Regional Summary, Thursday 1/3

Indiana Summary: (Indianapolis) -- A young couple faces charges today after police say they left their unattended baby in their pick up truck in freezing temperatures while they shopped last night. Investigators say a shopper noticed the 14-month-old girl in the vehicle whith no one else inside and the trucks engine not running and called police. The mother and father were located in a Marsh supermarket at 62nd Street and Keystone Avenue, questioned, and then arrested. They told police the child was sleeping and they didnt want to disturb her by taking her in the store. Temperatures at the time were in the single-digits. The baby was rescued and is okay. Police say the child was left in the truck for around 20-minutes. --- Shooting Kills Two In Northwest Indiana Apartment (Merrillville) -- Police in Northwest Indiana are investigating the shooting of a man and a woman in a Merrillville apartment. Forty-four-year-old Vincent Currie of Gary and 47-year-old Michelle Covington were found fatally shot Wednesday morning at Covingtons home in the 58-hundred block of Grant Street. Police say the case is an apparent double homicide. Autopsies are scheduled for Thursday. --- Wednesdays Winning Hoosier Lottery Numbers Daily Three-Midday: 8-2-1; Daily Three-Evening: 0-9-6; Daily Four-Midday: 3-4-9-8; Daily Four-Evening: 8-3-4-4; Lucky Five-Midday: 2-8-17-28-31; Lucky Five-Evening: 8-12-32-33-36. Kentucky Summary: (Lexington, KY) -- Sixty-seven Marine reservists say goodbye to family and friends and begin a journey to Iraq. The military police detachment is leaving for training, then it is on to Iraq. The men and women Marines are to spend seven-months in-country. (Frankfort, KY) -- Flags are flying at half-staff on state office buildings. Governor Steve Beshear issued the order to honor Army Specialist Brian Gorham of Woodburn. Gorham was severely burned several-weeks ago when a Humvee drove over a roadside bomb as he patrolled in Afghanistan. The 23-year-old Warren County soldier died on New Years Eve while undergoing treatment at a military hospital in Texas. (Frankfort, KY) -- Kentucky State Police report fewer people died on Kentucky roadways last year. The KSP reporting 852-people lost their lives on Kentucky roadways in 2007, 61 fewer than in 2006. Although encouraged by the safety improvement State Police Commission Rodney Brewer says "we must strive to do better." (Frankfort, KY) -- A 16-year-old driver died in a pond when his vehicle overturned. Kentucky State Police are trying to determine just what caused Jonathon Gonzalez Median to lose control of his vehicle on a Bourbon County highway. It ran off the road and overturned in a pond. A passenger managed to escape injury and wade to shore. A deputy Bourbon County Coroner pronounced Median dead at the scene. (Frankfort, KY) -- John Schickel, the U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Kentucky says hes running for the state senate seat being vacated by Dick Roeding. Roeding a northern Kentucky Republican says he will not seek re-election. The 77-year-old Roeding has served in the state senate for 18-years. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has appointed the first African-American women to serve as Executive Director of the Kentucky Commission on Women. Jordan who once served as a state representative lives in Louisville. The governors office says Jordan has served in a number of public service positions. (Frankfort, KY) -- A spokesperson for Governor Steve Beshear says he will hold a news conference Friday afternoon at the Capitol to outline his budget balancing plans as the state faces a revenue of shortfall of several hundred-million-dollars. Friday morning the governor will brief legislative leaders on his plans. It has been reported the governor is considering an across the board budget cut of three-percent. (Bardwell, KY) -- Kentucky State Police say a ten-thousand-dollar reward is being offered to find and convict the person or persons responsible for last weeks fire at the Carlisle County Courthouse. Investigators say the fire was arson, they know where the fire began, and its cause now theyre asking for the publics assistance to find those responsible. Illinois Summary: --- Lawmakers: Latest Special Session Waste Of Time (Springfield) -- The state lawmakers who showed up for the latest special session all left wondering why they even bothered. Few lawmakers showed up for the Wednesday evening session in Springfield, so few the General Assembly couldnt do anything. Only 14 of 59 state senators showed up, 70 of 118 state representatives made the trip. But only one of the four legislative leaders, Senate GOP boss Frank Watson, was at the capitol. Watson says the governors latest order is frustrating. Watson postponed a vacation for the meeting. Lawmakers arent set to be back till next week, when most had planned to start talking about issues once again. Governor Blagojevich defends his decision to order a session so close to the holidays, saying most people go back