Regional Summary, Tuesday 3/25

Indiana Summary --- Gas Prices Still Falling (Indianapolis) -- Gasoline prices are still dropping, although many drivers want them a lot lower. Among the lowest prices for unleaded regular gasoline in the Indianapolis area is three-dollars-seven-cents a gallon. Prices are seen at two-99 for the same in the Greenwood area and two-95 for unleaded regular in Anderson. --- Bill And Chelsea Clinton Continue Indiana Push (Indianapolis) -- The campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton continues to make a push for votes in Indiana with campaign appearances from the former First Family. Bill and Chelsea Clinton made several stops in the state to tout the senators credentials. Bill Clinton says his wife would restore Americas standing in the world. He also said Hillary Clinton will help the middle class by ending the Bush economic policies. Hillary Clinton is competing with Senator Barack Obama for 72 pledged delegates to be split up in the May 6th primary. The former President campaigned in South Bend, Rochester, Logansport and West Lafayette. Chelsea Clinton answered campaign questions ranging from global warming to the war in Iraq during a visit to Indiana University. She has events at Ball State, Butler and IUPUI on Tuesday. The candidate is coming back to Indiana on Friday. Details of Hillary Clintons second visit in eight days have not been announced. --- Pacers CEO Walsh Leaving Team (Indianapolis) -- Indiana Pacers CEO and President Donnie Walsh will leave the franchise at the end of the current season. Walsh joined the Pacers as an assistant coach in 1984 and became General Manager in 1986. Two years later, he was named president. During his tenure, Indy made the playoffs 17 times and won three Central Division titles. The Pacers also advanced to the Eastern Conference six times and in 2000 made an appearance in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird will still lead the franchises basketball business as President of Basketball Operations. The Pacers are currently a game and-a-half behind the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. --- Suspect Sought In Monday Bank Robbery (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis law enforcement is on the lookout today for the person who robbed an Indianapolis bank late yesterday. Police say they are searching for a black male, about 40 to 45-years-old. He stood six-feet tall and was wearing a black coat, hat and blue jeans. The suspect entered the Chase Bank at 2955 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, handing a note to a teller demanding cash. No weapon was seen but was implied by the bandit. There were no injuries. Police ask that anyone with information that can lead to an arrest to call Crimestoppers at 262-TIPS. --- Possible Murder Suicide Under Investigation (Milan) -- Police in Ripley County are continuing to investigate a possible murder suicide. Two bodies were found Monday afternoon in a home on East County Road near Milan. Their identities and the cause of death have not been released. --- Wayne High School Assistant Principal Fired Over Misconduct (Fort Wayne) -- A Wayne High School assistant principal has been fired over misconduct with a student. Thirty-six-year-old Kristopher Sennett allegedly admitted to having sex with a student. Authorities say he was arrested after authorities learned of inappropriate e-mails sent by him to a 17-year-old female student and both admitted to the relationship. The Fort Wayne Community School Board took 20-seconds to vote on whether to follow the recommendations by the superintendent to fire Sennett. Sennett could have asked for a hearing to explain the situation. Board members say they would have listened to his case, adding the decision probably would have been the same. Sennett faces two charges of child seduction. --- Perry Township Teacher Suspended In "Freedom Writers" Case (Indianapolis) -- A Perry Township teacher has been suspended without pay for violating an administrative decision over use of an acclaimed, but controversial book. Connie Heermann risked contract termination for assigning "The Freedom Writers Diary" to her class at Perry Meridian High School. School board member Steve Maple says Heermanns actions did not rise to the level of firing. "Freedom Writers" was created through a collection of essays from California students. There are objections to its use because of racial slurs and sexual content. Board members said Heermann was insubordinate and that the book can be a valuable piece outside the classroom. The suspension is in effect through the 2008-2009 school year. Heermann has been on paid leave until now. The veteran teacher said after the hearing that she and her husband will have to evaluate their options before deciding the best career options. --- Big Barn Gets Moved Across Busy 38th Street To Indiana State Fairgrounds (Indianapolis) -- A 75-hundred square-foot barn was slowly but surely moved across busy 38th Street yesterday to the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The barn is 72-years-old and is considered a piece of Indiana history. It will soon be open to the public. It is a gift to the state fair from the Center for Agricultural Science and Heritage. The barn is to be part of Indianas largest classroom as the fairs year-round educational exhibit. Kentucky Summary (Frankfort, KY) -- Former President Bill Clinton brings his wifes campaign for president to Kentucky today. Hillary Clintons campaign is urging citizens to turn out for a rally at 10:30 a.m. at the Frankfort Convention Center. Clinton makes a stop at the American Legion Building at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Paris, then a rally in the Mason County High School field house in Maysville at 2:30 p.m. and later this afternoon a 5:45 p.m. rally at the Morehead Conference Center in Morehead. (Frankfort, KY) -- A WHAS 11/ Survey USA poll shows Governor Steve Beshears job approval rating at 46-percent, his disapproval rating at 48-percent. A poll in February shows Beshear with a 52-percent approval rating and a 38-percent disapproval rating. (Frankfort, KY) -- Governor Steve Beshear says he making a "final push" for passage of a proposed casino amendment. Governor Beshear and some supporters of a vote on expanded gambling held a rally in the Capitol Rotunda. The governor says Kentuckians have expressed their desire to vote on the issue. Later, he met briefly with the House Democratic caucus. The governor acknowledges there are not currently enough votes in the House to pass the amendment and move it on to the Senate. (Pineville, KY) -- A jury in Pineville is expected to begin its deliberations in the murder trial of Raymond Harris. Harris is charged with the 2002 slaying of former Harlan County Sheriff Paul Browning Jr. The defense has rested and closing statements are expected this morning. (Cynthiana, KY) -- Cynthiana Police and the Harrison County Sheriffs Department are searching for a bank robber. The "Cynthiana Democrat" reports a man held up the Harrison Deposit Bank escaping with an undisclosed amount of money. This is the third time in the past 12-months that a Harrison County bank has been robbed. (Maysville, KY) -- George Clooney says hes related to most of the people that showed up for a premier of his new movie "Leatherheads," held in downtown Maysville last night. Hundreds of people lined a red carpet outside of the Washington Opera House to catch a glimpse of the star and his co-star Renee Zellweger. Clooney, whose family is from Maysville and Zellweger spent more than 30-minutes signing autographs and greeting those who came out to see the Kentucky native. It was reminded some older people in the crowd of the day in 1953 when Georges aunt Rosemary premiered a Hollywood movie in Maysville. (Ashland, KY) -- Ashlands mayor now has another title, hes also the Ashland School Superintendent. The board of education voted last night to hire Steve Gilmore as superintendent. Gilmore became mayor in 2002. He retired from education in 1996 as an assistant superintendent of schools. Illinois Summary --- Reward Offered For Shooting Of Legally Blind Woman (Chicago) -- Cook County Crime Stoppers is offering up to one-thousand-dollars cash for information leading to an arrest of the person who murdered a legally blind woman on Chicagos Far South Side. Seventy-year-old Maggie Browder was fatally shot around 6:20 yesterday morning. The bullet went through the front window of her home in the 122-hundred block of South Morgan Avenue. Police Spokeswoman Monique Bond says investigators are not sure if Browder was hit by a stray bullet, if the home was targeted or if the shooter had mistaken the womans address for someone elses. A Calumet Area sergeant said that someone rang the doorbell of the Browders home, and when she went to the living room window to find out who it was, shots were fired. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-535-STOP or the Chicago Police Area 2 Detective Division at 312-747-8272. --- Attendance Down Even With Additional Crane Police Presence (Chicago) -- Chicago Police officers were out in force at Crane High School yesterday as students returned from spring break. Authorities even escorted a group of students from the ABLA Homes to and from school to try and ward off gang violence. Teens and their parents are worried about retaliation after 15-year-old ABLA resident Devonte Smith allegedly shot and killed 18-year-old Ruben Ivy earlier this month. About 25 of the more than 100 ABLA students who attend Crane took advantage of the special escort. School officials say nearly half of the student body was absent yesterday, even with the extra protection. --- Peace Activists Mark Four-Thousandth Soldier Killed In Iraq (Chicago) -- Four-thousand pieces of black cloth stitched together and adorned with the names of every American soldier confirmed dead in Iraq covered one wall of Chicagos St. James Episcopal church last night. American Friend Service Committee Spokesman Michael McConnell says peace advocates met to honor both American servicemen killed in battle and others affected by the five-year-long conflict. Those in attendance sang songs and prayed for an end to the Iraq war. The event came one day after different protesters interrupted Easter Services at Chicagos Holy Name Cathedral by shouting and squirting fake blood on parishioners. --- Bond Set For "Holy Name Six" (Chicago) -- Friends of the six antiwar protesters jailed for disrupting Easter services at Chicagos Holy Name Cathedral are trying to raise money for bail. A judge yesterday set bond as high as 35-thousand-dollars for the three men and three women, each of whom is charged with two counts of battery and one felony count of criminal damage to property. The so-called "Holy Name Six" started shouting and squirting fake blood on parishioners as Cardinal Francis George began his homily. --- Robber: Call Me When You Have Cash I Can Steal (Chicago) -- A would-be robber wasnt exactly "dialed in" to the crime he tried to commit yesterday. Chicago Police say the 18-year-old wanted to rob a muffler shop in the 26-hundred block of North Laramie. But he showed up just before 9 in the morning, and the employees didnt have any money. So police say the teen gave them his cell phone number, and told workers to call him once the manager arrived to unlock the safe. The employees did that, but they called Chicago Police first, who were there to arrest him when he showed up. Police say the suspect pointed a gun at an officer, who fired twice and hit the teenager in the leg. He was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. --- CTA Expanding Internet Bus Time Service (Chicago) -- The buses will run on time. Thats the hope of Chicago Transportation Authority 1/81/8 CTA 3/83/8 head Ron Huberman, whose agency is expanding a so-called "bus tracker" program to a total of 14 routes in the next two-weeks. Thats good news for CTA riders, who will be able to check the exact locations of buses from any computer, cell phone, or wireless device. It will also help the CTA eliminate bus bunching, gaps in service, and other issues. The agency hopes to expand the service to all of its bus routes within the next year. It will then work on a "next-train" service to give predicted train arrival times. --- Hearing To Return Petersons Guns Postponed (Joliet) -- A Will County judge wont rule on whether Drew Peterson can have his guns back until at least the middle of next month. Both prosecutors and attorneys for the one-time Bolingbrook Police sergeant have agreed to postpone todays scheduled hearing until April 17th. Authorities took eleven guns from Petersons home shortly after his wife Stacy went meeting in October. Peterson is a suspect in her disappearance and being investigated in the death of his third wife. Other items like cars and computers were ordered returned last week. The state has revoked Petersons Firearm Owners Identification Card, so his attorneys want the guns released to a relative. Petersons attorney, Joel Brodsky, says he thinks the prosecution asked for the delay because of the recent discovery of a 12th gun. The weapon belongs to Peterson, but Brodsky says his client was not hiding it. --- Chicago Cops Make Big Meth Bust (Chicago) -- Chicago Police seized more than a million-dollars worth of methamphetamine from an apartment on the citys Northwest Side last night. Officers say they found nine kilograms of the drug after executing a search warrant in the 25-hundred block of North Linder. Cocaine and a handgun were also recovered. Police say they have arrested a 29-year-old man who lived at the apartment, but he has not been charged. --- Police Find Stolen Artwork In Van On South Side (Chicago) -- Eight stolen paintings worth more than 100-thousand-dollars are now in the hands of Chicago Police. The "Chicago Tribune" reports gang task force officers investigating illegal gun sales found the artwork with help from an informant. The paintings were taken from a storage facility in Lindenwood. They were discovered in a van outside Terrell Williams home near West 115th Street and South Stewart Avenue. The 31-year-old Williams and 18-year-old Joseph Saleski of Cicero are charged with felony burglary. Saleski and 27-year-old Javier Mendoza of Cicero also face weapons charges. --- County Board Presidents Staff Slams Newspaper Coverage (Chicago) -- Staff members for Cook County Board President Todd Stroger are defending his decision to give his cousin a 12-percent raise. Spokesman Eugene Mullins says the countys Chief Financial Officer Donna Dunnings deserves the extra cash. Dunnings took the job for less pay than her predecessor, a fact trumpeted by Stroger when he announced her hire. Mullins says the extra money provided by a one-percent county sales tax increase will allow Dunnings and others to get pay hikes they deserve. He also railed against coverage by the "Chicago Sun-Times", which spotlighted Dunnings raise on its front page yesterday. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-03-25-08 0642CDT