Regional Summary, Tuesday 1/15

Indiana Summary: Police Confirm That Fourth Shooting Victim Has Died (Indianapolis) -- Police confirm now that the fourth victim of a late night shooting has died. The victim is a child. Two men are sought after shots killed two children and two women, both 24-years-old. The crime happened around 11 p.m. in the 32-hundred block of Hovey Street on the Indianapolis northside. The community is shaken, and police are shaking their heads as to why anyone would kill little children. --- Anderson Murder Defendant Sentenced To Over 100-Years (Anderson) -- The man convicted of a murder and robbery in Anderson is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison. Jerell Owens has been sentenced to a total of 110-years behind bars for killing Damien Hopkins. The sentence is five-years under the maximum penalty for the two convictions. Owens shot Hopkins in the head after losing money in a dice game last February. A jury in Madison County convicted Owens following his trial one-month ago. --- Study Finds Nursing Is Biggest Job To Fill In Indiana (Indianapolis) -- Registered nurses are in greater demand across Indiana than any other profession, according to a new study. The Indiana Business Research Center 1/81/8 IBRC 3/83/8 at Indiana University has found that the number of nursing jobs will grow 30-percent by 2014. Rachel Justis with the IBRC says the need for registered nurses ranks first in seven of the states eleven economic regions. A majority of the nursing expansion is expected in the southern half of Indiana. The average nurses salary in the state for 2006 was well over 51-thousand-dollars. Accountants, auditors, elementary school teachers, and medical and health services managers are other Indiana "hot jobs," according to Justis. --- One Seriously Injured In Aurora Crash (Aurora) -- A man is recovering this morning after a serious wreck last night in Aurora. The unidentified driver lost control and hit the back of a semi on Highway-350 near North Hogan Road, according to police. He was pinned in his vehicle. His condition has not been released. --- Latest Winning Hoosier Lottery Numbers (Unbated) -- Daily Three-Midday: 2-4-3; Daily Three-Evening: 6-2-6; Daily Four-Midday: 5-4-0-1; Daily Four-Evening: 8-5-2-3; Lucky Five-Midday: 10-22-24-27-31; Lucky Five-Evening: 4-10-18-23-36. Kentucky Summary: (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear says its not a time for whining, it is a time for leadership and bold action. The governor presenting his first State of the Commonwealth Address says the state of the Commonwealth is unacceptable, speaking of the financial and revenue situation he says the revenue outlook is grim. He says there are tough times ahead, but he says he chooses belt-tightening over raising taxes. Raising taxes will be a last resort. Governor Beshear says despite the problems he remains optimistic for the future. (Frankfort, KY) -- A bill to remove runoffs in gubernatorial primaries is moving in the Senate. The Senate State Government Committee unanimously approved of the measure on Monday and moved it on. Advocates of eliminating the law that has never been used cite the high cost to Kentucky counties to hold runoff elections. (Georgetown, KY) -- Workers at the Toyota Georgetown plant will be making a new model along with all of the Camrys they already produce. Toyota has unveiled its new Venza crossover sedan. It is said to be a combination of sports car, SUV and sedan. Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky President Steve St. Angelo says this is a very good thing for the Georgetown plant and will replace the Solara on the assembly lines. (Cold Springs, KY) -- A pumper from Campbell Fire District number one was responding to a non-injury accident when it was extensively damaged. Fire Chief John Daly says the driver lost control of the truck on a patch of ice on Poplar Ridge Road, it slid off the road into a tree. Early estimates place the cost of repairs at 100-thousand-dollars. There were no injuries. (Winchester, KY) -- A driver somehow put his van into the wrong gear and it ended up crashing through the front window of a Winchester doctors office. There were several-people in the waiting room when the van came crashing into the building. Two adults and a child were taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. (Benton, KY) -- Officials have broken ground for a new Marshall County Hospital. The new 25-bed facility is expected to be completed in about a year. The new hospital will be located in Benton. (Lexington, KY) -- University of Kentucky officials say the lines are being swamped as students, staff and others sign up for a new emergency alert system. UK Alert will be used to contact cell phones, emails and other devices to warn of immediate or potential threats to the university community. Students and others can sign up at uky.edu/UKAlert. Illinois Summary: --- Obama, Clinton Look To Put Race Behind Them (Chicago) -- Illinois Senator Barack Obama and fellow Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton are remembering the 79th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. by working to end a racial divide. Clinton made comments recently that some believe gave former President Lyndon Johnson more credit for civil rights than Dr. King, then accused the Obama campaign of distorting her words. Yesterday, Obama said both Hillary and Bill Clinton have consistently been "on the right side" of civil rights issues. Clintons campaign responded with a message urging the two sides to "come together" on the struggle for equality. The King Day holiday will be observed next Monday, January 21st. --- Mayor Really Calls Voters (Chicago) -- Mayor Daley really was on the phone last night, making cold calls on behalf of Senator Barack Obamas campaign for President. Daley had promised to work a phone bank for his fellow Democrat, and the "Chicago Sun-Times" reports he served that duty last night. Daley told those on the other end of the line that