A Purdue University political science professor and disaster recovery expert says Hoosiers and most Americans are not prepared for a major disaster like Hurricane Katrina.

Daniel Aldrich lived in New Orleans in 2005 and was encouraged by a neighbor to leave the are when Katrina hit on this day 8 years ago.  Aldrich has studied the disaster from all angles since that time and determined the number one cause that effected all other aspects of the disaster was the lack of preparation.

Aldrich says all levels of government were not prepared and the general public wasn‘t prepared either. An when it comes to any future disasters, regardless of where it happens or what it is, most people still are not prepared.

Aldrich says Katrina presented an opportunity for people to prepare themselves and their families individually for a disaster, but it didn‘t happen. He says most people were sympathetic to the plight of the people in Louisiana and Mississippi, but still maintain the attitude that ” it can‘t happen to them.”

Aldrich says although people may treat a disaster like Katrina like a distant fire, disaster can happen to anyone at anytime.

As the Obama administration decides how to respond to Syria‘s use of chemical weapons on civilians, the prospect of a conflict there is already affecting the economy.

Stock prices fell on Tuesday, and oil prices rose as the U.S. considered its response to last week‘s attacks.  Dr. Mike Hicks with Ball State‘s Center For Business and Economic Research says the trend could continue depending on the length of any Western military operation in Syria.

He says tose are all potentially bad outcomes that argue for a very limited, very brief engagement, if any at all.  Crude oil prices rose to an 18-month high of almost $110 per barrel on Tuesday, and Hicks says the reason is two-fold.  “Obviously, there are concerns about supply interruptions and concerns over whether or not the conflict will extend into the Persian Gulf,” Hicks says, adding that there isn‘t much oil traffic through Syria itself.

Oil also tends to move higher when stock prices fall, “simply because the uncertainty involving the ultimate outcome requires many investors to hold cash, so they retreat out of the market to see how things shake out.”  Hicks says it is easier for investors to obtain cash for commodities than from stocks.

Many economists are worried about the government of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons again within Syria‘s borders, or perhaps launching an attack against a neighboring country.

He says that would have big spillovers into oil prices, which would do all kinds of bad things to our economy; slow the economy, stop tourism, and cause consumers to shift their income from other areas into fuel.

Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette will mark the production today (Wed) of its four millionth vehicle. 

SIA‘s parent company, Japan-based Fuji Heavy Industries announced plans in May to invest up to 450 million dollars in a massive expansion at the Lafayette Plant.

The company will build the Subaru Impreza at the facility. The move will add 900 jobs by 2016.  The plant employs more than 36-hundred in Tippecanoe County.

Trustees with Brownstown Central Community School Corp. have offered a three-year contract with a base annual salary of $120,000 to the man serving now as interim superintendent.

On July 1, Jim Terrell replaced Roger Bane as interim superintendent after Bane retired in May, citing differences in the direction the board was taking after the January death of long-time board president Jack Montgomery.

The proposal offered to Terrell does not mean he has the superintendent’s job – yet.

The hiring process requires that once a board reaches a tentative contract with a candidate, it must publish the details of that contract, including salary information in a local newspaper and conduct a public hearing to give people an opportunity to comment on the contract.

The proposed contract with salary information is available online at www.btownccs.k12.in.us.

Guns, Knives and More LLC of Paoli has opened an outdoor handgun and rifle range near the store located at 1875 N. Ind. 37.

The company, owned by Willie Sprinkle, also put in a pond, which will be stocked with fish such as bluegill and catfish. The pond will be used for children to fish. A fish fry will take place with what the children catch.

Additionally, the company plans to host tournaments.

For more information, call the store at (812) 723-3300.

The National Weather Service says a large ridge of high pressure will cause temperatures to climb to 90 or above every day this week.

The weather service says with the 90 degree temperatures combined with expected humidity levels could put today’s heat index at 100 or above.

The Weather Service says a long stretch of heat like this can cause extra stress on people prone to heat related illness, especially,  young children, the elderly, and those that work outdoors, or in hot buildings.

David Hook, of Austin was formally charged Monday with the murder of 46-year-old Joey Verble, of Sellersburg.

According to Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Hook allegedly beat Verble with a claw hammer several times in the head and then stabbed him multiple times in the neck and chest after a disagreement on August 22 along Mount Eden Road and State Road 39 not far from Little York in Northeastern Washington County.

Washington County Circuit Court Judge Larry Medlock entered a preliminary plea of not guilty and informed Hook that if found guilty he could face between 45 to 65 years, with 55 years being the advisory sentence in prison, along with a $10,000 fine.

Judge Medlock appointed a public defender to represent Hook, but one has not yet been assigned to him.

His trial date has been set for February.

A Pennsylvania truck driver was arrested in Gibson County after allegedly hitting a truck stop employee with his semi.

Indiana State Police say 43-year-old Edward Raber stopped at the Pilot Truck Stop East on Tuesday, entered the shower facility without paying and allegedly defecated in the shower stall, despite the restrooms being nearby.

Raber allegedly shoved an employee who confronted him about what happened and left the building.  The employee and two of his coworkers went out to take pictures of Raber‘s truck and license plate as he left the truck stop.

However, Raber re-entered the parking lot and drove directly to the three employees, hitting one of them with his front bumper.  The employee refused medical attention.

State Police caught up with Raber near I-65 and U-S 231 and Raber was arrested without incident.  He‘s being held in the Gibson County Jail without bond on misdemeanor charges of Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Battery and Trespassing.

Indiana State Police are investigating the death of a three-month-old girl at a Zionsville day care center Tuesday.

Police were called to the Dawn ‘til Dusk day care center on a report of a dead infant.

Investigators say three-month-old Charlotte Henthorne was found unresponsive in her crib shortly after 10:30 Tuesday morning.  Employees at the day care center tried to resuscitate her.

She was taken to Peyton Manning Children‘s Hospital where she was pronounced dead.  The investigation is ongoing but State Police say there is no indication of a criminal act.  State Police took over the investigation because the girl is the daughter of a Zionsville Police officer.

A Fort Wayne doctor of Syrian descent says the U.S. has a moral obligation to take action against the regime of dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Dr. Ammar Ghanem says it‘s clearly evident that Assad has been using chemical weapons against his own people and now the U.S. should take some sort of military action to stop him.

Ghanem says he cannot say what the Obama administration should do exactly, but he adds that the most civilized nation in the world shouldn‘t sit back and watch inhumanity in action.

Ghanem says he still has lot of family members in Syria and remains concerned about their welfare.

Ghanem says after years of watching the regime in action and the continued acts of inhumanity, the world needs to punish dictators who abuse their people no matter where they are.