South View Elementary teacher opens Well Made Vintage, a thrift store in the Village

By Lily Jones / April 17, 2023

Seth Pope and Blake Edwards have been friends since they were first-year students at Ball State University. Though Pope was an elementary education major and Edwards went for business administration, what brought them closer was their love of collecting vintage clothing.   Edwards started selling clothes in 2016 while he was in high school, but Pope didn’t start until his second year of college, when he sold vintage clothes on Snapchat.  Pope and Edwards met in 2018, and, once Pope started selling, he asked Edwards if he wanted to put together a pop-up shop.   “When that pop-up shop did well, we were like, ‘Okay, this is something we could definitely continue doing,’” Pope said. “It just sort of built from there.”  Pope and Edwards did not enjoy constantly hosting pop-up shops. They wanted something more stable where people can come in at any time. At the beginning of 2023, they decided to open a thrift shop called Well Made Vintage. 

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LIFESTYLES

BSU theatre education students gain hands-on experience with the help of Northside Middle School

By Miguel Naranjo / April 13, 2023

When David Hreno was in high school, he considered himself to be a shy person, finding it difficult to socialize and make friends with his peers, he said.  When he started participating in theatre, however, he was immediately immersed in the novel experience and felt like part of the group.  Now, as a third-year theatre education major, Hreno wears the hat of director for a group of middle schoolers at Northside Middle School, putting on his own shows. Alongside Megan Templeton, third-year theatre education major, the two are doing the same thing for the Northside students: building a community for them to thrive in.

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LIFESTYLES

The faces behind Muncie funeral homes

By Lila Fierek / April 10, 2023

Jerry Shaner walked up and down the Family Dollar aisles in search of the perfect gift.  Reaching out to his daughter who teaches preschool for recommendations, a small, plush pink and white unicorn and a matching baby blanket caught his eye. It was only $10.  But when Shaner went to check the 5-year-old, he realized the cost of providing a toy for a girl in the morgue costs much more.  Shaner, who is the business manager, crematory director and funeral director in training at Parson Mortuary and Cremation Center, said funerals for children are always the hardest. 

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LIFESTYLES

Danielle’s Popcorn motivates K-5 students in Muncie Community Schools through her Pop Open a Book and Read Program

By Ella Howell / April 4, 2023

The unmistakable crunch and warm, buttery smell of the common movie snack has been a staple for thousands of years, and people have since found that it is also a great base for diverse flavor combinations.   The Muncie Mall is home to a variety of shops, and beginning the weekend before Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a new business opened bringing with it a strong but familiar aroma.  Danielle’s Popcorn is attracting growing attention due to their variety of gourmet popcorn flavors. It has options for people with a sweet tooth as well as those whose palettes lean toward a more savory experience.  

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LIFESTYLES

Black Women’s Voices is a safe space for Black women to talk about their community

By Mya Cataline / March 28, 2023

Eight women sat around a table at Bracken Library in August 2020 with the same thought in mind: the death of Breonna Taylor, a Black woman shot by police, wasn’t as respected as others, and there was no space on Ball State University’s campus to talk about what was happening in the Black community. That day, the eight founders: Star Gooch, Olamide Awoola, Makayla Atwater, Jordyn Owens, Kye Wilson, Trinity Mitchell, Jaylyn McDonald and Francesca Fontus, decided to make that space by creating the Black Women’s Voices organization, official in February 2021.

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LIFESTYLES

Electric Crayon Records opens as a safe space for students and those suffering with addiction in Muncie

By Lila Fierek / March 25, 2023

Music has been said to bring people of all ages together, and at Electric Crayon Records, it’s no different.  The store opened March 11, and within their first week, co-owner Grant Butler said a 14-year-old and a 60-year-old had already come in looking for similar records.   Butler, an addictions specialist at IU Health, has been into music since sharing a room with his punk-loving brother as a kid. His brother was a photographer and would take Butler with him to shows.  “When you’re a kid, the first medium you’re given is a crayon, pencil and all that stuff, so it’s kind of like that idea to create, there is electricity to it,” Butler said. “It’s kind of like the idea that you’re drawn to create art, whether it’s music or actual, tangible art or literature, any of that kind of stuff. You’re drawn to it.”

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LIFESTYLES

Members of the LGBTQ+ community are being restricted from donating blood and plasma

By Lila Fierek / March 19, 2023

You must be 18 years or older. You must weigh more than 110 pounds. You must be in good health.  Simple rules for donating blood, right?  Not necessarily.  You must not be a male who has had sexual contact with another male in the last three months. You may be able to donate blood as a trans man … but not if you’ve had sex with another man in the last three months. If you are an individual who identifies as female and has had sex with a man, you may be eligible to donate blood. 

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LIFESTYLES

Behind the scenes at Ball State theatre

By Olivia Ground / March 16, 2023

Silence falls over the crowd. The orchestra plays the first notes. Energy vibrates through the room, as anticipation grows. Goosebumps form, and smiles widen as the curtain opens to reveal a the set — elaborately painted structures and period props, costumes, hair and makeup.  Before an actor says the first line — in that opening pause — the audience enters the story. Kip Shawager, associate professor emeritus of theatre design of the Ball State University Department of Theatre and Dance, said these visual cues establish the setting, the time period and the tone of the story.    “We’re supporting the actors and the directions and everything they do by surrounding them with visuals to tell the story that makes sense,” he added.  Shawger shared that all the visual and design aspects of theatre — costuming, sets, props, hair, makeup and lighting — all have to work in unison.  

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LIFESTYLES

Ball State’s branch of Camp Kesem supports children who have been affected by their parent’s cancer through a free weekend of fun and encouragement

By Grace Duerksen / March 7, 2023

Kelly Hayes, second-year creative writing major at Ball State University, grew up in a home where she said all anyone talked about was cancer. “All you ever think about is that your parent is sick, and that takes up your whole life,” Hayes said Her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and when Hayes was 16 years old, her mother died from it. Two years later, Hayes was introduced to Camp Kesem, an annual summer camp for 6 to 18-year-olds. “My mom had died two years ago at that point, so it was still fresh,” Hayes said. “I saw the [Camp Kesem] banner and mission, and I said, ‘Isn’t that amazing?’ I wish I had something like that as a kid. I wanted to help.” 

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LIFESTYLES

Buying local produce gives back to the community, and in some instances, is cheaper than alternatives

By Ella Howell / March 4, 2023

The original building that housed Sparky’s Corner Greenhouse was relatively small, but now it’s an expanded building in vibrant shades of pink, green and yellow. Inside, there are various hues of green stretching from floor to ceiling for Muncie residents to choose from. Sparky’s Corner Greenhouse aims to better the community by making affordable plants and produce accessible while working against inflation. Brian Carless is a co-owner and became comfortable in Muncie through his work in the Avondale Community Garden. 

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WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

The Tri Kappa sorority gives back to the community through fundraisers and their Twice as Nice store

By Lila Fierek and Mya Cataline / March 3, 2023

Euchre nights, cemetery visits, ax throwing, aerial aerobics, glass blowing workshops and community volunteering. This is what it’s like to be a part of Tri Kappa Muncie.  “It’s a place where you can socialize with people, but you also feel like you’re doing a service to the community,” Diane Frye, president of Tri Kappa Muncie, said.

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LIFESTYLES

Troy Dobosiewicz, deceased theatre education program coordinator, is remembered for his impact on students

By Miguel Naranjo / February 24, 2023

On Feb. 4, Troy Dobosiewicz passed away unexpectedly at 51 in his home in Muncie, according to his obituary in the South Bend Tribune. Though the professor is no longer alive, his memory and his impact on the Department of Theatre and Dance and its students continue to serve Theatre Education students at Ball State.

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LIFESTYLES

From majoring in math to working on Broadway, Ball State University theatre professor Michael Rafter shares his journey

By Lila Fierek / February 24, 2023

Five children in a high stakes battle. Who can play piano the best and win the cookie? When Michael Rafter is your brother, there is no chance.  The Emmy-award winning conductor and professor at Ball State University discovered his musical talent through an at-home piano playing competition. Rafter’s older sister would babysit and teach her five other siblings something on the piano, and whoever could play it best would win a sweet prize.  “I always won the cookie,” he said, “but my brothers beat me up and ate the cookie.” Though the rest of his brothers were athletic and could pick up a football and throw a “perfect spiral,” the keyboard is what made sense to Rafter.  He won the cookie for a reason. Today, Rafter is the musical director for the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl” starring Lea Michelle. 

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH

A walkout from 55 years ago started the implementation for African-American studies at Ball State

By Lila Fierek and KwaTashea Marfo / February 21, 2023

There was political unrest and several things needed to be addressed on Ball State’s campus. Fifty Black students were up for the test. Sparked by the racial complications and the conditions of the 1960s, college campuses across the United States were in an uproar. African Americans were fueled with determination to change academic bureaucratic policies. During the 1967-68 academic year, Ball State’s African American population faced two main concerns: the university’s lack of social activities for Black students and the need for representation of Black minorities in the curriculum and faculty. However, the demand for their issues were not met until a walkout was correctly timed.

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LIFESTYLES

Ball State bus driver says goodbye to students and faculty after five years

By Olivia Ground / February 20, 2023

He greeted every single person who stepped foot on the bus with a smile. He knew multiple students by name. He knew their major, their schedule and where they were headed. He knew their plan for the day, and what they were doing that evening. He knew when they were graduating, how their extracurriculars were and what they planned to do after school.  He took care and pride in keeping students safe, especially at night.  Ball State University bus driver Brian Kemp has driven campus shuttles for five years. For him, the best part about this job is the students. 

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LIFESTYLES

SunShine Cafe Muncie employees and customers share their special bond

By Elissa Maudlin and Angelica Gonzalez / February 12, 2023

Kamara Heier stood at the front podium of SunShine Cafe Muncie. She watched customers come in and helped them pay out. The cafe wasn’t new to her; she’s been working on and off there for the last 14 years. 

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LIFESTYLES

The family behind Reality Bytes virtual reality arcade wants to make VR attainable for the residents of Muncie

By Ella Howell / February 9, 2023

From the outside, the strip mall on West Fox Ridge Lane appears to be a typical building in Muncie. However, once you step inside, you’re faced with countless possibilities. The Rizzo family opened the virtual reality arcade, Reality Bytes, in July 2022, and their novelty idea has taken entertainment in Muncie to a new level.

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LIFESTYLES

Amy’s Pet Spa opens in Muncie to pamper your pet

By Lila Fierek / February 5, 2023

On the corner of South Cherry and West Adams, husky howls and barking can be heard in the air, though usually only for a few minutes. On that corner in downtown Muncie, sits Amy’s Pet Spa.  Owner Amy Shears has been busy since she opened in November 2022, and her business is only growing. Kelley Stewart, Shears’ neighbor and owner of Sit-Stay-Play Pet Grooming Kelley Stewart, recently broke her wrist, leaving Shears to help Stewart’s clients in the midst of a pet grooming shortage. 

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LIFESTYLES

Ball State fraternity sweethearts discuss their roles

January 29, 2023

Sigma Chi fraternity brothers stand in the formal room, waiting for a special girl to arrive. A white rose, the fraternity’s flower, is handed to her as the brothers serenade her with their sweetheart song and welcome her into the fraternity. She is now their sweetheart.

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LIFESTYLES

Five gym etiquette rules to follow when working out

By Lila Fierek / January 28, 2023

With 52 percent of Americans’ New Year’s resolutions being to exercise more, according to Statistica, and 12 percent of new gym members starting in January, according to RunRepeat, gyms have been filling up. This means new people to fitness centers, some who don’t know the “unwritten rules” of the gym. Here are five rules of gym etiquette for all those visiting the gym.