>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: >>> COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," AFTER GAINING TOTAL CONTROL OF I.U.

'S NINE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPOINTMENTS GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN TAKES A SWIPE AT THE UNIVERSITY.

>> ALL THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES SEEM TO HAVE MORE VALUE IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION THEY ARE GIVING US FOR THE COST.

>> ALUMNI LEADERS SENT A LEADER TO BRAUN, QUESTIONING THE TAKEOVER.

WITH DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS BEING CUT AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, STUDENTS OF COLOR ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.

>> HOW CAN YOU NOT APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT DIVERSITY OR A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY FOR EXAMPLE?

>> INDIANA UNIVERSITY HAS REORGANIZED ITS D.E.I.

OFFICES UNDER THE STUDENT LIFE OFFICE.

AND IT'S PLANTING SEASON IN INDIANA AND FARMERS ARE DEALING WITH SPRING STORMS AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTIES.

WE WILL HAVE THESE STORIES AND MORE RIGHT NOW ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

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

WELL, IN A LAST-MINUTE CHANGE TO THE STATE BUDGET, LEGISLATORS GAVE THE GOVERNOR TOTAL CONTROL OVER MEMBERSHIP OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

ASKED ABOUT THE CHANGES, GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN QUESTIONED THE VALUE OF AN I.U.

EDUCATION.

ETHAN SANDWEISS REPORTS.

>> 26 ALUMNI LEADERS AND AN ELECTED TRUSTEE ARE QUESTIONING THE RULES AND ALLOW THE GOPOR TO REPLACE E -- GOVERNOR TO REPLACE ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS AT ANY POINT.

I.U.

ADMINISTRATION HASN'T SAID WHETHER THEY SUPPORT THE CHANGES.

>> I WISH IT WAS PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO WHAT THE OTHER FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITY WAS DOING, AND THAT IS THAT IT'S GIVING HOOSIERS REAL VALUE BY KEEPING TUITION, ROOM AND BOARD TO WHERE YOU CAN AFFORD IT.

>> THE I.U.

ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO NOT RESPONDED TO BRAUN'S ATTACK.

>> ALL THE OTHER UNIVERSITIES SEEM TO HAVE MORE VALUE IN TERMS OF THE EDUCATION THEY ARE GIVING US FOR THE COST, AND THOSE THREE TRUSTEES THAT WERE BEING ARRANGED BY JUST A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF ALUMNI DIDN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.

>> WHILE THE GOVERNOR NOW HAS AUTHORITY TO FIRE I.U.

'S THREE ELECTED TRUSTEES BRAUN SAID THAT HE HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

>> I DON'T THINK THEIR TERMS ARE THAT FAR AWAY FROM EXPIRING.

>> HIS TEAM LATER REACHED OUT TO INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING, QUOTE, WE ARE NOT COMMITTING TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO FINISHING THEIR TERMS.

I'M ETHAN SANDWEISS.

>> BRAUN TOOK EXCEPTION WITH HIS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MICAH BECKWITH WHO CALLED THE THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE A GREAT MOVE.

BECKWITH'S REMARKS CAME AFTER A DEBATE OVER A BILL BANNING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES IN GOVERNMENT, REFERENCED THE THREE-FIFTH COMPROMISE WHICH COUNTED SLAVES AS THREE-FIFTH OF THE PERSON AS REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.

THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SAID THE 18th CENTURY AGREEMENT HELPED TO ENSURE PRO SLAVERY STATES WOULDN'T GAIN TOO MUCH POWER.

>> I'M A BELIEVER THAT YOU BETTER START THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BEFORE IT COMES OUT.

SO I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

>> BRAUN SAYS BECKWITH'S COMMENTS MADE HEADLINES THE WRONG WAY, WHICH TAKES AWAY FROM THE SUBSTANCE OF WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO IN GENERAL.

>> DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, REMAINS AN ISSUE.

PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FUTURES.

>> FRANK WYNN SAID HE WAS THE ONLY ASIAN KID IN SCHOOL IN PERU, INDIANA.

