We're here to provide a few updates about this weekend's winter storm and what it means for the NewsLink Indiana viewing area. We have been upgraded from a winter storm watch to a winter storm warning, which will last from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday. This was done following models continuing to show high snowfall totals for the Muncie area over the weekend.

Heavy snow with wind gusts up to 25 mph will make conditions Sunday very hazardous. Paired with wind chills continuing to be in the negatives, and Sunday continues to be optimal for staying indoors.

Our estimate for snowfall totals has moved upward since yesterday. Muncie is now forecasted to receive between 8-11 inches of snow this weekend. The snow begins to move in around dinnertime tomorrow and persist all day Sunday. The snow moves out Sunday evening into very early Monday morning.

Once again, travel is set to be difficult this weekend. If you need to go somewhere, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. This includes Monday morning, where roads will likely still be covered with snow.

If you're looking for relief from the cold, you sadly will not find it anytime soon. Temperatures are not expected to break 20 degrees within the next seven days. Get ready to bundle up, stay warm, and keep that shovel handy throughout the week ahead. Continue to stay safe and warm this weekend!

-Chief Weather Forecaster Joseph Sawicki

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

But around the end of the second set, Rawitz went down awkwardly on the court.

Five minutes passed, and he was still down. Ten minutes passed, and panic started to set in with Rawitz, as his left leg was filled with pain. 20 minutes passed, and a new reality set in for the middle blocker as he was being loaded up into a stretcher on the court.

Rawitz said he could see that his entire leg was out of place, and he "did not know what was going on," feeling only intense pain and disorientation.

"My trainer kept telling me, 'You're going to be famous, because you are going to go to the hospital," Rawitz said.

The middle blocker said he did not know how to take it, because the team had trips to California and Hawaii coming up, and all he wanted to do was go on those trips.

However, not being able to travel with the team on those trips was an immediate effect of the injury.

Rawitz said that in the time from him getting loaded into the stretcher to when he was at the hospital, he was acting on "survival instincts."

"Not too many thoughts going on, just things [were] happening," Rawitz said.

After some time on the ground, Rawitz had to have an air cast put on his leg. Then the Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) arrived, placed Rawitz on a stretcher and took him to the hospital.

He said there were about 20 nurses in a small room with him while he was still in his Ball State uniform, all trying to figure out what was wrong. His strength coach, trainers, roommates and teammates all came together to rally around him, and Rawitz described it as having a "large net of support."

"Everyone did such a great job in comforting me and being there for me," Rawitz said.

One of the people Rawitz said he really leaned on throughout the whole process is Jason Roberson, who serves as Ball State's Men's Volleyball strength and conditioning coach.

To Rawitz, he is more than just a coach.

Rawitz said Roberson is "a father figure" in his life and has helped him through many hardships beyond volleyball, including being away from home and any crises he experiences.

"He's always there for me," Rawitz said. "I asked him to come to the hospital when I got injured, like specifically him, because he's such a great, great guy."

Roberson said that, in his position, he always values connecting with student-athletes at the school. The strength coach described his relationship with Rawitz as unique, noting that he could connect with him on a more personal level.

"Eyal has been a rare student who has opened up his life and life experiences to me," Roberson said. "It is a rare opportunity in this field to make genuine exceptional human connection with students that I relish the connection as I would a family member."

Once doctors got a chance to see the extent of Rawitz's injury, they were able to pinpoint the exact type of injuries that the middle blocker suffered.

An ACL tear, a double MCL tear, a double complicated lateral meniscus tear, a medial meniscus tear, a partial PCL tear, a broken tibia, a broken fibula and a burst posterior capsule.

Rawitz said that right off the bat doctors knew all the injuries were too much to handle in one surgery, and they would have to perform two. The first surgery was a week after the injury, and Rawitz said that the entire first week was cloudy.

But even with Rawitz having to wear a leg brace and use crutches, he was able to be back on the bench attending Ball State games. The middle blocker immediately saw the Ball State community's support at games.

"So many fans came down from the stands to greet me and wish me well, and say how they're praying for me," Rawitz said. "A fan, Tyler Friendship, reached out to me on Facebook, [and] he prays for me every 14th of the month now."

After Rawitz's first surgery landed him in a brace and crutches, he said that "emotions were running high."

Despite many sleepless nights, Rawitz tried to maintain a positive attitude toward the situation.

"Finding a light at the end of the tunnel, that this is gonna fortify some of my mentality or personality," Rawitz said.

The middle blocker's mother was able to come up for his second surgery in March 2025, which was focused on his ACL. Rawitz was able to get off crutches and walk for the first time in five months in May.

Rawitz ended up missing all of last season's play. The middle blocker said he already played a "cheerleader" role for the team, so he leaned on that even more during this time.

"Making sure I [was] doing anything I could in my power to make sure everyone has what they need," Rawitz said. "Just doing what I can."

The middle blocker set a standard for the team last season, even though he was not playing on the court with them. Even though Rawitz suffered a complex injury that heavily limited movement in his leg, he still showed up every day to work out and lift weights as hard as he could.

"I would work out every single day, zero excuses," Rawitz said. "And that kind of set a standard for the guys."

Cardinals' Head Coach Mike Iandolo has seen that standard within the team this season with how much Rawitz pushes himself through his injury.

"Everytime I go in there and the guys are in there he's always got a good sweat going on," Iandolo said. "He's working, and I know the guys appreciate that and they see that, and it pushes them."

Rawitz used last summer to go through rehab, making strides to try to get back on the court.

But complications during his rehab led to Rawitz needing a third surgery, which occurred in October. His latest surgery sealed the deal on him playing in his senior season.

The most physical progress that Rawitz saw throughout the process was a small amount of running and very small jumps.

"It's kind of impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's easy to see your next step," Rawitz said about the process.

After each of the middle blocker's surgeries, he had to retrain his quadriceps to be able to move again. Rawitz said his brain would try to signal them to move, but they would not.

After Rawitz got the basic leg movements down, he said post-surgery rehabilitation came with a lot of basic leg controls. But the biggest thing to him after each of the surgeries was the atrophy in his muscles.

"I kind of have tree trunks for legs, and now I got a twig," Rawitz said.

The middle blocker described the process of his three surgeries as a "rigorous grind."

Despite Rawitz's latest surgery, the now senior still plays a huge role on the team this season. The middle blocker was chosen as a team captain and is one of three seniors.

Rawitz said he motivates the team through his example, and he said that will be one of his goals this season.

"They see me work as hard as I can even though there's absolutely zero chance I'm gonna be on the court this season," Rawitz said. "It kind of pumps them up as well."

Iandolo said he knows there will be days that Rawitz is not feeling well with his leg, or days that he is angry because he misses being out on the court.

But the head coach still recognizes how much the senior captain shows up for his team, and how big his impact is to his teammates.

"Guys listen to him," Iandolo said. "When he speaks people tend to listen."

Roberson has been a catalyst in Rawitz's past year, helping him as a man as well as a volleyball player. The strength coach said he has learned a lot about Rawitz over the past year.

"In this past year, I have learned that Eyal has no bottom to his ability to accept reality and formulate a plan for how he will overcome it," Roberson said.

Rawitz said he did not know he could go through constant rehabilitation after his three surgeries. He did not know he would be able to see light at the end of the tunnel.

But the middle blocker said he learned he could persevere. Rawitz underwent one of the worst detailed injuries in Ball State history, but he has learned to accept a new perspective on his personal reality.

The middle blocker is from Tel Aviv, Israel, and with his hometown in the midst of a war, he has learned to still be thankful even in his situation.

"Here I am, I'm alive," Rawitz said. "Where I'm from, people my age are fighting in a war and dying, and moms are losing their kids. I kind of feel sorry for myself, but there's worse out there."

Rawitz has received a lot of support throughout the entire process, and he said he is grateful to everyone, from those who set up the facility to those on campus.

One thing that Rawitz had to learn through the process was to ask for help from some of those people.

"I don't like to receive help too much," Rawitz said. "That was really like a brick in my face, [realizing] you're not doing anything unless you're getting help."

In the midst of everything that Rawitz has gone through over the past year, Roberson is confident in his will and determination to overcome any obstacle thrown his way.

"I have no doubt Eyal will give this recovery everything he has to get back to the outstanding athlete he has been," Roberson said.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

The cold weather advisory is in effect until noon, Jan. 24, with portions of central, east central, north central and west central Indiana affected. These areas can expect wind chills as low as 15 to 21 below zero. Exposed skin in these conditions can result in frostbite in as little as 30 minutes, according to the NWS.

The NWS advises individuals to use caution while traveling outdoors and to wear appropriate clothing, such as gloves and hats.

The NWS declared a winter storm warning in effect from 7 p.m. Jan. 24 until 7 a.m. Jan. 26.

Heavy snow is expected in portions of central, east central, north central and west central Indiana. Total snow accumulations could be between four and eight inches.

One should consider delaying all travel if possible. It is advised for individuals who must travel to keep an extra flashlight, food and water in their vehicle in case of an emergency, according to the NWS.

This brief will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Contact the Daily News via email ateditor@bsudailynews.com.

The board holds organizational meetings every two years to elect officers and appoint committee chairs. Trustees began the meeting by welcoming Dollyne Sherman, whom Gov. Mike Braun appointed to the board last month. Braun also reappointed Mike McDaniel and Julie Griffith to new terms that run through Dec. 31, 2029.

Trustees elected Griffith as vice chair, re-elected McDaniel as secretary and elected Henry Hall as assistant secretary.

The board also named committee chairs. Griffith will continue to lead the Academic and Student Affairs Committee, Mark Hardwick will continue as chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee, Craig Dobbs will lead the Employee Development and Wellbeing Committee and Hall will continue to chair the Finance, Facilities and Planning Committee.

Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns announced the appointments in an email sent to Ball State faculty Friday, in which he thanked the trustees fortheir leadership and continued service to the university.

"I am grateful to our trustees for their leadership, their counsel, and their steadfast support. Their commitment to our university and our vital mission is made manifest in their dedicated service," he said.

C1 Commuter Lot Closure

Beginning the night of Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, part of the C1 commuter lot north of the arena will be closed due to the Cardinal Job Fair. It will remain closed through Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.

Please plan on arriving to campus early and expect delays. If you have a commuter permit, alternative parking may be found in the C9 commuter lot, the stadium and stadium overflow lots, including south of the Oakwood Building. See the campus map for locations.

Join us for Spanish Conversation Club! Thursdays @5pm

Come to the Spanish Conversation Club to practice your speaking skills. All levels of Spanish are welcome to join! During the spring semester, meetings are held every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. in North Quad 141 beginning Jan. 15. For questions, emailowen.norton@bsu.edu.

Call for Applications: Ball Brothers Honors College Faculty Fellows

The Honors College seeks faculty not currently teaching Honors College courses to be named the next Ball Brothers Honors College Faculty Fellow. The BBHC fellowship is a two-year, part-time assignment consisting of two courses per academic year.

The fellow has the opportunity to pursue interdisciplinary work in partnership with the Honors College. Students benefit from access to collaborations not otherwise available, and the Honors College community benefits through long-term impact on course design, innovative co-curricular opportunities and the recruitment of future fellows and students.

Applications for a Fall 2026-Spring 2028 fellowship are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, 2026.

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

The Cardinals also picked up a ranked win in the early season, defeating eleventh ranked Stanford University on Jan. 18 in the First Point Intercollegiate Challenge Tournament hosted in Phoenix Arizona.

Ball State returned to Worthen Arena on Jan. 22 to take on the Maryville Saints, and the team kept to their winning ways as they won 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-22) and they completed their second sweep of the season.

After Ball State went toe-to-toe with the top team in the country, Head Coach Mike Iandolo said the team could not take the game against Maryville any less seriously than they would against UCLA.

The head coach said that while preparation was good for the game, he still felt like the team started the game "too casual". Iandolo recognized the challenge from competing with the number one and eleven ranked teams in the country and then following it up with a match against an unranked squad.

But despite some flaws the head coach noticed in the game, Iandolo said he was overall happy with the way the team competed.

"We had a lot of guys get into the game, a couple guys got their first playing time ever, which is really nice, so I'm excited about that," Iandolo said.

The Cardinals were dominant from start to finish in the match. Once Ball State took a lead, they never gave up that lead in all three sets.

Senior outside hitter Patrick Rogers was a standout player for the Cardinals in their 2025 season. Rogers is now one of three seniors on the Cardinals' squad and plays a huge role this season.

Rogers recorded 35 kills between the Cardinals past two games against UCLA and Stanford and followed that up with 14 kills against Maryville. The outside hitter credited his personal success in the early season to the team's setting.

"Honestly, our passing and our sets are really good right now," Rogers said. "It's not anything about the hitting."

A big positive for the Cardinals in the early season has been the play of sophomore opposite Ryan Louis. The opposite recorded five kills in the match along with ten attacks.

Louis has taken on a bigger role for Ball State in his sophomore season, making consistent starts for the team compared to more of a rotational role last season. The opposite said his role on the team is to "put the ball away", and he said his play is the best it's been in a very long time.

Louis said he is very comfortable in his new position as one of the team's key players.

"I practiced all my freshman year to get to this spot, and now that hard work is paying off," Louis said.

The Cardinals are off to a 5-1 start to the season, which is a two game improvement of last season's 3-3 start. Even with a change at head coach and a lot of moving pieces within the roster, the team has found a way to find wins early in the year.

Louis said the team is "more of a team" than they were last season.

"We move more fluently this year, everyone has each other's backs at all times," Louis said. "I think that's why we're playing so much better.

Moving forward for Ball State, the team will take on Charleston on Jan. 23 back in Worthen Arena.

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

This has been a storm that has gripped the attention of people nationwide. More than 175 million Americans are under some form of winter weather advisories and watches that impact 35 states, according to the National Weather Service. The NWS has placed the entire NewsLink Indiana viewing area under a winter storm watch from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 p.m. Sunday. Heavy snow is possible during the time period of the watch. The potential impacts on the Muncie area have changed significantly over the past couple days.

This winter weather is relatively new to the forecast because models have shifted within the past week. Previously, the heavy snow was projected farther south in Kentucky and Tennessee. Models began to shift the heavy snow north within the past three days, and it now appears the Ohio River region will receive the heaviest snowfall totals.

Here in Muncie, snow moves in Saturday evening with the worst happening all day Sunday. Snowfall rates will slow down into the evening before moving out Monday morning.

-Negative wind chills through the weekend-

Before the snow moves in, we will deal with dangerously cold wind chills throughout the weekend. Temperatures fall off drastically tonight, falling into low single digits. Paired with wind gusts of 25-30 mph, wind chill values will be bitter cold on Friday morning with values in the negative double digits expected. These negative wind chills last the entire weekend through the worst of the snow.

Under these conditions, frostbite can develop in under 30 minutes according to the NWS Wind Chill Index. If you have to go outside this weekend, wear layers to prevent frostbite. Temperatures will be dangerously cold, so this is the weekend to stay inside out of the cold.

-How much snow will we get?-

This is the question that everybody wants to know. As a disclaimer, projected amounts will change as models update throughout the next couple days. However, weather models have started to come into agreement overnight about snow totals and a range can be given at this time.

As of this evening, Muncie is projected to get between 7-9 inches of snow over the weekend, with double digit amounts very possible. This number is very much in flux and can change over the next couple days. Heavy snow will last throughout Sunday and into early Monday. Regardless of final totals, travel Sunday and Monday morning is likely to be very difficult. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.

Models have pushed the heavy snow north to the point that we will face some of the heavier totals. Here is how the forecast can change:

-If models continue on this path, we can easily receive double digit snowfall totals.

-If models remain the same, we will likely see the 7-9 inch snowfall forecast in place at this time.

-If models reverse and begin to push the heavy snow south, we will see less snow as a result.

Ultimately, we are set up for a dangerous winter system that will bring plenty of cold temperatures and heavy snow. Ensure you have a plan in place and are stocked on supplies over the weekend. If you need to go outside, take precaution against these harsh winter conditions.

-A note on exploding trees-

One of the popular topics of conversation going around right now is the threat that temperatures will drop so low that trees will explode! Take comfort knowing that temperatures here, for as low as they will be, will not be cold enough for this to happen. The chance of this will be concentrated in northern Midwest states like Minnesota and North Dakota.

In cases where this does happen, the trees will bulge out rather than actually explode like dynamite. This is because the water and sap in the trees freezes and expands due to brutal, cold temperatures. Once again, this is not a concern here in east central Indiana.

Make sure to stay tuned to the Cardinal Media BSU website for further weather updates, and stay warm this weekend.

-Chief Weather Forecaster Joseph Sawicki

Follow us on Twitter @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

"We do a lot of conversations about cultural navigation. How do you acclimate to US based campus life. It's very different here versus somewhere else in the world, so how do you take advantage of all the different resources we have here at Ball State, and we also do some problem solving," Brookins said.

One of the programs the Rinker Center works with in particular is the study abroad program for Ball State University, which allows students to study in different countries across the world.

SGA then moved into special orders of business, recognizing its December visible leader of the month. President Chelsea Murdock said the visible leader of the month is a recognition created by SGA to celebrate senators who have demonstrated the four pillars of leadership: impact, initiative, integrity and influence.

The visible leader for December is Caleb Roberts, a third-year graphic design major. Roberts is a part of Ball State's Honors College and also serves as the director of public relations for Man2Men, a group designed to offer men of color on campus a sense of community and academic support.

RELATED: Building brotherhood and boosting GPAs at Ball State

"[Roberts] says that he feels receiving this award reflects his affinity for community leadership, and on a personal level, he believes being engaged with leadership is imperative to success, and that he will continue to strive for more opportunities," Murdock said.

Following Roberts' recognition, the senate proceeded to executive reports. Murdock thanked the representatives from the Rinker Center for informing the senate and acknowledged the executive board for all the hard work they have put in so far this semester.

She said she is looking forward to the outreach programs coming soon with Muncie Community Schools.

"We're currently looking at some opportunities with some local schools in the district [and] in this surrounding district … to support them as they look at student government," Murdock said.

SGA's advisors, Abby Haworth and Olivia Vecchiolli, reported that the election nomination convention is taking place Jan. 28 in Cardinal Hall A of the L.A. Pittenger Student Center from 5-6:00 p.m. The elections will determine next school year's executive board for SGA, as several students are graduating and leaving their positions.

SGA will meet again Jan. 28, before the elections, at 3:15 p.m. in Cardinal Hall B at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center.

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

Sinners was the most nominated film of the award show, gaining an astounding 16 nominations, something unheard of at the Academy Awards. Some nominations include: Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Casting, Cinematography, Original Score, Original Song, and so many more. Behind Sinners, One Battle After Another received 13 nominations. Up for similar awards, those two films have created the most buzz throughout the past year, making for some stiff competition this award season.

The biggest awards of the show, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Picture, reflect a lot of the same nominations from the Golden Globes, with Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, Sinners, and Train Dreams all getting nominated. Along with Best Picture, most of the actors in the films nominated also got nominated for Best Actor/Actress.

Although music isn't the main focus of the night, it's hard not to mention those categories. There seems to be a battle of the songs between Sinners and Kpop Demon Hunter with "I Lied To You" and "Golden" up for Original Song. Original Score also has a lot of good entries with Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Sinners.

Behind the screen, Chloé Zhao, Josh Safdie, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joachim Trier, and Ryan Coogler were nominated for Best Director. Blue Moon, It Was Just An Accident, Marty Supreme, Sentimental Value, and Sinners are up for Best Original Screenplay, and Bugonia, Frankenstein, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, and Train Dreams for Best Adapted Screenplay. Best Casting was also announced as a new category for this year, starting out strong with Hamnet, Marty Supreme, Sinners, The Secret Agent, and One Battle After Another.

With plenty of great films up for nominations-and many records broken-tune into the Oscars on Mar. 15 to see who wins the biggest awards of the night.

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

Photos: Oscars

Contact Sam Jasionowski with comments at samantha.jasionowski@bsu.edu or on Instagram @s.jasionowski.

The famous copper coin ended its 232-year reign after the United States Mint hosted a Nov. 12 ceremonial event, marking the official end of the penny, according to the United States Mint website.

Pennies were first authorized by the Coinage Act of 1792, with the United States Mint being created the same year as the nation's sole manufacturer of legal tender coinage, according to its website. The United States Mint's job is to produce circulating coinage for the country to conduct its trade and commerce.

The copper coin was one of the first coins made by the U.S. Mint, with the original design on the penny depicting a woman with flowing hair symbolizing liberty. By 1909, Abraham Lincoln became the first president featured on a coin in honor of the former president's 100th birthday, according to the United States Mint website.

The cost to produce and distribute a single penny is 3.69 cents, according to the United States Mint 2024 annual report, with the original cost being 1.42 cents. This resulted in the Treasury having a seigniorage loss of $85.3 million from minting more than 3 billion new pennies, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

Ball State University's dining services have posted signs in dining halls across campus explaining that when using cash, certain charges may be rounded up or down, depending on the amount.

Removing the penny will cause cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest nickel, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, with purchases ending in three, four, eight or nine rounding up and purchases ending in one, two, six or seven rounding down. Purchases ending in zero or five will not be rounded.

Assistant director of university dining purchasing and co-interim director of university dining, Kevin Jarnagin, said the decision to post signs regarding cash transactions was made in early December via email. He explained that this was a direct response to the U.S. Mint officially ending the penny's production.

Jarnagin said Ball State notified university dining that the university could no longer guarantee it would have enough pennies to provide exact change for every cash transaction.

"We posted signage to be transparent and proactive, ensuring customers weren't surprised at the register when they saw the new rounding policy in effect," he said via email.

The United States is not the first country to eliminate one-cent coins. Canada stopped its production of the penny due to "low purchasing power," according to the Government of Canada's website, with its penny ceasing production in 2012.

Along with Canada, Australia eliminated its one-cent coin in 1990, with the decision also being due to a "loss of purchasing power" through inflation and the overall cost of minting the coins, according to the Australian Government's website.

Fourth-year Ball State student majoring in production, Alexander Swetnam, said it has been "known for a long time" that the penny is a "useless piece of coinage." He claimed that most coins are "fundamentally not very useful" because most items are not priced under one dollar.

"We're getting to the point where almost nothing is priced at one dollar anyway. So that's terrifying," Swetnam said.

He said that while the ending of the penny will not have a huge economic impact, he said it will be "weird" to have the penny gone. Swetnam wished that the elimination of the penny would have an impact on students because it would "imply that we are in a cent range for food at dining areas."

While second-year Ball State student Emoni Burton said she has not looked into the end of the penny's production, she said the elimination of the coin will force students to pay more money for certain items by having to bring more physical change with them during check out.

"You would have to find a dime, a nickel [or] another dollar," Burton said. "So instead of that exact change, you would have to give out those bigger bills for things like that."

Fourth-year student, majoring in mass communication, Jovi Taylor, explained that "it's sad" that the penny has reached the end of its course.

Taylor said that this new policy could make students' purchases either more expensive or cheaper, claiming, "I don't see the point in getting rid of it."

Unlike Taylor, a second-year student, majoring in sports media communication, Kennedy Zachary said that the end of the penny ultimately will not affect students.

"I think it's definitely interesting, and kind of shows the way our society is moving away from physical money and transferring more towards credit cards and debit cards," Zachary said.

Jarnagin said that since the vast majority of students who pay with meal plans, dining cash or credit cards, there will be no effect on students purchasing their meals. But for cashiers, Jarnagin thinks this will "improve workflow." He said that it will require more customer service in the "short term" if students have not been updated on the recent policy or are not aware of recent federal news regarding the penny.

Maintaining student affordability was a "top priority," said Jarnagin, while planning this implementation in dining halls. Jarnagin said that university dining has established clear guidelines to ensure that the process of rounding is "applied equitably across all cash transactions."

"Our goal is to ensure the process remains neutral over time, preventing the national currency shortage from creating any added financial burden for our students," Jarnagin said via email.

For students who primarily use cash at dining halls, Jarnagin said students have the option to purchase dining cash with a 10 percent discount on the university's dining website. The amount of money a student charges on dining cash will be added to their student identification cards with no added fee. This will allow students to pay the exact amounts being charged digitally.

Off-campus students have the option of purchasing a meal plan from the university's dining website as well.

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

Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at linnea.sundquist@bsu.edu.

That all changed on Jan. 21 when the Cardinals welcomed in the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Minutewomen. UMass came into the game ranked third in the conference and boasted the best overall defense in the MAC.

The Cardinals rose to the occasion, taking down UMass 78-60, and moving to 7-0 in the MAC.

Ball State started off playing sloppy. The Cardinals quickly racked up seven first quarter turnovers, allowing UMass to jump out to an early lead. The Minutewomen's lead bled into the second quarter, and gave them a six-point halftime lead.

But the third quarter is when everything swung the Cardinals way. Once Ball State took their first lead since the first quarter, the team went on a 12-2 run to carry a ten-point lead into the fourth quarter.

A big catalyst to the scoring run was sophomore guard Grace Kingery, who made three field goals from behind the arc during the team's run. Kingery ended the game with 14 points.

"The first half there was some some struggles, I wasn't being confident [and] I was a little bit hesitant," Kingery said. "But just trusting the system and my teammates and know that they're gonna get me the ball."

The difference between the first and second half was light and day for the Cardinals, and Head Coach Brady Sallee credited the improvement of play to the team adjusting at halftime. The head coach said the team went over certain statistics and talked about honing it in on the offensive side of things.

Sallee also said he went over two defensive things with the team at halftime: one being a general thing and the other being an adjustment. The head coach said it was an adjustment the team has never done all year, and he credited the team for adjusting to the unknown.

"Credit to these kids because they took something we haven't done and they went out and executed it at a high level," Sallee said. "[It] changed up the trajectory of the game, big time."

Despite the first half struggles for Ball State, the team found a way to stay in the game against UMass when shots were not falling. Senior forward Bree Salenbien said there was a difference in the shots the team was taking between the two halves.

"Our shots weren't going, so you just got to trust the preparation is there and our system is there," Salenbien said. "Second half we really came out and worked for our shots."

After the Cardinals' win over Western Michigan on Jan. 17, Sallee said he did not want to see anything change for the Cardinals' preparation leading up to the game against UMass.

The head coach said that teams have to "fall in love with the process" at this level of college basketball when it comes to preparation. He said teams have to be excited about the process leading up to games.

"I think this group is mature that way and they understand the importance of every minute we spend out there, and getting the information so they can come out and do what they did today," Sallee said.

Moving forward, the Cardinals will take on fellow undefeated MAC opponent Miami (OH) on Jan. 24 at Worthen Arena.

In this episode of 9-1-1 What's Your Hot Take, Sam and Willow discuss the events of season 9 episode 8 of 9-1-1.

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Senate Bill 21passed the chamber 37-11 and now heads to the Indiana House.

The measure was originally authored by former Sen. Andy Zay, R-Huntington, who left the Senate last weekto join the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The bill is now carried by Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen. Zayintroduced similar legislation unsuccessfullyin the 2023 session.

Doriot told colleagues that pork is a staple Indiana commodity.

"Pork is a major product in the state of Indiana," he said. "I would like for all of you to please all get a little pork in your campaign and celebrate Indiana's state sandwich."

Sen. Gary Byrne, R-Byrneville, said he was conflicted - joking that beef producers could be the real losers.

"This campaign - I think there could be a conspiracy going on here with the pork industry against the cattle farmers," Byrne said, drawing laughter from the Senate chamber. "I'm just a little concerned that our beef farmers are going to have a real problem with this. I'm probably going to support the bill, though."

Byrne also referenced Zay's repeated attempts to move the bill.

"Sen. Zay wasn't able to get it done," he quipped, "but Sen. Doriot is getting it done."

But Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, said northwest Indiana residents may have other priorities.

"Being from The Region, I've got to say it - the Italian beef is king of northwest Indiana," Pol said. "I will support the bill, but know, if you come to northwest Indiana, you better get Italian beef. … I think we might be here in a couple years reassessing this vote."

Sen. Daryl Schmitt, R-Jasper, rose to defend another protein.

"I am a lifelong farmer in the poultry industry," said Schmitt, who has raised turkeys in southern Indiana for decades. "Pork kind of stole the 'other white meat,' and I wanted to make sure everybody understood that turkey is the real white meat."

He, too, still supported the bill.

"I am not going to be chicken -I am going to move this bill along," Doriot said in his closing remarks. "I support the beef industry. I support poultry. And I appreciate your vote."

This content is provided byIndiana Capital Chronicle.

The event is "Indiana's largest and longest-running single-day train show," according to a Jan. 9 event flyer.

The club is a not for profit that supports the Muncie Children's Museum.

Admission is $5 per adult; children 12 and under get in free, according to the flyer.

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

Heading into their matchup against the Chippewas, Ball State sat with a conference record of 1-5 but showed early on that they can play way better than their record suggests.

"First [conference] road win for this group, really happy with that [win]," Head Coach Michael Lewis said. "I thought our first 14 minutes, maybe the first half, was really [good] attention to detail and how we attacked them offensively."

As Lewis complimented his offense's performance in the first half, he also shed light on the defense and their ability to create deflections tonight.

"Our defense was solid, I thought we were flying around. We had 20 deflections at half, so if we could have done that the second half [as well], you get 40 deflections and you don't lose," Lewis said. "Unfortunately, we only had 10 [deflections] in the second half. I thought we came out of halftime with very little energy. I talked at halftime pretty enthusiastically about what we needed to do in the second half to kind of put this game away."

Something the team did well in both the first and second half was forcing turnovers and creating points out of them, forcing Central Michigan to turn the ball over 12 times, and converting that into 17 points. This was something Lewis was upset about after the team's loss to UMass on Jan. 10.

"Creating turnovers and turning those into points was a big emphasis for us… I thought we really struggled getting back in the second half," Lewis said. "I thought our transition defense was not good. So, [we're] very fortunate to take care of the ball the way we did, only having five turnovers. But the first half, our ability to create some turnovers and get easy baskets was huge."

While the deflections and turnovers were nice, so was the return of sophomore forward Kayden Fish, who has been battling an injury since the Cardinals' loss to Miami (OH) on Dec. 20. The redshirt sophomore played in 19 minutes for Ball State, racking up four rebounds and four points in his return.

"It was good to have him out there, [he played] 19 minutes, a little bit more than I would have liked, but I thought he did some good things. [Fish] practiced about 90 minutes since his surgery, so he's going to be a little rusty, it's going to take him some time to get his feet underneath him, but I thought he did some good things for us, and it's just nice to have another body out there," Lewis said.

With a central piece of the team returning, and the team going on a two-game win streak to record their first two conference wins of the season, things are looking up for the Cardinals. However, Lewis is still focused on the next one against Northern Illinois on Jan. 24, when the Cardinals will welcome back their 1986 NCAA Tournament Team.

"We got the 1986 tournament team coming back Saturday, obviously, you want to play well in front of those guys. So, we're going to enjoy this, and we're going to enjoy the bus ride as much as you can enjoy a bus ride," Lewis said.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

Since 1983, signed into law by President Reagan, the third Monday in January has been declared MLK Jr. Day, a day of carrying on King's legacy of equality, justice and non-violent protest to help others, according to The Associated Press (AP).

Though Reagan's signing did not lead other Republicans to follow. It would be 17 more years until all 50 states observed it, adding to the holiday's "long struggle" toward establishment, according to AP.

The annual breakfast was held in Cardinal Hall A at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Jan. 19 from 9 - 11 a.m. and featured several speakers from both Ball State and the Muncie community. It was the first event of Ball State's Unity Week, and the theme was "having the strength to love," inspired by MLK's 1963 book, "Strength to Love."

The celebration began with greetings and opening remarks from WaTasha Barnes Griffin, the chief executive officer of Central Indiana's Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), who also gave thanks to certain members and committees that made it possible for the event to take place.

"Today is about remembrance, action and investment in the next generation. It is about living out Dr. King's call to love, not just in words, but in how we serve," Griffin said.

Several leaders, pastors and members of the Muncie community, including Muncie mayor Dan Ridenour, gave speeches before breakfast was served to the attendees by Ball State University catering.

Many of the speakers referenced quotes from King's "I Had a Dream" speech and what he envisioned for the U.S., the origin of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and more.

Brandon Woods, a Ball State student and employee of the university catering, voiced his thoughts on why he believes this event is important to the university and Muncie community.

"I think [the annual breakfast] recognizes [Ball State's] support for Black lives and Black history. I think that's incredibly important just because it shaped the foundation of so many aspects of society in our lives, so showing their support for that is important," Woods said.

After breakfast was served, a choral ensemble from Muncie Church of God performed musical selections, including "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which attendees referred to as "The Black National Anthem."

William Keith O'Neal, senior pastor of Destiny Christian Center International, spoke about the importance of choosing to love, referencing stories and experiences from his past at Ball State, his parents' experiences, his faith and more.

"[MLK Jr.] made significant sacrifices during his day in hope for us to experience a better America, an America where the color of one's skin is not the first identifying quality you see in another person," O'Neal said. "Laws cannot force a person to love. You have to choose to do that."

Following O'Neal's speech was the recognition of Muncie Community Schools' top seniors, acknowledged by Rhonda Ward and Dr. Chuck Reynolds, both directors of Muncie Community Schools. Gabrielle Lloyd, director of the university's Multicultural Center, also briefly spoke on the history of King's 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech.

The event concluded with acknowledgements and appreciations from Ball State's Director of Community Support Initiatives, Paris McCurdy, who thanked First Merchants Bank, Indiana University Health, the Concerned Clergy of Muncie and more.

Muncie community member Dan Beard said he decided to come to the MLK breakfast celebration to listen to several of the speakers talk.

"I didn't want to pass up a chance to hear a speaker speak on social justice, especially in these times," Beard said. "I think we need a reminder that social justice is on the agenda and that it's very important. We get wrapped up in current events sometimes, and we can't forget about it."

The day was full of activities celebrating MLK's life and historical significance, including a programming event at Muncie's Motivate our Minds for K-5 students, as well as one for middle school and high school students at the Boys and Girls Club. Union Missionary Baptist Church in Muncie also held a community celebration at 6 p.m.

"Choosing to love is a reflection on your character rather than echoing the sentiment of those who don't share your commitment," O'Neal said.

The annual breakfast kicked off Ball State's Unity Week 2026, Jan. 19-25.

"The weeklong series of programs is designed to celebrate culture and encourage civic engagement across campus and the Muncie community," according to the university's multicultural center website.

Various educational workshops, cultural celebrations and service opportunities will be held on campus and throughout the surrounding community all week long, including Disability History Jeopardy, hosted by Ball State's Office of Disability Services and Asian Student Union Sushi Night.

Visit the Vivian V. Conley and Hurley C. Goodall Jr. Multicultural Center website for a detailed overview of events.

Contact Gracie Parkhurst via email at gracie.parkhurst@bsu.edu.

The farmer's market, which takes place nearly every first and third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., according to its website, welcomed a variety of Muncie residents, locals and Ball State students, with the Jan. 17 market being the first since classes returned from the holiday season Jan. 5, according to Ball State's academic calendar.

The next indoor market will be held Feb. 14, followed by Feb. 21 and March 7.

To view a complete map of vendors, check out the Minnetristra's website.

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

Coffee and Canvas

Come join a relaxed, in-person gathering where creativity meets caffeine! Enjoy your favorite cup of coffee while painting on a canvas. Whether you're a pro or a newbie, it's all about having fun, making art, and sharing good vibes. Bring your friends or come solo - great times await!

• Price: $39.19
• Location: 819 E McGalliard Rd
• Date and Time: Monday, January 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Ball State vs University of Massachusetts

Watch Ball State play against the University of Massachusetts in a game on our home court! Wear red and show support for the Cardinals!

• Price: Free
• Location: Worthen Arena
• Date and Time: Wednesday, January 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Chicago the Musical

Come see Broadway's longest-running musical that has been razzle-dazzling audiences for over 28 years! In the whirlwind of Chicago's Jazz Age, two of the Cook County Jail's most notorious murderesses-vaudeville star Velma Kelly and chorus girl Roxie Hart- become fierce rivals as they compete for headlines amidst a media frenzy.

• Price: Adult: $69, $54, $39 | Youth: $26, $22 | Students: $5 advance, $10 at door
• Location: Emens Auditorium
• Date and Time: Thursday, January 22 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Free Health Fair

Start your year off right! Bring the whole family for a day of hands-on museum fun, plus free health screenings, community resources, and interactive activities and games provided by Ball State University COH Interprofessional Community Clinic and ECI-AHEC.

• Price: Free
• Location: Muncie Children's Museum
• Date and Time: Saturday, January 24 from 10:00 am. to 3:00 p.m.

The Cardinals faced off against the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) on Jan. 17 and fell in the match 3-1. UCLA is the top ranked team in the country.

Ball State jumped out to an early lead in the game, taking the first set 25-22. Despite UCLAtaking the next three sets to win, the Cardinals stayed close in every set, falling 26-24 in the second and third sets, and falling 25-20 in the fourth and final set.

On Jan. 18, the Cardinals looked to avenge the UCLA loss as they took on 11th ranked Stanford University. Ball State did just that, taking down Stanford 3-1.

Ball State jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the game, and held that until the very end, taking down Stanford 25-23 in the final set to win the game.

Senior outside hitter Patrick Rogers led the way for the Cardinals on the weekend, as he recorded 35 total kills between the two games.

The Cardinals improve to 4-1 on the season and will play their next game at Worthen Arena against Maryville University on Jan. 22.