>>> AS MORE AND MORE DATA CENTERS ARE BEING BUILT IN THE STATE, RESIDENTS ARE FIGHTING BACK AGAINST LOCAL LEADERS WHO ARE GIVING THEM THE GREEN LIGHT.

>>> A BLOOMINGTON MAN HAS CREATED A WEBSITE THAT TRACKS HEALTHCARE COSTS ALLOWING USERS TO SEEK OUT THE MOST AFFORDABLE CARE.

>>> AND WITH THE U.S.

CELEBRATING ITS 250th BIRTHDAY THIS WEEKEND, WE LOOK AT FUTURE HOOSIERS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REVOLUTION.

WE WILL HAVE THESE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

♪ >>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

I'M JOE HREN.

THE NUMBER OF DATA CENTERS IS SKYROCKETING AS TECH COMPANIES SEEK PLACES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADVANCED COMPUTERS.

AS MORE COME TO INDIANA, THEY ARE PITTING RESIDENTS AGAINST GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.

THAT'S HAPPENING IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WHERE A PROPOSED DATA CENTER COULD BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY.

>> A LONG U.S.

HIGHWAY 421, JUST OUTSIDE OF MADISON, VISITORS SEE A WELCOME CENTER FOR THE BIG OAKS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

A SUN BLEACHED SIGN TELLS ITS HISTORY.

IT WAS ONCE HOME TO U.S.

ARMY RANGE AND FACILITIES AND TODAY IT'S A HAVEN FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES, ESPECIALLY BIRDS, BUT ITS FUTURE IS UNCLEAR.

AS A HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER IS IN THE WORKS AT THE VACANT JEFFERSON PROVING GROUND, JUST I DON'T KNOW THE METAL FENCE.

>> I FEEL LIKE THE -- THE WHOLE ETHOS OF A DATA CENTER OF THAT SCALE IS VERY COUNTER TO WHAT WE CARE ABOUT MOST HERE IN MADISON AND JEFFERSON COUNTY.

>> THE PROCESS TO BUILD A DATA CENTER TOTALING MORE THAN 7 MILLION SQUARE FEET IS SPEEDING ALONG, BUT KOREN AND OTHER JEFFERSON COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE TAKING ACTION.

>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW TO COUNTER THE DAMAGE, SO IF THIS IS GOING IN, WHAT PROTECTIONS DO THEY PLAN TO PUT IN PLACE.

>> THEY HAVE EVEN BROKE ATTENDANCE RECORDS AT PUBLIC MEETINGS.

>> THE INFRASTRUCTURE, ENVIRONMENTAL, UTILITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS FAR BEYOND WHAT OUR CURRENT ORDINANCE.

>> WE HAVE MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT.

>> THE DEVELOPER OF THIS PROJECT IN JEFFERSON COUNTY HAS NOT BEEN DISCLOSED TO THE COMMUNITY.

>> DESPITE THE OUTCRY, KOREN SAYS THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE ARE NOT LIST TO GO THEM AND THE -- LISTENING TO THEM AND THE FACTS ARE NOT ADDING UP.

>> THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN WHAT OUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE DOING WITH OUR COLLECTIVE RESOURCES AND WHAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY ASKED THEM TO DO, AND NOT TO DO.

>> THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAS HEARD ABOUT THESE CONCERNS AS IT DEALS WITH THE COUNTY'S FISCAL FUTURE.

>> WE DON'T VOTE YES OR NO ON PROJECTS.

WE DON'T VOTE YES OR NO ON DATA CENTERS.

>> MAY SAYS LATELY IT CAN FEEL LIKE IT'S THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT VERSUS THE CONSTITUENTS.

BUT MAY AND RESIDENTS AND KOREN ARE NOT AT ODDS.

THIS AREA IS BELOVED BY VISITORS AND LOCALS.

>> THEY COME HERE TO KIND OF SLOW DOWN AND BE IN NATURE.

>> THEY ALSO AGREE THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, WATER AND UTILITY USAGE, AND SPIKES IN COSTS FOR RESIDENTS.

