Associated Press: A spate of weekend mass shootings leaves 6 people dead and dozens injured across the US

By Associated Press / June 19, 2023

A spate of weekend mass shootings and violence across the U.S. killed at least six people, including a Pennsylvania state trooper, and left dozens injured. The shootings follow a surge in homicides and other violence over the past several years that experts say accelerated during the coronavirus pandemic. They happened in suburban Chicago, Washington state, central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Southern California and Baltimore.

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HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS

CARTER: 2022-2023 Delaware County awards

By Zach Carter / June 18, 2023

In my first season as the Daily News beat writer covering Delaware County high school athletics, I saw multiple athletes fight their way to help their school. But when the 2022-2023 sports season officially ended, I thought to myself, which players stood out? With that in mind, here are my awards for the season. The first two awards are a bit different than the rest as I sent an email to the area’s athletic directors asking for nominees. From there, I looked at the candidates and chose the winners. 

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NATIONAL NEWS

Associated Press: Supermajorities in state capitols push controversial policies to the edge

By Associated Press / June 17, 2023

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lawmakers in state capitols this year have been flexing their superpowers. In North Carolina, a new supermajority of Republicans enacted abortion restrictions. In Vermont, a new supermajority of Democrats imposed a climate-sensitive home heating law. And in Montana, a GOP supermajority booted a transgender lawmaker from the House floor. In each case, the views of their political opponents ultimately were irrelevant.

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Renovations and cost changes are on the way as the Board of Trustees has their summer meeting

By Elijah Poe / June 16, 2023

The Ball State University’s Board of Trustees met today to push plans for the future and next year. President Geoffrey Mearns presented the current state of the Village revitalization. The goals of this revitalization are to create a more vibrant environment, improve connections, attract students and employees to Ball State, retain students to keep on living in Muncie and also to boost Muncie’s economy. 

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NEWS

Local community events weekend roundup

By Staff Reports / June 16, 2023

Events are planned for the next couple of days throughout Delaware County and Muncie. Yorktown Farmers Marketplace will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Walnut Grove in Morrow’s Meadow. The Marketplace has a multitude of items including food, art and more. The park itself has several playgrounds and trails. Tonne Winery will have Cliff Ritchey performing as a part of their Tonne Winery Music Series. The concert will start at 6 p.m. and will run until 8 p.m. Farmland BBQ and The Food Vault will be there as well for food options. It is encouraged to bring your own lawn chair. 

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BALL BEARINGS

In the Shadows of Hollywood

June 16, 2023

“I just felt like people wanted to fit you neatly into one category,” says graduate student Isabel Vazquez-Rowe.

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BALL BROTHERS FOUNDATION

Ball Brothers Foundation’s first round of grants total $3 million

By Staff Reports / June 15, 2023

The Ball Brothers Foundation approved 28 grants totaling $3 million in the foundation’s first round of grants for 2023, according to a Ball Brothers Foundation press release. The two most significant grants approved were to boost capital projects in downtown Muncie, the YMCA of Muncie and the Muncie Civic Theater. A grant of $500,000 will support the YMCA of Muncie to support the construction of the new state-of-the-art facility on the campus of Muncie Community Schools, according to the report. 

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NEWS

It takes the Village

By Evan Chandler / June 13, 2023

It was 1979. Joaquín Vázquez of Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico, had just started living on the South Side of Chicago. When he initially arrived, he remembers sharing a room with nine people. Still, it was time to leave his hometown situated between Guadalajara and León for “work reasons.” “There weren’t many opportunities [in Mexico,]” Vázquez said. “I had to make the decision to look elsewhere.”

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STUDENT LOANS

Associated Press: Here's how to prepare to start paying back your student loans when the pandemic payment freeze ends

By Associated Press / June 13, 2023

NEW YORK (AP) — A three-year pause on student loan payments will end this summer regardless of how the Supreme Court rules on the White House plan to forgive billions of dollars in student loan debt. If Congress approves a debt ceiling deal negotiated by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden, payments will resume in late August, ending any lingering hope of a further extension of the pause that started during the COVID pandemic. Even if the deal falls through, payments will resume 60 days after the Supreme Court decision.

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NEWS

De 8 a 80

By Evan Chandler / June 13, 2023

Esmeralda Sánchez sabía que algo no estaba bien en Muncie, Indiana. Como mexicana-americana de primera generación viviendo en Indianápolis de los 2 hasta los 29 años, Sánchez se había acostumbrado a una ubicación con una cultura vibrante y viva. En el centro de la ciudad, ella dijo que había varias iglesias que ofrecían la misa en español, y taquerías también, entre otras cosas. Para ella, ver recursos como estos le demostró que había una comunidad activa a su alrededor, algo que ella dijo que un solo restaurante mexicano no puede hacer. 

