>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: >>> COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," THE STATE IS RAMPING UP COVID-19 TESTING AGAIN AS POSITIVE CASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TO RISE DUE TO THE DELTA VARIANT.

>> I'M ACTUALLY ON THE OTHER HAND ENCOURAGED THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET TESTED.

>> HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF HOOSIERS FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST THE VIRUS REMAINS JUST AROUND 50%.

>>> THE PRICE OF BEEF IS SOARING BUT THE EXTRA MONEY ISN'T GOING TO CATTLE FARMERS.

AND THAT'S CAUSING THEM TO RETHINK HOW MUCH LIVESTOCK THEY KEEP ON HAND.

>> OUR FARM, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING 200 OR 250 COW, CAN HE MIGHT GO BACK TO 180 COULD 180 COWS SO WE DON'T PRODUCE AS MANY CALVES AND IT WILL BALANCE OUT.

>> THEY ARE ALSO TURNING TO WASHINGTON FOR HELP.

>>> AND AN AFGHAN PROFESSOR AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY TALKS ABOUT THE TURMOIL IN HIS HOMELAND.

THOSE STORIES, PLUS THE LATEST NEWS HEAD LINES, RIGHT NOW ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

♪ >>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK"!

I'M JOE HREN.

WELL, THE STATE TOPPED 4,000 NEW POSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19 TODAY.

THE MOST IN A SINGLE DAY SINCE JANUARY 15th.

HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE ALSO ON THE RISE, AND THAT HAS THOSE IN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM CONCERNED.

PAT BEANE REPORTS.

>> INDIANA IS RAMPING UP COVID-19 TESTING SITES ONCE AGAIN.

THIS AFTER CLOSING THEM IN JUNE, AS NEW DAILY CASES OF VIRUS CLIMBED ABOVE 3500 THIS WEEK.

HOSPITALIZATIONS, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT ARE ALSO UP, MORE THAN FOUR TIMES AS MANY AS JULY'S LOW OF 371.

THAT'S ONE MORE WAY FOR A WEARY HEALTHCARE SYSTEM THAT'S BEEN BATTLING COVID FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF.

>> NURSES ARE TIRED, RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS, EVERYONE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICE WORKERS, THEY ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING SO HARD FOR SO LONG DEALING WITH THE PANDEMIC, AND THAT TAKES A TOLL.

>> TABER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE INDIANA HOSPITAL NEGOTIATION.

HE SAYS HE'S WORRIED ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF I.C.U.

BEDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FOR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.

>> PEDIATRIC INTENSIVE CARE BEDS ARE SCARCE.

THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF THEM.

AND SO IF WE WERE TO SEE THESE TRENDS INCREASE, WE DON'T KNOW YET THE FULL IMPACTS OF BACK-TO-SCHOOL, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MONITOR VERY CLOSELY.

>> DAVID PORTER IS A FAMILY MEDICINE DOCTOR AND HE SAYS HE SEES A LOT MORE SICK CHILDREN FROM THE VIRUS.

>> I REALLY FEEL FOR THE PARENTS UNDER 12.

THOSE OVER 12, THEY SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEIR CHILDREN TO VACCINATE.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, CHILDREN DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE TO VACCINATE THEMSELVES.

>> AND UNTIL THE FDA APPROVES THE VACCINE FOR THOSE UNDER 12, WEARING A MASK IS JUST ABOUT THE ONLY PROTECTION.

THE VACCINE IS READILY AVAILABLE FOR EVERYONE OVER 12, BUT PORTER SAYS THE PROBLEM IS CONVINCING ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GET IT.

BARELY HALF OF THOSE ELIGIBLE TO GET THE VACCINE IN THE STATE HAVE GOTTEN IT, ALTHOUGH THE NUMBERS OF THE FIRST-TIME SHOTS IS ON THE RISE.

STILL, INDIANA RANKS AROUND THE BOTTOM THIRD IN THE NATION FOR PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION VACCINATED.

