Regional Summary, Tuesday 1/29

Indiana Summary: Warmer Today, But Colder On The Way (Indianapolis) -- The temperature is in the lower 50s now, and 53-degrees is the expected for the high today in Indianapolis, but the touch of Spring lasts but a short time with cold coming back. Rain and windy are forecast for today and an overnight low is set for 12-degrees. Highs will be in the 20s and 30s for the rest of the week. --- Twenty-Five-Thousand-Dollars From Kroger To Keep Indy Beautiful (Indianapolis) -- Kroger has donated 25-thousand-dollars to help keep Indianapolis beautiful. The money will be used to improve the area around 71st and Binford Boulevard, where a new Kroger will soon be built. Kroger has also contributed to the area to help pay for new signage for the police substation in the area. In addition, theyve launched several other efforts in order to help the environment, including placing paper recycling containers in 46 parking lots in stores throughout Indianapolis, and started the "Bag 2 Bag" program, which placed plastic recycling containers in most of its central Indiana stores. --- Comments On State Of The Union Address From Indiana Lawmakers (Indianapolis) -- Some Indiana lawmakers had their say last night about the Presidents State of the Union Address. Among them was Representative Mike Pence. The Republican said quote "The President made a compelling case for strong action on the economy, not only in the short term, but in the long term in renewing and making permanent the tax cuts he put on the books." Senator Evan Bayh says that the President outlined several ideas for what the nation needs in these tough times. Senator Richard Lugar and Congressman Steve Buyer 1/81/8 Boo-yer 3/83/8 were also in the audience as President Bush delivered his final State of the Union. --- Latest Winning Hoosier Lottery Numbers Daily Three-Midday: 5-4-4; Daily Three-Evening: 6-9-0; Daily Four-Midday: 5-7-3-8; Daily Four-Evening: 1-0-3-7; Lucky Five-Midday: 4-5-31-32-34; Lucky Five-Evening: 18-19-24-28-31. Kentucky Summary: (Louisville, KY) -- Louisville is still in the running to be Kentucky Derby winner Barbaros final resting place. A press conference is scheduled for later this morning at Churchill Downs where a special announcement will be made. Barbaro was the winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby. After the horse was seriously injured during the Preakness Stakes, fans from all over the world began sending cards and letters to the horses owners. Today marks the one-year anniversary of Barbaros death. (Louisville, KY) -- Jefferson County Public Schools unveiled their new student assignment plan yesterday. Race, Income and education level will all factor in the new plan. Seven months ago the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the districts desegregation policy because it considered students race in assigning them to schools. The new proposal will have elementary, middle and high schools to enroll at least 15 percent and no more than 50 percent of its students from neighborhoods that have income and education levels below the district average, and high than average numbers of minorities. The Supreme Court also threw out a similar desegregation plan in Seattle, Washington last year. (Louisville, KY) -- The Louisville Arena Authority has hired a company to demolish two buildings to make room for the new downtown arena. ORourke Wrecking Company of Cincinnati has been hired to demolish the two buildings located at Second and Main Streets. ORourke Wrecking Company will be paid two-point-eight-million dollars to tear down the LG&E power distribution center and a former Humana office building. The company also imploded the Cincinnati Reds previous ballpark. (Louisville, KY) -- Congressman John Yarmuth will hold a "telephone town hall" tonight to discuss issues with the Louisville community. The event will take place at 6:45 p.m. and residents can listen in via telephone and talk about any concerns they have. Yarmuth says the conversation will focus on economic stimulus, child tax credits, and other things. Anyone wanting to join can contact 1-866-447-5149. (Frankfort, KY) -- The deadline for candidate filings for the May 20th primary is today at 4 p.m. Officials say the passing of the filing deadline usually increases the pace of legislative action. Senate President David Williams says he has filed a bill to move the filing deadline until after the session adjourns. He says the move is so the public can know the positions of the incumbents before re-election races are set. (Frankfort, KY) -- The Justice and Public Safety Cabinet has awarded one-point-six-million-dollars in grants to state and local groups that help victims of domestic violence. The agency awards Violence Against Women Act funds to agencies that provide services to domestic violence victims. Secretary J. Michael Brown says the funds will help address legal, economic, and social issues victims face by providing shelter, support and other vital services. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff. Already flying at half-staff for a Fort Campbell soldier who died in Iraq, the governor has learned of the death of another Fort Campbell soldier. Sergeant Tracy Renee Birkman of New Castle, Virginia has died in Iraq. The Department of Defense says the 41-year-old soldier died from non-combat related injuries. (Fort Knox, KY) -- Fort Knox officials say a construction boom is underway because of the national military base realignment plan. The new 632-million-dollar construction boom is to help prepare for about four-thousand new workers coming to the Army post over the next three years as a part of the plan. Local officials expect the growth to flood area schools, crowd existing roads and increase demands on water systems. Officials say the General Assembly will be asked to find around 300-million-dollars to build new roads to help with the new wave of residents. Illinois :Summary: --- Winter Storm Moving Into Area (Chicago) -- Prepare for a wild evening commute tonight. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the Chicago area from noon Tuesday until noon Wednesday. Forecasters predict strong winds, accumulating snow and dangerously low wind chills. The warning affects Northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana. Wind gusts of up to 45-miles-per-hour are possible. North Central Illinois is expected to get the most snow, with two-to-four-inches of total accumulation. The snow should end by late Tuesday evening, giving way to wind chill readings around 20-degrees below zero. --- Attempted Carjacking Leaves Toddler Dead, Mother Wounded (Gary, IN) -- A toddler was shot and killed during an attempted carjacking in Gary Indiana last night. Methodist Hospital officials say Josiah Shaw died at about 10 p.m. His mother, Kwana Shaw, was also shot and remains hospitalized. Police say the 29-year-old reported the carjacking after someone forced his way into her SUV, shot her, and drove off with the child. The SUV was found abandoned near the intersection of 17th and Virginia Streets with the child still inside. A witness told police she saw someone run off, but authorities say they were unable to find a culprit. --- Bond Hearing For Indicted Businessman Rezko Today (Chicago) -- Indicted political fundraiser and businessman Tony Rezko will have to present some financial records during a bond hearing today. A judge revoked Rezkos bond yesterday afternoon after questions about recent financial transactions. Prosecutors say a three-and-a-half-million-dollar overseas wire transfer to Rezko made him a flight risk. Rezkos lawyer Joseph Duffy disagrees. He says Rezko has fully complied with each of the courts orders since his initial indictment two-years ago. The Wilmette resident is accused of using two state boards to extort kickbacks. His fundraising activities have mainly been linked to Governor Blagojevich, but Rezko and affiliates have also donated to Illinois Senator and Presidential candidate Barack Obama. A photo released last week also links Rezko to New York Senator and Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. --- Rezko Defense Alleges Prosecution Witness Abuses Drugs (Chicago) -- Lawyers for indicted political fundraiser Tony Rezko are claiming the prosecutions star witness has a "serious" drug problem. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports Rezkos legal team is claiming that Stuart Levine uses an unidentified drug that can harm his memory and magnify his sense of self-importance. The 62-year-old Levine has pleaded guilty in the case. His lawyer tells the paper Levine is clear-headed and will testify truthfully. --- Democratic Illinois Senators Largely Displeased With State Of The Union Address (Washington, DC) -- Shortly after last nights State of the Union address, Illinois two Democratic Senators weighed in. Presidential candidate Barack Obama says he was struck by what he called a gap on the seeming lack of urgency by Bush and what people are experiencing on a day-to-day basis. Obama says he believes bolder moves can be made to reinvigorate the economy over the long term, but he didnt hear that from Bush. Dick Durbin says President Bushs call for the elimination of budget earmarks is a bad idea. Earmarking is a process where lawmakers set aside money for specific local projects with little or no debate. Durbin says eliminating earmarks altogether risks tossing good projects "out with the bathwater." He says eliminating wasteful spending is best done by requiring full disclosure and transparency on spending bills. --- Illegal Immigrant Begins Stay At Northwest Side Church (Chicago) -- An illegal immigrant now claiming sanctuary in a Northwest Side church says immigration officials would treat her differently if she were not Hispanic. Flor Crisostomo 1/81/8cree-SO-stuh-mo3/83/8 says her skin color and inability to speak English are the main reasons why shes being forced out of the country. She was arrested in 2006 when immigration officers raided her employer and was to leave the country yesterday. The 28-year-olds three-children live in Mexico. Like Elvira Arellano 1/81/8el-VEER-uh ahr-ee-AHN-oh3/83/8 before her, Crisostomo is claiming sanctuary at Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicagos Humboldt Park neighborhood. Arellano lived at the church for a year. Immigrations officials have not said whether they plan to forcibly remove Crisostomo. --- Free Senior Rides To Come In March, With Passes (Chicago) -- Seniors will get free Chicago-area bus and train rides beginning on March 17th. The Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors yesterday approved a regional sales tax increase which provides the CTA, Metra and Pace with operating funds. The tax increase is part of transit-funding legislation signed by Governor Blagojevich January 17th. People 65-years of age and older will need a valid ID card from the RTA in order to ride buses and trains for free. Seniors who have current reduced-fare cards will be able to use those cards to get the free rides. RTA officials estimate that the Governors move to give seniors free rides will cost transit agencies about 30-million-dollars a year. --- Cicero Officer Now Facing Marijuana Charges (Chicago) -- If Ciceros highest-ranking black police officer really did have marijuana when his car was pulled over Sunday night in Chicago, it wasnt his. So says Wesley Scotts lawyer, Armand Andry, who suggests the officers could have planted the drugs. The 47-year-old Scott was pulled over after police say he ran a stop sign. Officers say they smelled marijuana coming from the patrol supervisors car, leading to a search. But Andry questions that, and says his client has had run-ins with several Chicago officers in the past. Hes even filed a lawsuit over incidents that happened two-years ago. Police say they are unaware of the case. --- Judge Defends Hiring Of Ex-Gang "Enforcer" (Chicago) -- Cook County Judge Michael Hyman yesterday attacked the "Chicago Sun-Times" for a front-page story connecting him to former Gangster Disciple Wallace "Gator" Bradley. Hyman, whos seeking election to his first full term as judge, hired Bradley last year to reach out to the African American community. Hyman says Bradley needs to be evaluated fairly, because thats part of the judicial process. Bradley spent many years as an "enforcer" for the Gangster Disciples, and was convicted of armed robbery. One of Hymans opponents, prosecutor Brian Sexton, says hiring Bradley was a serious lapse in judgment. But Hyman says Bradley has turned his life around over the last 15-years, working as a community liaison to Congressman Jesse Jackson, Junior and others. --- First Ticket Written For Chicago Smoking Ban Violation (Chicago) -- The first Chicago establishment ticketed under the states new smoking ban is a Logan Square bar. Officials say an inspector caught two patrons smoking at Helens Two Way Lounge near Fullerton and Milwaukee Avenues. The bar got off on a technicality, because city ordinances havent been changed to match the state law yet. But inspectors tell the "Chicago Sun-Times" the law worked in this case because the bar owner asked the customers to put out their cigarettes. The City Council is expected to adopt a new ordinance next month. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-29-08 0643CST