>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: >>> COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," ILEARN TESTING BEGINS THIS MONTH, AND EDUCATORS ARE EAGER TO FIND OUT THE IMPACT OF TWO YEARS OF ONLINE, HYBRID AND IN-PERSON LEARNING ON KIDS.

>> ALTHOUGH THEY ARE HERE IN THE BUILDING, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT IN THE HABIT NOW OF DOING THE WORK, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET THEM TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENTS.

>> LAST YEAR, LESS THAN 30% OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 3 THROUGH 8 PASSED BOTH THE ENGLISH AND THE MATH PORTIONS OF THE TEST.

>>> MORE THAN 300 TREES WILL SOON BEGIN BEING PLANTED IN PLAN ANDBLOOMINGTON AND THE CITY TOOK PAINS TO TARGET UNDERSERVED AREAS FOR PLANTING.

>> WE LOOKED AT PERCENTAGE OF NONWHITE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES IN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.

>> AND A BLOOMINGTON AUTHOR MADE SURE THAT THE SCREEN ADAPTATION OF HIS BOOK WAS FILMED AT THE WEST WADEN HOTELS.

THOSE STORIES PLUS THE LATEST NEWS HEADLINES, RIGHT NOW ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK"!

FIDUCIARY ♪ >>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

I'M JOE HREN.

THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH HAS MADE MAJOR CHANGES TO ITS COVID-19 DASHBOARD, WHICH INCLUDED REMOVING INFORMATION THAT HAD BEEN AVAILABLE FOR MUCH OF THE PANDEMIC.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S BRANDON SMITH REPORTS.

>> GONE WILL BE DAILY UPDATES.

INSTEAD THE DASHBOARD WILL UPDATE MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY.

GONE TOO IS DATA THAT SHOWS HOW MANY HOSPITAL BEDS AND VENTILATORS ARE AVAILABLE ACROSS THE STATE.

NOW IT WILL FOCUS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID AND COMPARE THAT TO PREVIOUS PERIODS IN THE PANDEMIC.

THEY ELIMINATED POSITIVITY RATES WITH THE UPDATE.

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THAT'S IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING STANDARDS.

BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE AT-HOME AND NO REPORTING MECHANISM WHEN THAT IS POSITIVE, THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL IS PUSHING STATES TO MOVE AWAY FROM THAT METRIC.

IDOH CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, LINDSEY WEAVER SAYS THE DASHBOARD WILL FOCUS ON A BETTER MEASUREMENT, THE IMPACT COVID IS HAVING ON THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS AND HOSPITALS.

IT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT CORONAVIRUS.IN.GOV.

I'M BRANDON SMITH AT THE STATE HOUSE.

>>> NOW, THE STATE ALSO ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY HOOSIERS AGE 50 AND OLDER AND CERTAIN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PEOPLE 12 AND OLDER ARE NOW ELIGIBLE FOR A SECOND COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOT.

>>> WELL, TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE DEALT WITH A LOT THE PAST TWO YEARS AND MANY ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE END OF SCHOOL, BUT AS MITCH LEGAN REPORTS, ANNUAL ILEARN EXAMS BEGIN THIS MONTH AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS ARE AWAITING RESULTS TO SEE THE IMPACT OF TWO YEARS OF PANDEMIC LEARNING.

>> IT'S MONDAY MORNING AT SARA SCOTT MIDDLE SCHOOL IN TERRE HAUTE AND SCOTIA BROWN IS DIRECTING THE MONTHLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION.

IT'S ONE OF MANY NEW STRATEGIES BROWN AND HER STAFF HAVE IMPLEMENTED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AS THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAS UPENDED SCHOOL.

>> BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR IS SPINNING PLATES.

BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR IN A PANDEMIC IS -- I MEAN, IT'S A HERCULEAN TASK.

>> FIRST CAME MOVING INSTRUCTION ONLINE.