HE CONNECTED WITH PEOPLE FROM OTHER CULTURES, BUT NOT SO MUCH HIS OWN VIETNAMESE HERITAGE.

HE HAD VERY LITTLE ASIAN REPRESENTATION.

>> BEING SO SEPARATED FROM YOUR CULTURE, THAT'S A BIG PART WHO HAVE YOU ARE, THAT CAN MAKE YOU LEARN TO HATE YOURSELF.

>> BUT WHEN HE CAME TO INDIANA UNIVERSITY, AND SAW ITS DIVERSITY, HE WASN'T AN OUTCAST ANY MORE.

HE SAYS HE FOUND BELONGING, HIS PURPOSE, AND LOVE.

>> I JUST THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO BE EXPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, YOUR CULTURE AND OTHER CULTURES, BECAUSE -- BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT YOU CAN LEARN TO LOVE YOURSELF, AND LOVE OTHERS.

>> THE ASIAN AMERICAN ASSOCIATION PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL EVENTS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

NGUYEN SAYS THE ASSOCIATION'S FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH I.

U.

'S ASIAN CULTURE CENTER IS THE REASON WHY IT CAN HOST THESE EVENTS FOR HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS.

>> YES, WE ARE A SOCIAL CLUB AND A COMMUNITY-CENTERED CLUB, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO ADVOCATE AND EDUCATE OUR MEMBERS AS WELL.

>> FOUNDED IN 1988, THE CENTER AIMS TO PROMOTE ASIAN CULTURE AT I.U.

IN ADDITION TO HELPING STUDENT GROUPS, IT COLLABORATES ACROSS CAMPUS AS WITH EMERGE, ASIAN AMERICAN ART IN FOCUS.

I.U.

QUIETLY SHIFTED CULTURE CENTERS OUT OF THE OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND RESTRUCTURED THEM UNDER THE OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE.

>> IT HAS BEEN VERY SNEAKY.

IT'S BEEN VERY QUIET.

THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE INSTITUTIONALLY DEVALUING D.E.I.

AT THIS SCHOOL.

>> I.U.

OFFICIALS DIDN'T COMMENT.

LEE SAYS STUDENTS WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY FROM THE UNIVERSITY AS IT MAKES CHANGES RELATED TO D.E.I.

IT'S SAD FOR LEE, AND SHE SAYS I.U.

SHOULD BE CONSIDERING STUDENT VOICES ESPECIALLY AS THE ASIAN POPULATION GROWS.

>> STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND D.E.I.

ARE THE BACKBONE OF I.U.

'S CAMPUS, AND IN DETERMINING THE CULTURE HERE.

>> MOVING THE ASIAN CULTURE CENTER IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS INDIANA UNIVERSITIES ARE REACTING TO ANTI-D.E.I.

POLICIES.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS INVESTIGATING SCHOOLS FOR RACIAL PREFERENCES AND LAUNCHING AN END D.E.I.

PORTAL TO REPORT ON, QUOTE, DIVISIVE IDEOLOGY AND INDOCTRINATION.

CONSERVATIVES ARGUE THAT D.E.I.

PROMOTES REVERSE DISCRIMINATION, DIMINISHES MERIT, AND EMPHASIZES IDENTITY POLITICS.

THAT POINT OF VIEW PREVAILS IN STATE AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT.

MEANWHILE, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE MONROE COUNTY NAACP ARE GROWING CONCERNED.

>> HOW CAN YOU NOT APPRECIATE AND SUPPORT DIVERSITY OR A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY, FOR EXAMPLE?

HOW CAN YOU BE AGAINST EQUITY OR FAIRNESS AND TO BE INCLUDED?

I MEAN, HOW CAN YOU BE AGAINST THESE THINGS.

>> THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAYS IT INTENDS TO FOLLOW FEDERAL ORDERS TO CUT D.E.I.

IN SCHOOLS.

>> PEOPLE ARE SCARED.

