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Get In the Know With Kim’s Tuesday Local & National News & Sports Headlines

Happy Tuesday to you all…

Local:

It’s going to be cooler, but finally things will dry out for all of us here in Indiana.The forecast calls for temperatures in the lower-40s for the next couple of days after today’s high 30s. After three inches of rain, the forecast also calls for clear skies which will be welcome because all of that rain caused a lot of flooding that homeowners are still dealing with. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works is giving away sandbags today from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 1725 South West Street.

Indianapolis International Airport is hoping for a calmer day. Stormy weather across the Midwest and southern Plains Monday caused numerous delays and cancellations, most of them to and from Chicago and Dallas.  Flight tracking website Flightaware.com indicates that the disruptions represented 12-percent of all flights at the airport.

Couple decorating Christmas tree

Source: Kali Nine LLC / Getty

With the holiday cheer gone and the excitement of Christmas over, cleanup is beginning. Trees can be dropped off at various Indy Parks sites from now until January 31. Curbside pick-up will not be available. Don’t expect it. The city is not picking up your tree. Park drop off locations include Broad Ripple, Ellenberger, Garfield, Gustafson, Krannert, Northwestway, Perry, Riverside and Sahm. All trees must be free of lights, ornaments and tinsel.

On the crime front… A teen charged with a 2014 murder now wants to plead guilty. His name is Maxwell Winkler. His lawyers say he wants to avoid a trial and admit to the crime. He was due for trial next month. Winkler is accused of killing Henry Kim, 73, back in November of 2014.

In local business news:

An extra $5 million is being added to the price tag for IndyGo’s downtown bus transit center because of archaeological discoveries. The project was supposed to be finished last month, but is now expected to be completed in mid-June. An IndyGo spokesman told The Indianapolis Star, the cost has also risen from $20-million to $26.5 million. Earlier this year, construction was halted when excavators found remnants of previous buildings, possibly dating back to the 1800s.

Several Bagger Dave’s restaurants here in Indiana said to be “underperforming” are now closed. They include locations in Avon, Carmel, Indianapolis, Greenwood, Fishers and two locations in the northwest section of the state. A Detroit location was also shut down on Sunday. The company that owns Bagger Dave’s says the closures will allow them to focus their attention on more profitable restaurants. Critics of the restaurant on social media recounted similar themes for the chain’s failure including overpriced menu items, slow or bad service and poor tasting food.

In National News:

Listing Of Criminal Charges On Tamir RIce Incident Report Explained

Source: Getty Images / JORDAN GONZALEZ/AFP / Getty Images

The family of a 12-year-old fatally shot last year by Cleveland police while holding a toy gun in an open carry state says they are not surprised after hearing a grand jury will not indict the officers involved. Tamir Rice’s family released a statement accusing Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty of “abusing and manipulating the grand jury process to orchestrate a vote against indictment.” Police say Rice had a real-looking toy gun in his waistband when he was shot by officer Timothy Loehmann. Video of the shooting shows Loehmann opening fire just seconds after arriving on the scene. McGinty said at the time Loehmann “had reason to fear for his life.” They used a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gives police the benefit of the doubt if they believe their lives are in danger to get this no-indictment result. McGinty added the Rice case was a “perfect storm of human error” that included officers never being told by dispatchers that a witness reported that the gun was “probably fake.”

Meanwhile, the mayor of Cleveland is promising an administrative review into the police shooting of Rice after a grand jury looking into the case decided not to indict the officers involved. Rice’s mother calls the legal process a “charade.” Also, the federal government’s review of this case will continue. U.S. Justice Department officials say their independent probe will identify whether any civil rights violations were committed by the officers. More protests are expected today in the city by activists who believe the police officers involved should face criminal charges. Demonstrations started Monday night at the Justice Center and the park where the Rice was shot, with marchers shutting down traffic as they moved through the city. Cleveland police and the local Sheriff’s Office say they will respect protesters’ right to gather, but they will not tolerate violence.

With tensions rising in Chicago after another deadly police shooting, the city’s mayor is cutting his vacation short. Rahm Emanuel is expected back to work today after ending his family’s vacation in Cuba early.  Emanuel has said he plans to continue restoring accountability and trust in the city’s police department. Protesters in Chicago continue to call for the resignation of Emanuel based on the shooting death of a 17-year-old on the street by a police officer who fired 16 shots into him and now this latest double shooting that left a black male college student and a grandmother both dead. Police admit her shooting was accidental.

The Texas “affluenza” teen wanted for violating his probation is now in custody in Mexico, along with his mother. Ethan Couch was sentenced to ten years probation in 2013 after killing four people while driving drunk. His lawyers argued that he didn’t know right from wrong because of his affluent upbringing. Couch disappeared earlier this month after video emerged online that appeared to show him at a party.

It’s time to reveal the most admired list for 2015. Hillary Clinton is the woman most admired by Americans for a record 20th time. The Democratic presidential front runner gained 13 percent of the vote in a Gallup Poll, beating out teenage activist Malala Yousafzai, who got five percent. Oprah Winfrey and First Lady Michelle Obama tied for third, followed by GOP presidential candidate Carly Fiorina, Queen Elizabeth the Second and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. On the men’s side of the aisle, President Obama was named the most admired man in the poll, with 17 percent of the vote. He was followed by Pope Francis and Republican presidential front runner Donald Trump, who tied for second with five percent. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is next with three percent.

In Sports:

Monta Ellis scored a game-high 26 points to help the Pacers get past the Hawks 93-87 Monday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. This is two victories in a row for the Blue ‘n Gold. The Pacers hit the road to icy Chicago for a matchup on Wednesday against the Bulls.

The Indianapolis Colts placed quarterback Charlie Whitehurst on season ending injured reserve. The team made this announcement on Monday.  Next in line at fourth string is Stephen Morris. Morris would ‘go’ if Andrew Luck couldn’t. Morris was signed off the Eagles’ practice squad last week. Whitehurst injured his hamstring late in Sunday’s victory over Miami.  The Colts are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot.

Jacksonville Jaguars v Denver Broncos

Source: Doug Pensinger / Getty

An Al Jazeera reporter is standing by the story that accuses Broncos quarterback and former Indianapolis Colts captain Peyton Manning of using human growth hormone. Deborah Davies tells MSNBC that Manning isn’t addressing the allegations in the report, even though the quarterback dismissed it as “garbage” and threatened to sue. The Al Jazeera report alleges Manning used the drugs while he was recovering from neck surgery in 2011. That’s during the time that he was still with the Colts. The main source later released a video, recanting his statements. Davies says people should compare that video to the one in the report to judge credibility.

Finally:

Talk about the power of stocking stuffers… A Michigan man has a Christmas present from his kids that he’ll never forget. They gave him a $5 “Holiday Ice” scratch-off lottery ticket that had a $300,000 jackpot. The man chose to remain anonymous when he claimed his prize at Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing Monday morning. He’s planning to send his kids on a nice vacation for spring break to say thank you. You might find that kind of luck right here in Indiana. The Hoosier Lottery’s Powerball jackpot is HUGE! Wednesday’s jackpot is an estimated $300 million dollars. What would you do if you won? Join the conversation on the Hoosier Lottery’s Facebook page. One must be 18, or older, to Play. Please play responsibly.

Indianapolis Weather:

Cloudy. Today’s temps will remain pretty steady in the upper 30s all day.

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Send your press releases, news tips and show requests to me at the station at kwells@radio-one.com; call 317-923-9696 x 509 and leave a message; and be sure to follow me on Twitter @kwellscomm.

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