Local News from WIKY

Showplace Cinemas South has avoided the wrecking ball. Showplace owner Paul Stieler tells the Evansville Courier and Press that he will invest a half-million dollars in the second-run theater at Hebron and Powell, instead of tearing it down. Stieler had planned to demolish the building and sell the site, but changed his mind after receiving many calls from upset movie-goers and only one offer for the property. The renovations will include digital upgrades and new seats, and the facility will stay open during the renovations. 

Charges are piling-up against the man who was involved in a four-hour standoff with Evansville Police. 33-year old John Cannon is charged additionally with Receiving Stolen Property. The charge was added after police determined that an AR-15 rifle that was recovered after the standoff  was reported stolen from an Evansville home in March of 2012. After Cannon was flushed out of a house with tear gas, he faced a preliminary charge of Resisting Law Enforcement.

We may be punching-in more numbers in the future. The Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor is recommending the all-services overlay option for implementing a new telephone area code. It would overlay the 812 area code, because the 812 exchange will run-out out of numbers by 2015. We'd be required to include 812 or the new overlay number in all local calls. The new code would be used for new phones and services beginning in late 2014 or 2015. Calls that are local before a new area code is added would remain local afterward.

A preliminary State Board of Accounts audit concludes a retired treasurer at Castle High School embezzled nearly $140,000 from the school. Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has frozen the accounts of 55-year old Rebecca McKee. Those accounts include her house, car, and any bank and retirement accounts that she may have. The audit by the State Board of Accounts says McKee failed to deposit about $82,000 in cash collections she received. It also says says she took 24 unauthorized reimbursements totaling about $15,000.