Regional Summary, Friday 1/4

Indiana Summary: Charlestown Residents Upset Over Inmates Fighting Fires (Charlestown) -- Some residents of a small southern Indiana town are upset that some prison inmates have been fighting fires in their community. About 100 residents met with the fire department last night, saying they were afraid of theft or other problems. The Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department says it has used eight inmates to help fight daytime fires in the last several months, when other firefighters werent available. The inmates are part of a special program from the Henryville Correctional Facility in Clark County. --- Police: Recent Homicide Victim May Have Been Targeted (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police say today that the citys latest murder victim may have been targeted by his attackers last night. Anthony Johnson was shot and killed after what investigators say was a home invasion at 5918 Devington Road. The shooting happened just after 5 p.m. Detectives say that two masked men with guns kicked in the door to the apartment and Johnson was hit by gunfire. He died at the scene. The killing was the second homicide of the new year. --- Thursdays Winning Hoosier Lottery Numbers Daily Three-Midday: 5-7-0; Daily Three-Evening: 3-1-9; Daily Four-Midday: 7-2-2-1; Daily Four-Evening: 6-4-5-0; Lucky Five-Midday: 4-8-16-23-36; Lucky Five-Evening: 2-14-21-24-26 Kentucky Summary: (Frankfort, KY) -- By the time Kentuckians vote in the May presidential primary, the candidates are expected to be selected. Secretary of State Trey Grayson advocates a rotation proposal. The proposal supported by the National Association of Secretaries of State would create a system where the country would be divided into four regions, and each four years a different region would be able to hold early primaries. The first status of Iowa and New Hampshire wouldnt change. (Washington, DC) -- Senator Mitch McConnells re-election campaign has raised almost eleven-million-dollars. The campaign reports despite running a heavy schedule of TV ads has over seven-million-dollars on hands. The Republican Senate minority leader is being challengers by Democrats Andrew Horne and David Lynn Williams. (Frankfort, KY) -- State Senator David Boswell is challenging 2nd District Congressman Ron Lewis. The Owensboro Democrat announcing his plans to file for the race against the Republican incumbent. Boswell is the first to announce a challenge to Lewis. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear is holding a news conference this afternoon at the Capitol to outline budget cuts to make up for the expected revenue shortfall. He met with university presidents yesterday and they discussed a three percent budget cut. That cut will cost the University of Kentucky and U of L millions of dollars. University presidents say they will hold down costs with a hiring freeze and other steps. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear has made two appointments to the State Council on Postsecondary education. He has reappointed former State Senator Walter Baker of Glasgow and appointed Donna Moore of Lexington. Moore, is a retired official of Kentucky Education Television. (Frankfort, KY) -- The Kentucky Department of Natural Resources reports the safest year in recorded his history in Kentucky coal mines. There were no fatalities in underground mines, and only two fatalities in surface mines. Commissioner Susan Bush says the accomplishment is encouraging but the goal remains "zero fatalities." (Paducah, KY) -- Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton has plans for downtown Paducah. The mayor would like to see a new hotel and convention constructed as part of a downtown development effort. The mayor says he would like to see the project completed by the 2009 quilt show the community will host. The convention and contest brings quilters from across the country. Illinois Summary: --- Obama Wins Democratic Race In Iowa, Now Its On To New Hampshire (Des Moines, IA) -- Illinois Senator Barack Obama has taken a big step toward becoming the Democratic partys nominee for president. Obama won last nights Democratic caucus in Iowa, calling it a "defining moment in history." Obama registered 38-percent of the vote, followed by former North Carolina Senator John Edwards, with 30-percent and New York Senator Hillary Clinton with 29-percent. On the Republican side, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee was the winner. Obama and the other candidates are now shifting their attention to the New Hampshire Primary which is next Tuesday. --- Squad Car Accident Hurts Three Cops (Chicago) -- Four people, including three Chicago Police officers, were injured in a collision between an unmarked squad car and another vehicle Thursday night on the citys South Side. It happened around 7 p.m. in the 64-hundred block of South Cottage Grove Avenue. The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening. The accident is still under investigation. --- Aurora Police Need Help Searching For Eleven-Year-Old (Chicago, IL/Aurora) -- Aurora Police are asking for the publics help as they continue looking for an eleven-year-old boy. Investigators say Marcus Antonio Gomez left his Aurora home last Sunday after telling his brother he would be spending the night with an unidentified friend and hasnt been seen since. Police believe Marcus ran away, but say he has not been a runaway in the past. Marcus is four-feet-ten-inches tall and weighs 80-pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a blue jacket. Police want to be contacted by anyone who may have seen him. --- Speculation That Missing Buffalo Grove Teen Went "Into The Wild" (Chicago) -- Investigators are considering the possibility that a Buffalo Grove teenager who disappeared in October may have been influenced by the book "Into the Wild." The "Daily Herald" reports a copy of the book was found in Lee Cutlers abandoned car in Sauk County, Wisconsin. The book chronicles the true story of a 24-year-old man who got rid of most of his personal belongings and cut off ties with his family and tried to survive on his own in the wilderness in the early 1990s. --- Neighbors Of Stebic, Peterson, Savio Appear Before Grand Jury (Chicago) -- A Will County grand jury is hearing closed-door testimony regarding the death of one woman and the disappearance of two others. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports neighbors of Lisa Stebic, Stacy Peterson, and Kathleen Savio, testified Thursday as investigators try to gather more information. Stebic and Peterson were reported missing in 2007, in completely separate cases. Savio, who was the ex-wife of Stacy Petersons husband Drew, died in 2004. She was originally thought to have drowned, but her death is being re-examined. No one has been charged in any of the cases. --- Man Gets Life In Prison For Aurora Womans 1993 Murder (Chicago) -- A 48-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 1993 murder of an elderly woman in Aurora Township. Edward Tenney was sentenced yesterday after being convicted last September of killing 75-year-old Virginia Johannessen. Tenney is already serving a life sentence for the murder of dairy heiress Mary Jill Oberweis, who lived down the street from Johannessen. The "Daily Herald" reports Tenney is also accused of killing and robbing a 24-year-old father of two, Jerry D. Weber, in April,1993. --- Buildings Burn On South Side, Firefighters OK (Chicago) -- No injuries are reported after a fire ravaged two buildings on Chicagos South Side Thursday. The Chicago Fire Department says the fire started around 4:50 p.m. at a two-and-half-story residence at 109th Street and Wabash Avenue. Firefighters called a Mayday around 5 p.m. when there was a flare-up, but the firefighters got to safety and everyone was accounted for. The flames also spread to a two-story brick home next door. The fire is being investigated. --- Elderly Chicago Woman Registers To Vote (Chicago) -- A Chicago woman who was alive when Grover Cleveland was president has registered to vote. The "Chicago Tribune" reports Virginia Call, whom family members say is 114-years-old, registered yesterday with the Chicago Election Board. Call, who was born in Mississippi, has voted before, but officials say she was not registered in Chicago. Tuesday is the last day to register to be eligible to cast a ballot in Illinois February 5th primary. --- Former Blagojevich Adviser Pleads Not Guilty (Chicago) -- One of Governor Blagojevichs former advisers and fundraisers has pleaded not guilty to the latest fraud charges against him. Tony Rezko was indicted last month on six counts of mail and wire fraud for allegedly obtaining a fraudulent two-point-six-million-dollar loan for the sale of 17 pizza restaurants he owned. Two codefendants also pled not guilty Thursday. In a separate case, Rezko is scheduled to go on trial in February for alleged extortion. --- Alderman Says State Shouldnt Try To Buy Wrigley (Chicago) -- Chicago 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney is skeptical about a proposed deal in which a state agency would buy Wrigley Field. Tunney, whose ward includes the historic home of the Cubs, told the "Chicago Tribune" he wonders why government wants to get involved when there are private investor groups interested. Mayor Daley says he is keeping an "open mind" about the idea of having the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority acquire and renovate Wrigley. That agency also owns U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the White Sox. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-04-08 0630CST