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NEWS

From 8 to 80

By Evan Chandler / June 13, 2023

Esmeralda Sánchez knew something wasn’t right in Muncie, Indiana. As a first-generation Mexican-American living in Indianapolis from age 2 to 29, Sánchez had become used to a location with a vibrant and lively culture. In the downtown area of the capital city, Sánchez said there were multiple churches offering Spanish services, as well as taquerías, or taco shops, among other things. For her, seeing resources like these showed her there was an active community around her, something she said one Mexican restaurant can’t do.

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NEWS

Se requiere el Village

By Evan Chandler / June 13, 2023

Era el año 1979. Joaquín Vázquez de Arandas, Jalisco, México, apenas había empezado a vivir en el sur de Chicago. Cuando inicialmente llegó, él recuerda que compartía un cuarto con nueve personas. Aun así, era hora de irse de su ciudad natal ubicada entre Guadalajara y León por “razones de trabajo”. “[En México] no había muchas oportunidades”, dijo Vázquez. “Tuve que tomar la decisión de mirar para [los Estados Unidos]”.

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TRACK AND FIELD

Water guns, a national champion, and the future

By Zach Carter / June 12, 2023

When you walk into the Ball State Track and Field locker room, it looks as you would probably expect. There are lockers along the wall filled with gear. Two couches and stools help fill the space. But laying in the corner are two things that stick out: two water guns. Some might ask, what are water guns doing in the corner of a college locker room? 

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UKRAINE

Associated Press: Ukrainian dam breach: What's happening and what's at stake

By Associated Press / June 12, 2023

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The fallout from the breach of a dam in southern Ukraine is wreaking havoc on lives, livelihoods and the environment amid the war. When the Kakhovka dam ruptured on Tuesday, it sent a torrent of water from Ukraine's largest reservoir into cities, towns and lowlands downstream on the Dnieper River, where fighting is raging. It's not clear what caused the breach in the dam, which had already been damaged in the war.

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TRACK AND FIELD

Track and Field return home with a National Champion and two All-Americans

By Elijah Poe / June 11, 2023

Ball State Track and Field athletes junior Jenelle Rogers and senior Charity Griffith return to Muncie with an impressive list of accomplishments, including a National Champion crown for Griffith. Rogers finished fifth in the heptathlon. She and Griffith were named All-Americans for their performances this season. It is the first time in school history that Ball State has produced multiple outdoor All-Americans in the same season, it is also the first time two Cardinals were within the top 10 in the NCAA Outdoor Championship.

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HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Warriors fall in first semi-state game

By Zach Carter / June 11, 2023

The Wes-Del Warriors hoped that they would return to the 1A State Championship for the first time since the 1990 season. But they would fall two games short as they were defeated 6-2 in their first semi-state game. “I'm extremely proud of them,” Wes-Del head coach Daniel Hanson said. “This moment sucks and they're hurting. I told them [in the post-game huddle] how proud I am of them and that we came here today to fight and they did that.”

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JUNETEENTH

Associated Press: The story behind Juneteenth and how it became a federal holiday

By Associated Press / June 10, 2023

Americans will soon celebrate Juneteenth, marking the day when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free. For generations, Black Americans have recognized the end of one of the darkest chapters in U.S. history with joy, in the form of parades, street festivals, musical performances or cookouts. The U.S. government was slow to embrace the occasion — it was only in 2021 that President Joe Biden signed a bill passed by Congress to set aside Juneteenth, or June 19th, as a federal holiday.

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BALL BEARINGS

A Thread of Fate

By Haley Boyce / June 9, 2023

Amanda Erk always thought her parents met in a twist of fate.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Associated Press: Trump says he’s been indicted in classified documents investigation; Justice Dept. yet to confirm

By Associated Press / June 8, 2023

MIAMI (AP) — Donald Trump said Tuesday he’s been indicted on charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate, igniting a federal prosecution that is arguably the most perilous of multiple legal threats against the former president as he seeks to reclaim the White House. The Justice Department did not immediately publicly confirm the indictment. Trump is currently in Bedminster, New Jersey. A person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly said Trump's lawyers were contacted by prosecutors shortly before he announced on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted.

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REGIONAL BASEBALL

Wes-Del baseball looks to continue historical season

By Zach Carter / June 8, 2023

Last year, the Wes-Del Warriors ended their season with a 5-3 loss to Cowan in the sectional championship. “This group was pretty determined [to not repeat that],” Warriors third-year head coach Daniel Hanson said. “...[The team] wanted to make sure that when we got back to those kinds of moments, we were prepared, and that it was a different outcome.” So with that in mind, how did they respond this season?