Their combined efforts of activism led to 8,330 acres of land being outlined as protected space, with later expansions increasing that number to 15,000 acres of protected land and water. Alongside the protected land, steel mills, which helped contribute materials during the construction of Chicago and provided World War II munitions, add to the Indiana Dunes culture.

But the work done by Henry, Paul, and Dorothy, and the dunes culture itself, are at risk of being swept away by Lake Michigan due to coastal erosion.

Erosional Damages

According to the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, coastal erosion is a natural process along the shoreline of bodies of water that washes away sand and sediments from the coast. Since 1919, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been working to preserve national parks.

Tim Koenning, the Midwest Program Manager of NPCA, has lived in the Lake Michigan region for much of his life. He said his connection to the Indiana Dunes gives him a unique perspective on some of the factors weighing in on coastal erosion.

"You run into issues where these man-made barriers are built in," Tim said. "Since man-made structures protrude so far into the lake, it takes a lot of sand to build up in order for sand to move around them."

Tim said man-made structures are a core agitator for the shore's natural movement of sand. With man-made structures, sand is unable to form normally along the coast. This disruption in the natural shoreline causes an imbalance within the sediment, as sand is only being pulled out and not brought back in. As sand levels decrease, problems for boats arise.

With shallower areas along the shoreline and ports, boats are cut off from spots that are too shallow to access. In order to fix this, a process known as dredging must happen. Dredging is the process of removing sediments and debris from the bottom of a lake, river, or body of water.

For the Indiana Dunes, though, the dredging process primarily aims to relocate sand from one part of the shoreline and patch up weaker areas that may be too shallow for boats. Once the dredging process is complete and weaker areas of the shoreline are patched up, there can often be excess sand.

One organization that works with dredging around the Indiana Dunes is the Army Corps. The Corps mainly handles dredging around the dunes, but without specific federal funding, the Army Corps is not able to help.

"We didn't have a response in place to replenish sand, and we had to rely on moving legislative processes and administrative processes that just take too much time, when the lake is not waiting on us," Tim said.

Lake Michigan has been known to experience periods of higher water levels, which is where Indiana's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has stepped in. Joseph Exl is the Coastal Resources Coordinator at the DNR and has been working on a coastal monitoring program, which tracks changes in the shoreline due to lake levels, waves, and other factors.

This program started collecting shoreline imaging in the mid-80s, with the data they collect being compiled into the shoreline monitoring program. One recent development made in their data collection comes from light detection and ranging, or LIDAR, imaging. This uses light to measure distances either from drones or satellites, according to the National Ocean Service.

"The program is in a state of evolution," Joseph said. "We'll get there eventually, but the program itself has been talked about since the mid-80s."

Last year, the DNR launched a cooperative program due to a lack of internal resources, in which they have partnered with local universities.

"We have a few grants right now; one at Purdue University as well as Valparaiso University," Joseph said. "Those two universities have done topographical surveys for us to get high-quality GPS scans of the beach."

Purdue has also started collecting bathymetry data, which Joseph said is one of the key missing pieces for their program. Bathymetry data studies the depth and shape of underwater surfaces, according to the National Ocean Service.

While some structures do expedite coastal erosion, Joseph said that there is less to worry about in the Indiana Dunes State Park than in other areas. In fact, one building within the park has become quite an important piece of the park's history.

Between the Michigan City Harbor and the Port of Indiana at Burns Harbor is the Park Pavilion. The area between the two ports is known as a Littoral Cell, which is where larger deposits of sand are stuck most of the time. Joseph said the Pavilion is a historic structure in the park and has never shown any reason to be concerned about the effects of coastal erosion. Joseph noted that the Littoral Cell diminishes the effects of erosion but causes worry in other areas.

One concern that Joseph has for the shoreline of the Indiana Dunes is the high period of erosion rates starting in mid-to-late fall and lasting through spring. During this season of higher erosion rates, winter storms play one of the biggest roles in the erosion of the Indiana Dunes.

Frozen in time

Sarah Peterson serves as the Coastal Engineering and Community Resilience Specialist at the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Through her work on the coastline, Sarah has found that during the colder months, the dunes develop a phenomenon known as ice shelves. These ice shelves create a protective shield for shorelines and come with a wide range of variables, which makes them less predictable.

"When you have high ice coverage in the colder winter months, that can create a sort of buffer to intercept and absorb some of that wave energy," Sarah said. "This way, the harsher winter waves do not directly interact with the shoreline."

