Local News

An American Lung Association "State of the Air" report gives Vanderburgh County passing grades for ozone and particulate levels. Head of Sustainability Dona Bergman says that for the first time, Vanderburgh County has been designated by the EPA as "in attainment" with a new, and stricter ozone standard. The Lung Association report reflects air quality from 2008 through 2010, and Vanderburgh County's grade improved from an "F" on the previous report to a "C" this time.

Library voting starts the week of April 30
2012 PRIMARY ELECTION

EARLY VOTING – VOTE CENTERS

Early voting (for voters who choose to vote early at the Election Office, Libraries or the designated Saturday Vote Centers)

Early voting ends May 7th at noon.

ELECTION OFFICE
Monday thru Friday
8 am to 4 pm
April 9th to May 7th at noon

ELECTION OFFICE
Saturday
8 am

A Princeton couple faces felony charges in an alleged murder-for-hire scheme. State police say 31-year-old Jason Gardner met with an undercover ATF agent posing as a hit-man in the Walmart parking lot in Princeton Sunday night. Gardner paid the undercover officer $900 and allegedly agreed to pay an additional $1,100 to kill his ex-wife. Gardner was arrested without incident. Officers later arrested his current wife, Pamela Gardner. Police say Gardner was involved in an child custody battle with his ex-wife.

They say they were just looking for souvenirs. Evansville Police arrested two teenage boys accused of breaking into the old North High School building on Stringtown Saturday night. Officers responded to a burglar alarm, surrounded the building, and prepared to send dogs in. But before deploying a K-9 unit, police say 18-year-old Joseph Logsdon exited the building and then, a 17-year-old boy was found near the football field. They apparently got in through an unlocked window, and both were arrested for burglary.

Scary moments on Evansville's Southeast Side, when a van driven by an elderly woman crashes into a house. It happened yesterday Sunday at the home of 40-year-old Michael Babb at 1924 S. Parker Drive. Police say the driver, 82-year-old Lora Niles of Evansville, was trying to park her van at a nearby church when she accidentally hit the gas pedal, panicked, and drove into the house. The van ended up in Babb's bedroom, but he was in the kitchen and not injured. Nobody else was home. Niles was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center to be checked out.

Evansville's West Franklin Street is known for its bars and restaurants. And last night the City Council gave a green light for another one, a brew pub to open. Members agreed to rezone several parcels of land in the 1400 block. Brew Pub Owner Andy Davidson predicts his first batch of beer will be ready by October 1, just before the Fall Festival gets underway. He says the restaurant will specialize in barbecue. 

Saint Mary's  hospital in Evansville is changing the way it handles disasters.

It's moving to an automated, internet-based incident management system called Stand-To Technology. It allows them to notify the incident management team with just a few clicks, which should improve response time.

 

A couple of I-U baskekball players are passing the bright lights of the NBA. 

Indiana University's Christian Watford and Cody Zeller have announced they'll return to the Hoosiers next season, bypassing the NBA Draft.

Right to Work has been signed into law.

Governor Mitch Daniels issued this statement about HEA 1001

“Seven years of evidence and experience ultimately demonstrated that Indiana did need a right-to-work law to capture jobs for which, despite our highly rated business climate, we are not currently being considered.

“This law won’t be a magic answer but we’ll be far better off with it.

STATE SENATOR VANETA BECKER OF EVANSVILLE IS THE ONLY REPUBLICAN TO BREAK RANKS WITH HER PARTY DURING A "TEST DRIVE" OF A REFERENDUM PLAN FOR RIGHT TO WORK LEGISLATION. BUT THE GOP PREVAILED WITHOUT HER VOTE AND DEFEATED THE PLAN PRESENTED BY DEMOCRATS. 

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM DAVID LONG SAYS LEGISLATORS ARE ELECTED TO MAKE DECISIONS THEMSELVES, AND SAYS REFERENDUM-HEAVY CALIFORNIA HAS SEEN SUCH VOTES TURN INTO CONTESTS TO SEE WHO CAN AFFORD THE MOST RADIO AND TV ADS.