Local News from WIKY

Fire levels pole barn

Submitted by WIKY News on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 7:18am
A two-alarm fire destroys a barn in northern Vanderburgh County. Scott Township, German Township, and McMutchanville firefighters were called to the big pole barn behind a house in the 4300 block of Bromm Road at about 5:45 Wednesday morning. Flames from the blaze could seen from Boonville-New Harmony Road, State Road 65, and North St. Joe Avenue. Firefighters kept the fire from spreading to two nearby fuel tanks, and there's no word of any injuries. The nearby house was not damaged. There no word on how the fire started.

Police chase ends in crash

Submitted by WIKY News on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 5:38am
A car is stolen from a west side parking lot, starting a police pursuit that quickly ends in a crash. An officer spotted the car just before 1:00 Wednes morning on Rosenberger near the Lloyd. The officer pursued the suspect vehicle south on Rosenberger to Bosse Avenue. The stolen car crashed a short time later, and police took the suspect into custody. Nobody was injured. The suspect faces numerous preliminary charges, including possession of marijuana.

Bucshon is in

Submitted by WIKY News on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 5:36am
8th District Congressman Larry Bucshon makes it official. He launched his re-election bid in Terre Haute Tuesday. He'll hold a rally at GOP Headquarters in Evansville at 12:30 Wednesday afternoon. read more

Almost time for ISTEP Plus tests

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 9:43pm
The state's measuring stick for schools, the ISTEP Plus test begins within the next two weeks for Evansville-Vanderburgh students in grades 3-8. During Tuesday night's school board meeting, Superintendent David Smith said that for the first time, scores will be analyzed for growth. So, even if a student did not pass the test in the past, the growth they can display is important. When last year's scores were released, almost all grade levels showed an increase in the English/Language Arts and Math sections.

Cheers rock Ft. Campbell hanger as rest of 101st returns home

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 4:41pm
Fort Campbell celebrates its final big troop return. And this one was especially sweet. It marks the first time in two years that all members of the 101st are back on U.S. soil. A big hanger at the fort erupted in deafening applause as the plane carrying the 186 members of the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, and the brigade colors, returned from Afghanistan. A sea of small American flags and "welcome home" signs were the first things the troops saw as they got off the plane. Task Force Thunder had been providing medical, combat and logistics support to U.S. troops since January of 2010.

Minor earthquake causes a little damage

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 4:39pm
As earthquakes go, it wasn't a "biggie." But it was enough to fray some nerves and rattle residents out of bed at about 4 this morning. The U.S. Geological Servey says the 4.O magnitude earthquake was centered near the Illinois-Missouri border, 16 miles southwest of Cairo. It originated about 3 miles underground. Little damage was reported. The temblor hit just two weeks after the Great Shake Out, a nationwide earthquake drill marking the 200th anniversary of the huge New Madrid earthquake of 1812. The drill was designed to convince Americans to get ready for the next big one.

Man freed from trench cave-in

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 3:12pm
A victim of a trench cave-in is described as conscious, alert and breathing before being taken by ambulance to St. Mary's Medical Center. The man reportedly was pinned against a pipe, and was pulled loose just before 3 this afternoon. Co-workers said he was going in and out of consciousness. It happened this afternoon in a construction area at Millersburg and Hedden Roads.

Downtown Hotel issue due for attention

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 2:24pm
We expect to learn Wednesday whether the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will approve another study on a Downtown Evansville hotel. Mayor Winnecke asked the commission two weeks ago to take another look, to determine if the proposed 220-room hotel is big enough to support the Centre and Ford Center.  The commission will consider re-hiring Hunden Strategic Partners, which said a $33 million hotel proposal by the Kunkel Group is financially viable.

Guilty plea in newspaper carrier death gets 5 year sentence

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 2:18pm
A young Henderson man pleads guilty in the death of a newspaper carrier. 21-year-old Benjamin Blaize entered the guilty plea to a charge of Second Degree Manslaughter and Driving Under the Influence. He was sentenced to five years in prison. If convicted of murder, Blaize's sentence could have been 20 to 50 years, or life in prison. He was initially charged with reckless homicide after the head-on crash that killed 70-year-old Betty Moore last July, as she delivered copies of the Henderson Gleaner along state road 351.

Missing girl found unharmed

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 2:15pm
The search for a missing Gibson County teen ends near Chicago. Owensville Police say 15-year-old Kelsy Nicole Lofton of Owensville was located Chicago, and she's O-K. Lofton was last seen Friday morning at her home. Family and friends sounded the alarm, concerned for her safety when she closed her Facebook account, and left home with a just few clothes and her make-up bag. Police say she was unharmed.