Articles by Mike Rhodes

Education Meeting Opens Eyes of Attendees About Education Reform, Elimination of DEI in Indiana

By Sheryl Swingley— MUNCIE, IN—At the American Association of University Women Muncie Branch and League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County’s annual joint meeting Saturday on the “State of Education in Indiana,” at least 63 attendees learned that Indiana House and Senate members have introduced a record 112 education bills – 67 in the House and 45 in the Senate. The majority of bills are about K-12 education with about 15% to 20% of those bills dealing with issues in…

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Scheumann Family Makes $1 Million Gift to Support NICU Care at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital

By IU Health Foundation— MUNCIE, IN—June Scheumann recently made a $1 million gift to IU Health Foundation to support neonatalintensive care unit (NICU) care at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. As a result, the unit will be renamed June and John Scheumann Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The gift was matched by IU Health, bringing its total impact to more than $2 million. The Scheumann family’s commitment represents a transformational gift for the NICU. “We are so honored and incredibly grateful…


Muncie Action Plan’s Task Force 4: Investing in Our Parks and Quality of Place

By Jason Donati— MUNCIE, IN—As the Muncie Action Plan (MAP) wraps up another productive year, we are excited to reflect on our efforts to enhance the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County. As we gear up for our Annual Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 29th, at 6:00 p.m., we invite the public to join us in the Multi-purpose Room at Ivy Tech. Each of our four task forces will present their accomplishments and progress throughout 2024 during this gathering. This…


YMCA of Muncie Announces CFO Transition: Honoring Debbie Todd and Welcoming Daniel Baker

By Kristen McConnell— MUNCIE, IN—The YMCA of Muncie is honored to announce the retirement of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Debbie Todd, celebrating her remarkable 36.5 years of service, and to introduce Daniel Baker as her successor. Honoring Debbie Todd Debbie Todd has been an integral part of the YMCA of Muncie, leading with integrity and a deep commitment to the organization’s mission. Her meticulous stewardship of resources has enabled the YMCA to grow and deliver impactful programs that have touched…


Muncie Public Library Celebrates 150 Years

By Susan Fisher, PR Supervisor at Muncie Public Library— MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Public Library (MPL) is celebrating 150 years of providing library services to the Muncie and Center Township community. MPL will mark its sesquicentennial throughout 2025 with a variety of events for the public, including parties, programs focused on MPL’s history, a unique anniversary library card, and the creation of a new long-range plan to chart the future of MPL. “I am relatively new to MPL,” said Alan Kornblau, MPL…


League of Women Voters Offers Ways to Track Actions of Legislators at Statehouse

By Sheryl Swingley— MUNCIE, IN—The League of Women Voters of Indiana, of which the League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County is a chapter, has added a section on its website called “Bill Track 50.” The service helps the League, as well as the public, monitor the progress of some of the hundreds of bills that legislators are introducing in the Indiana General Assembly during the 2025 long session. The bills the League will track fall into one of six…


Muncie Action Plan’s Task Force 3: Improving Muncie Neighborhoods

By Heather Williams— MUNCIE, IN—As the Muncie Action Plan (MAP) wraps up another productive year, we are excited to reflect on our efforts to enhance the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County. As we gear up for our Annual Community Meeting on Wednesday, January 29th, at 6:00 p.m., we invite the public to join us in the Multi-purpose Room at Ivy Tech. During this gathering, each of our four task forces will present their accomplishments and progress throughout 2024. This…


The Vore Arts Fund is Now Accepting Applications for Funding Arts Projects

By Vore Arts Fund— MUNCIE, IN—The Vore Arts Fund is now accepting applications for funding art projects. The application period will close at the end of January and is open to any local artists, performers, art educators, galleries, and performance venues who would benefit from zero-interest loans to cover the up-front costs of their commercial arts-related projects, such as purchasing materials for producing art, buying the rights to theater productions, booking time in a recording studio, or ordering supplies for…


Q&A with Muncie Community Schools’ CEO & Update on the District’s Transformation

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN — In 2018, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) and Ball State University embarked on a groundbreaking partnership, creating a national model for collaboration between a public university and a public school system. This innovative alliance began amidst significant challenges, as MCS faced financial crisis and declining enrollment. Since then, the district has made remarkable strides in reimagining its future with the support of Ball State, the local community, and dedicated funders like Ball Brothers Foundation. Hear…


State of Indiana Prepares for the Annual Count of Individuals Experiencing Homelessness

By Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority— INDIANAPOLIS—The statewide annual count of individuals experiencing homelessness will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. Service providers and volunteers in local communities across Indiana will be conducting the 2025 Point-IN-Time (PIT) Count for the Indiana Balance of State (BOS) Continuum of Care (CoC) in 91 of the 92 counties in the state. Marion County (Indianapolis) conducts its own PIT Count. The purpose of this annual count of people experiencing unsheltered or sheltered…