Regional Summary, Monday 3/10

Indiana Summary --- District 7 Candidates Gearing Up For Special Election Tomorrow (Indianapolis) -- The three candidates vying for District 7 are preparing for tomorrows special election in Indianapolis. Democrat Andre Carson, Republican Jon Elrod and Libertarian Sean Shepherd are getting the word out today and tomorrow that each is the right choice to replace Julia Carson. The District 7 Congresswoman passed away late last year after suffering from cancer. Over the weekend, Elrod started running his first television commercials. Carson has been running TV spots for some weeks. Shepherd also is getting out the word via the media. Many have already voted for the candidate of their choice. Theres still the primary in May and the General Election in November to determine who goes to Washington. --- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Look Into Westside Shooting (Indianapolis) -- Detectives with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police are looking into a shooting over the weekend at a Westside apartment complex. The shooting happened just before 8 p.m. Sunday. Police found the victim not at the scene of the shooting, but several blocks away at a fire station on Lafayette Road. The victim was last listed in stable condition. No arrest has been made. --- Funeral Services This Week For Boone County Teen Killed On ATV (Lebanon) -- Funeral services are being prepared for a Boone County teen killed over the weekend in an ATV accident. Thirteen-year-old Brayton Hiland died after being injured when the ATV he was riding flipped over in a field Saturday afternoon near County Roads 625 South and 425 West. His parents say that Brayton was not supposed to go riding on the vehicle without permission, but did so while they were not at home. Brayton was a 6th grader at Granville Wells Elementary School. --- No More Salt In Jeffersonville (Jeffersonville) -- Snow fall totals in Jeffersonville were between-seven and eight-inches over the weekend. While the main roads were the clear, the city of Jeffersonville prepared for the worst, since the city has a salt shortage. City officials say they only used 500-tons of salt, compared to Louisville using 27-hundred-tons of salt. Officials say a problem could come if the snow and slush melts and then refreezes. City of Jeffersonville Communications Director, Larry Thomas, says the salt shortage in Jeffersonville reflects the same problem other cities across the Midwest and New England are facing. --- Here Are Sundays Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Evening: 7-6-8; Daily Four-Evening: 2-2-1-1; Lucky Five-Evening: 7-28-32-34-35 Kentucky Summary (Frankfort, KY) -- Lawmakers return to work this week , with the General Assembly session now over half way completed. The House tackles the budget this week, House budget committee chairman Harry Moberly says its not a good budget, but its realistic and it can pass. The Houses proposed budget restores some of the cuts recommended by the governor and increases revenue by several methods including increasing the tax on cigarettes by 15 centers pack. (Cynthiana, KY) -- A man discovered two suspected burglars in his house opened fire. The man lives on Old Lair Road. One of the suspects was wounded, hes in custody after being treated and released at the Harrison Memorial Hospital. The search is on for the second suspect. The resident will not face charges. (Nicholasville, KY) -- Firefighters and Hazmat teams responded to the McKechnie Vehicle Components plant in Nicholasville. A number of workers were evacuated for a time overnight after a sulfuric acid / hydrogen peroxide spill. The spill has been cleaned up and there were no injuries. (Winchester, KY) -- Firefighters from five counties came to the assistance of firefighters in Winchester overnight. A burglar alarm brought police to the Pepsi plant in Winchester, arriving officers detected the smell of ammonia. The plant was unoccupied at the time and firefighters were called in. The situation has been contained, there were no injuries. The plant expected back in operation today. (Hyden, KY) -- Fire destroyed a Leslie County grocery store. The fire broke out in the Johnny Lewis Supermarket because of a coal burning stove. Firefighters from eight departments battled the blaze, but were hampered by a lack of water. They had to transport water from the high school. There were no injuries. (Taylorsville, KY) -- A FEMA disaster relief center will open today in Taylorsville and in Shelbyville. The centers are set up to assist those affected by the storms on February fifth and sixth determine if they qualify for any federal assistance. The Taylorville center will be at the Emergency Medical Services office on Spears Drive, the Shelbyville center at the Emergency Management Office on Seventh St. the centers are expected to be open for several days. (Lexington, KY) -- Wounded Kentucky State Police detective Jeff Vincent is recovering at home. Vincent wounded last week while searching for a woman thought to be in danger in Clinton County. Vincent was wounded and rushed to the UK Hospital for treatment. Later troopers discovered the bodies of suspected shooter Terry Sawyers and his estranged wife Teresa Sawyers. Investigators believe after the trooper was wounded Terry Sawyers shot his wife, then took his own life. Illinois Summary --- Murder Charge Filed In Crane High Shooting (Chicago) -- A Chicago teenager is charged as an adult with shooting and killing a Crane High School student Friday. Fifteen-year-old DeVonte Smith is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Ruben Ivy. The shooting happened shortly after school let out, and police say it was gang-related. Another 15-year-old student remains hospitalized after he was beaten with a golf club. --- AMBER Alert Issued For Urbana Children (Urbana) -- An AMBER Alert has been issued for two children missing from Urbana. Police say five-year-old Nariah Harris and four-year-old Tyshawnn Harris were abducted late last night, allegedly by their grandfather. Nariah is an African-American female, three-foot-nine and 45-pounds, last seen wearing a white Mickey Mouse shirt, blue jeans, pink tennis shoes and a light green coat. Tyshawnn is an African-American male, three-foot-seven and 40-pounds, last seen wearing a maroon shirt, blue pants, Spider-Man shoes, a blue coat and a brown knit hat. The children were taken in a silver 2008 Ford Escape with Illinois license plates 274-2520. The driver is believed to be 42-year-old Adell Johnson, whos only described as an African-American male. Anyone with information is urged to call police. --- Cancer Surgery For Representative Rush (Chicago) -- U.S. Representative Bobby Rush is recovering from cancer surgery. His office says the 62-year-old Rush underwent surgery on March 1st to remove a tumor on his salivary gland. His doctors say the cancer was localized, and Rush is now home. Recovery is expected to take three-to-five weeks, after which post-operative treatments will begin. Rush has represented the states 1st Congressional District since 1993. --- Foster Could Take Oath This Week (Geneva) -- Bill Foster is the next congressman from Illinois 14th District, but when hell officially be sworn in is still a question. Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in Saturdays special election to fill former House Speaker Dennis Hasterts seat. Foster tells the "Aurora Beacon News" he would like to be sworn in as early as tomorrow, but he may have to wait until April. Election officials say they must wait two-weeks before all the absentee ballots are counted, including those coming from military members overseas. Then, the vote has to be canvassed and submitted to the Board of Elections. After that, Foster can be sworn in. Kane County Clerk John Cunningham has asked that they accept the unofficial results, so Foster can be sworn in as soon as possible and get to work. A ruling is expected later this week. Foster and Oberweis will meet again in Novembers election. --- Chicago Convinced Water Is Drug-Free (Chicago) -- Chicago doesnt test its water for drugs, like pain-killers or anti-depressants. But if the city did, it wouldnt find anything. So says Department of Water Management spokesman Tom LaPorte. He tells the "Chicago Sun-Times" drinking water comes from Lake Michigan, while waste water eventually heads to the Mississippi River. That means theres very little chance any household drugs reach city faucets. The Illinois EPA is working on pilot programs to deal with drug disposal. It also does not test drinking waters for pharmaceutical products. --- Report: Blagojevich Continues To Take Donations From State Business (Chicago) -- Governor Blagojevich has reportedly not changed his fundraising tactics, even though a supporter is on trial for alleged corruption. The "Daily Herald" reports nearly three-quarters of the money raised by Blagojevich in the last six-months of 2007 came from donors involved with state business. Much of that money is going to pay more than two-million-dollars in legal fees incurred by the Governor, who has not been charged with any crimes. Blagojevichs campaign says all of the donations are legal. But officials with the Better Government Association and other watchdog groups say its a troubling sign. Fundraiser Tony Rezko is on trial for allegedly shaking down companies wanting state business for campaign contributions, many of which were to go to Blaogjevich, according to prosecutors. --- 260-Thousand Turned Out For Irish Parade (Chicago) -- An estimated 260-thousand patrons put on their green and turned out for the annual South Side Irish Parade yesterday. The 30th annual parade saw a smaller crowd than last year, a decline organizers attribute to the colder weather. A parade spokeswoman says there were 50 arrests, substantially more than last year. There were also more drinking tickets issued. But the Parade is also a family affair, with strollers and parents lining the "dry" side of Western Avenue. Eighteen bands and 100 other entries marched from 103rd to 115th Streets. --- Shooting Victim Had Order Of Protection Against Killer (Elmhurst) -- The Arlington Heights woman shot and killed outside her Elmhurst real estate office had been through "eight months of terror." Cindy Bischofs brother Mike tells the "Daily Herald" his sister had taken out an order of protection against her ex-boyfriend, Michael Giroux. The 60-year-old shot Bischof and then himself Friday afternoon. Mike Bischof says Giroux had broken into her home and trashed it in the months after their breakup. He also waited in Bischofs dark garage for her to come home. Arlington Heights police confirm Giroux was arrested several times for violating the order of protection, but not in the past few months. --- Executive Airport To Lose Old Hangars, Gain New (Wheeling) -- It will soon be out with the old, in with the new at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling. Airport board members have voted to demolish the 1940s-era Hangar One and Hangar 14. In its place, four new hangars with 62-thousand-square-feet of new space will go up. The airport will also fund construction of a three-story building with offices, a restaurant, and a museum area. Construction could begin this year, with opening as early as next summer. --- Fliers Suggest Church Party That Wont Happen (Joliet) -- Theres a big party planned at 403 North Hickory Street in Joliet later this month. The 20-dollar admission will help pay for a DJ, food, raffles, day care, and other surprises, according to a flier being passed around at Joliet Central High School. Theres just one problem, 403 North Hickory is the address of the St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Gym, and its not holding any parties. The parish also doesnt rent out the space. Father Pepe Martinez tells the "Joliet Herald-News" he doesnt know whats going on, but thinks its all a scam. Police will be monitoring the building on the night in question. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-03-10-08 0621CDT