Articles by Mike Rhodes

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Non-Profit September 4, 2019

Local support Captures Lilly Endowment GIFT VII Match and Increases Impact by $1.5 million

By: Kallie Sulanke— Muncie, Ind. – The generous support of the community allowed The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. to capture a $1 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant. The $2 to $1 match is part of the Lilly Endowment Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) VII initiative. Lilly Endowment invited The Community Foundation to apply for $1 million in matching funds. The funds were to be raised between October 1, 2018 and December 31, 2020. As of August…

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"A Family Affair" will be on display and open to the public in the Judith Barnes Memorial Gallery throughout the month of September. Photo provided

Entertainment September 3, 2019

First Thursday: A Family Affair, Featuring the Art of Linda, Jerry & Eloise McKean

By: Sarah Shaffer— Muncie, IN—Join Cornerstone Center for The Arts on Thursday, September 5th for the opening reception of A Family Affair featuring art by Linda, Jerry, and Eloise McKean. The reception will take place in the Judith Barnes Memorial Gallery on the second floor of Cornerstone from 5 to 7 p.m. in conjunction with September’s First Thursday events. The McKean family is in love with the visual arts. Subscribing to art pages on Facebook, visiting art galleries and museums at…

54 percent of U.S. workers are satisfied with their employment. Photo by: Storyblocks

Business September 2, 2019

Job Satisfaction Climbs to Highest Level in Over Two Decades

Provided By: Joseph DiBlasi, The Conference Board— New York—As Americans celebrate Labor Day, a nationwide survey reveals they’re feeling better about their jobs than they have in years. Conducted by The Conference Board, the survey shows that about 54 percent of U.S. workers are satisfied with their employment. Satisfaction climbed by almost three percent from the prior year, which marks a near-record increase in the survey’s history. Workers also report being much more at ease about their job security. And…

Excavator Operator Marcus Miller is pictured working at the Tillotson Avenue I&M substation. Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Carlson August 30, 2019

John Carlson: In Honor Of Working Folks

By: John Carlson— From the moment we began watching him, Nancy and I saw this fellow as nothing less than the Rudolph Nureyev of excavator operators. It was a few years back in the Village, where a block of businesses had been razed to make room for a huge new apartment complex. The two of us would grab our morning coffee across the street at The Cup and drink it outside, marveling as he put his excavator through its paces,…

The E.B. Ball Auditorium at Cornerstone Center for the Arts. Photo provided

Entertainment August 29, 2019

Musical Performances At Cornerstone Launching In September

By: Jessie Fisher— Muncie, IN—Cornerstone Center for the Arts is excited to announce a new entertainment series launching this fall. Performances @ Cornerstone is presented in partnership with Ball State University’s School of Music, Department of Theatre & Dance, and The Harmony Players. The series will consist of free biweekly performances on Sundays at 2 p.m. in the E.B. Ball Auditorium at Cornerstone. Performances @ Cornerstone will kick off on Sunday, September 8 at 2:00 p.m. with an afternoon of…

Lt. Jeffrey Dodson. Photo by: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Heidi Cheek

Government August 29, 2019

Muncie Native Serves with Navy’s Weather Command Headquarters at Stennis Space Center

By: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bradley Gee, Navy Office of Community Outreach— Stennis, MS – Most Americans rely on weather forecasts to plan their daily routine. The U.S. Navy is no different. With numerous ships, submarines and airplanes deployed around the world, sailors and civilians serving with the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, advise Navy leaders about the impact of ocean and atmospheric conditions on future operations. Lt. Jeffrey Dodson, a 1992 Muncie Central…

Pictured L-R: Jason Harrington and Ron Fauquher. Photo provided

Business August 28, 2019

Ontario Systems President Jason Harrington Named New CEO

Co-Founder Ron Fauquher to Retire After 39 Years with the Company  Muncie, IN – Ontario Systems, a leading provider of enterprise software that automates complex workflows and accelerates revenue recovery for clients in the healthcare, accounts receivable management (ARM), and government markets, today announced that effective immediately, Jason Harrington, President of Ontario Systems, will succeed retiring Co-Founder and CEO Ron Fauquher to become the fourth CEO in the company’s nearly 39-year history. A native of Muncie, Indiana, where Ontario Systems’ headquarters…

Past Walk Indiana participants are cheered on by Cardinal Greenway event staff and volunteers. Photo by: John D. Disher

Non-Profit August 28, 2019

2019 Walk Indiana Event To Be Held September 7th

By: Cardinal Greenways— Muncie, IN—Walk Indiana is a non-competitive walking event for people of all ages and abilities. Join us for the 10th anniversary year with new routes and distances for 2019. The event will be held on September 7, 2019. Choose from 5K, 10K or 10 miles along the Cardinal Greenway starting at Prairie Creek (10 mile), Medford (10K) or Mansfield Park (5K) with transportation courtesy of MITS provided to your start location. Participants will meet at the west…

Participants of Masterworks Chorale’s 2018 Music That Makes Community Workshop celebrate together after a day of learning chorale techniques. Photo provided

Non-Profit August 28, 2019

Eight Delaware County Non-Profits Receive $84K In Grant Funding From Community Foundation

By: Kallie Sulanke, Community Engagement Officer— Muncie, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. awarded $84,426 to eight non-profit organizations during the third Quarterly Competitive Grant cycle of 2019. The Community Foundation’s purpose is to improve the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County for this generation and generations to come. Quarterly Competitive Grants are awarded to fund projects for which there is a demonstrable community benefit in one of the following areas of interest: arts and culture,…

Angler fishing for small mouth bass below the Kitselman Bridge. Photo provided.

Non-Profit August 27, 2019

Muncie Removes Dams On The White River

By: John Craddock & Phillip Tevis— Muncie, IN—Over the past 150 years, our community has used the White River to power mills, create electric power, provide our drinking water and, at times, to act as an open sewer for human and industrial waste.  As a result of the Clean Water Act in 1972, industrial pre-treatment, and sewer separation efforts, the White River is now one of the nation’s most pristine rivers in terms of ecological health. Especially in the past…