Articles by Mike Rhodes

Erica Collins in the classroom. Photo provided

Education May 8, 2019

Muncie Community Schools Teacher Named 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award Winner

By: Jud Fisher— Muncie, IN—Erica Collins, a 6th grade science and math teacher at MCS’s Northside Middle School, has been named Ball Brothers Foundation’s 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award winner. The honor includes a $15,000 grant. Finalists for the award included Becky Juday, a 5th grade teacher at Burris Laboratory School and Amy Meekin, a 2nd grade teacher at Cowan Elementary School. Nominations from public schools across Delaware County were reviewed by a panel of veteran teachers, administrators, college professors, and education experts….

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Open Door Urgent Care is now open at 1651 E. 29th Street. Photo provided

Health May 8, 2019

Open Door Urgent Care Now Open At E. 29th Street Location

By: Suzanne Clem— Muncie, IN —Open Door Health Services is expanding access to walk-in medical care on Muncie’s southeast side. Open Door Urgent Care is now open at 1651 E. 29th Street, next to the south Walmart. The opening marks a relocation of the community health center’s urgent care services. Open Door’s Southway Urgent Care, located in Southway Centre Plaza, saw its last patients May 5. X-ray capability and the new location’s 11 exam and procedure rooms will allow staff to diagnose…

Jake Logan will serve as president of the Ball State University Foundation and vice president for University Advancement. Photo provided

We Fly May 7, 2019

Ball State Announces New Foundation President and Vice President for University Advancement

By: BSU Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN — Jake Logan will serve as president of the Ball State University Foundation and vice president for University Advancement, effective June 3, 2019, Randall E. Pond, chair of the Foundation’s Board of Directors, and Ball State President Geoffrey S. Mearns announced today. Mr. Logan is currently assistant vice chancellor at the University of Missouri, where he has served since 2016. For more than 10 years, he has been part of comprehensive capital campaigns exceeding…

Photo provided

Business May 7, 2019

Local Scenery Provides Perfect Backdrop For Muncie Bed And Breakfast

By: Stacey Shannon— Muncie, IN—In May of 2007, Michelle Glowacki-Dudka and Gerry Hall opened River Gardens Bed and Breakfast at 4610 S. Burlington Dr. as a hobby business, but one the couple takes very seriously. Glowacki-Dudka, who is also a professor at Ball State University, said River Gardens Bed and Breakfast is one of only two formal bed and breakfasts in Muncie. More than an Airbnb, River Gardens offers a wide array of amenities, including a full breakfast menu that guests can…

Photo provided by: Nate Jones

Government May 6, 2019

Meet Nate Jones, Candidate For Mayor Of Muncie

By: Nate Jones— My name is Nate Jones and I am running for Mayor of Muncie. I was born and raised right here in Muncie and I love my hometown. I am raising my children here in this city and want a future for them to be proud of. In 2004, I graduated from Muncie Central High School. I joined the Indiana Army National Guard in 2007. In 2009, I was deployed to Afghanistan where I helped eradicate terrorists from…

Photo provided

Non-Profit May 6, 2019

Boys and Girls Club of Muncie Offers AIM Summer Day Camp

By: Amy Logan— Muncie, IN—Aim higher this summer by enrolling your child in Delaware County’s premiere 7-week long youth enrichment program, AIM Summer Day Camp. AIM develops children’s academic and life skills, ensuring they are prepared for their next year of school. Enrollment for AIM is open to students entering kindergarten through 8th grade. Our summer day camp balances the critical importance of learning with traditional camp activities. Students will be immersed in a variety of experiences in cohesion with…

Delaware County Special Needs Prom.

Non-Profit May 5, 2019

Photo Gallery: Delaware County Special Needs Prom

By: Mindy Kemper— Muncie, IN—On Saturday evening, Heartland Hall at the Delaware County Fairgrounds was transformed into an enchanting scene from various Disney movies.  Guests of this magical experience were individuals with special needs from Delaware and surrounding counties, as they celebrated Prom 2019. Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy greeted nearly six hundred attendees, their aides and family members as they joined together to  “Be Our Guest…A Night With Mickey and Friends”.  The building was transformed into a variety of scenes…

Aerial view of the Ball State Campus. Photo by: BSU Photo Services

We Fly May 3, 2019

Ball State Trustees Approve Strategic Plan “Executive Dashboard”

By: Marc Ransford— Muncie, IN– The Ball State University Board of Trustees approved today an executive dashboard designed to allow campus leadership to monitor progress on the 2040 goals in the new strategic plan, “Destination 2040: Our Flight Path.” President Geoffrey S. Mearns and Sue Hodges Moore, chief strategy officer, recommended the Strategic Plan Executive Dashboard, which will provide greater visibility into performance across campus. “I am grateful to the members of our team who helped create a dashboard that…

Chef Heather Pier is pictured with some of her young chefs. Photo provided

Education May 3, 2019

Ivy Tech’s Chef Heather Pier Prepares Junior Chefs For May 3rd Event

By: Jennifer Gasiorek— Muncie, IN—Chef Heather Pier from Ivy Tech Community College shares some of her secrets about staying safe and making delicious food, as her Ivy Tech students are busy completing final exams and getting ready for the famous food tasting. These junior chefs will be ready to take their new cooking skills and apply it to their own dishes, which will be showcased at This Kid Can Cook, a fundraising event for Treefort Ministries on Friday, May 3, from 6-8 pm at…

Does this stupid thing look good to you? Heck yeah! Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson May 3, 2019

John Carlson: A Lesson In Carrot Cake

By: John Carlson— One quick glance at our kitchen counter and it became obvious: I was in deep doo-doo. See, I was on a diet. It seems I am always on a diet. But sitting there under a clear plastic cover was two-thirds of a Concannon’s Bakery carrot cake. Nancy had bought the cake that morning to feed the literarily-fertile ladies of her female book club, Women Of Mystery Books, aka WOMB. The point is, suddenly my diet seemed doomed,…