Articles by Mike Rhodes

Belle Tire representatives present a check to Bridges Community Services. Photo provided.

Business June 6, 2018

Belle Tire Presents $10,000 Donation to Five Muncie Non-Profits

By: Maya Sanches— Muncie,IN – Belle Tire Distributors Inc. has donated $10,000 to five participating non-profits during the  Choose Your Charity Challenge, a contest that took place for two months following the store’s grand opening. The combined $10,000 was distributed among the following organizations: A Better Way, Brightpoint for a Brighter Future Supported Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), Muncie Police Department, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana and the Youth Opportunity Center. “One of our core values at…

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Brennan Baize, Karleen Bogart, Sebastian Brown, Kenny Coleman (top row); Alexis Detrich, Quin Fauquher, Morgan Hershman, Hannah Ridgeway (middle row); Michelle Scanameo, Blair Smith, Jaiden Turner, Joshua Vincent (bottom row)

Education June 6, 2018

More Community Foundation 2018 Scholarship Recipients

By: Kallie Sulanke, Community Engagement Officer— Muncie, IN—Congratulations to the following graduates: Brennan Baize, of Yorktown High School, is the recipient of the Charles W. and Jane (Klipsch) Thomas Scholarship. Baize plans to attend Florida Golf Coast University to study business administration. He is the son of Eric and Laura Baize. Karleen Bogart, of Nuames High School in Davis County, Utah, is a recipient of the Ross Family Autism Scholarship. Bogart plans to attend Weber State University to study geology. She…

D’Anne Burwell discusses how her son’s opioid addiction impacted her family at the Indianapolis stop of the Alliance for a Healthier Indiana’s State of Our Health Road Show in April. Each attendee of the June 13 town hall meeting in Muncie will receive a complimentary copy of Burwell’s book, “Saving Jake: When Addiction Hits Home.” Photo provided.

Health June 5, 2018

Help Shape Hoosier Health at Muncie Town Hall Meeting On June 13th

By: Jennifer Hurtubise— Muncie, IN—Delaware County ranks 85th out of Indiana’s 92 counties in overall health outcomes. Thirty-one percent of the adults living in the county are considered obese, and there are 24.6 drug overdose deaths annually per 100,000 population, compared to the national average of 15.6. Twenty percent of Delaware County’s residents smoke, and the mother smoked during pregnancy in 22.3 percent of births—more than three times the national average of 7.2 percent. These poor health rankings limit the…

Pre-K students are pictured. Photo provided.

Education June 5, 2018

Partnerships KEY to Creating High Quality Preschool in Muncie Community Schools

By: Carrie Bale— Muncie, IN—There is a quote from Helen Keller in which she says,“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much more.” This premise is the foundation of how BY5 has functioned for the previous four years as we work to engage everyone in the community to find a way to make a positive impact for the future of Muncie & Delaware County.  BY5 is working on a community driven strategic plan developed by nearly…

Ball State University Board of Trustees are pictured during the vote to pass the new resolution to appoint a new school board for MCS. Photo by: Mike Rhodes

Education, We Fly June 4, 2018

Public Forum for Muncie Community Schools Board Applicants Set for June 12

By: Ball State University — Muncie, IN — Ball State University will have a public forum June 12 in connection with the selection process for the new Muncie Community Schools (MCS) board. The forum will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at Muncie Central High School, 801 N. Walnut St., and it will be livestreamed at bsu.edu/live. Finalists for the school board will share why they are interested in serving. The Ball State Board of Trustees will meet June 25, 2018, to…

Geoffrey S. Mearns, Ball State University's 17th president. Photo: courtesy of Ball State University

Education June 4, 2018

Join Us For Our ‘Community Campus Experience’ on June 16

By: Geoffrey S. Mearns, president of Ball State University— It is my pleasure as the president of Ball State University to invite you to join us on Ball State’s campus for the first Community Campus Experience from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. That afternoon, you can join us for an ice cream social on the lawn of the Ball State Quad/Arts Terrace, followed by guided tours across campus. There will be tour stops at Emens Auditorium, the David Owsley Museum of…

MCHS graduation ceremonies. File photo.

Non-Profit June 4, 2018

Community Foundation Joins Community-wide Collaboration of Investment to Muncie Community Schools

By: Kallie Sulanke, Community Engagement Officer— Muncie, IN—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. is pleased to announce support to Muncie Community Schools with an investment of up to $200,000 over the next three years into a new program that will provide funding for teachers through opportunities such as professional development and permanent classroom resources. This program continues the Foundation’s long history of support to Muncie Community Schools. Through competitive grantmaking, Robert P. Bell Education Grants, designated grantmaking, and…

Dave Hyatt. Photo provided.

Health June 4, 2018

Indiana University Health East Central Region Leadership Changes

By: Dawn Brand Fluhler— Blackford President Steven West to retire, Jay President Dave Hyatt promoted Muncie, IN—IU Health’s East Central Region President Jeff Bird, MD, recently announced the retirement of IU Health Blackford Hospital President Steven West, and the promotion of IU Health Jay Hospital President Dave Hyatt. West will retire from his administrative duties at IU Health effective June 10, 2018. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Miami University and his graduate degree from The Ohio State University, Mr….

Michelle Stephenson. Photo provided.

Non-Profit June 4, 2018

BBF Announces Hiring of Executive Assistant and Communications Coordinator

By: Jud Fisher— Muncie,IN—Ball Brothers Foundation is pleased to announce that the position of Executive Assistant & Communications Coordinator has been filled by Michelle Stephenson. Stephenson will bring nearly twenty years of experience in administrative support, financial management, and office coordination to BBF when she begins on June 11. Michelle’s primary responsibilities as Executive Assistant include serving as the initial point of contact for all inquiries to the foundation and supporting BBF’s staff and board. Michelle will schedule meetings and…

A ladybug doing what it does best—eating. Photo by: Matt Howell

Carlson June 1, 2018

John Carlson: Gifts As Cute As A Bug

By: John Carlson— To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, I almost gave my wife Nancy 36,000 presents. But I digress … To begin at the beginning, a lawn-care supply catalogue showed up in our mailbox. Flipping through it, I was amazed to see it offered Tree Diapers. Yes, Tree Diapers. The ad copy assured readers that Tree Diapers helped baby trees get through those rough years of potty-training and on their way to toilet-flushing tree adulthood with a minimum of…