POSSIBLE IN PART BY: >>> COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," THE AVIAN FLU THAT HAS RAVAGED CHICKEN AND TURKEY FLOCKS IN THE STATE HAS MIGRATED TO WILD BIRDS SUCH AS CRANES AND GEESE.

>> THROUGHOUT JANUARY, WE JUST STARTED TO SEE THOSE MORTALITIES RISE TO THE POINT WHERE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF THEM THAT HAVE DIED.

>> AROUND 200 DEAD SANDHILL CRANES WERE FOUND DEAD.

REGULATIONS FOR A NEW CLASS OF REFRIGERANTS MAY MEAN HAVING TO REPLACE YOUR HVAC SYSTEM RATHER THAN REPAIRING IT, AND THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE.

>> THERE ISN'T REALLY A RETROFITTABLE SOLUTION TO SAY, HEY, WE WILL SWITCH OUT THE REFRIGERANT TO THE NEW REFRIGERANT ON THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT.

>> AT IVY TECH, STUDENTS ARE LEARNING HOW TO WORK WITH THE NEW REFRIGERANTS WHICH ARE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY BUT ALSO MORE FLAMMABLE.

AND I.U.

INDIANAPOLIS HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED AS A RESEARCH ONE INSTITUTION THANKS TO A CHANGE IN THE CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.

THESE STORIES AND MORE, RIGHT NOW ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

>>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M JOE HREN.

INDIANA'S K-12 SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIVERSITIES HAVE UNTIL TODAY TO ELIMINATE POLICIES THAT CONSIDER RACE AND ADMISSIONS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF STUDENT LIFE OR RISK LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING.

THIS GOES ALONG WITH GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN'S EXECUTIVE ORDER TO END D.E.I.

INITIATIVES IN STATE GOVERNMENT AND MIRRORS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO EQUITY VERSUS EQUALITY, TO ME, THAT'S SIMPLE.

IF YOU ARE FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON EQUITY, YOU ARE CONTRIVING OUTCOMES THROUGH GOVERNMENT.

>> NEITHER INDIANA UNIVERSITY NOR MCCSC RESPONDED TO REQUESTS FOR COMMENT AND LEADERS HAVEN'T MADE ANY PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT HOW THEY ARE RESPONDING TO THE DIRECTIVE.

>> MONROE COUNTY COMMUNITY SCHOOLS IS ALSO FACING FUNDING CHALLENGES DUE TO DECLINING POPULATION AND DECREASED REVENUE FROM THE STATE.

SUPERINTENDENT MARKAY WINSTON SHARED THE SCHOOL CORPORATION'S PLAN TO CONFRONT THE SHORTFALL DURING STATE OF THE SCHOOL'S ADDRESS AT TRINORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL.

ISABELLA VESPIRINI REPORTS.

>> IN HER ADDRESS, WINSTON HIGHLIGHTED SOME OF THE MCCSC'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDING A 92% GRADUATION RATE AND AN 85% POSTSECONDARY EMPLOYMENT RATE.

SHE OUTLINED SIX PRIORITIES, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL HEALTH, AND FOSTERING STUDENT GROWTH.

>> NUMBER THREE, CONTINUING TO EXPAND OUR EARLY LEARNING PROGRAM.

DO YOU KNOW THAT AS A RESULT OF OUR REFERENDUM, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR PARTICIPATION OF OUR 4-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS BY MORE THAN 73% FROM ONE YEAR AGO?

>> WINSTON ANNOUNCED A TWO-YEAR PLAN TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL BALANCE.

STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS DECREASED 7.6% IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF $17.2 MILLION IN STATE REVENUE, WHICH HELPS TO PAY FOR TEACHER WAGES AND BENEFITS.

>> AT MCCSC, WE RECEIVE FROM THE STATE, WE RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE STATE TO COVER OR WAGES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR TEACHERS AND IT RELIES ON OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT.

>> COUNTY DATE, REPORTS THAT 400 FEWER STUDENTS COULD ATTEND MCCSC SCHOOLS IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

PAYROLL EXPENSES HAVE INCREASED BY 31.7%, COSTING $28.6 MILLION IN THE PAST THREE YEARS.

>> WE HAVE COMPLETED THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF PHASE ONE, A COMPREHENSIVE FISCAL REVIEW AND COST ANALYSIS, THAT BEGAN IN JULY OF 2024, WHEN I WAS NAMED INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.

>> PHASE TWO BEGINNING THIS SPRING WILL EVALUATE HOW THE CORPORATION CAN CUT COSTS, WITH LESS FUNDING, WINSTON SAYS EVERY TEACHING POSITION THAT OPENS MUST NOT BE FILLED.

PHASE THREE PRIORITIZES A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN AND PHASE FOUR WILL IMPLEMENT THE PLANS ESTABLISHED IN THE PLAN.

PHASE FIVE CALLS FOR CONTINUOUS EVALUATION OF THE FINANCIAL PLAN.

>> WHILE CHANGE IS NEVER EASY, I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE WILL BALANCE OUR FISCAL REALITY TO SUSTAIN THE TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS OUR STUDENTS WANT AND OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS.

SUSTAINING EXCELLENCE.

THAT IS THE MISSION.

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M ISABELLA VESPIRINI.

>>> THE TWO-YEAR FIVE-STEP PLAN IS AVAILABLE ON MCCSC'S WEBSITE.

WINSTON SAYS SHE WILL PROVIDE QUARTERLY UPDATES AT BOARD MEETINGS ON THE PROGRESS OF THE PLAN.

>> CINCINNATI RESIDENT KATHERINE GREENWOOD WAS PASSING THROUGH SEYMOUR LAST WEEKEND ON HIGHWAY 50 WHEN SHE SAW A STARTLING SIGHT, DOZENS AND DOZENS OF DEAD SANDHILL CRANES.

SHE LATER POSTED WHAT SHE SAW ON FACEBOOK, WHERE IT WENT VIRAL.

CLAYTON BAUMGARTH VISITED SITE ON TUESDAY TO CONFIRM THE STORY AND HAS MORE ON THE AVIAN FLU THAT HAS SPREAD TO WILD FLOCKS.

>> I'M STANDING JUST OUTSIDE OF SEYMOUR, WHERE THESE BIRDS WERE FIRST SPOTTED.

NOW THESE SANDHILL CRANES HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED FOR BIRD FLU YET, BUT THE DNR SAYS BECAUSE OF WATERFOWL IN THE AREA AND OTHER CRANES BEING TESTED AND CONFIRMED TO HAVE BIRD FLU, IT'S LIKELY THEY ARE DEAD BECAUSE OF BIRD FLU.

>> SINCE GREENWOOD'S POST, THE NUMBER OF DEAD CRANES AT THE SITE HAS RISEN TO 30.

REPORTS OF DEAD BIRDS IN JACKSON COUNTY HAVE BEEN COMING TO THE DNR SINCE EARLY JANUARY.

THOSE EARLY REPORTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AS CAUSED BY BIRD FLU.

>> THROUGHOUT JANUARY, WE JUST STARTED TO SEE THOSE MORTALITIES RISE TO THE POINT WHERE THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF THEM, THAT HAVE DIED.

RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ESTIMATING 600, 500 TO 600 BASED ON REPORTS.

I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THERE'S MORE THAN THAT.

>> SO FAR THIS YEAR, ABOUT 1500 SAND HILLS HAVE BEEN REPORTED DEAD ACROSS THE STATE.

SIMILARLY, OVER 1,000 CANADA GEESE AND 1,000 SNOW GEESE HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED DEAD DUE TO BIRD FLU.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO TRACK HOW MANY WILD BIRDS ARE SICK WITH BIRD FLU BECAUSE THE PRIMARY WAY OF TESTING IS THROUGH COLLECTED CARCASSES THAT ARE REPORTED TO THE AGENCY.

