Local News from WIKY

A rising star in the Republican party comes to Henderson July 1st to speak to a joint meeting of the chamber of commerce, the Henderson Breakfast Lions Club and the Henderson Lions Club. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul will keynote the gathering at the Henderson Fine Arts Center. His local speech will provide a break in his schedule of talking to voters in other state's -- including Iowa -- an early-voting state. Paul has made it clear he'd like to be president

A fire that started in a fireworks store destroys a building in Dale. It broke out at about 6:00 Tuesday night in the building on Washington Street in the Spencer County town. Fire Chief Can Reinke says when firefighters arrived, the entire building was engulfed in flames, and fireworks were flying. He says firefighters and spectators had to be moved back. Officials say everyone got out of the store and three apartments on the top floor of the building.

An Evansville man convicted of murdering his former girlfriend is sentenced to 55 years in prison. 56-year old Robert Hicks was found guilty of stabbing Anna Jochem about 50 times last July. The coroner's office ruled she died from a blow to the head with a block of wood. Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nicholas Hermann argued for an extended sentence due to the brutal nature of the crime. Circuit Court Judge David Kiely agreed - rejecting an argument for leniency that was based on Hicks' lack of a previous criminal record

The next national election isn't until a year from November, but Republicans in Congress may still be holding hearings on the terrorist attack on the American Diplomatic Mission at Benghazi as voters go to the polls. That's what Republican Congressman Larry Buschon tells Evansville Rotarians. Four people were killed, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. Ten others were injured. Buschon says the hearings may last for another year and a half. He says he wants the hearings to be non-political.