Articles by Mike Rhodes

Aerial image of the Ball Memorial campus. File photo

Business July 18, 2025

ECI Regional Planning District Releases Draft of Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy

By ECI Planning District— EAST CENTRAL IN—The ECI Regional Planning District, in partnership with Ball State University and the Purdue Center for Regional Development, has completed a draft of the 2025 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Plan, which focuses on the region served by the district: Delaware, Grant, Jay, and Blackford counties. As required every five years, this plan outlines the region’s economic priorities and identifies key projects eligible for funding through the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).  The draft…

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Aerial photo of Praire Creek Reservoir by Michael Wolfe

Government July 16, 2025

City of Muncie Parks Board Institutes Rules Changes at Prairie Creek Reservoir

By Amber Greene— MUNCIE, IN — The City of Muncie, in collaboration with Indiana American Water, is announcing a series of changes to the rules and operations at Prairie Creek Reservoir Park. These changes are being implemented to ensure long-term water quality and environmental sustainability of this vital resource, which serves as a source of drinking water for our community. Several decades ago, the City of Muncie expanded the use of certain areas of Prairie Creek Reservoir Park, specifically its…

Photo provided.

Entertainment July 16, 2025

Minnetrista Opens Newest Exhibit-‘Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend’

By Brea Cunningham— MUNCIE, IN—Dive into the icy depths of the Arctic this summer at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens with Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend, a captivating traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The exhibit is located in Gallery 3 of the Center Building and runs through September 28, 2025. With its iconic spiral tusk, the narwhal has captured imaginations for centuries—often called the “unicorn of…

Photo provided.

Education July 15, 2025

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Application Now Available

By Kallie Sulanke— MUNCIE, IN— Incoming high school seniors can now apply online for the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship administered by The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. Applicants must be residents of Delaware County, Ind., and attend an accredited high school in Delaware County. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Muncie and Delaware County awards a student who possesses leadership potential and is well-rounded and community-minded. The scholarship covers tuition and required fees for four years of…

A Vera Mae's bartender pours a glass of Pinot Noir for a guest. Photo provided.

Business July 15, 2025

Vera Mae’s Bistro Earns Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for Second Consecutive Year

By Dawn Brand Fluhler— MUNCIE, IN— Vera Mae’s Bistro has once again been honored by Wine Spectator with its prestigious Award of Excellence, marking the second consecutive year the upscale downtown Muncie restaurant has earned national recognition for its exceptional wine program. The 2025 Wine Spectator Awards celebrate restaurants around the globe whose wine lists offer a thoughtful, high-quality selection that complements their menu in both style and price. Vera Mae’s stands out among this year’s 2,150 recipients with a…

MPL Board of Trustees members assisted MPL Director Alan Kornblau and MPL employees in unveiling the new name of Connection Corner, now known as Centennial Library. The MPL Sasquatch-Centennial mascot, (worn by Veeda Hampton) was also at the event. Photo provided.

Non-Profit July 15, 2025

Muncie Public Library Debuts New Name for Library Branch as Part of 150th Anniversary Celebration

By Susan Fisher, PR Supervisor at Muncie Public Library— MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Public Library (MPL) continued its yearlong celebration of a remarkable 150 years of service recently with an anniversary event held at Connection Corner on Saturday, July 12. Included in the festivities was a surprise unveiling of a new name for the MPL branch located in the Whitely community. The party was attended by more than 250 community members and representatives of local organizations who shared information, distributed free books,…

Photo by Judd Demaline

Entertainment July 14, 2025

Photo Gallery: 46th Annual Ironman 70.3 Muncie, 2025

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief, Muncie Journal.com— SELMA, IN— Ironman 70.3 Muncie took place over the weekend at Prairie Creek reservoir. The race, once named the Muncie Endurathon, is one of the Midwest’s most popular triathlons, and the oldest 70.3 distance race in the continental US. In 2022, the Muncie race was voted the number one participant experience in all of the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada. According to Ken High, Race Director of Ironman 70.3, the event included 1100…

Local leaders convened at the historic E.B. & Bertha C. Ball Center on June 11 for a cybersecurity summit. Photo provided.

Non-Profit July 11, 2025

Ball Brothers Foundation Hosts Cybersecurity Summit, Announces $200K in Grants to Build Workforce Pipeline

By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation— MUNCIE, IN—Ball Brothers Foundation hosted a convening on June 11, gathering community leaders, law enforcement officials, and academic professionals to discuss the growing cyber threats facing East Central Indiana and the nation. In addition, Ball Brothers Foundation announced over $200,000 in grants for local efforts to develop a stronger workforce pipeline to address these threats and to support local law enforcement in building stronger cyber capabilities. The convening featured a distinguished guest presenter…

Gina Caravaglia

Business July 11, 2025

Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County Hires Gina Caravaglia

By Katy Maggart—  MUNCIE, IN—The Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County announced that Gina Caravaglia has joined the organization as Coordinator of the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission. Caravaglia will oversee the operations of the Redevelopment Commission including project management, planning and execution of redevelopment activities, and administration of the county’s Tax Increment Finance districts. In addition to her work with the Redevelopment Commission, Caravaglia will also support the broader efforts of the Economic Development Alliance and its Vision 2027 plan….

The Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center is located at 2517 W 8th St in Muncie. Photo by Mike Rhodes

Non-Profit July 10, 2025

Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center Receives $5,000 Grant from Glick Philanthropies

By Glick Philanthropies— MUNCIE, IN – The Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center received a $5,000 grant from the Glick Community Relief Fund, a grant program of Glick Philanthropies that supports local nonprofit organizations to increase community members’ access to basic needs. The grant was one of 107 totaling $770,000 to organizations supporting communities across 12 states where Gene B. Glick Company properties are located. The Glick Community Relief Fund focuses on increasing healthy food access, expanding accessible transportation, connecting community members to…