Articles by Mike Rhodes

Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Business July 2, 2020

Additional Funding Awarded to Enhance Muncie’s Riverside Trail Project

By: Delaware Advancement Corporation & Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance— Muncie, IN – Delaware Advancement Corporation and the City of Muncie are pleased to announce that additional funds have been secured to provide enhancements to the Riverside trail project. The residents living along and near the trail route have shared their feedback in public and individual meetings, and the project team has worked to find resources to address their concerns. Among the issues cited included loss of trees, flooding, safety of…

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Non-Profit July 1, 2020

Town of Gaston Endowment Fund at The Community Foundation Grants $1,700 to Cardinal Greenway

By: Kallie Sullanke— Muncie, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc., through the Town of Gaston Endowment Fund, is awarding a grant totaling $1,700 to Cardinal Greenway Inc. to install a covered shelter at the Gaston trailhead. This will make the Cardinal Greenway safer by giving people a place to escape inclement weather and offer a place for shade in hot conditions. The Town of Gaston Endowment Fund was established in 2012 by Betty Jane Clark…

Downtown Muncie during a MDDP planned event. Photo provided

Non-Profit July 1, 2020

DWNTWN Muncie Receives 2020 National Main Street Accreditation

By: Vicki Veach— MUNCIE, IN— Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, the organization behind DWNTWN The Original Muncie, has been designated as a 2020 Accredited Main Street America™ program. Accredited status is Main Street America’s top tier of recognition and signifies a demonstrated commitment to comprehensive commercial district revitalization and proven track record of successfully applying the Main Street Approach™. “We are proud to recognize this year’s 860 Nationally Accredited Main Street America programs that have dedicated themselves to strengthening their communities,”…

An aerial photo of the downtown Muncie area. Photo by: Intersection

Government June 30, 2020

Muncie Sanitary District Board Expanded

By: City of Muncie Communications— Muncie, IN- The Muncie City Council held a special meeting on June 29th, 2020 for the purpose of voting on Ordinance 4-20. Ordinance 4-20 expands the size of the Muncie Sanitary District Board from three individuals to five. The expansion of the board was designed to “provide better oversight and accountability for the sanitary district.” The Council voted unanimously to approve Ordinance 4-20.  This ordinance enables the current City Engineer, Brian Stephens-Hotopp room to serve…

Scott McKee

Business June 30, 2020

First Merchants Names Scott McKee Corporate Social Responsibility Director

By: First Merchants— Scott McKee brings commitment to community leadership, passion for social causes MUNCIE, IN— First Merchants Corporation (NASDAQ – FRME) has announced the naming of Scott McKee as its Corporate Social Responsibility Director. McKee, an industry veteran with more than 30 years’ experience, will lead and implement efforts around community relations, volunteerism, philanthropy, financial education and community reinvestment activities. Beginning in 2019, Company leadership began discussing changes to further support core values of community leadership, organic growth and…

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Non-Profit June 29, 2020

Yorktown Non-profits Receive $3,400 in Grant Funding

By: Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc., through the Town of Yorktown Endowment Fund, is awarding $3,400 in grants to two organizations serving the Yorktown community. Yorktown Fire Department has been awarded $1,700 to defray the cost of designing, developing, and publishing fire safety education booklets to give to children in the Yorktown community. The project will allow the Yorktown Fire Department to collaborate with Pleasant View teachers to promote fire safety…

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Non-Profit June 28, 2020

Selma Athletic League Receives Grant From Community Foundation

By: Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, Ind. – The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc., through the Liberty Perry Selma Town Endowment Fund, is awarding $890 to the Selma Athletic League.  Selma Athletic League offers baseball and softball opportunities for children of all ages in the community. This grant will defray the cost of improvements needed to run an effective baseball and softball league for youth in Selma.  The Liberty Perry Selma Town Endowment Fund started as an Acorn Fund…

Early-stage chickens are fine, assuming they look like these. Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson June 26, 2020

John Carlson: To Cluck or Not to Cluck

By: John Carlson— My wife wants chickens. I want chickens, too. It’s just that I want the kind of chickens named Original Recipe that Colonel Sanders packs into those red-and-white tubs with the initials “KFC” printed on the side of them. Nancy wants hers in a coop out back. Anyway, I have long been staunchly supportive of her desire to raise chickens within Muncie’s city limits. But that was only because I never dreamed we’d ever actually be allowed to…

Photo of students who participated in a prior summer workshop. Photo provided

Education June 25, 2020

Over 1,000 Students Enroll in BSU Journalism’s Summer Workshops

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—More than 1,000 middle and high school students and teachers representing 36 states registered for Ball State University Department of Journalism’s Summer 2020 Journalism Workshops in the first-ever online only programming of the iconic skills bootcamp. The on-campus residential workshop moved to a virtual experience after quarantine orders and other mandated precautions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The result was 35 free sessions covering topics like reporting basics, writing, photography, digital design, using social media,…

Trevor Lowe and Micah Brown

Non-Profit June 25, 2020

Scholarships Awarded to Students by Muncie Pride and Muncie OUTreach

By: Dee McKinsey— Muncie, IN—Two Delaware County recent graduates were awarded scholarships for their essays on the origin of the gay pride flag. Trevor Lowe,  Muncie resident and recent graduate of Muncie Central, will receive a $1000 scholarship.  Micah Brown, Dunkirk resident and  recent graduate of Wes-Del High School, will be awarded a $500 scholarship. Lowe is a member of the Youth Symphony Orchestra; Muncie Central Marching band and plans to study music education at University of Indianapolis. Brown organized…