Articles by Mike Rhodes

Education October 20, 2025

Road to Reading Initiative Delivers More Than 3,400 Books to Muncie Families

By Lesley DeVoss— MUNCIE, IN—Heart of Indiana United Way, in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College and with support from the Shafer Foundation, is celebrating the successful conclusion of the Road to Reading initiative, a summer program that brought free books and literacy resources directly to families across Muncie Promise Neighborhoods. Launched in May 2025, Road to Reading featured the Ivy Tech RV, fully stocked with books, that traveled to four neighborhood events. Families were invited to “shop” together for books, helping children and adults alike build literacy-rich home libraries and create joyful memories around reading. Over the course of Summer 2025,…

Education October 20, 2025

Kendyl Carpenter—Member of Pridemark Construction’s ‘Future Leaders of America’ Series

Editor’s note: The Future Leaders of America series profiles high school seniors who display leadership qualities in their school and the community. The series is brought to you by Pridemark Construction. By Stacey A. Shannon— SELMA, IN—School pride is important to Wapahani High School senior Kendyl Carpenter. In fact, as a member of student council throughout her high school career, Carpenter helped start a School Pride Committee during her sophomore year and was its chair last year. “I try to help get people involved in school,” she said. “I just try to get people excited to come to school…and be…

Entertainment October 17, 2025

Ball State PBS and Minnetrista Museum and Gardens to Co-Host ‘Bob Ross Fest’ on October 25

By Angie Rapp— MUNCIE, IN— Ball State PBS (formerly WIPB-TV), the producing station of The Joy of Painting is happy to announce the return of Happy Little Fest—the annual celebration of “all things Bob Ross”—at the place the iconic painter called home for many years. Happy Little Fest is set for 1– 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens in the Greensward space. From 1983 to 1994, The Joy of Painting was filmed at WIPB’s two homes in Muncie. Early seasons were produced at the original studio inside the L.L. Ball home on Minnetrista Blvd., before…

Education October 17, 2025

Ball State’s ‘Alley House’ Earns Prestigious Phius Certified Project Design Award

By Ball State University Communications— MUNCIE, IN — Ball State University’s Alley House—a student-designed, energy-efficient duplex in Indianapolis that captured international attention with a first-place finish in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2023 Solar Decathlon Build Challenge—has received another national honor: the Phius Certified Project Design Award in the biannual Phius Certified Project Design Competition. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in high-performance building design. Phius (Passive House Institute US) Certified Projects represent the highest standard in sustainable housing, requiring rigorous benchmarks for energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and environmental stewardship. The Alley House earned its Phius CORE certification in 2024, meeting stringent…

Entertainment October 15, 2025

‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Coming to Ball State’s Emens Auditorium, Oct. 30

By Ball State University Communications— MUNCIE, IN — Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Muncie this month when the hit musical Mrs. Doubtfire takes the stage at Ball State University’s Emens Auditorium for a 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 performance. Tickets are available now at the Emens Box Office (1800 W. Riverside Ave.), at Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 765-285-1539. Groups of 10 or more may place orders by calling the box office. Based on the beloved film, Mrs. Doubtfire tells the hysterical and heartfelt story of out-of-work actor Daniel Hillard, who—after losing custody in a messy divorce—creates the kindly alter ego of…

Non-Profit October 14, 2025

Shafer Leadership Academy Offers Free Leadership Workshop Thanks to IU Health

By Arrick Garringer— MUNCIE, IN — Shafer Leadership Academy is offering its signature leadership workshop, Fusion: Leading Multi-Generational Teams, free of charge to the community on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. at Ivy Tech’s Fisher Building in downtown Muncie. The program, which is typically valued at $250 per seat, is being made free to participants through the generous sponsorship of IU Health. Advance registration is required, and space is limited. About the Program Fusion: Leading Multi-Generational Teams is an interactive leadership experience designed to help participants better understand and bridge the differences between five generations in…

Health October 13, 2025

Mobile Lung Screening Unit to Make Stop in Muncie on October 20

By Amy Sams, IU Health Mobile Lung Screening Manager— MUNCIE, IN—Indiana University Health is bringing life-saving lung cancer screenings directly to your community with our Mobile Lung Screening Unit—traveling across Indiana to offer low-dose CT scans to individuals at high risk for lung cancer. Lung cancer doesn’t wait. Why should you? Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Indiana, but it doesn’t have to be. Most people do not experience symptoms until the disease is advanced, when treatment options are limited. That is why early detection through low-dose CT screening is critical, it can find lung cancer…

Health October 13, 2025

Drawing the Circle Wide: Building Health Through Shared Strength

By Rev. Leah Gunning Francis, Ph.D., Senior VP and Chief Mission and Values Officer, IU Health— MUNCIE, IN—At the heart of community well-being lies a simple truth: health is more than what happens in a doctor’s office. It is shaped by our relationships, our environment, and the support systems that surround us. When we approach health holistically, caring for body, mind, and spirit, we not only nurture individuals but strengthen the fabric of our communities. That principle was the focus of this year’s Interfaith Health & Wellness Summit, hosted by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield at Lucas Oil Stadium….

Business October 10, 2025

A Bowl of Good: Soup Crawl 2025 Funds 120,000 Student Meals

By Ben Polk— MUNCIE, IN—On Wednesday afternoon, Tim Pierce and Ben Polk of PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union announced the winners of Soup Crawl and presented a donation check to C.S. Hendershot and Sunni Matters of Second Harvest Food of East Central Indiana. The event raised $30,037.00 this year. Proceeds from the Soup Crawl contribute to Second Harvest Food Bank’s The Big Idea initiative, which aims to break the cycle of generational poverty by uniting schools, families, and resource providers in order to distribute resources, build connections, and create opportunities for children to chart a path to long-term stability. That’s the…

Business October 9, 2025

Helping East Central Indiana Prosper: First Merchants Bank’s Enduring Community Commitment

By Stacey A. Shannon— MUNCIE, IN—This past spring, 33 First Merchants Bank employees traded their desks for a day in the classroom at Anderson Preparatory Academy. Spread across every K–5 classroom, these volunteers brought Junior Achievement’s financial wellness lessons to life. They taught children about saving money and setting career goals. First Merchants employees made concepts like budgeting and entrepreneurship fun and relatable. Delaware County’s hometown bank knows that early education in budgeting and saving is vital to the success of communities. For First Merchants moments like this aren’t one-offs; they’re part of a long tradition of investing in neighbors…

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