>> AS MORE DATA CENTERS LOOK TO BUILD IN INDIANA, QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THE COST COULD BE PASSED TO CONSUMERS ALREADY DEALING WITH RISING ENERGY BILLS.

INDIANA STATE CHANGED THE NAME AND MISSION OF ITS AFRICAN AMERICAN CENTER LAST YEAR.

NOW, ONE TERRE HAUTE HISTORIAN IS TRYING TO PRESERVE ITS LEGACY ON CAMPUS.

AND WITH GAS PRICES WELL OVER $4 A GALLON, MORE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING INTO ELECTRIC AND HYBRID VEHICLES.

WE'LL HAVE THESE STORIES AND MORE, COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY: >>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

I'M JOE HREN.

THE INDIANA UTILITY REGULATORY COMMISSION WANTS TO REIN SKYROCKETING UTILITY PRICES.

ETHAN SANDWEISS HAS THE STORY.

>> IF YOU ARE FINDING IT HARDER TO PAY OFF YOUR POWER BILL, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

BILLS JUMPED MORE THAN 17% THIS YEAR, THE HIGHEST SINCE AT LEAST 2005.

>> IT WAS LIKE THE LAST DAY AND RENT WAS JUST DUE AND THEY SENT THE DISCONNECT NOTICE.

SO I HAD TO TAKE $377 AND SOME CHANGE IN THE CASH BACK LOAN.

>> O'NEILL SAYS SHE'S TRIED PAYMENT PLANS FROM HER UTILITY PROVIDER AND INDIANA'S ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

SHE UNPLUGS HER TV WHEN SHE LEAVES HOME AND STOPS USING HER STOVE IN THE SUMMERTIME, LIKE DUKE EMERGENCY RECOMMENDS BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

>> WE'RE TOLD CONSUMER RESPONSIBILITY OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, BUT HOW MUCH OF THAT IS APPLICABLE TO THEM?

>> THERE'S NOW BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS THAT INDIANA IS EXPERIENCING AN ENERGY AFFORDABILITY CRISIS.

AND THE STATE HOUSE IS FEELING THE HEAT.

THE IURC VETS PETITIONS BY POWER COMPANIES TO INCREASE ITS RATES.

THAT'S CHANGED SINCE THE APPOINTMENT OF ANDY ZAY, THE FORMER REPUBLICAN STATE LAWMAKER LED AN INVESTIGATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE LARGEST UTILITY AND THE COMMISSION HAS TAKEN TO THE ROAD TO TALK WITH HOOSIER COMMUNITIES ABOUT ENERGY RATES WHICH HAVE GONE UP NEARLY 30% IN THE LAST DECADE.

>> I THINK IT'S HELPING US CREATE A CULTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE WILL NOT BE PASSIVE.

WE WILL BE OUT THERE.

>> GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN TASKED DAY WITH BRINGING DOWN RATES BUT THE MANDATE FIRST CAME FROM THE LEGISLATURE.

HOUSE BILL 102 PASSED THIS SPRING, CREATING LEVELLIZED PAYMENT PLANS AND REQUIRING MORE REPORTING FROM UTILITIES ON HOW CUSTOMERS ARE DOING.

CRACKING DOWN ON UTILITIES BEEN THE DOMAIN OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS SUCH AS THE CITIZEN ACTION COALITION BUT THE LAW WAS AUTHORIZED BY REPUBLICANS.

>> HAVING SPENT OVER 20 YEARS AT THE INDIANA STATEHOUSE, THIS IS FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN THE UTILITIES ON THEIR HEELS A LITTLE BIT, NOT IN TOTAL CONTROL.

>> TRADE WARS AND THE CONFLICT WITH IRAN HAVE INCREASED THE PRICE OF FUEL AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THE BIGGEST WORRY FOR ENERGY WATCHDOG GROUPS IN THAN IS THE SUDDEN GROWTH OF LARGE LOAD CUSTOMERS, IN OTHER WORDS DATA CENTERS.

THIS YEAR THEY ACCOUNTED FOR HALF THE STATE'S POWER OUTPUT.

POWERING THEM DOESN'T JUST MEAN INCREASED DEMAND FOR FUEL.

