Solid Gospel 1270 News Five days a week, from Elkhart and South Bend to Allegan and Warsaw, Don Wagner brings you area and national news of importance to the Michiana listener, as well as Sports coverage including scores, stories and live game coverage. Tune in each weekday morning for local news at 6:02am and 7:02am plus IRN/USA News national updates at the beginning of every music hour.	News Director Don Wagner
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Last Update 2/3/2012

THURSDAY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 2012
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STATE/REGIONAL:
RIGHT-TO-WORK PROTESTERS ARE MOVING AHEAD WITH PLANS TO TRY TO DISRUPT SUNDAY'S SUPER BOWL. GOVERNOR DANIELS SIGNED A BILL WEDNESDAY TO MAKE INDIANA THE 23RD STATE TO PROHIBIT LABOR CONTRACTS THAT REQUIRE WORKERS TO PAY UNION REPRESENTATION FEES. THOUSANDS OF UNION PROTESTERS STREAMED OUTSIDE THE STATEHOUSE CHANTING, "NO SUPER BOWL." PROTEST ORGANIZERS SAY THEY PLAN TO TRY TO BLOCK ENTRANCES TO LUCAS OIL STADIUM BEFORE SUNDAY'S GAME.
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INDIANA STATE POLICE SAY THEY'LL KEEP WATCH ON THE STATEHOUSE SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. THAT'S WHEN AND WHERE OCCUPY GROUPS ARE TEAMING UP WITH CENTRAL INDIANA JOBS WITH JUSTICE FOR A DEMONSTRATION AND MARCH. THE ACTION IS PLANNED FOR NOON SUNDAY. SPOKESMAN DAVE BURSTEN SAYS DEMONSTRATORS ARE FREE TO DEMONSTRATE AS LONG AS THEY DON‘T VIOLATE THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS OR CREATE TRAFFIC ISSUES.
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A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE PUSHED BACK SCHOOL START DATES DIED IN THE INDIANA SENATE. THE BILL WOULD HAVE PREVENTED SCHOOLS FROM COMING BACK FROM SUMMER BREAK BEFORE THE FOURTH MONDAY IN AUGUST. IT ALSO WOULD HAVE SAID THE SCHOOL YEAR CAN'T END AFTER JUNE 10. THE VOTE CAME BACK 25 TO 25. LT. GOVERNOR BECKY SKILLMAN WASN'T THERE TO BREAK THE TIE. SENATOR DAVID LONG TAKES OVER WHEN SKILLMAN LEAVES. HE VOTED AGAINST THE BILL.
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Former U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh said the U.S. faces dire consequences if the government continues running huge deficits. Bayh, who spoke Thursday to a record crowd at the 2012 Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting, warned that if the federal government continues to operate on trillion-dollar deficits, then the U.S. could have to deal with the consequences that are facing European countries right now. Speaking about November’s presidential election, Bayh compared to it to the 2004 race between George W. Bush and Democrat John Kerry. He did not endorse a specific candidate. "It’s going to be very close,” he said. “And it’s going to be very negative.”
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A state senator in Michigan is calling for action on a Right to Work bill there, in order to remain competitive with Indiana in the hunt for new jobs. While Senator Proos would like to see Michigan become a Right to Work state, the reality is that Michigan has twice as many union workers as Indiana, and Michigan has one worker who doesn’t support Right to Work - who just so happens to be the governor. With a statewide Right to Work debate apparently out of the question, Senator Proos has filed a bill that would allow right to work to be imposed on a town by town, county by county, and city by city basis. Senator Proos actually filed his bill about a year ago and it has yet to receive a hearing. He is hoping to change that in light of the action taken in Indiana.
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The Indiana Department of Homeland Security wants Hoosiers to take part in an earthquake drill that will be conducted throughout the central United States on the 200th anniversary of the 1812 New Madrid earthquakes. The state is encouraging residents to register online and participate in the 2012 Great Central United States ShakeOut on Feb. 7. They say it takes five minutes. More than 600,000 Hoosiers and 3 million overall registered for the 2011 Great Central US ShakeOut.
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MEMBERS OF THE INDIANAPOLIS CHILDREN‘S CHOIR WILL PERFORM THE NATIONAL ANTHEM AT SUPERBOWL 46. OFFICIALS SAY 45 MEMBERS OF THE CHOIR WILL SING THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER ALONGSIDE NATIONAL RECORDING ARTIST KELLY CLARKSON IN LUCAS OIL STADIUM. THE SINGERS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY ICC FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR HENRY LECK AND ASSISTANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JOSHUA PEDDE.
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INDIANA UNIVERSITY SAYS ITS LICENSE PLATE WAS THE TOP-SELLING SPECIALTY PLATE IN THE STATE LAST YEAR. THE SCHOOL SAYS MORE THAN 48-THOUSAND I-U PLATES WERE SOLD IN 2011. THIS MARKS THE FIRST TIME THE I-U PLATE HAS BEEN NUMBER ONE OVERALL. IN 2010, THE HERITAGE TRUST TOOK FIRST, FOLLOWED BY THE COLTS TRUST AND THEN I-U.
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NORTHERN IN/SOUTHWESTERN MI (MICHIANA):
South Bend - The new security checkpoint at the South Bend Airport has opened to passengers, marking the completion of more than two years of construction at the airport to expand the terminal building. All of the screening equipment has been replaced by the Transportation Security Administration and includes the Advanced Image Technology device which scans an individual’s entire body. The airport stated the device is accurate and will speed the screening process dramatically.
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Mishawaka - 100-year-old building that once housed a northern Indiana high school is being turned into senior-citizen apartments. The new Mishawaka River Center Apartments will consist of 32 units for renters of all income levels in the four-story building in downtown Mishawaka. The renovation is expected to cost about $7.3 million, though unexpected brick repairs might increase that cost. The damaged but intact gym floor was sliced into 75 pieces. The Mishawaka Historic Preservation Commission will clean up the pieces before selling them as a fundraiser later this year. The project is expected to be completed this year.
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Elkhart - The routes of the Interurban Trolley, the public transportation system serving the Elkhart and Goshen areas, will likely be tweaked stemming from a cut in funding from Concord Township. Officials, who announced the proposed changes at a press conference Thursday, emphasize that service will remain, though in changed form, thanks to last-minute funding injections from the cities of Elkhart and Goshen, among others. Elkhart Mayor Dick Moore and Goshen Mayor Allan Kauffman, also present at Thursday’s conference, expressed disappointment over last year’s decision by Concord Township authorities.
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South Bend - Before the board voted to approve the firing of two Head Start preschool teachers Thursday in South Bend, parents and staff made passionate pleas. Before the vote, they'd known that at least eight out of the 22 teachers and assistants at the Lafayette School building had been suspended Jan. 20. Nearly 20 parents, staff and members of the NAACP spoke up before the board voted. South Bend schools board member Bill Sniadecki cautioned the board to "make sure no injustices are done." Aside from the firings, two assistant teachers have resigned.
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Goshen - The 80-acre pond that marks the old Fidler gravel quarry may become the centerpiece of the city’s newest land largest park by May, if organizers can raise $500,000. The money will go to purchase the land from Aggregate Industries. The Goshen Park Board decided a few weeks ago to accept the pond as a city park, according to Sheri Howland, head of the city park department. They’ll take the pond, assuming donations come to pay the $600,000 in total costs for the 100-acre site. There’s already more than $100,000 donated toward the purchase, according to Wellington.
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Goshen - Mayor Allan Kauffman said he is working on a plan to alleviate the Goshen Housing Authority’s rental voucher crisis. With a very small time frame, Kauffman is faced with the task of asking City Council members Tuesday to support some kind of financial rescue that could total more than half a million dollars. Kauffman and other community leaders learned Tuesday that the beleaguered housing authority is facing a huge financial crunch after the Department of Housing and Urban Development told the agency they want to reclaim $571,000 in “unaccounted” federal finds that were supposed to be in a reserve bank account held by the housing authority. Representatives of the city and housing authority are looking to determine if an old insurance policy held by the housing agency might yield some money, but otherwise, the only other immediate source of money appears to be through the city, according to Kauffman.
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NORTHCENTRAL INDIANA:
Logansport - A “clerical error” in calculating retirement benefits may cost Logansport $20,000, city officials say. The City Council’s finance committee will meet Monday to discuss the non-payment of “mandated” obligations to the Public Employee Retirement Fund from 2004 to 2011, according to a meeting notice sent Wednesday by the mayor’s office. Teresa Popejoy, chairwoman of the finance committee, said, “This is a clerical error from many years ago...This is something from the previous administration and the previous clerk’s office.” Mayor Ted Franklin said Thursday the oversight might cost the city about $20,000.
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Logansport - About 40 Logansport High School students -- and their non-dancing principal -- will hit the big screens today. Their recently created, 90-second video, full of students dancing in the hallways and the Berry Bowl to the song “Party Rock Anthem,” will grace the jumbo screens of Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The LHS boys basketball team plays Muncie Central at 8:30 p.m. in the home of the Indiana Pacers. The clip that Principal Matt Jones says “shows Berries’ pride” will air before the teams take the court. It has already been viewed more than 4,300 times on the website Youtube since it was posted Sunday night. Jones said, “It shows how much school spirit and pride the students have to be Berries.”
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SPORTS:
THE NEW YORK GIANTS AND THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS WILL PRACTICE TODAY AS THEY GET READY FOR SUPER BOWL 46 ON SUNDAY. PATRIOTS TIGHT END ROB GRONKOWSKI PRACTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME DURING SUPER BOWL WEEK ON THURSDAY. ALTHOUGH GRONKOWSKI WAS LIMITED IN PRACTICE, THE PATRIOTS ARE STILL HOPEFUL HE WILL PLAY SUNDAY AFTER SUFFERING A HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN IN NEW ENGLAND'S A-F-C CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WIN OVER BALTIMORE. ELEVEN OTHER PATRIOTS ARE LISTED AS BEING LIMITED IN PRACTICE ON THURSDAY'S INJURY REPORT. ALL OF THE GIANTS PRACTICED YESTERDAY WITH ONLY RUNNING BACK AHMAD BRADSHAW AND DEFENSIVE END OSI UNMENYIORA BEING LIMITED.
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Peyton Manning has been cleared to play by the doctor who operated on the quarterback's neck. A spokesman for Dr. Robert Watkins sent a one-paragraph email to reporters late Thursday night after ESPN first reported that Colts' star had been cleared to play. Manning has been throwing for at least two months and told reporters earlier this week that he was throwing with teammates Tuesday.
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THE BUTLER BULLDOGS HALTED A TWO-GAME SKID WITH A 64-53 WIN OVER WRIGHT STATE AT HINKLE FIELDHOUSE. BUTLER IMPROVES TO 13-AND-11, 7-AND-5 IN THE CONFERENCE HEADING TO A GAME WITH DETROIT SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN INDIANAPOLIS.
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RYAN BROEKHOFF SCORED 26 POINTS TO LEAD THE VALPARAISO CRUSADERS TO A 78-73 WIN OVER DETROIT. THE CRUSADERS ARE 16-AND-8, 9-AND-3 IN CONFERENCE PLAY.
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THE INDIANA PACERS WRAP UP A TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP TONIGHT IN DALLAS AS THEY TAKE ON THE DEFENDING N-B-A CHAMPION MAVERICKS. THE PACERS HAVE WON THREE IN A ROW AND ARE COMING OFF A 109-99 WIN AT MINNESOTA ON WEDNESDAY. INDIANA IS 15-AND-6 ON THE SEASON.
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INDIANA SPORTS SCORES FOR YESTERDAY:
MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL:
BUTLER 64 - WRIGHT STATE 53
VALPARAISO 78 - DETROIT 73
WESTERN ILLINOIS 62 - IPFW 52
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INDIANA SPORTS SCHEDULE FOR TODAY:
NBA: INDIANA PACERS AT DALLAS MAVERICKS, 8:30 pm
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WEATHER:
South Bend / Elkhart / Goshen:
Today ... Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 45.
Tonight ... Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Saturday ... A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43.
Saturday Night ... Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Sunday ... Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.
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Kokomo / Wabash / Logansport / Peru:
Today ... Areas of dense fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 50.
Tonight ... A 40 percent chance of rain after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Saturday ... A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 44.
Saturday Night ... A slight chance of rain showers before 1am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Sunday ... Mostly sunny, with a high near 43.