2017

Teachers Awarded Funding for Creative and Innovative Classroom Projects

Education February 28, 2017

Teachers Awarded Funding for Creative and Innovative Classroom Projects

By: Kallie Sulanke, The Community Foundation— Muncie, IN—Local teachers will receive $1,984 in Robert P. Bell Education Grants from The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. Across the county, 1,000s of students benefit from Bell Education Grants each year. Awards of up to $450 are available through the Bell Grants program. Funded projects are creative or innovative ideas or programs designed to stimulate learning in students. All Delaware County teachers are invited to apply during any of the four grant cycles. This past summer, The Community Foundation established the Robert P. Bell Teacher Grants Fund to permanently endow the program to…

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Fifty Years Ago Today: Fire at Minnetrista

Education February 28, 2017

Fifty Years Ago Today: Fire at Minnetrista

By: Karen Vincent, Director of Collections at Minnetrista— “A most heartbreaking thing happened this evening,” wrote Rosemary Ball Bracken in her diary entry of Tuesday, February 28, 1967. That event was the fire that destroyed Rosemary’s childhood home. Rosemary’s parents, Frank and Elizabeth “Bessie” Brady Ball, built their home on land overlooking the White River in 1894. Minnetrista was the name chosen for the house. Louis Gibson of Indianapolis designed a colonial style house of frame construction with nineteen rooms. In 1902, the house was faced with Indiana limestone, and six columns were added to the front portico. Frank and…

Courthouse Facility Dog Joins Staff of Delaware County CASA Program

Non-Profit February 27, 2017

Courthouse Facility Dog Joins Staff of Delaware County CASA Program

By: Ashley Soldaat— On Monday, February 13th, 2017, the Delaware County CASA Office brought their new Courthouse facility dog to the CASA office for the first time. The Courthouse Dog Program uses trained facility dogs to aid children involved with the legal system in reducing their stress and anxiety as they work through the criminal justice system. The use of facility dogs in the legal process has expanded rapidly in the United States since 2003 and started focusing on CASA organizations in 2010.  “Frankie” is a 21 month old Black Labrador, fully trained by Support Dogs Inc. of St. Louis…

MCS to Implement Dual Immersion Language Program in 2017-18 School Year

Education February 27, 2017

MCS to Implement Dual Immersion Language Program in 2017-18 School Year

By: Ana Pichardo & Holly Ford— Muncie, IN – Muncie Community Schools is excited to announce our upcoming Dual Immersion program set to begin fall of 2017. Students in this program will learn to speak, read, and write in English and Spanish. Using a research-based immersion approach, teachers will conduct class in Spanish part of the day, and English the other part. With this program, MCS will join more than 400 existing immersion programs in the United States.  The goal is for MCS Dual Immersion students to become completely bilingual in Spanish and English. Bilingualism is proven to benefit students…

February 2017 One of The Warmest in 146 Years

Education February 24, 2017

February 2017 One of The Warmest in 146 Years

By: BSU News— When Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day — an annual event that means six more weeks of cold weather — little did the animal now we were in for one of the warmest Februarys in 146 years, says David Call, who teaches meteorology at Ball State University. And Call believes that even with a cold front ready to burst a streak of unseasonably warm weather, spring may be starting earlier than normal. “While it has been warm, it doesn’t mean we will have an early spring. There are hints of cooler weather in mid-March. Overall,…

John Carlson: Lifting weights? One’ll Do

Carlson February 24, 2017

John Carlson: Lifting weights? One’ll Do

By: John Carlson— I am a weightlifter. Literally. By this, I mean I lift a single weight. One. Eins. Uno. This lonely barbell came into my possession Christmas morning, courtesy of my wife, Nan. But while it is only a 10-pounder, it was far and away my biggest gift, both in terms of weight and life-changing potential. Along with a certain book of poetry, I asked for this barbell, which means I am getting old. Were I younger and more robust, I would have wanted the whole Charles Atlas Superpower get-up. Indeed, there was a time when I had a…

Ontario Systems Named a “Best Place to Work in Indiana” by Indiana Chamber

Business February 23, 2017

Ontario Systems Named a “Best Place to Work in Indiana” by Indiana Chamber

Technology and services provider to the healthcare and ARM industries will accept award May 5th in Indianapolis. Muncie, IN – Ontario Systems, a leading technology and services provider to the healthcare and accounts receivable management industries, announced it has been named to the 11th annual list of the Best Places to Work in Indiana by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, its second placement on that list in as many years. The company continues to credit its staff and You-Powered Talent Credo for the honor. “Service and Community are two of the five values on which we center our culture,” says Jill…

AUDIO: Congressman Luke Messer Presents to Chamber of Commerce Members

Business February 23, 2017

AUDIO: Congressman Luke Messer Presents to Chamber of Commerce Members

Muncie, IN—Congressman Luke Messer was in Muncie earlier today, and spoke to members of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce. The chamber will frequently bring a legislator to Muncie to speak to chamber members. You can listen to Congressman Messer’s remarks below. Note: You will hear a recurring reference to “Hank” in the audio below. Congressman Messer was referring to one of the sponsors of the event—Hank Milius, President and CEO of Meridian Health Services.      

6th Annual State of Commercial and Residential Real Estate Presented

Business February 22, 2017

6th Annual State of Commercial and Residential Real Estate Presented

By: Mike Rhodes— Muncie, IN—The 6th Annual State of Commercial Real Estate in Delaware County was presented by Coldwell Banker Lunsford on Wednesday, February 22nd at the Ball State Alumni Center. The annual presentation and panel discussion by local experts typically covers both the national and local economy, employment and real estate activity. The presentations are generally considered to be a good barometer of how Delaware County is doing in those areas. The presentation began with Dr. Michael Hicks, George and Frances Ball Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State. According to Hicks, “Within any community in the…