Articles by Mike Rhodes

Ro Selvey: Establishing a Registry for Vacant and Abandoned Properties

By Ro Selvey— MUNCIE, Ind. – Like many midwestern cities with a rich history, the City of Muncie has seen its fair share of changes to our local economy, our demographics, and to our neighborhoods. Many of these changes are the inevitable price of progress, they are all accompanied with their own unique challenges. Our housing is no exception. While our community has seen necessary and prudent growth in our residential structures, at the same time we are not exempt…

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Grammy, Oscar Winner Tiara Thomas Returning to Ball State University as Part of Letterman Lecture Series

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, Indiana – Grammy and Oscar award-winning singer-songwriter Tiara Thomas, a 2012 Ball State University graduate, is returning to Ball State as the next guest in the David Letterman Distinguished Professional Lecture and Workshop Series. “A Conversation with Tiara Thomas” will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 at Sursa Performance Hall on Ball State’s campus, and will be livestreamed at bsu.edu/live. Free tickets for Ball State students, faculty, and staff are currently available at…


American Electric Power Foundation Donates $225,000 To Ivy Tech Muncie’s Youth Empowerment Program

By Corey Ohlenkamp— MUNCIE, Ind. – The American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation, on behalf of Indiana Michigan Power, has pledged $225,000 over three years ($75,000 annually) to support the Ivy Tech Muncie Youth Empowerment Program. This first-of-its-kind partnership between the NAACP Muncie Branch, Ivy Tech Community College and Indiana Michigan Power will provide leadership development and educational programming for minority Muncie-area high school students. The Muncie Youth Empowerment Program will provide new opportunities and education to Muncie’s youth, investing in…


Open Door Health Services Launches New Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Program

By Suzanne Clem— MUNCIE, Ind. – Open Door Health Services has launched a new no-cost COVID-19 testing program in Muncie. Testing takes place drive-through style on the site of Open Door Urgent Care, located at 1651 E. 29th St. Monday, Sept. 13 marked the first day for the program, which is contracted through the Indiana Department of Health. As a community testing site, anyone in the community is welcome to seek testing through the program. Both rapid and PCR tests are…


Residents Invited to Attend Solarize ECI Zoom Meeting

By Sheryl Swingley— MUNCIE, Ind.—Indiana residents and business owners will learn how the federal tax credit of 26% has been extended through 2021 and 2022 for installing solar panels on houses, farm structures and places of business during the next Zoom meeting of Solarize East Central Indiana. The Zoom meeting sponsored by Solarize ECI, a grassroots community group affiliated with Solarize Indiana, will take place at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 23. The Zoom meeting will involve a 30-minute presentation followed…


Muncie Symphony Orchestra to Perform ‘The Music of Billy Joel’

By Melissa Jones— MUNCIE, Ind.— “We’re all in the mood for a melody”—and on Sept. 18, Muncie Symphony Orchestra will give audiences just that, providing an evening of Billy Joel music. MSO will be joined by Michael Cavanaugh, a renowned performer and musician who was hand-selected by Billy Joel to star in the Broadway musical “Movin’ Out.” Cavanaugh first started performing Billy Joel hits with symphony orchestras with the Indianapolis Symphony in 2008. Now, Muncie is welcoming him back to…


Ball State Sustains Strongest Period of Philanthropic Support in University’s History

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State University raised $36 million in philanthropic gifts and commitments in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, marking the third consecutive year of more than $30 million in new private, philanthropic gifts to the University. “Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our alumni and benefactors enabled us to achieve one of the best years of fundraising in our University’s history,” said Ball State University President Geoffrey S. Mearns. “They…


Woof Boom Radio Rolls Out LIVE Video Streaming of Local Sports

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief, MuncieJournal.com— MUNCIE, Ind.—It’s not like a national television network’s coverage of a National Football League game. But it’s close. After quietly testing out equipment and their multi-camera setup for a few weeks, Woof Boom Radio’s sports station has rolled out LIVE video streaming of Delaware County football games. Mark Foerster, program director for WXFN, Muncie’s Sports Station 102.9 FM, 1340 AM says the LIVE video streaming coverage will also include Delaware County basketball games and tournaments,…


John Carlson: Days When the Music Dies

By John Carlson— Our favorite rock ‘n’ roll stars are dying. That’s been happening all along, of course, but the recent death of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts brought that fact pointedly to mind. For most of us, these musicians’ passing comes as a shock, especially if they died in the prime of their lives and careers. Think of when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash, if you can remember that…


Jeff Robinson: City Council Has No Authority on Vaccine Mandates

By Jeff Robinson, President, Muncie City Council— I’ve been receiving the below email from a number of people throughout Delaware County. Each email I receive is the exact same wording, although the signatures are all different. I don’t blame these people for not understanding the limits of local government’s authority. Someone has misled these people (either purposefully, or through sheer ignorance) to believe city council has the authority on anything regarding vaccine mandates, which it does not. That authority rests…