For as long as I can remember, I have loved romance. As a kid, I would always get invested in romantic comedies and obsess over the main couple in whatever book I was reading. Romance books quickly became a guilty pleasure of mine.

That fascination took a while to transition into my daily life.

Despite being in a happy relationship for over a year now, there are certain aspects of romance that I have maintained my firm beliefs about. I am not talking about the stereotypical beliefs that our society has, such as how men should always have to pay the bill, spend hundreds of dollars on flowers each month or plan elaborate dates - although some people are fond of all of those things.

My strongest belief, in terms of love and relationships, has always revolved around Valentine's Day.

I am not a cynic. I am able to appreciate a couple going out of their way to show off their partner and make them feel as loved as possible. After all, that is the standard for couples on Valentine's Day. Some people dress up, go on a fancy date, buy their partner an expensive gift and spend a whole 24 hours cherishing the person they might plan to spend the rest of their life with.

However, this is not the part about Valentine's Day that irks me.

What bothers me is when people treat the holiday as nothing more than an obligation, when people in relationships only celebrate their partner because a date on the calendar tells them that they are obligated to, or when the only way someone can wake up to flowers, sweet words or random acts of love is because a holiday tradition told them that it is an expectation.

If you need a holiday to push you into showing your significant other that you love and care for them, it ruins the authenticity of romance within relationships.

A February 2024 PsychologyToday article by Silva Neves, a psychosexual and relationships psychotherapist, references research studies that focused on the significance of creating a long-lasting relationship. According to the article, "The most important ingredient for enduring love in relationships is not the big things but everyday small things: how people feel appreciated and wanted."

I have expressed to my boyfriend that I would rather receive flowers on any other day of the year, simply because they mean more when they are bought unprompted. Of course, that belief is not limited to only bouquets and expands to include all love languages.

Before entering my relationship, Valentine's Day always looked the same to me. I would throw on my most comfortable pajamas, open a bag of cheap chocolate and turn on one of my favorite scary movies. I would spend my night curled up in a dark room, covered in blankets.

On occasion, I would even invite friends to celebrate with me. My version of the holiday might have looked different from most, but I had preferred it to elaborate, once-a-year affection that a lot of the people I knew were receiving at the time.

A March 2015 PsychologyToday article written by Jonathan Fader, a psychologist stationed in New York, reports, "bottling up all of our love for one special day doesn't allow us to practice the daily things, like gratitudes and affirmations, that make relationships thrive."

That same article goes on to suggest, "More often than not, partners use extravagant dinners and gifts as band-aids for chronic relationship issues."

When my boyfriend and I first started dating, we spent our first Valentine's Day together in the dorms. He cooked us dinner in the communal kitchen, which I ate with a pocket knife and fork because we did not have enough utensils, and surprised me with brownies as dessert. Then, we watched a movie on a futon under his roommate's bed.

Considering it was my first ever Valentine's Day with a significant other, it was special. But it was not special because of the acts of love he showered me with, but rather because I had spent the day with him. What made it so special to me was that none of what he did that night was out of the ordinary.

Cooking for me and watching movies with me is something he does almost every weekend, and satiating my sweet tooth is something he constantly surprises me with. He even goes out of his way to make me coffee every morning that I am there, even if he does not drink it that often, simply because he knows I love to drink it first thing in the morning.

In a January 2023 PsychologyToday article, Cortney Warren, a board-certified psychologist, said that based on a study performed by Plenty of Fish in 2020, "51 percent felt pressure to be romantic, 43 percent to be in a relationship, 42 percent to go on a date, and 41 percent to act like the holiday is meaningful. In addition, 43 percent of respondents thought it was the most pressure-filled holiday and one-in-five wished that it could be cancelled all together."

The pressure to be romantic on Valentine's Day should not be as profound as it is today. The stigma surrounding the holiday has the potential to be more damaging to relationships than helpful. More than that, I believe that it can be damaging to one's self-esteem.

If we correlated our worth in relationships to how often we are shown unprompted affection from our partners throughout the year, how many of us would feel confident enough to push back against a holiday that enforces romantic traditions we should already be experiencing every day?

People should not need a holiday in order to show their significant other that they love and care about them. Dates should not be saved for one night a year or for special occasions, and acts of love should not be conditional because of a date on the calendar.

If you cannot love your partner loudly on days when it is not expected from society, then what difference does it make if you pour all your effort into them on Valentine's Day?

I do not know what my partner and I will do for Valentine's Day this year, and quite frankly, it is not a top priority to me. The obligation to be romantic is nothing compared to the simplicity of genuine affection.

Love is not conditional on the time of year. It is not conditional on the date, the month or how long you have been together.

Your relationship is not an obligation, and it should never be treated like one.

Contact Jayden Vaughn via email at jayden.vaughn@bsu.edu.

Ball State welcomed in McKendree on Feb. 12 after starting conference play with a sweep over Queens. McKendree came into Worthen Arena as the No. 12 in the nation and the Cardinals sat at No. 8 in the nation.

The Cardinals kept to their winning ways as they won 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 26-28, 25-16) and continued to their eight straight victory.

The team followed that up with another win as they won 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-14) over Lindenwood and got their ninth straight victory.

Head Coach Mike Iandolo had a challenge with having a back-to-back starting with McKendree, but he does not see his team backing down for any opponent.

"I think we had a little bit of a slow start," Iandolo said. "I think we did a good job responding once we got used to what was going on."

Iandolo has seen his team start slow and that once again showed up but after that first set, Iandolo says the Cardinals were able to really lock in.

"They looked ready to play, more than we did," Iandolo said. "We buckled down with our serving, got a little more disciplined, and we were able to do ok."

Before the Cardinals began conference play, Iandolo had one message to his team about improvement.

"It is really being crisp on our blocks and our defense from the start of the match," Iandolo said. "Doing what we are supposed to from the start."

The Cardinals followed up the McKendree matchup with another MIVA opponent in the Linwood Lions. Both the Cardinals and Lions began their season with only one loss each and a potential spot at the top of the standings.

Despite going down in set one, the Cardinals never wavered in their belief together as a team. It has been what has made this team different from last year.

Senior Outside Hitter Patrick Rogers knows where the Cardinals are at their best even if the team goes down in a set.

"We were just feeling them out in [set 1]," Rogers said. "We just played together and had fun and that was the most important thing for sure."

Outside Hitter Wil Basilio followed up with a similar overall theme for the Cardinals over the last two MIVA matchups.

"Stayed together as a team," Basilio said. "Losing that first set, we could have gotten down on ourselves, but we came back hard on that second set."

Basilio helped put in 25 kills across the two matchups with McKendree and Lindenwood. Basilio said that the Cardinals are just out there to make a stand.

"It is a huge feeling, really good because it is kind of proving ourselves," said Basilio. "[It] solidifies us as the top team in the MIVA which we always love to see."

The Cardinals know their focus must always be staying the course especially since the Cardinals are going to be playing in another team's environment going forward.

"Just maintain the level we are at," Basilio said. "Focusing on our side of the net and not really worrying about what gym we are in."

The Cardinals will now travel to Ohio State on Feb. 19 to take on the Buckeyes followed by a matchup in Kentucky on Feb. 21 to take on the Northern Kentucky Norse's.

Contact Zachary Kendall with questions via email at zacharykendall@bsu.edu or on X @ZacharyKendall_

Ian discusses the new entry in the Tomodachi Life series, Living the Dream.

Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether it's video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!

Anchors: Ian Fraser
Executive Producer: Ian Fraser
Script: Mason Mundy
Video Editing: Ian Fraser
Audio Editing: Ian Fraser
Intro Graphics: Ryan Minter
Graphics: Ryan Minter
Thumbnail: Ian Fraser
Original Thumbnail Images From: Nintendo
Music: Jack McGinnis
Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_0kl1WiSPg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fghz93zCdY

Fifteen minutes before the game was set to start, the bingo cards ran out, with a line of people still waiting to get in. Despite this, the organization still worked to make students comfortable to talk and learn about sex through fun and games.

The first two people to receive bingos cheered and jumped with each other before they went to the back of the room to get their sex-themed prizes.

Ethan Bravo, president of Spectrum, was surprised to see how popular the event was.

"To see that we had, like, three times the amount of people that we were expecting, we were shocked, and we weren't ready," he said. "So we're sad that we had to turn people away."

Bravo said the organization is ready to use the attendance rate as guidance for what to expect the next time they host this event.

At the occasion, a colorful slideshow was displayed with sexual education questions of many types. Instead of numbers, bingo cards were full of answers to the questions, with key answers like "syphilis," "consent" and "aftercare."

Students who participated interacted gleefully with the bingo questions and expressed their excitement and anticipation of getting a bingo. Between all of the cheering and jokes, the hosts made sure that students could be properly educated about sex.

Spectrum's event coordinator, Amanda Evers, believes it is important to hold non-traditional sex education events like this.

"When people can feel [like] they're part of a community or movement or just bonding over something, they're more likely to retain that information and feel more comfortable about sexuality, safe sex and talking about those things with other people," they said.

While sexual education is important to her, Evers also enjoyed the joy in the room.

"I liked making people laugh and just seeing them have a fun time interacting with the people here," she said.

The poster for the event advertised free sex toys for everyone who was able to get a bingo sheet to play. For the Spectrum executive board, this meant going out to get the supplies together.

Kymberly Kirkpatrick, Spectrum's treasurer, explained that they worked with Ball State's Office of Student Life to be able to provide the prizes.

She said going out to buy them is "historically, a very big thing for bonding for the Spectrum exec board."

Spectrum, an LGBTQ+ organization, wanted to use this event to help students get the education they may not have gotten previously.

RELATED: The evolution of student organization Spectrum through setbacks and triumphs

"Let's be honest, most [college-aged] people being sexual[ly] active in their life.Just making sure that they are responsible, have the information that they need to have a fun time, but also making sure that nothing happens to either person they might be with is the best thing we can do," Bravo said.

By the end of the night, all the prizes had been claimed, and students left together discussing the evening with their new items, and hopefully for Spectrum, more knowledge on safe sex.

Contact Sidney Miller via email at sidney.miller@bsu.edu

The show started with the announcement of Kena: Scars of Kosmora, a sequel to 2021's Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The game is said to be bigger and better than its predecessor, while staying true to the first game's vision. The game will feature improved combat, boss battles, and more exploration. We then learned that last year's Ghost of Yotei will be receiving a free DLC titled "Legends" releasing on Mar. 10. Additionally, fellow awards darling Death Stranding 2 will be making its way to PC on Mar. 19. Capcom also gave us a look at its two new games coming this year, Pragmata, and Resident Evil: Requiem.

Koei Tecmo revealed that they are making another installment in their classic Dead or Alive franchise, but little else was said aside from a brief glimpse at a couple characters. Remedy Entertainment gave a look at gameplay for CONTROL Resonant, the sequel to their 2019 masterpiece, and my favorite announcement from last year's Game Awards. No full release date was given, although it's still slated to release this year. Krafton gave us a look at Project Windless, an action game based on the South Korean novel series The Bird that Drinks Tears.

Konami arrived with a slate of announcements, including a look at Metal Gear Solid: The Master Collection Vol. 2, featuring current-generation ports of Metal Gear Solid 4, as well as Peace Walker. They also unveiled a new Castlevania game titled Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, as well as a new Silent Hill game in collaboration with Annapurna titled Silent Hill: Townfall.

Rounding out the show, we received a surprise announcement of a new John Wick game, with full-on third-person real-time action. Keanu Reeves appears to be reprising his role as the legendary assassin in a prequel to the critically acclaimed film franchise. Bungie gave us a look at their upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon.

After a series of criticism, backlash, and a lengthy delay, the game has been considerably revamped and will be hosting an open test period from Feb. 26 to Mar. 2 before the game's official release on Mar. 5. We received new looks at Housemarque's new game, Saros, starring actor Rahul Kohli, as well as legendary fighting game studio Arc System Works' new Marvel-themed fighting game Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. The game will have over 20 playable characters at launch on Aug. 6, 2026.

The closer saw Santa Monica Studio unveiling two massive announcements. First, the original God of War trilogy will be receiving full-fledged remakes with TC Carson reprising his role as the original Kratos. These games are in very early development, so there wasn't much else to see there. Their second announcement, however, was the stealth drop of God of War: Sons of Sparta, a retro-inspired 2D side-scroller following the legendary Kratos before he became the God of War.

With a livestream spanning over an hour, Sony's State of Play gave us a lot to chew on in terms of new announcements. Whether it's fast-approaching releases like Resident Evil: Requiem and Marathon, or far-off releases like John Wick and the God of War remakes, there was a little bit of something for everyone.

Sources: PlayStation, PlayStation, Steam, PlayStation, Steam, Steam, Steam, KoeiTecmo, PlayStation, Remedy, Steam, Krafton, Krafton, BrooklineBooksmith, Steam, Steam, Steam, Steam, Annapurna, Steam, PlayStation, IMDb, Bungie, Bungie, Housemarque, PlayStation, IMDb, ArcSystemWorks, Steam, SantaMonicaStudio, Steam,IMDb, PlayStation

Images: PlayStation, PlayStation, Bungie, PlayStation

"I have been into rocks pretty much my whole life," Braiden Robinson, the owner, said. "It has been like one of those hyper fixation focuses that I have. My grandpa has a little rock collection, and I was just fascinated looking at them."

Robinson is completely self-taught, educating himself with the right materials to turn a rough rock into a piece of art.

"I first started with the saw and a bucket of geodes, and I was selling them for 5-10 dollars a piece," Robinson said. "I made 250 dollars my first day, and I'm like, 'this is cool.' Seeing the look on people's faces when they see inside the rocks is really cool."

The family aspect helps sustain the passion. Robinson's wife, Kat Mesaros, the owner of Kat's Crystals and Curiosities, support each other through the crystal business.

"We became really good friends. I got my saw, and we started working together as partners - and then - we just fell in love from there," Robinson said.

The workshop was recently recognized by receiving the Vore Arts Fund, a non-profit in Muncie that helps the art community work without the financial burden.

"As a part of the Vore Arts Fund, you get six months free membership for Mad Jax, so we were able to come in and use the makerspace and the ship yard and their equipment."

For more information, go to Wook's Workshop on Facebook

Contact Mira Bloomer with comments at mira.bloomer@bsu.edu.

Seeking a job or internship? Cardinal Job Fair, February 18

Meet with a wide range of employers, explore internships and full-time opportunities. Whether you're searching for your next career step or exploring career paths, this event is a great way to engage with industry partners.

How to prepare:
1. Build your resume and practice your elevator pitch withQuinncia.
2. Map out which employers to visit. See the full list in Cardinal Career Link.
3. Dress to impress. Need something to wear? Check out Cardinal Closet.

Entry Information:
Enter at Gate 3, Worthen Arena
Bring your student ID to check in

FREE Tax Preparation for Students and Employees!

IRS-certified accounting students can still prepare your tax filing for free until April 8! Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is a federal program available to individuals and married couples with an income of less than $68,625 per year. Students, employees, and families of Ball State University and Muncie Community Schools are invited to use this free, virtual service.

All tax preparation volunteers must complete many hours of IRS-certified training and exams before becoming VITA volunteers. All tax filings are reviewed for accuracy by an experienced tax preparer, and returns will be filed electronically for faster processing and with direct deposit, taxpayers often receive refunds in two weeks or less.

Taxpayers can choose between virtual tax preparation completed using a secure document management process by supervised preparers and reviewers or can schedule an appointment for in-person preparation by visitingthis link.More information on these options and other aspects of the VITA program is available atVITA Tax Preparation | Department of Accounting | Ball State University.

For more information about VITA student volunteers and the tax preparation program, please contact Jason Stanfield, PhD, CPA, associate professor, Paul W. Parkinson Department of Accounting, Miller College of Business.

Join University Dining for a Mardi Gras Meal

Celebrate Fat Tuesday with a flavor-packed Mardi Gras feast! We're hosting a special meal at The Atrium in the Arts & Journalism Building.

Stop by the Revolving Cuisine station from 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, for an All-You-Can-Fit experience. The other stations will feature their regular menu items, as well!
The Menu Highlights:

• Entrées:Jambalaya with Andouille Sausage & Chicken, Fried Shrimp Po Boys, and Vegan Red Beans & Rice.
• Sides:Cajun Mac & Cheese, Maque Choux, Fried Okra, and Hushpuppies.
• Dessert:King Cake, Festive Rice Krispies, and Iced Sugar Cookies.

Pricing:

• 1 Meal Swipe (Lunch or Dinner).
• Cash/Card: $9.65 for a Large Container or $5.85 for a Small Container (plus tax).

Laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll!)

For more information, go toBall State's Communication Center.

One notable example of an entity in Indiana utilizing geothermal is Ball State University.

When Ball State University, located in Muncie, Indiana, completed its geothermal energy system in 2012, it marked a first for Indiana college campuses. The project, one of the university's largest sustainability initiatives, created one of the nation's largest ground-source, closed-loop district geothermal systems and continues to operate today.

The heating and cooling geothermal system for buildings across the university's campus runs off the Earth's natural ability to maintain a stable temperature throughout the seasons. Because of this, Ball State's geothermal heat pumps absorb available heat from the ground in winter seasons while discarding excess heat back into the Earth in the warmer months. Simply put, these systems use the consistency of underground temperatures to regulate the indoor climate of 71% of the campus's buildings.

After the switch in 2012, the school reduced its carbon footprint by almost half. According to Ball State, the university now releases approximately 85,000 tons less carbon than before, when the heating and cooling systems ran on fossil fuels. This change offered a reduction in carbon emissions roughly equal to what a million trees would absorb in the same amount of time.

"[The system] is holding up quite well at this time as we performed several preventative maintenance projects over the last year," stated Pete Heuer, BSU director of operations.

According to Heuer, the change is significant because most heating systems, including what BSU used prior to the geothermal switch, work by burning finite fossil fuels. This one, however, uses the renewable source that the planet offers. By weaning off the older boilers that once heated the university, Ball State has said that it is keeping to its sustainability commitment.

In this statement, Ball State University pledges to "protect and enhance the environment through our learning, research, service and administrative operations."

In 2015, former President Paul Ferguson became a signatory to the Second Nature Climate Leadership Commitment program, which had made additional commitments on reducing the emissions of harmful greenhouse gases to zero and mitigating campuses' contribution to climate change.

By integrating the geothermal systems across its campus, the university continues to pursue this commitment.

With the transition to geothermal, the school created nearly 2,300 more career opportunities, both directly and indirectly related to the geothermal system, according to a study by Ball State's Center for Business and Economic Research. This increase allowed the community to broaden its horizons and created opportunities that did not exist before.

A press release from Ball State Foundation notes that the university saves about $2 million a year with this system.

What does that mean for the rest of Hoosiers across the state?

Ball State's large-scale project is a prime example of how these systems can work, but another Hoosier business has been helping roll the technology out across the state for the last two decades.

Indiana Geothermal, founded in 2000, aims to further public knowledge about geothermal systems, their impact on the environment and the benefit to one's home or business.

While not connected to Ball State's project specifically, Indiana Geothermal has helped roll out multiple residential geothermal loops in the Delaware County area that help the average homeowner reduce their carbon footprint.

Owner of Indiana Geothermal, Dona Kyler, said in an interview that several local businesses and homeowners have taken advantage of this innovative system. All of those customers are presented with the four different types of geothermal loops that their company provides, and they also offer homeowners the opportunity for a free quote and evaluation.

"We have been selling ClimateMaster geothermal systems and installing loops in Indiana and the surrounding states for over 30 years," explained Kyler. "There are no systems available that can come close to the efficiency of a geothermal system. AirSource heat pumps come the closest, but are half the efficiency. A geothermal system can be up to 500% efficient [compared to AirSource]."

When considering how technology has grown and progressed in the past years, Kyler reflected on how geothermal systems have also advanced.

"Geothermal efficiencies have gotten better over the past 50 years with new technologies and refrigerant changes."

Even further, as one of the leading companies in geothermal system installation, Indiana Geothermal is looking to reframe the conversation surrounding it.

Kyler stated, "Our industry is historically not good at telling the geothermal story. We are trying to change that."

One way Kyler plans on doing so is by creating education opportunities ranging from government to businesses, as well as homeowners, on the benefits of geothermal.

In addition to owning Geothermal Indiana, Kyler also sits on the International Ground Source Heat Pump board of directors. She has installed these systems in her home, her rental house and even her barn, as well as having installed multiple systems for friends and family.

According to Kyler, "we breathe geothermal around here."

To learn more about Indiana Geothermal's systems, reach out to them at 317-829-1490 or visit their website at www.indianageothermal.com.

To learn more about Ball State's geothermal system, visit www.bsu.edu/about/geothermal.

This story was produced in part with financial support from Carbon Neutral Indiana. The reporting and production of this piece were overseen by faculty and/or staff within the Department of Journalism at Ball State University to ensure adherence to professional and ethical standards.

The candidates from both tickets introduced themselves to the audience, explaining who they are and what they want to let the audience know.

Addy Morey, the vice presidential candidate on the Representation, Innovation, Support and Engagement [R.I.S.E] ticket, is a second-year criminology major concentrating in criminal justice. Morey has been a part of SGA since her first year at Ball State.

Finley Gay, the vice presidential candidate on the WORK ticket, is a second-year legal studies major. Gay is a senator for the SGA Off-Campus committee and was the secretary of Delta Cap fraternity from January 25 to December 2025.

The first question the candidates were asked was, "What do you see as the role of the vice president in your administration?"

Gay answered the question first, saying that with the vice president role that he would run for would be the senate, connecting the senators as they write legislation.

"I would be heading up legislation, connecting with senators who are actually drafting, making sure they have all the resources and support necessary to accomplish their goals and fix the problems that they see on campus brought to them by their constituents," Gay said.

Morey said that she would work as a bridge between the upper administration at Ball State and the student body to get work done.

"You're supposed to be that bridge in between administration and the students, so being able to connect on these different things, including different committees, but also on the student level. We have a whole entire thing with supporting senators and [the] student government on our platform, which would have to do with checking in with the individual senator." Morey said.

A question for the R.I.S.E ticket was a point of discussion from the presidential debate: "A huge point of conflict was like Greek life representation. Could you contextualize what this underrepresentation of Greek life looks like, and tangible harms that are occurring to Greek life that you would need to address that are unique to them?"

Morey responded to the question, saying that due to Greek life making up to 10 percent of the student population at Ball State university that has to go through other councils, such as the InterFraternity Council and PanHellenic Association, that no other clubs have to.

"I am not a Greek life member, so I cannot directly speak on how they feel, but I can say that if a certain group feels underrepresented, we will advocate for their voice, because that is our job," Morey said.

The next question was directed towards both tickets, asking, "What do you both personally see is the biggest issue currently facing the student body?"

Gay said the biggest issue in his eyes is student safety, and that many students have expressed concerns about not feeling safe at all.

"It's very clear that a lot of students just don't feel college is a safe place for them anymore, which I think is a huge problem," Gay said.

Morey answered next, saying that it depends on who you ask and that R.I.S.K will campaign for "everyone's" problems.

"We've adapted different platform points, because if you're not adapting platform points as you're campaigning, are you really campaigning for the students, or are you campaigning for yourself? So we want to make sure that we're always advocating through those different things." Morey said.

The two tickets were then asked, "Can you identify one minority group that you guys are kind of talking about in your campaign, and how you plan for future legislation to help uplift it?"

Morey said that as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and being a survivor of sexual assault that she will "uplift" these communities by focusing on their safety.

"There's different things that are happening off campus that are also not shown here as a representation of those two minorities on campus, it's really easy for people just to like, generalize people. So you want to make sure that their voices are heard, and being a part of those groups, I especially want to make sure that their voices are heard." Morey said.

Gay said that while he is "not a part of any minority groups", he will work for any minority group.

"I do also want to emphasize that although your group might not be literally represented in our ticket, we will still work as hard as we can to address any issues or interests that you guys, any minority presents to us, or any group on campus presents to us, we'll work as hard as we can to evaluate that and implement it into the campus," Gay said.

One of the final questions asked of both tickets said, "Say you were to encounter someone that isn't as involved or as knowledgeable about either of your campaigns, and maybe even so apathetic, but still a part of the student body. What would be one thing you want to make sure they take away from this encounter with you about your campaign?"

Gay said that he would want the people walking away from their campaign to understand what SGA is structurally and organizationally.

"I want them to know that we are somebody they can go to me personally, but also SGA as an organization, somebody they can go to if they're having a problem, because there are honestly so many blind spots within our current SGA structure," Gay said.

Morey answered by agreeing with Gay on introducing what SGA is and that she would want them walking away with knowing what the R.I.S.E ticket will be adding.

"I think it's also really important that when we're talking to the student, not only are we giving them a viable definition of what student government is, but also the ways that we're going to integrate student government into a more approachable association, rather than just a body that's randomly there," Morey said.

The next SGA candidate debate will be held on Feb. 12 in the Teachers College building, room 120 at 5:30 p.m.

Contact Landon Jones via email at landon.jones2@bsu.edu.

Tonight: Clouds decreasing in the early evening. Temperatures dropping below the freezing point, with 22 degrees being the low. Calm winds remain throughout the night.

Tomorrow: Below freezing start to the morning. Warming up to 44 degrees by noon, and reaching our peak temperature of 45 degrees in the late afternoon. Clouds increasing in the evening.

Seven-Day Forecast: High temperatures in the mid-40s for Friday and Saturday. Overcast skies on Saturday leading to rain showers Sunday morning. Temperatures trending in the low-to-mid 50s after Saturday. Low temperatures will stay above that freezing point after Friday night. Peak temperature of the week is 61 degrees for Wednesday!

- Weather Forecaster Elia Stowers

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

This past year, Zion became the head coach for the eighth-grade basketball team at Northside Middle School. A year ago, during an event at Lincoln Park with the Indiana Black Expo, a woman approached him and suggested he take the job. At first, he said no. She reached out again, and he changed his mind.

"I believe that God needed me to be in this role," Strong said.

The team has improved since he took over in November. Many of the kids were getting into trouble at the start. Strong made it his goal to teach them more than just the game of basketball. He focused on manners and helping them grow into young men.

"I told the kids that we could lose every game this year, but if I don't help you guys become a better person every day then my job has failed." Strong said.

He views the players as young leaders who can do great things for the community in the future. While coaching, Strong got help from supporters and was able to hand out 82 pairs of basketball shoes to the boys and girls teams in grades six through eight at Northside at no cost to the players.

Strong's motivation comes from his late father, Marwin Strong. Marwin worked for the Muncie Housing Authority, and he was all about giving back to the community. The father and son had previously planned to launch a clothing brand based on Marwin's book "Back from the Shadow of Death." Zion tore his ACL and meniscus twice while playing basketball at Muncie Central, and soon after, his dad passed away.

Out of that difficult time, Strong created "4everLasting" to honor his dad and to continue his legacy, a clothing line that launched in 2023. The idea is to show people how to inspire, overcome and persevere.

"God taught me where I can tell people how to inspire, overcome, and persevere forever everlasting," Strong said.

It's been a strong way for him to share that message.

He also started Superator Inc, a nonprofit organization. The name is Latin for "overcomer," and it ties the clothing brand and the nonprofit together.

He first renovated the basketball court at Heekin Park. Then, the CEO of the Housing Authority asked Strong to handle another job, creating the Marwin Strong Park. To fund it, they held a charity game at Ball State University, raising $10,000. Every dollar will go into rebuilding Munsyana Park and turning it into the Marwin Strong Park, providing things such as new concrete, a parking lot, basketball goals, street lights and so much more.

"It's an investment to the youth," Strong said. "The park will be a youth development campus, not just a park. There will be so much to help uplift this community."

Strong's vision is to make Muncie a stronger place, like the cities such as Fishers and Noblesville. He thinks local talent can shine if given the right support. With 4everLasting and Superator Inc, he wants to go big.

"The goal is to be able to teach people how to inspire, overcome, and persevere," he said. "We are going to shock the world."

A major event is set for July 23 to July 26 at Marwin Strong Park and Heekin Park called Summer Showdown 2026, where it will be one of the biggest basketball tournaments this summer. Zion Strong is proving that one person's efforts can lift up a whole community.

Contact Jacksen White with comments at jacksen.white@bsu.edu

Q: What is Randolph Farms, and how did it begin?

A: Randolph Farms is a family-owned landfill and recycling center in Randolph County. Our company [Best Way Disposal] has owned it for about 30 years, but the landfill has actually been there longer than that.

Q: What is landfill leachate, and what are its effects on the environment?

A: This is the wastewater that comes from the landfill - all of the water that filters its way down through the waste and gets captured at the liner. Before this project at Randolph Farms, we didn't have a lot of good disposal options, so they evaporated the leachate to reduce the volume using landfill gas. However, this was a waste of an energy source and put more pollution in the air.

Q: Why is Randolph Farms different from other landfills?

A: In 2018, we put in a system to upgrade the landfill gas to make it usable as a fuel for vehicles. Randolph Farms is kind of a neat project because it's what they call a closed-loop system. The landfill produces the gas, then processes that gas and makes it similar to natural gas that comes from the pipeline. Then, Best Way Disposal, which is also family-owned, has trucks on site, and so we use that fuel in those trucks.

Q: How has this switch impacted the environment?

A: Landfill gas is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of the waste that gets put into the landfill. Everything that gets thrown away and goes into the landfill, the organic material in there is going to break down, and through biological processes, it breaks down and creates a gas, and by regulation, that gas has to be collected and at least flared. So a lot of landfills in the past, that's what they would do, just flare that gas and burn it off.

One of the reasons that has to be captured is because that landfill gas is about 50% methane. Methane is like a really potent greenhouse gas, so that has to be captured; however, if it's burned, you're losing an energy opportunity. Also, by burning that highly concentrated greenhouse gas, it is just turning it into [carbon dioxide] and releasing it into the atmosphere, which is not great.

Q: How does the landfill convert the gases to make them usable?

A: By using our system, we take these gases that were once about 50% methane, 45% [carbon dioxide] and 5% others, then process them to be the 90% methane that is usable for vehicle fuel.

The primary process that does that is a membrane process. If you think about it, it's similar to reverse osmosis with water, where the water passes through the membrane, and everything that's not water doesn't go through the membrane. For gases, there are similar kinds of membranes that separate the [carbon dioxide] on one side and the methane on the other side.

Q: How have those methods progressed since?

A: When we started, we had one upgrading machine, and we were producing fuel for about 10 trucks. Then, around 2020, we added another upgrading machine and some more fueling equipment, and more trucks. Over time, it's grown.

Now we have three machines out there fueling about 42 trucks.

Q: Have you experienced anything unexpected since beginning this project?

A: This is a kind of special project because of it being a closed loop, so the things we're doing are a bit unique. With that, we have to figure out how to address these challenges that no one else has seen before.

Sometimes the upgrading process can be a bit finicky when it comes to the quality of the gas, because what comes out of the landfill can vary. Due to that variation, it can be difficult to continue to make the gas every day.

In addressing that, there's a couple of folks who work really hard, trying to maximize that gas collection quality, so we're really thankful for them.

Q: How much carbon emission has been reduced since beginning these projects?

A: The renewable natural gas, or RNG, the fuel that we're making here at Randolph Farms, is the equivalent of about 450,000 gallons of diesel fuel. We're removing that consumption and replacing it with the RNG.

Also, if we didn't do that, we would be flaring that gas as a source of combustion, sending even more bad into the air. So in this project, we avoid both that and burning 450,000 gallons of diesel. I think that's a key reduction right there.

More about Randolph Farms and its family-run company, Best Way, is on the way! Stay tuned with Cardinal Media for an additional story on how this family business grew to cover much of the Midwest.

This story was produced in part with financial support from Carbon Neutral Indiana. The reporting and production of this piece were overseen by faculty and/or staff within the Department of Journalism at Ball State University to ensure adherence to professional and ethical standards.

Today: Expect a high of 38 degrees with the winds staying steady throughout the day, not reaching above the 5 mph threshold until later in the evening. Melting snow should be our main concern throughout the day as temperatures will be above freezing and may cause some slick spots. Conditions will be rather cloudy and chilly throughout the day.

Tomorrow: A coat will definitely still be needed at the bus stop in the morning, even though we are starting to warm up slightly; it is still going to be below freezing in the early hours. Heading into noon, expect winds to pick up, reaching 10 mph coming in from the south southwest, along with rapidly increasing temperatures reaching 42 degrees by noon. Conditions throughout the day will stay persistent with partly cloudy skies. Approaching rush hour, temperatures will be at their peak, 45 degrees, and will soon start to steadily decrease to our low of 31 degrees for the night. 

Seven-Day Forecast: Overall, we are seeing some hope and relief of the very chilly temperatures that we have been experiencing the past few weeks for our region. Today, temperatures will stay chilly, but as we head into the weekend, we are seeing above average temperatures reaching the upper 50's next week. Although Sunday and Wednesday both bring chances of rain, fair conditions remain throughout the rest of the week with consistent increasing temperatures in the forecast. Looking forward to seeing some warmer weather and the grass peeking out again!

- Weather Forecaster Kendra Heath

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

The business's story starts in the 1920s, with D. Henry Roller's recipe originating in Muncie. Roller guided Dee Lowrey, Lowery's founder, teaching him his skills. Through generations, the business stayed within the family. The current president of the operation, Charles Joseph, is the grandson of Dee Lowery's first cousin. Joseph is determined to maintain the family's original recipe.

"We still hand dip every single piece individually. Where everyone else has switched over to modern equipment, and rovers like the chocolate waterfall, " Joseph said. "By continuing the old fashioned tradition of hand-dipping, our chocolates contain no preservatives, no extra oils or minerals so that taste shines through and the quality of the ingredients."

Behind the scenes, multiple employees can be seen dipping ingredients such as peanuts or caramels into melted chocolate. Chocolatier Cheryl Brown has been with the business for more than 12 years, and she believes still more to learn about the technique each day.

"Learning all the temperatures and ins and outs, all the different marks we make, there's a lot to it," Brown said. "There's a lot to be learned."

One of their most popular items sold for this time of year is the chocolate covered strawberry which is also decorated individually. Customers can choose between making a custom chocolate box with their favorites or pick out a pre-arranged Valentine's Day assortment.

If you're in need of a last minute gift idea, Lowery's also offers online orders which can be delivered straight to your loved ones.

If you're interested in placing an order or learning more about the shop's history, you can visit their website for more information.

Contact Allison Branecki with comments at allison.branecki@bsu.edu.

One thing she had during those two seasons was familiar faces, and people she came into the program with, but 2026 looks completely different as Ball State welcomes 11 new players to the squad. But despite a lot of new faces, Coach Peña has more than enough confidence with what she saw during the pre-season.

"The team looks really good right now. They're really excited, and we're putting things together. Our message in the fall was "iron sharpens iron," so that's really been our theme throughout our training. Also, just competing one versus another, so that's what's fueling us right now. We're just really ready to get out there and beat up on someone else," Peña said.

The fire to go out and win does not just come from the intensity Peña has seen at practice, but also the play.

"But this year, it's a really different team than last year and the years before when it comes to our strengths," Peña said. "Offensively, we're gonna bring different things. We're going to be able to score in a lot of different ways."

As Peña shed light on the new squad, so did one of the returners, Redshirt Junior Grace Spencer, who was sidelined all but the first four games last year due to a season-ending injury.

"Everybody is bringing something different to this team, so it's a completely different team than we had last year, and I love it," Spencer said. "Just getting to know everybody and seeing what they get to contribute to this team and just making Ball State Softball better."

Along with her excitement about the team, Spencer is more than excited to finally be fully healthy and get back out on the diamond after almost a full year off.

"It was definitely hard getting back in the beginning. I wasn't with my teammates for a little while when I went back home to get my surgery, but once I was back with everybody, all of my teammates were really great at just lifting me up and keeping me in the loop with everything," Spencer said.

As Spencer is now fully healthy, she is looking forward to not only getting back out on the field, but also being able to be apart of road trips again

"I'm most excited to just be with the team and travel this year. That was one of the hardest things, being back in Muncie while everybody was out playing. So, I'm just excited to be back with the team and traveling with everyone."

With 11 new faces and 14 familiar ones, the key is building chemistry, not only with the returners, but with everyone on the team.

"The first day [the newcomers] stepped foot on campus, our main theme was connection. I think one of our separators this year is really going to be the bonds that they've developed all throughout the fall, [along with their] buy-in and commitment. That's truly one of our strengths and our separators," Peña said.

So far in the pre-season, the players have shown a true connection, even without playing a full length game together.

"They really have each other's back every single day. They lift each other up, they use each other to lean on. I'm really confident about what they've put in and [I'm] just really eager to see how it pays off on the field."

Peña said the team's focus has to be on themselves, as they still have 14 non-conference games before opening up MAC play against Akron Mar. 13. The head coach recognizes the team that plays in these non-conference games and tournaments will not be the same team that opens up MAC play, and her focus is on the team improving every day.

"We're just trying to get better every single day, and we're trying to execute our systems and our processes to the best of our ability," Peña said. "it's really just about continuing to build and strengthen ourselves when it comes to our systems and just trying to compete at an elite level every single day."

As the Cardinals season kicked off on Feb. 6 at the FGCU Kickoff Classic, they now sit with a record of 2-3 through their first five games. Ball State was able to outlast Long Island twice, winning 10-5 in game one, and 12-2 in game two. The Cardinals then fell to Charlotte, Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) and Southern Illinois.

Looking forward, Ball State will travel down south for the 901 Classic (hosted by Memphis) which kicks off on Feb. 13. The other participating teams include Southern Indiana, Memphis, Kansas City and Evansville.

Contact Rylan Crum with questions via email at Rylan.Crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum.

Sean Lovelace, chair of the English department, confirmed there were five incidents during the university's 2025 fall semester involving five different individuals, all appearing to be male, who entered an English 103 class without permission.

This university core curriculum course, as described on the Ball State website, "introduces students to principles of diverse rhetorics and writing processes, as well as research processes and information literacy."

The Ball State Daily News has not received any confirmed reports of this happening at other colleges on campus, but is still investigating.

However, the incidents that did occur involved three instructors and occurred in three different campus buildings: the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, the Robert Bell Building and the Art and Journalism (AJ) Building. One instructor in particular experienced three of the five documented disruptions, including two that happened during the same class period in AJ 225.

During that class period, Lovelace said the first individual entered about 20 minutes in and refused to leave when asked.

"That person kept saying, 'Why won't you let me stay here? Why won't you let me learn?'" Lovelace said.

He said the individual eventually left, but it was "kind of unusual."

Minutes later, an "older gentleman" entered the same classroom through a side door in the lecture hall, "clutching a backpack." After that individual was asked to leave, the instructor locked the classroom doors and continued teaching as normal.

Lovelace said none of the instructors canceled class, and all of the individuals eventually left after being asked.

"I think the great thing has been, so far - and I hope there's no other incidents - they left," Lovelace said.

He said their main priority is "to look out for students' safety" and then provide "the best learning environment that they can have without all these disruptions."

According to Ball State policy, classrooms are not open to the public. In an October 2025 email statement, a university spokesperson confirmed that only students enrolled in or auditing a class, or individuals invited by an instructor, are permitted to attend.

"If anyone who fails to meet one of those characterizations attempts to sit in on a class, the instructor will ask that person to leave, and the university expects that person to comply," the spokesperson said.

Following the incidents, the dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities (CSH) distributed official guidance via email to department chairs on responding to classroom disruptions.

The guidance, titled "Response Guidance for Disruptions in Academic Spaces," references Ball State University's Non-Commercial Expressive Activity and Assembly on University Property policy, which states that "no person or group may disrupt teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or any other university functions."

According to the document, instructors are advised to follow a three-step response process intended to "inform, de-escalate, and allow the person or group to comply" with university policy. The first response instructs officials to say, "Please be quiet. You are disrupting [insert university function]."

If the disruption continues, the second response directs instructors to warn the individual that while they "may have a right to express personal opinions," the classroom is "not the time, and this is not the place," and that continued disruption will result in being escorted from the area.

If the individual still does not comply, the guidance advises contacting the University Police Department (UPD) to escort them from the area.

However, the Ball State chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has expressed concern about the incidents and how instructors within the CSH department are being advised to handle them.

Alicia Van Duyn, co-secretary of the chapter and a psychology graduate student at Ball State, said faculty members are concerned the issue is not being addressed proactively.

"I think it's particularly concerning that [Ball State is] pushing it on to the professors instead of trying to make some statement publicly as a university," she said. "That's putting a lot of responsibility on instructors, who already have a ton of responsibilities, and honestly don't necessarily get paid a ton, to also be policing their own classrooms and [be] vigilant."

Van Duyn said, in her opinion, dismissing class may be the safest option in some situations because it "puts the safety of the students as a priority."

While she said she loves that the CSH is encouraging instructors to use UPD as a resource when needed, she added that involving police "only aggravates some situations."

She especially worries that, given "the amount of violence that happens across the U.S., and especially on college campuses," continuing class during a disruption could become "a potential situation of danger" if students are left in the classroom while it's happening.

She believes the disruptions seem linked to Indiana's requirement that public universities post course syllabi online. The law, included in House Bill 1001 and now Public Law 213, requires public access to course syllabi but does not specify what information must be included.

"Instructors weren't necessarily taught or told … what exactly to include in their publicly posted syllabi, and so if you review syllabi, even from a single department, they vary so much between the amount of information that individuals include," Van Duyn said.

While Van Duyn agrees that publicly available syllabi can unintentionally expose classroom locations and meeting times, Lovelace said the English department has no evidence linking the disruptions directly to the requirement to post syllabi.

"This is the first [school year] that we've had to post … our policy and syllabi [online], because that's a state law. But we don't know if there's any connection between that and these people showing up in the class," he said.

Lovelace said he forwarded the CSH guidance to the English faculty when the incidents happened in the fall, but he confirmed via email that the department has not experienced any disturbances since.

He said the English department is tracking the situation "closely," explaining that they will "have to figure something out" if the incidents continue.

"It adds anxiety," Lovelace said. "If you don't feel you have a safe space, it's really hard to learn."

Still, Van Duyn said faculty members remain concerned the issue could eventually spread beyond English classes.

"This is an issue that could potentially impact just about every college on campus, and especially if it isn't dealt with early on," she said.

If you are a student or instructor who has experienced classroom disturbances similar to those described in this story, contact the Ball State Daily News at editor@bsudailynews.com.

Contact Meghan Braddy via email at meghan.braddy@bsu.edu.

The Indiana Senate voted 48-0 onHouse Bill 1035, one of the first of the 2026 session to reach the governor. It remained unchanged from the versionapproved 93-0 by the House in January.

Dubbed a "Let Kids Be Kids" measure, bill author Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, said the goal is to draw clearer lines between ordinary, age-appropriate independence and actual neglect.

Under current state law, a minor can be alleged to be a child in need of services, or CHINS, based solely on lack of supervision - even when the activity is common and age-appropriate.

On the Senate floor Tuesday, bill sponsor Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis, emphasized the research and rationale behind the proposal.

"Research consistently shows that age-appropriate independence … strengthens decision-making, risk assessment and self control. It can improve social skills, increases resilience and confidence, and has been found to correlate with better academic engagement and problem solving," Carrasco said. "Children who are allowed sensible independence learn how to navigate minor risks, develop situational awareness and are less dependent on constant adult supervision."

She argued that over the past several decades "as a society, we have tended toward over protection in the physical realm, while allowing children access to every dark corner of the digital world."

The measure defines "independent activity" to include walking or traveling on foot or by bicycle, playing outdoors, remaining at home, or staying in a stationary vehicle without direct supervision.

It additionally specifies that a child is not a CHINS "solely because the child engages in an independent activity," unless a parent or guardian acted "so reckless as to endanger the health or safety of the child," taking into account the child's "maturity, condition and ability."

The legislation also creates an affirmative defense in criminal neglect cases, allowing a parent to argue they "reasonably believed that an independent activity was not dangerous," placing the burden on prosecutors to disprove that belief beyond a reasonable doubt.

Supporters testified in House and Senate committees that the changes will reduce subjective reporting and free Indiana's Department of Child Services to focus resources on true cases of danger -while still preserving state authority in instances where children are actually at risk.

"When the law is vague, three things happen: parents cannot reasonably know what conduct is lawful, agencies are forced to investigate low-risk situations, and courts are left to sort out cases that never should have been brought in the first place," Carrasco said, noting that DCS "ultimately closes many of these cases, but only after a family has endured repeated government intrusion."

"In my opinion, that amounts to process failure," she continued. "It's okay - and dare I say, preferred -for today's youth to have childhoods much like the ones that you and I experienced."