Regional Summary, Wednesday 3/26

Indiana Summary --- Two Lives Lost In House Fire (Indianapolis) -- A deadly fire has claimed two lives this morning. Indianapolis Fire Department Captain Greg Haris says that fire crews arrived around 2 a.m. in the 200 block of West 37th Street. Harris says there were six people inside at the time. Four went to the hospital. One is listed in critical condition. The cause of the fire is believed due to a faulty space heater or kerosene heater. No names have been released. --- Indiana Makes Gains In Federal Education Requirements (Indianapolis) -- An increasing number of Indiana schools are making progress reaching federal No Child Left Behind Act requirements. Results on the Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus show a third straight year of improvements in overall achievement. Superintendent of Public Instruction Suellen Reed says most of the schools not making Adequate Yearly Progress fell short in a few areas. Data is categorized by student groupings in several categories, including race and free lunch eligibility. Special education is the most commonly missed target for schools that fell short of AYP in a single area. The state counts about 54-percent of schools as meeting AYP. Indiana will apply for inclusion in a pilot program allowing some states to direct more attention and resources to schools chronically lagging in several areas. U.S. Deputy Education Secretary Ray Simon described the effort as a "flexibility agreement" intended to help states maximize achievement. --- Teenager Killed In Crash Following A Police Pursuit (Sullivan) -- An Oaktown, Indiana teenager is dead today following a police pursuit that took place Monday evening. Indiana State Police say a conservation officer, along with the state police attempted to stop a 1995 GMC van on U.S. 41, after reports it had been stolen from nearby Carlisle, Indiana. Authorities say 15-year-old Landon Jay Dunn led police on a chase, reaching speeds of more than 80-miles-an-hour. Officers finished their pursuit, but Dunn continued on where he eventually struck a cement block fixture on a street in Sullivan. Dunn died at the scene and an autopsy is scheduled today. --- Hoosier Soldier To Be Buried At Arlington National Cemetery (Indianapolis) -- Staff Sergeant Collin Bowen, who died last week after a road side bomb in Afghanistan severely injured him two months ago, will be buried today at Arlington National Cemetery. Bowan was 38-years-old and leaves behind a wife and three daughters. --- Here Are The Latest Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Midday: 0-8-5; Daily Three-Evening: 4-0-4; Daily Four-Midday: 6-7-6-8; Daily Four-Evening: 2-2-2-7; Lucky Five-Midday: 5-19-33-34-35; Lucky Five-Evening: 4-7-9-10-12. Kentucky Summary (Louisville, KY) -- A man accused of killing his 16-year-old girlfriend accepted a plea deal yesterday. Justin Lewis was accused of killing Brittany Dunn by shooting her in the head with a shotgun in October 2006. Originally, Lewis told police he was cleaning a shotgun when it went off. But, later he told police the two were engaged in a struggle and he grabbed a gun. He said Dunn reached for the gun and then he pulled the trigger. Lewis has pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and was sentenced to five years in prison, however, he is eligible for shock probation. (Louisville, KY) -- The city is considering reopening a portion of River Road near the planned Museum Plaza. Traffic has been restricted in two places because of construction, one along Seventh Street north of Main and on River Road west of Sixth Street. Metro Public Works officials are evaluating traffic data to make a decision later this week. The opening would help morning rush-hour traffic, according to officials. Museum Plaza construction has been halted due to unexpected vibrations through several buildings downtown. (Louisville, KY) -- A local doctor who was charged with health care fraud will not be retried. Doctor Paul Hollern was convicted of illegally video taping patients, although a jury could not reach a verdict on the main charged. The jury also deadlocked on whether Hollern retaliated against a whistle-blowing witness and acquitted the doctor on a fourth charge of violating a patient-privacy law. U.S. Attorney David Huber says that his office would not retry Hollern on two unresolved charges because of the lack of staff resources and the number of other cases. Prosecutors say that Hollern video taped meetings with patients and then would have young chiropractors critique their sales pitches. (Louisville, KY) -- Health officials are looking into a popular landmark restaurant after 25 people have reported being sick after eating there on Sunday. Officials say the 25 people started checking into hospitals in Louisville and Shelby County after eating at the famed Claudia Sanders dinner house. The Health Department determined that all of the people checking into the hospitals reported the same symptoms and reported that they all had eaten at the restaurant on Easter Sunday. Officials say the investigation could last throughout the week. (Louisville, KY) -- The annual St. Patricks Day Blood Drive was canceled because of the bad weather, and will be held today. The event will run from noon until 7 p.m. at the Executive West Hotel on Phillips Lane. Officials from the American Red Cross say the recent severe weather has caused widespread blood drive cancellations leaving the area with barely a two-day blood inventory. All presenting donors get a T-shirt, collectible St. Patricks Day pin and a dinner of potato soup and green Irish stew. (Louisville, KY) -- Mayor Jerry Abramson and Louisvilles bourbon producers will make an announcement today about the upcoming University of Louisville mens basketball game. The announcement will take place today at 1 p.m. at the Mayors Gallery. The mayor along with Louisvilles bourbon producers will announce their secret plan for helping Louisville beat Tennessee in the NCAA mens basketball Sweet 16. (Lexington, KY) -- The University of Kentucky released another safety alert yesterday after a robbery and kidnapping on campus earlier this week. Campus police say the incident happened at the Greg Page Apartments where suspects armed with a knife and miniature baseball bat entered a students apartment and stole money. Officials say the suspects, who they are still looking for, also stole a lap top computer and forced the resident to take them to a local bank to get more money. Students are being reminded to take extra safety precautions. Illinois Summary The Latest Here are the latest stories making news this hour: A Chicago teenager is critically injured in a South Side shooting. Crane High School students are still reluctant to return to class. Chicago and its police union are discussing cop fitness. Hillary Clinton spoke about the controversy over Barack Obamas former pastor for the first time yesterday. And a suspicious bag found near a school turns out to be safe. --- Teen Critically Wounded In South Side Shooting (Chicago) -- The gunman who shot and critically wounded a 15-year-old boy on the citys South Side last night remains at large. Chicago police say the teen was shot in the torso around 9 p.m. in the 89-hundred block of South Exchange Avenue and taken to University of Chicago Comer Childrens Hospital. Police say there were several other teens standing alongside the victim, but no one else was hurt. The shooter is described as being dressed all in black, and may have fled on foot eastbound from the crime scene. --- Crane High Attendance Still Low (Chicago) -- Classrooms at Crane High School remained largely empty yesterday, more than two-weeks after a student was shot and killed after class just outside the building. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports only about 58-percent of the student body attended class on Tuesday. Thats up slightly from Monday, the first day back from spring break. Teens and their parents are worried about retaliation after 15-year-old Devonte Smith allegedly shot and killed 18-year-old Ruben Ivy earlier this month. An escort program from the ABLA Homes to and from the school continued yesterday, as did an extensive police presence at the school. --- City, Police Union Negotiate Exercise Rule (Chicago) -- Chicago police officers will have to start pumping some iron, if City Hall gets its way. The "Chicago Sun-Times" reports the Daley administration and the police union are in discussions to require officers to take fitness tests throughout their career. Officers would be required to comply with state police standards, though the tests would have no impact on their eligibility for promotion. Theres already a voluntary fitness program, which offers a small bonus for officers who pass an annual test. Union officials are asking for scheduled exercise time during the workday, and for kitchens with stoves and refrigerators at police stations so officers dont have to rely on fast food. Pay issues and a residency stipend are also up in the air as part of the contract negotiations. --- Clinton Weighs In On Reverend Wright Flap (Greensburg, PA) -- Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says rival Barack Obamas former pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, would never be her pastor. Clinton has, up to now, steered clear of the controversy over Obama and Wright. Obama has rejected Wrights remarks. In a major speech on race last week, the Illinois Democratic senator tried to distance himself from some of Wrights racially tinged sermons. While condemning Wrights controversial remarks, Obama said he cannot disown the man who officiated at his wedding and baptized his children. Wright recently retired. Obama and Clinton are in a tight race for the Democratic race for president. --- No Danger From Suspicious Bag Found Near School (Chicago) -- No injuries are reported after a suspicious-looking package was found near an elementary school on Chicagos North Side overnight. Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Henry said "some sort of bag" was reported near the Goudy Elementary School in the 51-hundred block of North Winthrop shortly after midnight. Henry says the Bomb and Arson squad was called to the scene, but did not report finding anything dangerous. --- DHS Supervisor Cleared Of Sexual Harassment Charges (Chicago) -- An Illinois Department of Human Services supervisor has been cleared of sexual harassment charges brought against her by a fired employee. It took a federal jury five-hours to find that Human Services Chief of Staff Teyanda Wertz did not order 37-year-old Carlos Estes to sleep with her during an overnight trip to Springfield. Estes was fired soon after the 2003 night in question, but the state contends he lost his job for misusing state vehicles. One juror tells the "Chicago Tribune" the panel felt neither side was telling the full story and that there wasnt enough evidence to prove sexual harassment. --- Severely Burned Woman Blames Boyfriend (Chicago) -- An 18-year-old woman recovering from severe burns can once again speak, and shes blaming her boyfriend for setting her on fire. The Hazel Crest woman lived with 21-year-old Damenique Traylor in his Englewood home. The two allegedly got into an argument early on the morning of January 15th, which she says led Traylor to throw lighter fluid on her and set her ablaze. Traylor told officials at St. Bernard Hospital that his girlfriend was involved in a barbecue accident. Hes charged with heinous battery and is being held on three-million-dollars bail. Prosecutors say Traylor had two-previous arrests for domestic battery, but both cases were dismissed. --- Woman Accused Of Embezzling 250-Thousand-Dollars (Flossmoor) -- A Chicago woman could face 30-years in prison if convicted of stealing more than 250-thousand-dollars from the south suburban church where she worked. Prosecutors say 51-year-old business manager Beverly Houston is accused of stealing from Infant Jesus of Prague Catholic Church in Flossmoor. She was arrested Tuesday and charged with theft and forgery, and was being held at the Flossmoor police station awaiting a court appearance in Markham this morning. Authorities say Houston wrote checks to herself, allegedly spending the money at riverboat casinos. --- Gun Used To Shoot Realtor Perhaps Bought Illegally (Elmhurst) -- Investigators probing the shooting death of an Arlington Heights real estate agent are having trouble tracing the gun used to kill her. Elmhurst police know that 60-year-old Michael Giroux pulled the trigger in the death of his ex-girlfriend, 43-year-old Cindy Bischof. He then turned the gun on himself. But Elmhurst Chief Steve Neubauer tells the "Chicago Tribune" the last known owner of the weapon bought it in 1991. After that, theres no record of who might have had possession. Police believe Giroux may have bought the gun on the black market. He had no Firearm Owners Identification Card, and could have been ineligible for the license anyway because of previous psychological treatment. Police say Giroux threatened and stalked Bischof for months after their nearly three-year relationship ended in 2007. --- African-American Womans Body Pulled From Lake Michigan (Chicago) -- Chicago police are trying to identify the body of a woman pulled from Lake Michigan near the 5400 block of South Lake Shore Drive. Officials say a passerby discovered the African-American womans body yesterday afternoon near Promontory Point. A spokesman says police officers are conducting a death investigation, but its too early to say if foul play was involved. An autopsy is scheduled for later today. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-03-26-08 0624CDT