Government

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—City View Homes, a city-led effort to revitalize vacant lots and provide new housing stock, has been making steady progress since it was first announced in 2021. The original project involved building 48 new residences, in a combination of town homes and single-family houses. The project was then expanded with City View 2, which would transform 37 lots owned by the Muncie Redevelopment Commission into single family homes. Many of the properties, which are primarily located…

By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana— What is Fentanyl? Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for pain relief and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance, and past usage. 6 out of 10 illegal fentanyl tablets sold…

Leave a bag of food by your mailbox By Dee McKinsey— MUNCIE, IN—This Saturday, May 13, is the 31st annual Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive when postal workers gather bags of food from homes on their delivery route. The annual drive is held this time of year when food supplies may be diminished unlike the holidays when the public is more aware of the need. Postal patrons are encouraged to leave non-perishable items such as pasta, cereal, oatmeal,…

By Michele Owen, Director of Communications, City of Muncie— MUNCIE, IN—The former Workman’s Bar, at 8th and Hoyt, has sat empty for years. Now, the Thomas Park Avondale neighborhood is about to be beautified with a renovated facility. The City of Muncie, IU Health, City Council, and many other community partners have been collaborating since 2021 to design a solution to mental health and substance abuse needs. The result is the Muncie Crisis Center, a 24-hour facility that will provide…

By Keith Roysdon— DELAWARE COUNTY, Indiana—Delaware County officials have agreed to help with funding infrastructure for a much-needed daycare center in the county. Kaleidoscope Kids Daycare, owned by longtime local daycare provider Janelle Kramer, will serve up to 180 children when finished. The project, consisting of a new state-of-the-art building 13,850 square feet in size, will be located at the southwest corner of Wheeling and Moore roads in Muncie. The Delaware County Redevelopment Commission will provide up to $250,000 in…

By Eric M. Hoffman, Delaware County Prosecuting Attorney— MUNCIE, IN—In his New York Times best seller, A Child Called It, author Dave Peltzer said that “childhood should be carefree, playing in the sun; not living a nightmare in the darkness of the soul.”Unfortunately, we know all too well that doesn’t always happen. A report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services noted that in the Federal Fiscal Year 2021 in the United States, approximately 588,229 children became…

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—On April 8, the City of Muncie hosted a press conference to share information about 2024’s Total Solar Eclipse. The eclipse will occur on Monday, April 8, the first to reach Muncie in over 1,000 years. Another nearby total solar eclipse will not occur until 2099, and Muncie will not be in the path of totality. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” stated Mayor Dan Ridenour. “We are so excited to make the most…

By Jeff Robinson, City Council President— MUNCIE, IN– On Monday, April 3rd, City Council will consider a resolution, proposed by City Council President, Jeff Robinson, to create an Ethics Advisory Committee with the charge to define and create an Ethics Commission for the City of Muncie over the next eighteen months. The first of its kind, the resolution is expected to pass with bipartisan support. The Ethics Advisory Committee is proposed to be a seven-person committee, consisting of a professional…