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Here are some of Kim’s top #PraiseIndyNews stories for Friday…

The disappearance case of Indiana University student Lauren Spierer is heating up again with a new search in the investigation. On Thursday, the FBI raided a home and other property in Morgan County and performed extensive searches. Bloomington police confirm the effort was connected to the Spierer case. The Indianapolis Star is reporting that a man being held on public nudity and exposure-related charges in Johnson County may be connected to this case. Spierer was 20 years old when she disappeared in June 2011 after a night of partying and drinking with friends at Kilroy’s Bar & Grill in Bloomington.

Follow the latest developments on the case of Spierer at WTHR.com.

Indiana’s current education chief will have some competition during the next election. Yorktown School Superintendent Jennifer McCormick is tossing her hat into the ring to run for Superintendent of Public Instruction, a post held now by Democrat Glenda Ritz. McCormick announced her run for the state’s top education post Thursday downtown at the Indiana Statehouse. McCormick will run on the Republican ticket.

The top Republican in the Indiana House says all 71 GOP lawmakers in his caucus have to agree on an LGBT protection plan before he’ll call it for a vote. Speaker Brian Bosma unveiled the new requirement Thursday, as Senators are continuing to consider a plan to offer civil rights protections to gays and lesbians, while still excluding people who are transgendered.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has legislation on his desk providing $28 million in emergency funding for Flint to address the water contamination crisis.  The Senate made a few changes to what the House had passed last week, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Al Pscholka said he felt it was appropriate for the Senate to move $8 million away from buying bottled water and filters because of all of the donations which were coming in, donations that he thought were great. The House quickly backed the Senate changes Thursday afternoon.  Other changes include paying for lead exposure testing for babies and toddlers up to three years old and adding $200,000 for nutritional efforts in Genesee County. The money will be going to six state departments to help out the city and residents of Flint. Pscholka was confident $28 million wouldn’t be the last money approved by the legislature in this effort.

Speaking of water donations to assist the residents of Flint, today is the last day here in Indy that the IUPUI Black Student Union is taking donations before they move the water collected to Flint. They’re taking those donations until 3 p.m. on-campus in AES in Joseph T. Taylor Hall, located at 815 West Michigan Street downtown in Suite 100. They are also making it easy for you if you don’t want to leave your car. You can pull up to the rear of Taylor Hall driving through the breezeway and leave the water donations at their back porch. The organizers will retrieve the cases or bottles and add them to the donation effort.

Elsewhere…

The White House will announce a proposal today to reduce the pay gap between men and women. The proposal calls for private companies to submit salary data to the federal government.  White House officials say women in America make 79 cents for every dollar a man makes.

A video released by the FBI shows one of the Oregon protesters getting shot during an arrest. FBI Agent Greg Bretzing says the video shows that LaVoy Finicum was reaching toward his pocket when he was shot by officers. He said Finicum had a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his pocket. Finicum was part of the group that took over a national wildlife refuge a few weeks ago. The FBI says four protesters are still at the refuge.

A 20-2 run to close the game allowed the Indiana Pacers to pull ahead of the Atlanta Hawks Thursday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse beating their southern visitors 111-92. Monta Ellis had 25 points for the Pacers, which held the Hawks to four points in the final six minutes of the game. Myles Turner added 20 points in his first career start as the Pacers ended a three-game slide.

Colts punter Pat McAfee is a finalist for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award. The award is given to an NFL player in recognition of their efforts to honor and support members of the military. The Pat McAfee Foundation gives scholarships to the children of military personnel. He’s also given Colts tickets to dozens of military families for years. The winner of this NFL award will be announced February 6.

###(@PraiseIndy) ###

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Send your press releases, news tips and show requests to me at the station at kwells@radio-one.com; call 317-923-9696 x 509 and leave a message; and be sure to follow me on Twitter @kwellscomm.

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