Thursday’s News & Sports Headlines with Kim Wells
Remembering the terrorist attacks that changed our country and our world 13 years ago today…
Happy Throwback Thursday to you.
Flags at state office buildings are being flown at half-staff in the city and across Indiana in remembrance of the 9/11 attacks and in honor of those who lost their lives. A 13th anniversary remembrance ceremony got underway downtown at 8:30 a.m. at the 9/11 Memorial. The memorial consists of two eleven-thousand-pound beams from the Twin Towers and is located on West Ohio Street near the fire station. Stop by if you get a chance.
In our nations’ capitol, President Barack Obama is leading 9-11 remembrance ceremonies with Mrs. Obama. This is hot off the heels of dealing with terrorism again.
The President laid out his strategy to combat the terrorist group ISIS Wednesday night. Obama says ISIS is a growing cancer that must be stopped. In that White House speech, Obama vowed to pursue a course to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS through a comprehensive and sustained counterterrorism strategy. The militant Islamist group has expanded its sphere in Iraq and Syria and recently beheaded two American journalists.
In another part of the world this morning…A South African judge has made his ruling saying Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius is not guilty of premeditated murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend. After a six and-a-half month trial, a judge in Pretoria said that the state did not prove Pistoirus deliberately acted to kill Reeva Steenkamp at his home on Valentine’s Day last year.
Back here at home…
A family prepares for the funeral of a murdered teenager. A 15-year-old Ben Davis High School student murdered and burned will be laid to rest next weekend. The funeral for Dominique Allen will take place September 20th at Hope Baptist Church. Allen was last seen alive about eight-hours before her body was found behind a home on North Elder Avenue on August 31st.
Dozens of sex offenders who’ve failed to register or have outstanding warrants are now behind bars following a two-day sweep. On Tuesday and Wednesday, officers with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office conducted compliance checks. Under state law, checks have to be done every three months, but the sheriff’s department does them every month.
Indianapolis Police Chief Rick Hite says he plans to recommend firing the two police officers allegedly involved in a violent beating while off duty. John Serban and Michael Reiger were arrested Wednesday after an investigation into the beating of a man outside of a bar on the southeast side. The officers are shown on video dragging the man face down and unconscious and continuing to beat him. Hite called the incident “disturbing,” and said at a news conference yesterday, “days like this make us wonder how we lost our way.”
In the world of sports…Former FBI director Robert Mueller the Third is conducting an independent investigation into the National Football League as new details about the NFL’s handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence incident comes to light. NFL.com reports commissioner Roger Goodell will fully cooperate with Mueller and that the findings will be made public. Goodell says the league hadn’t seen the video that shows Rice striking his now-wife in the face until it was publicly released on Monday. He added that once the new video evidence became available, the league acted promptly and imposed an indefinite suspension on the Baltimore Ravens running back.
In this case, Congress also wants answers. A dozen House of Representatives Democrats sent a letter to Goodell on Wednesday demanding “the highest level of transparency.” Congress is also asking the league to reveal more about their investigation efforts to obtain the video acquired and broadcast by “TMZ.” Goodell has maintained the aforementioned NFL stance—they never got the tape. A major news agency is refuting that in a recent report.
With all of the I-phone news making headlines, a cell carrier has news of its own. T-Mobile is making every phone it sells compatible with WiFi calling. The idea is to extend the range and improve the quality of mobile phones. When a phone on T-Mobile is in range of a WiFi network, calls and texts will automatically go through that router, rather than through a cell tower. T-Mobile says, when a caller goes out of WiFi range, the phone should seamlessly transfer to a cell network. The new service goes into effect today. Now you know.
For those of you who think grilling season is over just because summer is fading fast… Volunteers in Belleville, Illinois are ready to tackle a 200-foot bratwurst after they successfully grilled a practice brat half that size earlier this week. Bob Fritz tells the “Belleville News-Democrat” the key was avoiding any “erratic movements” as he and 50 others slowly turned the giant sausage on a metal trough specifically constructed for the task. Now that they’ve figured out how to grill the brat without breaking or burning it, they’re set to take on the real thing. The team plans to grill the 200-footer next week in honor of the city of Belleville’s 200th anniversary celebration.
Thursday Weather: Partly cloudy, cooler with a High of 68 degrees.
I’M KIM WELLS.
Make it a great day as you listen to us all day on “Your Station for Today’s R&B and Old School”, 106.7 WTLC and here online at tlcnaptown.com.
