>>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE
FOLLOWING:
>>> COMING UP ON "INDIANA
NEWSDESK," THE STATE'S
SUPERINTENDENT VISITED
BLOOMINGTON THIS WEEK TO TALK
ABOUT MAKING SCHOOLS INCLUSIVE
FOR ALL STUDENTS.
>> WELL, I THINK COMMUNITIES ARE
BECOMING, YOU KNOW, MORE FINDFUL
OF THE STUDENTS THAT THEY --
MINDFUL OF THE STUDENTS THAT
THEY ISN'T.
AND THEY NEED TO HAVE SCHOOLS
ADDRESS THE SHIRE US WHEN ISSUES WHEN THINGS
ARE BROUGHT UP.
>> AND WHY SHE SPENT MORE TIME
LISTENING THAN SPEAKING.
>>> AND IN THE RURAL PART OF
INDIANA, HOOSIERS DON'T HAVE
BROADBAND ACCESS.
>> WE FELT IF WE DIDN'T PROVIDE
INTERNET NFC THIS SERVICE, THERE WOULD BE
NOBODY TO PROVIDE THEM AND THE
COLLEGE KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS
WOULD NOT COME BACK TO OUR
COMMUNITIES.
>> ASOME BARRIERS THAT ARE
CREATING COMMUNITIES FROM
GETTING BROADBAND ACCESS.
>>> AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE
SEPTEMBER 11th TERRORIST
ATTACKS.
WE COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY
IN OUR HISTORY THROUGH HEADLINES
SEGMENT.
THOSE STORIES AND HEADLINES FROM
ACROSS THE STAY, RIGHT NOW ON
"INDIANA NEWSDESK."
♪♪
♪♪
>>> WELCOME TO "INDIANA
NEWSDESK."
I'M JOE HREN.
STATE SUPERINTENDENT GLENDA RITZ
JOINED THE CONVERSATION THIS
WEEK, ABOUT HOW TO MAKE SCHOOLS
SAFER AND MORE INCLUSIVE FOR ALL
STUDENTS.
THE BACKDROP FOR HER
ANNOUNCEMENT WAS BLOOMINGTON
HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH.
IT'S PART OF MONROE COUNTY
COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION,
WHICH RECENTLY UPDATED ITS
ANTIDISCRIMINATION POLICY TO
SPECIFICALLY PROHIBIT
DISCRIMINATION OR BULLYING BASED
ON A STUDENT'S SEXUAL
ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.
BEFORE IT PROHIBITED
DISCRIMINATION TOWARDS ALL
STUDENTS.
CLAIRE MCINERNEY FROM THE STATE
IMPACT EDUCATION REPORTING TEAM
EXPLAINS WHAT CHANGES ARE BEING
MADE INSIDE THE SCHOOLS TO
COMPLY WITH THE NEW POLICY, AND
WHAT PROMPTED THE CHANGES NOW.
>> SUPERINTENDENT GLENDA RITZ
TOOK A SEAT ON THE STAGE AT
BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH
TUESDAY TO ENGAGE IN A
CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO MAKE
SCHOOLS SAFER AND MORE
INCLUSIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR LGBT
STUDENTS.
>> IT'S NOT FIXED.
>> SHE WAS BILLED AS THE GUEST
SPEAKER BUT SHE MOSTLY SAT BACK
AND LISTENED, TAKING NOTES AS
STUDENTS SHARED THEIR
EXPERIENCES, GOOD AND BAD, OF
TEACHERS ADDRESSING LGBT
STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> I WAS TALKING TO A TEACHER
ABOUT -- A MALE SCHOOL TEACHER
ABOUT MY IDENTITY AS A BISEXUAL
AND THEY JUST KIND OF, LIKE,
SAID, WELL, PICK UP.
>> THE STUDENT PANELISTS ARE
MEMBERS OF PRISM, A YOUTH GROUP
FOR LGBT STUDENTS RUN BY
BLOOMINGTON PRIDE.
THEY ORGANIZED THE DISCUSSION,
AND RITZ SAYS CONVERSATIONS LIKE
THIS ARE SLOWLY REACHING SCHOOLS
STATEWIDE.
>> I THINK THE CONVERSATION IS
OUT THERE ALREADY,.
IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE
STATE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND
IT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOLS.
AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE
STUDENTS WHO ARE FEELING
EMPOWERED, SO TO SPEAK TO BRING
UP ISSUES WITH THEIR
ADMINISTRATION, AND I'M EXCITED
THAT WE ARE HAVING THAT
CONVERSATION STATEWIDE.
>> THIS IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT
TAKING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND
TURNING THEM INTO ACTIONS, SUCH
AS TRANSITIONING THESE BATHROOMS
AT BLOOMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL NORTH
INTO GENDER NEUTRAL RESTROOMS.
THIS IS MOST CURRENT VERSION OF
THE ANTIHARASSMENT POLICY FOR
THE DISTRICT.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THEY ADDED
SPECIFICALLY THAT THE
DISCRIMINATION OR BULLYING
AGAINST A STUDENT BASED ON THEIR
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER
IDENTITY IT PROHIBITED, BUT THE
QUESTION NOW IS: HOW TO TAKE
THIS POLICY AND MAKE SURE IT
TURNS INTO ACTIONS THAT MAKE
SCHOOL A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE
PLACE FOR LGBT STUDENTS.
MEET GREG CHAFFIN A SCHOOL
COUNSELOR AT BLOOMINGTON HIGH
SCHOOL NORTH AND HE'S WORKING TO
IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE CHANGES
SPELLED OUT IN THE DOCUMENT.
HE SAYS THE POLICY HELPS
ESTABLISH A PRECEDENT FOR
ELIMINATING NEGATIVE ATTITUDES
TOWARDS LGBT STUDENTS.
>> WE CAN AGGRESS THAT BULLYING,
WHERE WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT IT
DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND WE HAVE
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY BEHIND US WHEN THERE'S
A POLICY IN PLACE.
>> THEY CREATED A CURRICULUM FOR
TEACHERS WITH DIFFERENT MODULES
TO HELP TEACHERS UNDERSTAND THE
ISSUES THAT LGBT STUDENTS DEAL
WITH.
AND WHY USING THE PREFERRED
PRONOUN ARE IMPORTANT FOR MAKING
THEM FEEL COMFORTABLE AT SCHOOL.
ALL OF PRINCIPALS AND
ADMINISTRATORS WILL PARTICIPATE
IN A SESSION LED BY PRISM
STUDENTS.
>> SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THE
FOREFRONT ON TERMINOLOGY, AND
JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS SOME OF THE TOPICS
THEY DISCUSSED TONIGHT, HOW TO
ADDRESS STUDENTS, WHAT DIFFERENT
TERMS MEAN, AND WHY IT'S
APPROPRIATE AND NECESSARY THAT
WE USE THEM.
>> THIS ISRITZ IS ENCOURAGED BY THE
ACTIVISM OF THESE STUDENTS.
WHILE IT DOESN'T ALLOW HER AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO
MAKE SWEEPING CHANGES, THEY CAN
HELP LOCAL DISTRICTS IF THEY ARE
HELPING ABOUT CHANGES TO WHAT
MCCSC IS DOING.
>> WHAT I DID COME AWAY WITH ARE
WAYS THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT AND ANSWER QUESTIONS
WHEN LOCAL SCHOOL CORPORATIONS
ARE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY
MIGHT NEED TO DO TO HELP ADDRESS
STUDENT ISSUES.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS TAKING
NOTES AND SEEING HOW I WILL BE
HELPFUL IN THE FUTURE.
>> FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M
CLAIRE MCINERNEY.
>> THERE'S NO POLICY FOR SEXUAL
DISCRIMINATION OR GENDER
IDENTITY AND SUPERINTENDENT RITZ
SAYS THAT WILL LIKELY STAY AS A
LOCAL DECISION.
NOW WE GO OVER TO BARBARA
BROSHER.
>> PURDUE AND THE STUDENT
NEWSPAPER HAVE RESOLVED A YEAR
LONG DISPUTE STEMMING FROM A
SHOOTING IN CAMPUS.
IN JANUARY 20614, CODY COUSINS
MURDERED ANDREW BOLDTS, WHAT I
WILL TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS SHORTLY
AFTER THE SHOOTING, A PHOTO
JOURNALIST WAS WITH THE
NEWSPAPER SAID HE WAS PUSHED BY
A POLICE OFFICER, EVEN AFTER HE
WENT TO HIS KNEES AS HE HAD BEEN
ORDERED IN.
HIS COMPLAINT, MICHAEL SEKADI
SAID POLICE VERBALLY THREATENED
HIM AND CONFISCATED AND DAMAGED
HIS CAMERA.
