The Muncie Downtown Development Partnership Board of Directors has announced Angie Hibner as their new Executive Director replacing Vicki Veach who is retiring after 12 years of service. Hibner had been President/Owner of Respire Strategy, a company that provides strategy solutions for small business. Hibner was selected after an extensive search and was unanimously approved by the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership Board of Directors. Veach will continue working until the end of August to assist in the transition.
A retired Muncie police sergeant on Tuesday was sentenced to 19 months in federal prison for filing a false police report about former officer Chase Winkle’s abuse of an arrestee. According to the Star Press, Joseph Krejsa was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt, who said he would serve two years of supervised release following his prison term. Krejsa had pleaded guilty in January to obstruction of justice after negotiating a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Winkle had also been scheduled for a sentencing hearing this week, but Judge Pratt on Monday granted a continuance and reset that hearing for July 31.
The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County has announced that J.P. Hall has received the 2023 David Sursa Leadership Award to recognize his dedicated service to the Halteman Village Neighborhood Association. Marta Moody is also being posthumously recognized with a David Sursa Leadership Award for her exemplary lifetime service to Cardinal Greenway. The David Sursa Leadership Award was established in memory of the Foundation’s first leader. The annual program rewards, recognizes, and encourages extraordinary nonprofit leadership by a board member displaying the characteristics and commitment to the community expressed by Mr. Sursa during his lifetime.
The Delaware County Commissioners will have a special meeting with other county executives, at 3 p.m. today to discuss plans for a county mental health facility. The commissioners have been working to develop a mental health rehabilitation facility to be located on the grounds of the Delaware County Justice Center, according to a StarPress report.
Indiana will receive more than $868 million in federal high-speed internet funding as announced by the US Department of Commerce on Monday. Indiana must use the money to administer grant programs deploying or upgrading broadband networks to ensure everyone has access to reliable, affordable high speed internet service.
The Anderson Board of Public Works has received bids for paving work scheduled for 2023. E&B Paving submitted the low bid of $735,556 and DC Contractors bid $822,628. City engineer Matt House said the paving work is to be completed by the end of the year.
Community Connections, a local networking group and “A-Team Concessions and Catering” got together to raise money and feed the patrons of the Muncie Soup Kitchen. The meal took place yesterday and patrons were able to select from four different meal options in addition to an elephant ear, cookies and popcorn. “A-Team Concessions and Catering” provided the food truck.
The Hoosier Shakespeare Festival is the 2023 recipient of the Ball State University Community Engagement for the Arts Grant. The annual competitive grant was created in 2022 to demonstrate Ball State’s commitment beyond our campus to community engagement through the arts. Hoosier Shakespeare Festival, headquartered in Marion, Ind., takes live performances of classic Shakespeare plays on the road to communities in Grant, Wabash, Howard, and Delaware counties.
Ivy Tech Community College has honored John Thompson of New Castle High School as one of 19 individuals across the state selected to receive the second annual Excellence in Dual Credit Instruction President’s Awards, the highest honor for Ivy Tech dual credit faculty. Winners were announced at a special ceremony on June 14 in Indianapolis and the event concluded with the 2023 Statewide Award recipient, Dr. Christine Herr of Ivy Tech Richmond.
A reminder: The Delaware County Court Administrator’s Office has received several phone calls over the last few days from citizens who have stated something to the effect of: “I received a call that I missed jury duty and the caller said that I had a warrant. The caller said I needed to pay to have the warrant removed.” This is a scam and residents are warned to ignore the caller and hang up. The Sheriff’s Office and the Courts will NEVER call to demand payment over the phone.
Former Brownsburg teacher Sara Seymour, who is accused of telling a student to eat his own vomit, had her teacher’s license revoked last week. An Indiana Department of Education document obtained by WISH-TV says Indiana’s Secretary of Education Katie Jenner officially revoked Seymour’s license on June 20. Seymour was charged in April with one felony count of neglect of a dependent and one misdemeanor count of failure to report.
The StarPress reports City Parks Board President Brad Marshall appears likely to gain the District 4 seat on city council ahead of the election in November. Marshall won the GOP primary in May to run for the seat in the fall. But the sitting occupant of the seat, Isaac Miller, resigned from the council earlier this month. A Republican Party caucus has been called for at 7:30 p.m. this evening at party headquarters in Muncie to pick someone to finish out Miller’s term.
The Muncie-Delaware County Coalition of Women’s organizations is once again seeking nominations of local women to honor during the 31st Annual Women’s Equality Day Program. Six women will be honored during the program, which will take place at 5 p.m. Aug. 28, 2023 in the Muncie City Hall auditorium. A letter of nomination of 250 words or less describing the nominee’s contributions should be submitted by Friday, July 14, 2023 to: womensequalitydaymuncie@gmail.com
Gillman Home Center in South Muncie has announced that with the help of customers and community partners, they raised $1000 during their grand opening weekend for Muncie Habitat for Humanity. Mayor Dan Ridenour said in a post yesterday that bringing Gillman Home Center to Muncie provided a large hardware and lumber option for the southside, provided dozens of new jobs, and increased property tax revenue to pay for much needed city services.
Indiana and Michigan power will be monitoring possible extreme weather conditions over the next few days for the I&M service territory. Storms, high winds and excessive heat are forecast for today and Friday. These storms could cause downed trees, power outages, local flooding and travel problems. The extreme weather, in addition to the very poor air quality, can pose serious health risks, especially for older adults, children and your pets. I & M will be ready to restore power as quickly as possible if conditions warrant.
Saturday is Ron Bonham Day at Prairie Creek Reservoir from 3pm to 11pm. There will be horseback riding, bounce houses, free swimming, face painting and food trucks and much more. Musical artists Cook and Belle will perform prior to the fireworks that launch around 10pm.
The StarPress reports A federal court trial for three Muncie men charged in an interstate drug ring has been rescheduled for October. Jamarr Cortez Hill, Terry L. Hill and Lance McGee had been set to stand trial in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, but the trial is now set to begin on Oct. 16. The Muncie men, indicted by a federal grand jury last December, are each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. The count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner says an agreement allowing Delaware County Jail to house federal inmates will begin on July 1st. According to the StarPress, the agreement was reached last week after about nine months of negotiating and working with the U.S. Marshals Service to be able provide the service. The federal government will pay the county $60 per day for each inmate with up to 50 inmates being placed in Delaware County at one time. At its maximum, the agreement could provide $3,000 per day for the jail.
The Herald Bulletin reports, the Anderson Police Department is investigating the death of a 41-year-old man as a homicide. According to Caleb McKnight, public information officer for APD, officers were dispatched at 10:34 p.m. Tuesday to the 1000 block of West 13th Street on a report of a deceased male in the residence. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Timothy E. Kates dead at the scene. The APD’s Criminal Investigations Division is conducting the investigation. The Madison County coroner’s office will conduct an autopsy this week to determine the cause of death.
During Wednesday’s Community update, Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour said the Los Angeles Times newspaper published a story that included Muncie’s success in recruiting remote workers. The mayor said 44 people have moved here with their families as part of the remote worker program.
The Herald Bulletin reports, the Anderson Police Department is investigating the death of a 41-year-old man as a homicide. According to Caleb McKnight, public information officer for APD, officers were dispatched at 10:34 p.m. Tuesday to the 1000 block of West 13th Street on a report of a deceased male in the residence. When officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Timothy E. Kates dead at the scene. The APD’s Criminal Investigations Division is conducting the investigation. The Madison County coroner’s office will conduct an autopsy this week to determine the cause of death.
