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@kwellscomm tlcnaptown.com News & Sports Headlines
It’s Earth Day– one this year where the world is now mourning a musical legend…The Purple One who’s no longer in it.
Source: BERTRAND GUAY / Getty
Authorities in Minneapolis are expecting to perform an autopsy today on musician-singer Prince Rogers Nelson. Prince was found unresponsive and couldn’t be revived Thursday morning at his home Paisley Park Studios. The seven-time Grammy and one time Oscar-winner died there in an elevator at his home at age 57. He’d been ill recently–an illness that forced the emergency landing of his private plane in Moline, Illinois to get medical treatment.
We’re also learning disturbing details this morning about what may have caused Prince’s medical emergency plane landing. Harvey Levin from entertainment website TMZ is reporting the musician’s death may be related to a drug overdose. Levin told Fox News Friday morning he’s heard from multiple sources saying the music legend was treated for a drug overdose at that Illinois hospital during that unscheduled plane stop. Again, an autopsy will be performed today in Minnesota.
Back here…
Governor Mike Pence told Indiana Republicans he wants to be clear: He’s endorsing “anyone but Hillary and Bernie” in the 2016 race for the White House. Pence spoke with the Republican faithful Thursday night at the annual GOP Spring Dinner. His comments came just after Ted Cruz stopped here in Indy and a day after Donald Trump campaigned at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. Both candidates met privately with Pence at the governor’s mansion.
A family friendly Earth Day Festival gets underway tomorrow downtown at Military Park. West and New York Streets from 11a til 4p. For more details click this link to get to my “Access Indy with Kim Wells” Trending info.
Metro Police are releasing more details about the arrests of nine people accused of being connected to gang activity in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood. Officials say those arrested were part of the “Gett Money Gang” and are responsible for several assaults, robberies and murders. As part of a sweep on Tuesday, police say they seized 17 guns, nearly six-grams of cocaine, 26-pounds of marijuana and more than $30,000 in cash.
Police in Owen County are combing through the social media accounts of several people connected to one-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman. The little girl was found dead in a remote area near Gosport last month after being reported missing from her crib. A search warrant request for Facebook records was filed and approved this week. The request included Ammerman’s mother and father, her paternal grandmother and Kyle Parker, the man accused of sexually assaulting and killing Ammerman.
Water bills are going up here in Indy. A proposed 17 percent rate hike for Citizens Energy Group has cleared its final regulatory hurdle and will go into effect in May. The average monthly residential water bill will go up by about $5. The extra revenue will be used for installation of water mains, treatment plant upgrades and a new water intake.
Indy Pride, Inc. has released its headliner for June’s Circle City IN Pride Festival. This year, the stat’s largest LGBT celecration wants you to free your mind and the rest will follow as the welcome multi-platinum, multi-Grammy nominated recording artists En Vogue to Indy on Saturday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on American Legion Mall. In an announcement on Wednesday, the organization said, other entertainment will include Prince cover band Royalty (which will likely kick it up a notch due to the untimely death of the legendary singer Prince Thursday); local Hip-Hop artist Oreo Jones; the legendary DJ Miss Honey Dijon, and DJ Deanne. Indy Pride provides education, supports programs, and community events that achieve inclusivity, equality, strong community connections, and awareness of LGBTQ issues.
National Headlines…
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is remembering music legend Prince. In a statement, the mayor says her heart aches over the loss of one of the most brilliant and iconic artists of her generation. The mayor says Prince’s efforts to help Baltimore last year was so meaningful to so many. Prince held a “Rally 4 Peace” benefit concert at Royal Farms Arena after the unrest that followed the death of Freddie Gray. He also released a song titled “Baltimore” with lyrics that included “Does anybody hear us pray for Michael Brown or Freddie Gray?” The dome of Baltimore’s City Hall was lit Thursday night in purple to honor the artist.
President Obama calls Prince a creative icon who touched millions of fans. In a statement, the President said few artists have influenced the sound and trajectory of popular music more distinctly than Prince. Obama offered thoughts and prayers for his family and said Prince was one of the most gifted and prolific musicians of modern times. He also called him a virtuoso instrumentalist, a brilliant bandleader and an electrifying performer.
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton says American “gun culture” must be changed. Campaigning in Connecticut Thursday, Clinton met with the families of those who died in the Sandy Hook shooting, and called for common-sense gun safety laws. She argued that loopholes must be closed to prevent criminals from buying guns. Twenty schoolchildren were killed in 2012 mass shooting.
The coalition led by the U.S. has burned up about half-a-billion dollars in ISIS cash and cut the terrorist group’s oil revenues by 50-percent. A senior defense official said Thursday that ISIS is now being forced to ration fuel. The terrorist network also is cutting in half what it pays fighters and government officials in areas it controls.
Sears is closing 68 Kmart and 10 Sears stores in 27 states by this summer. It’s the latest announcement from a company that’s been struggling with declining sales. The inventory at the stores will be liquidated as part of a plan to start making a profit. The company is also looking at $1.2 billion in debt financing. Most of the stores will be closed by July.
Republican presidential hopeful John Kasich says abolitionist Harriet Tubman started a movement and “drove change from the bottom up.” Tubman will be the new face of the 20-dollar bill, replacing former President Andrew Jackson. Politico reports that Kasich praised Tubman during an appearance at Penn State Brandywine. He said she “wasn’t some big shot,” but someone who made a huge impact because of what she did. The move to put Tubman on the 20 hasn’t been received so well from other Republicans. Donald Trump and former presidential candidate Ben Carson have suggested Tubman would be better suited on the two-dollar bill.
In Sports…
The Pacers dropped Game Three in last nights Round One NBA Playoff action. The Raptors broke the one-one tie at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 101-85. Toronto is now 2-1 in this best of seven series over the Pacers. The series continues tomorrow night in Indy.
The Minnesota Vikings are offering their thoughts and prayers to the family of pop music star Prince. The Vikings issued a statement saying they are shocked and saddened to learn of his death. The team says Prince was an incredible representative of Minnesota who helped put Minneapolis-St. Paul on the map, and are proud and grateful that he considered himself a Vikings fan. Again, he passed away Thursday at the age of 57. Prince gave a memorable performance during halftime of Super Bowl 41 between our Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears in 2007. (Prince literally ‘played up a storm’–a purple rain that may have helped the Colts go on to victory.) He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
The baseball season’s first no-hitter goes to the Chicago Cubs. Pitcher Jake Arrieta shut down the Reds 16-0 in Cincinnati. Arrieta walked four and struck out six in his second career no-hitter. He’s the fifth active pitcher to accomplish the feat more than once. It’s the 15th no-hitter in Cubs history. Arrieta is now 4-and-0 on the season.
Indy Weather…
Cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Today’s High: 71 degrees.
Enjoy your weekend. I’ll be playing a lot of Prince celebrating his life and trying to keep from crying. I am a fan and was fortunate enough to cover him too. REST IN PEACE PRINCE!
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