Articles by Mike Rhodes

Ivy Tech Community College: A Perfect Option For Local Medical Student

By Lesley DeVoss— Muncie, IN – In 2017, Hayley Keihn graduated from Ivy Tech Community College Muncie-Henry County with her associate degree in Medical Assisting. Keihn’s life had never been easy, but her decision to pursue her degree in medical assisting was. She took a chance to make a change in her life and this allowed her to live more comfortably and become more secure, financially. “I spent six years in getting my associates degree because I was allowed to…

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Northwest Bancshares, Inc. Announces First Quarter 2021 Results

By Northwest Bancshares— Warren, Pennsylvania—Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (the “Company”) (NasdaqGS: NWBI) announced net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 of $40.2 million, or $0.32 per diluted share.  This represents an increase of $32.3 million compared to the same quarter last year when net income was $7.9 million, or $0.07 per diluted share.  The annualized returns on average shareholders’ equity and average assets for the quarter ended March 31, 2021 were 10.61% and 1.17% compared to 2.37% and 0.30% for the…


Community Foundation Announces 2021 Scholarship Recipients 

By Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, IN—Congratulations to the following graduates— Neely Agnew, a senior at Yorktown High School, is the recipient of the Robbin S. Lindsey Memorial Scholarship. She plans to attend Ball State University to study exercise science. She is the daughter of J. and Kelly Agnew. Aaron Alford, a senior at Daleville Jr./Sr. High is the recipient of the Michele Barnhart Hires Scholarship. Aaron plans to attend Ball State University. He is the son of Bobi Alford and Casey…


Delaware County COVID-19 Update, April 22nd

Editor’s note: The following COVID-19 update is brought to you through a collaboration of healthcare partners including Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, Delaware County Office of Information, and other major healthcare providers. Delaware County weekly COVID-19 updates are released every Thursday and include information from the Indiana State Department of Health county metrics dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday afternoon.  Delaware County has remained blue on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map for…


John Carlson: A Day Down On The Farm

By John Carlson— You know you’re about to get an impressive introduction to modern farming when your nephew’s tractor, hauling a huge planter, pulls up sounding like a Boeing 737 approaching a gate at Indianapolis International. “Holy moly!” you think. Amid flashing lights, there are all manner of mechanical noises and whining turbo sounds. The whining comes from God-knows-what pieces of sophisticated machinery that are mechanically integrated into the vehicle. I specify this fact to make one thing clear: The…


Blake Chapman Receives 2021 Al Rent Honorary Award

By Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN—Ball State University student Blake Chapman is the 2021 recipient of the Al Rent Honorary Ball State PBS/IPR Public Media Student Award. The $500 award is made possible by an endowment fund established in 2016 at the Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County in memory of J. Allan Rent. It was created to honor Rent’s professional and volunteer work in public media by recognizing a student with a serious commitment to public media,…


First Merchants Corporation Announces 1st Quarter Results

By First Merchants— Muncie, IN—First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ – FRME) has reported first quarter 2021 net income of $49.5 million compared to $34.3 million during the same period in 2020.  Earnings per share for the period totaled $.91 per share compared to the first quarter of 2020 result of $.62 per share, an increase of $.29, or 47 percent. Total assets equaled $14.6 billion as of quarter-end and loans totaled $9.3 billion.  The Corporation’s loan portfolio increased by $711 million,…


West View’s Kelsey Pavelka Receives Armstrong Teacher Educator Award

 By Andy Klotz— Dual Language teacher to work with IU faculty, students Muncie, Ind. – West View Elementary School’s Kelsey Pavelka has been named an Indiana University Armstrong Teacher Educator Award winner, one of only 14 recipients throughout the state. The 2nd grade Dual Language Mentor Teacher will work with IU faculty and undergraduates over the next year to help aspiring educators hone their skills and prepare them for a classroom of their own. “I am so thankful for this…


2021 Oscars By The Numbers

By Wallethub— Hollywood had a rough year in 2020, with theaters across the country closed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are still quite a few impressive films to celebrate. To help you get psyched for the film industry’s biggest night, WalletHub did their homework on everything from box office sales and Rotten Tomatoes ratings for the Best Picture nominees to the price of awards-season lobbying. You can find all of these awesome Oscars fun facts in the infographic below….


IU Health Supports Community Needs During Pandemic With Statewide Grants

By IU Health— INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana University Health has awarded $3.48 million to local organizations across the state working to address early learning needs and other community issues heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grants are from the $100 million Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF) established in 2018 to address social and environmental determinants of health in Indiana communities. The fund is administered by the IU Health Foundation. This marks the second round of annual grants from the fund for the 2020…