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What’s Going on in the Headlines This Independence Day…

A family escaped a northwest side apartment fire early Friday morning when a blaze began on their balcony. Someone passing by spotted the fire just after 3:15 a.m. in the 6000 block of Guion Rd and called 911. Pike Township Fire responded. They believe embers from the grill left on the balcony was the culprit starting the fire at the Guion Creek Apartments. The damage is estimated at $55,000 and no-one from the family, which included two adults and two children, was injured.

Overnight, another apartment blaze broke out but this time, investigators say food left on the stove caused it. Indianapolis Firefighters fought this fire in the 47-hundred block of Round Lake Road in the Willow brook Lake Apartments.  Residents were evacuated around midnight while firefighters put out the fire. No one was injured.

We now know the identity of the Indianapolis cell phone tower worker who was killed in what’s being called a freak accident. The contractor’s name is Joel Metz. He was killed on Wednesday while working a job in Kentucky. Officials say Metz was part of a four person team replacing a boom on a Verizon cell phone tower. As the new boom was being hoisted up the 250-foot tower, it reportedly fell and the cable got caught around Metz’s neck and arm decapitating him. Authorities say his body remained suspended near the top of the tower until workers were able to recover him. 

Indianapolis metro police are warning women who are out and about in Broad Ripple to keep a look out for a gun-toting purse snatcher. They say a man tried to rob three women Wednesday night at gunpoint, without ever getting out of his car. They say the suspect was a passenger in a black Chevy Malibu, and pulled up to the women demanding their purses. The women refused and ran to get help.

The man charged in the hit-and-run death of a baby boy is going to prison.  A judge sentenced Gary Shinnamon to eight years on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to reckless homicide. Court documents say Shinnamon was going more than 90 miles an hour when the crash happened near West 38th Street and Guion Road earlier this year. 

Foster Farms is recalling tainted chicken sold earlier this year in nine western states. The Department of Agriculture says it now has conclusive evidence linking a strain of salmonella found in the company’s chicken to food poisoning in someone who ate the chicken. The recalled ‘yard bird’ has “use or freeze by” dates from March 21st to March 29th.   

Have loved ones on the southeastern coast? Hurricane Arthur is about 130 miles off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, and still has 90 mile-an-hour winds. It’s dumping rain from Virginia to New Jersey, but it’s now blowing to the northeast, away from shore. Arthur struck the coast of North Carolina overnight with winds of up to 100 miles an hour. 

President Obama is commemorating Independence Day by honoring the contributions and sacrifices made by generations of Americans. In his weekly address, the President credited our Founding Fathers with establishing the foundation for a great country. See his weekly address below. (Scroll down or click the link).  

Independence Day is a big day for American immigrants.  More than 20 naturalization ceremonies are scheduled.  The biggest event is set to take place at the White House, where President Obama will host a naturalization ceremony for active duty military service members and their families.   

This holiday is also a big day for the nation’s eldest “first daughter”. Fireworks and celebration are routine for Malia Obama’s July 4th birthday.  But this year may hold a little more meaning for Malia, the daughter of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. She’s celebrating her Sweet Sixteen today making her just the second first daughter in recent history to turn 16 in the White House. No word yet on how Malia plans to celebrate her milestone birthday.

Back here in Indy, the Fourth of July weekend festivities are well underway. The day began with the “Firecracker 6 Run/Walk” at City Market. A festival will also take place immediately following. If you’re heading downtown, all day events are planned at Victory Field, Georgia Street and Massachusetts Avenue. There will be plenty of free metered parking and all of the garages and surface lots are open.

FIREWORKS TONIGHT:  IMPD plans to increase its downtown presence and the Donato’s Downtown Freedom Blast from atop the Regions Bank Tower—Indianapolis’ downtown fireworks spectacular gets underway around 10 p.m. The Monon Trail will close at regular hours, so bike riders coming from the fireworks display tonight are expected to stay off the trail after dusk, however IndyGo will provide extra outbound trips on 17 routes following tonight’s fireworks show. For other Independence Weekend events and Happenings, click [HERE] to see the list.  

An Indianapolis Colts player will be out for the year. No, not due to injury, but because of substance abuse. Colts wide receiver LaVon Brazill is being suspended for at least a year for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. This is Brazill’s second suspension. He was forced to sit out of four games during the 2013 season after he tested positive for drugs.  

Your holiday and weekend weather:

Sunny on this Fourth of July with a high of 80 degrees. Clear skies in the evening—perfect to see those beautiful fireworks, with a low of 57 degrees. Expect the rest of the weekend to heat up during the day into the low to mid-80’s under partly cloudy skies. Evenings will be unseasonably cool in the mid-60’s.

I’M KIM WELLS…

Make it a great day as you listen to us all day and all holiday weekend-long on “Indy’s Inspiration & Praise Station” AM-1310 The Light and here online at praiseindy.com.

Watch President Obama’s Weekly Address: The Independence Day Edition:

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kimwellsmedia Twitter: @kwellscomm 070414

(Photo credit: Visitindy.com)

Enjoy time with your family and friends!!!.