Articles by Mike Rhodes

John Carlson: You Will Believe A Dog Can Talk

Carlson June 15, 2019

John Carlson: You Will Believe A Dog Can Talk

By: John Carlson— It struck me recently that, if I am ever secretly recorded in my own home during the course of a regular day, the fellas in white coats may haul me off to the proverbial funny farm. Why? Dogtalk. Now, Nancy engages in dogtalk, too. But she being our household’s resident adult, her dogtalk   amounts at most to about five percent of her daily speech. I, on the other hand, being our household’s resident nutcase, figure I devote roughly eighty-five percent of my daily speech to interpreting the things our dogs mean to say. Depending on the circumstances,…

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BY5, Toyota of Muncie Partner For ‘Diaper Drive’ June 17-21

Non-Profit June 15, 2019

BY5, Toyota of Muncie Partner For ‘Diaper Drive’ June 17-21

By: BY5— Muncie, IN— Currently 33% to 50% of all diaper-aged children in Delaware County are in need of diapers, based on research from Delaware County BY5 Early Childhood Initiative, Inc. To help address this need, BY5 has partnered with Toyota of Muncie to host a week-long community diaper drive June 17–21.  This diaper drive is a just small portion of BY5’s efforts to alleviate the county’s need for diapers. In early 2018, the non-profit formed a Diaper Bank Task Force to increase the amount of free diapers available to families in Delaware County through a system of diaper banks….

Yorktown Accepting Applications For New Programming Committee

Government June 14, 2019

Yorktown Accepting Applications For New Programming Committee

By: Melissa Jones— Yorktown, IN —With the creation of Civic Green, a multi-generational gathering space in downtown Yorktown, the town is seeking volunteers to serve on its new Civic Green Programming Advisory Committee. The Civic Green Programming Advisory Committee will be in charge of planning and coordinating events on the Green, which will be ready to host community events by the summer of 2020. Members of the council will work within a given budget to bring to Yorktown unique entertainment for various age groups and interests. Those interested can email Town Manager Pete Olson (polson@yorktownindiana.org) to express interest. Members of…

P.E.O. Scholarship Awarded To Wapahani High School Student

Education June 13, 2019

P.E.O. Scholarship Awarded To Wapahani High School Student

By: Cathy Stewart, P.E.O. Chapter BF, Muncie— Muncie, IN—The prestigious P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) STAR Scholarship for the 2019-2020 academic year has been awarded to Sydney Cook, a recent graduate of Wapahani High School. The scholarship was presented at the Wapahani High School awards ceremony by Rebecca Bieberich. Sydney is the daughter of Robert and Julie Cook and was recommended for this scholarship by Chapter BF of Muncie, Indiana. Sydney has been accepted and will attend Ball State University where she plans to study exercise science. The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship is a $2,500 scholarship based on excellence in leadership, extracurricular activities, community…

Barbershop Quartet ‘Playlist’ To Give Free Concert Ahead of International Competition

Entertainment June 13, 2019

Barbershop Quartet ‘Playlist’ To Give Free Concert Ahead of International Competition

By: Scott Trout— Muncie, IN—Playlist, an acappella and barbershop quartet from Muncie, IN has qualified for the 2019 International Barbershop Harmony Society Competition in Salt Lake City, Utah. The quartet will compete on July 2nd along with 52 other groups deemed the best quartets in the world. As they prepare to depart, Playlist will appear in a FREE concert on the Valhalla stage located at 215 S. Walnut St, Muncie, IN 47305.  Join them Saturday evening (June 15) at 6:30pm. Hear their world class harmony as they sing acappella versions of songs you know and love. Playlist will represent Muncie—as…

Ball State Tuition Set For 2019-20 and 2020-21, Lowest In The MAC

We Fly June 12, 2019

Ball State Tuition Set For 2019-20 and 2020-21, Lowest In The MAC

By: Ball State Marketing & Communications— Muncie, IN— The Ball State University Board of Trustees voted today to raise undergraduate tuition rates 1.25% for 2019-20 and 1.25% in 2020-21. Even with this small increase, Ball State will still have the lowest tuition in the Mid-American Conference. Board Chair Rick Hall noted that the increase falls below tuition rates recommended by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (1.65%), the inflation rate the Federal Open Market Committee projects over the next 2 years (2% to 2.7%), and well below the national average for four-year public universities (3.1%). This is the lowest combined…

Delaware County Delegation Attends Washington DC Conference to Attract Business Investment

Government June 12, 2019

Delaware County Delegation Attends Washington DC Conference to Attract Business Investment

By: Brad Bookout— Muncie, IN—Delaware County Commissioners James King and Shannon Henry along with Director of Economic Affairs Brad Bookout and East Central Indiana Regional Planning District Director Bill Walters attended the 2019 SelectUSA Investment Summit, June 10-12, in Washington, DC. The Investment Summit is an annual event connecting international companies with communities in the United States to facilitate new business investment. “The SelectUSA Investment Summit provides a platform to be introduced to various businesses so that we can share why Delaware County is a great place to invest,” said James King. “We can meet these businesses under one roof,…

United Way Program Funding UP More Than 15 Percent

Non-Profit June 11, 2019

United Way Program Funding UP More Than 15 Percent

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—United Way of Delaware and Henry Counties is increasing its funding of Delaware County programs by 15 percent thanks to hugely successful campaigns the last two years, and new programs that focus on improving grade-level reading and programs that address barriers toward that goal. Since 2014, United Way has invested half its dollars in Delaware County toward educational programs. It’s a focus that addresses United Way’s primary goal of ending generational poverty. “We have a very precise goal and we are delighted to be able to support programs that moves us closer to achieving that goal…

2019 Genealogy Information Fair To Be Held At Historic Carnegie Library

Non-Profit June 11, 2019

2019 Genealogy Information Fair To Be Held At Historic Carnegie Library

By: Teresa Alley, Genealogy Information Fair Coordinating Committee— Muncie, IN—Imagine it is 3:00 AM on a Saturday and you’ve fallen down that rabbit hole again while searching online for that elusive ancestor you need to find to add to your family tree. Maybe you’ve hit another brick wall and your research seems to have stalled. You might be a Mayflower descendant or have a patriotic ancestor, but you aren’t sure how to join a lineage society. Frustrating as that may be, it might be time to step away from your electronic devices and visit a local library for assistance and some…

DCHS Annual Dinner To Be Held June 19th

Non-Profit June 10, 2019

DCHS Annual Dinner To Be Held June 19th

By: Chris Flook, President of the Delaware County Historical Society— Muncie, IN — The Delaware County Historical Society will host its 2019 Annual Meeting, Wednesday, June 19 at 6:00 PM. The event will take place at Ball State University’s Alumni Center. The DCHS is also pleased to announce that Ophelia Wellington, founding director of the Indianapolis-based Freetown Village, will speak at the dinner. Wellington founded Freetown Village in 1982 to better teach Hoosiers about African American history. Freetown Village is a living history museum, designed to educate the public about local African American history, culture, and art. Wellington, a native of…