Ball State University has received a $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Incorporated to further integrate Science of Reading-aligned principles into the university’s teacher preparation programs, according to a news release. The grant is part of Lilly Endowment’s “Advancing the Science of Reading in Indiana” initiative.
The International Economic Development Council has announced that the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance has once again been recognized as one of 73 economic development organizations accredited by the IEDC as an Accredited Economic Development Organization. Originally accredited in 1996, the organization was re-accredited by the IEDC following 27 successful years of activity as an AEDO member.
Ever growing since it first started in 2021, the Indiana Crime Gun Task Force has been seizing more and more illegal guns and making more and more arrests. In 2023 alone, the task force arrested 264 people and took 366 guns off the streets of central Indiana. The task force says all but 31 of those guns were used in some way in a firearm-related crime.
A fundraising event for scouting programs that help more than 17,000 kids in central Indiana happened Tuesday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis. It was the 28th Annual Governor’s Luncheon for Scouting, so Indiana’s Governor Eric Holcomb was the keynote speaker. Holcomb argued that leadership isn’t something your born with. It’s something you learn through experience. Scouting is a great way to make life long leading an actual habit, he said.
No concert amphitheater in the world sold more tickets in 2023 than Noblesville’s Ruoff Music Center, according to a year-end summary published by Pollstar magazine. The 24,000-capacity outdoor venue sold 618,457 tickets for performances this year, good for No. 1 on Pollstar’s Top 100 Amphitheaters list. On Pollstar’s list of top concert arenas worldwide, Gainbridge Fieldhouse ranked 47th.
The 2023 APAI Winter Conference and Expo returned to the Horizon Convention Center this week. Known as one of the largest and best asphalt shows in the Midwest, the conference welcomed 600+ attendees from contractors, vendors, consultants and agency personnel for the two day event.
The Yorktown Chamber of Commerce has presented their Community Impact Award to the Frozen Boulder in Yorktown. The business is owned by Dave and Kyla Bartle who opened the ice cream shop in downtown Yorktown one year ago. Other awards included: Spirit of Small Business given to Coffee Cravings. Outstanding Contribution to Education awarded to Jared Turner, Excellence in Public Service awarded to Don Johnson, and Lifetime Achievement award went to Ed Armantrout.
U.S. News & World Report has named Indiana University Health Ball Memorial Hospital as a 2024 High Performing hospital for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn for U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.
Fox News reports Tesla is recalling more than 2 million vehicles from its lineup with model years from 2012 to 2023. The recall comes from concerns that the autopilot system can be misused by drivers. The company will provide affected vehicles with a software update.
80 new trees will be planted over the next six months on the Riverside Trail according to a report from Flat Land Resources in Muncie. Jay-Crew is doing the work.
Three students at Ball State University have been provided funding to advance their entrepreneurial ventures. Cheyenne McMullen, Will Pancake and Liliana Osborne all received pre-seed funding for their ventures that consisted of a marketing and consulting business, a mobile app, and a jewelry business.
More than 30 public art projects across the state funded by the Indiana Destination Development Corporation’s (IDDC) IN Indiana Public Art and Placemaking Grants were recently completed by local organizations. A mural by the Muncie Arts and Culture Council was part of the program.
A man was arrested Monday afternoon after he hit another man with his car at a Popeye’s in Fort Wayne. Police say two men and a woman were fighting when they showed up. One of the men got into a car and rammed it into the other man, sticking him between the front pumper and the Popeye’s. The man hit by the car wound up in the hospital with life threatening injuries. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Marchello Middleton, fled but was taken into custody an hour later.
Masterworks Chorale will present its annual holiday concert, “The Spirit of the Season,” on Saturday, December 16th at 7:30 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church. Masterworks Chorale will share the stage with baritone soloist John Glann and cellist Heather Scott as it presents a wide tapestry of winter and holiday choral music.
Fox 59 reports a dispute over an Apple Watch led to a person being run over by a car in Delaware County on Friday. According to an affidavit for probable cause, Lindsey M. Lehman drove to a hotel in Muncie to return an Apple Watch that had been left in her car. When she arrived, she spoke with a person who came to retrieve the watch from her on behalf of their significant other. Lehman told police the person spat at her, cussed at her, punched her in the face and poked her in the chest during the exchange of the watch. She then told police she put the vehicle in drive and drove away. During her interview with investigators, Lehman said she wasn’t sure if she had hit the person as she drove away from the hotel. Lehman has been preliminarily charged with aggravated battery causing permanent disfigurement and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash that caused serious bodily injuries.
The Indiana Statewide 911 Board confirmed Tuesday evening that operations at 911 dispatch centers in several central Indiana counties were “restored to normal” following a temporary outage. The communications centers in Hancock, Lawrence, Grant, Madison, Shelby and Boone counties had previously reported that their 911 phone services were temporarily down as efforts were underway with providers to restore phone lines. The Indiana Statewide 911 Board announced shortly after 8:30 P.M. Tuesday that the systems were back up and running.
Several years ago, the Indiana Supreme Court appointed a committee to address trafficking of Indiana youth as part of the Indiana Commission on Improving the Status of Children. Kimberly S. Dowling, Judge of Delaware Circuit Court 2 chairs that committee. Judge Dowling discussed the Human Trafficking problem at a Muncie Rotary club meeting earlier this week.
Frank Scott Sr., Rheaunna Jones, Dori Taylor, Stanford Fitzpatrick III, and Nicole Miles have all been named by Ivy Tech as Difference Makers for 2023. Each year, Ivy Tech seeks out and identifies those who make a difference in their communities. For 2023, Ivy Tech focused on members of the Muncie/Henry County Alumni.
NIPSCO has completed installation of nearly 19 miles of new 24” steel gas pipeline that will service a new battery plant in the City of Kokomo with a safe, reliable source of natural gas for the future. The new gas system expansion also supports opportunity for future economic growth according to NIPSCO.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is giving one person a $25,000 shopping spree to furniture store Ashley. The contest ends this Friday, December 15, at 11:59 pm Eastern time. To enter visit https://www.colts.com/fans/contests/ashley_holiday.
Indiana’s next casino is expected to open in spring 2024, according to the Indiana Gaming Commission. Construction is on track for an early April debut of the Terre Haute Casino and Resort operated by Churchill Downs.
