Articles by Mike Rhodes

City of Muncie Parks Board Institutes Rules Changes at Prairie Creek Reservoir

By Amber Greene— MUNCIE, IN — The City of Muncie, in collaboration with Indiana American Water, is announcing a series of changes to the rules and operations at Prairie Creek Reservoir Park. These changes are being implemented to ensure long-term water quality and environmental sustainability of this vital resource, which serves as a source of drinking water for our community. Several decades ago, the City of Muncie expanded the use of certain areas of Prairie Creek Reservoir Park, specifically its campground and trail systems, beyond the provisions outlined in the original lease agreement.  No new changes have been made since…

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Minnetrista Opens Newest Exhibit-‘Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend’

By Brea Cunningham— MUNCIE, IN—Dive into the icy depths of the Arctic this summer at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens with Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend, a captivating traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. The exhibit is located in Gallery 3 of the Center Building and runs through September 28, 2025. With its iconic spiral tusk, the narwhal has captured imaginations for centuries—often called the “unicorn of the sea.” Now, visitors can explore the narwhal’s world like never before through immersive displays, hands-on interactives, and stunning visuals…


Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Application Now Available

By Kallie Sulanke— MUNCIE, IN— Incoming high school seniors can now apply online for the 2026 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship administered by The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County. Applicants must be residents of Delaware County, Ind., and attend an accredited high school in Delaware County. The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship in Muncie and Delaware County awards a student who possesses leadership potential and is well-rounded and community-minded. The scholarship covers tuition and required fees for four years of full-time undergraduate study leading to a bachelor’s degree at any accredited Indiana public or private nonprofit college or university. Additionally,…


Vera Mae’s Bistro Earns Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for Second Consecutive Year

By Dawn Brand Fluhler— MUNCIE, IN— Vera Mae’s Bistro has once again been honored by Wine Spectator with its prestigious Award of Excellence, marking the second consecutive year the upscale downtown Muncie restaurant has earned national recognition for its exceptional wine program. The 2025 Wine Spectator Awards celebrate restaurants around the globe whose wine lists offer a thoughtful, high-quality selection that complements their menu in both style and price. Vera Mae’s stands out among this year’s 2,150 recipients with a meticulously curated list featuring 180 selections and more than 1,200 bottles stored on-site, showcasing wines from premier regions around the…


Muncie Public Library Debuts New Name for Library Branch as Part of 150th Anniversary Celebration

By Susan Fisher, PR Supervisor at Muncie Public Library— MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Public Library (MPL) continued its yearlong celebration of a remarkable 150 years of service recently with an anniversary event held at Connection Corner on Saturday, July 12. Included in the festivities was a surprise unveiling of a new name for the MPL branch located in the Whitely community. The party was attended by more than 250 community members and representatives of local organizations who shared information, distributed free books, and provided fun activities such as hair styling, face painting, a bounce house, dunk tank, and more. Live music was…


Photo Gallery: 46th Annual Ironman 70.3 Muncie, 2025

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief, Muncie Journal.com— SELMA, IN— Ironman 70.3 Muncie took place over the weekend at Prairie Creek reservoir. The race, once named the Muncie Endurathon, is one of the Midwest’s most popular triathlons, and the oldest 70.3 distance race in the continental US. In 2022, the Muncie race was voted the number one participant experience in all of the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Canada. According to Ken High, Race Director of Ironman 70.3, the event included 1100 registered athletes from 13 countries and 43 states in the USA. The event included a 1.2 mile swim, a 56…


Ball Brothers Foundation Hosts Cybersecurity Summit, Announces $200K in Grants to Build Workforce Pipeline

By Jud Fisher, President/CEO, Ball Brothers Foundation— MUNCIE, IN—Ball Brothers Foundation hosted a convening on June 11, gathering community leaders, law enforcement officials, and academic professionals to discuss the growing cyber threats facing East Central Indiana and the nation. In addition, Ball Brothers Foundation announced over $200,000 in grants for local efforts to develop a stronger workforce pipeline to address these threats and to support local law enforcement in building stronger cyber capabilities. The convening featured a distinguished guest presenter from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security who highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts to enhance regional security and preparedness…


Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County Hires Gina Caravaglia

By Katy Maggart—  MUNCIE, IN—The Economic Development Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County announced that Gina Caravaglia has joined the organization as Coordinator of the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission. Caravaglia will oversee the operations of the Redevelopment Commission including project management, planning and execution of redevelopment activities, and administration of the county’s Tax Increment Finance districts. In addition to her work with the Redevelopment Commission, Caravaglia will also support the broader efforts of the Economic Development Alliance and its Vision 2027 plan. Her contributions will help ensure collaboration between redevelopment activities and the Alliance’s economic development goals and objectives. “I’ve become increasingly…


Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center Receives $5,000 Grant from Glick Philanthropies

By Glick Philanthropies— MUNCIE, IN – The Muncie-Delaware County Senior Center received a $5,000 grant from the Glick Community Relief Fund, a grant program of Glick Philanthropies that supports local nonprofit organizations to increase community members’ access to basic needs. The grant was one of 107 totaling $770,000 to organizations supporting communities across 12 states where Gene B. Glick Company properties are located. The Glick Community Relief Fund focuses on increasing healthy food access, expanding accessible transportation, connecting community members to utility assistance, and prioritizing mental health support. This grant was one of 66 directed to Indiana-based organizations. “Glick Philanthropies is…


Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame to Induct 14

By Doug Zaleski— MUNCIE, IN — The Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame has elected 14 new members who will be honored in July in its 2024 class. Alex Daniel, Darcy Dorton, Heather Fierce, Carey (Amons) Fisher, Matt Gard, Erin (Jones) Halbert, Rick Linton, Todd Merickel, Mike Necessary, Chad Niccum, Marcus Rush, Jeff Weller, Kerry Williams, and Jon Young will be inducted July 19 at the Ball State Alumni Center. Steve Edwards will be honored at the banquet as this year’s James Lightbody Award of Excellence recipient. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m., the banquet is at 6 and…