THEY ARE JUST FLAT OUT SCARED AND CONCERNED.

>> WHILE SOME COLLEGES ARE MAKING SMALLER CHANGES, IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND BALL STATE UNIVERSITY HAVE CLOSED OFFICES.

SCHOOLS COULD RISK FEDERAL FUNDING IF THEY DON'T COMPLY WITH ORDERS TO END D.E.I.

>> I THINK OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY AND OTHER PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, I WILL EVEN INCLUDE IVY TECH IN THIS GROUP.

THEY ARE UNDER IMMENSE PRESSURE FROM THE FUNDING STREAM PROVIDED BY THE STATE OF INDIANA.

>> TO BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOLER WINNIE DONG, D.E.I.

BENEFITS PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE U.S. FOR A PROMISE OF BETTER OPPORTUNITIES AND ESCAPE PERSECUTION.

SHE'S SKEPTICAL OF CALLS TO REPLACE D. E.I.

WITH PURELY MERIT-BASED INITIATIVES.

>> IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE INDIVIDUAL, IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY WERE IN, IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE PERSON BEHIND ALL OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS, THEN WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DOING?

>> SHE THINKS DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE REPRESENTED AND APPRECIATED IN HER SCHOOL BUT DONG BELIEVES IF ANTI-D.E.I.

POLICIES ARE ENACTED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY MIGHT FEEL DEFEATED.

ULTIMATELY SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO BENEFIT FROM D.E.I.

ARE SOME KIND OF OTHER, THAT CAN BE ISOLATED AND ICED OUT.

>> WE'RE HUMANS, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME.

WE FEEL WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME DNA MAYBE, AND WE MIGHT NOT LOOK ALL THE SAME, BUT UNDERNEATH ALL THAT SKIN, WE'RE BASICALLY THE SAME.

>> THAT KIND OF HUMAN CONNECTION THROUGH DIVERSITY IS IMPORTANT FOR NGUYEN TOO, BECAUSE HE SAYS IT TEACHES STUDENTS TO LOVE, NOT HATE.

AND IT'S WHY HE'S SUPPORTIVE OF D.E.I.

IN SCHOOLS.

>> AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE EDUCATION THAT'S DOING GOOD.

YOU KNOW, EDUCATION THAT IS USING HUMANITY TO TEACH, AND NOT USING A MOLD.

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M AUBREY WRIGHT.

>> MOST COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORT THAT THEIR INSTITUTIONS DO SUPPORT FREE SPEECH.

ACCORDING TO A LUMINA FOUNDATION AND GALLUP SURVEY, ABOUT 75% OF COLLEGE STUDENTS POLLED SAY THEY CAN FREELY SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ON CAMPUS.

THE RESPONSES WERE THE SAME REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY, GENDER AND RACE.

AND THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS SAY THEY FEEL THEY BELONG ON THEIR CAMPUSES.

>> EN I THINK THAT'S -- AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HIGHER ED IS ALL ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT LEARNING AND SHARING OPINIONS AND HEARING OTHER IDEAS FROM YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS.

>> BROWN SAYS THE SURVEY WAS INSPIRED BY PROTEST OVER THE WAR IN GAZA AND SOME HORRIFYING STORIES IN THE NEWS.

SHE SAYS WHILE THE MEDIA SEEMED TO PORTRAY COLLEGES AS SILENCING STUDENTS, THAT'S NOT HOW STUDENTS FEEL.

WE ARE JOINED NOW BY CLAYTON BAUMGARTH FOR MORE HEADLINES FROM ACROSS THE STATE, HEY, CLAYTON.

>> HI, JOE, GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN SAYS HIS FIRST 100 DAYS IN OFFICE HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL OPENING ACT.

INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING BRANDON SMITH SAYS BRAUN REFLECT ON A LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN WHICH THE STATE BUDGET SAW MAJOR CUTS AND PROPERTY TAX CUTS THAT DIDN'T GO AS FAR AS BRAUN WANTED.

>> A $2 BILLION SHORTFALL THAT LAWMAKERS FILLED.

WHEN ASKED HOW HOOSIERS WILL BE IMPACTED BY THOSE CUTS, BRAUN SAYS HE'S OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

>> AND WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE REALLY CUT, NOTHING GOT HAMMERED, AND MOST IMPORTANT STUFF STAYED INTACT.

>> THE BUDGET CUT LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH FUNDING FROM $150 MILLION THIS YEAR, TO $40 MILLION A YEAR.

BRAUN SAYS IT'S MISGUIDED TO BELIEVE YOU HAVE TO SPEND MORE TO IMPROVE HEALTH.

>> BUT DON'T INTERPRET ANY OF THAT AS MEANING THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO IT.

>> BRAUN SAYS THE BIGGEST WIN OF THE SESSION WAS THE SLATE OF BILLS AIMED AT LOWERING HEALTHCARE COSTS EVEN AS THOSE BILLS WERE DRAMATICALLY SCALED BACK.

I'M BRANDON SMITH AT THE STATEHOUSE.

>> IMPROVING GOVERNMENT PROCESSES AND FINANCIAL ACTABILITY ARE AMONG THE TOP 2026 BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL.

COUNCILMEMBERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT CERTAIN SERVICES MAY NEED TO BE CUT OR REDUCED DUE TO THE IMPENDING LOSS OF PROPERTY TAX AND LOCAL INCOME TAX REVENUES THAT.

INCLUDES BLOOMINGTON TRANSIT.

>> THEY GET ABOUT $2.6 MILLION FROM THE STATE, AND THEY GET $3.8 MILLION FROM R.L.I.T.

WHICH WILL GO AWAY.

>> COUNCILMEMBERS WILL REFIND THE LIST OF PRIORITIES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS BEFORE PRESENTING IT TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

>> BLOOMINGTON'S COMMUNITY RADIO STATION, WFHB STANDS TO LOSE 25% OF ITS FUNDING IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RESCIND $1.1 BILLION TO THE CORPORATION OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING PASSES IN CONGRESS.

THE STATION RECENTLY RECEIVED ABOUT $120,000 FROM THE CPB COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT.

WFHB OTHER MAIN SOURCES ARE UNDERWRITING, INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND LOCAL GRANTS.

>> THINGS LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE ARE -- YOU KNOW, ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION AND BEING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

>> THE NONPROFIT RADIO STATION HAS FIVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES AND THREE PART TIME.

THEY ALSO HAVE ABOUT 175 VOLUNTEERS WHO PRODUCE NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, ENTERTAINMENT AND LOCAL PROGRAM.

>> I GREW UP PRE-INTERNET IN A SMALL TOWN AND RADIO WAS MY CONNECTION TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD.

AND I UNDERSTAND ITS VALUE, ESPECIALLY TO YOUNG PEOPLE.

>> WTIU AND WFIU HAD THEIR STATE FUNDING CUT AND ARE ALSO EXPECTING TO LOSE FUNDING FROM THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

>> A LAW FIRM HIRED BY INDIANA UNIVERSITY CONCLUDED THAT RECTAL EXAMS PERFORMED ON PLAYERS BY BRAD BOMBA, Sr., WERE UNUSUAL BUT NOT INAPPROPRIATE.

BOMBA'S CONDUCT AS THE I.U.

MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM IS THE FOCUS OF A LAWSUIT BY FIVE FORMER PLAYERS.

THEY CHARACTERIZE THEM AS SEXUAL ASSAULT UNDER THE GUISE OF MEDICAL CARE.

THEY ACCUSED I.U.

OF KNOWING ABOUT THE INVASIVE AND UNNECESSARY EXAMS BUT NOT INTERVENING.

>> IVY TECH COMMUNITY COLLEGE HAS NAMED MARTY POLLIO AS ITS NEXT PRESIDENT.

THEY ENROLL ABOUT 50,000 FULL AND PART TIME STUDENTS.