>> YOU SAW WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THIS IS.

IF YOU THOUGHT THIS PLACE WAS GONNA HAVE -- BE TRIED UP, DRIED OUT AND DESTROYED AND POLLUTED AND YOU LIVED HERE AND YOU LOVED THIS AREA, YOU WOULD BE ON THE DEFENSIVE TOO.

>> THEY ALSO BELIEVE THE DATA CENTER ISSUE MOVED TOO QUICKLY THROUGH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

AND EVEN THOUGH EVERYONE SEEMS TO HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, KOREN SAYS THERE ARE TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

>> I REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SLOW DOWN.

>> BUT UNLIKE KOREN MAY BELIEVES THE DATA CENTER BELIEVES IT COULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE COUNTER.

>> THE GREATER THREAT TO ME IS US SUSPECTING EACH OTHER AND BECOMING FEARFUL WHICH LEADS TO HATE AND ANGER AND WE ARE AT EACH OTHER'S THROAT.

I THINK THE DIVISIVENESS IS A GREATER THREAT THAN THE DATA CENTERS.

>> HE SAYS THE COUNTY HAS A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS TO FUND, SUCH AS AN HVAC SYSTEM FOR THE LIBRARY AND EMERGENCY SERVICES IN RURAL AREAS.

THESE PROJECTS COST MILLIONS AS COUNTY GOVERNMENTS ARE GETTING LESS REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

>> WE NEED TO FILL THAT REVENUE GAP.

SO THAT'S OUR JOB.

THAT'S OUR CONCERN HOW DO WE DO THAT AND NOT RAISE TAXES.

>> THEY CREATED AN ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION AREA AROUND THE JEFFERSON PROVING GROUND.

>> WE WANT DEVELOPERS TO COME IN AND PRODUCE GOOD JOBS, WHICH RAISES THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND CLOSE THAT GAP IN OUR BUDGET.

>> THAT ECONOMIC PROMISE IS ATTRACTIVE FOR MANY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

INDIANA LEADERS HAVE BEEN FRIENDLY TO LARGE TECH COMPANIES LIKE META AND GOOGLE WHICH SAY THEY WILL BRING JOBS AND MONEY.

DATA CENTER TRACKER CLEANVIEW SAYS THERE ARE ABOUT 90 PLANNED AND OPERATING DATA CENTERS IN THE STATE, BUT THE SKEPTICISM PERSISTS.

>> I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE FALSE PROMISES THAT ARE BEING MADE, AND I JUST THINK THAT THESE ARE HAPPENING AT SUCH SPEED THAT ALL OF THE DUE DILIGENCE CANNOT BE HAPPENING.

>> HALL SAYS SHE THINKS THERE'S AN OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS THAT THE DATA CENTER APPROVAL PROCESS LACKS TRANSPARENCY.

OTHER HOOSIERS ARE ECHOING THAT IDEA AS CENTERS MULTIPLY AND RACE TOWARDS ADVANCING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

HALL SAYS NOW IS THE TIME FOR CITIZENS TO HOLD DEVELOPERS ACCOUNTABLE.

>> MY CONCERN IS THAT THE DEVELOPERS AND THE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO BE CUTTING CORNERS AND -- AND EXPLOITING GOVERNMENT, IN ORDER TO MAKE -- TO WIN THAT RACE, INSTEAD OF DOING THINGS PROPERLY AND GETTING PROPER PUBLIC COMMENT AND VISIBILITY TO THE PROCESSES.

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

>>> THE JEFFERSON PROVING GROUND IS PRIVATELY OWNED AND WAS APPROVED FOR INDUSTRIAL USE BY COUNTY OFFICIALS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND OWNERS OF THE PROPERTY DID NOT RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW.

>>> HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN FEDERALLY REQUIRED TO PUBLISH A STANDARD LIST OF PRICES SINCE 2019, BUT AS MIA LEHMKUHL REPORTS, A BLOOMINGTON MAN HAS LAUNCHED AN ONLINE HOSPITAL PRICE TOOL FOR PATIENTS TO SHOP FOR MORE AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE.