PORTER SAYS HE CONTINUES TO SEE PATIENTS HESITANT TO GET THE VACCINE.

>> WE HEAR THE GAMUT, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THE VACCINE WAS CREATED, THAT IT'S STILL UNDER EMERGENCY STATUS, ALL THE WAY TO, HEY, I HEAR THAT IT'S GOING TO TURN US INTO ZOMBIES AFTER A YEAR OR TWO.

>> TABER SAYS THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE WHETHER IT COMES TO THE EFFICACY OF THE VIRUS.

>> 98% OF THE HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE WITH UNVACCINATED PATIENTS.

SO WE KNOW THAT THE VACCINE IS EFFECTIVE, AND CAN REDUCE THAT STRAIN ON THE SYSTEM.

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M PAT BEANE.

>>> AS THE PRICE OF BEEF CONTINUES TO SOAR, MANY CONSUMERS ARE FEELING IT IN THEIR WALLETS BUT THE GENTLEMAN MONEY ISN'T GOING WHERE YOU MIGHT THINK.

BROCK TURNER TELLS US WHY SOME CATTLE FARMERS ARE CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT FOR HELP IN THE FIRST OF A TWO-PART SERIES.

>> IT'S A ROUTINE DAY FOR TIM SCHWAB AND HIS 200 CATTLE IN BATESVILLE.

SCHWAB HAS BEEN RAISING CATTLE ALL OF HIS LIFE AND HAS A HARD TIME PICTURING HIMSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

>> HE SAYS, YOU NEVER GET TOO MUCH RAIN.

AND YOU NEVER GET TOO MANY LIVE CALVES.

SO JUST THIS IS KIND OF RELAXING FOR ME.

I WILL COME OUT HERE IN THE EVENING AND CHECK COWS AND MILL AROUND THROUGH THEM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKE MATING DECISIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT OFF OF WHAT I SEE, AND STUFF.

SO THAT'S PRETTY REWARDING.

>> SCHWAB SAYS MANY OF THESE CATTLE TO 4-H STUDENTS FOR SHOWS AND SOME GO TO FARMS WHERE THEY WILL BE PREPARED FOR PROCESSING.

>> WE WILL GET THEM TO ABOUT 900 POUNDS BEFORE WE SELL THEM AND THEN THEY GO TO THE FEED LOT FOR THE FINISHING RATION.

AND THEN THOSE GUYS TAKE THEM TO ABOUT 1300 POUNDS.

>> WHILE THE PER POUND PRICE OF BEEF HAS INCREASED MORE THAN 25% IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, FARMERS HAVEN'T REALIZED THOSE PROFITS.

SOME EXPERTS AND FARMERS ARGUE THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE COUNTRY'S PROCESSING INFRASTRUCTURE.

ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT DATA FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOUR FIRMS, JBS, TYSON, CARGILL AND NATIONAL BEEF PROCESS NEARLY 70% OF THE NATION'S MEAT.

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING WHETHER THE PACKERS HAVE ENGAGED IN PRICE FIXING OR OTHER ILLEGAL MEASURES BUT THERE'S NO TIMELINE ON WHEN THE INVESTIGATION WILL CONCLUDE.

WASHINGTON HAS CONSIDERED REGULATION, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING MANY RANCHERS, INCLUDING SCHWAB ARE RESISTANT TO HESITANT TO FULLY SUPPORT.

>> WE DON'T NEED GOVERNMENT IN HERE YET.

NOW, THAT MIGHT COME TO THAT POINT.

>> CURRENTLY SCHWAB RECEIVES ABOUT $1.35 PER POUND FOR EACH COW HE SELLS.

UP FROM THE PRICES OF JUST OVER $1 PER POUND HE WAS GETTING EARLIER THIS YEAR.

BUT THAT'S STILL LOWER THAN THE $1.40 HE WAS GETTING BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

HE SAYS TO COUNTER THAT, FARMERS MAY BEGIN THINNING THEIR HERDS TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF CATTLE ON THE MARKET.