Grounded shelf ice is one of the most effective types of shelf ice along the Lake Michigan shoreline. These variant ice shelves connect more deeply beneath the water, closer to the lakebed. The strength of grounded shelf ice allows it to absorb the greatest amount of wave energy.

Sarah added that some research has shown that ice shelves are not just absorbing wave energy, but redirecting it back into the lake. This movement of energy leads to erosion within the lake below the water's surface, almost invisible to the naked eye.

While ice shelves relieve some of the burden of intense winter waves, the increase in warmer winters has caused ice shelves to become less reliable, raising the direct risk that winter storms pose to Lake Michigan's Indiana shoreline. As temperatures fluctuate in the winter months, patterns appear of thawing and freezing. These patterns create spots of higher vulnerability for the base of the shoreline and risk higher rates of erosion.

Joseph said that data from previous years shows that as the ice disappears, strong waves and wind move in to create a strong period of shoreline erosion. With the DNR's data, he is worried that strong erosion is possible in coming months.

Another issue that causes erosion, which Sarah has seen increase recently, is soil saturation. This occurs when areas of sand and sediment become extremely dense through large amounts of water, and as they freeze and expand, they can crack. These cracks create a vulnerable shoreline in the warmer seasons.

"The more ice there is, the more that gets evaporated, which may lead to increased lake levels during warmer months," Sarah said.

With a change in lake levels, the waves of Lake Michigan grow more unpredictable. The wave patterns have a large spatial variety and depend heavily on the season. Areas along the southern fetch of Lake Michigan, near the Indiana Dunes, are the most unidirectional. This makes it much more difficult to create a prediction on wave patterns, and there is no exact consensus on how waves have changed.

"There have been studies showing that different climatic factors have influenced the frequency and intensity of storms," Sarah said. "With more storms coming in, that might lead to greater wave heights and greater wave energies compared to more natural scenarios."

While the DNR and other organizations work to study wave patterns and their correlation with storms, it has become increasingly difficult to highlight specific trends. What the data does show is that coastal erosion is posing a possible threat to existing infrastructure in the area.

"I'd be hesitant to say there's a long-term trend in one specific wave characteristic, just because it has been shown to vary," Sarah said.

With storms moving in alongside the warmer season, wind activity increases. Joseph found data proving that as the fall-to-spring erosional period ends, summer winds take shoreline sand and move it back onto beaches.

In the summer, shorelines are affected by both water and wind, and the high summer winds create a phenomenon known as walk dunes. These dunes show consistent movement back into the land over several years; a more well-known walk dune is called Mount Baldy.

Mount Baldy is located near Washington Park beach and is the largest "living" dune in the park, which means the dune has slowly been eating away at a local visitor parking lot for years, Sarah said. Strong winds coming off the lake often pick up sand found in dunes and move it away from the lakefront. In addition, if there is little or no vegetation to catch the sand, some dunes move greater distances at a quicker speed.

Solutions on the shoreline

Marram grass is a natural dune grass that helps with the natural order of dunes. It catches sand carried by wind and settles those particles closer to the shoreline than a dune without marram grass.

Local communities are one of the biggest stressors when it comes to coastal erosion, as many have lived near the dunes long before they were recognized as a National Lakeshore. These communities sit outside of park jurisdiction and have invested in stone revetments for coastal erosion protection.

While it may work for local communities, the NPCA is opposed to the use of stone revetments and finds them unfavorable. The revetments do not necessarily fix the problem of erosion; they delay it by moving the effects of erosion down the shoreline to areas that do not have revetments. Stone revetments also armor the normally sandy beaches by covering them in layers of large stones. This is something Tim believes might not be appealing to anyone visiting the beach.

"I'd rather see the problem solved than moved down the shore," he said.

Alongside the NPCA, Tim said that the mission is to ensure a thriving shoreline for the parks as well as the local landowners.

"The dunes are for everyone, that's what they're there for," Tim said. "But it has to be a balance of the people who live feet from the park."

When it comes to fixing the coastal erosion and preventing further shoreline losses, there have been multiple proposed fixes. Tim believes the best way to fix the erosion would be through a study done by the Army Corps, funded half by a non-federal party and half by the federal government.

"The state of Indiana has already set aside one million dollars, and they've said we want to be a part of this study," Tim said.

This fix can also come from the work done by the DNR, as they work on their coastal monitoring program. Their website houses current data and resources, like their coastal atlas, which will evolve to have more information more readily available for people.

"We hope that long term, we'll be able to come up with these erosional and depositional rates along our coastlines that local decision-makers can utilize to form decisions within their towns," Joseph said.

