Articles by Mike Rhodes

Delaware County Weekly COVID-19 Update, December 23rd

Health December 23, 2020

Delaware County Weekly COVID-19 Update, December 23rd

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. Due to the holidays, this week’s update is being released one day early. There will be…

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ecoREHAB To Introduce FREE Skilled Trades Education Program (S.T.E.P.)

Education December 22, 2020

ecoREHAB To Introduce FREE Skilled Trades Education Program (S.T.E.P.)

By Barbara Schafer— Muncie, IN—ecoREHAB is partnering with Eastern Indiana Works and Ball State University to provide training in the basic skills needed for a career in the construction industry. This FREE sixteen week program will be a combination of classroom and onsite training focused on carpentry, electrical, HVAC, masonry, and plumbing. Sessions will also be presented on proper workplace behavior and interview skills. The scheduled start date is January 19, 2021 and will take place in Muncie. While in the…

George and Frances Ball Foundation Awards Over .4 Million in Grants to Local Organizations

Non-Profit December 21, 2020

George and Frances Ball Foundation Awards Over $5.4 Million in Grants to Local Organizations

Amount Represents Record  for the 83-year-old, Muncie-Based Family Foundation… By Kelsey Harrington— Muncie, IN—The year 2020 will go down in history books as a time marked by a global pandemic, civil unrest and racial tension, and a resulting economic crisis. In the midst of these trials, community members and non-profit organizations stood to the challenge and supported fellow neighbors in innovative and timely ways. The George and Frances Ball Foundation proudly invested more than $5.4 million in East Central Indiana…

‘Christmas Star’ Celestial Event Coming Up on December 21 

Entertainment, We Fly December 21, 2020

‘Christmas Star’ Celestial Event Coming Up on December 21 

By BSU Marketing & Communications— MUNCIE, Indiana – When Jupiter and Saturn appear close together in the night sky on December 21, their combined light might be what the Bible’s nativity story in the Gospel of Matthew called the Star of Bethlehem, according to faculty and staff at Ball State University. “People have long wondered if the Star of Bethlehem could be explained by natural celestial events. Some astronomers believe the ‘star’ may have been a series of celestial events,” said…

Local African American and Minority Organizations Help Make Muncie Children’s Christmas Merrier 

Non-Profit December 21, 2020

Local African American and Minority Organizations Help Make Muncie Children’s Christmas Merrier 

By WaTasha Barns Griffin & George Foley— Muncie, IN—With everything that has transpired throughout the year, it is important to spread holiday cheer. Several local organizations have teamed up to make ensure that twenty Muncie families celebrate Christmas with gifts. Families at seven local Daycare Centers received some Christmas cheer.  NAACP Muncie Branch vice president, George Foley said, “Children in the care of seven local daycare centers had wish lists full of items they would like for Christmas. We wanted to…

MITS Wants You to Be On the Lookout For MITSY the Reindeer

Business December 20, 2020

MITS Wants You to Be On the Lookout For MITSY the Reindeer

By Amanda Price— On the eve of every year A festive creature rides in to bring holiday cheer. With velvety ears, and antlers tall Mitsy the Reindeer brings a smile to all. You won’t find him grazing fields Or pulling a jingling sleigh. No, Mitsy prefers to ride and play! Hide-and-seek’s his game of choice And if you happen to see him, you should rejoice! For you could win a sizable prize, Something you don’t have to buy! So search…

West View Elementary Teacher Named Outstanding Dual Language Teacher

Education December 18, 2020

West View Elementary Teacher Named Outstanding Dual Language Teacher

By Andy Klotz— Muncie, IN – The American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP) has selected West View Elementary second grade teacher Kelsey Pavelka as an Outstanding Dual Language Teacher. She is one of just nine teachers in Indiana to receive the award. “I feel so fortunate to be recognized for doing the thing I love so much, teaching in a dual language immersion classroom,” Pavelka said. “I love the program’s mission and vision, and I’m proud to…

John Carlson: Squawking About Lab Meat

Carlson December 18, 2020

John Carlson: Squawking About Lab Meat

By John Carlson— Ever since learning about the stuff a couple weeks ago, I have been obsessed with lab-grown chicken. Have you read about it? It’s chicken … grown in a laboratory. And yeah, it’s just the meat, minus those pesky feathers, feet and beaks, along with the wattles and other icky chicken parts. How did they – “they” being the folks who have hopped aboard the laboratory chicken-growing bandwagon – accomplish this? As a guy who at the height…

Delaware County Weekly COVID-19 Update, December 17th

Health December 17, 2020

Delaware County Weekly COVID-19 Update, December 17th

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. Due to the holidays, next week’s update will be released on Wednesday, Dec. 23. There will…

Munsee Meats Launches New Brand at Grand Re-Opening

Business December 17, 2020

Munsee Meats Launches New Brand at Grand Re-Opening

By Richard Crist— Muncie, IN – Munsee Meats recently held a grand re-opening celebration and brand re-launch to announce the new chapter for the sixty-three-year-old business. Munsee Meats’ storied history began in 1957 as Tom’s Meats. In 1973 they became Munsee Meats, Inc. and have expanded and upgraded many times over the years and now house nearly 12,000 square feet of cooler and freezer space and are one of the few USDA Federally Inspected meat plants in Indiana. Munsee Meats…