Articles by Mike Rhodes

Muncie’s Thomas Peek and Kyle Putra Will Premiere Their New Horror/Thriller Movies at Cornerstone

By Dee McKinsey— MUNCIE, IN – Amateur filmmakers and Muncie native Thomas Peek and Kyle Putra are back again this Oct. 29 with films appropriate for the Halloween season. The films will be previewed at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 520 East Main. The program begins at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. The first film is Rise of Experiment 53 which is an hour long return to the original presentation of last year’s Experiment 53. In this iteration, the main character is hunting for his lost girlfriend and encounters a not too pleasant family, according to Peek….

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Ball State University Board of Trustees Approves Transfer of 12 Acres of Land to City of Muncie

By BSU Marketing and Communications— MUNCIE, IN – The Ball State University Board of Trustees approved the transfer of 12.36 acres of land to the Muncie Redevelopment Commission (MRC) during its regularly scheduled meeting on Friday. The Board’s action was part of a meeting that included several informational updates—including on the Ball State-Muncie Community Schools partnership, a new Indiana Connection Lounge at the University, and an enrollment update. The transferred property will allow the city to work towards the development of 30-40 new homes, which, in turn, would generate additional tax revenue for both the city and Muncie Community Schools….


State Awards More Than $474K to Increase Safety in Delaware County Schools

By Braden Dunlap, GOP Press Secretary— STATEHOUSE– Several Delaware County schools recently received more than $474,000 through the state’s Secured Schools Safety Grant Program, according to area lawmakers. State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) said the local funding is part of this year’s record-breaking school safety investments totaling more than $22.9 million in matching state grants for 425 schools across Indiana. “Ensuring students and staff are safe is a priority, and Indiana is making significant investments to help our schools as they improve security,” Rowray said. “As a parent and a legislator, school safety is always top of mind. I’ll continue to look…


Muncie’s First Thursday Will Feature a Special Edition of ‘ArtsWalk’ on October 6th

By Cheryl Crowder— MUNCIE, IN—October 6, 2022 will feature a special edition of First Thursday. The theme is “ArtsWalk: It’s a Three Ring Circus.” It’s a Three Ring Circus will feature unique arts, dazzling shows, and delicious food. October ArtsWalk is sponsored by: the MuncieArts & Culture Council as well as the Ball State University College of Fine Arts. Here’s what will be happening: Unique Arts Throughout the evening, art exhibitions will be taking place featuring local and visiting artisans in various media at Madjax, Gordy Fine Art & Framing, and other galleries throughout DWNTWN. YART, a yard sale for…


Muncie Streets Department Invests in Street Milling Machine

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—According to City Engineer Adam Leach, the Streets Department has laid down nearly as much paving material in 2022 as in the last two years combined. Records going back farther than that may unearth a more prolific year, but the paving crew is clearly on a roll – and the pace isn’t slowing down. Part of the increased volume is due to the City’s dedication to fixing roads, not paving over them. This includes milling the old asphalt down, so that the new layer has a firm foundation and won’t break down as quickly. The milling…


‘Airforce Band of Flight’ to Perform Free Concert at Emens Auditorium

By Emma Trent— MUNCIE, IN – Join Emens Auditorium as Airforce Band of Flight performs a patriotic show full of entertainment and merriment at Emens Auditorium on Wednesday, October 5th at 7:00 p.m. No ticket reservations are required for Airforce Band of Flight as they are currently without charge for all incoming spectators. The United States Air Force Band of Flight provides quality music and entertainment for a wide variety of official military, recruiting and community relations events. The band is stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH which is operated by the 88th Air Base Wing under the command of…


Heart of Indiana United Way Kicks Off Annual Campaign With Launch of ‘Women United’ 

By Kim Williams, CFRE— Nearly $400,000 in matching funds are available for this year’s campaign EAST CENTRAL INDIANA – Heart of Indiana United Way’s annual fundraising campaign has begun. Kicking off this year’s effort is a generous match opportunity and the launch of Women United across the region. Leading the way in the launch of Women United are 6 passionate women, each representing a different part of Heart of Indiana United Way’s region. Angie Rogers-Howell, Jennifer Gibson, Melissa Greer, Marisa Little, Treva Bostic, and Carrie Barrett are boldly serving as Women United leads and the faces of this year’s campaign efforts for Heart of Indiana United Way….


Community Scan Day Will Focus on Local Women in Politics and the Military

By Susan Fisher, MPL— MUNCIE, IN—Four local organizations, all with an interest in discovering and preserving local history, will host a Community Scan Day on Saturday, October 8 from 1-4 p.m. at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens. The event is sponsored by Minnetrista, Ball State University Libraries, the Delaware County Historical Society, and Muncie Public Library. The event will ask participants to focus on documents, photographs, photo negatives, and slides that feature local women in politics and in the military. A scan day is an event where residents are asked to share photos and other documents to be digitally scanned for…


BSU Teachers College Awarded $2.6 Million Federal Grant to Develop Program for Students with Disabilities

By BSU Marketing and Communications— MUNCIE, IN – Ball State University’s Teachers College has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to develop and implement an inclusive approach to identifying and supporting gifted students with disabilities. The five-year award is part of the Office of Elementary & Secondary Education’s Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program. Since 1988, the federal initiative has funded projects that support evidence-based research, demonstration projects, innovative strategies, and similar activities that enhance elementary and secondary schools’ capacity to identify gifted and talented students and meet their unique…


Muncie Continues Proud IRONMAN Tradition on Saturday October 1st, Plus Kids Event on Friday

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—The City of Muncie held its first triathlon in 1980. Originally called the Muncie Endurathon, the 70.3 mile race has since been rebranded as an official IRONMAN event, and holds the title for the longest continuous triathlon in the world (with the exception of 2020, which saw a world-wide hiatus for triathletes). On October 1, Muncie will again host hundreds of dedicated athletes aiming to claim the title of Ironman. Athletes will swim 1.2 miles in beautiful Prairie Creek Reservoir, bike 56 miles through Delaware and Henry counties, and end with a 13.1 mile run. The…