When it comes to the coastal erosion of the Indiana Dunes, it is important to stay informed. Sarah and the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant have been working on a video series about nature-driven protectors for the shorelines and hybrid solutions as well. This works alongside their Coastal Resilience Program for local communities. The importance of being able to adapt has increased in recent years as wave patterns become more variable.

"It's important to be aware of extreme wave conditions," Sarah said. "We might have calm waves, but we are also prone to very high wave energies."

With uncertainty on the horizon and the winds of change approaching, one thing is certain: just like in the early '60s, people passionate about the preservation of the Indiana Dunes are working non-stop to find a solution for the coastal erosion.

"We need to get this long-term fix into place before the lake levels rise again, because they will," Tim said. "I don't know when that's going to happen, but the lake levels fluctuate on a multi-year level. It'll shift back to being high at some point, and I'm worried about what's going to happen to the park and parts of northwest Indiana."

Time slips away to find a solution just as the coastline slips into Lake Michigan. The search for a permanent solution continues.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Spring 2026 magazine: Waves. Read more stories online at cardinalmediabsu.com and pick up the print edition of the magazine across Ball State's campus now.

Ball State entered the tournament with a 22-4 record and the number one seed and hosts of the MIVA tournament. Doing all this underneath first year head coach Mike Iandolo and this is when teams should be playing their best volleyball.

In a game that has all the stakes involved, Iandolo said the message was not much different from what the team has preached all season.

"It was mostly about us and things we need to get better at," Iandolo said. "Especially with our serve and deep block. We didn't get to Northern Kentucky until yesterday and this morning did the full scout."

In order for the Cardinals to go deep in this tournament Iandolo knows that the team needs to control what they can in front of them.

"It's just about taking care of business and being a little bit better," Iandolo said. "There are a lot of other tournaments going on and already seen teams that were supposed to win and lose. Don't treat it like a game that's just a walkover. It's a real game and they are gonna come in and give us everything they got so we gotta be ready for that."

Improvements have been incremental for the Cardinals all season and Iandolo see a clear need of improvement if the Cardinals hope to claim MIVA glory.

"It's mainly the blocking stuff that we are still working on," Iandolo said. "Just being a little bit cleaner with, like some of the junk balls that are tight around the net and the other team is just pushing or swiping the block and we are not as strong as we need to with our hands."

Patrick Rogers led the Cardinals with 12 kills and his impact each game has been a tremendous asset for the Cardinals success this season. The team's willingness to dig deep when sets get tight is what Rogers said is what makes the team stay together.

"We left them in the game in [set 2] and didn't take advantage of that start we had," Rogers said. "We stayed together and didn't drop that set which was a huge momentum builder for us."

The Cardinals had faced the Norse two previous times with success, winning both times. Rogers knows that the team couldn't let up and actually saw the benefits of it going into the game.

"Yeah, they have film on us, but the good thing is that we played them and felt them out," Rogers said. "I think it's an advantage playing them twice because we know what to expect and just play to our standard. I think that's what we did well."

Junior setter Lucas Machado has been leading the Cardinals with his playmaking abilities. Machado tallied up 23 assists and the growth and chemistry that has been seen throughout the season showed up against the Norse.

"We just stay together and have fun together," Machado said. "Hang out together and go out to dinner together or a walk so that helps a lot to just be together outside practice and games."

Machado knows that chemistry has led to the success the Cardinals have had. For him, just recognizing his teammates' spots makes it easier for him to play his game.

"It's that chemistry and the guys just helping me a lot with some of the passes I give," Machado said. "I could see what their blocker was doing and just tried to take what they were giving me."

The Cardinals will be back in action April 22 at Worthen Arena with a matchup between either Ohio State or McKendree.

Contact Zachary Kendall with questions via email at zacharykendall@bsu.edu or on X @ZacharyKendall_.

"We'll focus on them two weeks before we play them, but for right now we haven't really given any thought to them or any other team in conference play because it's spring, you're not preparing for a game. We're just trying to get better", stated head coach Mike Uremovich

Redshirt junior quarterback Keldric Luster gave his thoughts on the matchup "This offseason coach has worked us really hard, pushed us to our limits and helped us get better by making sure we're treating our body's right, and just really whatever we can to make ourselves one percent better everyday. We're not worried about outside noise. We know what we got, we know what we can display on the field. It's going to be exciting to put that together in week one."

When it comes to going up against Ohio State's receivers Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr., junior defensive back Willizhuan Yates said, "It doesn't get any better than this, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. Just working on getting better everyday, coming to practice and working on all the little things to get us ready for that matchup."

Heading into the 2026 season, the Cardinals welcomed 26 new transfers.

RELATED: Ball State Football gears up for next season with new transfers welcomed in

When asked about how this has affected the team's chemistry and bond, Luster, who transferred from Texas State this past offseason, stated, "It's pretty cool. They've shown nothing but good and positive vibes, telling me the truth. The bond has built quickly for me in my first few weeks here. The guys made it even easier for me coming in here."

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Donovan Hamilton, who transferred from Purdue going into this past season said, "It's really just checking in on the guys, making sure they're good physically and mentally on the field. Working on building that brotherhood with those new guys."

The Cardinals are looking forward to making a change with their last winning season coming in 2020.

This marks coach Uremovich's second season with Ball State and he said, "I don't care about any other year except this year. None of that matters to me." Uremovich added, "This is a brand new football team, and with the portal and roster change, we're really a new roster"

I'd consider separating this quote into two with a transition sentence to keep it from becoming a block of text.

"Our approach this offseason was to have the guys get to know each other, they've really come together as a team and they've gotten to know our schemes and learn how to practice. I feel like we did good on that," Uremovich said.

Yates added, "We're taking all the little things and putting it all into one. Taking everything day-by-day, step-by-step. Just working on our craft and getting it perfect everyday. We've got a lot of new faces and I can't wait to see what they can do."

The Cardinals' opening matchup against the Buckeyes is Sept. 5.

Contact Bryce Pennell with any questions @bryce.pennell@bsu.edu or on X @bryceBSUDN.

I decided to major in journalism in the fall of my third year of high school. Previously, I had toyed with the idea of a variety of other fields that would all lead to no further than teaching in a high school classroom or a future entrenched in the mercenary work that is academia.

However, once exposed to the brutality and beauty that is encoded into every word of journalistic truth, I could not see myself anywhere else. Not even the rigid rules and regulations of the Associated Press (AP) Stylebook could deter me from my new passion.

Then, just a few short weeks before my first semester at Ball State University, I decided to add another major to my course load: psychological science.

As a journalism student, I look upon a shrinking industry that continues to ask more and more of its professionals, and I am faced with one of my worst fears: my future and the laws that protect it have become malleable.

The inception of my career panic began when Stephen Colbert announced that "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" was ending its last season and would conclude in May 2026 due to decreased ad revenue, a claim backed by an October 2025 article by The Free Speech Project.

However, Colbert's show was the most-watched late-night show in America, prompting speculation that the cancellation resulted from Colbert's criticism of Paramount's settlement with President Trump, as stated in a July 2025 article by the Free Speech Center.

Since the show's cancellation, Colbert has not been the only late-night show host to face removal from broadcast television regarding remarks or opinions deemed offensive by the powers that be.

Sep. 17, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel was faced with indefinite suspension due to comments he made regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel's comments stated his personal belief that "the MAGA gang [was] desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and [was] doing everything they [could] to score political points."

Regardless of the debates over the assassin's political affiliation, the fact remains that a man stated his opinion, a nonpartisan right protected by the First Amendment, and was removed from the air for it.

Sep. 18, 2025, the Directors Guild of America released a Hollywood Labor Joint statement on the incident, stating, "When a private citizen, business, or television network bows to government intimidation, it strikes at the heart of our First Amendment rights. Creative artists must be free to do their work without fear that their careers or their family's livelihoods will be disrupted simply for their opinions."

The trend of censoring late-night talk shows peaked Feb. 16, 2026, when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) blocked CBS from airing Colbert's interview segment with Texas politician James Talarico ahead of the Texas Senate primaries.

The FCC cited the equal-time rule, which requires news organizations to provide all candidates with the same level of visibility. This rule has not been enforced on any talk show or used against a talk show host since the 1960s, according to a February 2026 article by Forbes.

Stretching a regulation due to pressure from higher-ups is highly concerning to me, as it sets a precedent that laws concerning our media can be flexible for those who wish it to be. This past year has also demonstrated that opinions and interviews for entertainment media are no longer 100 percent protected on broadcast television talk shows.

These are rights explicitly protected under the First Amendment, including freedom of the press. Therefore, if one clause is under attack, who is to say that the one protecting my industry will not be the next to get manipulated to the detriment of the American people?

When I decided to double major, many people judged me for being slightly hasty in creating a backup plan. After all, it appeared as if press and media freedoms were not going to be touched, and in theory, they are not supposed to be. Unfortunately, that did not last.

On Oct. 3, 2025, an international journalist, Mario Guevara, was deported to El Salvador after he was arrested and charged for attending a protest in June earlier that year. Guevara was wearing his PRESS vest, identifying himself as the media and livestreaming the protest as part of his coverage of immigration enforcement.