STUDENTS HAD TO LEARN FROM PAPER PACK ELIMINATES -- PACKETS AND THEN ZOOM SCREENS.

IT FORCES SWITCHES BETWEEN IN-PERSON AND ONLINE.

BROWN SAYS THINGS ARE BETTER THIS YEAR, BEING IN-PERSON AND WITHOUT MASKS, BUT SHE HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE PANDEMIC'S LINGERING IMPACTS.

>> ALTHOUGH THEY ARE HERE IN THE BUILDING, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT IN THE HABIT NOW OF DOING THE WORK, IT'S A CHALLENGE TO GET THEM TO COMPLETE THE ASSIGNMENTS.

AND SO JUMP STARTING THAT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.

>> 97% OF INDIANA'S THIRD THROUGH EIGHT GREAT GRADERS TOOK THE ILEARN TEST LAST YEAR AFTER IT WAS CANCELED IN 2020.

FEWER THAN 29% OF STUDENTS PASSED BOTH THE ENGLISH AND MATH SECTIONS.

PEARLE FORRANCE WAS A LITTLE BETTER WHEN -- PERFORMANCE WAS A LITTLE BETTER WHEN CONSIDERING THE SUBJECTS SEPARATELY.

AND STANDARDIZED TESTS DON'T GIVE EVERYTHING IN THE STUDENT LEARNING.

>> WE WERE EXPECTING A DROP IN THE TEST SCORES BUT WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR THE DROP THAT WE SAW.

IT WAS ABYSMAL.

>> BROWN PINS THE DROP IN SCORES AND MOTIVATION ON MULTIPLE FACTORS.

IT'S BEEN HARD TO LEARN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

ONLINE SCHOOL WASN'T FOR EVERYONE.

WHEN STUDENTS COULD GET ONLINE.

AND POSITIVE COVID TESTS MEANT EXTENDED ABSENCES FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

>> TWO HOURS EAST, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN SCHOOLS HAD TO TURN TO PARENTS, PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO HELP SUBSTITUTE TEACH.

>> WE KIND OF DO OUR BEST, BUT MAKE SURE THAT THE LESSON PLAN IS ADHERED TO, AND MAKE SURE REALLY THAT THE OVERALL -- THE OVERALL MOOD OF THE CLASS AND OF THE SCHOOL ISN'T INTERRUPTED.

>> FULL-TIME SUB KENT STERLING HASN'T SEEN AS MUCH OF AN ACADEMIC IMPACT IN HIGH SCHOOLERS, BUT HE SAYS IT'S EVIDENT WITH YOUNGER STUDENTS.

>> THE CONTINUOUS RIGORS OF ACADEMIA FOR FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADERS, THAT BEING INTERRUPTED HAS CAUSED A -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY A SLIDE, BUT A -- A LESS COMPLETE GRASP OF THE INFORMATION AND HAS PUT THEM BEHIND.

>> THE ACADEMIC IMPACTS HAVE BEEN EVEN SHARPER FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

AT SARA SCOTT, WHERE ALMOST 90% OF STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH, PRINCIPAL BROWN AND SOCIAL WORKER MICHELLE CAMPBELL MILLER WENT DOOR-TO-DOOR DROPPING FOOD OFF FOR STUDENTS.

CAMPBELL MILLER IS FOCUSING ON STUDENTS SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS.

>> WE DO THE ZONES OF REGULATION AND SO IF A STUDENT SAYS THEY ARE IN THE RED ZONE, THAT GIVES ME -- THAT INDICATES TO ME, I NEED TO GO IN AND CHECK ON THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME.

SO WE DO A WHOLE LOT MORE OF THAT.

>> INCIDENTS OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY HAVE SPIKED AT SARA SCOTT.

CAMPBELL MILLER SAYS THE LACK OF SOCIAL INTERACTION HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE JUST MAKING THE JUMP TO MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL.

IT NOT ONLY AFFECTS THEM ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, BUT HOW THEY DO IN THE CLASSROOM.