>> BLOOMINGTON RESIDENT AND COMPUTER SCIENTIST ALEX LENKYN SAID HE RECEIVED THAT MACHINE READABLE FILES ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE CONSUMER.

>> THESE GIANT FILES AND THESE GIANT SPREADSHEETS WHERE YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF CODES AND THEN PRICING FOR DIFFERENT INSURANCES.

I THOUGHT WHY DON'T I USE MY COMPUTER SCIENCE BACKGROUND TO PUT IT IN A MORE USER FRIENDLY SITE.

>> IT USES ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO DESCRIBE MEDICAL JARGON IN LAYMAN'S TERM AND OTHER ITEMS TYPICALLY BILLED WITH A PROCEDURE.

BUT THIS IS NOT FIRST TOOL TO MAKE HEALTHCARE PRICES MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR HOOSIERS.

A NONPROFIT FOCUSED ON IMPROVING HOSPITAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY RELEASED A SIMILAR INDIANA PRICE FINDER TOOL WITH GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN IN MAY.

PRA DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH SAYS INDEPENDENTLY MADE HOSPITAL PRICE FINDER TOOLS SHOWCASE A DEMAND FOR KNOWING WHAT COULD SHOW UP ON A MEDICAL BILL.

>> IN ORDER TO CREATE A HEALTHIER AMERICA, WE HAVE TO GIVE PATIENTS ACCESS TO PRICES UP FRONT SO THEY CAN GET THE CARE THEY NEED AT PRICES THEY KNOW THEY CAN AFFORD.

>> LENKYN PLANS TO EXPAND TO ALL 50 STATES AND INCLUDE INFORMATION FOR INDEPENDENT MEDICAL FACILITIES, WHICH HE SAYS IS CHEAPER THAN HOSPITALS.

>> WHY CAN'T WE BUY AN AIRLINE TICKET OR HOTEL, AND YESTERDAY WE CAN'T BUY ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE THINGS IN OUR LIVES, WHICH IS, LIKE, MEDICAL EXPENSES.

>> THE CODE FOR LENKYN'S SITE IS OPEN SOURCE AND AVAILABLE ON GITHUB.

I'M MIA LEHMKUHL.

>> WE'RE JOINED NOW BY ELYSE PERRY WITH HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE STATE.

HELLO, ELYSE.

>> HEY, JOE.

THE BLOOMINGTON HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE DEMOLITION OF TWO SEMINARY POINTE BUILDINGS TIED TO THE CONVENTION CENTER EXPANSION.

THE COMMISSION VOTED 4-2 THIS WEEK TO RELEASE THE 90-DAY DEMOLITION DELAYS AT 424 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE AND 222 WEST SECOND STREET.

OPPONENTS ARE URGED COMMISSIONERS TO KEEP THE DELAY IN PLACE, ARGUING THE BUILDINGS HAVE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, AND CONTAINS 21 AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.

>> WE ARE CONSIDERING THE HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THESE BUILDINGS ONLY.

JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY OF OUR PURVIEW HERE, WE NEED TO STAY IN OUR LANE.

>> DEMOLITION OF THE PROPERTIES COULD BEGIN AS EARLY AS OCTOBER 1st.

>>> BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS WILL SEE THEIR DRINKING WATER BILLS INCREASE BY MORE THAN 20% BEGINNING IN AUGUST.

THE INCREASE WILL APPEAR ON SEPTEMBER BILLS.

>> THAT MEANS THE AVERAGE RESIDENT USING 3,000 GALLONS OF WATER PER MONTH WILL PAY ABOUT $4 MORE PER BILL ACCORDING TO A CITY PRESS RELEASE.

THAT RATE INCREASE WILL GENERATE MORE THAN $5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL ANNUAL REVENUE, WHICH WILL HELP FUND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITY'S DRINKING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NOT COVERED BY BONDS.

>>> A MONROE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE HAS TEMPORARILY BLOCKED ENFORCEMENT OF PART OF INDIANA'S NEW IMMIGRATION LAW, BUT ONLY IN MONROE COUNTY.