THEY AGREED TO DISMISS THE
LAWSUIT THAT WOULD FORCE PERDUE
TO RELEASE THE SURVEILLANCE
FOOTAGE OF THE CONFRONTATION.
>>> IVY LEAGUE TECH PRESIDENT IS
RETIRING.
HE SAID HE'S READY TO BEGIN THE
NEXT PHASE OF HIS CAREER.
SNYDER HAS RUN THE COLLEGE SINCE
2007, TWO YEARS AFTER IT WAS
RECHARTERED AS A STATEWIDE
NETWORK.
SINCE THEN, IT'S BECOME THE
NATION'S LARGEST SINGLY
STATEWIDE COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
WITH 34 CAMPUSES, GRANTING
CERTIFICATES AND ASSOCIATE'S
DEGREES.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, OBAMA VISITED
IVY TECH TO PROMOTE FREE
COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
HE CALLED THE SCHOOL ONE OF THE
BEST IN THE COUNTRY.
BUT IVY TECH HAS FACED GROWING
SCRUTINY OVER DECLINING
ENROLLMENT AND DECLINING
ENROLLMENT RATES.
HE WILL RETIRE BEFORE HIS
CONTRACT
>> WHEN CTB ADMINISTERED THE
ISTEP IN 2013, SCHOOL DISTRICTS
AROUND THE STATE SUSPENDED
TESTING AFTER TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
PREVENTED STUDENTS FROM MOVING
THROUGH THE EXAM.
THEY SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THEIR
SERVERS COULDN'T HANDLE THE
AMOUNT OF STUDENTS TESTING AT
ONE TIME.
BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES, CTB THE
STATE A $3 MILLION SETTLE ANDEN
IN DID NOT REVIEW THE CONTRACT
WITH THE COMPANY, ALTHOUGH STATE
DID NOT RENEW THE CONTRACT WITH
CTB, THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
WILL STILL WORK WITH THE COMPANY
THROUGH 2016 AFTER CTB ANNOUNCED
LAST MONTH THERE WILL BE A DELAY
IN RELEASING SCORES FROM THE
2015 ISTEP TEST AS CTB FINISHES
OUT CONTRACT AND THEY BEGIN THE
WORK WITH THE STATE, THE TWO
COMPANIES ARE CONDUCTING WEEKLY
CONFERENCE CALLS WITH EACH OTHER
AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M
ALEXANDER McCALL.
>>> A BREACH OF THE CONTRACT
LAWSUIT AGAINST TERRE HAUTE IS
UNDER THE REVIEW OF A FEDERAL
JUDGE.
HIGHLAND LEASE GROUP CLAIMS
TERRE HAUTE AGREED TO PAY 240
MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF MORE THAN
$700,000 FOR SLUDGE DRYING
PURPOSES.
IT WAS TIED TO A DEAL THAT MAYOR
DUKE BENNETT HAS BEEN TRYING TO
NEGOTIATE WITH POWERDYNE THAT
WOULD TURN THE WASTEWATER SLUDGE
INTO FUEL THAT THEY COULD SELL.
>> WE STAND ON FIRM GROUND THAT,
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE
THROWN OUT.
IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE THAT WE
HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THIS
BECAUSE THE POWERDYNE PROJECT IS
ON HOLD.
>> THEY NEEDED TO GO TO THE CITY
COUNCIL TO BE VALID BUT THE
LAWSUIT CLAIMS STATE IS CLAIMS CITY IS STILL
BREACHING THE CONTRACT.
>>> THE GROUP THAT SUCCESSFULLY
LOBBIED AGAINST INDIANA'S
PROPOSED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN
AMENDMENT IS GEARING UP FOR A
NEW FIGHT NEXT SESSION.
FREEDOM INDIANA IS BEGINNING A
PUSH NOW TO FOCUS ITS EFFORTS ON
INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND
GENDER IDENTITY INTO THE STATE'S
CIVIL RIGHTS STATUTE.
>> I THINK HOOSIERS WANT TO BE
FAIR AND EQUAL AND I THINK AS
POLLING SHOWS, WE HAVE THE
TRACTION TO GET THE LAW PASSED.
>> PAULSON SAYS FREEDOM INDIANA
ISN'T PLANNING AN AD CAMPAIGN.
INSTEAD THEY ARE LOOKING FORWARD
TO A GRASS ROOTS EFFORT THAT
GENERATES THOUGHTFUL, PRODUCTIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH HOOSIERS AND
THEIR LAWMAKERS.
