Regional Summary, Tuesday 11/27

Indiana Summary: --- Homicide Detectives Called To Death Investigation Of Three-Year-Old Girl (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police homicide detectives were sent to the 41-hundred block of Edgemere Court where a three-year-old child was found unconscious. IMPD Sergeant Matt Mount says the little girl appears to have suffered from some sort of trauma. She was rushed to Methodist Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Mount says the mother and her fiance are with detectives being questioned. A baby was also with the couple in the apartment and appears to be alright. --- Intended Victims Of Shooting Shoot Suspect (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police say today that the intended victims of a robbery shot the suspect on Monday. It happened at an east side pawn shop. Police were called to the Universal Gold and Silver store on East 10th Street. Authorities say as the two suspects attempted to rob the store with guns drawn, the stores personnel pulled weapons and shots were fired. Police say Nurdeen Anderson was shot while his accomplice escaped. Authorities say Anderson fled and later showed up at Methodist Hospital where he told personnel he had been shot by a stray bullet at a different location. Anderson is charged with attempted armed robbery as he recovers from his wound. Police say employees who fired the shots will not be charged. The other suspect remains at large and is considered armed a dangerous. --- Fishers House Fire Kills Pet (Fishers) -- A fire yesterday in Fishers left serious damage to a home and a family devastated as they learn their beloved family pet died in the blaze. Firefighters were called to 11700 Sea Star Circle where they found flames and smoke pouring from the residence. The family was not home at the time but their golden retriever was, and died from the effects of the fire. The fire started in the kitchen. --- Man Faces Charges Of Stealing Airplane In LaPorte (LaPorte) -- A man is facing charges today of stealing an airplane in LaPorte that later crashed after the suspect lost control of the craft. Police say that 38-year-old Michael Santos faces felony charges after he allegedly stole a small airplane, then lost control of it in the runway. Santos was arrested yesterday. His girlfriend told police that Santos was intoxicated and wanted to show her that he could fly a plane. Police say the incident happened two days before the sixth anniversary of 9-11. The plane ended up in chopped soybeans in a field. Investigators say numerous clues finally led to Santos and his arrest. --- Carsons Health Expected To Deny 2008 Re-Election Bid (Indianapolis) -- Democratic Congresswoman Julia Carson will likely not seek re-election next year because of her terminal lung cancer. A statement from Carsons office reads that Carson is at home and her staff is working on constituents behalf. The Indianapolis Democrat has been away from the House since September due to a leg infection. Marion County Treasurer Mike Rodman could run for that seat, but says everyones thoughts now are with Carson. --- Pacers Play Nuggets Tonight (Denver, CO) -- The Indiana Pacers play the Denver Nuggets tonight. Tip-off is at 9 p.m. in Denver. The Pacers hope to recoup their losses after their recent defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tomorrow night, the Pacers take on the Trail Blazers in Portland. Kentucky Summary: (Irvine, KY) -- An overnight fire destroyed a mobile home in Estill County. Fire officials say two adults and two children inside that residence have died. Because of intensity of the fire, it is expected to be sometime before investigators can determine the cause of the tragic fire. The identity of the victims has not been released. (Owensboro, KY) -- Federal accident investigators are expected to be on the scene of a fatal plane crash in Daviess County today. A twin engine Cessna went down near the Daviess County airport. The only person on board the plane, the pilot, was killed in the crash. The plane was reportedly en-route from the Evansville Airport to the Daviess County airport. (Georgetown, KY) -- Two men wearing masks held up the Shell service station Georgetown overnight. When the clerk saw the two, he ran into a store room and locked the door. But the robbers opened fire, shooting into the door, wounding the clerk in the hand. The clerk is now being treated at the UK Hospital. Police are searching for the robbers. (Mt. Sterling, KY) -- Montgomery County Sheriffs deputies are searching for Cory King. The 17-year-old man escaped from custody by jumping from a second floor window at the Montgomery County Court House in Mt. Sterling. Deputies say King was shackled. They dont describe King as dangerous. (Ashland, KY) -- State Representative John Vincent announced last week that he will not seek re-election in 2008. Ashland Assistant Attorney Kevin Sinnette has filed to run for the seat. Vincent is a Republican, Sinnette is a Democrat. Sinnette has served 17 years as an assistant Ashland City Attorney. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Ernie Fletcher has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of Staff Sergeant Jonathon Lee Martin. The 33-year-old Fort Campbell based soldier is from Bellevue, Ohio. He was wounded several weeks ago in Iraq and has died in a military hospital in Germany. Flags are already flying at half-staff for another Fort Campbell soldier killed in Iraq. (Frankfort, KY) -- Its believed that more than 500-thousand Kentuckians started work on a college degree but didnt finish. Brad Cowgill, the interim president of the Council on Postsecondary Education is urging Kentucky adults to return to school. Cowgill says adults who finish college can increase their earning power and Kentuckys public institutions of higher learning are going to work to make students who elect to return to school as quick and seamless as possible. (Frankfort, KY) -- The Kentucky State Board of Elections has certified the results of the November election. The official results dont change anything. Governor-elect Steve Beshear will take the oath of office on December 11th. The official results will be posted by the end of the week on the State Board of Elections website. (Shelbyville, KY) -- Wildlife crews search for missing whooping crane. Crews from Operation Migration are searching an area of Shelby County. An ultra-light pilot was leading seventeen of the endangered juvenile cranes from Wisconsin to Florida when one of the birds was unable to keep up with the rest. The bird is described as cinnamon color with some white, it is wearing a green leg band. Illinois Summary: --- Police Questioning Suspects In University Of Chicago Shooting (Chicago) -- Chicago police say several people are being questioned about the shooting of a doctoral student in the Hyde Park neighborhood eight-days-ago. However, no one is in custody and no charges have been filed in the death of Amadou Cisse 1/81/8 AHM-uh-doo SEE-say 3/83/8. The University of Chicago student was shot and killed last Monday on an unusual evening of violence in the neighborhood. Someone shot at a University professor and two women were robbed before the Cisse shooting. Police have been investigating whether all three incidents are related. --- Madigan Backs Off Tax Hike Plan; Transit Funding Solution Possible (Chicago) -- Its a possible signal that the mass transit funding crisis may soon end. Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is abandoning a plan to pay for mass transit by raising the sales tax in northeastern Illinois. In a letter to other Representatives yesterday, Madigan said he still prefers that solution but as an "act of compromise" will go along with a suggestion pushed by the Governor and House Republicans. That plan would divert money from the states gasoline tax to the CTA and RTA. Madigan says the proposal will be voted on during Wednesdays special session. The move doesnt mean a transit funding solution is a done deal. Downstate legislators are pledging to vote against a transit plan without a capital construction bill. Theres still no agreement on that major building plan. And even if the transit funding does pass, it will likely mean a nearly 400-million-dollar hole in the states general revenue fund that must be filled. --- Possible Transit Compromise Doubted (Chicago) -- Some transit workers and riders say theyre skeptical about the likelihood of a transit solution. Transit Workers Union member Rick Harris was part of a protest yesterday that disrupted the states annual tree lighting ceremony at the Thompson Center downtown. He says workers have been promised solutions several times, but have yet to see any results. --- Hastert Officially Retires From U.S. House (Chicago) -- Dennis Hastert has stepped down from his seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The one-time Speaker of the House submitted his resignation letter to current Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich yesterday. It took effect just before midnight Eastern time. Hasterts resignation means there will be a special election to fill his 14th District seat until the current term ends in January 2009. That election could take place on the same day as Illinois upcoming primary election in February. Hastert spent a total of 21 years in Congress and was the longest serving Republican House speaker in history. --- Peterson Lawyer Welcomes FBI Involvement (Bolingbrook) -- Drew Petersons lawyer says he welcomes the FBIs involvement in the search for his clients missing wife. Joel Brodsky tells the "Chicago Tribune" his client is the subject of a "witch hunt", and says the FBI can turn the hunt for Stacy Peterson back into a missing-persons case. The 23-year-old has been missing since October 28th, and State Police call former Bolingbrook Police Sergeant Drew Peterson a suspect in her disappearance. Peterson has not been charged. State Police asked for the FBIs help but not the U.S. Navys, contrary to media reports. FBI officials will also join the investigation into the 2004 death of Petersons third wife Kathleen Savio. --- Former Models Sentence Reckless Homicide Sentence Angers Victims Families (St. Charles) -- Family members of three musicians killed when a former model tried to commit suicide by crashing her car say her eight-year-prison-sentence is too short. Scott Meis 1/81/8 MICE 3/83/8, whose brother died in the accident, says Douglas Meis will never be forgotten. Jeanette Sliwinski of Morton Grove was sentenced on reckless homicide charges yesterday. She has said she was trying to kill herself in the 2005 accident and did not intend to hurt anyone else. Thirty-nine-year-old Michael Dahlquist, 35-year-old John Glick, and the 29-year-old Meis all died in the crash, which happened in Skokie in July of 2005. Sliwinski was found guilty but mentally ill, so she can get psychiatric treatment while serving her sentence. --- Board May Vote On DuPage Budget Today (Wheaton) -- DuPage County Commissioners will likely take action on the countys 2008 budget this week. What that action will be is still up in the air. Board Chairman Robert Schillerstroms proposed budget includes laying off more than 200 employees to help fill a nine-and-a-half million-dollar funding gap. County leaders have already okayed a referendum on a possible sales tax increase to plug the hole. But that vote wont happen until February. Board members could approve the full budget, or they could pass a temporary budget that would get the county through February and avoid job cuts. --- Adventurers Family Asks For Death Declaration (Chicago) -- Steve Fossetts body may never be found, so his wife is asking an Illinois court to declare him dead. Attorney Michael LoVallo filed the motion Monday on behalf of the Fossett family. LoVallo says Mrs. Fossett believes her husband died in a plane crash in September. Steve Fossett was last heard from when he took off from a rural Nevada airport in a small plane on September 3rd. Search crews looked for Fossett for weeks, only to find nothing. The papers filed in court describe Fossetts estate as, quote, "vast, surpassing eight figures in liquid assets, various entities and real estate." --- Lincoln May Have Suffered From Rare Disease A genetic disease could have caused Abraham Lincolns many illnesses and his unusual height. Cardiologist Doctor John Sotos tells the "Washington Post" he believes the 16th President suffered from a disease called MEN 2B, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B. The disease causes those afflicted to develop cancer in a hormone-producing organ. Sotos believes Lincoln had cancer before he was assassinated and that the genetic malfunction also killed one of his sons. Sotos compiled research on every description of Lincolns health and physical features and his relatives to produce his theory. --- McHenry County Residents More Likely To Binge Drink (Woodstock) -- McHenry County residents need to lay off the booze. Thats according to a new survey conducted by Centegra Health System. It found that the percentage of binge drinkers in the county is three-points higher than the statewide average. Spokesperson Rowena Wermes tells the "Daily Herald" thats unusual, because binge drinking is often linked to college towns. McHenry County doesnt have a major four-year college. The survey did find some encouraging numbers. The county is ahead of the statewide average in every other health indicator, including a lower rate of obesity and tobacco use. Seven-percent of the countys residents have given up smoking since 2003. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-11-27-07 0618CST