to work right after New Years. His office says its disappointed with the tiny turn out. But rank-and-file lawmakers say no one should be surprised. The legislature was supposed to talk about a solution for Chicagos transit needs. --- Governor Denies Involvement In Scandal (Chicago) -- Governor Blagojevich is denying allegations that he is "Public Official A" mentioned in court documents which detail alleged corruption in his administration. Documents released December 21st indicate that "Public Official A" told a prominent Democratic fundraiser that the governor "could award contracts, legal work and investment banking to help with fundraising." The "Chicago Sun-Times" has identified Blagojevich as "Public Official A." Blagojevich also allegedly told Democratic fundraiser Joseph Cari he "had a lot of ways of helping his friends." Cari pleaded guilty to attempted extortion in 2005. --- Governor Sued Over Special Election To Replace Hastert (Chicago) -- Election authorities in Kane and DuPage counties and six other jurisdictions in the 14th Congressional District are suing Governor Blagojevich. The officials say the Governor didnt give them enough time to prepare for the February 5th special primary and March 8th special general elections he scheduled to replace retired Republican Congressman and former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who resigned November 26th. The "Daily Herald" reports the 15-page complaint was to be filed in U.S. District Court today. --- Homeless Men Die In Fire In South Suburb (Chicago) -- Two men, believed to be homeless, were killed in an early-morning fire in a laundromat in south suburban Chicago Ridge. The fire at Brunos cleaners at 106-07 South Ridgeland Avenue is believed to have broken out around 1:30 a.m. and was struck around 3 a.m. The "Chicago Tribune" reports the mens bodies were found inside after the fire was put out. The men may have been at the laundromat to escape the bitter cold. The fire is under investigation. --- No Injuries Reported In West Side Fire But Search Was To Continue (Chicago) -- A large fire on Chicagos West Side burned for about three hours before being put out about 1:15 this morning. The fire broke out in a three-story apartment building with stores on the ground floor at 41-09 West Madison at about 10:15 Wednesday night. Fire officials say there are no reports of injuries but firefighters were still planning on searching the heavily damaged structure to look for possible victims. --- Bones Found At Sight Of Deadly Apartment Arson Fire (Chicago) -- Some bones were found yesterday at the apartment complex in south suburban Oak Forest which was destroyed by fire last weekend, killing three people. The "Southtown Star" reports it hasnt been determined whether the bones are human or those of animal. A 57-year-old man confessed to intentionally setting the fire which killed his his 22-year-old pregnant daughter, 30-year-old son-in-law and their three-year-old son and left about 70 people homeless. --- Outage Shuts Two CTA Stops (Chicago) -- Commuters who normally use the CTA Green Lines East 63rd Street branch may want to allow some extra time this morning. Power was shut off because of an apparent switch problem, closing down the East 63rd/Cottage Grove and King Drive stations. A shuttle bus will take riders from those stops to the Garfield station, where they can then board a train heading into the Loop. The CTA says it hopes to have service restored before the evening rush. --- Chicago Homicides Decline To Forty-Two-Year Low (Chicago) -- Chicagos murder rate keeps dropping. An unofficial count says the city had 442 homicides in 2007, fewer than any year since 1965, when Chicago had 395 murders. In 2006, the city had 467 homicides. Interim Police Superintendent Dana Starks credits an increased focus on confronting gangs and drugs with the drop in the citys number of homicides. An official tally of 2007 homicides is expected in about two weeks. --- Suspect In Custody After Police Find Oak Lawn Mans Remains (Chicago) -- Police have a suspect in custody in connection with a missing Oak Lawn man whose remains were found under a home on Chicagos Southwest Side. The body of 25-year-old Eric Kaminski was found buried under six-feet of concrete at 22-48 West Coulter Street. Kaminski had been missing since February, 2004. An autopsy determined he died of multiple gunshot wounds. Police say the man believed to be responsible is being held on unrelated charges. He has not been charged with Kaminskis death. --- Driver Kills Man On South Side (Chicago) -- Chicago Police are looking for the driver of a red sports car that struck and killed a 60-year-old man last night. Police say the accident occurred around 9 p.m. near the intersection of 90th Street and Ashland Avenue. Witnesses told police the man was walking across the street when the speeding car struck him and continued heading north on Ashland. The unidentified victim died a short time later at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-03-08 0717CST