Articles by Mike Rhodes

The Facing Project books have been produced in over 75 communities across the country. Photo by: J.R. Jamison

Non-Profit December 18, 2018

The Facing Project’s Catalog Of 1,500 Stories To Be Archived By Ball State

By: Stephanie Fisher— Muncie, Indiana—Stories connect us. They build empathy and understanding across difference, and they are the basic building blocks of community. This mantra has been the driving force behind the work of The Facing Project, and now the 501(c)(3) non-profit is pleased to announce they are partnering with Archives and Special Collections at Ball State University to archive its catalog of stories. The Facing Project catalog consists of over 1,500 first-person stories collected over a six-year period in…

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Kamrein Jackson speaks and tells his story at the Great Futures Luncheon, held in January of 2018. Photo provided.

Non-Profit December 18, 2018

Boys & Girls Club 2019 Great Futures Dinner Announced

By: Amy Logan— Muncie, Indiana—The Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie is delighted to announce the 2019 Great Futures Dinner. To help us celebrate the Clubs 85th year of service to the community, The Boys & Girls Clubs will host the 2019 Great Futures Dinner on January 24, 2019 from 6 -8 p.m. at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie. This event serves as a way to showcase the Club kids’ work, fundraise for future programming, and honor the members of…

Delaware County CASA volunteers watch over and advocate for abused and neglected children in our community. Photo provided.

Non-Profit December 17, 2018

Funders Forum Collaborative Supports Three Programs with Grants

By: Kallie Sullanke— Muncie, Ind. – Funders in Delaware County have come together to pool knowledge, experiences, and resources to make a collective impact on a current issue in the community.  The Funders Forum Collaborative awarded $31,000 to three Delaware County organizations to support programs that address drug prevention and recovery in our community. Delaware County CASA Program received $15,000 to launch a Family Recovery Court in Delaware County. Family Recovery Courts have been identified across the state and nation…

Mayor Dennis Tyler in the studio of WLBC radio on 12/17/18

Government December 17, 2018

LISTEN: Mayor Dennis Tyler Reviews Successes of 2018

By: Mike Rhodes— Muncie, IN—Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler was interviewed by Steve Lindell on WLBC this morning. The mayor reviewed some of the successes of 2018 and accomplishments he has been most proud of. The mayor discussed new road paving, the success of the downtown, economic development activity, new partnerships between Muncie Community Schools and Ball State University, the strong employment picture in Muncie and current job training activities, what’s new at the Madjax facility, the downtown animated Christmas tree…

Photo by: Shutterstock

Business December 16, 2018

Walls Mattress to Host Community Blood Drive On Dec. 17

By: Amanda Price— Muncie and Indianapolis—It’s the season of giving, and Walls Mattress is giving back in a new way.  The locally owned mattress store is hosting a community blood drive Monday, Dec. 17 in Muncie and Castleton.  “According to the American Red Cross, someone in the country needs blood every two seconds, and just one donation could save up to three lives,” the Facebook event page for the blood drive says.  The store’s owners decided to host a blood…

Kelly N. Stanley

Opinion December 14, 2018

Opinion: 10 Years After Merger: IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital

By: Kelly N. Stanley— I have lived in Muncie most of my adult life. I was associated with Ball Memorial Hospital for many years. Over the past two years, I have regularly received care as an outpatient.  And I have been an inpatient. I have seen “our hospital” in action.  While not perfect (and no hospital is), Ball Memorial is an outstanding facility with top-notch, well-trained, compassionate, dedicated staff (including nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and technicians). However, 10 years ago it…

There’s no tooth tartar on these pearly babies. Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson December 14, 2018

John Carlson: Modern-Day Dentistry

By: John Carlson— Just the other day I was lying in a dentist’s chair when an intriguing question came to mind: How did the stuff they scrape off your teeth wind up with the same name as the stuff they slather on fish sandwiches?   This is the kind of thing that keeps me wide awake nights.   It’s like, I hate tooth tartar, because it’s a hassle to have removed in the never-ending quest for dental health. On the other hand,…

Pictured L-R: Adam Unger, Heidi Hale, Mike Rhodes, Brian Shrieve, Brooke Shrieve, Steve Smith and J Chapman. Photo by: Kyle Evans

Business December 12, 2018

“Excellence In Innovation Awards” Recipients Announced

By: The Innovation Connector— Muncie, Indiana—The Innovation Connector’s 4th Annual Excellence in Innovation Awards were held on November 14, 2018 at a celebration event at the Horizon Convention Center in downtown Muncie. The evening’s events lead up to the introduction of the 5 finalists from the Innovation Connector’s Big Idea Pitch Competition. Each of the 5 finalists pitched live, in front of the audience. Additional awards given included the Young Innovators award and the Excellence in Mentorship award. (Results below.) Award recipients…

Photo by: Storyblocks

Non-Profit December 12, 2018

United Way Day Of Giving To Raise $47,000 for The 47 Percent of Struggling Families

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—Here’s a statistic to consider: Today, 47 percent of Delaware County households live in poverty or are struggling to make ends meet. These are hard working families, some working two or three jobs yet barely able to meet their basic household budget and are just one crisis away from sliding into poverty. United Way of Delaware County is using Thursday, Dec. 13 – this year’s Day of Giving – to raise $47,000 to draw attention to…

Jackson Adamowicz (left), Cody Brelage (right)

Education December 12, 2018

Lilly Endowment Community Scholars Named

By: Kallie Sullanke— Muncie, Indiana—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. has selected the recipients of the 2019 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, a four-year award that grants full tuition to any accredited public or private non-profit college or university in Indiana. The Lilly Scholarship also covers fees and provides an annual stipend for required books and equipment. The recipients of the 2019 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship are Jackson Adamowicz of Burris Laboratory School and Cody Brelage of Delta…