MONROE COUNTY SHERIFF RUBEN MARTE SUED THE STATE SAYING THE LAW PUTS OFFICERS IN DIFFICULT SITUATION, BECAUSE IT COULD CONFLICT WITH THE CONSTITUTION.

JUDGE RUDISILL AGREED.

ATTORNEY GENERAL TODD ROKITA SAYS THE STATE WILL APPEAL THE INJUNCTION.

>>> DESPITE MISGIVINGS FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD AND PARENTS, THE MONROE COUNTY SCHOOL COMMUNITY CORPORATION BOARD ADOPTED A NEW CELL PHONE POLICY TO COMPLY WITH THE STATEWIDE SCHOOL CELL PHONE BAN.

ISABELLA VESPERINI HAS MORE ON THE LAW THAT GOES INTO EFFECT THIS WEEK.

>> THE NEW LAW REQUIRES STUDENTS TO LEAVE WIRELESS DEVICES AT HOME OR STORE THEM IN AN INACCESSIBLE PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, INCLUDING POTENTIALLY LOCKERS, CLASSROOM POUCHES OR BACKPACKS.

>> IT IS A BELL-TO-BELL PROHIBITION, THAT'S HOW YOU WILL HEAR IT REFERRED TO.

BEFORE IT WAS JUST THAT IT COULDN'T BE DURING CLASSROOM TIME.

THE DEVICES MUST BE POWERED OFF, NOT JUST SILENCED.

>> BOARD MEMBER APRIL HENNESSY IS WORRIED ABOUT INCONSISTENT APPLICATION OF THE POLICY AND STORING THE DEVICES IN DIFFERENT WAYS ACROSS DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WITHIN THE CORPORATION.

>> THAT WILL INEVITABLY LEAD TO DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACCESS AND THEN POTENTIALLY GREATER OR LESS DISCIPLINARY ACTION AROUND THOSE PHONES.

>> HERMAN ASSURED THAT THERE WILL BE A CONSISTENT STORAGE LOCATION WITHIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

SUSAN ELLENWOOD HAS TWO KIDS ATTENDING MCCSC SCHOOLS.

SHE FINDS IT CRUCIAL TO CONTACT HER KIDS DURING AN EMERGENCY, AND SHE'S CONCERNED HOW THE CELL PHONE BAN WILL AFFECT THAT.

>> WE GET A LOT OF THESE TEXTS, SOME OF THEM ARE FALSE ALARMS, SOME OF THEM ARE DRILLS.

AT ANY RATE, THE FIRST THING MANY OF US DO IS CONTACT OUR KIDS, CHECK IN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE OKAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THAT.

>> THE POLICY STATES THAT THE BEST WAY FOR PARENTS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THEIR STUDENTS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY IS BY CALLING THE SCHOOL OFFICE.

HENNESSY ALSO NOTED THE COST OF THESE POLICIES AT THE TIME OF STATE BUDGET CUTS TO EDUCATION.

>> THEY COST US TIME AND DOLLARS, EVERY SINGLE BIT OF THIS IS A DRAIN ON OUR TEACHER'S TIME, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE TIME AND OUR OFFICES.

LIKE, I JUST THINK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WILL NOW BE SPENT ON SOMETHING PRETTY FRIVOLOUS AND STUPID.

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

>>> GOVERNOR MIKE BRAUN APPOINTED THREE I.U.

ALUMNI AS TRUSTEES TO THE INDIANA UNIVERSITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

MATT FERGUSON, STEVE HENKE AND MEL RAINES WILL BE SWORN THIS AT NEXT MONTH'S BOARD MEETING.

RAINES IS C.E.O.

OF PACER SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT, THE FIRST WOMAN C.E.O.

FOR THE COMPANY.

FERGUSON IS THE FORMER C.E.O.

OF CAREERBUILDER, SERVING FROM 2004 TO 2018 AND IS CURRENTLY EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN.

AND HENKE IS C.E.O.

OF HENKE DEVELOPMENT GROUP.