>> US GETTING BACK ON THE MEND IS BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIPS AND RETEACHING OUR STUDENTS HOW TO INTERACT WITH STUDENTS AND INTERACT WITH THEIR TEACHERS.

>> SCHOOLS HAVE USED FEDERAL COVID MONEY TO TRY TO CLOSE SOME OF THOSE LEARNING GAPS.

SARA SCOTT HAS PUT RESOURCES TOWARDS EXTRA LEARNING AND TUTORINGTUTORING SERVICES.

WITH ILEARN APPROACHING IN APRIL, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER WAVE OF DATA TO SEE HOW TWO YEARS OF PANDEMIC SCHOOLING HAS AFFECTED HOOSIER STUDENTS.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M MITCH LEGAN.

>>> THE ASSESSMENT WINDOW FOR SCHOOLS TO GIVE THE ILEARN EXAM THIS SPRING IS APRIL 18th THROUGH MAY 13th.

>>> INDIANA UNIVERSITY HAS A LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH UKRAINE GOING BACK TO WHEN THE NATION WAS PLANTING ITS DEMOCRATIC ROOTS.

KAYAN TARA HAS THE STORY WITH I.U.

'S ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNTRY.

>> CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INDIANA UNIVERSITY AND UKRAINE DATE BACK TO WHEN THE COUNTRY WAS STILL A PART OF THE SOVIET UNION IN EARLY 1990s.

PRESSURE HAS CONTINUED.

THE MOST RECENT BEGAN NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO WITH THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AWARDED I.U.

A GRANT OF JUST UNDER $1 MILLION TO PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL OF KYIV-MOHYLA ACADEMY.

I.U.

CONTRIBUTED $360,000 TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THEY WERE REALLY HOPING THAT THIS WOULD -- THAT THIS EFFORT WOULD HELP THE UKRAINIANS TO TELL THEIR OWN STORY.

BECAUSE AS HE PUT IT, RUSSIA IS TELLING UKRAINE'S STORY.

EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, RUSSIA IS TELLING UKRAINE'S STORY.

THEY HAVE A CERTAIN KIND OF NARRATIVE.

>> THE PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO CREATE THREE ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WITH A FOCUS ON HELPING COMMUNICATION SPECIALISTS IN THE UKRAINE.

>> BOTH PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WORKING AND COULD DO THIS PART-TIME BUT ALSO FULL-TIME GRADUATE STUDENTS AND ALSO A CERTIFICATE FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES.

SO I.U.

FACULTY HELPED WORK THROUGH ALL THE SYLLABUS FOR ESTABLISHING THESE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS.

>> IN 2003, I.U.

RECEIVED A $4.9 MILLION GRANT CALLED A PARLIAMENTARY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR UKRAINE IN WHICH SPEA FACULTY MEMBERED HELPED TO AMEND UKRAINE'S CONSTITUTION.

THE VALUE OF UKRAINIAN PROGRAMS INCLUDES PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE LIFE IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

>> THEY GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER, AND SO THEY'RE MUCH, MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

THEY IMPLORE THEIR LEADERS.

WE WANT TO DEAL FAIRLY WITH THOSE PEOPLE.

WE MET THEM.

THEY ARE JUST LIKE US, YOU KNOW?

AND SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AT EVERY LEVEL OF SOCIETY.

>> I. U.

OFFERS COURSES ON EAST EUROPEAN HISTORY AND LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AND HAS SIGNIFICANT HOLDINGS OF UKRAINIAN LITERATURE, HISTORY AND ART IN ITS LIBRARY.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY BRAVE AND DEDICATED PEOPLE WE CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM THEM.

AND I MUST SAY, OVER THE YEARS THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH UKRAINIAN COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE LEARNED, I THINK, MORE FROM THEM THAN THEY HAVE LEARNED FROM US.

>> GRAB SAYSE SAYS SHE HOPES I.U.

CAN FOSTER THE RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.

