Mike Rhodes, Author at Muncie Journal

Capt. Robert T. Bibeau, commanding officer, right, and Capt. Doug Cole, chief of staff, middle left, make the first cut in the Navy’s birthday cake with Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). George H.W. Bush is pierside at Naval Station Norfolk conducting routine operations to ensure readiness and lethality. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alexander Sticklen.

Veterans November 10, 2025

‘Letters to Veterans’ From Area Students: Today’s Letter Written by Daleigha Wooten

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief— MUNCIE, IN—Each year, November is designated as National Veterans and Military Families Month. During the month of November, MuncieJournal.com will be publishing Letters To Veterans, written by students from Burris and Muncie Community Schools. We will be publishing one letter each weekday. This year’s Letters to Veterans special feature is sponsored by Sam Pierce Chevrolet. Sam Pierce Chevrolet 12401 West County Road 550 South Daleville, IN 47334 Phone: 765-387-4287 https://www.sampiercechevy.com/

Volunteers help load cars with food for families. Photo provided.

Non-Profit November 8, 2025

Second Harvest Food Bank Responds to SNAP Benefit Interruption Amid Government Shutdown

By C.S. Hendershot— MUNCIE, IN – As the federal government shutdown continues and November SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits remain unfunded, Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana is preparing for a surge in need across its eight-county service area. According to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, over 50,000 Hoosiers in East Central Indiana, including Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, Randolph, and Wabash counties, rely on SNAP to help feed their families. With benefits paused…

U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 101st Airborne Division listen to their safety briefing during Combined Resolve 26-1 at the Hohenfels Training Area, Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC), Germany, Oct. 10, 2025. During Combined Resolve, lessons learned will inform updates, modifications and revisions to other potential Mobile Combat Team transitions. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Kaleb Lampkin.

Veterans November 7, 2025

‘Letters to Veterans’ From Area Students: Today’s Letter Written by Breanniah Wooten

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief— MUNCIE, IN—Each year, November is designated as National Veterans and Military Families Month. During the month of November, MuncieJournal.com will be publishing Letters To Veterans, written by students from Burris and Muncie Community Schools. We will be publishing one letter each weekday. This year’s Letters to Veterans special feature is sponsored by Sam Pierce Chevrolet. Sam Pierce Chevrolet 12401 West County Road 550 South Daleville, IN 47334 Phone: 765-387-4287 https://www.sampiercechevy.com/

Farmhouse Creative owners, Matt Howell and Angie Rogers-Howell. Photo by Matt Howell.

Business November 6, 2025

How to Finish the Year Strong as a Small Business Owner

By Farmhouse Creative— MUNCIE IN—The end of the year can feel like a sprint. Holiday orders, year-end reports, planning for next year, and still trying to make it home in time for dinner. For small business owners and entrepreneurs, it’s easy to lose steam right when the finish line is in sight. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to crawl your way through December. With the right focus, you can finish the year feeling proud, prepared, and even a…

Gunners Mate 2nd Class Beverly Stroud, left, from Muncie, Indiana fires a M240B machine gun while Fire Controlman 1st Class Clifford Rudder, from Bradford, Vermont stands by to feed ammunition during a live-fire exercise aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon. US Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Seaman Jeremy R. Boan.

Veterans November 6, 2025

‘Letters to Veterans’ From Area Students: Today’s Letter Written by Cadet Mathews

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief— MUNCIE, IN—Each year, November is designated as National Veterans and Military Families Month. During the month of November, MuncieJournal.com will be publishing Letters To Veterans, written by students from Burris and Muncie Community Schools. We will be publishing one letter each weekday. This year’s Letters to Veterans special feature is sponsored by Sam Pierce Chevrolet. Sam Pierce Chevrolet 12401 West County Road 550 South Daleville, IN 47334 Phone: 765-387-4287 https://www.sampiercechevy.com/

Photo provided by Indiana Youth Institute.

Non-Profit November 6, 2025

Indiana Youth Institute Launches Bold ‘FIVE by 50’ Vision at 2025 KIDS COUNT Conference

By Heather Good— INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) announced an ambitious new initiative to strengthen support networks for Indiana’s youth during the 2025 KIDS COUNT Conference in downtown Indianapolis. The “FIVE by 50” vision aims to ensure that by the year 2050, every child in Indiana will be connected to at least five caring, supportive adults who help them thrive. The two-day conference brings together hundreds of youth-serving professionals including teachers, mentors, coaches, counselors, and community leaders who work…

Entertainment November 5, 2025

Ball State University Libraries Continue Bracken Library’s 50th Anniversary Celebration

By Ball State University Communications— MUNCIE, IN — Ball State University Libraries will continue celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bracken Library with two community events in November highlighting both the Bracken family’s lasting legacy and the influential career of Professor Steve Bell. The first event explores the Bracken family’s connection to Civil War history, while the second honors the life and lessons of a journalist-turned-educator whose work shaped generations of Ball State students. “Bracken Library has served as a cornerstone of learning,…

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Makayla Keating, a Muncie, Indiana native and a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, launches an RQ-20B Puma during a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the unit’s combat readiness in preparation for deployment. Photo by U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Karlhendrix Aliten.

Veterans November 5, 2025

‘Letters to Veterans’ From Area Students: Today’s Letter Written by TheaC

By Mike Rhodes, Editor-in-Chief— MUNCIE, IN—Each year, November is designated as National Veterans and Military Families Month. During the month of November, MuncieJournal.com will be publishing Letters To Veterans, written by students from Burris and Muncie Community Schools. We will be publishing one letter each weekday. This year’s Letters to Veterans special feature is sponsored by Sam Pierce Chevrolet. Sam Pierce Chevrolet 12401 West County Road 550 South Daleville, IN 47334 Phone: 765-387-4287 https://www.sampiercechevy.com/

Ball State and IU students practice suturing techniques as part of regional healthcare training programs supported by Ball Brothers Foundation. New grants strengthen pathways from high school to healthcare careers throughout East Central Indiana.

Non-Profit November 4, 2025

Grants to Grow Healthcare Talent in East Central Indiana Among $5M Awarded by Ball Brothers Foundation

By Jud Fisher— MUNCIE, IN — Ball Brothers Foundation, a family foundation committed to place-based grantmaking in Indiana for nearly a century, has awarded more than $5 million in its second round of grants for 2025. A major focus of this round supports projects that strengthen East Central Indiana’s healthcare workforce pipeline. This funding will help expand medical education, launch new healthcare credential programs, and provide hands-on experiences for high school and college students preparing for healthcare careers. Among the…

Articles by Mike Rhodes

Public Invited to Learn About Vote Centers, Importance of Primaries and Redistricting