Regional Summary, Wednesday 12/26

Indiana Summary: The latest Here are the latest stories making news at this hour: Dump truck flips, wrecks several vehicles. Boy helps family escape house fire. Body found in pickup truck was burned. Victims of I-70 crash Sunday identified. Army allows Sergeant to stay with ill newborn through week. And the Pacers take on Atlanta tonight on the road. --- The Day After For Christmas Gift Returns (Indianapolis) -- Its the day after Christmas and for many that means gift returns. Major stores opened earlier this morning so people can make exchanges. Many of the stores are at shopping malls like Castleton, Greenwood, Lafayette Square and Washington Square. --- Dump Truck Flips, Wrecks Several Vehicles (Hammond) -- Several vehicles were wrecked and a number of people have been injured this morning when a dump truck crashed into a barrier wall and flipped over on the I-80-94 Expressway in Northwest Indiana. The accident happened near Kennedy Avenue in Hammond. Authorities say the truck was heading east on the expressway and slammed through the barrier wall to the westbound side. The vehicle lost its dumpster when it hit the wall, tossing a muddy substance onto the road. Quite a few cars and trucks werent able to avoid the dumpster and crashed into it. One SUV was overturned, a pickup was demolished and another truck trailer was split open, among other wrecked vehicles. The number of people hurt and their conditions have not yet been reported. --- Boy Helps Family Escape House Fire (Portage) -- A five-year-old Northwest Indiana boy is being credited with helping his family escape a smoky house fire on Christmas morning. "CBS-2" 1/81/8 WBBM 3/83/8 reports Alex Reeves was awakened by a smoke detector going off, and he crawled on the ground to alert his two sisters and lead them to safety. His parents then located the source of the heavy smoke, which Alexs father, James Reeves, said was coming from a burning furnace motor. No one was injured, and none of the familys presents were damaged, but Alex and his sisters will have to spend a few days with their grandparents until Dad can get the furnace fixed. --- Body Found In Pick Up Truck Was Burned (Hendricks County) -- Hendricks County Sheriffs officers now say that the body of a 20-year-old missing Marion County man was found in his Ford pickup yesterday. Detectives say the victim had been shot before he and the inside of the truck were set ablaze in a farm field to cover up the crime. --- Victims Of Fatal I-70 Crash Identified (Wayne County) -- Three victims of a fatal crash Sunday along I-70 have been identified. Police say that 19-year-old Jared Graham of Hagerstown and his cousin, 18-year-old Eric Pardo of Centerville died after their vehicle collided with two others including a semi that crossed the center line of the highway as the truck traveled in the eastbound lane. Seventy-two-year-old Dale Baird was also killed in the crash. --- Army Allows Sergeant To Stay With Ill Newborn Through Week (Munster) -- The U.S. Army is extending the leave of a northwest Indiana soldier whose newborn son is in intensive care, battling a lung infection. Twenty-four-year-old Sergeant Chris Williams of Crown Point has five months remaining in his second tour in Iraq. The "Chicago Tribune" reported yesterday that Williams commander in Iraq had rescinded the sergeants leave extension, saying he would be "making it harder on himself" if he did not get on the next available plane to Iraq. Now an Army spokesman tells the "Tribune" that Williams return date had been moved from December 22nd to December 28th all along. Some confusion apparently arose because Williams commanding officer had been out on combat operations. Doctors continue to monitor the progress of Sergeant Williams son. Gabriel Douglas Williams was born December 18th. A spokesperson at Munster Community Hospital says it is unclear when the boy will be able to go home. --- Pacers Play Atlanta Tonight (Indianapolis) -- The Indiana Pacers take on the Atlanta Hawks tonight with the blue and gold on the road. Game time is 7 p.m. Kentucky Summary: --- Violent Robbery In Georgetown (Georgetown, KY) -- Georgetown Police move quickly to arrest three suspects after violent robbery. WKYT TV reports two masked men entered a service station along U.S. 25, shots were fired, the clerk was wounded and the pair fled with a little more than 300-dollars. Police responded and arrested three suspects in a nearby field. The clerks injuries were not life threatening. --- State Trooper On Admin Leave After Shooting (London, KY) -- Kentucky State Police trooper Tony Dingess is on administrative leave while an investigation into an officer involved shooting is completed. Trooper Dingess , McCreary County Sheriff Gus Skinner and other officers pulled over a car believed to contain an armed robbery suspect. State Police say the driver of the car 31-year -old Mickey Shane Stephens of Pine Knot came out of the vehicle with a handgun. Officers say they ordered him to drop the weapon, but he pointed the handgun at officers and Trooper Dingess and Sheriff Skinner opened fire. Stephens was wounded and transported to the University of Kentucky Medical Center. WKYT TV reports Stephens is listed in fair condition. --- Search For Two Escapees (Newport, KY) -- Two inmates at the Campbell County Detention Center surprised their guards, by escaping from custody. According to the "Kentucky Enquirer" the two men were permitted to work in light security food service area, they took out a load of trash, then returned for another load, they took out the second load but didnt return. --- Drug Task Forces Facing Financial Shortfall (Hazard, KY) -- Millions of dollars in federal funds have been used to fund 14 drug task forces in Kentucky. But now their future is in jeopardy. The "Herald Leader" reports President Bush is expected to sign a budget bill that includes a 350-million-dollar cut in the program that funds the task forces. Tommy Loving, the executive director of the Narcotics Officers Association in Kentucky says the cuts will "cripple" drug enforcement in many communities. --- Governor To Talk Money (Frankfort, KY) -- The governors office is expected to notify Kentucky news media today or tomorrow about a briefing at the Capitol. Governor Steve Beshear is to talk about the project revenue shortfall what hes going to do to deal with this costly problem. The Governor and Mrs. Beshear are expected to be back in Frankfort today after spending the holiday at their farm in central Kentucky. --- Water Rates Rising In Northern Kentucky (Erlanger, KY) -- Water rates are going up immediately for Northern Kentucky Water District Customers. The Kentucky Public Service Commission has granted the almost 18-percent rate hike. Northern Kentucky Water District serves 82-thousand customers. The "Kentucky Post" reports the rate hike will cost the average residential customers about sixty dollars more a year for water. --- Visitation For Madison Superintendent (Richmond, KY) -- People may pay their respects to the family of Mike Caudill this afternoon. The Madison County School Superintendent passed away on Friday. Visitation will be held this evening from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Richmond. WTVQ TV reports funeral services will be held at the church at 1 p.m. Thursday. Illinois Summary: Plant Possession Illegal At The Start of New Year (Chicago) -- Starting January 1st it will be a felony to have Salvia divinorum. This plant causes hallucinations within seconds after its smoked, licked, or chewed. Violators will face legal consequences as harsh as those for heroin or LSD. Some retailers say the change in the law has caused a spike in sales of the herb. People are buying stocking up on salvia before the ban goes into effect. State Representative Dennis Reboletti says legislation was needed because federal drug laws dont address this substance. He says it better to outlaw before someone dies from it. But advocates say the plant should be available for religious or scientific use. It has been used in religious ceremonies by Mazatec Indians in the Oaxaca region of Mexico. In Carbondale, Crystal Basler, owner of a religious-supplies store, says she has sold salvia in both leaf and extract form for about a year. Until recently, most purchasers were middle-aged adults rather than teenagers. Some people describe the effect of the leaf like taking an anti-depressant. Experts say it causes hallucinations and improved moods in some people. It can also cause loss of balance and coordination, and alter perception. --- Divers Search RiverFor Missing Woman (Wheeling) -- Divers are searching for a missing Des Plaines woman. Twenty-four-year-old Anu Solanki did not return home after work Monday. Divers are searching the Des Plaines river for any sign of her. A family friend found her Honda Civic around 4 p.m. Tuesday in a forest preserve along Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling. Her purse and laptop were missing. Solanki told a friend Monday afternoon that four men were following her. She later called back and said they were no longer following her. Her husband, Dignesh Solanki, tells authorities his wife may have been placing a religious statue in the Des Plaines River when she disappeared. He says the statue of the Hindu deity Ganesh was broken. A religious leader told them it should be wrapped in a red cloth and placed in a lake or a river to prevent bad luck. Hindus believe the statue will help them have a successful marriage. --- Quincy Police Capture Second Escaped Inmate (Quincy) -- The manhunt in western Illinois is over. Quincy police has Josi Olmeda in custody. Hes the second of two inmates who busted out of the Adams County Jail earlier this month. The two inmates overpowered two guards during a nightly lockdown. Officers quickly caught the other inmate, Richard Carr. Carr was found guilty of rape. Quincy police say a Crime Stoppers tip helped them track 32-year-old Josi Olmeda to a home in Quincy late Tuesday night. He was arrested and transported back to the Adams County Jail. Olmeda is facing drug-trafficking charges. His court date hasnt been set. --- Bulls Fire Skiles (Chicago) -- The Chicago Bulls have fired head coach Scott Skiles after a disappointing start to the season. Skiles tells the "Daily Herald," "I really believe in this team, I believe in these guys. I like these guys. I think they can get it turned around. I totally believe that." This year the Bulls have a 9-16 record, one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference. Skiles came to the Bulls in 2003. The Bulls made the playoffs in each of Skiles first three seasons. Bulls executive vice president of basketball operations John Paxson says this is a difficult decision but its necessary. Paxson also says hes appreciative of his hard work and the imprint that he left on the team. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-12-26-07 1537CST