Regional Summary, Tuesday 5/27

Indiana Summary --- Scottsburg Woman Accused Of Stabbing Another Woman (Scottsburg) -- A Scottsburg, Indiana woman is in jail and is being accused of stabbing another woman on Monday morning. Police say 23-year-old Amanda Vernon allegedly stabbed 22-year-old Jessica Groenenboom around 3:30 a.m. According to police, Vernon was upset that Groenenboom was at a party with her boyfriend. Groenenboom was taken to University Hospital and is listed in critical condition. --- Jeffersonville Park Plans Continue (Jeffersonville) -- The Jeffersonville Parks Department is moving ahead with a planned 200-acre park for the city. Officials say the park will include amenities for sports, picnicking and other outdoor activities. The "Courier Journal" reports that the city council decided to make the plan top priority. The city enacted an ordinance that makes the council the citys Park Authority making them responsible for approving parks system contracts and overseeing operations. Officials say revenue from fees and other sources will be necessary to develop the park. --- Here Are The Latest Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Midday: 9-2-3; Daily Three-Evening: 5-9-3; Daily Four-Midday: 6-4-4-7; Daily Four-Evening: 1-9-1-1; Lucky Five-Midday: 4-7-25-31-34; Lucky Five-Evening: 5-18-25-29-34. Kentucky Summary Memorial Day Observances Across The State (Frankfort, KY) -- A Memorial Day observance was held at the State Veterans Memorial at the Frankfort Cemetery. WTVQ TV reports American flags were put at over 13-hundred gravesites. Governor Steve Beshear was among those attending. In Jessamine County, WKYT TV reports hundred of people attended a Memorial Day ceremony at the Camp Nelson National Cemetery. A 14-year-old Nicholasville girl, Marina Hillis put five-thousand carnations on graves. Other observances, big and small were held across the state. More Fire Protection In Madison County (Richmond, KY) -- The Richmond City Commission is expanding the Richmond Fire Departments facilities. The "Richmond Register" reports the commission has authorized the purchase of a building in the Duncannon interchange area to be used as a new fire house. It was be designated Station Five, the commission has also authorized the purchase of land to build a new Station Two. Frankfort Transit System Upgrading And Expanding (Frankfort, KY) -- Frankfort is expanding its transit system. The "State-Journal" reports a 750-thousand dollar grant will enable the transit system to replace two old busese and add two more. The grant will permit the system to hire more drivers and expand some service. Official use of the city buses has increased 23-percent in the last year. UK Baseball Team Heading For Michigan, U Of L Heading South (Lexington, KY) -- The University of Kentucky baseball team is heading for its sixth all-time NCAA appearance in the 104-year history of the program. It was announced Sunday the Cats are the a Number 3 seed in the Ann Arbor, Michigan regional. UK (42-17) will face Michigan (45-12) in round one on Friday, the times are yet to be announced. Meanwhile, the Louisville Cardinals are heading south. The "Courier Journal" reports the Number 3 seeded Cards play in the regionals in Athens, Georgia playing Georgia Tech on Friday. Dedicated To Higher Education And Glad To Be In Kentucky (Frankfort, KY) -- The new interim president of the Council on Postsecondary Education says "Ive spent my life devoted to public higher education and thats why Im here." Dr. Richard Crofts a Georgetown College graduate says higher education is his life long calling. Hes expected to serve at least six months until a permanent president is hired, and Dr. Crofts has accepted the interim position with the understanding that he wont be a candidate for the permanent position. Its Beef Month In Kentucky (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has proclaimed May Beef Month in the Commonwealth. The governor urging Kentuckians to support the beef cattle industry. Kentucky has more than two-million head of beef on 38-thousand beef cow farms. Kentuckians are being urged to Discover the Power of Protein and the Land of Lean Beef. Illinois Summary --- Seven Shot In Four Southeast Side Shootings (Chicago) -- Two people are dead and five more injured in a series of apparently separate shootings on Chicagos Southeast Side last night. Police say a known gang member with more than 40 arrests on his record was shot to death from behind in the 78-hundred block of Essex Avenue shortly before 8 p.m. At about 10:50, two women were shot as they stood in the 69-hundred block of South Dorchester. One of those women died, while the other was hit in the leg. Less than half an hour later, three men suffered wounds to their arms and legs in a shooting in the 76-hundred block of South Clyde Avenue. That shooting may also be gang-related. And police say someone shouted gang slogans before shooting another man several times as he walked in the 89-hundred block of South Brandon Avenue. Authorities are searching for the shooters in each attack, but have not made any arrests. --- Report: Key Kelly Witness Taking Stand Wednesday (Chicago) -- Musician R-Kellys child pornography trial continues today in Cook County court, but its tomorrows session that could feature some explosive testimony. Sources tell the "Chicago Sun-Times" an Atlanta woman will likely take the stand Wednesday and claim that she had a three-way sexual encounter with both the R&B star and an underage girl. The 41-year-old Kelly is charged with 14-counts of child pornography for allegedly videotaping sex between himself and that same girl. During testimony last week, eight prosecution witnesses identified both Kelly and the girl as the people on the tape in question, but both Kelly and the girl say thats not true. The witnesses also claimed the girl was just 13 or 14 at the time the tape was made. --- Rezko Jury Returns This Morning (Chicago) -- The jury in political fundraiser Tony Rezkos federal corruption trial resumes deliberations this morning. Jurors took Friday and Monday off for a long Memorial Day weekend. Theyll only work three days at most this week, as the panel has requested another day off this coming Friday. Rezko is accused of shaking down companies that wanted state business in exchange for contributions to the campaign of Governor Blagojevich. The governor has not been accused of any wrongdoing. --- Report: Chicago Could Recycle London Olympic Stadium (Chicago) -- If Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Games, the five Olympic Rings could instead become triangular "recycle" symbols. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports Chicago is in talks with London to ship part of the collapsible stadium being built for that citys 2012 Summer Games across the Atlantic Ocean. Chicagos bid includes constructing a similar temporary venue in Washington Park on the South Side. It would be converted to a permanent, smaller stadium after the Games. A Chicago 2016 spokesman tells the paper that even if the plan doesnt work out, the discussions are helping Chicago organizers learn how best to build the temporary facility. --- Illinois Drivers Tested On Rules Of The Road (Chicago) -- Compared to the average American, Illinois drivers simply dont know the rules of the road. Illinoisans ranked 32nd out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia in this years edition of the GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test. Drivers in New Jersey came in last, while those in Kansas are the most knowledgeable about safe driving rules. The study found that the older the driver, the higher the test score, with those over 35 most likely to pass. And women were more likely to fail the test than men, though average test scores were similar. GMAC says about one-sixth of drivers on U.S. roads today would fail a written driving test. --- CTA Trains Could Damage Hearing (Chicago) -- Its probably a good idea to buy a pair of earplugs if youre planning to ride Chicagos rails anytime soon. The "Chicago Sun-Times" measured audio levels at several CTA stations throughout the city. The loudest station, at the Red Lines Thorndale stop, had a reading of 109-point-two decibels. Thats as loud as the average chainsaw. Most platforms and trains came in between 85- and 100 decibels, or about as loud as a lawn mower. CTA officials say theyve actually reduced the noise levels on trains and platforms with a series of improvements and sound-dampening panels. --- Board President May Meet Palatine Officials, Residents (Palatine) -- Cook County Board President Todd Stroger may meet with Palatine residents angry about new taxes after all. Stroger was initially scheduled to attend a public meeting about the recent one-percent sales tax hike on April 29th. But he backed out, saying some Palatine officials wanted to use the meeting as a political stunt. Now, a spokesman for Stroger tells the "Daily Herald" hell attend a gathering planned by the Palatine Chamber of Commerce sometime in June. Whether the meeting will be open to the public or not remains to be seen. Some Palatine officials talked angrily of seceding from Cook County in the wake of the sales tax hike. --- Pregnant Woman Shot At Southeast Side Stoplight Dies (Chicago) -- The pregnant woman shot while the car she was in idled at a Southeast Side stoplight late Saturday has now died. Authorities and family members say 21-year-old Kianna Green, who was two months pregnant, passed away yesterday afternoon at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Green was shot in the head by a gunman while her boyfriends car was stopped in the 93-hundred block of South Colfax Avenue. That boyfriend, 27-year-old Christopher Smith, was shot in the arm. Police have not made any arrests in the case. --- Police Say Man Turns Gun On Self During Chase (Chicago) -- Chicago Police say a man has died after shooting himself during a chase with officers on the citys South Side. According to police, a 35-year-old man refused to stop when officers tried to pull his vehicle over around 5:30 p.m. Monday. Officers say the suspect fit the description of a "man with a gun" call. The man allegedly crashed into two vehicles, then fled on foot at 47th Street and Dearborn Street. Police say he continued to elude officers, but then stopped and pointed a gun at himself. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of a gunshot wound to the chest. According to police, the officers did not fire their weapons, and no other injuries were reported. Police say the man was a convicted felon who was on parole for vehicular hijacking, armed robbery and weapons offenses. Area One Detectives are investigating. --- Body Found Beaten In Hotel Room Identified (Chicago) -- A body found severely beaten in a Chicago motel room last week has now been identified. The Cook County Medical Examiner says 46-year-old Maratta Walker, who lived just blocks from where her body was found. The manager at the Chicago Lodge in the nine-hundred block of West Foster Avenue discovered Walkers body when he went to collect payment for the room. Employees tell "ABC-7" 1/81/8WLS3/83/8 the room was rented for two weeks by a man who paid cash every day but never let housekeeping in to clean. The station reports police have a suspect in mind, but have not filed charges. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-05-27-08 0628CDT