IT REQUIRES MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN TRANSMISSION PROJECTS AND CAPACITY.

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UTILITIES WHO BASICALLY HAVE TOLD US IN THEIR INTEGRATED RESOURCE PLANS WE DON'T NEED ANY NEW RESOURCES WITHOUT DATA CENTERS.

WE'RE GOOD, BUT WITH DATA CENTERS, WE'RE GONNA NEED TWO GIGAWATTS, 4 GIGAWATTS, 5 GIGAWATTS.

>> BUILDING DATA CENTERS IS PART OF BRAUN'S AGENDA BUT MANY ARE FIGHTING THOSE PROJECTS, FEARING ENVIRONMENTAL AND OTHER COSTS.

THEY WANT TO PREVENT SMALL CONSUMERS FROM FOOTING THE BILL.

THEY SAY DATA CENTS WILL PAY THEIR OWN WAY.

>> TO THE EXTENT THAT NEW TRANSMISSION COSTS ARE -- ARE TO DELIVER POWER TO THE DATA CENTER 100% OF THAT GETS ALLOCATED TO THE DATA CENTER.

>> A STATE LAW PASSED IN 2013 ALLOWS UTILITIES TO CHARGE CONSUMERS FOR THE UPGRADES.

THEY SAY IF RATEPAYERS BENEFIT FROM THE UPGRADES FROM DATA CENTERS, THEY COULD PAY AS WELL.

HOOSIERS CAN'T CHOOSE THEIR POWER COMPANY.

THE STATE DIVIDED THE GRID INTO REGIONAL MONOPOLIES AND THE IURC ARE LOOKING AT.

>> I'M STUCK WITH ONE COMPANY.

>> WE DON'T WANT UTILITIES OR THE REGULATORY SYSTEM TO PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS.

WE DON'T BELIEVE IN ONE TYPE OF ENERGY.

WE BELIEVE IN ALL TYPES OF ENERGY.

AND, YOU KNOW WHATEVER IS THE MOST AFFORDABLE AND BENEFITS CONSUMERS THE MOST.

>> JONES SAYS ENERGY SUPPLY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND FOR LARGE LOAD CONSUMERS AND IT COULD LEAD TO HUGE COSTS FOR AVERAGE HOOSIERS.

>> WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR NUCLEAR TO COME ONLINE, WE DON'T NEED TO BE PUTTING ALL OF OUR EGGS IN THAT BASKET.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IS IMMEDIATELY DEPLOYABLE.

THAT'S SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY, POWERED BY BATTERY STORAGE.

>> BUT THERE'S PROBLEMS HERE TOO.

SOLAR PROJECTS HAVE BEEN UNPOPULAR WHEN THOSE WHO LOSE FARMLAND TO SOLAR FARMS AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, ELIMINATING SOLAR TAX CREDITS AND AN INDIANA LAW LIMITING TAX CREDITS REDUCES INCENTIVES FOR HOMEOWNERS TO CONNECT THEIR OWN PANELS.

WHILE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS BUILT OUT, DAY SAYS THE IURC WILL DO WHAT IT CAN TO PROTECT CONSUMERS BUT HE SAYS HIS STAFF IS STRETCHED TO CAPACITY.

>> SOMETIMES I FEEL THE UTILITIES ARE CAMMING AT US, AND WE HAVE ONE HAND BEHIND OUR BAG.

THIS HE HAVE MORE ACCESSIBILITY TO ATTORNEYS, LEGAL TEAMS AND INFORMATION, AND IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE FOR US TO CATCH UP.

>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M ETHAN SANDWEISS.

>>> FOR DECADES, BLACK STUDENTS AT INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HAD A CULTURE CENTER OF THEIR OWN, BUT THAT CENTER IS GONE NOW AS THE UNIVERSITY CHANGED ITS NAME AND MISSION.

OUR AUBREY WRIGHT REPORTS TO AN EFFORT TO RESTORE ITS MISSION AND PRESERVE ITS LEGACY ON CAMPUS.

>> 50 YEARS AGO, BLACK STUDENTS PROTESTED AND FOUGHT FOR THEIR OWN CULTURE CENTER ON CAMPUS.