Obama is a "leader that can inspire hope and change." He also gave a pep talk and took pictures with volunteers. --- Divers To Resume Recovery Of Driver, Car In Fox River (Batavia) -- Dive teams will resume their search for a driver whose car went into the Fox River last night near Batavia. Witnesses told Batavia Police the car drove into the river near the 800 block of North River Street with its lights on. Authorities say the car drifted about 100-yards from shore before going completely under. Police dive teams have seen a body in the car, but have not been able to reach it because of the current and water temperature. --- Millionaire Murder Trial Jury Selected; Opening Statements Today (Waukegan) -- Opening statements begin this morning in the murder trial of Peter Hommerson. Lawyers selected a jury in the case yesterday, almost 12-years to the day after Hommerson allegedly murdered a millionaire and his wife at their Barrington Hills mansion. Marvin and Kay Lichtman were found dead in the ashes of their burned-down estate. Authorities believe Hommerson, who also went by the names "Lajos Fernezci" and "Peter Hommer", shot both Lichtmans and set the house on fire. He then went on the run to Texas and Mexico. Police caught up with Hommerson in 2005, after tipsters watching "Americas Most Wanted" called authorities. If convicted, Hommerson could face life in prison, but prosecutors will not seek the death penalty. --- French Prosecutors Meet With Doctors Family, Cook County Officials (Chicago) -- French law enforcement officials are in town to discuss the 2006 stabbing death of Chicago dermatologist David Cornbleet. The French investigators met with Cook County prosecutors Monday to begin preparing the case against the man suspected of killing Dr. Cornbleet in his Michigan Avenue office. Hans Peterson surrendered to authorities on the French-controlled island of Guadeloupe in August. French officials are refusing to extradite Peterson to the United States to face trial. Peterson is a citizen of both the U.S. and France. The French prosecutors also met with members of Dr. Cornbleets family Monday. Dr. Cornbleets son John says the family is holding out hope that the French will relent and agree to let U.S. prosecutors try Peterson. --- Firefighter Admits Raping Young Girl Repeatedly (Valparaiso, IN) -- A former Indiana firefighter has admitted repeatedly binding and raping a young girl. One-time South Haven firefighter Michael Parsons pled guilty yesterday to four counts of abuse. The 39-year-old admitted having sex several times with the girl, who was younger than 14-years-old, between January 2003 and May 2006. Prosecutors say Parsons used his firefighters gas mask to restrain the girl at least once. He also used a homemade device. Prosecutors dropped nine other charges involving that girl and two others in exchange for the guilty pleas to child molestation, sexual misconduct with a minor, child exploitation and criminal confinement. He faces up to 28-years in prison. --- Accused Murderer Committed Suicide By Swallowing Pills (Wheaton) -- An accused rapist and murderer apparently hoarded his medication for days so he could kill himself by swallowing them all. DuPage County States Attorney Joe Birkett revealed yesterday that toxicology findings on 26-year-old Robert Rejda indicated he had 100-times the therapeutic level of some medications in his system. Rejda was found dead in his DuPage County Jail cell last month. Birkett says Rejda left behind two suicide notes in which he took responsibility for the death of 24-year-old Lauren Kiefer. He did not admit a separate rape. Rejdas attorney had already told a judge his client intended to plead guilty and accept the death penalty. --- Seniors Ride Free Proposal Goes Before Legislators Thursday (Springfield) -- Lawmakers will convene Thursday to discuss the governors change to mass transit funding legislation. Representatives and senators will likely agree to Governor Blagojevichs amendatory veto authorizing free bus and train rides for seniors, but thats not certain. Some politicians, including Mayor Daley, have expressed concerns about whether the change will pass. The measure passed by the legislature would raise the regional sales tax slightly to pay for the CTA, Metra, and Pace. It would also raise Chicagos real estate transfer tax by as much as 40-percent. The city council would have to agree to that portion of the plan. --- MySpace, 49 States Reach Child Protection Agreement (Chicago) -- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan says parents will appreciate changes made by the online networking website MySpace to help protect kids from sexual predators. Illinois is among the 49 states whove signed a deal with MySpace to stepup enforcement on the online networking site. Madigan says her office found 17-hundred register sex offenders on the site for teens and young adults, and more may be out there. MySpace has agreed to patrol the site for predators, as well as sever links to pornographic websites and monitor pictures posted by users. The site will also create a high school section for anyone under 18-years-old, and give parents more control over their childrens information. Madigan says the changes should give people more piece of mind, but warns parents the Internet can still be a dangerous place. --- Van Thief Unwittingly Steals Five Dogs (Chicago) -- An thief drove off with both a stolen van and five dogs locked inside from a Near North Side street Monday afternoon. Police say the van belonged to a professional dog-sitter, who left it unlocked and running outside a building in the 100 block of West Hubbard Street about 2. Authorities believe the thief did not know the dogs were in the back when he drove away. The van is a white, 2006 Ford E-150 with a license plate number of 6-9-0-1-2-P. Anyone with information is asked to call authorities. The dog owners have put together a reward for the return of their pets. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-15-08 0614CST