>>> I.U.

DOCTORAL STUDENTS SABINA ALI IS SUING THE UNIVERSITY FOR THE VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

ACCORDING TO THE SUIT, INTERIM DIRECTOR GUNTHER JIKELI OF THE I.U.

JEWISH STUDIES PROGRAM REMOVED ALI FROM A VIDEO CALL.

IT ALSO ALLEGATIONS APPROVED FUNDING FOR ALI TO PRESENT RESEARCH AT AN ACADEMIC CONFERENCE WAS LATER VETOED.

>>> AND GOVERNOR BRAUN ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THE STATE WILL REIMBURSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR FINANCIAL LOSSES DUE TO THE ONGOING GAS TAX SUSPENSION.

THE SUSPENSION, WHICH AMOUNTS TO AROUND 62 CENTS PER GALLON IS COSTING THE STATE ROUGHLY $140 MILLION EACH MONTH.

THAT MONEY IS MEANT FOR LOCAL ROADS AND GOVERNMENT BUDGETS.

>> EVERY PENNY THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO FORGO WILL BE REPLENISHED AND WE HOPE TO DO THE SAME THING FOR STATE ROAD FUNDING AS WELL.

>>> AND JOE, BRAUN ALSO ANNOUNCED $84 MILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO 174 CITIES AND COUNTIES ACROSS INDIANA.

>>> HARD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THAT GAS BREAK.

THANK YOU.

>>> COMING UP NEXT ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK," WITH THE U.S.

CELEBRATING ITS 250th ANNIVERSARY, OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS DISCUSS THE IMPACT FUTURE HOOSIERS HAD ON THE REVOLUTION.

>>> AND WE VISIT WITH COLUMBUS MAYOR MARY FERDON TO SEE HOW THE CITY'S RIVERSIDE PROJECT IS COMING ALONG.

THESE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA NEWSDESK."

THIS WEEKEND, THE UNITED STATES WILL CELEBRATE THE 250th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGNING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION, THE WTIU/WFIU PODCAST, THE STATE OF INQUIRY HAS PRODUCED A SIX-PART SERIES ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

ONE THE EPISODES TITLED INDIANA PATRIOTS IS ABOUT FUTURE HOOSIERS' CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REVOLUTION.

HERE'S A SEGMENT FROM IT.

>> SO THE FIRST PART OF -- SO IT'S A TIME OF THE REVOLUTION, ENGLAND HAD SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TRYING TO KEEP SETTLERS FROM GOING ACROSS THE APPALACHIANS, INTO THIS TERRITORY THAT WOULD BECOME OHIO, INDIANA, THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY AREA.

AND THERE WAS A FAIRLY LARGE FRENCH POPULATION THAT WAS STILL HERE AS WELL.

AND SETTLERS SORT OF PUSHED OVER INTO THE AREA.

IT CAUSED CONFLICTS WITH NATIVE AMERICANS THAT WERE HERE.

WHEN THE WAR BROKE OUT, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS, THOSE FRONTIER FOLKS WERE MILITARIZED, PARTICULARLY BY THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, GEORGE ROGERS CLARK WAS SANCTIONED BY VIRGINIA TO PUT A MILITARY FORCE TOGETHER TO FIGHT THE BRITISH IN THE TERRITORY.

AND SO MANY OF THE BATTLES THAT OCCURRED WERE RELATED TO HIS WORK, WHICH WAS REALLY A MATTER OF OUTPOSTS THAT THE BRITISH HAD THROUGHOUT THE AREA.

SOME OF WHICH HE CAME UP ON AND THEY WERE COMPLETELY UNMANNED.

AND SO WE TOOK THEM OVER AND WON THOSE BATTLED QUITE EASILY.

SO A LOT OF THAT WAS GOING ON, BUT IT WAS REALLY THOSE VIRGINIA MILITIA MEN THAT WERE THE FIRST AMERICAN FORCES INTO THE TERRITORY, PARTICULARLY SOUTHERN INDIANA.

>> MM-HMM.

WAS THIS IMPORTANT IN THE OVERALL PICTURE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR OR WAS IT KIND OF A SIDE SHOW?

>> FOR FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THE MIDWEST, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT.

[ CHUCKLES ] IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS MOST MILITARY HISTORIANS DON'T KNOW THAT IT -- IT TRULY SHAPED THE WAR IN ANY WAY, OTHER THAN TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WE HAD DONE IT, AND TAKEN COMMAND OF THE AREA.

IT WAS SO SPARSELY POPULATED BY EUROPEAN SETTLERS THAT IT REALLY -- THERE'S -- I READ ONE PLACE THAT THEY SHOWED UP THAT THEY FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A BAR GOING ON WHEN THE MA -- A WAR WAS GOING ON WHEN THE MILITIA SHOWED UP.

THAT'S HOW SPARSELY POPULATED AND REMOTE THE AREA WAS.

>> THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BURIED ON CAMPUS, WHO ARE THEY.

>> WELL, JOHN KNOWS THE PEOPLE BETTER, BUT, YEAH, THERE WERE THREE SISTERS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN HELPING NURSE AND PROVISION SOME -- >> WOMEN THEN?

>> WOMEN.

YEAH, WOMEN.

AND THEY WERE -- ONE OF THEM MARRIED INTO THE DUNN FAMILY, AND THEY -- THEY'RE ALL BURIED IN THE DUNN FAMILY CEMETERY ON CAMPUS.

>> MM-HMM.

>> YOU PROBABLY KNOW MORE THAN I.

>> THE BREWSTER SISTERS WERE TEENAGERS AT THE TIME OF THE WAR BUT THEIR FATHER WAS A QUARTERMASTER FOR THE CONTINENTAL ARMY, PARTICULARLY THE VIRGINIA MILITIAS.

AND HE WAS SUPPLYING THEM, DOING WITH FOOD, CLOTHING, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY WOULD NEED AND WHENEVER THE ARMY WAS IN THE AREA, THE SISTERS WOULD FIRE UP THE OVEN AND MAKE AS MUCH BREAD AS THEY COULD AND THEY WOULD MEND CLOTHES AND SPIN WOOL AND THEY DID ALL OF THESE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WERE A PART OF THAT WAR EFFORT.

SO BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION STANDARD, THEY -- THEY QUALIFY AS PATRIOTS THAT SERVED IN THE WAR EFFORT.

THEY ARE BURIED, AS JIM SAID, NEXT TO THE UNION IN DUNN CEMETERY AND THEN THERE'S A SMALL CEMETERY UP ACROSS FROM FOSTER QUAD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THERE, JUST BY VIRTUE OF IT HAVING A LITTLE WALL AROUND IT AND IT'S -- IT'S KIND OF ON THE HILL.

SO PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT'S THERE.

AND BY THE BEST ACCOUNTS WE CAN FIGURE, ROGERS, HENRY ROGERS, IS BURIED THERE.

THERE'S NO MARKER FOR HIM AT THE TIME THAT HE PASSED AWAY, THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEM.

ALL FOUR OF THEM WOUND UP COMING OVER INTO KENTUCKY AT FIRST, AND THEN INTO SOUTHERN INDIANA AND THEN AS MONROE COUNTY WAS SETTLED AND BLOOMINGTON WAS CREATED AND THE UNIVERSITY WAS PUT HERE, THEY CAME UP TO SETTLE LAND IN THIS AREA.

SOME OF WHICH WAS DRIVEN, A LOT OF SETTLEMENT WAS DRIVEN BY VETERANS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THEIR CHILDREN WHO WERE PUSHING WEST OVER THE MOUNTAINS INTO SEARCH OF NEW LAND AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO JOHN, I WONDER WHERE DID THE BREWSTER SISTERS ACTUALLY SERVE DURING THE -- THE WAR?

>> SO THEY LIVED IN CULPEPPER COUNTY, VIRGINIA.

>> OKAY.

>> AND SO THAT WAS WHERE THEIR DAD LIVED AT.

