Local News from WIKY

Garrett goes before City Council

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 10:21am
A majority of Evansville City Council members have given David Garrett a vote of confidence. Garrett has been criticized for not appearing at council meetings this year while receiving a $1,600 paycheck every month. He's studying the city's financial data. Garrett explained Monday night that he had been waiting on reports that weren't filed until late May. He says he'll have more to say soon. The council hired Garrett to serve as an extra set of eyes after an audit found some issues with the city's finances last year.

Mother and son dead after apparent murder-suicide

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 10:19am
A mother and her adult son are dead after an apparent murder-suicide. Indiana State Police and sheriff's deputies were called to 13,340 Mason Drive in Perry County at about 7:30 Monday night, and found the bodies of 47-year-old Franklin Anthony Kirk, and his mother, 64-year-old Elaine Kirk. Investigators say the son apparently shot his mother and then took his own life. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene.

Cop accused of grabbing student inappropriately

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 10:16am
An Evansville Police officer is appealing disciplinary action against him after an alleged incident with a 16-year-old student. Corporal Mike Winters has been suspended from the force, pending a hearing next month. The boy's grandmother, Cheryl Snoke, says her grandson and five other boys were inside a classroom at the Academy for Innovative Studies on First Avenue, talking with Officer Winters about how to get out of a fight. read more

Gut wrenching testimony and images at Weisheit murder trial

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 5:46pm
The mother of two children who died when their home turned into an inferno that was allegedly started by her fiance' breaks-down while speaking to the jury in a Clark County courtroom. Lisa Lynch was among four witnesses called to the stand on during the first day of testimony in the trial of Jeffrey Weisheit, who is charged with arson and two counts of murder. Lynch testified she was pregnant and Weisheit was upset - telling her he wanted her to get a paternity test.

False reporting charge follows claim of drive-by shooting

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 5:44pm
It didn't happen as a Henderson woman said it did. 24-year-old Crista Avery said she'd been shot by an unknown individual in a car, as she walked along Green Street, near her apartment Sunday night. Neighbor Jesika Davis says she was surprised to see police activity because she hadn't heard or seen anything. Police say Avery and her fiancee, Phillip Riley had begun arguing over a gun that Avery had in the apartment. And when Avery tried to take the gun from Riley, it discharged once, striking Avery.

Gasification plant at Edwardsport called one of most modern in world

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 5:42pm
Duke Energy’s Edwardsport Generating Station is now operational. Construction on the the advanced technology coal gasification plant began in 2008. The company says the Knox County operation is one of the cleanest coal-fired power-generating facilities in the world. The plant uses advanced technology to gasify coal, strip out pollutants, and then burn that cleaner gas to produce electricity. The technology reduces the environmental impact of burning coal to produce electric power.

Future of ISTEP test usage may rest with outside consultant

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 5:41pm
State school superintendent Glenda Ritz says that the Department of Education will pay $53,000 to have the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment look at ISTEP scores to see whether interruptions to more than 78,000 students taking the online version of the exam should invalidate their scores. Ritz says she still opposes the "high stakes" attached to the ISTEP, but acknowledges she is limited in how she can reduce the exam‘s influence on student and teacher assessment.

Jury warned to hear "horrible facts" involving death of children

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 1:09pm
Lisa Lynch tearfully testifies about the last night she saw her 5 and 8 year old children alive - before they died in an inferno in the house she shared with Jeffrey Weisheit. He's being tried on charges of murder and arson and could be sentenced to death if he's convicted by a jury. Lynch and Weisheit shared a house in northern Vanderburgh County before the fatal fire. After Lynch recomposed herself, she resumed testifying. Her children, a boy and a girl, were sleeping in the house and suffered what they state will try to show were horrible deaths.

Evansville man dies in Warrick jail

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 10:17am
Authorities have released the identity of an inmate found dead in his jail cell at the Warrick County jail. State Police say 37-year-old James Pyott of Evansville was unconcious when jail personnel made their security rounds at about 10:00 Sunday night. Jail workers and an EMS crew tried to revive Pyott, but were unsuccessful. Police don't suspect foul play. Pyott was being held on a theft charge. An autopsy was scheduled for Monday.

Weisheit trial underway

Submitted by WIKY News on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 10:15am
Testimony is underway in the murder and arson trial of Jeffrey Weisheit. A jury was chosen last week in Clark County, where the trial was moved because of pre-trial publicity in the Evansville area. The 37-year old Weisheit is accused of setting fire to his girlfriend's Vanderburgh County home, with her two children inside. 5-year old Caleb and 8-year-old Alyssa Lynch died in the fire. Weisheit could face the death penalty if he's convicted.