>> THE CATTLE FARMER WILL PROBABLY -- AS HISTORY HAS SHOWN US, WILL PROBABLY DECREASE THE SIZE OF THE COWHERD FOR A WHILE.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE ME, MYSELF, OR OUR FARM, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING 200 OR 250 COWS, WE MIGHT GO BACK TO 180 COWS.

SO WE ARE NOT PRODUCING QUITE AS MANY CALVES, AND I THINK IT WILL BALANCE OUT.

YOU KNOW, AND HISTORY HAS SHOWN US THAT THE COWHERD INVENTORY GOES UP AND DOWN AND AS IT GOES UP AND DOWN, THE MARKET DOES RESPOND TO IT.

>> THE LOBBYING ORGANIZATION THAT REPRESENTS THE BIG FOUR PACKERS AND OTHERS SAY THE INDUSTRY BENEFITS FROM AND DEPENDS ON COMPETITIVE MARKETS.

IT DENIES THERE'S ANY COLLATION.

THE INCREASED DEMAND FOR BEEF, HAVE RETHEIR CAPACITY TO PROCESS BEEF.

THE SUPPLY OF CATTLE IS STARTING TO DECLINE ACCORDING TO A RECENT ANALYSIS.

>> THERE'S PLENTY OF CATTLE.

THERE'S PLENTY OF SUPPLY OF CATTLE.

AND THERE'S A BIG DEMAND FOR CATTLE.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE WORKERS NOT BEING AT THE PACKING PLANTS AND THEY CAN'T RUN IT 100% CAPACITY, THERE'S GETTING TO BE A BACKLOG RIGHT THERE.

>> THAT BACKLOG IS INFLATING PRICES FOR ANYONE SEEKING TO PUT A BURGER OR A STEAK ON THEIR PLATES.

>> WHAT I'M TOLD ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, 40 TO 60%, THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PRICE INCREASE.

>> TAMM SAYS SOME RESTAURANTS HAVE CHOSEN TO RAISE THEIR PRICES AND OTHERS ARE ABSORBING LOSSES IN HOPES OF ATTRACTING MORE CUSTOMERS.

>> RESTAURANTS HAVE GRAPPLED WITH THAT ISSUE AND MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT DECISIONS.

YOU KNOW, INITIALLY, I THINK A LOT OF RESTAURATEURS AND DECISION-MAKERS WERE LIKE, WELL, MAYBE WE CAN RIDE THIS OUT FOR TWO WEEKS.

WELL, TWO WEEKS HAS TURNED INTO MONTHS.

>> GROCERS SAY THEY ARE PAYING MORE FOR BEEF TOO.

>> FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, IT'S NOT CERTAINLY AT THE SUPERMARKET LEVEL.

SO THE COST OF THE PRODUCT GOING TO THE STORES IS UP A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

>> SCHWAB AND OTHER CATTLE FARMERS SAY THEY ARE NATURALLY OPTIMISTIC EVEN IF THE DECK APPEARS TO BE STACKED AGAINST THEM.

>> I THINK WE NEED TO KIND OF COME TOGETHER, AND FIGURE OUT WHY THERE'S SUCH A DISPARITY IN THE PRICE THAT THEY ARE GETTING AND THE PRICE WE ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW?

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S ENOUGH THERE THAT -- FOR EVERYBODY TO GET A LITTLE PIECE OF PIE.

>> BUT SPENDING TIME ON PASTURE MAKES EVERYTHING WORTH IT.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY.

IT'S JUST GOING TO PLAY WITH COWS EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW?

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M BROCK TURNER.

>>> NEXT WEEK, WE'LL HAVE MORE ON HOW LOCAL FARMERS AND PROCESSORS HAVE CARVED SPACE TO COMPETE AGAINST SOME OF THE NATION'S LARGEST PROCESSORS AND GROCERIES.