HE'S CURRENTLY SUPERINTENDENT OF JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN KENTUCKY WHICH HAS MORE THAN 90,000 STUDENTS.

ONE CHALLENGE HE WILL BE FACING IS IVY TECH IS LOSING ABOUT 5% OF ITS STATE FUNDING UNDER THE NEW BUDGET.

>>> AND FINALLY, INDIANA FIRST LADY MAUREEN BRAUN IS LAUNCHING A FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE TO KEEP THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY GOING STATEWIDE.

IT COMES MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN CUT $6 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE PROGRAM, AND THEN TASKED HIS WIFE WITH KEEPING IT ALIVE.

>> HAVING BOOKS IN THE HOME HELPS CHILDREN DO BETTER IN SCHOOL AND WILL BENEFIT THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES.

>> AND JOE, THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROVIDES FREE BOOKS EVERY MONTH TO CHILDREN A BIRTH TO 5 YEARS OF AGE.

>> I ASSUME DOLLY IS HAPPY THAT THERE'S HOPE IT WILL STAY ALIVE HERE IN INDIANA.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," IT'S SPRING PLANTING SEASON AND FARMERS ARE DEALING NOT ONLY WITH STORMS, BUT AN UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC OUTLOOK.

AND THANKS TO AN I.U.

ALUM, A COLLECTION OF RARE MARVEL COMICS ART WAS SAVED FROM THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES.

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

>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

VETERAN JOURNALIST CARL BERNSTEIN IS SERVING AS I.U.

'S POYNTER CHAIR AND ROY W. HOWARD JOURNALIST IN RESIDENCE THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

ETHAN SAND WEISS SAT DOWN WITH BERNSTEIN ALONG WITH BOB WOODWARD EXPOSED THE WATERGATE SCANDAL THAT BROUGHT DOWN RICHARD NIXON 50 YEARS AGO.

HERE'S SOME OF THAT INTERVIEW.

>> CARL BERNSTEIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

>> YOU SAID IN THE FORWARD OF THE LATEST EDITION OF "ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN" YOUR BOOK ON THE WATERGATE EXPOSE, THAT DONALD TRUMP IS THE FIRST SEDITIOUS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT HIS ACTIONS LEADING UP TO JANUARY 6th AND ON THAT DAY, CONSTITUTED A THREAT TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.

NOW WE'RE ALMOST THREE MONTHS INTO HIS NEXT TERM AS PRESIDENT, HAS YOUR APPRAISAL OF TRUMP CHANGED AT ALL?

>> ONLY THE DEGREE TO WHICH RECKLESSNESS FIGURES IN THE EQUATION AS WE'RE DOING THIS INTERVIEW A DAY AFTER WE ALMOST HAD A FINANCIAL COLLAPSE DUE TO DONALD TRUMP RECKLESSNESS.

EXTRAORDINARY EVENT, THE CHAOS OF WHICH WE COULD SEE THROUGH THE DAY, ESPECIALLY, AND CONTINUE TO SEE WITH THE FALLOUT FROM WHAT OCCURRED.

>> THERE'S ALSO QUITE A BIT AFTER PEEL, RIGHT?

TRUMP HAS A LOT OF -- OF APPEAL, RIGHT?

TRUMP HAS A LOT OF SUPPORTERS TO THE RETURN TO SOMETHING MORE NORMAL.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT OR SPECULATION AS TO WHY THIS TYPE OF DESIRE COMES FROM.

>> I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING THAT WE NEED TO REALIZE IS THAT -- THAT TRUMP'S MOVEMENT, HAS TREMENDOUS WIDTH, DEPTH, IN THIS COUNTRY, THAT HE HAS STRUCK A CORD WITH ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.

AND THAT BASICALLY, HALF THE COUNTRY IN TERMS OF ADULTS OF VOTING AGE SUPPORT AND HAVE CONTINUED TO EMBRACE NO MATTER HOW ANTITHETICAL OR OUTRAGEOUS HIS WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE, HAVE CONTINUED TO EMBRACE HIM, ELECTED HIM PRESIDENT WITH A MAJORITY OF THE VOTE.