>> SOMETIMES THERE WILL BE SOME CARCASSES THAT I THINK ARE REALLY HIGH VALUE AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET THEM COLLECTED BUT I CAN'T GET AHOLD OF THE PROPERTY OWNER.

I CAN'T GO COLLECT THOSE OR SAMPLE THEM.

>> OTHER TIMES LOGISTICS BECOMES AN ISSUE AS A LIMITED NUMBER OF STAFF AREN'T ABLE TO GET SAMPLES FROM ALL OVER THE STATE TO THE LAB IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AVIAN INFLUENZA'S GRASP ON THE WILD POPULATION.

THE GOOSE POND HAD TO PUT UP SIGNS ABOUT SICK AND DYING BIRDS SPOTTED ON SIGHT.

>> I THINK THEY HAD ROUGHLY 200 THAT DIED AROUND THAT AREA.

AND ALL 200 OF THOSE BIRDS DIED LIKE A WEEK BEFORE THEY HAD A LARGE OUTREACH EVENT THERE, AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF BIRDERS, A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THERE WERE A LOT OF FOLKS GOING TO GOOSE POND AND THERE WERE ALL OF THOSE DEAD CARCASSES AROUND.

AND SO WE PUT OUT SOME INFORMATION TO LET FOLKS KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.

>> BIRDING GROUPS SAY THEY ARE HEART BROKEN TO SEE THE SICK BIRDS AT THE PARK AND WORRY ABOUT IT SPREADING TO OTHERS.

>> MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT IT SPREADS TO THE WHOOPING CRANES.

THERE ARE ENDANGERED SPECIES OUT HERE, THE WHOOPING CRANE AND WE HOPE THAT NONE OF THEM GET IT.

>> WHILE 70 CASES OF HUMANS WITH BIRD FLU HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED NATIONWIDE, ROUGHLY 68 OF THEM WERE WORKING IN A CONFINED SPACE, DIRECTLY WITH SICK FLOCKS.

>> I THINK LARGELY WERE BRINGING IN THAT VIRUS, BUT THEY CERTAINLY HAD CONSIDERABLY MORE EXPOSURE THAN THEIR AVERAGE PERSON.

>> GOOSE POND IS STILL OPEN TO VISITORS, THE DNR SAYS THE BIRD FLU POSES A SMALL RISK TO HUMANS BUT STILL ENCOURAGES PEOPLE NOT TO APPROACH SICK OR DEAD BIRDS.

I'M CLAYTON BAUMGARTH.

>> NOW, DEAD OR SICK BIRDS CAN BE REPORTED TO THE INDIANA DNR TIP PAGE AT IN.GOV/SICKWILDLIFE.

>> THIS MONTH, I.U.

PROUDLY REPORTED THAT THE INDIANAPOLIS CAMPUS WAS DESIGNATED AS A RESEARCH ONE INSTITUTION BY CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATION.

MEANING IT'S ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE RESEARCH CAMPUSES IN THE COUNTRY, BUT INSTEAD OF CHANGES ON CAMPUS IT'S ACTUALLY DUE TO CARNEGIE'S NEW CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM.

AS OUR ETHAN SANDWEISS REPORTS, 40 OTHER UNIVERSITIES JOINED I.U.

INDIANAPOLIS AS R1 WHEN THE THRESHOLD WAS LOWERED RECENTLY.

>> THE CAMPUS PROUDLY JOINED THE RANKS OF R1 UNIVERSITIES WHICH SIGNIFIES OUR ROLE AS A LEADING INSTITUTION IN DRIVING GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH.

>> CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS DIVIDES RESEARCH CAMPUSES IF TWO LEVELS BASED ON THEIR OUTPUT.

R1 UNIVERSITIES ARE THE LARGEST.

I.U.

LEADERS TOUTED THE CHANGE AS A MATTER OF PRESTIGE, ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT PAMELA WHITTEN REFERRED TO R1 AS A STATUS, RESEARCHERS AT CARNEGIE SAYS R1 DESIGNATION IS NOT MEANT TO BE A STATUS SYMBOL.

IT DOESN'T PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO GRANT FUNDING EITHER.

>> IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE A PRESTIGE OR A DESIGNATION OF QUALITY OR ANYTHING ELSE THAN A DESCRIPTION.

LARGE FOOTPRINT, MEDIUM FOOTPRINT, SMALLER FOOTPRINT.

>> 40 OTHER CAMPUSES AROUND THE COUNTRY WERE RECLASSIFIED LAST YEAR AS R1, ALONGSIDE IUPUI.

AMONG THEM, MICHIGAN TECH, HOWARD UNIVERSITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO.

>> THERE ARE MANY INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE VERY EFFECTIVE GOOD RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES THAT WERE NOT RECOGNIZED IN R1 BECAUSE IT WAS NOT QUITE AT THAT LEVEL.

>> BORDEN SAYS BY TRYING TO EARN R1 STATUS AND THE PRESTIGE THAT COME WITH IT, UNIVERSITIES WOULD RISK IMPORTANT PARTS OF THEIR MISSION, SUCH AS UNDERGRADUATE EXPERIENCE, BUT WITH A LOWER THRESH HOLE AND CLEARER GUIDELINES THAT RUSH CAN BE AVOIDED.

CARNEGIE USED TO LOOK AT SEVEN FACTORS FOR CLASSIFYING RESEARCH IMPACT BASED MAINLY ON SIZE.

NOW IT'S TWO, $50 MILLION RESEARCH BUDGET AND 70 Ph.D.

GRADUATES PER YEAR.

PLACES LIKE I.U.

INDIANAPOLIS ALREADY FIT THE MOLD.

UNDER CURRENT STANDARDS BORDEN SAYS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN R1 SINCE 2010.

IT'S NOT REALLY REFLECTIVE NECESSARILY OF WHAT'S BEEN DONE SINCE PRESIDENT WHITTEN HAS BEEN IN, BUT IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S DISHONEST OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST SURVIVAL.

AND MAKING AS MUCH AS YOU CAN OUT OF THE GOOD TO COUNTER ALL THE THINGS OF THE BAD.

>> THE FACT THAT I.U.

INDIANAPOLIS WAS RECLASSIFIED DUE TO A CHANGE IN DEFINITION ISN'T LOST ON CAMPUS LEADERS.

>> THIS IS A LEVEL OF RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IT'S FINALLY BEING RECOGNIZED WITH THIS CHANGE IN HOW CARNEGIE IS COMING UP WITH THE R1 DESIGNATION.

>> THE DESIGNATION WAS GRANTED TO IUPUI, SINCE CARNEGIE LOOKED AT A THREE-YEAR PERIOD BEFORE THE CAMPUS SPLIT, BETWEEN I.U.

AND PURDUE UNIVERSITY.

OF THE ALMOST $90 MILLION RESEARCH BUDGET IN 2023, NEARLY $77 MILLION WENT TO AREAS THAT ARE NOW PART OF I.U.

>> IF YOU TAKE AWAY ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR PURDUE COLLEAGUES CONTRIBUTED TO THE IUPUI RANKING OF R1, IF YOU TAKE AWAY THEIR DOCTORAL DEGREES, AND THE RESEARCH EXPENDITURES, WE STILL WOULD HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE R1 STATUS.

>> BUT BORDEN WOULD BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU, A UNIVERSITY IS MORE THAN JUST ITS RESEARCH FOOTPRINT.

IUPUI IS YOUNG BY UNIVERSITY STANDARDS.

IT ONLY STARTED GRANTING DEGREES IN THE '70s.

ITS FUNCTION AS AN URBAN CAMPUS WAS DIFFERENT FROM BLOOMINGTON.

RATHER THAN RESEARCH, IT EMPHASIZED SERVICE TO THE CITY FOR EDUCATION FOR NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

BORDEN SAYS THAT'S WHAT ATTRACTED HIM TO CAMPUS WHEN HE STARTED TEACHING THERE, IN THE EARLY '90s.

BUT IT'S NOT THE TYPE OF MISSION THAT HELPS CAMPUSES CLASSIFY FOR R1.

>> FOR MANY OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS, FUNDING WAS MORE FROM PHILANTHROPIC KIND OF ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE IT WAS ABOUT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEY MAY MOVE AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE IT'S NOT AS RICH.

IT DOESN'T PROVIDE AS MANY INDIRECT COSTS.

>> CORSO SAYS THAT WON'T BE THE CASE.

>> I ALSO LIKE TO THINK OF I.U.

INDIANAPOLIS AS CAMPUS THAT DOESN'T DO RESEARCH JUST FOR RESEARCH SAKE.

WE DO RESEARCH THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

>> I.U.I.

IS INDIANA'S FOURTH R1 CAMPUS, JOINING ITS BLOOMINGTON SISTER CAMPUS, PURDUE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M ETHAN SAND WEISS.

>> THE INDIANAPOLIS CAMPUS RECEIVES A FRACTION OF THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY'S TOTAL RESEARCH FUNDING, WHICH WAS OVER $770 MILLION IN 2023.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TEN YEARS THERE'S A CHANGE TO REGULATIONS IN OUR REFRIGERANTS.

>> IF YOUR HVAC SYSTEM IS ACTING UP, NEW REFRIGERANT REGULATIONS MAY MEAN YOU HAVE TO REPLACE YOUR UNIT, RATHER THAN JUST FIXING IT.

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

Welcome back to Indiana Newsdesk.

Now >>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

NOW, FOR MORE HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.

MONROE COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL PAY NEARLY $4 MILLION LESS IN PROPERTY TAXES THIS YEAR DUE TO AN ERROR IN THE 2025 BUDGET.

BUDGET BASED ON AN INCORRECT TAX RATE WAS APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNCIL LAST FOUL.

THE COUNCIL WILL EXPLORE OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH THE REVENUE SHORTFALL, INCLUDING AN APPEAL TO THE STATE TO CORRECT THE BUDGET.

THAT COULD MEAN A HIGHER TAX RATE FOR 2026.

>> WE'RE ALL HUMAN.

THOSE THINGS HAPPEN, BUT WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO THE AUDITOR AND SHE HAS ASSURED ME THAT THERE ARE THINGS PUT INTO PLACE SO THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

>> IF THE APPEAL FAILS, THE COUNCIL MAY CONSIDER BUDGET CUTS TO SOME AREAS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

>>> THE MONROE COUNTY JAIL PROJECT'S PREDESIGN PHASE HAS BEEN APPROVED DESPITE CONCERNS WITH COST AND LAYOUT.

THE PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST OVER $236 MILLION PAID FOR BY A COUNTY CORRECTIONAL TAX.

COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER KATE WILTZ TOOK ISSUE WITH THE DESIGN OF THE OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL AREA AND THE NUMBER OF BEDS.

>> I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT MY DECISION.

YOU CAN DECIDE IT'S 500 BEDS.

>> TO NOT TALK THROUGH THAT FEELS VERY DISRESPECTFUL.

>> THE NEXT PHASE WILL BE PRESENTED IN MAY.

THE CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN NEXT JULY.

>> GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN IS LOOKING AHEAD TO A WRESTLING MATCH OVER PROPERTY TAX REFORM IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S BRANDON SMITH REPORTS BRAUN SAYS HE'S CONFIDENT HE AND LAWMAKERS WILL FIND A SWEET, HAPPY MEDIUM ON ONE OF THE SESSION'S TOP ISSUES.

>> THE SENATE'S VERSION OF PROPERTY TAX REFORM IS TARGETED AT OLDER HOOSIERS, DISABLED VETERANS AND FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS.

BRAUN BELIEVES IT MUST BE BROADER BUT IT WILL COST THEM BILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR.

BRAUN SAYS LOCALS NEED TO PROVE THEY HAVEN'T GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THEIR BUDGETS.

>> THEY BOUGHT A LOT OF SHINY OBJECTS, THEY ARE SITTING ON A LOT OF CASH BALANCES AND DOING A LITTLE SOUL SEARCHING YOURSELVES.

>> BRAUN HAS THREATENED TO VETO THE PROPERTY TAX LEGISLATION AS A LAST RESORT IF IT DOESN'T APPROVE AND THERE HAVE BEEN DIGITAL ADS TARGETING LAWMAKERS.

BRAUN SAYS IT'S A HEALTHY CONVERSATION.

>> HOPEFULLY IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE ONLY BECAUSE IT'S ADDRESSING SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE CHANGED IN A POSITIVE WAY.

>> BRAUN SAYS HE WANTS TO ENSURE THE DEBATE DOESN'T GO OVERBOARD.

FOR INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, I'M BRANDON SMITH AT THE STATE HOUSE.

>> YEAH, BRAUN SIGNED TWO EXECUTIVE ORDERS THURSDAY TO COMBAT WHAT HE SAYS IS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LOST DUE TO FRAUDULENT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS.

ONE THE ORDERS DIRECTS THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO VERIFY APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY USING STATE AND FEDERAL NEW HIRE DIRECTORIES AND OTHER DATA CROSS-CHECKING TOOLS.

NOW, BRAUN SAYS UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE WHILE SEARCHING FOR A NEW JOB.

>>> WE WANT TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM AND THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT FUNDED BY REQUIRING GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY.

>> THE SECOND ORDER DIRECTS D.W.D.

TO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL WORK SEARCHING ACTIVITIES AND TO MORE RIGOROUSLY AUDIT JOB HUNTING EFFORTS.

>> WELL, INDIANA'S POOREST PERFORMING CASINO RISING STAR CASINO AND RISING SUN ALONG THE OHIO RIVER WANTS TO MOVE.

A BILL TO ALLOW THEM TO RELOCATE TO NEW HAVEN IN THE NORTHWESTERN INDIANA COULDN'T GET A VOTE THIS SESSION, BUT LAWMAKERS ARE ADVANCING A BILL TO STUDY THE IDEA.

THE STUDY WOULD ASSESS THE TOP THREE REGIONS IN THE STATE WHERE CASINO COULD MOVE AND PROJECTED REVENUE IMPACTS.

>> IF THE PURPOSE OF GAMING IS REVENUE, WHY THERE IS NOT A CASINO IN DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS DID DENIES MY UNDERSTANDING -- DEFIES MY UNDERSTANDING.

>> THE STUDY WOULD ALSO MEASURE THE IMPACT THE MOVE WOULD HAVE ON THE OTHER STATES' CASINOS, TOURISM AND THE HORSE RACING INDUSTRY.

>> AND THE DNR PLANS TO INCREASE DEER SURVEILLANCE IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA AFTER THE APPEARANCE OF CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE.

THE DISEASE ATTACKS THE DEER'S NERVOUS SYSTEM AND CAN'T BE CURED.

AN INFECTED DEER MAY BE EMACIATED OR EXHIBIT STRANGE BEHAVIOR.

THEY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REPORT THE CASES ON THEIR WEBSITE.

>> THE PUBLIC AND HUNTERS REPORTING ON THAT WEBSITE REALLY KIND OF EXPANDS OUR REACH AND REALLY HELPS US IDENTIFY WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.

>> TWO CASES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE STATE IN THE PAST YEAR, MOST RECENTLY IN POSEY COUNTY.

>> NEW EPA REGULATIONS BEGAN LAST MONTH, FOR THE HVAC INDUSTRY.

THE THESE RULES AIM TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF REFRYINGERRANTS BUT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT HOW CONSUMERS BUY OR REPAIR THEIR HOME UNITS.

CLAYTON BAUMGARTH REPORTS ON HOW PEOPLE ARE HANDLING THE CHANGES.

>> SINCE THE FOUNDING IN 1963, IVY TECH HAS HELPED PEOPLE PREPARE FOR A CAREER QUICKLY.

IT'S HERE THAT THEY COME TO LEARN ABOUT THE HVAC INDUSTRY.

>> THIS IS ROOM B113 ON IVY TECH.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RESIDENTIAL EQUIPMENT IN HERE.

>> THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE STUDENTS SEE THE INNER WORKS OF AIR CONDITIONING, FURNACES AND MORE.

LATELY THEY HAVE BEGAN TALKING WITH A NEW REFRIGERANT WITH A LOWER GLOBAL WARMING THRESHOLD.

>> ALL OF THE REFRIGERANTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.

>> THIS NEW CLASS IS A1Ls WHICH IS MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY HOWEVER, THEY MORE FLAMMABLE WHICH REQUIRES MORE TRAINING.

>> IT'S A MILDLY FLAMMABLE.

SO WHEN THE STUDENTS GET THAT EXPOSURE TO IT, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS NOT COMMONPLACE AT ALL.

>> THIS PHASE OUT OF OLD REFRIGERANTS COMES WITH GROWING PAINS.

FOR ONE, INDUSTRY LEADERS EXPECT THE PRICE OF THE OLDER CHEMICALS TO INCREASE 20 TO 30%.

>> ALTHOUGH NOTHING PREVENTS YOU FROM SERVICING YOUR EQUIPMENT, IF LESS OF THE REFRIGERANT IS BEING PRODUCED AND SUPPLIED INTO THE INDUSTRY, YOU KNOW, THAT PHASE DOWN SCHEDULE OF THE REFRIGERANT LIKELY WILL HAVE SOME COST IMPACT ON MAINTAINING AND SERVICING, YOU KNOW, EXISTING EQUIPMENT.

>> AFTER LAST MONTH'S CHANGE A NEW HVAC SYSTEM IS COMPATIBLE WITH A2L REFRIGERANT.

ANYTHING BEFORE THAT IS LEGACY.

AND AS THIS GOES ON, THE SUPPLY OF THAT COOLANT WILL DECREASE.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT COST, FUTUREPROOFING TO THE NEW STANDARD WILL ALSO BE A CHUNK OF CHANGE WITH SOME ESTIMATING A NEW UNIT TO COST BETWEEN $6,000 AND $8,000.

>> THERE ISN'T REALLY A RETROFITTABLE SOLUTION TO SAY, HEY, WE WILL SWITCH OUT THE REFRIGERANT TO THE NEW REFRIGERANT ON THE EXISTING EQUIPMENT.

THAT'S NORTH REALLY A VIABLE SOLUTION AT THIS POINT.

>> THAT'S BECAUSE THE NEW FLAMMABLE REFRIGERANT REQUIRES SAFETY EQUIPMENT THAT CAN'T BE INSTALLED IN OLD SYSTEMS.

THOSE IN THE HVAC INDUSTRY HAVE BEEN DIVIDED.

ON ONE HAND LOWERING ENVIRONMENTAL RISK IS A GOOD THING, ON THE OTHER, THE SHORT TIMELINE AND THE COST TO IMPLEMENT THIS CHANGE IS CHALLENGING FOR SOME.

>> THE HARDEST PART IS TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ON THE NEW REQUIREMENTS AND WHAT HAS CHANGED AND WHAT IS ALLOWED AND WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED.

>> THAT NEW EXPECTED PRICE INCREASE HAS NOT HAPPENED YET.

IN FACT THE COST OF R410A HAS DECREASED SINCE THE START OF THE YEAR.

>> THAT REFRIGERANT PRICE HAS ACTUALLY COME DOWN TO WHAT I WOULD CALL HISTORICAL LEVELS.

>> WE'LL SEE IT GO BACK UP.

I'M CONFIDENT OF THAT.

BUT THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.

>> LAUGHLIN SAID THAT SINCE 410 HAS BEEN USED SINCE THE LATE '90s IN SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE, THE SUPPLY IS MASSIVE FOR NOW, BUT AS THE PHASE OUT OF PRODUCTION CONTINUES HE BELIEVES THAT THE PRICE COULD INCREASE UP TO 300%.

HE ADDED THAT WITH THIS NEW RULE, A SERVICE CALL CAN INVOLVE WORKING WITH ONE OF FOUR REFRIGERANTS.

>> WE HAVE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT INTERACT WITH THOSE DIFFERENT REFRIGERANTS.

SO -- AND THAT ALL, YOU KNOW -- WHILE IT'S A PAIN, IT BOILS DOWN TO SHUT MORE INVOLVED.

-- IT'S JUST MORE INVOLVED.

AND WHEN THINGS ARE MORE INVOLVED AND MORE COMPLICATED, THEY NATURALLY GET MORE EXPENSIVE.

>> IT ALL ADDS UP TO CONSUMERS HAVING TO CHOOSE KEEPING OLDER EQUIPMENT WITH THE HIGHER MAINTENANCE COST OR SWAPPING WITH THE NEW EQUIPMENT.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M CLAYTON BAUMGARTH.

>> COLLEGE SPORTS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE VALUABLE AS ELYSE PERRY REPORTS A FINANCE PROFESSOR AT I.U.

COLUMBUS HAS DRAWN NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR HIS FORMULA THAT PUTS A VALUE ON COLLEGIATE PROGRAMS.

>> ANALYSTS ESTIMATE THE VALUE OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS ENTERPRISES.

FORBES HAS THE NFL DALLAS COWBOYS AT $10.1 BILLION, THE MOST.

EXPENSIVE.

WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS?

>> IT'S A GOOD TIME TO PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT HOW THIS FUTURE YELLOW BRICK ROAD IS PAVED.

>> IN THE MODERN ERA OF COLLEGE SPORTS WITH PLAYERS BEING COMPENSATED BEYOND A SCHOLARSHIP, SOMETIMES FAR BEYOND, SCHOOLS AND CONFERENCES ARE LOOKING AT PRIVATE EQUITY TO HELP FUND.

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHARGE MORE FOR TUITION, FOR SPORTS.

>> THEY CONTRIBUTE TEAM'S REVENUE, GROWTH AND IS CASH FLOW TO CREATE EVALUATION.

THE NUMBERSARE STAGGERING, REFLECTING THE POPULARITY OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

BREWER VALUES OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY'S FOOTBALL PROGRAM AT $2 BILLION.

IT'S NINE PROGRAMS VALUED AT OVER $1 BILLION.

THAT INCLUDES NOTRE DAME, GEORGIA, AND TEXAS.

SET I.U.

'S FOOTBALL AT $386 MILLION, AND PURDUE FOOTBALL AT $279 MILLION.

IT'S A LONG WAY FROM AMATEUR SPORTS.

>> THE EXTENT TO WHICH COLLEGE SPORTS HAS BECOME COMMERCIALIZED, SORT OF WENT PAST THAT LINE QUITE A BIT, AND IT PLACED A LOT OF COLLEGE PRESIDENTS AND TRUSTEES IN THE DILEMMA OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE DO?

AND COLLEGE SPORTS HAS CONTINUED TO ROLL DOWN THE COMMERCIAL LINE.

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M ELYSE PERRY.

>> 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.

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