>>> HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN INDIANA ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE LAWMAKER TO CRAFT A BILL ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S REBECCA THIELE REPORTS, THAT THEY FORMED OUT OF FRUSTRATION.

DESPITE MANY LETTERS AND PROTESTATIONS, INDIANA HAS NOT PASSED CLIMATE LEGISLATION.

>> THE GROUP, CONFRONT THE CLIMATE CRISIS, SAMES TO UNIFY YOUTH CLIMATE ACTIVISTS FROM AROUND THE STATE INTO ONE VOICE.

STUDENTS IN THE GROUP WANT THE STATE TO PASS LAWS TO HELP INDIANA ACHIEVE CARBON NEUTRALITY, AND ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.

BUT WEST LaFAYETTE, JUNIOR-SENIOR-SORE MORE, RAHUI DURAI, SAYS THEY WANT THEM TO CLAIM.

>> CONFRONT THE CLIMATE CRISIS.

ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT AT THE SCALE THAT IT'S HAPPENING.

>> THE GROUP IS WORKING WITH REPUBLICAN SENATOR RON ALTING TO CRAFT CLIMATE LEGISLATION FOR THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

>> SO IT'S LIKE ONE ASK FOR JUST A FEW ASKS AND THEN LEGISLATORS CAN UNDERSTAND MORE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY.

>> THEY HOPE TO ANNOUNCE MORE ABOUT THE BILL IN WEST LaFAYETTE ON SEPTEMBER 24th.

FOR INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M REBECCA THIELE.

>> WELL, STUDENTS BEGAN ARRIVING IN BLOOMINGTON THIS WEEK FOR THE START OF THE FALL SEMESTER AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY.

AROUND 11,000 STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO I.U.

DORMS THIS WEEK THAT.

INCLUDES A RECORD FRESHMAN CLASS OF NEARLY 9400.

THE UNIVERSITY RECEIVED MORE THAN 46,000 APPLICATIONS FOR THE FALL.

I.U.

SAYS IT WILL TAKE A CENSUS OF STUDENTS AFTER CLASSES START MONDAY.

>>> AL, STATE LEADERS HELD A ROUND TABLE EARLIER THIS WEEK TO DISCUSS HOW LEGISLATORS CAN EXPAND ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET.

AS BROCK TURNER REPORTS, IT'S A COMPLICATED PROBLEM THAT COULD BE AIDED BY UPCOMING LEGISLATION.

>> PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S ROUGHLY $1 TRILLION INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT PASSED THE SENATE WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT IS FACING OPPOSITION AT HOME.

CONGRESSWOMAN VICTORIA SPARTZ WOULDN'T COMMIT TO SUPPORTING THE BILL AFTER A ROUNDTABLE IN HAMILTON COUNTY WHERE NEARLY EVERYONE AGREED MORE MONEY WAS NEEDED TO SPUR INVESTMENT.

HOWEVER, SPARTZ SAYS HER VOTE SHOULDN'T INDICATE HER OVERALL SUPPORT OF BROADBAND AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS.

WHILE THE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSWOMAN DECLINED TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC FIGURE SHE FAVORS, SHE SAID HER VOTE WOULD CONSIDER SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS IN THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF EACH.

>> EVER SINCE WE WERE ABLE TO INVEST AND PAY FOR, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO INVEST.

BUT THINGS THAT WE CANNOT HELP PAY FOR, THE THINGS THAT DON'T BRING LONG-TERM VALUE, WE MIGHT HAVE TO DELIBERATE SOME OTHER TIME.

>> A PURDUE UNIVERSITY STUDY REVEALED EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN BROADBAND RETURNED $4 TO LOCAL ECONOMIES IN INDIANA.

CURRENT INVESTMENTS SHOW AROUND 1 IN 10 HOOSIERS LACK ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET.

APPROXIMATELY 65 BILLION FOR BROADBAND IS INCLUDED IN THE SENATE PROPOSAL.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M BROCK TURNER.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," BLOOMINGTON SAW ITS POPULATION DECREASE IN THE CENSUS, BUT THE CITY'S MAYOR SAYS THE COUNT IS OFF.

