Local News from WIKY

Rotarians urged to turn off cell phones before driving vehicles

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 5:53pm
A team comprised of St. Mary's Trauma Services experts and a State Police Sgt. are delivering a message that could save your life - turn-off your cell phone before sitting down behind the wheel. They've talked to 23,000 high school students since 2010 and are delivering their message during summer vacation to groups, including Rotary clubs and other service organizations. They're urging adults to always set a good example by turning off the cell phone while driving. Sgt. Todd Ringle said, "no text message or phone conversation is worth fatal injuries."

Scooter Tiemann suffers fatal injuries

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 5:49pm
An Evansville man who recently returned from his honeymoon is killed during a business trip in Texas. Scooter Tiemann - about 31 years old - worked for an Evansville oil firm. His mother, known as "T Tiemann," is a former member of the Evansville City Council and his father Robert Tiemann is a prominent local businessman. Friends of the family say Scooter's vehicle was T-boned in an intersection by a teen-age driver.

ISTEP debacle re-opens debate on testing of Hoosier kids

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 5:47pm
Legislators are supporting state school superintendent Glenda Ritz‘s hiring of an outside consultant to review the reliability of this year‘s ISTEP exam. But they don‘t share her opposition to the test‘s role in evaluating schools and teachers. Ritz says the computer glitches that disrupted this year‘s ISTEP for 78,000 students prove her longstanding argument that high-stakes tests are a bad idea. But legislators note the federal No Child Left Behind law requires states to base school evaluations on those tests.

Death of inmate a suicide

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 11:24am
An autopsy shows the death of a 37-year old Warrick County Jail inmate was a suicide by strangulation. Guards found James Pyott of Evansville unconscious in his cell late Sunday night. Jail and EMS personnel attempted to revive him, but they were not successful. Pyott was being held on a theft charge. He'd been jailed since June 4. 

Arrests made in death of Linton, Indiana woman

Submitted by WIKY News on Tue, 06/11/2013 - 11:19am
Two young men face murder charges in connection with the death of 19-year old Katelyn Wolfe. A Greene County jail officer identifies the suspects as 25-year old Randall Crosley and 26-year old Jordan Buskirk - both from the Jasonville area. Linton Police Chief Troy Terrell says state conservation officers found Wolfe's body Monday evening in rural Greene County. Officers say Wolfe was last seen about 2 in the morning Thursday walking near a Dairy Queen in Linton. Her last cellphone or computer activity came about an hour later, and her father reported her missing Thursday night.

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.