LEADERS THE AMERICAN FAMILY
ASSOCIATION OF INDIANA SAYS
INCLUDING WHAT HE CALLS SEXUAL
BEHAVIOR IS AN ASSAULT ON THE
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST
ARE THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH THE
AGENDA OF FREEDOM INDIANA.
>>> THE HOOSIERS FACE FLORIDA
INTERNATIONAL AND THEY WILL LOOK
LIKE A DIFFERENT TEAM.
THEY BARELY EEKED OUT A WIN
AFTER NINE OF THEIR PLAYERS WERE
BENCHED JUST BEFORE KICKOFF.
COACH KEVIN WILSON HASN'T
ELABORATED ON WHY THE PLAYERS
WERE SIDELINED ONLY SAYING THEY
DIDN'T LIVE UP TO THEIR TEAM
RESPONSIBILITIES.
>> IF THEY WERE SUSPENDED, THEY
WOULDN'T HAVE DRESSED, THEY
WOULDN'T HAVE TRAVELED.
THEY WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PLAY IN
THE GAME.
OUR DECISION.
OUR PROGRAM HAS STANDARDS THAT
WE LIVE UP TO.
AND WHEN YOU MISS THE GAME, YOU
MISS THE NEXT GAME.
SO IF YOU WERE A RED SHIRT LAST
YEAR AND COULDN'T MAY LAST YEAR,
THAT HAPPENED 18 MONTHS AGO.
WHEN IS YOUR NEXT GAME?
BECAUSE YOU MISS THE NEXT GAME.
SO NOTHING HAS HAPPENED IN THE
LAST WEEK, MONTH, TWO MONTHS.
THERE'S NO ISSUES.
ONCE AGAIN, THERE'S NO ISSUES
WITH THESE GUYS.
THEY ARE KIDS.
THERE ARE ISSUES BECAUSE THEY
ARE KIDS, BUT THERE'S PHENOMENAL
BUY-IN.
THEY KNOW THE LAY OF THE LAND.
THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AT.
THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.
WE MOVED FORWARD THIS SUMMER AS
A FAMILY.
IT'S BEST GROUP WE'VE HAD.
AND I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SAY
ABOUT THAT.
>> TEAGRAVES SCALES WAS GIVEN A
TWO-GAME SUSPENSION.
THEY DIDN'T SAY WHY SCALES'
SUSPENSION WAS FOR TWO GAMES.
DESPITE THOSE SUSPENSIONS, WE
WERE BOTH AT THE GAME AND THERE
WAS A LOT OF CREAM CRIMSON.
>> IT WAS EXCITING.
IT WAS CLOSE.
HOPEFULLY SATURDAY NIGHT UNDER
THE LIGHTS IT WILL BE A LITTLE
BIT EELSIER FOR EASIER FOR THE HOOSIERS.
>> YES.
>> IF YOU DON'T LIVE AND WORK IN
A RURAL AREA, IT'S A PROBLEM YOU
MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.
HIGH-SPEED INTERNET IS EASILY
ACCESSIBLE IN CITIES ABOUT YOU
IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY WHEN YOU
GET OUT IN THE COUNTRY.
NEARLY HALF OF INDIANA'S RURAL
COMMUNITIES LACK BROADBAND
ACCESS.
THE EFFECT IT'S HAVING ON THEIR
ECONOMIES AND WHY COMING ONE A
SOLUTION IS SO COMPLICATED.
>>> IT'S AND 14 YEARS SINCE THE
9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS.
HEAD IN OUR HISTORY THROUGH
HEADLINES, THE HOOSIERS WHO WERE
CALLED TO HELP ON THAT DAY AND
HOW SOME INDIANA COMMUNITIES ARE
COMMEMORATING THE ANNIVERSARY
THIS YEAR.
THESE STORIES AND MORE, RIGHT
HERE ON "INDIANA NEWSDESK."
>>> WELCOME BACK TO "INDIANA
NEWSDESK."
THE INTERNET IS AVAILABLE AT
NEARLY EVERY COFFEE SHOP AND
IT'S ACCESSIBLE AT THE TOUCH OF
A BUTTON ON YOUR PHONE, BUT MANY
RURAL COMMUNITIES STILL LACK
RELIABLE HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
CONNECTIONS.
