Articles by Mike Rhodes

Photo provided.

Non-Profit December 11, 2016

Whitely Community Council Accepting Applications for Executive Director

Muncie, IN—With the help of a generous grant from the George and Frances Ball Foundation, Whitely Community Council has announced that they are accepting applications for an Executive Director, to start in the new year. The Whitely Community Council is a neighborhood association representing the Whitely Community located on the east side of Muncie. It values shared information and opportunities to improve lives.  Their goal is to build an integrated education cycle for all ages that aligns schools, home, and…

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Mary and Cornelius Dollison. Photo provided

Non-Profit December 9, 2016

Mary Dollison Explains Upcoming Changes to Whitely Community Council

By: Mary Dollison— Last month, I was honored to receive the WIBU Lifetime Achievement Award at the Athena/Catalyst event. Receiving the award filled me with gratitude, but it also made me reflect on “lifetime achievement” and on what I still hope to achieve in my life. Over the years, Cornelius and I have worked very hard with the hope that we will leave the community better, happier, and healthier than we found it. As I reflect on the past- I…

Photographic evidence aside, I’m just fine. Photo by: Nancy Carlson

Carlson December 9, 2016

John Carlson: Wife’s Away, But it’s a Good Day!

By: John Carlson— My wife Nan occasionally goes on church mission trips, or vacations with her sisters. But before she left this last time, she warned me against writing a bunch of blatant falsehoods about how emotionally devastating her absences always are to me, like I did during her previous  trip. “At least try not to lie!” she insisted. Granted, last time I may have gone a little overboard on the heartrending effects of desertion, the old abandoned-husband shtick. I…

Photo by: Courtney Thomas

Business December 9, 2016

AMA to Host “Scones and Drones” Event to Educate Public About Drones

MUNCIE, IN — The Academy of Model Aeronautics is excited to host Scones & Drones on January 21st from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. This event will be held in the McCullough Room in the National Model Aviation Museum. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at https://scones-n-drones-2017.eventbrite.com. Scones & Drones is designed to be an educational introduction for all ages to the world of drones. Visitors will be invited to a presentation by Public Relations & Government Affairs Coordinator Chad…

The Magic City Music Men. Photo provided.

Entertainment December 8, 2016

Magic City Music Men Perform Production December 10th

By: Scott Trout— The Magic City Music Men present an original production, A Christmas Secret for Michael, this Saturday December 10 at 6:30 pm at Muncie Northside Middle School located at 2400 W Bethel Avenue in Muncie.  The production, written by the Music Men’s talented director Bryan Hughes, features several holiday classics interwoven with a poignant message for our modern times.   As always there will be plenty of Barbershop harmony, one of two truly American musical styles. Joining the Music…

Photo provided.

Business December 6, 2016

Santa is coming to PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union on December 17th

By: Carol Bradshaw— Muncie, IN—Santa will be visiting the Bethel Branch, 3700 W Bethel Ave, Muncie, of PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union on Saturday, December 17 from 10 a.m. to noon to have milk and cookies with all the children of the area. Both members and non-members are invited to visit with Santa and receive a free gift, while supplies last. PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in Muncie (and 30th largest in assets in Indiana) and offers…

Steve Lindell accepts the Robert and Beverly Terhune Corporate Champion award on behalf of Woof Boom radio. Photo provided.

Non-Profit December 6, 2016

Cornerstone Recognizes Founders at Annual Donor & Community Reception

By: Jessie Fisher— Muncie, In—On Thursday, December 1, Cornerstone Center for the Arts hosted its Annual Donor & Community Reception. This is the second year for the event which recognizes the founders of the organization with awards named in their honor. This year, the event specifically recognized the efforts of the members of the Masonic Community Building Foundation which transitioned into the Community Arts and Building Foundation from 2001 to 2003 prior to the creation of Cornerstone Center for the…

Kiwanis Club members and students are pictured with their new dictionaries. Photo provided.

Education December 5, 2016

Kiwanis Club of Muncie Donates 472 Dictionaries for Muncie Community Schools’ Third Grade Students

By: Ana Pichardo— Muncie, IN —At the Muncie Community Schools (MCS) School Board meeting on Tuesday, November 15th, the Kiwanis Club of Muncie presented the corporation with 472 dictionaries—one for each third grade student—in partnership with The Dictionary Project. The Kiwanis Club provided dictionaries to enrich students’ learning experiences. “If a child has their own dictionary to take home with them, it increases their ability to learn and their ability to be involved,” said James Warrner, Lieutenant Governor of the Muncie…

America's Hometown Band. Photo by: Mary Ellen Bertram

Entertainment December 5, 2016

A Hometown Family Christmas

By: Kathy Huggler — Muncie, IN—America’s Hometown Band presents its holiday season concert for 2016 on Saturday, 5:30 pm, December 17, at the Emens Auditorium in Muncie, on the Ball State University campus at 1800 W. Riverside Avenue. It’s a Holiday outing not to be missed, and it’s also a chance to support and show your appreciation for the very fine hometown musicians that make up the band and who enrich the Muncie community with many free concerts throughout the year….

A scene from Edible Muncie's new video, "Stop Gap"

Non-Profit December 5, 2016

Edible Muncie Video Highlights Challenges of Local Food Deserts

By Erin Moore, Ball State Office of Community Engagement— Muncie, IN—The local non-profit organization Edible Muncie of Delaware County has unveiled a new video, Stop Gap, to document the transportation challenges faced by residents who live in one of the Muncie’s food deserts. Food deserts are defined by the USDA as places where at least 500 people reside more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store. Edible Muncie is working to eliminate food insecurity and food deserts in…