AND AN INTERNET SEARCH TURNS UP SOMETHING MYSTERIOUS SUPPOSEDLY AT AND UNDER LAKE MONROE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, RIGHT HERE ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

WITH THE RAPID COLLAPSE OF THE U.S.-BACKED AFGHANISTAN GOVERNMENT LAST WEEK, AND THE RETURN TO TALIBAN RULE, AN I.U.

SCHOLAR SAYS HE'S CONCERNED FOR THE FUTURE OF HIS HOMELAND.

HOLDEN ABSHIER HAS THIS REPORT.

>> NASIRIYAH RIFF SHAHRANI WAS BORN AND RAISED IN AFGHANISTAN.

HE SAYS MORE THAN 60% OF THE AFGHAN POPULATION IS YOUNGER THAN 25 YEARS OLD AND DOES NOT REMEMBER THE TALIBAN RULE FROM 1996 TO 2001.

>> THESE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE EXTREMELY FEARFUL, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND YOUNG GIRLS WHO HAVE HAD EDUCATION WHO HAVE HAD SOME SKILLS AND LIBERTIES AND ENJOYING A LOT OF THOSE.

AND THEY THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE LOST.

>> THE U.S. AND OTHER COUNTRIES ARE SCRAMBLING TO EVACUATE THEIR OWN CITIZENS AND THOUSANDS OF AFGHANS WHO ALLIED WITH THEM IN THE 20-YEAR WAR AGAINST THE TALIBAN.

SHAHRANI WORRIES THAT MASS EVACUATIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL BRAIN DRAIN.

>> THEY ARE DOING MAYBE FAVORS TO INDIVIDUAL WHO FIND THEMSELVES DESPERATE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO ROBBING A COUNTRY, ESSENTIALLY OF POSSIBILITY OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, RECONSTRUCTION OF THEIR OWN COUNTRIES AND BECOMING SELF-SUFFICIENT.

>> THE U.S. HAS FACED CRITICISM FOR WHAT BECAME A CHAOTIC EXODUS OF AT COLLAPSE OF AFGHAN GOVERNMENT.

I.U.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENGAGEMENT, KIRK WHITE HAS BEEN IN THE INDIANA NATIONAL GUARD FOR 30 YEARS AND TWICE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN.

>> THEIR LIVES ARE IN PERIL, AND WE OWE THEM MORE THAN THAT.

AND IT'S A VERY SAD COMMENTARY THAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DID NOT HAVE A WELL EXECUTED PLAN TO GET THESE AFGHAN ALLIES OUT OF THE COUNTRY BEFORE THE GOVERNMENT FELL.

>> SHAHRANI SAYS OTHER NATIONS CAN HELP BY REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TALIBAN GOVERNMENT UNLESS IT ABIDES BY HUMAN RIGHTS AND INCLUSIVE OF THE NEW GENERATION OF AFGHAN YOUTH.

>> NO GOVERNMENT CAN SURVIVE FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE TALIBAN UNDERSTANDS.

>> STILL SHAHRANI SAYS IT WILL TAKE ALMOST 20 YEARS FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT IS TALIBAN-LED OR NOT, TO RETRAIN ANOTHER GENERATION.

>> AND AFGHANISTAN HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF THIS FOR 43 YEARS NOW.

THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE COME AND FOUGHT THE WARS IN THE BACKYARD AND DESTROYED THEIR COUNTRY, IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE.

>> NOR "INDIANAFOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M HOLDON ABSHIER.

>> U.S. CENSUS NUMBERS SHOW THAT BLOOMINGTON LOST 1200 1200 1200 RESIDENCE IN THE LAST DECADE.

>> IF WE MISSED 1 OUT OF 300 PEOPLE IN A CENSUS COUNT, THAT COULD ADD UP TO $1 MILLION OF ALSO OVER TEN YEARS.

