Articles by Mike Rhodes

By Michele Owen, Director of Communications, City of Muncie— MUNCIE, IN—On Thursday, June 30th, the zoning board approved a variance for the addition of two cul-de-sacs and 17 additional lots in Copperfield Commons. A project of Partuck Corporation, the Commons has developed 40 building sites near McGalliard and Morrison. 21 homes have already been built and sold on these lots. Developer Richard Case hopes to complete a new recreation area and the cul-de-sacs by 2023. Case has been collaborating with Councilman Aaron Clark, City Engineer Adam Leach, and the Mayor and Deputy Mayor since 2020 to expand the number of lots. The…

By Colby Gray— DELAWARE COUNTY, IN—Rural property owners in Blackford and Delaware counties can more easily start implementing conservation practices on their land with help from a free program offered through the local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). The program is called “First Steps” and involves one-on-one consultation with a local conservation representative. The SWCD representative helps the property owner identify conservation goals for the property by collecting, analyzing, and discussing environmental variables such as soil types, topographical information, and drainage. The resulting plan identifies and maps possible improvements across the landscape, as well as the state and federal…

By Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle— INDIANAPOLIS, IN—Dozens of Indiana laws took effect on July 1, 2022, including a new tax on vaping products, a ban on transgender females playing on girls sports teams and the elimination of handgun permits. Overall, more than 150 bills passed during the legislative session but some went into effect immediately. Here’s a rundown of the notable laws: Transgender athletes A law banning transgender females from competing in girls school sports will take effect despite a veto from the Republican governor and repeated pushback from opponents who argue the measure is a bigoted response to…

By Danielle McGrath, President, Indiana Energy Association— INDIANAPOLIS, IN—At a time when costs are increasing across the board, Hoosiers will soon benefit from the elimination of a special tax on utility bills. The repeal means monthly savings for all customers beginning July 1, 2022.  The Utility Receipts Tax and Utility Services Tax is currently a 1.46% addition to energy bills based on usage. The elimination of this tax is one of many recent actions taken by the Indiana General Assembly and Governor Holcomb to support our state’s economy while benefitting Hoosier taxpayers.  Other states are increasing taxes, but Indiana is lowering…