The effect of COVID-19 on the Muncie DIY scene

As summer draws near, music festivals and artists typically blast social media and their websites with promotional videos and pre-sale ticket options. But social distancing guidelines issued to stop the spread of COVID-19 — a disease that has taken the lives of more than 323,000 globally — has taken center stage. Although many fans are sympathetic to the regulations, they are bummed at the slew of music festivals and concerts that are either being cancelled or postponed. Many are worried about the long-term impact of the pandemic on the music scene.



BYTE

X Lovers deserve more appreciation

With dreamy, soft vocals over a relaxed electronic beat, it’s difficult not to fall head-over-heels in love with pop duo X Lovers. This duo consists of London Jackson and Jacob Ames. They are childhood best friends who met in fourth grade in their hometown of Nevada City, California, and have been inseparable since then. Jackson is the vocalist and tends to most of the songwriting while Ames produces all their music. They are stars on the rise and — in my eyes — they deserve more appreciation. 


A man wearing a protective face mask passes the New York Stock Exchange, May 26, 2020, as employees arrive for the partial reopening of the trading floor. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
NEWS

5 national stories of the week

The reopening of the New York Stock Exchange, disregard for social distancing rules during the Memorial Day weekend, White House failing to meet its testing goals in nursing homes, the death of black man in Minneapolis and SpaceX’s first-ever launch of NASA astronauts make up this week’s five national stories.



Worshippers wearing protective face masks offer Eid al-Fitr prayers outside a mosque May 24, 2020, in Tehran, Iran. Muslims worldwide celebrate one of their biggest holidays under the long shadow of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
NEWS

5 international stories of the week

Eid al-Fitr celebrations, the new travel restrictions on Brazil, protests in Hong Kong, the Israeli prime minister’s corruption trial and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work to keep alive a nearly extinct subspecies of rhino make up this week’s five international stories.


Queer Chocolatier co-owners Cheri Madewell and Morgan Roddy raised more than $10,000 for the business through a GoFundMe page after sharing their financial concerns online. The chocolate store closed its doors in March to dine-in customers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Morgan Roddy, Photo Courtesy
NEWS

Community donations keep Muncie business open

After closing dine-in services for more than a month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Queer Chocolatier co-owner Morgan Roddy shared concerns online May 4 about the business' financial situation. In response, community members raised more than $10,000 in donations for the store.



In this March 2020 photo, Liz Rieth, junior journalism and Spanish major, looks out at the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. Rieth returned home to Indiana from her study abroad program in Granada in early March. Liz Rieth, Photo Provided
NEWS

Sincerely, Liz: Adiós España

I wasn’t ready to go. I stood looking at a fiery sunset as it descended behind the Spanish Sierra Nevada mountains. In front of the mountains, hundreds of colorful panderías, apartments and plazas dotted Granada. My heart felt heavy as I took in the view. That night, I said my final goodbye to this Spanish scene.



Khirey Walker, kinesiology professor, asked students to create YouTube accounts and make video discussion board posts as an alternative to in-class discussions during the COVID-19 lockdown, which led Ball State classes to transition solely online March 2020. Photo Courtesy, Unsplash
NEWS

Ball State professors adjust to online classes

Regular on-campus professors began operating solely online after Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns announced early March the university would forgo in-person classes for the rest of semester to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many professors handled the transition differently.


The Chicago River overflowed its banks and flooded the Riverwalk after overnight showers and thunderstorms across the city May 18, 2020 in Chicago. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
NEWS

5 national stories of the week

White House aides defending the president’s use of a potentially fatal malaria drug, updates on the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, flooding in the Midwest, the pandemic affecting communion rituals and the 2020 Webby Awards make up this week’s five national stories.







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