Government

By: Tony Sandleben—   MUNCIE, Ind. – The Horizon Convention Center released its economic impact report from October which includes financial data from the Ironman weekend. The total economic impact for Muncie for just the IronMan Weekend was $4.092 million. Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour said he is very proud of how Muncie came together as a community to host a global event that attracted guests from across the country and the world. “There were a lot of cities involved to pull…

By Senator Young Press Office— INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) has announced his nominations for U.S. service academy appointments. Applications were received from 106 high school students, and a select group was interviewed by an advisory board chosen by Senator Young. In total, 47 exemplary young men and women from across Indiana received a nomination from Senator Young. A nomination does not guarantee admission to a service academy, but is required in order to be considered. Nominees are chosen…

By Nathan Sloan, Muncie Chief of Police— MUNCIE, Ind.—The Muncie Police Department is pleased to announce that the Department of Justice, through the COPS Hiring Program (CHP), has selected our agency to receive a grant in the amount of $375,000.00. The funds are to be used to hire three new officers beyond what our current budget allows, with a focus on community oriented policing and crime reduction. The funding is intended to cover the new officer’s entry-level salary, benefits, and…

By Jeff Robinson, President of Muncie City Council, District 2— MUNCIE, Ind.—Seventy-four non-profits applied for grant dollars earmarked to help those organizations and their clients who were hardest hit by COVID-19. In total, $2 million of the City of Muncie’s American Recovery Plan funding of $31.7 million will be awarded to help the non-profit sector and the people they serve. District 2 Councilman and City Council President Jeff Robinson and Heart of Indiana United Way’s President & CEO, Jenni Marsh…

By U.S. Senator from Indiana Todd Young— INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—In the town of Hartsville, in Bartholomew County, not more than 60 miles south of here, there is a small red headstone in a Baptist cemetery. It reads simply: B.W. Mitchell 1816-1868. Below that, it mentions the 27th Indiana volunteer infantry in letters so small they strain the eye. Corporal Barton Warren Mitchell was a 45 year old railroad worker from Putnam County who joined the Union Army at the onset of…

By Dr. Kimberly Roop, Medicaid Plan President for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Indiana— As a U.S. Air Force veteran, I had the privilege of serving with men and women who put personal priorities aside to serve and protect our country. As I saw first-hand, our service members are trained to do more with less. We make sacrifices and step in front of harm’s way when duty calls and pack up personal belongings on command. We are trained…

By Braden Dunlap, Press Secretary— STATEHOUSE – Delaware County communities will receive more than $1 million in state matching grants to steer toward much-needed road improvement projects, according to local legislators. State Rep. Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) said 218 towns, cities and counties throughout Indiana received a combined total of over $101 million through the Community Crossings Matching Grant program. The Indiana Department of Transportation oversees and distributes these grants twice each year. “Upgrading our roads and bridges is critical to our economy,”…

By Tony Sandleben, City of Muncie Communications—  MUNCIE, Ind. – Mayor Ridenour and the City of Muncie have closed on a deal to acquire 13 more acres of land for a yet to be named park currently referred to as either Tillpond or Southwest Park on the city’s southwest side. This sale has been almost a year in the making. Mayor Ridenour announced the plan in early December of 2020. The $25,000 purchase is part of Mayor Ridenour’s push to…