Articles by Mike Rhodes

Homemade masks’ true beauty is beneath the surface. Photo by: Cheryl LeBlanc

Carlson April 24, 2020

John Carlson: A Look At Love In Action

By: John Carlson— These days, the longer we cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the more I find myself thinking about Dunkirk. No, not the Dunkirk to our northeast that holds the distinction of being part of both Jay and Blackford counties, much as I enjoyed my time spent in that pleasant little burg covering occasional stories over the years. Instead, I’m thinking about the Dunkirk that is a French fishing port on the English Channel, and how in May of…

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Stuffed animals appear in the window of the home of Debbie Lyon. Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Non-Profit April 23, 2020

Muncie Neighborhood Associations Get Creative During COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Heather Williams & Megan Orbin, Muncie Action Plan— Muncie, IN—Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb enacted a “stay at home” order on March 25th, 2020 and that presented neighborhood associations with difficult questions. While most monthly meetings for March had already been cancelled or postponed due to social distancing concerns, how can associations help their residents if physical meetings cannot happen? What is the best way to keep spirits high without gathering? Facebook and NextDoor have become information hubs and leading…

The projector inside the Charles W. Brown Planetarium. Photo provided

We Fly April 22, 2020

Ball State Planetarium’s Computers Part of Global Effort to Better Understand COVID-19

By: Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN —The Charles W. Brown Planetarium at Ball State University is joining the fight against COVID-19 as its computers are being used as part of a global supercomputer to help researchers better understand the coronavirus. Typically, planetarium staff would be presenting programs to thousands of visiting school kids and members of the public, but with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the dome is empty and the computers are idle. “This is an important use…

Greet everyone with a smile, a wave, and/or a positive comment while maintaining appropriate physical distance. Photo by: story blocks

We Fly April 19, 2020

Want To Lift Others Up During COVID-19 Pandemic? Smile! Wave!

By: Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN—There are dozens of actions individuals can do daily to show people how they care about others — while safely social distancing — as every community deals with COVID-19, says a Ball State University professor. Lawrence H. Gerstein, director of the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Ball State, and the organization’s advisory board generated a list of peaceful ways of expression as individuals seek to help others in this time of extraordinary…

Photographer Amanda Kishel photographed this “porch portrait” for the family of Adam and Sarah Rector. Utilizing telephoto lenses and practicing safe distance guidelines of at least 10 feet, her series captures families during the “stay at home” order during the COVID-19 pandemic. 100% of the proceeds are being donated to Habitat for Humanity. More of Amanda's photos are below.

We Fly April 18, 2020

Documenting Everyday Life in Muncie During The COVID-19 Pandemic

By: Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN—In a collaborative effort, Ball State University Libraries Archives and Special Collections, the Everyday Life in Middletown Project, and the Muncie Public Library are asking community members to document life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The three organizations will collect and preserve materials from both the Ball State community and the surrounding geographic area, and they will collaborate to publish an online community archive of those materials. “Future historians will want to look back…

Frances and Charles Marsh stand side by side in the center in front of their business in 1935 in Muncie. On the truck you can see the phone number of Superior Laundry - 911. Photo provided

Entertainment April 18, 2020

Teaching During a Pandemic – A Century Ago

By: John S. Marsh— Muncie, IN—Recently, I took some time to read through the letters my grandmother, Frances Dyke, wrote to her beau (my grandfather, Charles Marsh) while he was away in WWI. She was 21-years-old and teaching high school in the small town of Horton, Michigan. The letters span from October 1918 to early January 1919, and one thing which she writes about is the “Flu.” This was during the Spanish Influenza pandemic which killed 20 million people worldwide,…

Who knows where pandemic haircuts are headed? Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson April 17, 2020

John Carlson: The Unkindest Cut of All

By: John Carlson— Lord knows there is much to fear about the COVID-19 pandemic: the collapse of the global economy, ever-mounting casualties, the end of life as we know it… Plus, I’m starting to sweat my next haircut. See, I’ve got a feeling my upcoming appointment with my barber-buddy Holly won’t happen, just like the last one didn’t. In fact, I could easily miss a number of haircuts before things get back to normal. Worst case scenario: Extrapolate that out…

DWNTWN United & Ignited, is a crowdgranting campaign designed to generate $25,000 in funding to be offered in the form of grants to qualifying downtown businesses. 

Non-Profit April 16, 2020

Help Muncie ‘Unite & Ignite’ DWNTWN Campaign

By: Muncie Downtown Development Partnership— Muncie, IN – Muncie Downtown Development Partnership (MDDP), Muncie’s nationally-accredited Main Street organization and the face behind DWNTWN The Original Muncie, unveiled a new campaign this week. The campaign, DWNTWN United & Ignited, is a crowdgranting campaign designed to generate $25,000 in funding to be offered in the form of grants to qualifying downtown businesses.  Local businesses need your help now. United & Ignited offers a way to contribute what you can to preserve all…

Habitat for Humanity's Restore. Photo provided

Non-Profit April 16, 2020

Greater Muncie Habitat for Humanity Responds to COVID-19

By: Lindsey Arthur— Muncie, IN—We hope you and your loved ones are doing as well as can be expected in this unprecedented time. As neighbors, we are called to our collective responsibility to stand in solidarity to do all we can to ensure the health and well-being of our staff, volunteers, supporters and community. We are actively monitoring the COVID-19 situation and taking steps to help keep our office, ReStore and construction sites safe. Per the Executive Order on April…

Sue Ellspermann, Ph.D., President, Ivy Tech Community College

Education April 16, 2020

In a Time of Crisis, Ivy Tech Guest Student Program Provides Much-Needed Option

By: Sue Ellspermann, Ph.D., President, Ivy Tech Community College— Indianapolis, IN—During the past month, I have been tremendously impressed by the ingenuity and responsiveness of America’s higher education professionals. With little notice, colleges and universities across the nation moved classes to virtual and online formats and found new ways to provide the services students depend upon as they pursue their educational journey. While I’m most proud of the efforts made by Ivy Tech Community College faculty and staff, it is…