IN FACT, 44% OF HOOSIERS LIVING
IN RURAL INDIANA DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO HIGH-SPEED INTERNET.
AS GRETCHEN FRAZEE REPORTS,
THAT'S PUTTING THEIR ECONOMIES
AT A DISADVANTAGE.
>> RANDY CLARK AND ONE OF HIS
GOOD FRIENDS GOT INTO THE
INTERNET BUSINESS TEN YEARS AGO.
THEY DIDN'T DO IT TO MAKE MONEY.
>> WE FELT LIKE IF WE DIDN'T
PROVIDE INTERNET SERVICES, THEN
PERHAPS THIS WOULD BE NOBODY
THAT WOULD PROVIDE THEM, AND OUR
COLLEGE KIDS, OUR KIDS AND OUR
GRANDKIDS WOULD NOT COME BACK TO
OUR COMMUNITIES IF THEY COULDN'T
HAVE THE SAME SERVICES THAT THEY
GOT ACCUSTOMED TO WHEN THEY WERE
AT COLLEGE OR IN THE BIG CITIES.
>> IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE
LIKE HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY AND
SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA, GETTING A
HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION
CAN BE TOUGH!
WHILE THE STATE HAS A GOOD
INTERNET FIBER BACKBONE THAT
RUNS ALONG STATE'S MAJOR
HIGHWAYS, HOMES ARE SPREAD OUT
AND THAT MAKES RUNNING INTERNET
CABLES THAT LAST MILE TO
CUSTOMERS' FRONT DOORS COSTLY
WITH LITTLE RETURN ON
INVESTMENTS.
INSTEAD OF RUNNING CABLES
THROUGH THE GROUND, CLARK'S
COMPANY HELIX TECHNOLOGIES HAS
DECIDED TO GO ANOTHER DIRECTION.
UP.
>> IF YOU LOOK WAY UP ABOVE, ON
THE RAILING -- ON THE RAILING OF
THIS WATER TOWER, YOU WILL SEE
DISHES.
ONE OF THOSE DISHES POINTS TO
ORLEANS.
ANOTHER ONE POINTS TO
CAMELSBURG.
>> THE DISHES SHOOT THE INTERNET
VIA RADIO SIGNALS INTO PEOPLE'S
HOMES, AND IT GENERALLY WORKS
WELL, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME
DRAWBACKS.
>> WE HAVE GOTTEN LOTS OF TREES.
TREES GENERALLY BLOCK RADIO
SIGNALS.
ANOTHER ONE IS SPECTRUM.
BECAUSE A LOT OF THE 900 AND THE
24 AND THOSE ARE JUST COMMON
THINGS, ARE BEING TIED UP BY A
LOT OF DIFFERENT DEVICES.
FOR INSTANCE, A LOT OF THE
FARMERS STUFF USE 900 MEGAHERTZ
TO CHECK THEIR ACREAGE IN THEIR
FIELDS.
>> THERE'S ALSO SPEED.
MOST OF HELIX TECHNOLOGY'S
CONNECTIONS PROVIDE DOWNLOAD
SPEEDS OF ABOUT 10 MEGA BITS PER
SECOND.
TECHNICALLY THAT'S NOT EVEN
CONSIDERED HIGH-SPEED INTERNET
ANYMORE.
IT'S BEEN CHANGED TO 25 MEGABITS
EARLIER THIS YEAR, SAYING THE
PREVIOUS THRESHOLD OF 4 MEGABITS
PER SECOND WAS NOT KEEPING UP
FOR DEMAND FOR DOWNLOADING VIDEO
AND OTHER INTERNET SERVICES.
SO WHILE MOST OF INDIANA HAS
SOME TYPE OF INTERNET COVERAGE,
THE AREA COVERED BY HIGH-SPEED
INTERNET IS MUCH LOWER.
THAT'S WHERE REPRESENTATIVE ERIC
COOK HOPES NEW LEGISLATION WILL
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> THE BROADBAND READY
CERTIFICATION IS A STRONG
MESSAGE TO THOSE COMPANIES THAT
THAT AREA IS READY FOR THEM AND
IT'S WELCOMING TO THE KIND OF
INVESTMENT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO
GET US UP TO SPEED.
>> AT A RECENT CEREMONY,
GOVERNOR MIKE PENCE SIGNED THE
BROADBAND READY BILL INTO LAW.
IT AIMS TO STRIP AWAY SOME OF
THE BARRIERS THAT KEEP INTERNET
PROVIDERS FROM GETTING INTO A
COMMUNITY.