NOT QUITE THE HUGE MAJORITY THAT HE'S CLAIMED FOR THIS SUPPOSED HUGE MANDATE, BUT HE'S WON THE PRESIDENCY, AND HIS MOVEMENT HAS CHANGED US AS A PEOPLE.

AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK IS PRETTY DOUBTFUL.

>> WHEN YOU CAME TO I.U.

IN THE FALL AND YOU SAT ON A PANEL AND YOU MENTIONED THAT THE MEDIA AS A WHOLE HAD FAILED TO REPORT ON BIDEN'S MENTAL STATE AND THE LEAD-UP TO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT HISTORIC FAILURES OF THE PRESS IS THE FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY REPORT ON WHAT REPORTERS WHO COVER THE WHITE HOUSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERING WHICH IS THE PRESIDENT'S APPARENT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DECLINE, WHICH THEY CERTAINLY HAD -- HAD A VIEW OF, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPENDING MORE TIME ON THE STORY.

AND INSTEAD OF ATTACKING AS SOME REPORTERS DID, REPORTS IN RIGHT WING MEDIA, THAT WENT TO THE QUESTION OF THE PRESIDENT'S CONDITION.

THERE'S A COVER-UP OF BIDEN'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DECLINE.

>> YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT -- OR A LOT ABOUT REPORTING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, COVERING, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS.

YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE STATE OF LOCAL REPORTING LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?

>> WE HAVE LOST IN MOST TOWNS AND CITIES IN AMERICA, ORIGINALLY NEWSPAPERS THAT HAD -- AND EVEN THE SUCCEEDING ONLINE ITERATIONS OF WHAT WERE NEWSPAPER ORGANIZATIONS, THEY HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS IN HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS AMERICA.

THAT LOCAL NEWSPAPER WAS THE COHESION THAT -- THAT HELD COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

BUT WE -- THERE ARE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING NOW, THOUGH, IN TERMS OF NONPROFITS THAT ARE -- THAT ARE DOING LOCAL NEWS.

THE TEXAS TRIBUNE IS THE MOST OBVIOUS EXAMPLE, WHICH IS MAYBE THE BEST REPORTING ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TODAY.

RESPECTED BY -- BY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF READERS AND BY PEOPLE IN THE NEWS BUSINESS OF ALL KINDS OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGICAL PERSUASIONS.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ATTEMPTS TO TAKE THAT MODEL, THE NONPROFIT MODEL AND BRING IT TO OTHER CITIES.

>> YOU CAN VIEW THE FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR WEBSITE AT WTIU.ORG.

>>> PLANTING SEASON IS HERE FOR MANY SOUTHERN INDIANA FARMERS.

CROPS SUCH AS CORN AND SOYBEANS ARE GOING IN THE GROUND FOLLOWING SEVERE SPRING WEATHER.

WHILE LOOKING AHEAD TO A TUMULTUOUS GLOBAL ECONOMY.

TIM JAGIELO OF WNIN HAS THIS REPORT.

>> HANS SCHMITT IS WITH FAMILY-OWNED AND OPERATES DUTCHMAN FARMS IN POSEY COUNTY.

>> FOR CHECKING SEED DEPTH, YOU ARE JUST TAKING A KNIFE OR AN INSTRUMENT THAT WILL DIG A LITTLE BIT AND GOING DOWN INTO THAT ROW AND TRYING TO FIND A CORN KERNEL.

>> HE FINDS THE BRIGHT PINK CORN KERNEL COVERED WITH FUNGICIDE AND INSECTICIDE.

THIS PLANTER MACHINE IS OPERATED BY HIS UNCLE AL AND IT'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT LOOKS.

>> YOU HAVE FOUR TO FIVE DIFFERENT INSTRUMENTS THERE ALL IN LINE, GETTING THE ROW OPENED, GETTING THE SEED IN, CLOSING THE ROW.

HOPEFULLY THEN WE'RE PUTTING IT AT THE CORRECT DEPTH UNIFORMLY AND UNIFORMLY SPACING THE SEEDS OUT.

>> PLANTING SEASON FOR CORN AND SOY IS HERE FOR MANY AREA FARMS, FOLLOWING TUMULTUOUS SPRING WEATHER.

THEY ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO A TUMULTUOUS GLOBAL ECONOMY.

>> SO ANY GLOBAL EVENTS WILL AFFECT LOCAL PRICING AND WE NEED TO LOOK FOR ANY BLACK SWAN EVENT TO OCCUR.

ONE OF THE MORE RECENT BLACK SWAN EVENTS THAT REALLY AFFECTED PRICING WAS WHEN RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE.

>> THEY INCREASED GLOBAL DEMAND WHILE CREATING VOLATILITY.

TARIFFS ARE A MIXED BAG CURRENTLY AT 145%.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT 145% TARIFFS ON CHINA AND CHINA PREPARING TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR SOYBEANS THAT, HAS HAD A PRETTY DIRECT IMPACT ON SOYBEAN PRICES RIGHT NOW.

>> HE SAYS THEY PLANT 30 TO 40,000 CORN KERNELS PER ACRE AND 130,000 SEEDS FOR SOY PER ACRE.

IN THIS CASE BY SCOTT DUGAN.

AS SCHMITT CHECKS FOR SOYBEAN SOIL DEPTH, HE WILL HAVE TO WATCH THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AHEAD.

>> WE HAVE TO REALLY BE PREPARED TO ROLL IN THE PLANTING WINDOW THAT GOD PROVIDES.

>> FOR INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING I'M TIM JAGIELO.

>> WELL, SOME OF MARVEL'S MOST ICONIC COMIC BOOK ART NEARLY LOST IN THE CALIFORNIA WILD FIRES EARLIER THIS YEAR IS NOW ON DISPLAY AT I.U.

IT'S MYAH GARZA, CHUCK COSTAS IS TO THANK.

>> WHEN THE PALISADES FIRE, IT DESTROYED COSTAS HOME, BUT HE WAS ABLE TO SAVE THESE COMICS.

>> I DON'T THINK HE WAS DRAWING FOR THE GLORY, AND, FRANKLY, AT THE TIME NEVER EVEN IMAGINED THAT THESE THINGS WOULD BE ADAPTED INTO MOVIES AND TELEVISION SHOWS AND BECOME SORT OF THE BASIS FOR THE MARVEL UNIVERSE.

>> THE ART WORK HELPED TO DEFINE THE PUNISHER, CAPTAIN AMERICA, AND SECRET WARS AND NOW BEING ADAPTED INTO TWO NEW AVENGER FILMS AND HE DESIGNED SPIDER-MAN'S BLACK COSTUME.

>> WHEN YOU SEE AN ORIGINAL PIECE OF ART WORK FROM A COMIC BOOK CREATOR LIKE THIS, IT CAN BE SO MUCH MORE IMPACTFUL THAN SEEING WHAT GOT PRINTED ON THE PAGE.

>> THE EXHIBIT IS PERSONAL FOR COSTAS.

IT'S HOUSED AT I.

U.

'S McCALLA SCHOOL WHERE HIS FATHER ONCE ATTENDED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND WHERE COSTAS TOOK FINE ARTS AT I.U.

>> SOME WILL BE WORKSHOPPED SUCH AS WAYS TO DO ART, AND SOME MIGHT BE SPECIAL TALKS.

SO BE SURE AND COME OUT NOW, BUT THEN ALSO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THE CALENDAR BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE OTHER THINGS COMING.

>> VISITORS CAN ENJOY ZACH'S ART WORKS, AND MOVIE PROPS FROM COSTAS' PERSONAL COLLECTION.

THEY CAN EVEN GRAB ISSUES FROM WOODMAN'S OWN COLLECTION.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M MYAH GARZA.

>> THAT'S THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE