Government

City Renews Funding for Muncie Community Schools ‘City Connects’ Program

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—For the past three years, Muncie Community Schools’ City Connects program has become an integral part of helping students succeed in school. As a result, the city of Muncie is renewing its financial commitment to the initiative, providing $100,000 for each of the next three years. The city’s investment will enable the school district to employ family navigators in six of its nine schools. Family navigators are the lynchpins of the program. They assess the strengths…

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New Indiana Law Will Provide Necessary Relief to Parents and Child Care Workers

By State Representative Sue Errington— INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana is severely lacking in accessible, affordable child care options. Brighter Futures Indiana’s Data Center indicates that over 502,000 children in Indiana may be in need of child care. Despite the sheer amount of children needing service, providers can only meet 41% of this demand, leaving many parents scrambling to find facilities to accommodate their children. This issue is especially present in rural communities where child care deserts persist. In Delaware County, four county subdivisions…


City of Muncie Receives Over $266,000 to Expand Prairie Creek Trail

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—On Tuesday, April 30, the City of Muncie received notice of a $266,000 grant award from Indiana Trails Program to complete the third phase of trail expansions at Prairie Creek. This grant will allow the City and its partners to continue to fill the vision of a trail connecting the Cardinal Greenway to the North Shore Campground as detailed in the 2007 Prairie Creek Master Plan. The first two phases were completed in 2013 and 2016,…


Meridian Health Services to Provide Staff and Programming for Muncie Crisis Center

By Office of the Mayor, IU Health, and Meridian Health Services— MUNCIE, IN—The Muncie Crisis Center, which is currently in construction on the southwest side of town, will provide mental health and addiction services to individuals in crisis. Conceptually developed by a multi-disciplinary community team, the center is intended to provide a continuum of services for those in need including assessments for outpatient services and emergency care as needed, while reducing strain on the Emergency Room and Police Department. IU…


Delaware County Roads On List for Repaving After Grant

By Keith Roysdon— DELAWARE COUNTY, IN– Some of the most-needed road paving jobs in Delaware County are on tap for 2024. The roads will be repaved thanks to a $1.5 million Community Crossings grant from the state of Indiana. “We were awarded everything we asked for. This really will help stretch our local paving dollars,” said Angela Moyer, project director of Delaware County’s Engineering Department. “We’re very appreciative.” In addition to roads paved with grant funding, Delaware County also has…


State Greenlights Nearly $104 Million for Improvements at BSU and New Delaware County Mental Health Facility

Delaware County also receives mental health grant to help incarcerated access treatment By Amanda Schreiber, Press Secretary, House Republicans— STATEHOUSE—Ball State University can take off with its plans to make much-needed improvements and expansions at the Muncie campus with the help of nearly $104 million in new investments, according to local lawmakers. State Reps. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) and Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown) said the State Budget Committee formally reviewed four capital projects, including those to accommodate academic program expansions and…


Josh Taulbee Hired as Director of Muncie Animal Care and Services

By Michele Owen— MUNCIE, IN—On Thursday, the City of Muncie announced the appointment of Joshua Taulbee as the new director of Muncie Animal Care and Services (MACS). Taulbee is a lifelong resident of Muncie, graduated from Ball State in 2015, and has worked for Delaware County for the last 7 years. He serves in multiple board positions, and has a strong background in budget and project management. “I’m passionate about serving my community,” commented Taulbee. His primary goals include building…


We Must Work Together to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect

April is child abuse prevention month By Eric M. Hoffman, 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 2022 in the United States,…


Muncie, Delaware County and Yorktown Receive State Funding For Road Projects

By Amanda Schreiber, Press Secretary— STATEHOUSE—Delaware County communities can roll forward with road and bridge projects thanks to a recent boost in state funding supported by State Reps. J.D. Prescott (R-Union City) and Elizabeth Rowray (R-Yorktown). A total of 252 communities across the state will receive over $207 million through Indiana’s Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. Funds can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items. “Quality roads and bridges are critical to keeping…


Top Reminders Heading into the Total Solar Eclipse

By Indiana Department of Homeland Security Press Office— INDIANAPOLIS—In just a matter of days, people across the state will be pausing to take a look at the sky to witness the Total Solar Eclipse. It truly is a once-in-a-lifetime event. On average, a total solar eclipse occurs on a given spot on the planet only once about every 375 years. Portions of Indiana will not be in the path of totality for a total solar eclipse again until 2099. Indiana is…