Articles by Mike Rhodes

Northedge Steel Makes $6 Million Investment in Delaware County, Creating 40 New Jobs in Yorktown, IN

By Ty Morton— Northedge Steel has acquired the former All Steel Carports facility on 332 in Yorktown. YORKTOWN, Ind.—Northedge Steel, LLC has purchased the former All-Steel Carports 11.4 acre/65,000 SF manufacturing facility and sales center on SR 332 in Yorktown. This milestone is a major move for the North Carolina company on its mission to expand its steel building operations into the Midwest.  Northedge purchased the facility in May, 2022 for $5.5 million and expects to invest an additional $500K to begin official operations in August, 2022. Northedge will manufacture and sell carports and steel buildings for residential, commercial, industrial, and…

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Muncie Youth Volleyball Team Wins National Championship in Orlando, FL

By Kylie Johnson— MUNCIE, Ind.—The Munciana Peppers are National Volleyball Champions. On June 15th, thirteen twelve-year olds embarked on their quest for the gold. Two-hundred and twenty-one twelve and under teams participated at the 49th AAU Junior Nationals in Orlando, Florida. There were nineteen teams in the open division, including the Peppers. The open bracket is considered the best of the best and maintains the highest level of competition. “We were seeded fourth going into the tournament. You hope to have a more lenient schedule on Day 1 to get the jitters out. To my surprise there were no jitters,…


Muncie Central’s Shekinah McNeil, MaKaiya Lowe Receive ‘I Have a Dream’ Scholarships

By Andy Klotz— MUNCIE, Ind. – Muncie Central High School graduates Shekinah McNeil and MaKaiya Lowe have been selected as this year’s recipients of the “I Have a Dream” Community Collaborative Scholarship presented by Muncie Community Schools in partnership with Muncie Black Expo, the MLK JR. Dream Team and Muncie NAACP. The winners were selected based on activities and honors that address the mission of the sponsoring organizations, grade point average, financial need, references and an essay that answers the question: Why do you believe it is important to promote harmonious relationships in your community? Both winners will receive $2,000…


AEP Foundation Gifts $250,000 to Muncie Children’s Museum to Fund Expansion of Discovery Park

By Intersection— MUNCIE, Ind. – The American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation made an impactful donation when the Muncie Children’s Museum’s newest exhibit, Discovery Park, opened in 2017. Once again, they are generously supporting the expansion of the exhibit, with Indiana Michigan Power, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, giving a $250,000 grant from the American Electric Power Foundation to the museum’s “More to Explore” capital campaign. “Supporting this expansion by the Muncie Children’s Museum helps encourage an interest in learning at an early age, which is perfectly aligned with our foundation’s focus on improving lives through education,” said Rob Keisling,…


How the 21st Century Scholar Program Helped One Woman Achieve Success

By Kate Elliott— Eighth-grade students must enroll by June 30th, to qualify for the 21st Century tuition scholarship. See more at end of article. MUNCIE, Ind.—On nights when her home was without heat, Emma-Mae Newman fell asleep under a pile of blankets, dreaming of becoming a 21st Century Scholar like her older siblings. She saw them and other income-eligible Hoosiers navigate four years of college without debt. “The program changed my life,” said Newman, a Muncie native. “It helped me move several steps closer to escaping the cycle of poverty my family has been in for so long.” Newman enrolled in…


New ‘Indiana Arts and Culture Passport Program’ Launches

By Amy Howell, Director of Tourism, Marketing and Communications — INDIANAPOLIS – Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana Destination Development Corporation (IDDC) and Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, are teaming up to launch the Indiana Arts and Culture Passport. “From music venues and theaters, to museums and more, communities across Indiana are using art as a way to come together and build a sense of place,” Crouch said. “All of these attractions reflect the values of residents and help build a sense of identity for both residents and visitors alike.” The Indiana Arts & Culture “digital passport”…


Orchestra Indiana to Perform at Yorktown’s ‘Civic Green’ on July 4th

By Orchestra Indiana— MUNCIE, IN – Orchestra Indiana has announced details of a FREE concert to take place on the Fourth of July at Yorktown’s Civic Green. Conducted by Kermit Poling, the patriotic program celebrating the American Independence Day will feature music of John Philip Sousa, George Gershwin, and John Williams, performances by vocal soloists Natalie Cordone and Keron Jackson, and will conclude with a fireworks display. The concert begins at 8pm and will last approximately two hours.  Orchestra Indiana Executive Director Scott Watkins said “We’re really pleased to present this free event to the community that supports our organization…


‘Celebrating the Other Side of the Struggle’ Comes to Cornerstone

By Dee McKinsey—  June 28 Program is Free and Open to the Public MUNCIE, Ind. – Real Black Excellence will sponsor a program entitled Celebrating the Other Side of the Struggle from 7-8 p.m., Tuesday, June 28, at Cornerstone Center for the Arts, 520 E. Main St. The Church or God Academy, Greenville, Ohio, will perform spoken word, music and drama. The program “tells the story of American history from the perspective of Europeans,” according to program sponsors, and exams the impact of race. Real Black Excellence is a local youth non-profit organization focusing on the African American experience. For…


Amanda Reninger Receives ‘Woman-Owned Business of the Year’ Award

By Christy Ragle and Morgan Weaver— MUNCIE, Ind.—Amanda Reninger spent the first 27 years of her life studying music and holds three music degrees in opera and classical singing, including two from Ball State University. Reninger’s recent high note is landing the “Woman-Owned Business of the Year” award from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for her business, Sea Salt & Cinnamon. “Studying music has taught me so many valuable skills that translate well to business,” she noted. “I always say, music is all math and baking is all math, but both have a creative component to them. Those skills helped…


How We Can All Help Preserve the White River, and Why It Matters

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, Ind.—Everything starts somewhere.  For the White River, it’s in a farmer’s field in Randolph County just south of Winchester. The river winds its way through farms, woodlands, industrial sites, small towns, and even big cities, eventually feeding into other rivers that take the waters to the Mississippi River. This long journey is amazing in itself, but the story of how the White River got to where it is today—how it journeyed from being a once industrially polluted, sewage-filled river to a freshwater habitat and recreation site—is even more remarkable. That story starts in the late 1800s,…