A Salem man was charged this afternoon in the stabbing death that took place in Northeastern Washington County last night.

Chief Deputy Roger Newlon reports this afternoon that David L. Hook, 45, Salem, has been charged with murder.

Hook was also charged with being an habitual offender in connection with the death of Joey Verble, 46, Sellersburg.

Verble was found last night after police responded to a call around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 22. and found the victim dead on the ground near Mt. Eden Road and State Road 39, not far from Scott County.

According to Newlon, Verble had been struck multiple times in the head with a claw hammer and stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest resulting in his death. Police also located David Hook, 45, Salem and arrested him a short time later.

Newlon stated that Hook’s initial hearing will be Monday, August 26 at 10:30a in the Washington County Circuit Court.

Police are still investigating this crime.

Stay tuned to WSLM RADIO for more on this and other stories from around the area.

A Salem man was charged this afternoon in the stabbing death that took place in Northeastern Washington County last night.

Chief Deputy Roger Newlon reports this afternoon that David L. Hook, 45, Salem, has been charged with murder.

Hook was also charged with being an habitual offender in connection with the death of Joey Verble, 46, Sellersburg.

Verble was found last night after police responded to a call around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 22. and found the victim dead on the ground near Mt. Eden Road and State Road 39, not far from Scott County.

According to Newlon, Verble had been struck multiple times in the head with a claw hammer and stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest resulting in his death. Police also located David Hook, 45, Salem and arrested him a short time later.

Newlon stated that Hook’s initial hearing will be Monday, August 26 at 10:30a in the Washington County Circuit Court.

Police are still investigating this crime.

Stay tuned to WSLM RADIO for more on this and other stories from around the area.

— with Maggie Wenning.

Indianapolis police say it could be another week before the results of their investigation into the deadly church bus crash last month are released. Investigators are working to complete their investigation into the crash that killed three people and injured over 30 more.

Investigators hope to release both the Indiana State Crash and North American Standard Inspection Reports sometime next week.

Indiana State Police wrapped up their investigation on Monday and turned over their results to IMPD.  Once the investigation is complete, Adams says the results will be given to the Marion County Prosecutor‘s Office who will determine if any charges will be filed.

The final report on the crash could take up to six months.  Chad Phelps, his pregnant wife Courtney and Tonya Weindorf were killed when their bus overturned on Keystone Avenue as it was exiting I-465.  The driver of the bus, 68-year-old Dennis Maurer claimed the brakes failed.

Indiana‘s high schoolers do better than the rest of the nation, but most students taking the ACT are not ready for college classes according to the company that makes the test.

The testing company says 31-percent of high school students who take the ACT are not prepared to take college-level courses in at least one of the four subjects covered by the ACT – math, reading and writing, science and social studies.

The company determines this through a formula that pegs college readiness to a certain ACT score for each subject.  “We figure out for each of the subject levels what the score is that corresponds with a 75-percent chance or better of getting a C or a 50-percent chance or better of getting a B in that college course,” said Steve Kappler, assistant vice president for college and career readiness at ACT.

Fewer than one-third of students nationwide, at least those who took the ACT, are ready for all of their college courses according to the report.  “You‘re looking at 26-percent who have a good opportunity to succeed in those four subject levels,” said Kappler.  Indiana students performed better than the national average, but Kappler says that could have been caused by a smaller percentage of students taking the exam – 38-percent of Indiana high school graduates took the ACT last school year, compared to 54-percent nationally.

“With a smaller testing population, you tend to see better students, those who are definitely college material in this cohort,” said Kappler.  Overall ACT scores have dropped since 2009, but Kappler says that could be due to more students taking the test, including many who have no intention of attending college.

In individual subject scores, more students showed college readiness in reading than any other subject, while fewer than half of students were college ready in science, math and social studies.  “I think that‘s one of the reasons you see STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiatives across the country, including Indiana,” said Kappler, pointing out that science was the weakest subject for ACT takers – only 36 percent met the college benchmark.

The ACT report also found a gap between the courses students want to study in college and where jobs are easiest to find after college.   For example, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says 17-percent of job openings in 2020 will be in education fields, but only six-percent of students who took the ACT last school year said they were interested in an education job. Kappler says ACT is firmly behind the Common Core education standards, and says strong standards starting as early as third grade are one of the keys to ensuring that more students are ready for college.

Common Core has generated some opposition in Indiana and other states, mostly from conservatives who fear that state education standards would be dictated from Washington.  The full implementation of Common Core is on hold in Indiana while the Department of Education studies it and how it would affect the state‘s standards for schools.

A coalition of businesses and gay-marriage supporters has kicked off a promised push to block a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The amendment is set for a required second vote in the House and Senate next year to send it to voters for a final decision in November. 56 current House members and 38 senators voted for the ban when it passed for the first time in 2011.

But leaders of the newly-formed Freedom Indiana say they‘re hoping to stop the amendment in the legislature, before it ever reaches a referendum.

Campaign manager Megan Robertson, a former strategist and spokeswoman for Republican officeholders, says she‘s talked to several legislators who are rethinking their support of the amendment. Robertson notes state law already prohibits same-sex marriage, and says conservatives should oppose cluttering up the constitution with language she says is both unnecessary and hurtful.

And she says polls over the last year show public opinion turning against a marriage ban. Freedom Indiana has financial muscle in the form of Lilly and Cummins, both of whom have publicly opposed the amendment for year. Lilly‘s Rob Smith says the new umbrella organization allows opponents to coordinate strategy.

Indiana‘s wineries want the ability to sell their product in restaurants and stores in their neighborhood.  They are likely to run into opposition from liquor wholesalers who often control the types of beverages you can buy.

A legislative summer study committee heard testimony from winery owners on a bill that passed the House this year, but stalled in the Senate before being assigned to the study committee.

It would allow wineries to avoid going through the wholesale and distributor networks and sell a small amount of their products themselves, something that was outlawed in 2006.

“There would be gallon distribution limits, and it would allow wineries to self-distribute to, say a restaurant or a local store in their own communities,” said Dr. Larry Pampel, president of the Indiana Winery and Vineyard Association.   Prior to 2006, wineries could not only distribute their wines themselves, they could ship them anywhere in the country.

The Legislature put a stop to that, ostensibly to make it more difficult for underage drinkers to buy alcohol.  Pampel points out that no one wants to sell to anyone under 21, and says this bill would not allow wineries to ship.

Distributors and wholesalers often won‘t purchase wine from small, in-state wineries for re-sale at grocery and convenience stores.  They claim they can‘t make any money off them because local wineries don‘t make enough wine.

Other states allow self-distribution from in-state wineries, but in Indiana, they are likely to run into the argument that is also made by liquor store owners fighting the sale of cold beer in grocery and convenience stores – the supposed increased likelihood that those under 21 will be able to buy booze.

The Hope Town Marshall was arrested Monday afternoon on charges of official misconduct and false informing.  49-year-old Donald R. (Randy) Bailey was arrested by Bartholomew County Sheriff Mark Gorbett.  The charges are in connection with in May during which Anthony Wayne Paul showed up at Bailey’s home near Schaefer Lake. The incident took place one day after Bailey had visited Paul’s residence in Hope on a child-custody issue, and threatened to use a stun gun on Paul due to what the marshal described as “Mr. Paul’s aggressiveness,” according to an affidavit.  Sheriff Gorbett said Bailey will be held accountable for his actions. Nonetheless, no person that has an issue with a law enforcement officer should ever approach them at their residence or when they are off-duty. Any issues should be directed to the appropriate agency leader, in this case the Hope Town Board, or the matter should be handled in a court of law. Nothing positive will happen when engaging or confronting an officer at his or her home.”  A press release from the Sheriff‘s Department says it will continue to provide law enforcement services to the residents of Hope and assistance to the Hope Police Department whenever and wherever it is needed.  Bailey was arrested in Hope and booked in the Bartholomew County Jail. Bond was set at $35,000. Bailey posted bond less than two hours after his arrest. As a condition of his bond, he is ordered to have no contact with Paul.

INDIANAPOLIS – This Friday, as high school football season begins in Indiana, the Indianapolis Colts will open up Lucas Oil Stadium to host their annual Horseshoe Classic: Friday Night Kickoff, presented by Herff Jones. The 2013 Horseshoe Classic will feature Cathedral and Ben Davis at 6 p.m., and Terre Haute North and Castle at 8:30 p.m.  Tickets are available through existing schools, www.lucasoilstadium.com and Ticketmaster. The Horseshoe Classic is a part of the team’s ongoing partnership with the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA), and their support of high school football.

Colts Alumni Players Jeff Saturday and Marlin Jackson will each serve as an honorary coin toss captains for one of the high school games. Saturday will participate in the Cathedral vs. Ben Davis game while Jackson will be a part of the Terre Haute North vs. Castle match-up. In addition, youth in attendance can enjoy the Colts PLAY 60 Zone in Lucas Oil Plaza on the north end of the stadium from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

WHAT:           2013 Horseshoe Classic: Friday Night Kickoff

                        Game 1: Ben Davis vs. Cathedral

Game 2: Castle vs. Terre Haute North

WHEN:           Friday, August 23, 2013

                        North and South Gates will open at 5:30pm

                        Game 1 – 6 p.m. Kickoff

Game 2 – 8:30 p.m. Kickoff

WHERE:        Lucas Oil Stadium

                        500 S. Capitol Ave.

                        Indianapolis, IN 46225

                        *Parking in the South Lot – $10 per vehicle and $40 per fan bus

COST:             Pre-Sale Tickets through participating schools: $10

                        Tickets through Lucas Oil Stadium and Ticketmaster: $13

WEBSITE:      www.colts.com/MyIndianaFootball    

Each year lives are lost in construction zone crashes nationwide.

Construction zone workers are struck by vehicles passing through the zones and vehicle occupants are killed most often in rear end collisions that occur when traffic begins to slow or stop.

This danger has become all too evident most recently in northwestern Indiana.

On July 31 and again on August 15 traffic was slowed or stopped in a construction zone or construction zone back up when, on both occasions, a semi crashed into the rear end of a passenger car pushing it into the rear of another semi and killing the occupants of the passenger car. In the August 15 crash, seven people died including four children seven years of age and younger. The primary cause of both tragic incidents-DRIVER INATTENTION.

While these most recent tragedies happened in northwestern Indiana, such crashes can happen anywhere. Drivers must follow the direction of construction zone signs to include speed limits and lane restrictions. But most of all, drivers must PAY ATTENTION!! Construction zone crashes can be reduced by following these tips:

1. PAY ATTENTION!! When you observe signs indicating a construction zone is ahead, prepare to reduce your speed to observe construction zone speed limits, make lane changes as directed by signage, and be alert for vehicles ahead of you slowing or stopping. Remember, back-ups can occur miles from the actual construction zone.

2. Make appropriate lane changes IMMEDIATELY upon seeing signs indicating a particular lane will be closed ahead. Although traffic will be moving slower, by observing this traffic control device immediately, bottle necks can be reduced or avoided thus reducing the likelihood of traffic coming to a complete stop.

3. As drivers enter a construction zone or construction zone back up, keep a significant distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.

4. Watch traffic in your rearview mirror as it approaches from behind and be alert for possible escape routes ie, shoulder of the roadway, ditch, or median should vehicles approaching you from the rear appear as though the may not be slowing down or may not be able to stop before striking your vehicle in the rear end.

5. Be alert for workers in the construction zone and give them as much room as possible while traveling through the zone.

6. Avoid distracting behavior in construction zones. Stay off your cell phone, don’t look away at construction work, avoid eating or drinking while traveling through construction zones, and STAY ALERT!

As annoying and inconvenient as construction zones can be, our nation’s roadways need to be maintained to allow for safe travel and the movement of interstate commerce. By staying alert at all times, observing the signs and other traffic control devices, taking your time, and being tolerant of other motorists, construction zone crashes and the serious injuries and fatalities that often result can be greatly reduced.