Business

4 new Indiana solar power plants to boost reliability, sustainability of energy grid By Tracey Warner— FORT WAYNE – Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) is taking steps to significantly expand the volume of clean energy powering our customers’ homes and businesses. I&M filed plans with state authorities for four solar power plants capable of generating power for more than 200,000 typical homes by mid-2026. In a related significant step, I&M is also seeking new proposals for a combination of additional energy…

Editor’s note: The Future Leaders of America series profiles high school seniors who display leadership qualities in their school and the community. The series is brought to you by Pridemark Construction. By Stacey Shannon— MUNCIE, IN—Nora Quirk’s high school career began with a leadership role and only flourished from there. The Muncie Central High School senior represented Indiana at the Global Youth Panel held at Harvard University during her freshman year. She spent two weeks learning about leadership and participating…

By Ted A. Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.— MUNCIE, IN—Starting or growing a business is not easy.  If you have been involved at any level of business ownership, you know this.  Throughout my life, I have started several businesses and worked hard to see them grow.  I know firsthand the long hours I invested in ensuring details were taken care of and deadlines met.  (Many times, 60+ hours per week.)  From taking care of legal business startup details,…

By Tiger Okeley, Owner, Oak Motors— MUNCIE, IN — Local used car dealership and financing company, Oak Motors, supported seven local charitable organizations in the Muncie, Indianapolis and Anderson areas during 2022. Out of the $94,000 in total donations, $25,000 directly benefited the following non-profits in Muncie, Ind: Muncie Mission Ministries, YMCA of Muncie and Salvation Army of Muncie. “All of these charities work toward improving situations for those facing challenges, which is a strong tenant that also runs through…

The Town of Yorktown receives funding to advance the next phase of downtown redevelopment. By Caitlin Hancock, East Central Indiana Regional Partnership— YORKTOWN, IN – Since 2014, the Yorktown Redevelopment Commission has been diligently working to redevelop, revitalize and grow its downtown core. With a substantial portion of the work complete, the Town has now set its sights on completing the next phase of redevelopment, which includes the assembly and redevelopment of a half-square block located between Vine, Market, and adjacent to…

By Greg Crosby— MISSION, KS – Garrett Wiseman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of  Mercury Broadband has announced the company will open five new Midwest Service Center Areas in the 3rd and 4th Quarters of 2023. New markets include the rural and surrounding areas of Columbus, Ohio; Muncie, Indiana; Flint, Michigan; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Plymouth, Indiana. Specific broadband service areas will be built to provide coverage to the communities surrounding the larger, metropolitan areas which currently have very few options for…

By Northwest Bank— WARREN, PA —Northwest Bank, a full-service financial institution offering a complete line of business and personal banking products, has been recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best Midsize Employers for 2023. The awards list ranks the 500 midsize employers that received the most recommendations from a survey of 45,000 American workers. Northwest Bank is 60th on the list. The prestigious award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider….

Editor’s note: This is the third and final installment of MuncieJournal.com’s exclusive three part series on housing in Muncie and Delaware County.  By John Fallon and Steve Slavin— MUNCIE, IN—In the minds of many folks in our community, any assessment of the housing situation is the product of subjective judgment.  Even though such an analysis lends itself to factual verification, it seems that many rely on assumptions and personal opinions. Our research confirms that most people believe what was good for development…

By Ted A. Baker, CEO/Executive Director, Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.— MUNCIE, IN—Over the past years, the Innovation Connector has become the Muncie community’s hub for business startup and growth assistance.  Calls and emails come to us nearly every day from entrepreneurs and hopeful business startup owners asking for assistance in some way.  Regular requests include the need for funds to start or grow a business, help formally organize the business as an LLC or S-Corp, and some turn to us…