Regional Summary, Thursday 4/17

Indiana Summary --- Superdelegate Carson Endorses Obama (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis U.S. Representative Andre Carson is endorsing Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary. Carson, who was elected to his late grandmothers seat last month, is a superdelegate. He calls Obama "part of a new generation of leader sing that will bring the needed change for our country." Four other Democrats in the Indiana Congressional delegation have not committed to Obama or Hillary Clinton. Senator Evan Bayh is backing Clinton. --- Michelle Obama Campaigns For Husband In Indiana (Indianapolis) -- Michelle Obama compares her husbands presidential bid to the day-to-day lives of most Americans. She told an Indianapolis audience on Wednesday that every goal accomplished by the Obama campaign has been met with a changing standard. Obama says thats similar to people who are working harder just to keep from falling behind. Obama also challenged the charge of elitism leveled against her husband by Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. She said they were both raised in small apartments and working class families. Obama said her husband understands that the country is "suffering from a deficit of empathy." His choice was to work on issues of "justice and fairness" before anyone was watching, according to Michelle Obama. She also sought to rebut criticisms of the senator by saying he is both tough and tested. Obama and Clinton are competing for 72 pledged delegates to be divided on May 6th. --- Governor Unveils Affordable College Tuition Proposal (Indianapolis) -- Governor Mitch Daniels has released a proposal to reduce the cost of college education for middle income families in Indiana. Daniels wants to offer high school graduates two years of paid tuition at Ivy Tech Community College or the equivalent amount at any state university. He says the program would encourage more children to stay in school. The response of the schools and identifying funding streams will determine how the plan moves forward, according to Daniels. The pitch was made to trustees and administrators on the Commission for Higher Education attending a conference at IUPUI. Daniels said making the proposal a reality "would close an enormous gap" that exists for middle-income families. The governor also pushed state schools to join Ivy Tech in limiting their tuition increases to the rate of inflation. --- Sickened U.S. Pork Workers Have New Nerve Disorder A mysterious neurological condition among pork plant workers has U.S. health officials shaking their heads. Eighteen pork plant workers in Minnesota, at least five in Indiana and one in Nebraska appear to have contracted the odd affliction while removing brains from slaughtered pigs. Health officials say the illness is a new disorder that causes a range of symptoms, from inflammation of the spinal cord to mild weakness, fatigue, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs. Tests showed patients had damage to the nerves at the root level near the spinal cord and at the far reaches of their motor nerves, where the nerves connect with muscle. Researchers believe it is possible that bits of pig brain stimulated an immune response in the bodies of the workers, causing their immune systems to improperly attack their own nerve tissue. A spokesperson for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said it is unlikely the condition could be passed from person to person. --- Caesars To Become Horseshoe (Harrison County) -- Caesars Casino in southern Indiana will become Horseshoe Southern Indiana by July 11th. Officials say a 12-foot statue of Julius Caesar was removed yesterday morning. Harrison County officials say they will store Caesars statue until a decision is made about where it should be put on display. --- Pacers Hand Knicks 59th Loss (Indianapolis) -- Mike Dunleavy stuffed the stat sheet with 36 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals as the Pacers dropped the lowly Knicks 132-123 at Conseco Fieldhouse. Danny Granger racked up 26 points and six boards, while Troy Murphy added 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. David Harrison pitched in with 13 points off the bench for the Pacers, who end the year 36-and-46. Jamal Crawford had 25 points to pace the Knicks, who matched a franchise-record with 59 losses this season. Zach Randolph scored 23 points and grabbed 15 boards, and David Lee ended with 14 points and nine rebounds in what could prove to be Isiah Thomas final game as New Yorks head Kentucky Summary (Richmond, KY) -- Sub-Zero/Wolf is delaying the start of construction of a plant in Richmond. The company has laid off workers at plants existing plants out of state but still vows to build the Madison County facility. The company had planned to build dishwashers in Richmond and employ about 100-people. A company spokesman says they still hope to be making dishwashers in Richmond by the end of 2010. (Campbellsville, KY) -- Campbellsville Police are alerting residents to the danger of fake e-mails. The fake e-mails ask bank customers to update their account information online, if customers comply, this sets them up for possible identity theft. Police say banks dont use this type of e-mail communications. (Frankfort, KY) -- A new law could make riding in vehicles safer for youngsters. The "booster bill" now signed into law mandates children younger than seven and between 40 and 50-inches tall be secured in a booster seat. Beginning next year, fines will be levied to those found breaking the new law, but for now law enforcement will issue only "courtesy warnings." (Frankfort, KY) -- An assistant Lexington fire chief is heading to Frankfort. After 23-years on the job in Lexington, Billy Swope is Kentuckys new State Fire Marshal. Swope has served as assistant chief of administration and prior to that headed up the fire prevention office. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear is challenging the Council on Postsecondary Education selection of Brad Cowgill as its president. Cowgill, who has been serving as interim president, served as state budget director during the last administration. The governor is seeking a legal opinion from Attorney General Conway, Beshear contending the council should have conducted a nationwide search for a new president. (Owensboro, KY) -- Cheryl King graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 1970. Now she is returning to the Owensboro college as president. Dr. King has been involved in education on the pre-school, middle school and post secondary levels. She has also serviced as Commissioner of Kentuckys Adult Education. Cheryl Kings husband Fred is also a Wesleyan grad. (London, KY) -- Kentucky State Police have charged a man with 21-counts of animal cruelty after 21-horses were discovered in emaciated condition and five-dead on a Rockcastle County farm. State Police say they have placed the charges on the farms owner 54-year-old Jerry Campbell of London. (Maysville, KY) -- Work is to begin within the next two-weeks for a new emergency room at Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville. The hospital will also have a new CEO. The company that owns the hospital announcing that Chad Patrick from Dayton, Ohio will be arriving in May. Officials hope to have the new ER completed in one-year. Illinois Summary --- St. Xavier, South Suburban, Open Following Threats (Chicago) -- South Suburban College in South Holland is scheduled to resume classes today after being closed following a written threat of violence. School officials say investigators have identified several persons of interest regarding the threat. Saint Xavier University, which has campuses on Chicagos South Side and in Orland Park, was reopened on Wednesday night after being closed for several days because of written threats of violence. The investigation continues and school officials say a heightened level of police and public safety personnel will remain in effect. --- Teenager In Stable Condition After Shooting, Other Teens Murder Under Investigation (Chicago) -- No suspects are in custody after yet another shooting involving Chicago teenagers. Police say a group of teens were fighting on the citys Near North Side around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday when shots rang out in the 300 block of West Elm Street. A 17-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the leg. On Tuesday night, a 17-year-old boy was shot and killed on the West Side. Marcus Greer became the 24th Chicago Public Schools student to be killed this year and the 21st by gun violence. Police have no suspect description and say his murder may have been gang-related. --- Mayor Wants Weapon Crackdown Near Schools And Parks (Chicago) -- Mayor Daley wants to get tougher on criminals who carry guns near public places, including schools. The mayor introduced a proposal on Wednesday that would automatically put someone behind bars if theyre convicted of carrying an unregistered weapon within one-thousand-feet of a school, park, court building, or public housing development. --- "Huskies For Hokies" Vigil Held (DeKalb) -- Northern Illinois University is remembering the tragedy at Virginia Tech. Last night, NIU held a "Huskies for Hokies" candlelight vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of the shootings at Virginia Tech in which a gunman killed 32 people and himself. NIUs vigil was a way of giving thanks to the Virginia Tech community which gathered to honor the five students slain at Northern Illinois several days after the February 14th shooting in DeKalb. Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff shared information and advice in the aftermath of the NIU attacks. Some Virginia Tech student groups even traveled to DeKalb to comfort NIU students. --- Stroger: "People Will Die" If Medicaid Rules Take Effect (Chicago) -- Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is in Washington pushing the state congressional delegation and other members of Congress to delay new Medicaid rules scheduled to take effect next month. Stroger says that "people will die" if the new rules go into effect. The board president says more hospitals and healthcare providers will "be forced" to shut their doors to those who desperately need care. According to Stroger, the State of Illinois estimates that its Medicaid program will be cut by more than 255-million-dollars. Cook County expects to lose more than 100-million-dollars in federal funding. --- Authorities Stymied In Search For Second Cougar (Skokie) -- Police and wildlife biologists performed an unsuccessful helicopter search of the area around the Skokie Lagoons on Wednesday for a possible cougar which several people say they saw on Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Skokie sightings came after Chicago Police officers shot and killed a 150-pound cougar on the citys North Side Monday evening. --- Kane, Lake, McHenry And Will Counties Represented On RTA Board Starting today, several counties have more influence with the Regional Transportation Authority. The RTA Board is increasing from 13 members to 16 which means Kane, Lake, McHenr, and Will Counties each now gets a vote on the panel. Previously, the two-million people living in those counties were only represented by two directors on the RTA Board. The new board members have already officially started in their positions, but today is their first board meeting. --- CTA Employee Who Called Riders "Stupid" Gets In Trouble (Chicago) -- A CTA motorman is facing disciplinary proceedings after allegedly yelling at passengers and calling them "stupid" for vacating a subway train that had been trapped underground this week. A mechanical problem on a train near Clark and Lake led to a four-hour shutdown of a portion of the Blue Line on Tuesday morning. Some frustrated passengers walked off one of four subway trains, causing the CTA to shut off power on the system. The CTA then decided to evacuate. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports passengers on one train complained of a motorman who insulted passengers for leaving, saying they were "stupid." The CTA says it is investigating everything that happened on Tuesday. --- Born In The USA: Springsteen Announces Support For Obama (Philadelphia, PA) -- "The Boss" likes Obama. Rocker Bruce Springsteen is endorsing Illinois Senator Barack Obama in the Democratic race for president. Springsteen says Obama stands, quote, "head and shoulders above the rest." Springsteen announced his support of Obama in a message on his website. The singer-songwriter also praised Obama for, quote, "the depth, the reflectiveness and the resilience" to be the next president. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-04-17-08 0701CDT