Articles by Mike Rhodes

Artist rendering of the CANPACK facility to be located at the Southwest corner of South Cowan and West Fuson Roads in Muncie.

Business May 26, 2021

Global Packaging Manufacturer Selects Muncie as Second U.S. Plant Location

By Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance— Muncie, IN—Global packaging manufacturer CANPACK announced today it will build its second U.S.-based, state-of-the-art aluminum beverage can body manufacturing plant in Muncie, creating over time approximately 345 high-paying, local jobs by 2023. The proposed project, which represents a $380 million investment in Delaware County and the State of Indiana with the potential to expand to 425 jobs and $490 million by 2025, will be located on 139 acres of land on the southwest corner…

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Business May 26, 2021

‘A Can is Never Just a Can’—WATCH

By Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance— Muncie, IN—Global packaging manufacturer CANPACK announced today it will build its second U.S.-based, state-of-the-art aluminum beverage can body manufacturing plant in Muncie, creating over time approximately 345 high-paying, local jobs by 2023. The proposed project, which represents a $380 million investment in Delaware County and the State of Indiana with the potential to expand to 425 jobs and $490 million by 2025, will be located on 139 acres of land on the southwest corner…

Photo provided by Muncie Community Schools

Education May 26, 2021

MCS Teachers to Receive Unprecedented Pay Raises

 Starting salaries rise to $42,000 By Andy Klotz— Muncie, Ind. – Less than a month after approving $1,000 stipends for all active school district employees for the additional work required due to COVID-19, the Muncie Community Schools Board of Trustees is boosting teachers’ pay again. The board has approved salary increases for all teachers ranging from $2,400 to $5,200 annually. It has also raised starting teacher pay to $42,000, up from $38,500. The raises are a result of increased K-12 education funding…

Non-Profit May 25, 2021

YMCA of Muncie to Expand Anti-Hunger Fight Through Summer Food Distribution

By Kristen McConnell— Muncie, IN— Continuing its efforts to combat hunger in local communities, the YMCA of Muncie will offer food distribution during the summer months at the Downtown Y, Ross Community Center and Heekin Park. Healthy meals will be available to children 18 and under beginning June 1st. A unique partnership between the YMCA, Inside Out, Ross Community Center, Muncie Parks and Recreation and Muncie Sports Commission, the program provides children access to high quality and sustainable meals. “During…

Photo provided.

Non-Profit May 24, 2021

American Association of University Women Used Book Sale is Underway

By Sheryl Swingley— Muncie, IN—The American Association of University Women and IPR Used Book Sale started Monday. It will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday in Assembly Hall of the Ball State Alumni Center, located at Bethel and Tillotson avenues. Parking is free. The book sale has more than 30 tables of books of nonfiction and fiction, including mysteries, romance, thrillers/adventure, biographies, history, opinion and religion; a great…

Master Sgt. Steven Leach, 434 ARW command post controller, congratulates his civilian employer Joe Wrin, franchise owner of Home Instead, for earning the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Pro Patria award on May 20, 2021 in Muncie, Indiana. Wrin received the award for his extraordinary support of his employees who serve in the Indiana Guard and Reserve.Photo by Mike Rhodes

Business May 24, 2021

Home Instead’s Joe Wrin Presented with Award For Support of Military Employees

By U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Josh Weaver— Muncie, IN—One weekend a month, three weeks a year, and ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. That’s what Citizen Airmen do part time, but full time we live and work locally in communities around the world.In order to serve, Airmen need support from civilian employers. Employers like Joe Wrin, Franchise Owner of Home Instead, whose support of his employees who serve in the Indiana Guard and Reserve has earned him the…

Teenagers participating in the TeenWorks summer program gain work experience at various sites across the community, including providing warehouse support at Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana. Second Harvest will once again partner with TeenWorks as a worksite for student workers in 2021. Photo provided

Non-Profit May 24, 2021

10 Delaware County Non-Profits Receive $186K in Grant Funding

By Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. awarded $186,384 to 10 nonprofit organizations during the second Quarterly Competitive Grant cycle of 2021. The Community Foundation’s purpose is to improve the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County for this generation and generations to come. Quarterly Competitive Grants fund projects for which there is a demonstrable community benefit in one of the following areas of interest: arts and culture, human services, economic development, education,…

Illustration provided by PlySpace.

Non-Profit May 23, 2021

Sing With The Cicadas! Join The Human Cicada Chorus Project

By Sarah Shaffer— Muncie, IN— The Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MACC), invites the Muncie community to participate in the Human Cicada Chorus led by PlySpace artist in residence Erin Mallea. The Cicada Chorus includes a series of free workshops designed to help prepare participants for the culmination of the project: an outdoor video shoot of the choral performance. The video will premiere in Muncie in late June as a celebration of the 17-year Brood X emergence and as a thank…

Unlike “Chopsticks,” most songs you hear are a little more complex. Photo by Nancy Carlson

Carlson May 21, 2021

John Carlson: Songwriting? Pieces Aren’t Easy

By John Carlson— In an apparent bid to create more country songs, there was a Facebook meme recently asking people to write lyrics about a pizza parlor that turns into a tobacco shop and then a Mexican restaurant. So I gave it a shot. It went: “I was chewin’ on a stuffed crust, that became a hunk of chaw, now I’m suckin’ down burritos, while I’m hiding from the law …”  You’ll probably find this hard to believe, but it’s…

This mint condition 1968 Pontiac GTO belongs to Sean Mattingly, Engineer at Woof Boom radio. Photo by Sean Mattingly

Entertainment May 20, 2021

Downtown Muncie to Host Classic Car Show

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief— Muncie, IN—If you are a classic car aficionado, the place to be this weekend is going to be downtown Muncie. Or dwntwn Muncie, to be more accurate. Once popular decades ago, cruising South Madison Street pretty much went by the wayside. But in 2018, Troy Watters kicked off his Cruising South Madison Street event and the 3rd Saturday of the month suddenly became an instant “must-go-to” calendar entry. Watters is the man behind that popular event. “I used…