WTLCIndyNews: Deadly Crash Kills Four West-Suburban Teens; Indy More Deadly Than ‘Chi-Raq’ in 2015; New Year’s Eve Happenings In Indy As Security Tightens In U.S.; Sports & More

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Get In the Know With Kim’s New Year’s Eve News & Sports Headlines

It’s a cold and windy New Year’s Eve, the last day in office for outgoing Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. Mayor-elect Joe Hogsett will be sworn in Friday along with several city-county counselors during a New Year’s Day ceremony.

Local:

Source: H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock / Getty

Four teens are dead and five other people are injured after what Indiana State Police are calling a tragic crash. It happened last night when a car carrying the four teens who were killed, crossed the highway median and slammed head-on into a minivan in Morgan County near Waverly. The victims are the driver Mathew Chambers, 17; and three passengers, Lucas Kenworthy, 18, Noah Tex, 17, and Riley Hurst, 17. Police say a 22-year old man, Ryan Rickenbacker, who survived is the only person in the car who was wearing a seatbelt. Two adults and two children in the minivan along with Rickenbacker, were taken to the hospital. They all were also wearing seatbelts. Hospital officials say none of the five who survived the crash is seriously injured. Most of the teens killed were students at Brownsburg High School where counselors will be on-duty today until noon to assist anyone with the shock and grief.

Year 2015 will go down as Indianapolis’ deadliest year. Indianapolis Metro Police officials say a double murder earlier this week brings the death toll to 144 criminal homicides. That’s one more than the old record from 1998. The 144 killings actually makes Indy more deadly than Chicago—which has taken on the nickname of “Chi-Raq” by rappers who say the murder rate there is higher than in Iraq during the height of the war. Indy’s murder rate is higher than the Chi’s, given the size difference between the two cities.

Speaking of that double murder earlier this week…an Indianapolis bounty hunter who owns Watkins Bail Bonds is being held on murder charges in connection with that double homicide of Indy-area teenagers. Investigators found blood in Kevin Watkins’ SUV, and bloody duct tape, bleach, and brain matter at his home. The teens, Dionne Williams and Timmee Jackson, disappeared on Christmas Eve. Watkins pleaded not guilty at his initial hearing on Wednesday. Police haven’t found their bodies yet, but they are pretty certain both are dead.

Click HERE to check the list of New Year’s Eve happening’s in and around Indy. 

In National News:

Floodwaters are a concern to over 12-million Americans this New Year’s Eve.  If you haven’t checked on your Midwest and southern relatives, now may be the time. The National Weather Service says about 400 river gauges are over flood stage, with the biggest risk in Missouri and Illinois near St. Louis.  The Mississippi and Meramec rivers in the St. Louis area are expected to crest higher than ever, and, for the first time Interstate 55 has been shut down.

Legendary comedian Bill Cosby is facing sexual assault charges.  Prosecutors in Pennsylvania filed criminal charges against Cosby for allegedly drugging and assaulting a woman at his Philadelphia-area mansion in 2004. The 78-year-old Cosby is free on a $1-million bond after being arraigned Wednesday.

More Americans are filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits. The Labor Department says 287,000 new claims were filed last week. That’s a 20,000 jump from the week before. It’s the highest level since early July. Analysts had expected a number around 270,000.

The New Year’s Eve ball drop isn’t until later tonight but some people around the world are already welcoming 2016. Samoa and Kiribati, or Christmas Island, are the first countries to celebrate the new year. Huge fireworks celebrations have gotten underway in New Zealand and Sydney, Australia followed by celebrations in Japan and South Korea. Here in the states, security is the buzz word. Federal officials have tightened security on New York’s Times Square and along the Rose Bowl parade route in Passadena, California. Back here in Indy, officials will keep an eye on Monument Circle and downtown for those who will be out and about. The Pacers will even be in action downtown at Bankers Life Fieldhouse taking on the Milwaukee Bucks around 6 p.m. drawing more people into the heart of the city. An IndyCar drop will go down on Georgia Street across from the fieldhouse at Midnight. Be safe.

In Sports:

PACERS: Jimmy Butler’s bucket with 1.2 seconds left in overtime lifted the Chicago Bulls to a 102-100 win over the Indiana Pacers on the road Wednesday night. George Hill netted 20 for the Pacers, which had won its previous two match ups. As mentioned in national headlines above, the Pacers are right back in action tonight at home against the Bucks. Tip is at 6 p.m.

COLTS: Andrew Luck’s season is officially over because of an injury. The Colts announced Wednesday that the first-string quarterback will not play in the finale against the Tennessee Titans. Luck was previously in line for a deal that would make him the richest quarterback in the NFL. The deal never got done and now he’s only guaranteed for injury through 2016. The team will most likely have to work on an extension.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Are YOU ready for some football???!!!  The national semifinals of the College Football Playoff takes place today. Top-ranked Clemson takes on fourth-ranked Oklahoma in the first semifinal at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida at 4 p.m. Eastern. The nightcap features second-ranked Alabama against number-three Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Finally:

So, the annual list of overused words is out and “so” is right at the top. Lake Superior State University’s list of “Words Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness” is out on this New Year’s Eve. Other words that are so overused include “conversation,” which everyone is invited to join, “problematic,” which the Urban dictionary defines as a corporate-academic weasel word. Also included is “stakeholder,” which can be a customer, client, employee, company officer, or someone walking past the building. Other words included are “price point,” “secret sauce,” “break the Internet,” “walk it back,” “presser,” “manspreading,” “vape,” “giving me life,” and “physicality.” SO, there you have it.

Indianapolis Weather:

Morning flurries and icy conditions will clear, leaving more clouds than sun with a high of 33 degrees and a New Year’s Eve celebration low of 25 degrees.

Log on to our web and nominate someone as our 3^rd annual Hometown Champion.  Make it a great day…celebrate safely! See ya’ in the NEW YEAR!!!

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