Articles by Mike Rhodes

Jeff Bird, MD, President, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital

Health November 17, 2020

Jeff Bird, MD: Heroes (Still) Work Here, and They Need Your Help

By Jeff Bird, MD, President, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital— Muncie, IN—IU Health is committed to being a trusted source of information for the public during the COVID-19 crisis. As part of that commitment, I’d like to share with you how COVID-19 is currently impacting our hospitals and our team members. While the most comprehensive and up-to-date information for Indiana is available through the Indiana Department of Health, here are some updates specific to the IU Health facilities in East Central Indiana….

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State Rep.-elect Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) (left) takes the oath of office during Organization Day Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at the Statehouse. Rowray will serve House District 35 in the General Assembly, which includes portions of Delaware and Madison counties.

Government November 17, 2020

Rowray Sworn In As New State Representative for House District 35

By Lydia Kirschner, Press secretary— STATEHOUSE  – Elizabeth Rowray of Yorktown took the oath of office today to serve as state representative for House District 35. Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush administered the oath to all House lawmakers during a swearing-in ceremony in the House Chamber of the Statehouse during Organization Day, the formal start to the 2021 legislative session. “From growing up in the community to raising my own family here, I am fortunate to know…

From left to right: Josh Raines, Paul Dytmire and Andy Klotz, Teah Mirabelli, Kai and Lindsey Markelz, Melissa Jones, Jacob Peterson, and Breanna Daugherty.

Business November 17, 2020

Innovation Connector Announces Winners of 7th Annual BIG Idea Pitch Competition

By Alexis Dishman— Muncie, IN—On Monday, November 2nd The Innovation Connector of Muncie, Indiana, awarded five local entrepreneurs prizes for winning the 7th annual BIG Idea Pitch competition. Over 35 entrepreneurs and innovators signed up to “pitch” their business, business concepts, product or invention to a panel of judges for a chance to win an abundance of businsess services and cash prizes. This year our participants followed all COVID-19 guidelines and not only pitched in front of a panel of…

L-R: Richard Ivy and Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour. Photo courtesy of the City of Muncie.

Government November 16, 2020

City of Muncie Announces New Deputy Mayor and Deputy Controller

By City of Muncie Communications— Muncie, IN—Mayor Dan Ridenour has announced his selection of Richard Ivy to serve as the Deputy Mayor for the City of Muncie. During a press conference on November 12, 2020,  Mayor Ridenour highlighted Ivy’s experience as a former personnel director, a leader in the community, and experience in matters related to his service to the Muncie City Council. Below are highlights Mayor Ridenour shared regarding Ivy’s experiences: Government Experience—City Council At-Large, serves on Finance Committee…

Minnetrista has been named Ball State’s Community Partner of the Year for collaboration with University project. During a ceremony on October 28, Delaina Boyd (top left), the University’s associate vice president for community engagement, and Paul Gestwicki (bottom left), a Ball State computer science professor, presented the award to Minnetrista’s Betty Brewer (top right), president and chief executive officer, and George Buss (bottom right), vice president of visitor experience.

Business November 16, 2020

Minnetrista Honored as Ball State Community Partner of the Year  

By Ball State Marketing and Communications— Muncie, IN – Ball State University has named Minnetrista Cultural Center the 2020 Community Partner of the Year for collaborating with college students on an award-winning educational video game project. The annual award recognizes a Delaware County business, organization, or agency that demonstrates excellence as part of a Ball State community-based learning experience during the previous year. Partners are nominated by Ball State faculty and staff. Past winners include the Youth Opportunity Center (2018)…

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion.

Health November 13, 2020

Delaware County Weekly COVID-19 Update, November 12th

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. Muncie, IN—On Wednesday, Nov. 11, Indiana once again set a new record for its daily positive…

Interesting headstones sprout from Beech Grove Cemetery’s old sections. Photo by Nancy Carlson

Carlson November 13, 2020

John Carlson: In the Market For a Stone

By John Carlson— You know how on Sundays many Hoosiers visit car lots, comparison shopping when there aren’t any sales people around to interrupt their looking? Nancy and I recently joined them. We weren’t kicking tires, though. We were kicking headstones. Not that we were actually kicking headstones. Walk around kicking headstones and you’ll need a pair of crutches to hobble back to your car. But we were kicking headstones in a figurative manner, just gathering ideas of what’s available…

MPL facilities staff post signs for the new Smoke & Tobacco Free Policy. Photo by Susan Fisher

Non-Profit November 12, 2020

Muncie Public Library Becomes Smoke and Tobacco Free

By Susan Fisher— Muncie, IN—Beginning November 19, 2020, Muncie Public Library (MPL) will move from its no smoking policy to a more comprehensive smoke and tobacco free policy for all of its facilities. “Our Board of Trustees approved this policy in January of this year,” said MPL Director Akilah S. Nosakhere. “We planned to implement it in early spring, but the plans were sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic.” The new policy moves MPL from no smoking within 25 feet of…

Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-chief of MuncieJournal.com is pictured sporting a mask Nancy Carlson made for him in the early days of the pandemic.

Health November 12, 2020

BSU Researcher: Certain Groups ‘Masked Up’ More than Others During Early Days of Pandemic

By Ball State Marketing and Communications— Muncie, IN– During the early stages of the pandemic, some people were more likely to wear masks than others, says a Ball State University researcher. A survey of 838 adults found that the people most likely to mask up were women, older adults, African-Americans, Hispanics, and low-income employees forced to work outside the home, said Diana Saiki, a Ball State fashion merchandising professor. Saiki was part of a team of researchers that conducted the largest…

Photo montage provided

Non-Profit November 12, 2020

Ball Brothers Foundation Awards Over $6 Million in Grants to Support Education, Workforce Development, and More 

By Melissa Jones— Muncie, IN— In its final round of grants for the year, Ball Brothers Foundation awarded more than $6 million to local nonprofits, schools, workforce development organizations and other entities, demonstrating the foundation’s commitment to helping local organizations adapt to new circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as preserving and improving the community’s quality of life well into the future.  While Ball Brothers Foundation has awarded numerous COVID-19 emergency/crisis grants—totaling nearly $500,000 to date—throughout the year, this…