IF A COMMUNITY CHANGES ITS LOCAL
LAWS TO MEET THAT CRITERIA, IT
CAN RECEIVE A BROADBAND READY
DESIGNATION.
NASHVILLE AND BROWN COUNTY WAS
FIRST TOWN TO RECEIVE THAT
DESIGNATION.
>> WE HAVE 1,000 PEOPLE, BUT
WE'RE A SMALL TOWN.
WE ARE UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE
230 SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR
TOWN, AND ON A WEEKEND, THAT'S
BUSY, SAY IN THE FALL, OR THE
SPRING, WE CAN GROW TO 10 TO
20,000 PEOPLE WHO ARE VISITING
TO SEE THE LEAVES OR SHOP.
>> THE 230 BUSINESSES IN TOWN
RELY ON, YOU KNOW, CURRENT
TECHNOLOGY.
PEOPLE TRAVEL AND THEY EXPECT
HIGH-SPEED INTERNET.
IT'S A PART OF LIFE NOW AND IT'S
A LEVEL THAT WE WANT TO, YOU
KNOW, STRIVE TO MEET JUST LIKE A
LARGE CITY WOULD.
>> SPEED TO MARKET IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT.
AND I'M EXCITED THAT INDIANA IS
FIRST STATE IN THE COUNTRY TO
HAVE PUT IN SUCH A PROGRAM.
>> AT&T IS ONE OF THE LARGEST
INTERNET PROVIDERS IN INDIANA,
AND ALREADY SERVES NASHVILLE.
>> EVERY COMMUNITY MATTERS TO US
GREATLY.
THERE'S NO COMMUNITY TOO SMALL
THAT'S NOT OF INTEREST TO US.
AND AS TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO
CHANGE, THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE
CHALLENGE IS TO FIND THE RIGHT
TECHNOLOGY AT THE RIGHT COST
POINT.
>> SWORE SAYS IT MIGHT BE
CHEAPER AND MORE BENEFICIAL TO
USE WIRELESS INTERNET, LIKE THE
KIND WE USE ON OUR MOBILE
DEVICES IN PLACE OF WI-FI.
THAT CUTS DOWN ON THE NEED FOR
HARDWARE AND MAKE IT MORE
ACCESSIBLE TO RURAL AREAS.
CLARK SAYS HE'S NOT SURE WHAT
THE FUTURE HOLDS BUT HE WON'T
STOP WORKING TO GET MORE PEOPLE
CONNECTED.
>> THE MORE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE
THESE SERVICES TO PEOPLE COMING
BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY, 9 MORE
LIKELY -- THE MORE LIKELY THEY
ARE TO STAY.
IT IMPACTS OUR SCHOOLS.
IT IMPACTS EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR
WAY OF LIFE.
>> THAT MEANS IN THE COMMUNITY
HAS HIGH-SPEED, RELIABLE
INTERNET, THE ECONOMY COULD
THRIVE.
IF IT DOESN'T, IT WILL QUICKLY
BE LEFT BEHIND.
FOR "INDIANA NEWSDESK," I'M
GRETCHEN FRAZEE.
>> THEY WILL DETERMINE WHAT
OTHER CHANGES MAY BE NEEDED TO
BOOST INTERNET ACROSS THE STAY.
SO FAR THE TREND IS TOWARDS
DEREGULATION.
TO HELP US MAKE SENSE OF ALL OF,
THIS FORMER SENIOR FCC
COUNSELOR, BARBARA CHERRY AND
STATE REPRESENTATIVE MATT PIERCE
JOIN US.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
TODAY.
>> THANK.
>> YOU WE HEARD IN THAT STORY
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES
REGULATE BROADBAND, BUT --
ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF THE
DEFINITION, BUT WHAT DOES IT DO
WITH YOU, MATT, IN TERMS OF
REGULATING ACCESSIBILITY.
>> WELL, IT JUST ALL COMES DOWN
TO GETTING COMPANIES TO MAKE THE
INVESTMENT.
IN THE COMPANIES WON'T DO, IT
THEN THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO STEP
IN AND DO SOMETHING AFFIRMATIVE
TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
SO IN INDIANA, IN 2006, WE SAID,
WELL, IF WE DEREGULATE
TELECOMMUNICATIONS IN THE STATE,
THAT WILL SPUR ALL OF THIS GREAT
INVESTMENT AND IT JUST HASN'T
HAPPENED FOR OUR RURAL AREAS.
SO THAT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.
THE LATEST BILL, THE BROADBAND
READY COMMUNITIES BILL, IT CAN'T
HAPPEN BUT I THINK IT'S A FALSE
PREMISE.
PEOPLE ARE NOT INVESTING IN
RURAL COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY
ARE RAISING ARTIFICIAL BARRIERS
ABOUT PERMITS AND RIGHTS OF WAYS
AND THINGS LIKE.
THAT MOST MAYORS AND TOWN
COUNCILS, THEY WILL DO
BACKFLIPS.
THEY WILL WON'T HOLD THEM UP ON
PERMITS.
WHILE IT'S NOT HARMFUL, IT
DOESN'T REALLY ADVANCE IT.
THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT A LOT
OF THE CARRIERS ARE BASICALLY
SAYING, WELL, YOU WILL HAVE
WIRELESS COVERAGE.
EVENTUAL CELL PHONES BUT THE
REALITY IS YOU WILL NEVER GET
THE LEVELS OF SPEED THAT YOU
WILL NEED FOR THE FUTURE ECONOMY
THROUGH THE WIRELESS SYSTEM.
THE SPECTRUM IS LIMITED AND IT'S
DIFFICULT TO DO.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A WIRED
CONNECTION AS WELL.
>> HOW ABOUT YOU, IN TERMS OF
THE MORE NATIONAL?
>> YES, EARLIER THIS YEAR THE
FCC ISSUED A BROADBAND PROGRESS
REPORT AND WHAT THEY FOUND IN
THIS REPORT WAS THAT BROADBAND
DEPLOYMENT THROUGHOUT THE NATION
STILL IS NOT UP TO WHAT WE NEED
FOR THE HIGHER SPEEDS, FOR
VOICE, DATA, GRAPHICS AND OTHER
OFFERINGS.
AND IT'S PARTICULARLY TRUE IN
THE RURAL AREAS.
IT TURNS OUT THAT EVEN AT
VARIOUS LEVELS OF SPEEDS,
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, RURAL
AREAS ARE PARTICULARLY LOW.
SO THE MOST RECENT MEASUREMENT
OF -- OR DESIRED THRESHOLD OF 25
MEGA BITS PER SECOND DOWNLOAD
AND 3 MEGABITS PER SECOND
UPLOAD, ONE HALF OF ALL RURAL
AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES DO
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO BROADBAND.
>> AND THEN HERE IN INDIANA, IN
TERMS OF DEREGULATION, HOW DOES
THAT HELP OR IMPACT INDIANA?
>> THE THEORY WAS IF YOU
DEREGULATED THE LOCAL TELEPHONE
COMPANIES, AND ALLOWED THEM TO
COME IN AND DO VIDEO AT THAT
LOCAL FRANCHISE, THAT WOULD SPUR
A LOT OF INVESTMENT.
WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD HAVE
INVESTMENT AND WE WOULD LEAD THE
COUNTRY.
BUT INSTEAD VERIZON BASICALLY
ABANDONED ALL OF THEIR WIRE
LINES.
THEY SOLD IT OFF TO FRONTIER.
THEY ARE FOCUSING ON THE
WIRELESS PRODUCT.
THAT'S WHERE THEY SEE THE PROFIT
CENTER IS AND THEY WANT TO
ABANDON A LOT OF THE TRADITIONAL
LINES.
THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU DO, THAT
THEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WORK
WITH, EITHER TO UPGRADE THE
FIBER OR DO D.S.L. BROADBAND TO
GET INTO THESE AREAS.
SO IF YOU LOOK SOUTH TO
KENTUCKY, THEY HAVE CREE CREATED A
PROGRAM WHERE THEY WILL DO ABOUT
3400 MILES OF FIBER OPTIC
INSTALLATION IN EVERY COUNTY
ACROSS KENTUCKY.
IT WILL BE ABOUT A $320 MILLION
INVESTMENT AND THEY ARE
PARTNERING UP WITH SOME PEOPLE
IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT THE
POINT IS THEY ARE PROACTIVELY
GOING OUT TO PUSH FIBER INTO THE
RURAL AREAS.
>> WE WERE SAYING, OKAY, SO
HIGH-SPEED INTERNET IS
CONSIDERED 25 MEGABIT, WE ARE
STARTING TO HEAR ABOUT GIGAPITA BIT
CITIES, THAT COULD DOWNLOAD THE
MOVIES IN 30 SECONDS.
>> DEPLOYMENT IN RURAL AREAS IS
INSUFFICIENT, EVEN FOR LOWER
SPEEDS, HOWEVER, THERE'S HIGH
COST FUNDING FROM UNIVERSAL
SERVICE SUPPORT OF A FEDERAL
FUND THAT GIVES CARRIERS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT THIS
FUNDING IN EXCHANGE FOR THE
OBLIGATION TO SERVE RURAL AREAS
AND APPROXIMATELY $1.5 BILLION
IN THE NEXT SIX YEARS HAS BEEN
ACCEPTED BY CARRIERS TO HELP
BUILD OUT RURAL AREAS WHICH
INDIANA WILL SEE $51 MILLION PER
YEAR.
>> SO MUCH MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
NOW WE TAKE A LOOK BACK AT WHAT
WAS MAKING THE NEWS IN OUR
HISTORY THROUGH HEADLINES
SEGMENT.
IT WAS SEPTEMBER 11th, 2001,
GEORGE W. BUSH WAS PRESIDENT.
JAY-Z'S THE BLUE PRINT WAS
RELEASED AND TWO PLANES FLEW
INTO THE WORLD TRADE CENTER TWIN
TOWERS.
THE HEAD LINE READS, TERROR,
HIJACKED JETS HIT WORLD TRADE
CENTER, PENTAGON.
AT 8:46 A.M. AMERICAN AIRLINES
FLIGHT CRASHED INTO THE NORTH
TOWER OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER.
AT 9:03 A.M., UNITED FLIGHT 175
HIT THE SOUTH TOWER.
BOTH TOWERS COLLAPSED.
RESCUE CREWS FROM AROUND THE
COUNTRY AIDED IN THE EFFORT TO
FIND SURVIVORS AMONG THE RUBBLE.
INDIANA TASK FORCE ONE COMPRISED
OF FIREFIGHTERS FROM MARION
COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS
WAS ON THE SCENE WITHIN 24 HOURS
OF THE ATTACKS.
>> AND THEY IMMEDIATELY PUT US
TO WORK, AS SOON AS WE GOT
THERE.
WE SPLIT THE TEAM INTO TWO
DIFFERENT SHIFTS, OBVIOUSLY, THE
MORNING AND THE NIGHT SHIFT.
>> GREG HESS WAS WITH INDIANA
TASK FORCE ONE.
IN 2010, HE PUSHED FOR A
PERMANENT INDIANAPOLIS MEMORIAL
FOR THOSE KILLED IN THE
SEPTEMBER 11th ATTACKS.
TWO STEEL BEAMS FROM THE TOWERS
WERE MOVED FROM NEW YORK CITY TO
A PIECE OF LAND NEXT TO THE
INDIANAPOLIS FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FOR MANY, THE PAIN CAUSED ON
9/11 WILL NEVER FADE.
PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO THE TOXIC
DUST FROM THE COLLAPSED BILLINGS
BILLINGS -- BUILDINGS CAUSED
HEALTH PROBLEMS TO MANY OF THOSE
WHO RESPONDED TO THE TRAGEDY.
>> YOU KNOW, I WAS DIAGNOSED
WITH STAGE THREE COLON CANCER IN
2007.
WE FOUND THAT MY CANCER HAD BEEN
CERTIFIED AS MY EXPOSURE TO
GROUND ZERO.
>> RESCUE AND RECOVERY WORKERS
ARE AT HIGHER RISK OF DEVELOPING
CANCER, ACCORDING TO A 2012
STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL
OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION.
IN 2011, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
ALLOCATED $4.2 BILLION TO CREATE
THE WORLD TRADE CENTER HEALTH
PROGRAM, PROVIDING TREATMENT FOR
PEOPLE WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS
CAUSED BY THE 9/11 ATTACKS.
>> THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON
REMEMBERED THE 14th
14th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 THIS
MORNING WITH A CEREMONY OUTSIDE
THE COURTHOUSE AX LONG, ALONG WITH THE
PERFORMANCE OF "TAPS" AND THE
LAYING OF THE WREATH REMEMBERED
THE LIVES LOST.
THAT'S THE END OF THIS PROGRAM
BUT OUR WORK CONTINUES ON
WTIUNEWS.ORG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
>> "INDIANA NEWSDESK" IS MADE
POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE
FOLLOWING: