BOSTON - The suspected shooter who murdered two Brown University students on Saturday and an MIT physics professor on Monday has been found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility.

"Tonight our Providence neighbors can finally breathe a little easier," Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said at a press conference at Brown University held about 30 minutes after the killer's body was found on Thursday. "I want to thank the people of Providence for stepping up and coming together during an extraordinarily difficult time."

FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Ted Docks said "We got him."

"State, local and federal law enforcement officials have been working hand-in-hand around the clock to identify the shooter and prevent him from inflicting further harm," U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley said at a later press conference at the federal courthouse in Boston.

Brown University President Christina Paxson said "Nothing can fully bring closure to the lives that have been shattered by last week's gun violence.

"Now, however, our community has the opportunity to move forward and begin a path of repair, recovery and healing," Paxson's statement continued. "I want to thank the dedicated city, state and federal law enforcement agencies that worked tirelessly on this case. We hope this brings an increased sense of safety for our community."

The shooter identified

Authorities identified the shooting suspect as Claudio Neves-Valente and confirmed that the 48-year-old man was also tied to the slaying of an MIT professor in his home in Brookline.

Federal authorities had the same day issued a criminal complaint for Neves-Valente's arrest on a charge of "transporting a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony with the firearm." That complaint and an FBI affidavit in support of the charges was unsealed following his death.

Neves-Valente is a Portuguese national. The MIT professor, Nuno Loureiro, was also Portuguese.

U.S. Attorney Foley said that Neves-Valente, whose name authorities learned only within the previous 24 hours, and Loureiro attended the same academic program from 1995 to 2000. She said that authorities believe the two men knew each other but did not know when they had last contact.

Colonel Oscar L. Perez, Jr., the Providence chief of police, said that Neves-Valente was on a student visa in the country and had applied for a Green Card and had obtained legal status.

Foley said that Neves-Valente was residing in Miami when he came to Boston, rented a car -a bluish-gray Nissan Sentra - and began to stake out the Brown campus before Saturday's shooting. He then murdered Loureiro and "immediately … drove to a storage facility in Salem, New Hampshire, where he had rented a storage unit in November of this year."

Foley said that extensive financial investigation traced Neves-Valente's movements and activities. She described him as "sophisticated in hiding his tracks" and had even replaced the license plate of his rented vehicle with an unregistered Maine license plate.

Brown President Paxson said that Neves-Valente was a Brown graduate student in the physics master's of science to PhD track for three semesters from 2000 to 2001, when he stopped taking courses. He formally withdrew from the program in 2003 and "has no active affiliation" with the school.

He took only physics classes, Paxson said, most of which are held in the Barus & Holley building where Saturday's deadly shooting took place.

"While Brown remains committed to searching all institutional systems to identify any pertinent information to assist law enforcement, we have thus far found no indication of any concerns pertaining to conduct or any public safety interactions during the short time Neves Valente was enrolled as a graduate student," Paxson said.

Perez said he wanted to "offer my deepest condolences to the families, the victims. It was for them that this work was put together to put this work together to make sure that they get the justice they deserve and that this person was held accountable."

"The unthinkable happened in our state, the unthinkable happened in Providence, the unthinkable happened at Brown University," Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee said. "And we will be forever changed."

Authorities say that a person of interest seen interacting with the shooter "blew this case wide open" when he came forward to police, identified himself as the person in the video and provided key information.

The body

Federal agents, search warrant in hand, breached a storage unit door at Extra Space Storage in Salem, New Hampshire, at around 9 p.m. Thursday, U.S. Attorney Foley said.

Inside, authorities found the suspected shooter dead by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, with two firearms lying beside his body. No other objects were found inside, Foley said, adding that investigators were still searching the unit and area for evidence as she spoke. Authorities confirmed he was their suspect through the identification of objects seen in surveillance video from Brown University, including a distinctive satchel he wore.

"This is the evidence we have right now," Foley said in how authorities concluded this was the body of the shooter. "We are coming to you tonight because the federal complaint was unsealed and we wanted to provide you with the information and ensure the public that law enforcement collectively believe that we have identified the person and that person is dead."

Perez said that the investigation really took off when investigators found a vehicle of interest that they then tracked to a car rental in Massachusetts and were able to get the suspect's name from there.

The Herald was on the ground in Salem, New Hampshire, as police and federal authorities surrounded the self-storage facility on Hampshire Road off of Route 28, just north of the Massachusetts border.

The New Hampshire development came not long after sources said that investigators were probing a possible connection between the two shootings.

The new investigative details pushed back a press conference Thursday at Brown University originally scheduled for 4 p.m. that did not begin until 9:35 p.m. A federal press conference was held roughly an hour later from the U.S. District Court in Boston.

MIT connection

Media outlets, including the Boston Herald, confirmed many hours before it was announced that investigators had linked the two shootings.

The detail was first reported by WPRI- who reported they were told this by "senior law enforcement officials." A law enforcement source also told the Herald both fatal shootings "are connected" and an arrest will come "soon."

The link was a new one because as late as Tuesday, Boston FBI SAC Docks told reporters that investigators were not aware of a link.

"At this time, there seems to be no connection as it relates to that particular incident," Docks said at a press conference. He added that the bureau was in contact with the Massachusetts State Police and that any evidence of their connection would be shared.

Foley said it was in "the last 24 to 48 hours … that the link began to be established."

New Hampshire

The Herald arrived at the storage facility location a little after 7 p.m. and found a significant law enforcement presence already at the location, just north of the Massachusetts border. The road was shut down to traffic and police turned away residents who live in the closed-off zone.

Providence Police were joined by other law enforcement agencies, including local, state, and federal. The Herald spotted agents from at least the U.S. Marshals service and the FBI, and authorities have indicated that even more agencies, including the ATF, were involved.

Law enforcement from multiple agencies continued to come to Salem through the evening, with a dozen or more police vehicles seen heading to Hampshire Road at 8:50 p.m. Massachusetts license plates could be seen on multiple unmarked law enforcement vehicles. FBI evidence response team members could be seen donning gloves and carrying buckets just after Neves-Valente's body was found.

Police in Methuen, Massachusetts, which shares a border with Salem, NH, confirmed the presence of law enforcement in the area, including from its own department, but said "there is no information indicating an imminent risk to the public or residents of Methuen.

"However, we encourage everyone to remain vigilant and exercise heightened caution," the department added in a statement. "In particular, if you observe any individuals on foot who appear out of place, unfamiliar to the area, or behaving in a manner that seems unusual or suspicious, please report it."

Methuen PD Chief Scott McNamara's statement did not explicitly connect the activity to the Brown University or MIT professor killings from earlier in the weekend, but said that the activity "is connected to an ongoing effort to locate a suspect in an active investigation into a recent death."

The shootings

Two were killed and nine others were wounded in the Saturday shooting at Brown University in Providence. The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. inside the Barus & Holley engineering building, where, according to the school's academic calendar, finals were taking place.

Authorities have since identified the two deceased victims as Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov and Ella Cook. Authorities have not identified the people wounded.

Then on Monday, MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was shot multiple times inside his Gibbs Street home in Brookline, a Boston suburb about 50 miles north of Providence. The professor of nuclear science and engineering directed the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT since last year and has taught at the school since January 2016, according to his LinkedIn page.

Authorities in Providence released video and still images from those videos of the shooting suspect, who can be seen wearing a dark jacket, mask and hat as he walked around campus hours before the shooting. Authorities are continuing to ask the public for any information, with the FBI setting up a dedicated tip webpage at FBI.gov/brownuniversityshooting. Tipsters can contact the FBI by phone at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Providence Police Department at 401-272-3121.

A Muncie plastics plant has told the state it's closing its doors permanently.

Spartech has 125 full-time employees. In arequired noticeto the state of Indiana, the company says it will close its Memorial Drive location and all positions will be "transferred or permanently laid off." The company says it will start its layoff schedule on December 23 and fully close by February 13.

Spartech is not a union facility. The Memorial Drive location opened in the 1980s as part of Ball Corporation, then was acquired by Spartech.

The company is headquartered near St. Louis and has about a dozen facilities across the country. The Muncie plant supplied packaging for the food and medical industries.

Last year at this time, Spartech closed its plant in Paulding, Ohio, which affected more than 100 full-time employees.

Stephanie Wiechmann is IPR's Managing Editor and "All Things Considered" Host. Contact her atslwiechmann@bsu.edu.

The Cardinals will begin their season Jan. 3.

Contact the BallState Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

Beginning Jan. 1, more than half a million low-income Indiana residents won't be able to use government food assistance to buy sugary drinks or candy. And state officials are preparing retailers and participants for the changes.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is the nation's largest anti-hunger initiative.

But leaders in Indiana and beyond aim to reshape what recipients can buy, citing poor public health metrics.

"This isn't the usual top-down, one-size-fits-all public health agenda," Braun said in a Monday news release. "We're focused on root causes … and taking on the problems in government programs that are contributing to making our communities less healthy."

The changes, dubbed "Smart SNAP," are part of the "Make Indiana Healthy Again" planlaunchedin April by Gov. Mike Braun's administration, with celebrity support.

That included an executiveorderdirecting FSSA to request federal permission to make the changes. The U.S. Department of Agricultureapprovedthe waiver in May.

Sugary drinks and candy are off the SNAP table beginning Jan. 1.

Those are defined as non-alcoholic beverages with natural or artificial sweeteners. Concoctions with milk or milk substitutes - soy, rice and so on - don't count, and neither do drinks exclusively sweetened with real fruit or vegetable juice.

That means soda, energy drinks, sports drinks like Gatorade and sweetened iced tea are banned from SNAP uses, but unsweetened iced tea, fruit juice or electrolyte replacement drinks like Pedialyte are still covered, according toFSSA.

Candy, meanwhile, is defined as a preparation of sugar, honey or other sweeteners combined with chocolate, nuts, fruit or flavorings - not including products that require refrigeration.

Candy bars, marshmallows, fruit strips, popcorn and mints meet the definition, perFSSA, but ice cream, fruit itself and potato chips are still allowed.

Effective date nears

The agency has conducted "multiple" meetings with providers and contacted provider associations ahead of the Jan. 1 implementation date, the news release said.

Retailers must update their point-of-sale systems to exclude the soon-to-be restricted items, train staff on the changes and submit proof to FSSA.

Retailers and researchers havecriticized the forthcoming bans, arguing it may particularly hurt businesses near state lines, as well as SNAP enrollees who don't have regular access to a refrigerator, a stove or transportation - limiting their food options to whatever's shelf stable.

More than 570,000 Hoosiers used the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to help pay for groceries in September,accordingto the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration.

They were issued a collective $111 million in benefits that month, or an average of about $195.00 per person.

SNAP benefits are provided on an electronic benefits transfer, or EBT, card. It's used like a debit card and is accepted at most grocery stores.

SNAP enrollees already can't purchase hot or prepared foods,alcoholic beverages, or tobacco under federal rules.

The benefit is 100% federally funded and administrative costs are split 50% with states - for now.

Indiana will likely be on the hook for more SNAP costs in the future, under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

States will pay a percentage of benefit costs, depending on their error rates, starting October 2027. They'll have to take on 75% of the administrative costs even sooner, beginning October 2026.

Those changes could cost Indiana up to $264 million more annually, according to FSSAestimates.

As far as all these Disney sequels go, I liked Zootopia 2 overall. It didn't have the same magic as the original, but it didn't try to. I appreciated the more emotional, character-driven story over the magical worldbuilding in the first movie.

Seal-iesly Good Writing

One of the things that was so magical about the first movie was that it introduced the viewer to this utopia and then broke that ideal in half. The viewer went right along with Judy, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, as she experienced her expectation being crushed, instead of the realities of living in a city.

In the second movie, the viewer did not expect that all the corruption was gone from Zootopia, nor did Judy and Nick, played by Jason Bateman, since it had only been two weeks in between the events of the two movies. The writers didn't waste a second revealing even more corruption about the leaders of the city and putting roadblocks in the way of Judy and Nick getting to the bottom of it.

Characters

Overall, my favorite of the new characters introduced was Mayor Winddancer, played by the great Patrick Warburton. Warburton's iconic voice was the only one that could've pulled off Winddancer. The writers had a clear goal of the useless punching bag mayor, and they succeeded with flying colors. Couple that with Warburton's stellar performance and you get the whole theatre laughing out loud most times he was on screen.

Character animators are actors in their own right, as shown by Mayor Winddancer's physical acting throughout the movie. Physical comedy is something I rarely see done right in animation, and Zootopia 2 knocked it out of the park!

Gary De'Snake, voiced by Ke Huy Quan, is another amazing example of this. Disney has a long history of animating snakes well, and Gary is no exception. His movement as an organic creature was so well done, and the fluid movements made me believe he was a snake, not just a centipede with a sock on.

One of the main things I disliked about the movie was Gary's name. He has such an original and iconic character design that he deserves a name to match. I am a sucker for a good pun, and characters like Nibbles Maplestick, voiced by Fortune Feimster, Mr. Big, voiced by Maurice LaMarche, and Captain Hoggbottom, voiced by Michelle Gomez, are some of my favorite punny names. There was a lot of potential with a snake or viper-based pun, or at least an 's' name so introductions could have that extra chuckle.

You would imagine a snake character's main way of fighting would be his venomous fangs, but as they were so demonized by the corrupt leaders of Zootopia, it was a nice touch that Gary didn't use them to fight. The only time his fangs are used is by accident, and Gary even carries an anecdote with him and is shown with a card reading "Sorry I fanged you" at the end of the movie.

Un-frog-ettable Soundtrack and Environment

There was a lot of amazing subtlety in the environment. The audience walked into theatres not needing more overall shots of the different parts of the city, which freed up a lot of room for things like the way the benches in the De'Snake's old home curved and the subtlety of the flower designs with repeating motifs, such as the use of yellow and pattern design that reminded me of quilts. It made me laugh out loud to see the references to music festival Burning Man (or Burning Mammal in the film) and classic film The Shining.

The soundtrack, done by Michael Giacchino, definitely lived up to the first movie. Giacchino writes my favorite chase music of all time. He also really knows how to keep it whimsical and jaunty in the midst of that.

Shakira also did a great job with what little the movie gave her to work with. While giving up the magical wide shots of Zootopia was a good idea, it left Shakira's musical cameo with very little. She ended up just being in the context of her character's usual performance, although it was nice to see her get a supporting characterization.

Conclusssssion

Overall, there was surprisingly little I disliked about Zootopia 2. It was really refreshing to see a character-driven plot and emotion-first writing that didn't feel like a cheap cash grab. It wasn't trying to one-up the original or capture the same magic in any way, and it was really awesome to see that.

Sources: IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb,IMDb

Images: Disney, Disney

Contact Ashton Weir with comments at ashton.weir@bsu.edu or on Instagram @ash.art_0303.

Holiday Night Market during Third Thursday

Finish up your holiday shopping during Muncie Farmer's Market Third Thursday event Dec. 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. at MadJax Maker Force.

According to the event's description via Facebook attendees can "…enjoy the Hoosier excellence of our local Artisans from the Muncie Makers Market…[and] our unique and high quality offerings and support our creative community."

All are welcome; visitors do not need to be 21 and over to partake in the festivities, according to the event details.

Muncie Civic's "All Out for Christmas"

Tickets are still available for Muncie Civic's "All Out for Christmas" now through Dec. 21. The play, written by local playwright David Taylor Little, features music by Jim Rhinehart.

The show tells the story of a Broadway star who returns to her hometown in Indiana to help save the local radio station by acting in their annual Christmas broadcast, according to Muncie Civic's website. The show is open to general audiences.

Visit Made in Muncie Pottery

Want to get crafty or give someone on your list a one-of-a-kind, handmade Christmas gift this year? Pay a visit to Made in Muncie Pottery, located in downtown Muncie along South Walnut Street.

The business accepts walk-ins and is open Wednesday through Friday from 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 to 8 p.m., according to their website.

Muncie Civic's "Miracle on 34th Street"

Tickets are still available for Muncie Civic's Mainstage performance of "Miracle on 34 Street" now through Dec. 21, with an audio description performance Dec. 18.

The performance is a musical adaption of the beloved George Seaton holiday classic, according to Muncie Civic's website.

Muncie Children's Museum New Year's Eve Bash

Muncie Children's Museum (MCM) will host its annual New Year's Eve Bash Dec. 31. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. and end with a balloon drop at 4:30 p.m. The celebration is designed with families in mind, according to the museum's website.

All activities are included with admission and free for MCM members.

Minnetrista's Community Portrait: Winter

According to Minnetrista Museums and Gardens calendar of events, the museum's "A Community Portrait: Winter" is open now through Feb. 1, 2026. The art gallery " turns our neighbors into art through the beauty of portrait photography by Tom Styrkowicz," according to the event calendar.

The three-year project seeks to " illuminate our community through the unique individuals who call it home." All are welcome to walk through the themed gallery as part of their seasonal celebration.

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

A Horror Veteran Returns

We received yet another trailer for the next Resident Evil game, Resident Evil: Requiem. While this game was a known entity, what was not (at least publicly) was the fact that Leon S. Kennedy (Nick Apostolides) would be returning as the game's second protagonist. It seems like his half of the game will be more action-focused, while Grace Ashcroft's (Jeannie Tirado) half will be more horror-oriented.

A Legend Unearthed… Twice

We also received news of not one, but two new Tomb Raider games. Tomb Raider: Catalyst is a new entry in the series set for release in 2027, and Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is a remake of the original game set to release in 2026. Both games are being developed in Unreal Engine 5, giving a bold new direction for the franchise that seems to harken back to some of the series' older entries. Alix Wilton Regan will play the role of the legendary Lara Croft in both titles.

Spiritual Successors to Dragons and Drones

Creator of the Yakuza series, Toshihiro Nagoshi, announced a game under his new studio. Gang of Dragon appears to be a gritty Japanese crime drama that draws on the more serious Yakuza games of old. Korean actor Ma Dong-Seok appears to be playing the protagonist in this one.

Speaking of star performances, we heard the voice of Stellan Skarsgård in a trailer for Ontos, a new science fiction thriller from the creators of sci-fi horror game Soma. This game was cited as being a sort of spiritual sequel to the former, so I'm intrigued to hear more about it.

Somehow, the Old Republic Returned

The show started with the announcement of a brand new Star Wars game, but not just any Star Wars game. Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is being led byCasey Hudson, creator of the original beloved Knights of the Old Republic game all the way back in 2003. The game is yet another in-depth RPG set in the Old Republic time period, and serves as an interesting installment to look forward to following multiple other Star Wars games going dark mid-development.

We Found Out what that Weird Statue Was

Leading up to the Game Awards, people discovered a strange statue in the desert, clearly some sort of viral marketing campaign for a soon-to-be-announced game. After various rumors and theories, the statue was confirmed to be a promotion for Divinity, the next game from 2023 Game of the Year winner Larian Studios. Picking back up the studio's original IP, this game is set to be Larian's biggest yet, even surpassing that of their beloved previous production of Baldur's Gate 3. The trailer shown at The Game Awards was a brutal animated sequence of a man being burned alive inside of a wicker man, right after a Muppet gag. Classy.

The Next Installment

The announcement that excited me the most was CONTROL: Resonant. Over the past few years, I've become a massive fan of all things Remedy, and so the next installment in their connected universe of games being a sequel to their 2019 masterpiece, CONTROL, was something that had me grinning ear to ear. This time around, we're playing as Dylan Faden (Sean Durrie), with the gameplay focusing around melee combat. Surprisingly, Resonant is releasing sometime next year, assuming it isn't delayed.

And so that's a wrap on this year's Game Awards. The awards section felt a lot more predictable this year, although it was nice that more developers got to give speeches this time around. The big announcements weren't as monumental as some in the past may have been, but I think there were enough pleasant surprises to please most people, including so many other projects announced at this year's show that aren't covered in this article.

Sources: TheGameAwards, Sandfall, Capcom, IMDb, IMDb, Crystal Dynamics, Crystal Dynamics, IMDb, IMDb, Steam, IMDb, IMDb, Steam, Steam, StarWars, StarWars, Steam, Gamespot, Larian, Larian, Larian, Remedy, Remedy, Remedy, IMDb

Images: Remedy Entertainment, Steam, Star Wars, Larian, Remedy Entertainment

LOS ANGELES -- Rob Reiner, a writer, director, producer, actor and political activist whose career in Hollywood spanned more than six decades and included some of the most iconic titles in movie history, wasfound deadSunday with his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, at the home they shared in Brentwood. He was 78.

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner," a spokesperson for the family said in a statement Sunday. "We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

Reiner will be remembered as the director of the seminal 1980s rom-com "When Harry Met Sally...," the actor whose character "Meathead" faced off regularly against Archie Bunker, and the political activist who backed early childhood programs in California and railed loudly for years against President Trump.

The oldest child of comedian Carl Reiner and singer Estelle Reiner, Robert Reiner was born March 6, 1947, in the Bronx, New York. Raised by a father who won 11 Primetime Emmys and a Grammy in addition to the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Rob Reiner attended Beverly Hills High School and studied film at UCLA. He then went to work in Hollywood as an actor and writer before moving on to directing and producing.

Reiner's writing credits in the 1960s included "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" and the TV movie "Where the Girls Are." In the 1970s, he wrote several episodes of "All in the Family" as well as the Primetime Emmy Awards telecast in 1978 and episodes of "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson."

Reiner married Penny Marshall, star of TV's "Laverne & Shirley," in 1971 and adopted Tracy, the daughter Marshall had from a previous marriage. Reiner and Marshall divorced in 1981.

He wrote for the first "Comic Relief," hosted by Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg. That and the dozen "Comic Relief" telethons that followed raised awareness and money to fight poverty in the U.S. and elsewhere.

"This Is Spinal Tap" in 1984 further established Reiner's comedic sensibilities in the American milieu. His work took a dramatic turn when he directed the 1986 adaptation of Stephen King's novella "Stand by Me," which starred Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman and Jerry O'Connell, but he returned to comedy with 1987's "The Princess Bride" starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright and Mandy Patinkin. Also in 1987, he co-founded production company Castle Rock Entertainment.

Then he directed what would emerge as one of the most beloved rom-coms ever - "When Harry Met Sally...," starring Crystal and Meg Ryan.

On the set of the movie he met photographer Michele Singer and the two married in 1989, the year the film came out. They went on to have three children, Jake, Nick and Romy, born in 1991, 1993 and 1997, respectively.

Reiner was finally nominated for a best picture Academy Award in 1994 for "A Few Good Men," starring Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, though the movie lost out that year to Clint Eastwood's Western "Unforgiven."

Reiner's work had sweeping cultural impacts. Three of his movies, "When Harry Met Sally...," "The Princess Bride" and "This is Spinal Tap," are on the National Film Registry. The phrase "up to eleven," coined in "This Is Spinal Tap" during an improvised sequence between Reiner and Christopher Guest, is in theOxford English Dictionary.

"It's weird that something that we just threw off like that suddenly becomes part of the lexicon of our lives," Reiner said on NPR's"Fresh Air"in September. "It's very strange how these things have taken root."

In 2015, Reiner was the producer on "Being Charlie," a drama based on his family's struggles while son Nick was addicted to hard drugs and rotating in and out of rehabs and homelessness.

"It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows," Reiner told The Times in 2015. "And then making the movie dredged it all up again."

Growing up, Reiner balanced conflicting feelings about his relationship with his own father, who was someone he strongly admired. But he also felt as though his father didn't fully know him. That dichotomy inspired a scene in "Stand by Me" when Gordie declares his father hates him.

"Loving your father and looking up to your father doesn't necessarily mean you're feeling that back," Reiner said on"Fresh Air"in September, recalling how writing that scene made him cry. Reiner, added, however, that he had two "great guides" in his life, his father, who died in 2020, and "All in the Family" creator Norman Lear.

Reiner was a writer on "The 40th Kennedy Center Honors" in 2017, capping a career that included myriad variety show writing credits. "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," which he directed, was his final project as a scribe. "Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale," due out in 2026, was his final directing credit.

Reiner was nominated five times for supporting actor Emmys for his "All in the Family" work, winning in 1974 and 1978. He was up for two Emmys in 2024 for the documentary "Albert Brooks: Defending My Life."

A staunch liberal, Reiner also emerged as a force in California politics and child welfare and education issues, and campaigned for presidential candidates including former Vice President Al Gore, endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president and spoke up for President Biden's reelection. Reiner was also an unapologetic critic of President Trump.

He campaigned in California against tobacco use and in 1998 saw the passage of Proposition 10, which called for a tax on tobacco products to be spent on early childhood programs. Reiner became chairman of the First 5 California Children and Families Commission in January 1999. He resigned in March 2006 amid accusations that the commission had used tax money to boost his campaign for the ultimately unsuccessful Proposition 82, which would have raised income taxes on wealthy Californians to pay for preschool for 4-year-olds. An audit later concluded that he and the commission had not violated state law.

"Rob Reiner has always put California's kids first, and I thank him for the great work he has done over the last seven years," then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said in a statement at the time. "Because of Rob's efforts, California has become a national leader in providing early childhood health and education services for our youngest children and their families."

PROVIDENCE - Police have detained a person of interest, a man in his 20s, in connection with a shooting that killed two students and injured nine others at Brown University Saturday.

Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez confirmed the detainment and little else at a press conference Sunday afternoon inside a fire station a few blocks from where the shooting took place.

Perezdeclined to commenton whether a weapon had been found or the person of interest had any connection to Brown or Rhode Island in general.

"I have a responsibility to the integrity of this investigation," he said, adding that it was important to "stand on grounded facts, not speculation."

Investigators including city, state, and federal officers, are currently collecting and seizing relevant evidence.

Individuals wearing Federal Bureau of Investigation shirts and jackets and latex gloves walked in and out of Barus and Holley, the building at Brown where the shooting took place. The parking lot next door which is often empty was filled with tactical vehicles from different agencies.

According to several students who were on campus during the shooting,the incident took placein a classroom during an introductory economic course's study session in the engineering building, which hosts both lab space and amphitheater style classroom meant for large classes and lectures.

No one has been charged, but officials indicated that they would like to bring state rather than federal charges against any alleged shooter.

Perez said that information was moving quickly and that he felt better about the investigation Sunday afternoon than he had at midnight.

"My goal is that we're able to have that information as soon as possible," he told the press.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said that justice in this case will hopefully come from a prosecution and that to avoid jeopardizing the case, they would not have additional updates on the investigation until they had concrete information.

Smiley said that he did speak to four of the victims at the hospital since the shooting. One victim is in critical but stable condition, seven are in stable condition, and one victim has already been released.

Authorities have yet to identify the victims, who are all students, because some of the families are still in transit and have not been notified.

The mayor said he was inspired by the students who were facing the horrific situation so bravely. Although he said he wouldn't comment on the policy changes he thinks should be implemented to prevent something like this from happening again - "not today," he said - Smiley did express sadness that incidents like this happen "so damn often."

Brown University President Christina Paxson spoke briefly at the presser, saying that she'd just talked to students in the school's main cafeteria.

"They're amazing," she said, before her voice caught in her throat and she started to tear up.

Future press conferences will likely take place at the Providence Police Headquarters across the city.

Mayor Smiley also invited all members of the community to join in a Menorah/Tree lighting at Lippitt Park on the East Side of Providence at 5 p.m.

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Multiple people wereshot atBrown UniversityinRhode Islandon Saturday night, according to theProvidence Police Department.

The area is under active investigation as of5:33 p.m., the police department posted in a statement on X.

"Please shelter in place or avoid the area until further notice," the department stated.

Theshootingwas reported at4:22 p.m.near Barus & Holley Engineering building, according to the school.

"Lock doors, silence phones and stay hidden until further notice," an emergency statement at4:22 p.m.from the university said.

"Remember: RUN, if you are in the affected location, evacuate safely if you can; HIDE, if evacuation is not possible, take cover; FIGHT, as a last resort, take action to protect yourself. Stay tuned for further safety information."

An update at5:11 p.m.stated the suspect was not in custody and urged students to continue to shelter in place. The university was coordinating with multiple law enforcement agencies and emergency medical care was at the scene.

Another update at5:27 p.m.reported there were shots fired nearGovernment Streetand urged students to continue to shelter in place and stay clear of the area.

At5:52 p.m., the university said the situation "remains ongoing."

"Continue to shelter in place," the university wrote. "Law enforcement on site."

Multiple people were seen lying on the ground by theSciences Libraryand were being helped by police,The Brown Daily Heraldstudent newspaper reported.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visitmasslive.com. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ball State Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Anand Marri opened the ceremony with a welcome, which was followed by the Posting of the Colors and the National Anthem, celebrating our nation, state and the sacrifices and achievements made by those therein.

Ball State University President Geoffrey Mearns approached the podium and introduced the 2025 fall commencement speaker, Renae Conley, a member of the Ball State Board of Trustees. In an interview with the Daily News before commencement, Conley expressed her thoughts on how students should trust and believe in themselves, as others do.

"Be present, [be] patient," Conley said. "We're all scared. Face your fears and accept challenges and embrace them."

As future graduates sat, a surprise awaited one master's graduate, Ben Slavin. Ben graduated with a Master's in Business Administration. Backstage waited his brother, Sergeant Slavin, a member of the United States Army-someone Ben had not seen in over a year.

Sgt. Slavin told his brother he would not be able to make it due to a class in January. Little did Ben know, his brother had been planning to be there all along for the past 4 months. Both brothers embraced each other, laughed, cried and celebrated their reunion, with Ben saying it was "the best gift ever."

Those graduating with undergraduate degrees from each college were then asked to stand and move their tassels, signifying their accomplishments and success.

Mearns returned to the stage for his closing remarks.

He spoke directly to the graduates, saying, "Courage and confidence will allow you to have a fulfilling career and lead a meaningful life."

What is a meaningful and fulfilling life? Mearns could not say. However, he did say, "Life is a gift," and encouraged the graduates to share that gift with others.

Contact Kyle Ingermann via email at kyle.ingermann@bsu.edu.

The NWS in Indianapolis canceled the winter storm warning late Saturday night and extended a winter weather advisory for much of central Indiana, including Delaware and Randolph counties.

The advisory remains in effect until 7 a.m. Sunday. Forecasters said blowing snow caused by winds gusting near 20 mph could continue to create slippery and snow-covered road conditions overnight.

According to a hazardous weather outlook issued Saturday night, wind chill values are expected to fall between 15 and 25 degrees below zero overnight. Cold temperatures are expected to persist into Sunday and Monday morning, with wind chills ranging from 10 to 20 degrees below zero.

The NWS said blowing and drifting snow could reduce visibility, and travel may remain difficult through the early morning hours. Officials encouraged drivers to slow down and use caution if travel is necessary.

#######

UPDATE: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

The NWS in Indianapolis upgraded its winter weather advisory to a winter storm warning for Delaware and Randolph counties Saturday afternoon as snowfall intensified.

The warning is in effect until midnight Saturday, with forecasters calling for an additional 3 to 5 inches of snow. Officials warned that travel could become dangerous due to rapidly deteriorating road conditions.

In addition, the NWS extended a cold weather advisory for much of central and east-central Indiana, including Delaware and Randolph counties. The advisory is now in effect from midnight Saturday through 9 a.m. Monday.

According to a hazardous weather outlook issued Saturday afternoon, total snowfall accumulations across central Indiana are expected to reach 4 to 6 inches, with locally higher amounts possible. Winds gusting near 20 mph could lead to blowing snow and reduced visibility through the evening.

The agency encouraged the public to submit snowfall reports to assist forecasters as conditions continue to develop.

The NWS also warned that wind chill values could fall as low as 25 degrees below zero overnight.

Another round of dangerously cold temperatures is expected Sunday into Monday morning, with wind chills between 10 and 20 degrees below zero.According to the NWS, frostbite on exposed skin could occur in as little as 30 minutes, and prolonged exposure could lead to hypothermia.

Drivers who must travel are advised to slow down, use caution and keep emergency supplies in their vehicles, including food, water and a flashlight.

#######

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has issued a travel advisory Saturday morning as road conditions have worsened following snow moving through the area.

The advisory issued at 11:26 a.m. on Dec. 13 was a "yellow" status, the lowest of the county's travel advisory levels. These different declarations signal that hazardous conditions may impact routine travel and urges drivers to use caution.

INDOT keeps an updated map of travel advisorieshere. Travel status information is provided by each county's emergency management agency. As counties initiate official travel advisories and notify the state, the map updates with that information.

As of early Saturday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Indianapolis had issued a winter weather advisory for parts of central and east-central Indiana, including Delaware and Randolph counties. The advisory is in effect from 11 a.m. Saturday through midnight, with forecasters calling for 1 to 3 inches of snow, though some areas could see higher totals.

Officials warned that slippery road conditions are likely, especially as winds gusting near 20 mph could cause blowing snow.

"Plan on slippery road conditions," the NWS said, urging drivers to slow down and use caution while traveling.

In addition to the snow, the NWS also issued a cold weather advisory for much of central Indiana, including Delaware and Randolph counties. The advisory runs from midnight Saturday through 1 p.m. Sunday, with wind chills as low as 20 degrees below zero expected.

According to the NWS, the dangerously cold conditions could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes, and residents are advised to wear appropriate winter clothing, including hats and gloves.

Cold temperatures are expected to linger into early next week, with overnight lows near zero or below possible Sunday night into Monday morning.

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

The extra weeks at the front end of each are intended to ease students into the college atmosphere, with scheduled activities to help incoming students become immersed in the Muncie community.

"We know how important [community service and involvement] is to us as an institution, and we think it's a great way to instill that as a tradition of being a Cardinal is that we give back to our community, and we engage with our community. It's ambitious, but certainly doable. So we are excited about doing that," Engle said.

Finance, Facilities and Planning Committee

The meeting began with a customary annual report from Cap Cities, presented by representative Amanda Blank and Ball State's Interim Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer, Sue Hodges Moore.

Their report revealed that inflation and unemployment have consistently been declining since 2022, which Blank said is "stimulative to the economy."

Where Ball State's operating funds, specifically, are concerned, "The big takeaway here [is] overall funds, even with all of [the university's] cash and short-term investments, return [is] just shy of 6% for the last 12-month period. That's very strong for these assets."

The university has also maintained its strong financial standing.

"Over the last three-year period, [there has been an] 8.15% return, and that's an average annual number. So, very strong returns for the last three years," Blank said.

She went on to explain, "When we look at a typical capital market forecast, given your asset allocation, we would expect your return to be closer to five to five and a half percent. So that 8.15% number is very strong, [and] really, due to the strong market environment."

Scott Stachler, Ball State's associate vice president and chief budget officer, also reported strong third-quarter updates on the university's Voluntary Employee Benefit Association and Other Post-Employee Benefit Trust.

"We have good performances so far this year, [and] both trusts are slightly trailing the benchmark for the year. However, returns are still very strong despite lagging the benchmarks," Stachler said.

Audit and Compliance Committee

In keeping with the university's strong financial standing, Ball State's Director of Internal Audit and Advisory Services, Chifundo Biliwita, presented the board with a clean audit opinion and said that the financial statements were accurate. The board approved them.

Biliwita was also pleased to share that "over 56% of the approved audit and advisory projects are in progress and/or completed."

With no significant changes to the audit advisories, the board approved audit plans for fiscal year 2026.

Employee Development and Wellbeing Committee

Mark Liebling, Ball State's Vice President for People and Culture, presented the board with seven retiring employees and faculty members eligible for emeritus status-four of whom were present-and all of whom were approved.

Liebling also proposed in the following order of business a modification to leave policies that could accommodate new parents by "allowing birth mothers to utilize sick days to be paid for absences," eliminating the exclusion of a "new spouse," he said.

He also said he wanted to make regular, ongoing part-time employees eligible for those benefits, which the board approved.

Liebling finished his statements to the board with a recurring reminder of the Workday platform's stabilization, optimization and deployment as student employees and staff look to a new semester.

Academic and Student Affairs Committee

Professor and University Senate Chair Holly Dickin and Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of

University College Jason Rivera provided lighthearted and thankful updates on its programs as it looks to a new semester, sending many thanks to the board for its continued collaboration over the years.

Following this, Engle presented the board with the annual security and fire safety reports- beginning with the acknowledgement of Kaylee Richardson as the new Director of Student Conduct, following Mike Gillian's retirement from the university last year.

Engle reported no fires in any of the campus's residence halls within the past year, and that "Ball State remains fully compliant with the Jeanne Clery Act," which she defined as "a federal law that requires all higher education institutions participating in Title IV financial aid programs to publish an annual security and fire safety report."

Engle provided one key takeaway for the board.

"The institution is meeting all federal requirements for campus safety reporting, and has established governance to maintain compliance as it relates to Clery," she said.

In her presentation to the board, Engle also acknowledged the benefits of living-learning communities for students living in on-campus residence halls and thanked Mearns for his assistance in changing the academic calendar, beginning in fall 2026.

The change, meant to provide students with a full "Welcome Week" on campus, will "provide new incoming students with a week of intentional, extended orientation and transition to campus," Engle said.

Following a lunch break, Mearns and Chris Palladino, director of real estate services and the real estate

development program at Ball State, gave updates on The Village restoration project, the university's greater initiative to revitalize The Village through 25 owner-occupied single-family homes. They announced the project is on track to be finished by its 2027 target date.

Student protestors sat in during the second half of the meeting, but did so silently.

RELATED: UPDATE: Court date assigned for arrested protestors

"The next item is a hard one for me," Ball State's Board of Trustees Chair Rick Hall said as he introduced board member Renae Conley's retirement resolution from the board.

Her dozen years of service on Ball State's Board of Trustees end Dec. 31, with the Dec. 12 meeting being her final one. Conley's legacy lives on throughout the university-in part because her mother-in-law, Vivian Conley, is one of the namesakes behind Ball State's multicultural center.

RELATED: Ball State's Multicultural Center to be named in honor of Vivian Conley and Hurley Goodall Jr.

"...She has been such a great contributor to everything that we've done over the last dozen years," Hall said, echoing sentiments around the room from Renae's colleagues.

Renae graduated from Ball State with her undergraduate degree in 1980 and subsequently with her master's of business administration in 1982, according to her profile page on Ball State's Board of Trustees website.

"A well-operated board team is so much fun to be a part of … I find each of you is my friend, and I appreciate all your support over the years," Renae said.

She has served as a trustee since 2014 and has been a pivotal figure in the hiring of the university's current president, Geoffrey Mearns.

"Ball State University is an outstanding institution in great part because of the tremendous leadership of Renae Conley," board secretary Mike McDaniel said. "And I'm telling ya, if we had a Mount Rushmore of Ball State Board of Trustees, she'd be on it."

Her resolution marked a bittersweet near-end to the meeting-but Renae will return to campus as the Fall 2025 Commencement Speaker, according to a university spokesperson.

The meeting was officially adjourned following Mearns' wishes that everyone have a safe and happy holiday season and enjoy their "Days of Beneficence" with family and loved ones.

The next board of trustees meeting will be held Jan. 23 in the university's L.A Pittenger Student Center Cardinal Hall A.

Editor-in-Chief Meghan Braddy contributed to this story.

Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine.hill@bsu.edu.

Upon entering the Record Parlor of Muncie, customers see a variety of used vinyls, with a wide range of genres and artists. While the establishment does carry newer releases of music, the owner wanted to focus on used records. He said the promotion of newer artists' music "kind of does its own thing" regarding mediums that can easily advertise their work, such as social media.

"I feel it's a part of my duty as a shop owner to promote and preserve old music," Derek said. "As well [as] make sure it doesn't get lost or forgotten."

Listening to records has always been a passion for Derek. He recalled his father teaching him and his brother how to play pool after dinner most nights, while records played in the background. Derek explained how those albums he listened to were the first ones he became "connected with," making him want to start his own collection.

Older forms of media have made a "comeback" over the past couple of years, with cassette tapes increasing in sales by 440 percent from 2015 to 2022, according to a 2023 PBS News broadcast, with mainstream artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Billie Eilish "capitalizing on the fad."

Upon entering Muncie's Dave's Video, the space is filled with a vast collection of film and music. Rows along the wall feature older film and video games and columns of bins are filled to the brim with CDs and cassettes. Customers line up with old pieces of media of their own to sell to the establishment, East Central Indiana's largest selection of these materials, according to Dave's Video's Facebook page, hoping they one day become an item in someone else's collection.

Manager of Dave's Video, Rob Calhoun, remembered receiving his first VCR on Christmas Day in 1985. He remembered how "awesome" it was to take a VHS tape out of its jacket and place it into the VCR machine to watch films that were not available on the limited TV channels he had. Rob explained that VHS tapes and other forms of older media are what he grew up with.

The establishment started as a retail store chain, but it was eventually sold to sole proprietors, Rob said.

"We are one of the last ones," he said.

Rob has been working at Dave's Video for 25 years, with the establishment adapting over the years by switching to DVDs, then to Blu-rays, and then into collectibles, featuring a wide range of old media.

"Adaptation is key, you always have to [adapt]," Rob said.

Rob used to be a collector himself, collecting VHS tapes and other forms of movies, but now he claims that the fun of collecting items has "worn off" and now views this as his everyday job.

Regardless, Rob said he has had many favorite encounters with customers, describing Dave's Video as a "blast of nostalgia." He explained that Dave's Video has been here "forever," saying the business "minds their own business" and "just treats people right."

"We're not fancy. We don't want to be, we don't try to be," Rob said.

Unfortunately, not every encounter with a customer is a positive one.

Rob recalls moments when customers come into the establishment to trade personal items of value in exchange for cash, not for pleasure, but as a necessity.

Rob said that some people bring in items because they are in a "serious bind for cash," even when he can tell they do not want to get rid of the items they have. He explained that at the end of the day, he has to separate it from the business, despite it bothering him.

"When a young family comes in and says, 'We just need $10 for diapers,' and you think, 'Wow, I'm fortunate,'" Rob said.

Derek said he is "very attached" to several things in his old media collection for various reasons. He recalls people who have donated their collections, and he would find notes either tucked in a vinyl jacket or written in certain places, almost feeling that people were "giving up a part of themselves," he said.

Derek explained that these music items people give to him to sell are not just placed in bins and a price tag is put on them, but, instead, are treated with care and respect.

"I can't wait for [vinyls] to find the next home where they are going to be loved and preserved in that way," Derek said.

While Rob has worked for Dave's Video for 25 years, it is quite the opposite for Derek. Derek started the Record Parlor of Muncie July, 2025, after getting "frustrated" with his last job in insurance.

Derek's wife persuaded him to finally start the record store after he had been discussing plans to open it for 10 years. He explained how music is essential and can have a "profound effect" on people, wanting his establishment to be a "hub for music" in downtown Muncie.

"[Music] can be really therapeutic and healing. I want to provide that to the community," Derek said.

It's not just small business owners who have a love for older media; many students do, including Ball State University fourth-year student, majoring in construction management, Ariel Herrera.

Ariel first got involved in older media through one of his cousins. Ariel's older cousin had a Game Boy as well as a Game Cube console. His cousin lived with Ariel for a period of time, and both of them would play video games together. Despite his cousin being older than him, Ariel explained that he was "just happy to be there and get to play." Ariel's love for old media only grew from there.

Not only is he interested in retro video game consoles, but Ariel also collects old magazines. He said he owns a couple of National Geographic magazines from the 1960s, and even an original Life magazine from the same decade featuring Marilyn Monroe on the cover. He also has the first five original comics of Neon Genesis Evangelion, a manga series published in 1994.

Ariel said he enjoys older forms of media because he feels that many pieces of modern media are repeating themselves, or are a "remade version" of something that has already been made before.

Despite Ariel not describing himself as a collector, he said that he received the older consoles as a kid. He explained that these items he had as a kid are like a "marker on the timeline" for him.

"They don't make shit like they used to anymore," he said.

Ariel explained that nostalgia is a huge part of vintage media, explaining that everybody keeps going back to what we "used to like."

Older media forms have made an impact on individuals for decades, whether that be by "bringing them back to childhood," for individuals such as Ariel, or "giving back to the community," for individuals like Derek. Regardless, older media grows more popular as the years go by, with different generations rekindling their interests.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Fall 2025 magazine: The Archival Edition. Read more stories online at ballbearingsmag.com and pick up the print edition of the magazine across Ball State's campus now.

The Republican-dominated Indiana Senate voted 19-31on Thursday against redrawing the state's congressional districts - spurning months of demands from President Donald Trump.

The final outcome remained uncertain until21Republicans joined all 10 Democratic senators in rejecting the redistricting plan.

With that tally, Indiana became the first Republican-led state Legislature to vote down Trump's wish tosqueeze out more GOP-friendly congressional seatsin hopes of improving the party's chances of keeping its slim U.S. House majority after the 2026 midterm elections.

The Indiana House last week approved the new maps crafted by theNational Republican Redistricting Trusttoproduce a 9-0 Republican delegation. It did so by carving up the two districts currently held by Democratic Reps. André Carson in Indianapolis and Frank Mrvan in the area along Lake Michigan near Chicago.

But the Senate's Republican leader, President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, has said repeatedly thattoo few GOP senators supported the mid-decade redistrictingfor it to pass.

Thursday's Senate outcome came even with Trump,Gov. Mike Braun and other redistricting supporterscontinuing to cajole - and politically threaten - Bray and other senators who opposed the move.

Trump was calling individual senators this week seeking support and took to social media Wednesday night to seethe over Bray and other Indiana Republicans who weren't following his demands.

"Unfortunately, Indiana Senate 'Leader' Rod Bray enjoys being the only person in the United States of America who is against Republicans picking up extra seats, in Indiana's case, two of them,"Trump's post said. "He is putting every ounce of his limited strength into asking his soon to be very vulnerable friends to vote with him."

Indiana House Republicans pushed the proposed maps through that chamber last week by a 57-41 margin, with 12 GOP members joining Democrats in voting "no."

Several Republican senators against the redistricting plan cited what they described as overwhelming public opposition. Others said they didn't believe it was proper to overhaul the Republican-drawn maps approved in 2021 for such blatant political purposes, with some objecting to the overt gerrymandering of Indianapolis among four districts spanning as far away as the Ohio River.

Trump started the national redistricting fight by pushingTexas Republicans to redrawits congressional map this summer, followed by Republican redistricting moves inMissouri,OhioandNorth Carolina. An attempt byKansas Republicansfor a special session on redistricting stalled this fall.

Democrats responded with their own redistricting inCaliforniaand possible moves inIllinoisandVirginia.

Trump's Wednesday night post appeared to foreshadow the outcome of the Indiana Senate vote.

"Rod Bray and his friends won't be in Politics for long, and I will do everything within my power to make sure that they will not hurt the Republican Party, and our Country, again," the post said. "One of my favorite States, Indiana, will be the only State in the Union to turn the Republican Party down!"

Bray isn't up for election until 2028.

The outages will take place daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will leave both buildings with minimal lighting, limited heating, no domestic water and no access to restrooms. Students, faculty and staff will not be able to use the buildings during those hours.

According to the email, the outages are part of construction work to supply "primary power" to the new Performing Arts Center and the Center for Innovation.

Anyone with questions is asked to contact Director of Construction Robert Ramey at 765-285-2835 or reramey2@bsu.edu.

This year, the team has the same goal, but with an abundance of new faces. Ball State had 10 players leave the team after last season, resulting in almost an entirely different squad despite some returners: Grace Kingery, Zuri Ransom, Tessa Towers and Ashlynn Brooke. They went from a team with only two freshmen on the roster to six, most of whom are from overseas.

While many of the new faces are freshmen, junior guard Karsyn Norman, freshman guard Violeta Rojas and senior forward Bree Salenbien transfer into the program as upperclassmen with some experience under their belts.

Norman spent the past two seasons as a guard for the Butler Bulldogs, where she scored 251 total points and garnered 110 rebounds. Violeta Rojas comes in after a year at Trinidad State, where she averaged 20.1 points with a 47 percent shooting percentage. Salenbien spent four seasons with the Gonzaga Bulldogs and recorded a total of 75 points and 40 rebounds before suffering an injury at the end of her sophomore year, which sidelined her for her sophomore campaign. Last season, she played in 21 games while averaging 6.4 points per game.

Although Salenbien is a fifth-year and one of the leaders on this team, she says she still has a lot to learn after being set back by multiple injuries over her career.

"Everyone thinks I have a lot of experience, but I've been hurt a lot. I'm kind of learning as we go, it's a group effort for sure," Salenbien said, "I'm trying to be the best I can, and I think it's a learning effort for all of us."

As the Cardinals added on three upper classmen to their roster, they also brought in six freshmen, most of whom are international, in Zhen Verburgt (Belgium), Alba Caballero (Spain), Georgia Gorini (Italy), Laura Martinez (Spain), Aniss Tagayi (France) and Brooke Winchester, the only player from the freshman class who is from the United States.

This freshman class could be seen as the future faces of the Cardinals, as most of them already have experience playing at a high level, including Tagayi, who was part of the 2023-24 U18 Women's French Cup Finalist team and the 2024 U18 Women's European Championship team.

Tagayi credits her time with her different teams in France as helping her adapt to new playing environments.

"When you're going to the National team, you're playing with people you never play with during the year, so just trying to adapt yourself to your teammates and all," Tagayi said.

While a majority of the freshmen are international, such as Tagayi, that is not something Coach Sallee is necessarily looking at. For him, it is all about talent.

"For us, it's just one big pot of potential players, and we go find the ones that fit the way we play and what we're looking for," Sallee said. "From a character standpoint, a toughness standpoint, a skill set standpoint, they checked the boxes and it ended up the way it ended up."

With the team loaded with underclassmen, Sallee is focusing on their growth and on building this new squad to reach their full potential.

"It's got to be the process that we fall in love with [and] it's off to a good start. We played through some adversity, we've shown some real toughness, got two big wins on the road, but we've got plenty to learn from and get better with, and that's the exciting part," Sallee said.

As the new additions have played in four games so far with the Cardinals, they've also had time to settle in on campus and make themselves at home.

"It's a college town for sure, and everyone's all in at Ball State, so it's been pretty cool," Salenbien said.

In addition to making the most of the campus, students can use the amenities to not only become better athletes but also better students.

"I think [it's great] because of all the things you have for your students and for your athletes," Tagayi said. "When you're studying [and need help], there's a lot of stuff to help you. I love the fact that teachers can help you, and they're really open if you have a question. I think that's what I like the most so far."

The new faces have fit in well so far at Ball State, not only in the classroom but also on the court, as the Cardinals women's basketball team is currently 8-3 in their 2025-26 campaign. They look to keep their momentum in full force as they get ready to face off against South Dakota State University Dec. 14.

Contact Rylan Crum at rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum.

The advisory issued at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 10 was a "yellow" status, the lowest of the county's travel advisory levels. These different declarations signal that hazardous conditions may impact routine travel and urges drivers to use caution.

As of 9 p.m. on Wednesday, the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) was reporting that 19 of 92 counties had declared a travel advisory. These were primarily in the north and northeast parts of the state, stretching down into East Central Indiana.

INDOT keeps an updated map of travel advisories here. Travel status information is provided by each county's emergency management agency. As counties initiate official travel advisories and notify the state, the map updates with that information.

As for the snow, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Indianapolis issued a Special Weather Statement for Delaware, Randolph and Henry Counties at 9 p.m. on Wednesday. Forecasters estimated up to half an inch of accumulation in the heaviest pockets, enough to create icy spots as the snow briefly melted on road surfaces before refreezing.

Officials cautioned drivers to slow down and anticipate rapidly deteriorating conditions.

"Snow or ice-covered roads can develop quickly in situations like this," the NWS said in the advisory.

Wednesday night's burst is just the beginning of a prolonged stretch of winter weather. NWS also had a hazardous weather outlook issued, warning of accumulating snow likely from Thursday evening into Friday morning, with another chance of snow on Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to plunge over the weekend, according to forecasts, potentially delivering the coldest air of the season this far. Lows could fall to zero or below, with wind chills dropping as low as 20 degrees below zero.

Hosted by: Chris Dawson, Ian Fraser, Ian Case

Graphic by: Ian case

Edited by: Ian Fraser

Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert will go on sale at Emens Box Office 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12.

The show will be the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer's most recent performance at Emens since November 2019.

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsu.dailynews.com.