Articles by Mike Rhodes

The virtual line up kicks off Thursday, March 26th with a “Screenside Chat." Photo provided

Non-Profit March 25, 2020

Shafer Leadership Academy Offers FREE Virtual Programs During COVID-19

By: Shafer Leadership Academy— Virtual Programming begins on Thursday, March 26th. Muncie, IN—Muncie non-profit Shafer Leadership Academy is offering free virtual leadership development programs to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We need leadership now, more than ever” said SLA Executive Director Mitch Isaacs. “In uncertain times people look to their leaders to provide calm, clear, and competent guidance.” Isaacs explained that many leaders have found themselves operating without a road map. It is his hope to provide local leaders an…

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Mursix Corporation in Muncie, Indiana

Business March 24, 2020

Muncie’s Mursix Corporation Ramps Up to Assist Medical Industry for COVID-19

By: Mursix Corporation— Muncie, IN—Like other businesses throughout the country, Mursix is feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, which provides medical components, rapid prototyping services, and stamping solutions, is still open. Mursix is ramping up production to supply medical parts to manufacturers and hospitals all over the country. This aspect of its business is vital to the pandemic fight. Mursix has been deemed an essential business during the shelter-in-place order given by Delaware County authorities and Indiana…

Aerial image overlooking the downtown area, Muncie Central High School, and White River. Photo by: Michael Wolfe

Business March 24, 2020

Muncie Community Organization Statements on Coronavirus, Part 1

Editor’s Note: We are no longer adding updated items to THIS particular page, as it is getting very lengthy. We are adding updates to the following page now:   http://www.munciejournal.com/2020/03/muncie-community-organization-statements-on-coronavirus-page-2/ Soup Kitchen of Muncie March 22, 2020, 9:01 am—The Soup Kitchen of Muncie is closing. We will not be open until the crisis with the coronavirus is over. Please stay safe. Loretta Parsons   Second Case of COVID-19 Identified in Delaware County and First Death March 21, 2020, 3:34 pm—In an…

Che’Reese Anderson. Photo provided

Education March 24, 2020

Ivy Tech Community College Announces New Dean of Nursing

By: Jennifer Gasiorek— Muncie, IN—Students returned from spring break with a new dean of nursing at the helm at Ivy Tech Community College, Muncie-Henry County campus.  Che’Reese Anderson has accepted the position of dean for the School of Nursing. Anderson has more than 20 years of experience and has been with Ivy Tech for 10 years.  Most recently, she was the nursing program chair for the Henry County site. “In-line with COVID-19 protocol, all of Ivy Tech’s courses are being taught…

Inside the dispatch center (911) at the Delaware County Emergency Operations Center. Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Non-Profit March 23, 2020

Community Foundation Grants $20k in Early COVID-19 Response Funding to Community Organizations

By: Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. awarded $20,000 to 12 non-profit organizations to support response efforts to the COVID-19 crisis. Last week, Community Foundation staff had the opportunity to connect with and listen to the plans, challenges, and needs of a variety of vital community organizations across Delaware County. Decisions for this initial round of response funding were made in an effort to come along side these vital community organizations with identified immediate…

Reach out to people and offer help. Social distancing should also help reinvest in and recreate social bonds. Photo by: Story blocks

We Fly March 21, 2020

Social Distancing Tips: 15 Ways to Stay Both Sane and Safe

By: Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN– Practicing social distancing to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic may sound scary or impossible to do, but there are ways to appropriately handle the process, says Jagdish Khubchandani, a health science professor at Ball State University. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19 that include recommendations for social distancing—a term epidemiologists use to refer to a conscious effort to reduce close contact between people and hopefully…

For convenient reading, you can’t beat a nice small book. Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson March 20, 2020

John Carlson: Do Reading And Computers Mix?

By: John Carlson— The more reading I do on computers, the more I appreciate books. Not that, under certain certain circumstances, I don’t appreciate some electronic gizmos as well, you understand. Nancy and I both carry around Kindles. Mine is stuffed with so many e-books, if they had actual pages and covers I’d have to wear a truss. For example, in book form, writer Ron Chernow’s hardcover, best-selling biography of Union general and former president Ulysses S. Grant weighs in…

Photo by Mike Rhodes

Government March 19, 2020

Muncie Named a 2020 Finalist For ‘All America City Award’

By: National Civic League— Denver, CO—The City of Muncie has been named a finalist for the All-America City award presented by the National Civic League. The All America-City award recognizes communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation to successfully address local issues. Each of the finalist communities demonstrated civic engagement practices that are inspirational, inclusive and promising in their ability to unite members of the community to collectively and collaboratively help solve our country’s most pressing and complex…

A wife’s plan for a birthday gift is greeted with, “Say what?” Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson March 13, 2020

John Carlson: ‘Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hear Ye!’

By: John Carlson— I already know what Nancy is buying me later this year for my seventieth birthday. Hearing aids. It’s not that I want hearing aids. Nor do I need hearing aids. Do we have occasional problems communicating verbally? Sure we do. And does she keep blaming this on what she considers my woeful hearing? Sure she does. But as I keep reminding her, I have trouble hearing her because the older she gets, the less distinctly she pronounces…

Juli A. Metzger, a board member for the Indiana Youth Institute, representing Delaware County is pictured presenting at the State of the Child conference. Photo provided

Non-Profit March 13, 2020

‘State of the Child’ Conference Overview

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—There is progress to report in the latest available statistics that measure trends among Indiana’s youth, experts said at the recent Indiana Youth Institute State of the Child in Muncie. Cigarette use among Indiana’s youngest is on the decline, and the number of children in working-poor households is going down, for example. The number of high-quality early childhood programs is on the rise, statewide. But statistics also show that vaping is on the rise among young people…