Mama and Son Soul Food Kitchen, formerly named Mama Bond’s Soul Food Kitchen, is located inside Historic Rose Court and marked by its circular image of Dominique Isom, “Son,” and Consuela Nixon, “Mama,” at the storefront.
In 2017, Marsh Supermarkets, a retail food chain that at one point had 86 different stores between Ohio and Indiana, filed for bankruptcy. The company announced that the remaining 44 stores, five of which were in Muncie, Ind., would be open for purchase. Only two of Muncie’s five stores would be bought out, however. Kroger Co. picked up the old Marsh Supermarkets on Wheeling, on the northwest side of Muncie, and on Tillotson, on the west-central side of Muncie.
20 years ago, a seed of hope was planted in a neighborhood disconnected from each other. This neighborhood is located on the Southside of Muncie, Indiana, and this seed has now sprouted into a community garden bringing young and old neighbors together.
In the Muncie community, there are non-profit organizations that try to make an impact for everyone in the area. Habitat for Humanity is one of those organizations that look to make a long-term impact.
Southwest of Ball State University’s campus lies the Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse. It’s a 3,400-square-foot conservatory that hosts a wide array of orchids and other plants, as well as a honeybee display and a turtle named Beaker.
Since 2017, Addi has been growing their brand under Addison’s Agenda, a website they launched to promote their business, advice, and life’s musings. In the midst of COVID-19, they developed a YouTube channel and a video series called Ask Addi as a service to educate people on how to talk about genderqueer issues, including the language around the topic.
A mandarin-colored leaf peers over the veiny flesh of an orchid. The fuschia lung-like petals of the flower face inward. The human-like stature of the plant creates curiosity and enchantment. The orchid that could stunt double as a fairy: The Pink Lady Slipper Orchid. A population of Pink Lady Slipper Orchids sit quietly as the morning mist taps their petals at the Ball State Dr. Joe and Alice Rinard Orchid Greenhouse.
The orchid legal trade market is very large, but so is the unknown illegal trade market. For most trades, it is illegal to trade wild orchids internationally without a permit from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Although, for some, dealing with wild specimens is completely forbidden for them.
Juli Metzger: There used to be a publication in Muncie called the Muncie times, and it was an African American publication. The woman who founded it, her name was B. Foster, and she died in 2011. When she died, the publication went away. It was really a one-man show she did, she did it out of just sheer will. It was a very basic kind of publication that had obituaries and it had church announcements, very local.
Muncie has 825 organizations employing over 6,035 people and Ball State University students aren’t shying away from getting involved. Senior psychology major Caleb Floyd, member of The Phi Beta Sigma Chapter, participated in the annual ‘Sleepout for the Homeless’ on Nov. 2.
Music brings people together and is a way to bond and help the community. Throughout Muncie, there are many musicians that try to get people together through their art form. While some may make different types and forms of music, they all look to positively impact the community.
The Addictions Coalition of Delaware County (ACDC) officially formed in July 2020 with the purpose of bringing “the resources, energy, and expertise of Ball State University to the community.” The seed for the organization was planted a year earlier, however, when Ball State University faculty members Dr. Jean Marie Place and Dr. Jonel Thaller discussed ways in which the issue of addiction could be addressed within Delaware County.
Liberty lofts in Muncie, Indiana, was once home to the First Church of Christian Scientist before hosting an LGBTQIA congregation called the Rainbow Cathedral. The historic building of 326 West Charles St. has been called home to many things but is now home to people. Quite literally.
In the 1920s General Motors invested themselves in the Southside of Muncie. Along with them and other auto part makers, the Southside of Muncie continued to boom throughout the 50s and 60s. Increased automation and globalism of industrial giants began to come into the picture, resulting in lost jobs that had no promise of returning.
With Fall Commencement comes a great deal of ceremony: cap and gown, “Pomp and Circumstance” and the speeches of proud faculty and peers. It’s a thoroughly fancy affair – a dignified send-off to four long years of hard work and memories. While it marks the end of the class of 2023’s college years, it’s only the beginning of a life of formalities.
Combining love, drama, and action, the Muncie Civic Center presented The Hunchback of Notre Dame from October 7-23. Directed by Brittany M. Covert, the play starred Kyle Thomas as Quasimodo, Cameron Clevenger as his voice, Michael Williamson as Frollo, and Elizabeth Belle as Esmeralda. With one of the main characters being hard of hearing, the play provided an ASL translation throughout the show as well as a singing voice for Quasimodo.
Jack Correa presented with points on improving the hours for dining halls and the recreational facilities on campus as well as working to improve campus safety. Correa was approved on a vote of 29-0 with one abstention. Viktoriia Budiad had points dealing with diversity and inclusion, aiming to improve the general cultural knowledge of the Ball State University population. Budiad was approved on a vote of 29-0 and two abstentions.
In their seventh win of the season, Cardinals junior Basheer Jihad recorded his third double-double of the season in his hometown.
“It was the main reason we scheduled it,” head coach Brady Sallee said. “When Hana came here, UConn reached out to Beth Goetz who had worked at UConn. They got together and were like ‘It would be awesome if we could get the Mühl sisters together.’ Beth came to me and I said absolutely.”
Ball State looked to Bischoff to carry the offensive load in the first quarter. She had 12 points, making four of her five attempts from 3-point land and scored over half of the Cardinals’ points in the first quarter.