>> FEDERAL FUNDING FOR GRANTS FOR PROGRAMS SUCH AS HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MONEY IS BASED ON POPULATION.

HAMILTON THINKS THE PANDEMIC MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE DATA.

HE SAYS ESTIMATES FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU SINCE 2010 HOSE BLOOMINGTON WAS EXPECTED TO GROW BY 6,000.

WE ARE JOINED BY MATT KINGHORN, A SENIOR DEMOGRAPHIC AT KELLEY'S COOLSCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

DID CONDUCTING A CENSUS WHILE MUCH OF THE COUNTRY WAS ON LOCKDOWN FROM AN IMPACT ON THOSE NUMBERS?

>> I THINK THAT THE MAYOR IS RIGHT.

WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE NUMBERS HERE IN BLOOMINGTON.

I THINK STATEWIDE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING, THE PANDEMIC DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON NUMBERS FOR THE STATE.

YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY GREW MORE THAN WE EXPECTED THIS PAST DECADE ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS.

BUT HERE IN BLOOMINGTON, THE NUMBERS WERE CERTAINLY SURPRISING.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE KIND OF -- SOME OTHER DATA POINTS THAT POINT TO THE MAYOR'S ISSUES WHETHER THERE'S A HIGHER VACANCY RATE, A HIGHER VACANCY RATE HERE IN BLOOMINGTON THAN WE SAW TEN YEARS AGO, QUITE A BIT HIGHER.

AND YOU COULD COMPARE IT TO MAYBE BLOOMINGTON'S PEER IN THE STATE WHICH IS WEST LaFAYETTE AND THEIR NUMBERS ARE ALSO QUITE A BIT LOWER THAN WERE EXPECTED AND WEST LaFAYETTE HAD HIGH HOUSING OCCUPANCY RATES.

THERE'S QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE THE PANDEMIC REALLY IMPACTED THE CENSUS COUNT IN COLLEGE COMMUNITIES.

>> AND THEY MANDATE A CENSUS EVERY TEN YEARS.

WHAT SOME ARE OF THE IMPACTS OF RISING OR FALLING POPULATIONS ON THE STATE?

>> WELL, STATEWIDE, THE BIGGEST IMPACT, IS YOU KNOW, THE REASON THAT WE DO THE CENSUS IN THE FIRST PLACE IS TO APPORTION CONGRESSIONAL SEATS.

AND SO SOME OF OUR NATION, MICHIGAN, ILLINOIS, AND OHIO, EACH LOST A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT THIS TIME AROUND.

LUCKILY WE HAD ENOUGH GROWTH IN INDIANA TO HOLD ON THE TO NINE SEATS.

THAT'S THE BIGGEST ISSUE.

IT'S ALSO JUST EVERY TEN YEARS IT'S ALMOST AKIP TO AKIN GOING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT AND CHECKING OUR VITAL SIGNS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT WE ARE TRACKING RESIDENTS.

AND SO THAT'S -- THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SOME GOOD INPUTS THAT THE STATE CAN FIND, JUST BASED ON THE POPULATION TRENDS.

>> WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, MATT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANKS.

>>> LAKE MONROE WAS CREATED OUT OF THE SALT CREEK VALLEY IN THE EARLY 1960s.

THOUSANDS WERE DISPLACED AND TWO SMALL TOWNS RAZEED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE RESERVOIR.

BUT AN INTERNET SEARCH LED ONE LISTENER TO ASK, WHAT ELSE IS AT THE BOTTOM OF LAKE MONROE.

PAT BEANE REPORTS.

>> GOOGLE LAKE MONROE AND YOU WILL GET LINKS TO THE EXPECTED TOURIST, BOAT RENTAL AND DEPARTMENT OF NATURALLESS SOURCES SITE.

BUT IF YOU FIG DOWN DIG DOWN A BIT.

YOU CAN GO TO SITE 81.

THAT'S WHAT ELIZABETH LYNCH WAS.

>> WHAT WAS SITE 81 UNDER LAKE MONROE.

I STARTED DOING THE GOOGLE SEARCHES AND I COULDN'T FIND A SOLID ANSWER.

>> AND THAT LED LYNCH TO ASK, WHAT IS SITE 81 AND IS IT REALLY UNDER LAKE MONROE.

ACCORDING TO AN EXTENDING DOSSIER, SITE 81 WAS CREATED IN 1946 AS A SECRET GOVERNMENT SUPERSITE TO HOUSE AND RESEARCH ANOMALOUS ACTIVITY IN THE MIDWEST AND LAKE MONROE WAS BUILT IN 1964 BY THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AS A COVER STORY AT FIRST GLANCE AND SECOND AND THIRD GLANCE, THAT'S AN EYE OPENER.

IT HAS GEOLOCATION MAPS, IMAGES VIDEOS AND NUMEROUS DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THE SITE AND LOOKED THE PART OF A SECRET GOVERNMENT FACILITY.

THAT'S THE POINT.

>> ITAND PART OF THEFUN.

>> YOU MISSED THE RED FLAGS FOR FICTION AND THEY WOULD READ.

>> THAT'S BEN SISSON OR D.J.

KACTUS AS HE GOES BY ON THE SITE AND HE'S THE AUTHOR OF THE SITE 81 FILE.

HE GREW UP IN PLAINFIELD AND BEGAN ATTENDING INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN 2012.

THAT'S WHERE HE DISCOVERED THE SCP FOUNDATION COMMUNITY ON WIKIPEDIA.

THE SCP STANDS FOR SECURE, CONTAINED AND PROTECT, AND THE FOUNDATION OVERSEES THE VARIOUS SECRET SITES SCATTERED AROUND THE WORLD.

>> GO CHECK OUT THE SCP WIKI.

GO IN WITH AN OPEN MIND.

THERE'S A LOT TO GET INTO THERE.

YOU CAN REALLY GET LOST.

I MEAN, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY 100,000 PAGES ON THAT WEBSITE NOW, IF NOT MORE, WRITTEN BY ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS.

>> SISSON CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR LOCATING SITE 81 DURING HIS NUMEROUS TRIPS BETWEEN BLOOMINGTON AND BEDFORD.

SO THE WEST WASTER TREATMENT PLANT BECAME AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR THE HEADQUARTERS FOR A SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENCY.

THEY WERE RELABELED AND SEVEN SUBTER REQUIRE RAINIAN WINGS.

WHO GOES THERE EXCEPT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE.

YOU NEVER THINK OF BEHM GOING IN PEOPLE -- PEOPLE GOING IN AND OUT OF THERE, EVEN IF IT'S RELIC AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF.

>> AND THE HISTORY OF THE LAKE WAS THE PERFECT COVER STOREY.

>> IT WAS ALWAYS A LAKE.

IT'S A RESERVOIR.

AT SOME POINT HAD TO BE DUG OUT.

WHY NOT BUILD A BUILDING OVER THERE FIRST AND THEN FLOOD IT?

>> SISSON NOW LIVES IN ATLANTA BUT MUCH OF HIS WRITING IS SET IN HIS HOME STATE OF INDIANA SETTING HIS STORIES IN PLAYINGS AROUND BLOOMINGTON AND FRENCH LICK WHERE HE WOULD VISIT HIS GRANDPARENTS AND THIS ADDS REALISM TO THE FICTION AND CONFUSION.

>> SOMEBODY CAME INTO THE CHAT ONE TIME.

THEY WERE ON THE SITE AND SAID, HEY, I KNOW WHERE THIS PLACE IS.

I'M GOING TO GO CHECK IT OUT.

AND I HAD TO BE VERY CLEAR, LIKE, HEY, THERE'S NOTHING THERE.

TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

UM, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ARE LOVELY.

THEY PROBABLY WOULD NOT LOVE IT IF YOU JUST SHOWED UP UNANNOUNCED.

>> WHAT IS REALLY UNDER LAKE MONROE.

>> MOST OF THE 11,000 ACRES WAS FARMLANDS AND WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE SALT CREEK VALLEY, BUT MORE THAN 300 HOMES, THREE SCHOOLS, 10 CHURCHES, EIGHT CEMETERIES AND COUNTY'S LAST THREE COVERED BRIDGES WERE EITHER RELOCATED OR RAZEED.

IN SAUL NEAR -- IN ALL NEARLY 3500 PEOPLE WERE DISPLACED.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M PAT BEANE.

>>> CONSTRUCTION ON THE LAKE BEGAN IN 1960 AND WAS COMPLETED IN 1965.

THE COST OF $16.5 MILLION.

LAKE MONROE REMAINS THE PRIMARY WATER SOURCE FOR BLOOMINGTON.

>>> MURALS HAVE BECOME A FAMILIAR PART OF THE BLOOMINGTON SCENE IN RECENT YEARS INCLUDING A BLACK LIVES MURAL DEDICATED ON I.U.

'S CAMPUS ON THURSDAY EVENING BUT ONE MURAL DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN PAINTED OVER.

HOLDEN ABSHIER HAS THE STORY.

>> SINCE 1996, THE BICYCLE GARAGE'S WALL FACING PEOPLES PARK HAS BEEN A CANVAS FOR ROTATING MURALS.

THE RHINO'S YOUTH CENTER LED THE PARTNERSHIP UNTIL IT CLOSED IN 2019.

THE FINAL COMMISSION WAS TO LOCAL ARTISTS, EVA ALLEN WHO UNVEILED HER YOU BELONG HERE MURAL IN THE FALL OF 2017, HER CONTRACT LASTED UNTIL AUGUST 2020.

HOWEVER, THE MURAL WAS PAINTED OVER ON JUNE 19th, 2020 OR JUNETEENTH TO SAY BLACK LIVES MATTER IN PINK LETTERS.

>> THE SECONDARY PAINTING OVER TOP OF HER MURAL CAME AT A TIME WHEN THAT THREE-YEAR PERIOD WAS ALMOST UP.

SO THE IDEA WAS THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER COMMISSION.

>> KSANDER SAYS THEY ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE BICYCLE GARAGE TO COMMISSION A NEW MURAL FOR THE SPACE IN PEOPLE'S PARK BUT SHE'S UNSURE OF A TIMELINE FOR THE PROJECT.

SEAN STAROWITZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE ARTS IN BLOOMINGTON SAYS THE BOARD OF ART COMMISSION IS LOOKING TO HONOR THE PARK'S COMPLICATED HISTORY.

THE BLACK-OWNED BUSINESS WAS FIRE BOMBED BY SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE KU KLUX KLAN.

THE STORE NEVER REBUILT AND THE SPACE WAS DEDICATED AS A PARK LATER IN 1976.

>> I THINK THE INTENTION FROM THE ART COMMISSION WOULD BE THAT THE FUTURE COMMISSION WOULD GO TO AN ARTIST OF COLOR.

>> STAROWITZ SAYS PUBLIC ART HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR.

SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2020, IT'S BECOME INHERENTLY POLITICAL.

>> PUBLIC ART HAS SHIFTED INTO THIS -- I MEAN IT'S ALWAYS BEEN POLITICAL, RIGHT?

BUT, LIKE, THE ROLE OF PUBLIC ART HAS KIND OF CEMENTED ITSELF IN POLITICS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> THE MURALS IN PEOPLE'S PARK AND ON 6th STREET AND ELM STREET ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES IN TOWN.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS INSTALLED A COLORFUL AND INTRICATE BLACK LIVES MATTER MURAL IN FRONT NEAL-MARSHALL BLACK CULTURAL CENTER IN JULY.

I'M HOLDEN ABSHIER.

>> THAT'S THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, BUT OUR WORK CONTINUES ONLINE AS WE COVER THE NEWS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK AT WTIUNEWS.ORG.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

♪ >> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: