Regional Summary, Wednesday 4/9

Indiana Summary Ballard To Deliver State Of City Address (Indianapolis) -- Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard delivers his first State of the City address this evening at Union Station. Ballards only other citywide address came on his inauguration day on January 1st. His first three-months have included the shift of day-to-day police control to the mayors office and a preliminary bid for the 2012 Super Bowl. The address is to begin at 6 p.m. --- 160 New Jobs Coming To Carmel (Carmel) -- Dormir announced on Tuesday that they will be expanding their corporate headquarters in Carmel, which will create more than 160 jobs. The three-year-old company that develops and manages sleep centers, operates facilities in 14 states and will invest more than two-point-five-million-dollars in expansions. Governor Mitch Daniels was on hand for the announcement. --- Man Shoots And Kills Himself As Police Approach (Indianapolis) -- A man shot and killed himself overnight in Indianapolis. Police say they were called to the 29-hundred block of South Colorado Avenue. They say they were approached by a man who had been shot. They then saw a man sitting on a porch holding a gun. As they ordered him to put down the weapon, he shot himself in the head. Police say no names are being released at this time. --- Major Church Fire Leaves Heavy Damage, No Injuries. (Indianapolis) -- A major church fire 27-hundred block of North Sherman Drive last night as devastated a community. Indianapolis Fire Department units arrived in two minutes from two blocks away. The church was occupied in an old union hall that had been renovated for the purpose of holding services. The cause of fire is still under investigation. Officials say the building was unoccupied at the time. The loss has been given as a quarter of a million dollars --- Red Cross Local Heroes Honored (Indianapolis) -- The Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis recognizes people each year who make extraordinary choices in life-threatening situations. Tuesday morning, 15 of these local heroes were honored. The inductees included people who acted quickly in emergencies like house fires and car wrecks. This years event was hosted by The Pike Performing Arts Complex. --- Latest Winning Numbers From The Hoosier Lottery Daily Three-Midday: 3-5-2; Daily Three-Evening: 6-7-1; Daily Four-Midday: 9-5-4-4; Daily Four-Evening: 7-6-4-6; Lucky Five-Midday: 3-15-19-29-30; Lucky Five-Evening: 10-16-21-22-31; Mix & Match: 10-11-14-15-21. Kentucky Summary (Jeffersonville, IN) -- An alleged probation violation turned into a violent confrontation yesterday at the Clark County Courthouse. Officials in Clark County say Amanda Overstreet was meeting with her probation officer when she was told that she had a violation and would be taken into police custody. When police officers arrived to arrest her, she allegedly pulled a gun out of her purse and pulled the trigger, but the gun didnt fire. Overstreet now faces additional charges and is being held on a 100-thousand-dollar bond at the Clark County Jail. (Louisville, KY) -- Officials with the Presbyterian Church USA announced they will begin to lease some space in the downtown Louisville headquarters. The church is offering 30-thousand-square-feet of their first-floor in the Witherspoon Street building. The space has become available as the denomination has gone through years of financial struggles and membership losses. The denomination has had several rounds of job cuts in recent years. About 500-people work at the churchs headquarters. (Louisville, KY) -- St. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital will open The Womens Center on their campus next Wednesday. The two-point-two-million-dollar center will offer soft-pad mammography, stereotactic breast biopsies, bone-density testing and other services. Women will even be able to schedule a massage during their medical visit, and a play area for children will also be available. The hospital is part of Jewish Hospital & St. Marys Healthcare, and is located at 1850 Bluegrass Avenue. (Louisville, KY) -- The death of an elderly Louisville woman over the weekend appears to be a tragic accident. The body of Emma Collins was found early Monday morning along the Ohio River. Her family became worried when she didnt show up for church Sunday morning. Collins car was found Sunday afternoon burned out. Police say it appears that engine failure may have caused the fire, and it appears that the car had a flat tire. Police say evidence shows that Collins walked 700 to 800-feet in the opposite direction, before walking 400 to 500-feet towards the Ohio River. Detectives say some of her belongings were found not far from her body. (Louisville, KY) -- River City Bank has announced plans to purchase the Brenzels Chevron station at the corner of Bardstown and Taylorsville Road, and then convert the building into a bank branch. The planning manager says two of the four curb cuts at the property would be closed and landscaping and defined parking will be added. The new branch would replace the River City Bank branch at 2443 Bardstown Road. (Lexington, KY) -- University of Kentucky President Lee Todd is proposing a nine-percent increase tuition increase for in-state students and a six-point-six-percent increase for out-of-state students. Dr. Todd says state budget cuts and increased costs are spurring the increases. The UK Board of Trustees will consider the proposal later this month. (Hardin County, KY) -- To accommodate railroad repairs in Hardin County, Kentucky, 84 will be closed today between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says the road will be closed near the mile-point 25-point-two. (Frankfort, KY) -- The Kentucky Department of Education announces that nominations are now open for the 2009 Kentucky Teacher Awards. Any full-time public school teacher in the state with at least three-years of experience is eligible. Students, peers, administrators or the public may make nominations. More information can be found online at Kentuckytoy.com. The deadline for nominations is May 15th. Illinois Summary --- American Cancels More Flights Out Of Chicago (Chicago) -- Another 40 American Airlines flights out of OHare Airport have been canceled to allow for more inspections of wiring on its MD-80 jets. Todays problems come one day after American canceled 500 flights nationwide, including 60 out of Chicago. The company and the FAA are concerned about the bundling of wires on the planes. Airline officials say the inspections are based on FAA audits and are detailed, technical compliance issues, not flight safety problems. Those flying American out of OHare are urged to call ahead. --- Second School Delegation To Lobby In Springfield (Springfield) -- A second group of Chicago high school students will lobby Springfield legislators for fewer guns and more money today. Over 20 students from Jones College Prep High School went to the state capitol yesterday, and small delegations from other schools will keep up the pressure throughout the next two months. Twenty-three Chicago Public Schools students have been murdered since the start of the academic year. Schools CEO Arne Duncan says its "crazy" that Illinois is 48th out of 50 states in school funding, and that students are living in fear. --- Confession Wont Be Allowed In Holt Trial (Chicago) -- A judge yesterday handed prosecutors looking to convict two Chicago teens in the shooting death of another a serious setback. The judge threw out a videotaped confession made by Kevin Jones. Hes accused of giving Michael Pace the weapon used to kill Blair Holt on a CTA bus last May. The judge ruled that Jones did not understand his rights, and so nothing the teenager said to police will be allowed at trial. Both Pace and Jones are charged with first-degree murder in the shooting. Police say Holt was trying to protect a friend from gunfire at the time. --- Police Capture Escaped Jail Inmate (Chicago) -- The Cook County Jail inmate who overpowered a guard and escaped while at Stroger hospital yesterday morning is now back in custody. A sheriffs department spokesperson says 27-year-old Kirk Davis was arrested at a home near 71st Street and Langley Avenue shortly before 8 a.m. He had already shaved his head in an effort to change his appearance. Davis was being held on 160-thousand-dollars bail on an aggravated battery charge, but now could face additional charges, including escape. At least four other people at the home were also arrested. --- Former Principal Charged In 35-Thousand-Dollar Heist (Chicago) -- A one-time rising star principal in the Chicago Public Schools is accused of stealing 35-thousand-dollars from her building. Prosecutors say 54-year-old Mirna Diaz Ortiz, who worked at Nobel School, is charged with two counts of theft between ten-thousand and 100-thousand-dollars, 36-counts of forgery and four counts of official misconduct. A school district official says an investigation found that Diaz Ortiz was allegedly involved in numerous incidents of financial wrongdoing. Diaz Ortiz, who was removed from her position after the beginning of the investigation in February, faces five-years in prison if convicted. She is free after posting three-thousand-dollars bail. --- Teen Sex Charges Against Suburban Grade School Principal (Richmond) -- A McHenry County elementary school principal stands accused of sex-related offenses with two teenage girls in Wisconsin. Authorities say 47-year-old Daniel Markofsky of Richmond was taken into custody after being caught at a motel in Glendale, Wisconsin over the weekend with a pair of sisters, aged 15 and 16. Glendale police say Markofsky, principal of Spring Grove School in Nippersink District Two, is charged with performing oral sex on the 16-year-old and exposing both girls to pornographic material. Police say he met the girls, who are both from the Milwaukee area, after talking with the 16-year-old on an Internet chat line. --- 960 Illinoisans Without Insurance Die Each Year (Chicago) -- Nearly one-thousand Illinoisans die every year simply because they dont have health insurance. Thats revealed in a report by the non-profit advocacy group Families USA, which says an inadequate system is condemning people to an early death. Executive Director Ron Pollack tells the "Chicago Sun-Times" 960 Illinois residents between the ages of 25 and 64 died in 2006 because they did not have health insurance. Thats about 18 deaths a week. Governor Blagojevich has worked to increase health care coverage to all Illinois residents, but is in the middle of a battle with the legislature over his ability to expand existing programs. --- Four Simultaneous Kidney Transplants Performed (Chicago) -- Eight people, four kidneys, and four lives extended. Doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital performed a rare, "four-way, domino paired kidney exchange" last Thursday. Four donors each gave up a kidney to four people who needed one, in a ten-hour operation that required 32 medical professionals. Doug Penrod, who is himself a transplant nurse at the hospital, started a chain when he tried to give his friend a kidney, but wasnt a match. Penrod wanted to donate anyway, so the hospital found three similar situations, paired up all eight donors and recipients, and performed the operation. All of the donors and recipients are said to be doing well. --- Police: Mother Admits Stabbing Young Daughter (Waukegan) -- A Waukegan woman is now charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of her six-year-old daughter. Detective Domenic Cappelluti says Nelly Vazquez-Salazar attacked young Evelyn in part because the girl was sleepwalking. A family member in Mexico had suggested the child might be possessed by the devil. Police say she stabbed her daughter eleven times, mostly in the neck. A piece of religious artwork found in the familys apartment had also been slashed. Officers also found a butcher knife believed to be the murder weapon at that apartment. Vazquez-Salazar is being held on five-million-dollars bail. Her next court appearance is May 1st. --- Council To Consider Construction Procurement Change (Chicago) -- Chicagos City Council will likely vote today on a measure changing the way the city hands out construction contracts. The councils Budget Committee has passed a proposal from Mayor Daley that would alter the rules to give minority and women-owned business a better chance. Under the new plan, City Hall would designate an architect and a construction contract at the same time, instead of separately. Price would not be the only factor -- qualifications and levels of minority and female participation would also be taken into account. The Daley administration has changed procurement officers five times in seven years to try and boost the number of contracts won by African-Americans. During yesterdays budget committee hearing, some aldermen worried that the measure would raise costs and slow projects. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-04-09-08 0637CDT