This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, September 22nd, 2025.

In today’s newscast, WFHB News Correspondent Harley Babbitt looks into how brain drain has impacted Indiana, speaking with one of the leading experts on the issue, Professor at Ball State Dr. Michael J Hicks. More in today’s feature report.

You’ll also hear from Tammy Jo Eckhart, president of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women, on the core issues NOW is working on. Find out how you can take action on those core issues later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

But first, your daily headlines:

Bloomington City Council Considers Water Rate Hike, Approves Fiber Fund and Food and Beverage Tax Resolution for Convention Center

The Bloomington City Council met on September 17th. The council heard an ordinance that would increase the city’s water rate by 21 percent. This comes after the city’s Utilities Service Board recommended the adoption of the ordinance during their September 8th meeting. City Clerk Nicole Bolden provided a rundown of the legislation.

The clerk read the ordinance by title and synopsis only. The council will continue discussing the water rate increase at future meetings with an expected vote on October 22nd, according to reporting by the B-Square Bulletin.

The council then heard an ordinance that would create a new fund to set aside money for fiber installation. The fund would contain one million dollars, which they received from an insurance claim, due to the failures of the previously hired fiber installer. Clerk Bolden provided an overview of the ordinance.

City Attorney Margie Rice presented the ordinance and provided some background information on the legislation.

Rice continued saying they want to create a separate fund for the one million dollars they received.

The council voted unanimously to pass the ordinance.

Next, the council heard a resolution requesting the Food and Beverage Tax Advisory Commission to recommend how to spend food and beverage tax revenue for the Capital Improvement Board’s budget for 2026. For context, the Capital Improvement Board, or CIB, is a joint effort between the City of Bloomington and Monroe County, overseeing the expansion of the Bloomington Convention Center. Treasurer for the CIB Geoff McKim presented the resolution.

The council approved the resolution by an 8-1 vote with Council Member Kate Rosenbarger dissenting. The Bloomington City Council will meet again on September 24th.

Feature Report:

On August 25th, WFHB Prison Affairs Correspondent Zoe Moczek filed a report about the Miami Correctional Facility in Indiana to house over 1,000 ICE detainees. This is a trend we’re noticing happening around the country. Up next, Moczek looks into a similar case at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Moczek has more.

Brain drain is a situation in which large numbers of educated and skilled people leave where they live to work in another place where pay and conditions are better. In today’s feature report, WFHB News Correspondent Harley Babbitt looks into how brain drain has impacted Indiana. Babbitt speaks with a leading expert on the issue Dr. Michael J. Hicks, an economist and Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. Babbitt also interviews Young Professionals Bloomington to see how the phenomenon has affected us on a local level. For more, we turn to Correspondent Harley Babbitt.

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