IT WAS A SMALL BUILDING NEXT TO RAILROAD TRACKS ON 9th STREET.

>> IT AS A SHACK BY THE TRACK BUT IT'S OUR SHACK BY THE TRACK AND THEY MADE THIS LITTLE -- THIS LITTLE SHACK BY THE TRACK INTO AN AMAZING CENTER FOR GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

>> REYNOLDS HAS BEEN WORKING TO COMMEMORATE THE ORIGINAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE ALT CENTER'S LEGACY.

SHE SAYS THE CENTER DREW IN RENOWNED SPEAKERS, EDUCATED ON THE BLACK EXPERIENCE AND DETAIL MURALS OF PAST SPEAKER.

>> SO WE HAVE THESE TREE MURALS STARTING WITH THE 1970s AND THEY WERE HOUSED AT THE FIRST CULTURE CENTER AND NOW THE SECOND CULTURAL CENTER.

>> A YEAR AGO, THEY TOOK AFRICAN AMERICAN OUT OF THE CENTER'S NAME AND CHANGED ITS MISSION.

>> I LOVE INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY.

I'M A THREE-TIME ALUM.

I'M ALSO A FORMER PROFESSOR HERE, BUT WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY.

>> REYNOLDS ISN'T THE ONLY ONE CONCERNED WITH THE CHANGES.

>> WHEN YOU DO IT WITHOUT COMMUNICATION AND WITHOUT CONCERN FOR THE STUDENTS THAT IT SERVES, IT'S EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL AND IT'S HURTFUL, AND IT MAKES US FEEL AS LESS THAN.

>> WHILE REYNOLDS IS WORKING ON HISTORICAL MARKER AT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION, STUDENTS HAVE DEMANDS OF THEIR OWN WITH THE RESTORE THE LEGACY CAMPAIGN.

>> THIS IS A BUSINESS ASK AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR CAMPAIGN IS STRICTLY TO GET WHAT WE NEED TO GET, AND TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WE'RE NOT DOING THIS JUST BASED OPEN EMOTION.

WE ARE JUST DOING THIS BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S RIGHT.

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

>> INDIANA STATE'S SPOKESPEOPLE DIDN'T RESPOND TO REQUEST FOR COMMENT.

>>> WELL, WE ARE JOINED BY CLAYTON BAUMGARTH WITH MORE HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.

>>> HEY, JOE, HOW IS IT GOING?

>> HI, CLAYTON.

>> TENANTS IN BUILDINGS THAT ARE PLANNED FOR DEMOLITION ON THE BLOOMINGTON CONVENTION CENTER CAMPUS WILL HAVE UNTIL THE END OF SUMMER TO RELOCATE.

THEY PURCHASED THE LAND FOR FUTURE TOURISM USE.

THE PARCELS INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL AND RETAIL TENANTS WHO WERE TOLD THEIR LEASES WOULD END JULY 7th.

NOW THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF AUGUST.

>> IF THEY TERMINATE THEIR LEASES EARLY, THEY WILL BE RELEASED FROM THEIR LEASES AND DAMAGE DEPOSITS WILL BE RETURNED TO THEM.

>> HE SAYS OF THE 35 TOTAL UNITS, 10 RESIDENTIAL UNITS ARE OCCUPIED AND IN GOOD STANDING.

SEVEN OTHERS ARE DELINQUENT OR MOVING OUT.

>>> THE BRIDGE AND CLUB HOUSE DRIVE IN LOWER CASCADE PARK REMAINS CLOSED AS THE CITY AND COUNTY DEBATE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT.

THE CITY CLOSED THE ROAD GOING TO THE BRIDGE, LAST WEEK CITING SAFETY CONCERNS.

THE BRIDGE'S CAPACITY HAD BEEN LOWERED FROM 9 TONS TO 5 TONS.

BUT THE CITY WAS CONCERNED VEHICLES OVER 5 TONS WOULD STILL USE THE BRIDGE.

>> WE DON'T BELIEVE WE OWN THE BRIDGE, BUT WE DO HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THE -- THE BOARD HAS THE AUTHORITY OVER THE ROADS AND THE RIGHT-OF-WAYS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.

