Articles by Mike Rhodes

FREE COVID-19 Test Kits & Vaccinations From Open Door

By Suzanne Clem— MUNCIE, IN – Community members have the opportunity to receive free COVID-19 test kits, as well as no-cost Covid vaccination, at upcoming Open Door Health Services events. Free at-home test kits will be distributed Monday, November 21 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Open Door’s administrative site, located at 220 S. Walnut St. in Muncie. The public is invited to pick up a supply for homes, workplaces, or civic organizations. Free test kits will again be available at…

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Minnetrista Invites Donations for Local Organizations for Giving Back Tuesday

By Katy Maggart— MUNCIE, IN – To celebrate Giving Back Tuesday and provide assistance to several local organizations, Minnetrista will be collecting specific items on Tuesday, November 29 in the Center Building. The organizations benefiting from the event include the YWCA of Central Indiana, Open Door Health Services, Whitely Community Food Pantry, and Muncie Toys for Tots. Each organization will be looking for something specific. The items needed are as follows: YWCA: Personal care items, towels, pillows, twin sheets Toys…


Feed My Sheep Celebrates 27th Anniversary, Needs Donations

By Jeannine Lee Lake— MUNCIE, IN—I am one of those people who absolutely loves Muncie. I love living here, I love the people here, I love Ball State University where I graduated and I think we might have the market cornered on the “love your neighbor” thing. I love Muncie because we truly are “Middletown” still in 2022, a wonderful melting pot of tough blue-collar workers, educated professionals, and tons of sub-cultures, races and ethnicities in between. I think what…


Indoor Farmers Market Season Begins at Minnetrista

By Katie Maggart—  MUNCIE, IN—It’s that time of year again! The outdoor season of Farmers Market at Minnetrista has wrapped up and moved indoors for the winter months. Join family, friends, and neighbors in the Minnetrista Center Building as the indoor Market kicks off on Saturday, November 19 from 9 a.m.–Noon. During your visit, be sure to connect with local vendors to discover what’s new, and continue shopping in The Orchard Shop at Minnetrista. You can expect to see returning…


Muncie Sanitary District Awarded Large Recycling Grant from IDEM

By Jason Donati— MUNCIE, IN—The Muncie Sanitary District (MSD) is the recipient of the largest 2023 grant award from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) Recycling Market Development Board (RMDB). The RecyclingMarket Development Board unanimously approved and fully funded MSD’s grant proposal “Do the Blue: Without the Blue Bags” for $468,798.00. Fourteen community proposals were brought before the RMDB on October 27th for a total request of over three million dollars. The RMDB had only two million dollars available…


American Banker Names First Merchants Bank Among “Best Banks to Work For” in 2022

By First Merchants— MUNCIE, IN – First Merchants Bank celebrates Monday’s announcement by the American Banker who named it among the “2022 Best Banks to Work For” across the nation. First Merchants Bank authentically strives to put employees first to create an inspiring and inviting workplace, seeking to meet their career advancement needs. This recognition reflects genuine and continuous efforts to improve employee career advancement and to link daily work to a meaningful “larger purpose” in helping the financial wellness…


Payton Baker—Member of Pridemark Construction’s ‘Future Leaders of America’ Series

By Stacey A. Shannon— MUNCIE, IN—Editor’s note: The Future Leaders of America series profiles high school seniors who display leadership qualities in their school and the community. The series is brought to you by Pridemark Construction. With playing sports, collaborating with his sisters to care for goats and pigs for 4H and helping in various community organizations, Payton Baker has learned the importance of working alongside and listening to others. The Wapahani High School senior said he’s learned listening to…


First Merchants Bank Updates Its Community Benefits Agreement with Expanded Benefits

By First Merchants— Amendments help provide stronger positive impact across the communities it serves MUNCIE, IN – First Merchants Bank recently revised its Community Benefits Agreement to better expand and reflect its positive community impact goals as a corporation. The prior Community Benefits Agreement was unveiled in June of 2020, and this revision represents a significant advancement in the magnitude of the financial benefits across the communities served by First Merchants.  The commitments are extended to all regional markets in…


Small Businesses Thrive and Grow in Muncie

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—On Monday morning, Mayor Ridenour addressed a packed room of Muncie’s best and brightest entrepreneurs at the Innovation Connector to kick off Entrepreneur Showcase Week. The brainchild of Ted Baker, Executive Director of the Innovation Connector, the week is packed with 20 events for local businesses of all sizes. Ranging from workshops about Quickbooks and creative marketing to networking opportunities, many of the free events filled up with registrations weeks in advance. For Ridenour, investing in…


The Community Foundation to Relocate Effective December 5th

By Kallie Sulanke— MUNCIE, IN – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County will have a new address beginning later this month. The Foundation offices will move from their home in the Muncie Power Products building to a building acquired earlier this year located at 302 E. Jackson St. “Our new building gives us space to welcome donors, volunteers, nonprofit partners, and others to the table,” said Marcy Minton, presidentand CEO of The Community Foundation. “We look forward to…