Regional Summary, Thursday 5/29

Indiana Summary --- Fishers Police Arrest Men For Trying To Steal Gas (Fishers) -- Fishers Police arrested two men yesterday for trying to steal gas. Police say both admitted to police thats what they were trying to do. George Staten and Glen Newhouse were taken into custody near a vehicle parked at a residence. About 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, a woman living in the Bristols subdivision saw two men outside her house who were acting suspiciously. She then called 911. Police arrived and started questioning the two men. Thats when they admitted they were trying to steal gas for their car. Authorities say they fear more attempted gasoline thefts could happen due to the high cost of gas. Police advise residents to keep their cars locked and make sure gasoline in garages is secure behind locked doors. --- Police Say Thousands Of Dollars Stolen From Noblesville Church (Noblesville) -- Burglers stole thousands of dollars from a church in Noblesville recently according to police today. The crime happened over the last weekend. Investigators say that cash and checks were taken from Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church. Michael Witka is business director for the church and says burglars stole from four to six-thousand-dollars in cash. He says they got in the church by jimmying the locks. Police ask that anyone with information that can help solve the crime to call them. --- Police Investigate "Hit List" At Lebanon Middle School (Lebanon) -- Police in Lebanon today are investigating what appears to be a hit list that has names of teachers and over fifty students on it. Investigators say they are taking the list seriously but it could be an end of school year prank. Extra officers were called in after a teacher found the letter entitled "hit list." No events have taken place that put anyone in danger. --- Here Are The Latest Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Midday: 7-7-0; Daily Three-Evening: 4-6-5; Daily Four-Midday: 5-4-5-9; Daily Four-Evening: 3-6-8-5; Lucky Five-Midday: 1-3-8-19-33; Lucky Five-Evening: 11-15-17-20-27. Kentucky Summary Governor Calls Meeting To Talk About Pension Reform (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has called a meeting for Thursday morning with Senate and House leaders to talk about pension reform, and a possible special session. The "Herald Leader" reports the governor has said he wont call a special session unless lawmakers have a plan they can agree on. Kentucky Schools Making Some Graduation Progress (Frankfort, KY) -- A reports from the Kentucky Department of Educations shows an increase in graduation rates and a slight decrease in dropout rates. The data is from the 2006-07 school year. The report also shows a decrease in the number of public high school graduates going on to college. Return The Rock ! (Frankfort, KY) -- Officials held a news conference at the Capitol, with a message to Ohio, "return our rock." The Indian Head Rock was recovered from the Ohio River and is in storage in Portsmouth, Ohio. WKYT TV reports Dr. David Pollack of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission says, "Ohio should not get to keep and benefit from stolen property." The rock was located on the Kentucky shore, but when dams were built the rock was covered by the river. Flags To Remain At Half-Staff (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of a Fort Campbell based soldier who died Iraq. According to the Department of Defense 24-year-old Sergeant Blake Evans of Rockford, Illinois was fatally wounded by an improvised explosive device while on patrol. Flags are already flying at half-staff for another Fort Campbell based soldier killed in Iraq. Part Of Roadway Named For Kentucky Soldier (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear along with several other state and local officials attended a special ceremony in Daviess County. Part of U.S. 231 is being named for Specialist Timothy Adam Fulkerson who was fatally wounded in Iraq. Fulkerson a Daviess County High School grad was remembered by the governor as "a model soldier who deserves no less recognition than the one we bestow today." Unemployment Rate Released (Frankfort, KY) -- Unemployment rates rose in 67 Kentucky counties between last April and this April, fell in 47 counties and remained the same in six counties. The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training reports Woodford County recorded the lowest jobless rate with three-point-six percent, followed by Fayette, Warren, Mason and Scott. The highest unemployment rate is Jackson County with almost eleven-percent, followed by Grayson County, Magoffin, Clay and Menifee. Cable Rates Increasing In Glasgow (Glasgow, KY) -- The Glasgow Electric Plant Board is raising the cable rates. The "Daily Times" reports the increase will not effective those with basic service, but will increase a dollar-and-50-cents a month for the next level of service. Officials say theyre just passing along increases made by the cable programmers. Illinois Summary --- R. Kelly Trial Testimony Ends, More Witnesses Could Testify (Chicago) -- The child pornography trial of singer R. Kelly is now centering around the expected testimony of a Georgia woman. The judge halted proceedings on Wednesday before the woman could testify. She is expected to say that she had an encounter with both the R&B superstar and the female who is depicted in a sex videotape at the center of case. The woman also was expected to tell the jury that the female was a minor at the time of the video recording. The judge called an end to proceedings on Wednesday after attorneys for Kelly claimed to have a new witness with new information. The unidentified witness was being flown in to meet with the defense team and reportedly was expected to contradict the testimony of the Georgia woman. --- Northwestern Grads Unhappy Mayor Daley Will Be Speaker (Evanston) -- Some students at Northwestern University are disappointed that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley will be the speaker for the June 20th graduation ceremony. Several students have told the "Chicago Tribune" they were hoping for someone more like those who spoke in recent years, like Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, or even actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld" who spoke last year. Last month, some Northwestern Law School graduates were upset about their commencement speaker, Jerry Springer. --- Operator Error Determined To Be The Cause Of Derailment (Chicago) -- CTA President Ron Huberman says operator error is the cause of yesterday mornings "L" train derailment on the Green Line at 59th and Calumet. The operator, a 31-year veteran of the CTA, apparently took the train through a red signal. Officials say 14 people were injured. None of the injuries are said to be serious. --- Slain Family Identified, Autopsies Today (Roselle) -- Autopsies are scheduled for today on a family of three that was found shot to death Wednesday morning in Roselle. The Cook County Medical Examiners office has identified the victims as 60-year-old Michael Fontana, his 47-year-old wife Rebecca, and their seven-year-old son Joseph. Police say they do not believe a killer is at large, and are confining their investigation to the familys home in the 700 block of North Woodfield Trail. Police reportedly found a handgun near the father. --- Two Men Taken Into Custody After Girl Shot (Aurora) -- No charges have been announced yet after a four-year-old girl suffered a graze wound to her arm in a shooting in Aurora last night. Aurora Police say two men were taken into custody following the drive-by shooting which happened shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday on the 900 block of North Avenue. --- No Verdict Yet In Rezko Trial, Jury Wont Meet Tomorrow (Chicago) -- The jury in political fundraiser Tony Rezkos federal corruption trial returns to work this morning after a full day of deliberating Wednesday produced no verdict. Jurors had agreed to deliberate until 5:50 p.m. both Wednesday and Thursday, but have now asked U.S. District Judge Amy Saint Eve to dismiss them at 4:30 p.m. today. Friday is already a scheduled day off. --- Woman Charged In South Side Stabbing, In Court Today (Chicago) -- A Chicago woman is scheduled to appear in bond court today, charged with killing a 30-year-old man during what police believe was a domestic dispute Sunday night on the citys South Side. Authorities say 27-year-old Melinda Goodman has been charged with one count of first-degree murder. Goodman allegedly stabbed Joseph Redman of Chicago in the chest around 10 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of East 53rd Street. --- Marriage Licenses To Cost More To Pay For Counseling Its going to cost more to get a marriage license in Illinois. Starting next week, counties across the state will impose a five-dollar fee on the cost of marriage licenses to pay for legal counseling and services aimed at the states growing number of domestic violence cases. In Cook County, the marriage license fee will now be 35-dollars after the five-dollar increase. --- Program Aimed At Catching Car Thieves To Expand (Chicago) -- Chicago Police plan to expand an anti-vehicle theft program. The Bait-Car program involves a covert vehicle fitted with a Global Positioning System, global mapping software, and audiovisual equipment. The car is placed where police believe auto thieves would likely strike. Its monitored by a team of police. Once a thief steals the car, a laptop computer in a remote location shuts off the cars engine, and locks the doors. The program started last August and has led to 81 arrests. --- Dont Let Em Eat Cake: Birthday Cakes Banned At Schools (Arlington Heights) -- Things wont be very sweet at Arlington Heights schools next school year. The Arlington Heights Elementary School District 25 school board is banning birthday cakes and cupcakes as part of a new wellness policy. Plainfield also recently adopted a policy requiring that food items brought in to celebrate holidays meet certain nutritional guidelines. Under federal law, school districts across the country must adopt a wellness policy by the start of next school year. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-05-29-08 0723CDT