>> I'M KAYAN TARA.

>> WE'RE JOINED BY DINAH SPECHLER WHO TEACHES A COURSE ON RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW, PROFESSOR.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO, WHEN THE SOVIET UNION COLLAPSED IN 1991, UKRAINE, OTHER FORMER SATELLITE NATIONS, SUDDENLY BECAME NUCLEAR POWERS.

INDIANA GOVERNOR RICHARD LUGAR HELPED AUTHOR A THREAT REDUCTION PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THESE WEAPONS.

CAN WE JUST START BY HAVING YOU EXPLAIN THE PROGRAM AND WHAT IT MEANT?

>> YES, IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY, FAR-REACHING AND MANY WAYS IDEALISTIC PROGRAM.

AS YOU SAY, WHEN THE SOVIET UNION BROKE APART, THE SOVIET UNION ITSELF HAD POSSESSED MORE THAN 30,000 NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THEY SUDDENLY WERE IN THE HANDS OF NOT ONE, BUT FOUR DIFFERENT SOVEREIGN STATES, NOT ONLY RUSSIA BUT KAZAKHSTAN, BELARUS AND FOR TODAY, MOST SIGNIFICANTLY UKRAINE.

AND THEY WERE NOT FULLY ACCOUNTED FOR, EVEN THE RUSSIANS DIDN'T EXACTLY KNOW HOW MUCH WAS WHERE.

THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HISTORIC DEEP NOSE DIVE.

SO THEY HAD VERY FEW RESOURCES TO DEVOTE TO DOING ANYTHING CONSTRUCTIVE WITH THESE WEAPONS.

AND SENATOR LUGAR, TOGETHER WITH THE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR RICHARD NUNN CONCEIVED A REMARKABLE PROGRAM THAT WOULD INVOLVE CONSOLIDATING THESE WEAPONS, BRINGING THEM TOGETHER INTO A FEW SITES IN RUSSIA, NOT AMONG FOUR SOVEREIGN STATES, SECURING THEM SO THAT THEY COULD NOT BE ACCESSIBLE TO TERRORISTS OR ANYONE ELSE THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THEFT.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY, ELIMINATING A GOOD MANY OF THEM IN ACCORD WITH A RECENTLY SIGNED STRATEGIC ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT, A PATH BREAKING STRATEGIC ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT THAT WOULD CUT BOTH WHAT WAS THEN THE SOVIET AND AMERICAN NUCLEAR ARSENALS BY A THIRD.

SO THE NUNN-LUGAR ACT, AGREED TO ALLOW AMERICAN FUNDING AND ALSO AMERICAN EXPERTS, TECHNICIANS, SCIENTISTS, TO COME IN TO RUSSIA AND THE OTHER THREE COUNTRIES ALSO AGREED FOR THESE SCIENTISTS TO ENTER AND INSTRUCT AND HELP OVERSEE, AS I SAY, THE CONSOLIDATING OF THESE WEAPONS, THE SECURING OF THEM AND ULTIMATELY FOR MANY OF THOSE WEAPONS COMPLETELY DISMANTLING THOSE WEAPONS.

AND THE LEVEL OF COOPERATION WAS REALLY EXTRAORDINARY.

I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SCIENTISTS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN DEALING WITH THEIR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS, EVEN WITH AMERICAN MILITARY OFFICIALS WHO DEALT WITH THEIR RUSSIAN COUNTERPARTS.

AND SUDDENLY THINGS THAT HAD BEEN KEPT TOP SECRET FOR YEARS AND YEARS WERE OPEN.

SIGHTS WERE -- SITES WERE OPEN.

SITESTHAT NO FOREIGNER EVER HAD ACCESS WERE NOW AVAILABLE.

AND IT WAS A HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM, AS I SAY, TO MAKE THESE THINGS SECURE FROM TERRORISTS.

FOR TODAY, WHAT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT, IS THAT -- >> REALLY QUICK.

