Before he was President of Ball State, Geoffrey Mearns was a lawyer in private practice. On appeal, Mearns represented Anthony Harris, a 12-year-old boy who confessed to a murder he did not commit and was wrongly convicted. Mearns was able to overturn the boy’s conviction on appeal. THAT story will be broadcast on ABC’s 20/20 television show this Friday evening at 9pm.
The former administrator of the Muncie Sanitary District is scheduled to be sentenced today in US District Court in Indianapolis. Nikki Grisby is accused of conspiring with Tracy Barton, Phil Nichols and Jess Neal to point MSD contracts to Tony Franklin in exchange for accepting bribes and kickbacks. Grisby received less than $3,000 from the scheme.
In a 5 to 4 decision, the Muncie-Delaware Planning Commission voted for a zoning change to allow a new restaurant called “Raising Cane’s” to open behind Starbucks on McGalliard Road. The close vote was due to council member’s concerns about the restaurant’s impact on traffic in the area. Councilman Jerry Dishman said there had been over 150 rear-end accidents in that area, according to the StarPress.
An IU School of Medicine study was just released that indicates COVID-19 antibodies last longer in children than adults. Researchers tested 94 children and 344 adults. Each one of the children who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were symptomatic, developed neutralizing antibodies. Only 81% of the adults developed the antibodies.
Fast and reliable internet is coming to more homes and businesses in Delaware County thanks to over $669,000 in state broadband grant funding. An upcoming project through Comcast will help expand broadband to 677 households and 45 businesses or organizations across Delaware County.
According to Indiana State Police, the number of “road rage” interstate shootings around central Indiana went from less than a handful a few years ago to 65 in 2021.
A new study comparing all 50 states using 21 key metrics has found Indiana ranks 14th in the nation for states with the biggest drug problems. WalletHub ranked West Virginia #1, citing the state has 81 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 residents. The good news is… this morning at 11am, an announcement will be made about a significant state grant from “Mental Health America Indiana” to combat addiction in Delaware County. We will have more information about the grant during our Friday news broadcast.
This evening you might want to play the “Once Upon a Muncie Mystery” game between 5 and 6:30 p.m. in downtown Muncie. Participants will visit 10 downtown businesses to collect clues into the case of “why Snow White has succumbed to a mysterious sleeping spell.” Prizes and awards will be given at Canan Commons from 6:30 to 7pm. Learn more at munciejournal.com
At this week’s Muncie City Council meeting, councilman Brad Polk awarded Cedrick Powell with the “Muncie citizen of the month” award. Powell has worked for the Muncie Sanitary District for the past 16 years and is much loved by those who know him. Polk said Powell is such a positive person to be around and Muncie is lucky to have him.
The Downtown YMCA is offering swim lessons from May 9th to the 19th. The cost is $22.50 for Y members and $35 for non-members, half off the usual price. Reservations are open until May 9. Visit muncieymca.org for more information.
May is the last month for Hoosiers to receive extended emergency benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The extended benefit was introduced in March of 2020 during the height of the coronavirus. In June SNAP benefits will return to how they were before the pandemic.
According to WTHR, $125 automatic tax refunds began yesterday through direct deposits for residents who filed their income taxes and provided their bank information on their returns. All refunds are expected to be completed by September 1st.
The Herald Bulletin reports that Caesar’s Entertainment, Inc., will invest $39 million to expand the Hoosier Park casino’s gaming floor. 30,000 square feet of space will be added that will allow for 150 additional slot machines and 16 game tables. Groundbreaking is scheduled for May 12th.
The outdoor season of Minnetrista’s Farmers market begins on Saturday. At the Farmers Market you can discover and purchase fresh produce, baked goods, plants, eggs, meats, and more. The market will be open from 8am until noon. Visit minnetrista.net for more information.
If you are interested in seeing Tuesday’s Delaware County Primary election results in great detail, please visit “delawarecountyelectionday.com” There you’ll find all the numbers you need to see in one simple web page.
The Hoosier Kite Flyers Society is presenting the “Ansel Toney Memorial Kite Festival” from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday at the Academy of Model Aeronautics, 5161 E. Memorial Drive in Muncie. The event is named in honor of the late Ansel Toney, a Farmland resident known as “the Kite Man of Indiana.” Toney was well known for his extremely large and unique hand-crafted kite creations.
Friends of Mounds State Park’s annual “native plant sale” will take place at Mounds State park this Saturday beginning at 10am. 125 different species of native flowers and plants will be available for sale. Look for the DNR tents inside the park.
Race fans have started experiencing Indy 500 celebrations. The 500 Festival Kickoff to May was held downtown yesterday. Other upcoming events for this month include the Mini-Marathon, Kids’ Day, and Breakfast at the Brickyard. For a complete list of events, visit 500festival.com. The 106th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be on Sunday, May 29th.
It‘s gonna be wet out there today. Don’t forget to take your umbrella!—Mike Rhodes
