Last Update 5/13/2008

The death toll from the horrible earthquake in China Monday has now climbed past ten-thousand. The epicenter of the seven-point-nine quake was in Wenchaun County, where a Northern Indiana family is serving as Christian missionaries. WFRN talked with Ellen Graber of Shipshewana, who along with her husband Sheldon were anxiously waiting word on whether their 28-year-old son Chad, daughter-in-law Jen and two-year-old grandson Matthew had survived. Another baby was on the way. Graber Monday told us they were not able to call or e-mail to see if their family members were still alive. Graber says her son and family are in God's hands, and it gives her a little comfort knowing their Christian faith.

We've got some sad news today in the War in Iraq. An Indiana National Guard soldier from Starke County has died. The Defense Department says 23-year-old Specialist Joseph Ford lost his life Saturday when a military vehicle he was in rolled over. Ford graduated from Knox High School in 2003 and is the 96th servicemen from Indiana to die in Iraq. He was a gunner from the 152nd Calvary, part of the 76th Infantry and had been in the Middle East for about two months. Funeral arrangements are in the works. There's word it could take a week-and-a-half for Ford's body to return to the U.S. He was married just last June.

An Indiana pro-family leader says he's disappointed over Governor Mitch Daniels' track record on social issues, an issue that could cost the governor some votes among Evangelicals in the fall election. Curt Smith of the Indiana Family Institute tells WFRN Daniels has not been a champion on the gay issue due to his lack of effort to support the proposed Marriage Protection Amendment. The governor also signed a pair of bills to expand legalized gambling, but Smith says Daniels has a good pro-life record and has done other things for the faith community. Just days after the May 6th primary, Daniels and his Democrat challenger Jill Long-Thompson are already campaigning for November.

Indiana Democrats want to keep their momentum and interest from last week's primary and carry it into this fall's general election, while Republicans are confident they can get back the momentum. About one-point-three million Democrat ballots were cast, about three times the number of Republican votes statewide, but that's because of the presidential race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and the governor's race pitting Jill Long-Thompson and Jim Schellinger. Indiana is considered a "red" state that typically supports Republican presidential candidates.

His name didn't even appear on the Democrat ballot in Michigan, but presidential candidate Barack Obama is planning two campaign stops in the Wolverine State on Wednesday. Obama will hold a rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids tomorrow night after visiting Southeast Michigan's Macomb County. The Democratic party has not counted the delegates from Michigan's primary, since the primary was held too early, under party rules. Obama got some heat after his first visit to Michigan last year when he criticized U.S. automakers for failing to make more fuel-efficient cars.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is endorsing Valparaiso Mayor Jon Costas for the state's attorney general. Costas would replace Steve Carter, who is not running for a third term. The governor made the endorsement for Costas in an e-mail Monday to members of the Republican State Committee and GOP county chairs. Delegates to the state GOP and Democratic conventions next month will pick their nominees for the two posts who will be on the election ballot in November.

A strike against a well-known band instrument maker in Elkhart is now over two-years-old, but the head of the company says production is strong at Conn-Selmer's Vincent Bach plant. With replacement workers and some workers who crossed the picket lines, Dana Messina of parent company Steinway says Vincent Bach is pumping out 120 horns a day without much overtime, and that was their target. However, the first quarter was a little down. Band sales were down a million dollars from 2007's numbers to 39-and-a-half million dollars.
Many of the 230 UAW strikers got other jobs and some have been forced to retire early, although picketers are still getting 200-dollars a week from the union plus free health insurance.

Classes should be back to normal today at LaVille Junior-Senior High School. Students were evacuated Monday afternoon after another bomb threat at the school. Police and school officials combed the building but fortunately, didn't find anything. It was the second straight school day LaVille was evacuated after threats were found Friday on the walls of two women's restrooms. And you may remember, the school was under lockdown just a little more than a month ago after there were reports that several students had weapons at school, but none were found.

A weekend fire in downtown Peru isn't stopping the show from going on at the Peru Circus City Center. That building had some damage after a big fire next door Saturday that destroyed Grant Home Furnishings. Word is the north wall and some wiring will have to be replaced, and the Circus City Center will have to be gutted and cleaned, but the facility was insured and they plan to hold this year's performances. The Peru Amateur Circus runs from July 11th to the 19th.

A ten-year deal has been reached to encourage travelers to spend more time and money in Northern Indiana. The contract was signed by the Northern Indiana Tourism Development Corporation and ITR Concession, which runs the Toll Road. The agreement calls for the commission to be the only group providing travel services along the Indiana Toll Road. It will keep the two staffed visitor centers in Rolling Prairie and Howe.

The childhood disorder of autism is getting a growing amount of attention by doctors and the media. It's because the number of young children diagnosed with autism has increased as experts are learning more about the early symptoms. Doctor Rolanda Maxim says there's still no medical cure, but by diagnosing autism earlier, therapy can begin early. Autism affects language and social skills. Maxim says by the time a child is six months, there could be signs of a problem if the child does not smile back at his parent or make eye contact.


...In Sports...

Indiana University says it's "reasonable to conclude" that former IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson misled NCAA investigators. The university has released its written response to NCAA allegations of five major rules violations concerning the men's basketball program. The school argues that the sanctions IU has already placed on itself are enough and that no more punishment should be handed down. IU officials are expected to appear before the Infractions Committee on June 13th in Seattle.

The Chicago Cubs have a four-game winning streak. The Cubs blasted the San Diego Padres Monday night at Wrigley Field, 12-3. Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. Carlos Zambrano picked up the win to improve to 6-and-1. He allowed all three Padres runs on six hits in seven innings of work. The Cubs regained sole possession of first place in the National League Central with the win, thanks to St. Louis' loss to Milwaukee, 8-3.

The Chicago White Sox have slipped a game under the .500 mark again after losing to the Los Angeles Angels out west late Monday night, 10-7. Vladimir Guerrero's three-run homer in the fifth put LA up for good as the Angels snapped a four-game losing streak. Juan Uribe and Joe Crede drove in two runs apiece in the Sox loss.

The South Bend Silverhawks were shutout on the road Monday night, losing to Great Lakes, 3-0.

In the NBA Playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers have tied the Boston Celtics at two games each in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Cavs won at home in game four Monday night, 88-77. Once again, LeBron James struggled from the floor with 7-of-20 shooting, but he ended with 21 points, good enough for the Cleveland win. Game five is back in Boston.

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