>> IN THE PROCESS, UKRAINE AGREED TO TRANSFER ITS NUCLEAR WEAPONS TO RUSSIA.

>> PROFESSOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> YOU'RE WELCOME.

>> INDIANAPOLIS HAS BEEN AWARDED THE 2024 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS.

LUCAS OIL STADIUM WILL BE THE SITE OF THE NINE-DAY EVENT IN THE POOL.

THREE TEMPORARY POOLS WILL BE ERECTED IN THE STADIUM.

NOW ONE SWIMMER EXCITED TO HAVE THE EVENT BACK IS IN INDIANA'S FORMER I.U.

STANDOUT LILLY KING.

THE EVANSVILLE NATIVE AND FIVE-TIME OLYMPIC MEDALIST WILL BE TRYING TO MAKE A THIRD OLYMPICS.

>> IT DEFINITELY FEELS DIFFERENT BUT MUCH MORE COMFORTING.

IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO SWIM IN FRONT OF A HOME CROWD, AND I REALLY FEED OFF OF THAT ENERGY, AND I KNOW WE'LL HAVE SO MANY FANS HERE AND IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO SELL OUT.

>> THE MEET WILL DETERMINE THE U.S.

SWIM TEAM FOR THE SUMMER GAMES IN PARIS.

>>> THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON HAS FILED A LAWSUIT IN ITS ATTEMPT TO ANNEX PARTS OF MONROE COUNTY.

THE SUIT CLAIMS A 2019 LAW THAT LIMITED THE CITY'S ANNEXATION EFFORT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

THE LAW NULLIFIED SEWER CONTRACTS WHERE THE CITY EXPANDED SEWER CONNECTIONS TO PROPERTIES THAT AGREED NOT TO OPPOSE ANNEXATION.

THAT WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN BLOOMINGTON ANNEXING ONLY 2 OF 7 AREAS OF MONROE COUNTY IT TRIED TO.

OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE LOUD BOOM THAT SURPRISED MANY HOOSIERS THROUGHOUT SOUTH CENTER INDIANA ON WEDNESDAY.

CORDIE SWEETWATER VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN NINEVEH RECORDED THE BOOM ON THEIR SECURITY CAMERA.

[ BOOM ] NOW MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THE SOUND CAME FROM TWO NEARBY MILITARY INSTALLATIONS, BUT THE AMERICAN METEOR SOCIETY RECEIVED MULTIPLE REPORTS OF A METEOR AROUND THE SAME TIME.

>> FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE MAP THAT THEY PROVIDED, THEY HAVE A TRAJECTORY THAT GOES FROM MORGANTOWN TO GREENWOOD.

>> PAVLIK SAYS OVERCAST WEATHER COULD HAVE CAUSED A SMALL NUMBER OF REPORTS OF THE INCIDENT, HOWEVER, IT'S HARD TOPROOFTO PROVE IT WAS A METEOR, UNLESS SOMEONE FINDS IT.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," BLOOMINGTON SOON WILL BE PLANTING MORE THAN 300 TREES AROUND THE CITY, MAINLY IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND THE WEST WADEN SPRINGS HOTEL HAS -- WEST BADEN SPRINGS HOTEL HAS A STARRING ROLL IN A BLOOMINGTON AUTHOR'S NATIVE, MICHAEL KORYTA.

>> THESE STORIES AND MORE RIGHT HERE ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

NEXT MONTH, THE FIRST OF 304 NEW TREES WILL BE PLANTED AROUND THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.

PAT BEANE LOOKS AT WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM AND HOW SITES FOR THE TREES WERE SELECTED.

>> IN 2018, THE CITY SET ASIDE $800,000 OF ITS BICENTENNIAL BONDS PROJECT TO MANHATTAN TREES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO -- PLANT TREES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

SO WHEN THEY PLANTED 304 NEW TREES, MANY ASKED IF THE CITY WAS REALLY SPENDING $800,000 ON 300 TREES OR A LITTLE MORE THAN $2,600 PER TREE.

THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO.

>> THIS IS AN INITIAL PHASE TO KIND OF SEE HOW THIS GOES AND SEE HOW WE CAN ADJUST THIS INTO THE FUTURE, AND USE IT TO PLANT MORE TREES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.

>> HATCH IS BLOOMINGTON'S URBAN FORRESTER AND RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING THE PROJECT.

THE COST OF THIS INITIAL PHASE IS ROUGHLY $182,000.

THAT WORKS OUT TO A LITTLE UNDER $600 PER TREE AND INCLUDES THE PURCHASE, PLANTING AND TWO FOLLOW-UP VISITS BY DAVY RESOURCE GROUP.

THAT PRICE TAG INCLUDES A 2019 TREE INVENTORY BY DAVY THAT IDENTIFIED PLANTING SITES.

>> WE ARE LOOKING AT IT FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LENS.

SO FOR THIS PROJECT, WE LOOKED AT MEDIAN INCOME AND ALSO PERCENTAGE OF NONWHITE INDIVIDUALS WITHIN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIES IN THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON.

>> WHAT THE CITY IS AIMING FOR IS CALLED APRIL EQUITABLE TREE CANOPY.

SARA MINCY IS THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIRECTOR.

SHE SAYS TREE INEQUITY IS CONNECTED TO SYSTEMIC RACISM AND HOUSING DATING BACK TO THE 1930s WHEN REDLINING LIMITED WHERE MINORITIES COULD LIVE.

>> WE KNOW THAT INEQUITIES IN TREE CANOPY COVER MEANS PARTICULAR KINDS OF GROUPS OF PEOPLE MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THOSE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES THAT OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE HAVE.

SO WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO THOSE BENEFITS.

>> THE BENEFITS OF TREE CANOPY ARE WIDE RANGING.

TREESIMPROVE AIR QUALITY, AID IN STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND ADD TO THE VALUE OF A PROPERTY.

>> TREES PROVIDE SHADE AND WIND BLOCKS TO HOMES AND SO THAT MEANS WE'RE SPENDING USUALLY LESS MONEY ON OUR AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING.

WHICH ENDS UP OBVIOUSLY HELPING INDIVIDUALS IN TERMS OF THE MONEY THAT THEY HAVE TO SPEND.

>> THE CITY DECIDED WHERE TO PLANT NEW TREES, TAKING INFORMATION FROM THE TREE SURVEY BY DAVY AND COMBINING IT WITH SOCIO, ECONOMIC DEMOGRAPHICS.

THE TREE CANOPY WAS 38% WITH AN ESTIMATED AREA OF ANOTHER 22% OF THE CITY AVAILABLE FOR TREE PLANTING.

THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION FROM ITS URBAN FOREST IS JUST UNDER $1 MILLION.

USING THAT DATA, THE CITY IDENTIFIED FOUR PROJECT AREAS, TWO COVERING NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE EAST SIDE, ONE COVERING NINE NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE NORTH AND NEAR WEST SIDE AND ONE COVERING 10 NEIGHBORHOODS ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

NOT ALL ARE IN LOW-INCOME AREAS.

>> I THINK IT'S RELEVANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS ON AN URBAN FORRESTER IS ACTUALLY HAVING VIABLE PLANTING LOCATIONS.

IT ENDS UP OFTEN KNOCKING OUT SOME COMMUNITIES THAT WE MIGHT RATHER BE PLANTING IN.

>> HATCH SAYS TREES WILL BEGIN BEING PLANTED IN APRIL AND MAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PROJECT AREA WITH ANOTHER PLANTING SESSION SCHEDULED FOR OF COURSE AND NOVEMBER.

THAT WILL BE DONE -- OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER.

THAT WILL BE DONE BY THE DAVY RESOURCE GROUP WHICH IS CONTRACTED FOR TWO POSTPLANTING.

AFTER THAT.

>> THEY ARE CONSIDERED CITY TREES.

REMOVALS THAT MIGHT NEED TO HAPPEN IF THEY BECOME SICK OR DIE, THAT'S CITY RESPONSIBILITY.

>> SO WHAT WILL HATCH DO WITH THE REMAINING $600,000 IN THE BICENTENNIAL TREES.

>> PLANT MORE TREES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.

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

>>> WELL, RARELY CAN A NOVEL BE BORN, ADAPTED, FILMED AND PREMIERED ALL IN ONE PLACE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT PLACE IS INDIANA.

BUT FOR BLOOMINGTON AUTHOR MICHAEL KORYTA, THERE WAS NO OTHER OPTION FOR THE SCREEN ADAPTATION OF HIS BOOK "SO COLD THE RIVER."

CALI LICHTER HAS THIS STORY.

>> WHEN MICHAEL KORYTA WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND VISITING THE WEST BADEN SPRINGS HOTEL IN FRENCH LICK FOR FIRST TIME, HE COULDN'T DREAM OF THE JOURNEY THAT THAT VISIT WOULD TAKE HIM ON DECADES LATER.

IT WAS IN RUINS AND STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND BUT THAT VISIT AND MORE OVER THE YEARS AS THE PROPERTY WAS RESTORED BEGGED A QUESTION.

>> HOW IT CAME TO EXIST.

WHY IT WENT AWAY AND HOW IT CAME BACK.

>> THAT QUESTION SPARKED A GHOST STORY THAT WOULD LEAD TO KORYTA'S NOVEL, "SO COLD THE RIVER" WHICH IS BASED ON THE HOTEL AND THE HISTORY.

IT WAS PUBLISHED IN 2010, BUT THERE WERE ISSUES ADAPTING IT INTO A MOVIE.

>> THE MOMENT I THOUGHT IT WOULD NOT BE A MOVIE WAS WHEN I HEARD A HOLLYWOOD STUDIO TOLD ME THEY COULD BUILD IT ON SET AND FILL TESTIMONY OUT THERE -- FILM OUT THERE.

>> HE TOLD THE STUDIOS.

>> NO, YOU CAN'T.

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT.

>> SO KORYTA TURNED TO PETE YONKMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE COOK GROUP WHICH FUNDED THE RESTORATION AND RUNS THE HOTEL.

YONKMAN KNEW JUST THE COMPANY THAT WOULD BE WILLING FILM EVERYTHING IN STATE.

>> I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH PETE YONKMAN TO MEET ZACH SPICER WHO IS THIS GUY WHO IS INSANE AND HE THOUGHT MOVIES COULD BE MADE IN INDIANA.

AND REALLY GOOD MOVIES COULD BE MADE IN INDIANA.

>> THE C.E.O.

OF PIGASUS PICTURES, SPICER SAID THAT THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADAPT THE NOVEL HIT HOME.

AFTER SITTING DOWN WITH YONKMAN AND KORYTA, THE TEAM GOT TO WORK LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE SCREEN ADAPTATION.

>> MR. BRADFORD, MY NAME IS ERICA SHAW.

I'M SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR PAST.

>> AND THEN IT WAS REALLY PETE AND MICHAEL PARTNERING WITH THE HOTEL HERE, AND, LIKE, GETTING THEM TO BUY IN THAT THIS WAS A WORTH WHILE ENDEAVOR AND A GOOD IDEA.

>> BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE MOVIE IN FRENCH LICK IS SPECIAL.

PIGASUS IS LOCATED IN INDIANA AND HE'S AN I.U.

ALUM.

>> WE HAVE BEEN MAKING IN MOVIES IN INDIANA.

THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY.

>> NOT ONLY DOES THE HOOSIER STATE HOLD A SPECIAL SPOT FOR MOST OF THE TEAM, BUT AN ACTOR AS WELL.

>> FOR THAT SAME EXPERIENCE TO ALSO BE TAKING PLACE IN HI HOME STATE AND FOR IT TO BE SUCH AN INTERESTING COMPLICATED CHARACTER THAT I -- THAT I GET TO PLAY.

I MEAN ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE MADE FOR AN ENTIRELY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

>> THE JOURNEY THAT "SO COLD THE RIVER" HAS TAKEN KORYTA ON IS FINALLY OVER.

>> MY VERSION OF IT IS DONE.

TO SEE IT PASSED ON TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WORK IN OR CREATIVE MEDIUMS WHO MAKE IT THEIR OWN IS FULL CIRCLE IS THE PERFECT WAY TO DESCRIBE.

IT REALLY SPECIAL.

>> AND AFTER YEARS OF PERSISTENCE, KORYTA ACCOMPLISHED WHAT EVERY HOLLYWOOD FILM STUDIO TOLD HIM HE COULDN'T DO, MAKE HIS FILM ON LOCATION IN INDIANA.

>> HAVE A LITTLE FLYOVER STATE KID CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, AND I DON'T MIND ADMITTING AT ALL THAT IT IS -- IT'S REALLY SPECIAL TO SAY, NO, WE DID IT HERE.

WE PULLED IT OFF HERE.

AND WE MADE IT WITH PEOPLE FROM INDIANA.

>> AND HOW WOULD HE DESCRIBE HIS MOVIE?

>> BEST INDIANA THRILLER EVER MADE!

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M CALI LICHTER.

>>> "SO COLD THE RIVER" IS IN SELECT THEATERS AND AVAILABLE ON DEMAND.

>>> AND A PHOTOGRAPHER IS ON A QUEST TO FIND THE OWNER OF SUPER 8 HOME MOVIES SHE STUMBLED ACROSS WHILE SHOPPING FOR ANTIQUES.

MITCH LEGAN REPORTS.

>> LEAH TRIBBETT IS ON A MISSION.

>> NO LEADS YET.

I'VE HAD ONE PERSON SAY THAT THINGS LOOKED FAMILIAR BUT NOTHING CONCRETE.

>> THE INDIANAPOLIS-BASED PHOTOGRAPHER MADE A TRIP DOWN TO BLOOMINGTON FOR SOME ANTIQUE HUNTING A FEW WEEKS BACK AND DECIDED TO STOP AT THE ANTIQUE MALL.

SHE FOUND A PLASTIC BAG FULL OF OLD 8-MILLIMETER FILM ROLLS.

SOMETHING TOLD HER SHE HAD TO GRAB IT.

>> THEY WERE IN OLDER CASTERS OR FILM REEL COMPARTMENTS AND SO IT WAS VERY -- IT WAS A REALLY COOL FIND.

AND FOR ME IT WAS LIKE, OH, THIS COULD EITHER BE COOL DECOR OR SOMETHING REALLY UNDERNEATH THIS.

>> SHE TOOK THE FILM BACK HOME AND RAN IT THROUGH HER SUPER 8 DIGITIZER.

WHAT SHE FOUND WAS OLD HOME VIDEOS FROM THE BLOOMINGTON AREA.

>> THERE WERE SOME REALLY JUST LIKE, CORE FAMILY MOMENTS IN THIS FILM THAT COULD BE SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT TO A FAMILY, ESPECIALLY AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS FILMED.

>> SHE POSTED A HIGHLIGHT REEL OF HER FINDINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN STRONG, BUT ABOUT A WEEK INTO HER SEARCH, SHE'S YET TO FIND THE OWNER.

>> WE'RE HOPING TO BRING THIS FILM INTO A DIFFERENT LIGHT, YOU KNOW, PHYSICALLY AND METAPHORICALLY IS GOING TO BRING BACK A MEMORY FOR SOMEONE I HOPE.

>> TRIBBETT SAYS ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON THE VIDEOS CAN CONTACT HER AT HER PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS, OR THEY CAN REACH OUT TO HER ON TWITTER @LEAH TRIB.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M MITCH LEGAN.

>>> 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: