should continue to head IMPD. Ballard emerged from the meeting to tell reporters he and Anderson basically talked about the future of the city. --- Two People Shot By Masked Gunmen In Northeastside Home (Indianapolis) -- Police say two people were shot inside a northeastside home last night around 10 p.m. The shooting happened near 24th Street and Arlington Avenue. Detectives say five masked gunmen entered the residence at 2450 North Webster Avenue and started firing weapons. The wounds are now considered to be non-life threatening. No known motive has been given for the attack. --- Thieves Rip Vases From Grave Sites At Westside Cemetery (Indianapolis) -- Police are looking for thieves who ripped vases from grave sites at a westside cemetery. The metal vases police say were sold for cash. Investigators say more than one-hundred bronze vases were taken from Floral Park Cemetery last week. Police say it appears that the thieves hopped a fence at night and that the vases were sold to scrap yards. --- Latest Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Midday: 2-2-8; Daily Three-Evening: 9-7-8; Daily Four-Midday: 4-5-5-2; Daily Four-Evening: 7-3-5-8; Lucky Five-Midday: 10-13-15-26-32; Lucky Five-Evening: 3-18-29-32-33; Mix & Match: 1-12-17-19-28. Illinois Summary: --- Pace Drivers In North, Northwest Suburbs On Strike (Des Plaines) -- More than 21-thousand Pace bus riders are without a way to get to work this morning. Drivers and mechanics at the Des Plaines garage went on strike this morning. Pace Spokesman Patrick Wilmot says the action by Teamsters Local 731 caught his agency off guard. He says Pace considers the strike "illegal", and says the agency had expected the union to continue negotiations. Wilmot says at this time, the agency does not have a contingency plan. Local 731 is seeking its first contract with Pace. Its members rejected a contract offer earlier this month. Twenty-two routes are affected, serving an area bounded by Schaumburg on the east, Lake Michigan on the west, and portions of Lake County and Chicago on the north and south. --- Snow Advisories On Traditionally Heavy Traffic Day (Chicago) -- Nasty weather is expected to foul up one of the years busiest travel days. The National Weather Service has issued a snow advisory that starts at 5 p.m. this evening and continues through the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day. Up to three-inches of snow is forecast for northern Illinois, with most of it expected to fall between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight. Before the snow falls, rain and stiff winds are anticipated throughout the day Wednesday, potentially causing a messy commute. Yesterday, fog and low visibility caused delays of up to an hour at Midway Airport and up to 90-minutes at OHare, and Wednesdays conditions could lead to more of the same. Anyone planning to fly in or out of Chicago should check the status of their flight with their airline. --- Bolingbrook Chief Wanted To Fire "Shamed" Peterson (Bolingbrook) -- Bolingbrooks Police Chief says Drew Peterson has "shamed" his department. Raymond McGury will meet with prosecutors to talk about alleged conduct violations made by the former Sergeant within the last year. Raymond McGury says he wanted to fire Peterson, but the 53-year-old resigned earlier this month before a police board could review his conduct. McGury says the alleged violations do not involve Petersons missing wife Stacy, who hasnt been seen in over three-weeks. They also are not related to the death of Petersons third wife Kathleen Savio, whose 2004 drowning is being reinvestigated. Peterson was suspended in September after a police pursuit that McGury says should not have happened. A police board ruled last night that Petersons resignation took effect last week, and that they are required by law to award him his full pension. --- Peterson Engagement Detailed By Near-Wife (Bolingbrook) -- Drew Peterson almost married a fifth woman in the early 1980s. Kyle Piry tells the "Chicago Sun-Times" she and Peterson were engaged for about four-months. She says she broke off the engagement because she didnt want to be a stepmother to Petersons children. But she also tells the newspaper she felt there was something wrong with the relationship. Piry alleges that Peterson followed and harassed her in the weeks and months afterward. Peterson is considered a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife Stacy, who hasnt been seen in more than three-weeks. The drowning death of Petersons third wife, initially ruled an accident, is being reinvestigated. --- University Community Remembers Fallen Student (Chicago) -- Friends and fellow University of Chicago students are expressing sadness and anger over the fatal shooting of doctoral student Amadou Cisse 1/81/8 AHM-uh-doo SEE-say 3/83/8. More than 100-mourners, including several diplomats and elected officials, attended a vigil for Cisse Tuesday evening. The 29-year-old Senegal native was gunned down near the intersection of 61st Street and South Ellis Avenue Monday night. Senegalese Association in Chicago President Cheikh Balla Samb said the school should do more to protect its students, but added that mistakes are a part of human life, "and the university is paying his expenses." Senegals consul general, Cheikh Niang, called the death "a great, great loss." A memorial service for Cisse is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at a South Side funeral home. The university will ship his body back to Senegal. --- Car Possibly Used In Hyde Park Attacks Sought (Chicago) -- Authorities have identified a car that may have been used in Mondays violent attacks near the University of Chicago. Police are looking for a light silver, gray or white four-door sedan with red doors on the drivers side. They think the occupants of that car may have shot and killed University of Chicago doctoral student Amadou Cisse near 61st Street and South Ellis early Monday morning. His death came shortly after two women were robbed on a nearby street, and less than an hour after someone chased and shot at a University staff member. Police are investigating whether all three attacks are linked. --- Sister-In-Law Details Burns Of Suspected Arsonists Kids (Glendale Heights) -- The sister-in-law of a Glendale Heights man named a suspect in the severe burning of his two children says he was trying to commit suicide. Kaushik Patel drove his seven-year-old and four-year-old sons to his brothers Hanover Park house shortly after the Sunday night fire. His sister-in-law Kamini tells the "Chicago Tribune" the boys were each burned on their face, chest, and knees. She says Kaushik Patels hair and face were also burned. Authorities say all three are hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, and the two children are in very serious condition. Police believe Patel poured gasoline on the children and lit them on fire. He has not been charged in the crime. --- One Killed In South Side Robbery Gone Wrong (Chicago) -- A would-be robber allegedly shot and killed a man picking up his girlfriend from work on the citys South Side late last night. Authorities say the robber approached the mans parked SUV near the intersection of 77th Street and Ashland Avenue, pulled open the passenger door, and demanded money. Police say the driver tried to speed off, but the gunman fired and hit him in the chest. The SUV crashed into a nearby fence. The 32-year-old victims name has not been released. Authorities say they have only a vague description of the shooter. --- Union Joins Lawsuit Against County Board President (Chicago) -- More Cook County workers are joining a lawsuit against Board President Todd Stroger. The "Chicago Tribune" reports that officials with AFSCME Local 3315, the union representing the countys public defenders, say they plan to join a lawsuit filed last week by public defender Edwin Burnette. The suit claims Strogers staff cuts will make it more difficult for Burnette and his colleagues to provide adequate legal counsel to low-income criminal defendants. Local 3315 President Bob Galhotra says that ability is required by the Constitution, and the lawsuit "seeks to restore a properly functioning justice system" in the county. Burnette says the layoffs of around 30 staff members earlier this year were "arbitrary and capricious," and is calling for those employees to be reinstated. An attorney for Stroger dismissed the suit as "political posturing" and said it was without merit. --- Daley Hopeful Special Session Brings Transit Funding Result (Chicago) -- Mayor Daley says Governor Blagojevich needs to be more open to the possibility of tax increases. The Governor favors a transit and capital construction funding plan that includes new casinos in Chicago and the suburbs. Daley says thats an about face for the governor, who once professed a moral objection to expanding gaming. Daley has not backed a solution, saying its up to lawmakers to come up with an immediate, long-term plan. He says hes hopeful a special session of the legislature scheduled for a week from today leads to a funding answer. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-11-21-07 0633CST