THEY -- ALL THREE -- AT LEAST TWO OUT OF THREE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MARRIED VETERANS OF THE WAR.

>> I SEE.

>> AND AS THEY MOVED WEST, THEIR DAD ALSO MOVED WITH THEM AND HE DIDN'T MAKE IT FURTHER THAN KENTUCKY, BUT THEY LIVED IN KENTUCKY FOR A WHILE, AND THEN THEY ACTUALLY -- THE FAMILIES ACTUALLY SEPARATED AND THE SISTERS WOUND UP KIND OF SPREAD APART WHEN THEY MOVED INTO INDIANA.

AND THEN ELEANOR DUNN, WHO WAS LIVING HERE IN TOWN, HAD MARRIED INTO THE DUNNS, AS HER SISTER'S HUSBANDS PASSED AWAY, SHE HAD THEM MOVE IN WITH HER.

SO ALL THREE OF THEM WOUND UP LIVING HERE IN THEIR ELDER YEARS, HENCE THEY ARE ALL IN OUR CEMETERY.

>> YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE FIRST FOUR EPISODES OF THE STATE OF INQUIRIES, 250 SERIES, WHEREVER YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS OR WATCH THE EPISODES ONLINE AT WTIUNEWS.ORG.

>>> DESPITE HEAVY RAINS AND INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE COLUMBUS RIVER PROJECT IS READY TO BE OPENED.

IT WILL ADDRESS MANY SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ALONG THE RIVER FRONT BETWEEN THE 2nd AND 3rd STREET BRIDGES AND BEAUTIFY THE AREA.

>> WE ARE STANDING RIGHT ABOVE THE AMPHITHEATER.

TODAY WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AND YOU MAY HEAR BEHIND US HERE SHORTLY, THEY ARE DRIVING SHEETING AND THAT IS FOR THE RETAINING WALL FOR THE TRAIL WHICH IS GOING TO CONNECT INTO THE AMPHITHEATER.

WE ARE RIGHT ON SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE A GREAT CREW WITH MILESTONE.

THEY HAVE DEVELOPED INTO THEIR PLANNING PROCESS SEVERAL RAIN AND POOR WEATHER CONDITION DATES.

THE PRIMARY REASON THAT WE'RE DOING THIS PROJECT IS AROUND SAFETY.

WE'VE GOT AN OLD LOW HEAD DAM OUT HERE THAT WILL COME OUT SOMETIME IN AUGUST, AND THAT HAS -- IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN WANTING TO DO FOR A LONG TIME.

WE ALSO WILL BE ARMORING OUR BANKS, THE SIDES OF -- NOT ONLY THIS SIDE OF THE RIVER BUT POTENTIALLY THE OTHER SIDE.

WE HAVE AN OLD EPA LANDFILL SITE THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS PROTECTED AND WE HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL EROSION -- CURRENT AND POTENTIAL EROSION THAT COULD BE HAPPENING, AND WE WANT TO PROTECT.

AND THE TRAIL IS THE LAST CONNECTOR OF A TRAIL SYSTEM THAT RUNS THE ENTIRE PART OF COLUMBUS.

SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THE AMPHITHEATER, YOU CAN REACH THAT BY GOING ALONG THE TRAIL.

THE TRAIL CONNECTS INTO BOTH SIDES OF THE AMPHITHEATER.

WHAT YOU SEE IS THE CONNECTION OF OUR RIVER SYSTEM.

IT'S POURED IN A DECORATIVE CONCRETE IN THE MIDDLE.

THE AMPHITHEATER IS ALSO DESIGNED TO FLOOD.

SO THIS IS -- THIS IS A RAGING RIVER AND IT WILL FLOOD FROM TIME TO TIME.

AND THE AMPHITHEATER IS DESIGNED TO WITH STAND THAT AND IT'S ALSO INTENDED TO HELP ARMOR THE BANKS FROM ADDITIONAL EROSION.

>> ABOUT HALF OF THE $12 MILLION PROJECT IS FUNDED BY GRANTS.

>>> 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 AND SAFE 4th OF JULY WEEKEND.

♪ >> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE