Tristate Regional News, Thursday 4/19

Indiana State Universitys Messaging System Accidentally Sends Threat Warning To Students (Terre Haute) -- There were some tense moments this week at an Indiana college campus when a text messaging system similar to the one used by Virginia Tech to warn students about Mondays tragedy accidentally sent students a message to stay inside and avoid windows and doors. Indiana State University Public Safety Director Bill Mercier says Tuesdays message was sent out accidentally when university officials looked over their own security plans in the wake of Mondays tragedy. Mercier says school officials spent the next hour or so answering phone calls and sending messages to students telling them to not be concerned about the alert. However, he says the incident shows that the messaging system does have the ability to reach out to students in a time of crisis. He says the school is continuing to review its security plans to see if any changes need to be made. Planned Parenthood of Indiana Calls Supreme Court Ruling A "Dark Day" For Abortion Rights (Indianapolis) -- Planned Parenthood of Indiana is calling yesterdays ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court to prohibit late-term abortions a "dark day" for reproductive rights. Planned Parenthood of Indiana spokesman Steve Carr says the ruling undermines a core protection of Roe versus Wade. Meanwhile, Indiana Right to Life is hailing the ruling as an end to a, quote, "brutal chapter in American history." The justices ruled 5-4 to uphold the federal law prohibiting so-called "partial birth" abortions. The decision marks the first time the nations highest court has upheld a federal law prohibiting a specific abortion procedure since the landmark Roe versus Wade decision in 1973. Indiana House Fails To Pass Bill Mandating Seat Belts For Trucks and SUVs (Indianapolis) -- A bill requiring people to wear seat belts in trucks and SUVs appears dead for now at the Indiana Statehouse. The Indiana House voted 65-34 Wednesday against legislation that aims to close the so-called "seat belt loophole" in Indiana. The House voted against agreeing to changes made to the bill in the Senate. The bill can still be revived in a House-Senate conference committee if lawmakers can agree on legislation that can then pass the House and Senate. The Senate version of the bill also included legislation that changed the formula used by the state to provide funding for local road projects. Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Accepts Apology By Secretary of State (Indianapolis) -- The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus says it has accepted the apology of Secretary of State Todd Rokita for some remarks deemed to be racially-insensitive by a number of people. Rokita questioned why so many African-Americans voted for Democrats during a Republican fundraiser in southern Indiana last week and stated, quote, "Whos the master and whos the slave in that relationship?" Indiana Black Legislative Caucus head, State Representative Vernon Smith, says his group accepted Rokitas apology during a closed-door meeting Wednesday. Rokita did not speak to reporters then, but issued an apology statement earlier this week. Smith says his caucus wants to focus on education and other issues in the remaining weeks of the session and considers the issue, quote, "over for us." (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions/Regional News Service)