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U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at Veterans Memorial Park near the Delaware Memorial Bridge at an annual Memorial Day Service on May 30, 2021, in New Castle, Delaware. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

Five national stories of the week

Hundreds gathered at a historic Tulsa church's prayer wall, the United States celebrated Memorial Day as the nation slowly emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, California hopes to use shuttered malls and stores for new housing, more U.S. citizens have been apprehended for moving drugs over the Mexico border and a manhunt for three shooters in Miami continues make up this week's five national stories.


The Indiana State Department of Health opened COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to teachers and staff in K-12 schools March 15, 2021. Eligible people can schedule vaccine appointments online or by calling 211 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Unsplash, Photo Courtesy

Five international stories of the week

China is easing birth limits to cope with its aging society, Turkish agents capture nephew of a US-based cleric overseas, the United Kingdom is vaccinating more people to fight the variant from India, Czech police call for indictment in the premier's fraud case and Germany and Slovakia arrest two people in trafficking raids make up this week's five international stories. 


Wear Your Art on Your Sleeve

Right off of Ball State University’s campus sits a small strip of shops. When you scan the stores in this strip, commonly referred to by students as “The Village,” there are bookstores, bars, and pizza joints. But, above a café, lies a hidden gem: Body Language Tattoo. 



OUR VIEW: Good intentions, limited impact

Despite entering the 2020 SGA election with some favorable plans, the editorial board believes the Bold slate repeated many of its predecessor's mistakes. It is our hope future slates will not continue to make the same mistakes year in and year out — a change that will only come when SGA is able to understand its limits and responsibilities as an organization.


Bold executive slate members pose for a photo in February 2020. (Left to right) Amanda Mustaklem, treasurer, Connor Sanburn, president, Jordyn Blythe, vice president and Gina Esposito, chief administrator. Bold was the Student Government Association executive slate during the 2020-21 school year. Jacob Musselman, DN File

OUR VIEW: the Daily News’ point-by-point analysis of Bold’s year in office

When campaigning to become the 2020-21 Student Government Association (SGA) executive slate, Bold promised to complete 11 platform points. Bold President Connor Sanburn said the slate dropped three of these points in his March 3 "State of the Senate" address. Based on previous reporting and interviews with the slate members, the Daily News has reached its conclusions on the completion of Bold’s platform points.



Karrah Herring, State of Indiana chief equity, inclusion and opportunity officer, spoke via Zoom May 26, 2021 to reflect on her first four months in her new position. Her main goals, she said, are to foster an inclusive environment in Indiana's education, workforce, health care and public safety programs. Indiana Governor's Office, Photo Provided

Indiana Chief Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity Officer Karah Herring shares her progress in first four months of position

In November 2020, Karrah Herring was appointed as the Indiana government’s first-ever chief equity, inclusion and opportunity officer by Gov. Eric Holcomb, a position she stepped into in February of this year. On May 26, 2021, she reflected in a Zoom presentation on her goals to build diversity and foster an inclusive environment within the state government to better provide services to every state citizen.


An FDA panel gives approval for a low-dose Pfizer vaccine for children Oct. 26. The panel believes the parents should be allowed to choose if their young children are vaccinated, especially if they are high risk. Unsplash, Photo Courtesy

Ball State announces new mask guidance outdoors effective June 1

In a campus-wide email sent Wednesday afternoon, Ball State Vice President for Business Affairs Alan Finn and Vice President for Student Affairs Ro-Anne Royer Engle announced fully vaccinated people on Ball State's campus will no longer be required to wear masks outdoors effective June 1.



Lee Ann Kwiatkowski, Muncie Community Schools (MCS) Director of Public Education and CEO, gives the MCS Board of Trustees an update on school programs for the 2020-21 school year at the meeting May 25, 2021. Board members approved salary increases for all teachers, ranging from $2,400 to $5,200 annually. In 2020 and 2021, MCS' financial stability and savings increased from previous years. MCS YouTube page, Screenshot Capture

MCS teachers to receive unprecedented pay raises

Less than a month after approving $1,000 stipends for all active school district employees for the additional work required due to COVID-19, the Muncie Community Schools (MCS) Board of Trustees is boosting teachers’ pay again. The board approved salary increases for all teachers ranging from $2,400 to $5,200 annually. It has also raised starting teacher pay to $42,000, up from $38,500.


Prepared doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine sit on a table April 7, 2021, at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. Jaden Whiteman, DN File

Five national stories of the week

Moderna announces its COVID-19 vaccine works in kids as young as 12, a key impeachment witness sues former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, activists plan a festival in Minneapolis in honor of George Floyd, the agency that grants citizenship eyes improved services without a plan to pay for it and the western fire season starts much drier than it did in 2020 make up this week's five national stories.


In this handout photo provided by the Italian state police, emergency workers surround the wreckage of a cable car that fell from the Stresa-Alpine-Mottarone line on May 23, 2021 in Stresa, Italy. After initial confusion over the number of passengers, Italian news outlets reported that 15 people had been riding in the cable car before it fell, and officials said two children were taken from the accident site to a hospital in Turin. (Handout photo by the Italian State Police via Getty Images/TNS)

Five international stories of the week

India surpasses 300,000 COVID-19 deaths, Italy probes a cable car crash, Iran agrees to extend a deal on cameras at its nuclear sites, the U.S. reaches out to Palestinian leaders and Japan opens mass vaccination centers two months before the Olympics make up this week's five international stories.


The Sew Must Go On

Theater costumes can enhance a show by describing a character’s personality, their feelings, and the action that is taking place on stage. So what goes into making these magnificent costumes?