>> THE COUNTY PASSED A RESOLUTION SAYING THE BRIDGE IS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY.

THERE'S NO TIMETABLE FOR THE BRIDGE'S REPAIR.

>>> INDIANA UNIVERSITY REOPENED THE LAB OF PROFESSOR ROGER INNIS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AFTER THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ENDED ITS INVESTIGATION.

AS ETHAN SANDWEISS REPORTS, THE CASE DREW TO NATIONAL DEFENSE DUE TO DEFENSE OF CHINESE SCIENTISTS.

>> THEY FOUND THEY HAD AN EXPIRED IMPORT PERMIT AND NEEDED A CURATION PERMIT.

THE LAB IS FREE TO RESUME WORK IMMEDIATELY.

HE SAYS THE USDA WAS NOT FREE TO TALK ABOUT WHY THEY INVESTIGATED HIS LAB BUT THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT PLANT PATHOGENS ESCAPING HIS LAP.

THEY WERE ACTING ON THE REQUEST OF OTHER PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT.

>> USUALLY THEIR CONCERNS ARE NURSERIES AND MARKETS AND WHATNOT.

SO THIS WAS UNUSUAL FOR THEM TO SPEND A WHOLE DAY, INSPECTING A LAB LIKE THIS.

>> THE FBI INVESTIGATED INNIS' LAB AFTER A CHINESE RESEARCHER WORKING WITH HIM WAS FOUND TO HAVE MISLABELED A SHIPMENT OF DNA PLASMIDS.

FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M ETHAN SANDWEISS.

>>> THE INDIANA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS FUEL RETAILER INSPECTION.

WHEN GOVERNOR BRAUN SUSPENDED STATE'S GAS TAX, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE CREATED A DASHBOARD TO TRACK PRICES IN THE STATE AND LOG COMPLAINTS.

MORE THAN 170 HOOSIERS HAVE FILED COMPLAINTS.

>> WHEN THAT FUEL WATCH.COM SHOWS SOMETHING WAY OUT OF KILTER, THAT'S NOT THE END OF THE STORY, THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF IT.

IT CAUSES ME TO ASK FURTHER QUESTIONS.

>> STATIONS FOUND TO BE GOUGING CONSUMERS CAN BE FINED PER VIOLATION AND ORDERED TO RELINQUISH PROFITS FROM ILLEGAL PRICE GOUGING.

>> INCUMBENT SECRETARY OF STATE, DIEGO MORALES PLANS TO RUN FOR REELECTION DESPITE LOSING SUPPORT FROM PROMINENT REPUBLICANS.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD ROKITA HAS WITHDRAWN ENDORSEMENTS OF MORALES SAYING HE HAS SO MANY SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS AND OTHER ISSUES.

REPUBLICANS WILL CHOOSE THEIR NOMINEE AT THE CONVENTION ON JUNE 20th.

>>> AND AFTER NEARLY FIVE DECADES ON THE CORNER OF KIRKWOOD AND WALNUT, THE TROJAN HORSE RESTAURANT IS MOVING TO ELLETTSVILLE.

THE TROJAN HORSE'S CURRENT LOCATION IS RECOGNIZABLE BY ITS NAUTICAL DECOR, THE HEAVY FRONT DOOR WITH A CHAIN HANDLE AND A GALLEY LIKE FLOOR AND GALLEY BOOTHS.

>> WE WILL TAKE A LOT OF THIS STUFF AND PUT IT -- AND REARRANGE IT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL STILL FEEL LIKE THEY ARE HAVING SOME OF THE STUFF THAT MADE THEM FEEL LIKE IT WAS TROJAN.

>> SHELLEY SAYS RELOCATED TO THE WE WILLIES LOCATION GIVES THE RESTAURANT ROOM TO EXPAND AND BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES AND PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.

>>> AND THE BEACHES AT LAKE MONROE WILL NOT OPEN ON MEMORIAL DAY AGAIN THIS YEAR DUE TO HIGH WATER.

THE BEACHES AT PAYNETOWN AND FAIRFAX RECREATIONAL AREA ARE COMPLETELY UNDER WATER AND REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF THE MONTH.

THIS MORNING THE WATER LEVEL WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN 12 FEET ABOVE NORMAL.

>>> ACCESS TO SOME BOAT RAMPS AND FISHING AREAS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FLOODING.

>> LAST YEAR, THE LAKE -- THE BEACH WAS ONLY OPEN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

HOPEFULLY THAT WATER GOES DOWN.

THANKS, CLAYTON.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," WITH GAS PRICES HOVERING ABOVE $4, MANY PEOPLE ARE LOOKING INTO HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO SAVE MONEY.

AND LIKE MAGIC, AN EXHIBIT TO THE LILLY LIBRARY, THERE WILL BE HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS ON THE CRAFT.

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

>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

WELL, IN THIS WEEK'S ASK THE MAYOR, I TOOK WITH BLOOMINGTON'S KERRY THOMSON WHO WAS IN ARIZONA AT A CONFERENCE AT THE TIME.

I ASKED HER ABOUT CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY PASSING A PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HOPEWELL NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT AS IT DID SO, COUNCILMEMBER HOPI STOSBERG ACCUSING THE THOMSON ADMINISTRATION.

>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE COUNCILMEMBER WAS TALKING, ABOUT BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS VERY COMPLEX.

AND THE COUNCIL GOT PRETTY INTO THE WEEDS ON FUTURE FINANCING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS FOR YEARS AND YEARS ARE STILL LEARNING.

I THINK COUNCILMEMBER STOSBERG WAS FRUSTRATED THAT THE PUD PROBABLY WAS NOT HER IDEAL PROCESS.

IT WAS NOT MINE EITHER.

>> THOMSON DID ACKNOWLEDGE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO BUILD IN BLOOMINGTON, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT BLOOMINGTON CHAMBER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERIC SPOONMORE AND FORMER MAYOR JOHN FERNANDEZ SPOKE ABOUT IN A RECENT NOON EDITION.

THEY BOTH SAID THAT BUILDING ORDINANCES PUT THE CITY AT AN ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE IN ATTRACTING BUSINESSES AND ADDRESSING THE LACK OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES.

>> I THINK HOPEWELL WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO BUILD IN BLOOMINGTON.

I WAS GETTING CALLS FROM DEVELOPERS DURING THAT PROCESS SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY CAN'T GET THIS THROUGH, WHO CAN?

AND SO WHAT WE NEED TO DO, REALLY, IS TO MAKE OUR CODE BE CLEAR ENOUGH SO THAT WHEN BUILDER OR A DEVELOPER COMES WITH A PROJECT, THEY KNOW WHEN THEY ARE PULLING THE PERMIT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS PROJECT.

SO WE NEED THE THINGS IN CODE THAT ARE GOING TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO HAPPEN.

>> AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL VOTE ON AN ORDINANCE IN TWO WEEKS ON WHETHER TO CLOSE KIRKWOOD AVENUE TO TRAFFIC EVERY APRIL THROUGH NOVEMBER.

THOMSON SAYS IT'S SOMETHING THE MAJORITY OF BUSINESSES ALONG THE STREET DO NOT WANT, NOR DOES SHE.

>> COUNCIL REALLY PUT IT IN THE ENGINEER'S LAP FOR WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO OPEN KIRKWOOD ON ANY GIVEN YEAR, AND SO WE HAVE THE ENGINEER, ALONG WITH THE REST OF OUR TEAM HAD MADE A REALLY INFORMED DECISION ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DOING WITH KIRKWOOD THIS YEAR.

WE HAD SOME BUSINESSES THAT WERE REALLY OUTSPOKEN IN PRIVATE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT CLOSING KIRKWOOD, AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE SOME BUSINESSES THAT REALLY WOULD LIKE IT TO STAY CLOSED.

WE ALSO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES.

SO I'M -- I'M DEFINITELY NOT BEHIND THE RESOLUTIONS.

>> YOU CAN LISTEN TO MY ENTIRE CONVERSATION WITH MAYOR THOMSON AND PAST EPISODES OF ASK THE MAYOR, INCLUDING THOSE WITH COLUMBUS, AND TERRE HAUTE'S BRANDON SAKBUN.

IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE, WTIUNEWS.ORG.

>>> WELL, EVEN AS THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY CLIMBS, MORE CUSTOMERS ARE TURNING TO HYBRID CARS AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO SAVE MONEY AT THE GAS PUMP.

OUR ISABELLA VESPERINI SPOKE WITH LOCAL CAR OWNERS AND DEALERSHIPS TO LEARN MORE ON THE MOVE AWAY FROM GAS-POWERED VEHICLES.

>> JUST AS GAS PRICES STARTED TO RISE IN FEBRUARY, ELLETTSVILLE RESIDENT, JOHN SHASBURGER PURCHASED AN ELECTRIC TRUCK.

>> I HAVE TO DRIVE TO BUTLER UNIVERSITY AND TEACH ON TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS AND I.U.

ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS.

AND SO THE GAS PRICES WERE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN I WANTED TO SPEND.

>> GAS PRICES FIRST ROSE IN FEBRUARY, FOLLOWING THE U.S.

GETTING INVOLVED IN THE WAR IN IRAN.

ACCORDING TO AAA, IN BLOOMINGTON, A GALLON OF GAS COSTS AN AVERAGE OF $4.36 A GALLON.

NEARLY $1.50 MORE THAN IT WAS TWO MONTHS AGO AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE NEARLY 60 CENTS IN THE STATE GAS TAXES SUSPENDED BY THE GOVERNOR.

HE SAYS HE USED TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF DOLLAR A WEEK ON GAS.

NOW HE SPENT UNDER $30 SO FAR THIS MONTH TO CHARGE HIS TRUCK.

>> IT MAKES EVERYTHING EASIER, YOU KNOW?

I MEAN IT'S A CAR PAYMENT RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW?

SO IT JUST -- JUST FREES YOU UP FROM HAVING UNNECESSARY BILLS.

>> JOSEPH YUNE, CONSUMER INSIGHTS ANALYST FOR EDMONDS, A RESOURCE FOR CAR SHOPPERS SAID NORMALLY LIKE 20% OF VEHICLES LOOK AT ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THE SITE.

NOW ABOUT 25% ARE CONSIDERING PURCHASING AN E.V., WHICH YUNE SAYS IS SIGNIFICANT.

>> THEY ARE NOT JUST READING AN ARTICLE ON A NEW SITE.

THEY ARE NOT READING, YOU KNOW -- THEY ARE NOT JUST LOOKING AT AN AD SOMEWHERE.

THEY CAME TO OUR WEBSITE AND INTENTIONALLY DRILLED DOWN TO LOOK AT THESE VEHICLES BECAUSE X, Y, Z. AND I THINK RIGHT NOW THAT X, Y, Z, WHY AM I PAYING SO MUCH PER GALLON.

>> LOCAL DEALERSHIPS HAVE SEEN HIGHER SALES OF HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

>> THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN SALES RECENTLY HAS BEEN THE HYBRIDS, THE HYBRIDS WITH THE IMPROVED GAS MILEAGE, THE COMBINATION OF BOTH THE ELECTRIC AND THE COMBUSTION ENGINE HAS REALLY STARTED TO SKYROCKET TOO.

>> HE SAYS BUYING AN E.V.

OR HYBRID SAVES MONEY, EVEN WITH LIMITED CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE STATE.

PEOPLE CAN SAVE UP TO $100 A MONTH ON GAS BY SWITCHING TO A HYBRID VEHICLE AND OVER $100 A MONTH BY SWITCHING TO AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

>> WE ARE EDUCATING THEM.

THAT'S THE MAIN THING.

WE TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE VEHICLE.

WE SPEND A LOT LONGER GOING OVER IT WITH THEM AND JUST HOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO USE THE APPS THAT ARE PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURERS, IN ORDER TO PLAN OUT YOUR ROUTE AND TO BE READY FOR THINGS LIKE THAT.

>>> WHILE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIANA IS LIMITED, THE INDIANA D.O.T.

RECENTLY ANNOUNCED ITS PLAN TO INVEST NEARLY $100 MILLION TO BUILD AN EV CHARGING NETWORK AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG INTERSTATES AND HIGHWAYS.

AND IN BLOOMINGTON, THERE ARE CHARGING STATIONS AT SWITCHYARD PARK AND VARIOUS PARKING GARAGES.

SHASBURGER SAYS HE'S NOT WORRIED ABOUT LIMITED CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> IF SOMETHING HAPPENED, IF I NEEDED TO, I COULD PULL INTO ANY DEALER.

>> HE SAYS THE NEW EV CAN PULL 7,700 POUNDS AND HANDles up to 9.4 kilowatts.

He can plug any power tool into his car.

>> When we lose power in the winter or like a tornado or something like that, which happens quite often, that truck can power my entire house at 9.4-kilowatts.

So just the capability that it gives me, is incredible.

>> For "Indiana Newsdesk," I'm Isabella Vesperini.

>> A new magic collection is coming to Indiana University's Lilly Library.

Magic performer and writer David ben is selling more than 250 boxes of rare books, photos and historical artifacts to the library.

Our Aubrey Wright has more on the spellbinding collection.

>> During his decades long magic career, David ben collected thousands of artifacts, dating back to the 19th CENTURY.

>> WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I -- ALL OF MY FRIENDS WERE GREAT MAGICIANS WHO WERE IN THEIR 70s AND 80s AND I WAS IN MY TEENS AND 20s.

AND I ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF THEIR COLLECTIONS.

>> HE SAYS IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT THOSE FRIENDS WERE PIONEERS IN THE FIELD OF MAGIC.

IT WASN'T UNTIL A CANCER DIAGNOSIS THAT HE CONSIDERED A LONGER TERM SANCTUARY.

>> MY MENTOR SAID WE ARE ALL GIVEN A SAME AMOUNT OF TIME, A LIFETIME AND IT'S WHAT YOU DO WITHIN THAT LIFETIME.

AND SO I THOUGHT, I NEED TO FIND A HOME FOR THIS MATERIAL.

>> AFTER BEN LEARNED THAT LILLY HAD ALREADY HELD ANOTHER COLLECTION FROM MAGICIAN RICKY JAY, HE BROUGHT THE IDEA TO THE LIBRARY, CURATORS LEAPT AT THE CHANCE TO BUY IT AND ADD TO AN ALREADY MASSIVE MAGIC COLLECTION.

>> ADDING THIS, I THINK WILL MAKE THE LILLY ONE OF THE MAJOR PLACES TO GO TO STUDY THE HISTORY OF MAGIC.

I ALSO THINK WE HAVE OTHER COLLECTIONS THAT IT CAN BE IN CONVERSATION WITH.

>> NOW THE LIBRARY STAFF WILL REVIEW EVERYTHING 19th CENTURY CLOTH-BOUND BOOKS, HANDWRITTEN LETTERS, AUDIO TAPES AND EVEN TRADE SECRETS FROM SOME OF THE MOST PROLIFIC MAGICIANS.

>> BEN SAYS HE HOPES IT INSPIRES OUTSIDE OF THE BOX IDEAS AND SPARKS CURIOSITY.

>> THE GOAL TO ME WAS NOT TO ASSEMBLE A COLLECTION TO TURN PEOPLE INTO MAGICIANS.

THAT'S NOT IT.

MAGIC, TO ME, IS A PRISM THAT YOU CAN APPLY TO VIRTUALLY ANY FIELD THAT REFRACTS LIGHT INTO DIFFERENT STRANDS THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT.

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

>>> AND AFTER MONTHS OF DISCUSSION, OFFICIALS HAVE DECIDED ON ART WORK FOR BLOOMINGTON'S CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.

IT'S CALLED A FORM OF CONNECTION AND RESEMBLES AND ILLUMINATED RIBBON, WHICH INCLUDES THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE NEW FACILITY BUILT ACROSS THE STREET.

IT WAS DESIGNED BY A STUDIO IN LOS ANGELES.

THE BUDGET FOR THE ART WORK IS $400,000.

THE C. I.B.

IS SEEKING A HOST HOTEL AND PARKING OPTIONS AS PART OF THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.

>>> 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 SAFE AND FUN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

>>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE