Articles by Mike Rhodes

Jasmine Rand to speak at Ball State during Unity Week 2018.

Education January 16, 2018

Trayvon Martin Family Attorney to Speak During BSU Unity Week 2018

By: Marc Ransford— Muncie,IN — Jasmine Rand, an attorney for the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, is the keynote speaker for Ball State University’s Unity Week 2018. The attorney’s lecture, “Modern Civil Rights Movement,” begins at 7:30 p.m. January 16 in Pruis Hall. Her lecture is free and open to the public, just like all Unity Week events. The National Bar Association recognized her as one of the nation’s Top 40 Lawyers under 40 in the United States….

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability. Photo by: graphicstock

Non-Profit January 16, 2018

Helping Kids with Autism Is Focus of Muncie Training Session On January 16th

By: Glenn Augustine— Indianapolis, IN—Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is known as a “spectrum disorder,” meaning that although it is defined by a certain set of behaviors, children and adults with autism can exhibit any combination of these behaviors in any degree of severity. According to the 2017 KIDS COUNT® in Indiana Data Book, an estimated one in 68 American youth have been diagnosed with…

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Non-Profit January 15, 2018

On My Way Pre-K Program Celebrates Early Victories

By: Carrie Bale, Executive Director, Muncie & Delaware County BY5— Free Pre-School Opportunities Still Available Muncie, IN— On My Way Pre-K, Indiana’s state-wide initiative providing eligible 4-year-olds free pre-school in select counties, has found recent success in Delaware County. The program was initiated by Governor Holcomb and is administered by the Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out of School Learning. Ten counties were chosen for a recent expansion of the program, which had a soft…

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Non-Profit January 15, 2018

Muncie Mission Opens Men’s Transitional House

By: Frank Baldwin— Muncie, IN—The Muncie Mission has opened a transitional house for men who have graduated from the recovery program and entered into their new transitional program. While living in this home, or one of the other 7 units available, men will be employed or be enrolled in full time education and attend 3 classes a week; working towards emotional, physical, spiritual and financial health. Classes are taught in collaboration with local businesses and community organizations. “We were seeing…

First Merchants Corporation

Business January 14, 2018

Forbes Ranks First Merchants as Top-Five U.S. Bank for 2018

Muncie-based company recognized for growth, profitability and asset quality Muncie, Ind. – Forbes has released its 2018 list of “America’s Best Banks,” and one of Indiana’s legacy financial institutions has reason to celebrate. First Merchants Bank – the largest financial services holding company in Central Indiana and second largest in the state – sits fourth in the annual ranking of the country’s 100 largest banks, ahead of peers like JPMorgan Chase, Fifth Third Bancorp and Citigroup. “This is a momentous…

Nothing’s prettier than a plump, tasty chicken gizzard. Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson January 12, 2018

John Carlson: In Praise of Chicken Gizzards

By: John Carlson— Every now and then I get an overpowering urge to eat a food so deliciously down-home and wholesome, I just have to go out and chomp some. By that, of course, I mean chicken gizzards. No, no. Not livers. Can’t say I’ve ever been much of a chicken livers fan, though I know perfectly respectable people who love them, including some of America’s glitziest food junkies. But as with any dish, I always ask myself a simple…

Mike Rhodes, Publisher & Managing Editor, MuncieJournal.com Photo by: It's a selfie!

Business January 12, 2018

Would Your Club or Organization Like to Learn More About Muncie Journal?

By: Mike Rhodes, Publisher and Managing Editor— This morning, I received an inquiry to speak to a local business group about the Muncie Journal. I was thankful for the invitation and relished the opportunity to talk more about the Muncie Journal project. Muncie Journal is my passion and I’m proud of what we do here on behalf of Muncie and Delaware County. From time-to-time I get the opportunity to present to local groups, but I have not really extended an…

James Mitchell, president of the Board of Directors is pictured speaking at last year's Great Futures luncheon. Photo provided.

Non-Profit January 11, 2018

Reserve Your Seat for Boys and Girls Club of Muncie “Great Futures” Luncheon

By: Juli Metzger— Muncie, IN—Two of Muncie’s most committed youth service organizations are taking collaboration a step further by permanently combining their missions, staffs and governing boards. Join the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie on Jan. 25 for a Great Futures Luncheon celebrating the merger with the Roy C. Buley Center. Meet young people from each agency, including the 2017 Youth of the Year. Come hear about how BGCM has expanded from one site to four locations throughout Muncie,…

The Charles W. Brown Planetarium

Entertainment January 11, 2018

Free Programs At BSU’s Charles W. Brown Planetarium

By: Dayna Thompson, Assistant Planetarium Director— (January through April 2018 programs) One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure Produced by the Adler Planetarium Saturdays – Jan. 20, 27; Feb. 3 @ 5:00 PM One World, One Sky is a brilliant spectacle of light and color that follows Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a new friend from China. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon,…

Muncie artist Dan Wright on the set of "Paint By Monster." Photo provided

Business January 10, 2018

Muncie Artist and Animator Dan Wright Wants You to “Go Make Some Art!”

By: Shawn Rogers— Muncie, IN—A ukulele plays and a furry, blue monster hand comes on-screen and paints the words Paint By Monster and then, the monster himself greets us: “Hello everyone and welcome to Paint By Monster with me, your host, Easel Monster!” And with that, we are in the studio of a monster artist. Paint By Monster is a YouTube show about Art and being an artist, and is the creation of local artist Dan Wright, who, at 51 years…