Articles by Mike Rhodes

Photo courtesy of ironman.com

Government August 10, 2021

Muncie Needs Volunteers for the IRONMAN Triathlon

By Corey Ohlenkamp, Director of Communications, City of Muncie— MUNCIE, Ind. – The City of Muncie is looking for volunteers to assist with the upcoming annual IRONMAN triathlon on Oct. 2, 2021. The annual IRONMAN triathlon will be even larger this year after the cancellation of last year’s event. Muncie is hosting not only the regular IRONMAN 70.3 race, as it does every year, but a full-distance triathlon on top of that. IRONMAN events are a great opportunity to get your community group,…

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Congressman Greg Pence at the Delaware County Fair. Photo provided by Liz Dessauer, Deputy District Director.

Business August 10, 2021

6th District U.S Congressman Greg Pence Is Featured Interview On ‘This Week in Delaware County’

By: Steve Lindell— This Week in Delaware County is a radio program produced and hosted by Steve Lindell, Vice President of Programming, Host and Executive Producer of the show. This Week in Delaware County is a public affairs program, with interview topics that range from healthier living, community events, government officials, and topics that generally do not receive as much publicity as they deserve. In short, this is an audio version of Munciejournal.com. The audio below is an excerpt from This Week in…

Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns (front row, fifth from right) presenting the 2021 Ball State University Community Partner of the Year Award to Accutech President Adam Unger (front row, sixth from right). Photo provided by Ball State University.

We Fly August 9, 2021

Accutech Honored As 2021 Ball State University Outstanding Community Partner

By Ball State Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, Indiana – Accutech Systems Corporation has been named the recipient of the 2021 Ball State University Community Partner of the Year Award. Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns presented the award on Aug. 2 to Accutech President Adam Unger. The annual award recognizes an East Central Indiana business, organization, or agency that demonstrated excellence as part of a Ball State community-based learning experience during the previous year. Partners are nominated by Ball State…

Aerial image of the Magna plant in Muncie. Photo by Mike Rhodes

Business August 9, 2021

Magna Offers Education, Training and Promotion Opportunities

By Stacey A. Shannon— Muncie, IN—Since opening in Muncie in 2006, Magna has become a solid part of the Muncie community and its economy. The company, which now comprises two buildings, continues to grow and thrive at the intersection of Cowan and Fuson Roads. Josh Koons, lead quality engineer who has been with the company for more a decade, said Magna offers lots of opportunities for employees to better themselves. He started as an intern and has worked his way…

Photo by Matt Howell

Non-Profit August 8, 2021

Muncie Land Bank Closing In On Goal of Selling 39 Properties

By Amy Leffingwell— Muncie, IN— Since March of 2021, 27 of 39 properties held by the Muncie Land Bank have been successfully sold to local Muncie residents. With a growing number of properties left vacant due to blight and demolished dilapidated houses, along with a difficult to maneuver tax sale system, the Muncie Land Bank was established in July of 2017. By November of that year, the State of Indiana incorporated the Muncie Land Bank. In October of 2018, Ball…

Volunteers getting ready to hand out food.

Non-Profit August 6, 2021

Soup Kitchen of Muncie to Hold Annual Dinner and Auction

By Dottie Kreps, Soup Kitchen of Muncie board member— MUNCIE, Ind.—For over 25 years the Soup Kitchen of Muncie has been serving those in need of a meal in our community. Now you have a chance to support the Soup Kitchen and enjoy an evening out.  On August 28th the Annual Soup Kitchen Dinner and Auction will take place at the Horizon Convention Center. Cocktails will start at 5pm and dinner will be served at 6pm. Volunteers work with the staff…

Even super-cool socks can’t out-hip talking bathroom scales. Photo by Nancy Carlson

Carlson August 6, 2021

John Carlson: There’s No Arguing With These

By John Carlson— I’m of that generation which, early in life, got used to being addressed by inanimate objects. Well, my kid sister Patty is, anyway. Do I mean TV or radio? No. I’m referring to a certain doll Patty received for Christmas one year. Was it Whizzy Wanda? Peein’ Petunia? Little Baby Poops-a-Scoop or something? No, wait! It was Betsy Wetsy! That was it! Betsy Wetsy. Hanging out together with their chapter of The Betsy Wetsy Fan Club, my…

Artist rendering of housing at the new development—Storer Estates

Government August 5, 2021

City of Muncie to Hold Neighborhood Meeting as Storer Housing Development Moves Ahead

By Corey Ohlenkamp, Director of Communications, City of Muncie— MUNCIE, Ind. – Officials with the City of Muncie administration and the Storer Housing Development Committee are planning to meet with members of the public and the local neighborhood association to update them on the latest project developments. The public meeting over the development will be at the Northside Church of God (1505 N. Tillotson Ave.) on Tuesday, August 24th at 6:30 p.m. MEETING INFORMATION Subject: Storer Committee Meeting with the public…

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion.

Non-Profit August 4, 2021

Additional COVID-19 Relief Coming to Heart of Indiana United Way 

By United Way Communications— EAST CENTRAL INDIANA – Heart of Indiana United Way (HIUW) is pleased to announce that it has received a second COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative grant for $1,038,592 from Indiana United Ways, the state professional association of which HIUW is a member.  The grant will be used to support our community in meeting basic human needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant is one of 47 grants that Indiana United Ways is making to member…

Fuel prices should decline this week.

Business August 4, 2021

Gas Prices Should Decline This Week

By John Herrik, Network Indiana— STATEWIDE–Gas prices are likely heading for a decline this week, according to GasBuddy. They did go up last week, but that was mostly due to a price cycle, which could have been worse. “They did go up to $3.19, but now we’re starting to trend a little lower. The good news is that they went up to $3.19 and not $3.25 like they did on the prior price cycle,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum…