Articles by Mike Rhodes

AAF ECI Holds 2016 American Advertising Awards

By: Allison Robbins— MUNCIE, Ind.— The American Advertising Federation of East Central Indiana (AAF ECI) recently held its annual awards gala, the American Advertising Awards (ADDYs).  The gala honored advertising and creative excellence at the Ball State University Alumni Center in Muncie, Ind. This year’s entries included local and regional television spots, digital and print entries created in 2015 by advertising agencies, businesses, individuals and Ball State University students in East Central Indiana. Winners were chosen by a panel of…

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Cancer Services of ECI-Little Red Door to Host “Little Red Lunch”

By: Aimee Fant— Cancer Services has had the great privilege of working with two Immersive Learning groups this year; Dr. Adam Kuban’s Ingelhart Journalism Scholars and Dr. Peggy Fisher’s Communication and Health Science undergrad and graduate students. During the 2015 Fall semester, through the crossing of stars, Dr. Fisher learned she was facing a second breast cancer diagnosis as Dr. Kuban’s students began to materialize the Facing Project’s  “Facing Cancer in East Central Indiana” with Cancer Services of ECI-Little Red…


Rotaract Club Hosts Manners and Models Etiquette Dinner for Boys & Girls Club

By: Micah Maxwell— “Be a gift to the world,” is a simple but powerful mantra that fueled a new student-run Ball State Rotaract Club, the collegiate version of Rotary, to host its first-ever fundraising event on Sunday, April 30 and benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie. About 30 Club Kids sat at 10 sponsored tables, with carefully folded napkins in their laps and elbows off the table, listening to the proper way to pass the butter and learning what…


Steve Spradlin Selected for 2016 ‘Excellence in Teaching Award’

MUNCIE—In conjunction with National Teacher Appreciation Week, Ball Brothers Foundation (BBF) is pleased to announce that Steve Spradlin, a science and math teacher at Muncie Community Schools’ Northside Middle School was selected as BBF’s 2016 Excellence in Teaching Award winner. The honor includes a $15,000 grant. Finalists for the award were Lisa Eckerty, a first grade teacher at Muncie Community School’s Mitchell Elementary, and Tammy Underwood, a sixth grade English/language arts teacher at Cowan Elementary School. Each of the finalists…


Community Foundation Announces Scholarship Winners

2016 Michele Barnhart Hires Scholarship Recipient Announced The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County, Inc. has announced Kaitlyn Ewing as the recipient of the 2016 Michele Barnhart Hires Scholarship. This scholarship honors Michele Barnhart Hires, a 1966 graduate of Daleville High School. A popular fun-loving student, Michele was active in theatre and choir. Although she finished high school as a “C” student, she was determined to earn a college degree. Michele did just that. She earned a degree in…


2016 East Central March of Dimes March For Babies

By: Jay Garrison— The 2016 East Central March of Dimes March For Babies was held this afternoon at Ball State’s LaFollette Field. Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler was on hand to start the walk, as approximately 150 walkers made the three-mile trek through the Ball State campus in support of the March Of Dimes mission…to give all babies a healthy start. “March of Dimes is truly grateful for the amazing group of sponsors, volunteers, walk teams, and donors that joined together to…


Bosma Appoints Members to ISTEP Review Panel

STATEHOUSE  – House Speaker Brian C. Bosma (R-­Indianapolis) today announced his appointments to a new panel charged with recommending a replacement for the ISTEP test. Under a new law, the state’s troubled ISTEP test will be phased out by July 1, 2017, and a 23­ member panel, a majority of whom are educators, will recommend a new, standardized test. “The ISTEP test is a seriously damaged brand and has become an ongoing source of frustration among our students, educators and…


Paint the Park Day to Bring Color to McCulloch Park

By: Rebecca Parker— Whitely Community Council, The Muncie Parks Department, and Muncie Delaware Clean and Beautiful invite you to paint the town pastel on May 14th during Paint the Park Day at McCulloch Park. This exciting beautification event, part of Whitely’s Year of Color, seeks to pull the gorgeous candy colors of the Centennial Place apartments out into the rest of the Whitely neighborhood and McCulloch Park. The event will begin at 9am and continue until at least 5pm. During…


Ivy Tech Completes VITA Program for 2016

Muncie, Ind. – Ivy Tech Community College East Central Region recently concluded their 9th annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for this tax season. Ivy Tech Community College’s VITA program offers free federal and state income tax return preparation and e-filing for students, faculty, staff, and lower income general public taxpayers. VITA program volunteers prepared over 90 tax returns at the Muncie and Anderson campus locations resulting in over $168,000 and $16,000 in federal and state tax refunds respectively. Additionally,…


Muncie Community Schools Announce Upcoming Ceremonies

By: Ana Pichardo— Adult Education Graduation Ceremomy Thursday, May 12, 2016 beginning at 7pm Muncie Central High School Auditorium Adult learners who have participated in the Muncie Community Schools Adult Education program will be earning HSE Certificates and high school diplomas during the commencement program.  The speeches and stories of these students are always inspiring and interesting. Career & Technical Education Awards Program Thursday, May 19, 2016, beginning at 7:00 PM Muncie Area Career Center Gymnasium MACC students from eleven high…