Guevara was charged with minor protest-related violations, and "local law enforcement handed him to agents for deportation proceedings despite having valid authorization to stay in the USA," according to an October 2025 article published by Amnesty International.

The concept of the right to protest, along with other First Amendment freedoms, is covered at a basic level in university journalism classes. We have the right to report; others have the right to free speech and it is our obligation and duty to report what the American people are saying.

Journalism covers the true and notable events that occur within our country, and as a student of that discipline, I can not agree with the removal of a story and the punishment of its creator, such as Guevara, because it does not follow the narrative those in power wish to create.

Due to instances like Guevara's deportation, a new fear is starting to extend beyond the normal anxieties of a shrinking industry. At age 19, I have to ask myself whether I am willing to risk more than just my career stability; I also have to consider my safety after graduation.

Guevara has not been the only journalist affected by a distaste for the stories he told, as the Associated Press was barred from access to the White House due to its refusal to change its stylebook to accommodate Trump's executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, according to a March 2025 article by the Associated Press.

Journalists and media professionals from the wire service were denied access to events attended by other news organizations, including a news conference held by Trump with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In February 2025, The Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press filed a friend-of-the-court brief stating that "the AP's exclusion is not just arbitrary and unjustified but viewpoint-based, an 'especially invidious' form of discrimination often described as 'poison' to the free flow of information."

My classes have emphasized the importance of words, but now I am forced to realize that the use of one word over another could cost me my job - a sentiment I feel that we could all find slightly ludicrous.

Additionally, White House press restrictions continue to increase; there are continuous reports of restricted visas for foreign journalists and journalism has now become a dangerous profession both in and outside of conflict areas.

The United Nations found that "journalist imprisonment is at a record high, while online violence - particularly against women journalists - and harassment spurs on self-censorship and, in some cases, physical attacks."

I am in my first year of reporting for a student publication, and I have already been harassed for stating that I am studying journalism. The notion of me pursuing a degree in which I seek out the truth in my reporting causes conflict.

I am also reminded every day of what other conflicts I can face in my career: being cast aside for stating my opinion, imprisonment for the act of being present, losing my job due to my word choice and being a war casualty is now an occupational hazard.

Forgive me if the truth I report is not the one you would prefer to see.

Contact Kyler Effner via email at kyler.effner@bsu.edu.

Eight years ago, Jarrod and Mandy walked away from flipping their car changed, but not unscathed.

Before getting behind the wheel, Jarrod had been drinking. At the time, Mandy's license was suspended, so they decided it would be better if Jarrod drove despite his intoxication. The car flipped twice, totaling it. Jarrod recalled getting out and seeing a line of blood streaming down from the top to the bottom of the car, but, miraculously, neither he nor Mandy were hurt.

Jarrod spent 23 years of his life in active addiction. Mandy spent 17.

"I couldn't go without smoking crack, I felt terrible when I wasn't smoking," Jarrod said. "But when I smoked, I was so paranoid, and I hated it, and I couldn't wait to not be high."

When Jarrod and Mandy were in active addiction, they worked to support themselves and their addiction, often spending much of their income on drugs.

Mandy described the first time she bought makeup as an adult, thinking, "there's no way real people are working jobs and going into Walmart, and buying [a] $12 foundation." When she finally had a full supply of makeup, it felt weird, but it was important. Instead of stealing it in her active addiction, she worked for it.

Jarrod and Mandy's addiction story is just one of many from all across the country.

In 2024, the American Addiction Centers reported that 48.4 million Americans aged 12 and older had substance use disorder. Substance abuse is a disease that affects one's brain and behavior, leading to an inability to control the use of a drug or medicine, according to Mayo Clinic.

Muncie is within the top 10 cities in Indiana with the worst substance abuse problems, according to Indiana Treatment Centers. In 2024, the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Abusereported 1,542 deaths in Indiana due to any drug overdose.

48 of those deaths were in Delaware County.

Jarrod and Mandy escaped this fate. After crashing their car in front of a sheriff's house, Jarrod knew he was going to jail.

"I was there in the jail cell, I didn't even really know, but I cried out to God. I just told him I couldn't do it. I just had to give everything over to him. I had to ask [for] help," Jarrod said.

When Jarrod woke up, he knew that he should not have survived the car wreck and believed that God had saved him from both the wreck and his drug addiction.

"When I woke up, I knew that I wasn't addicted to drugs," Jarrod said. "I also know that God doesn't work that way with everybody, but he worked that way with me, and that's my story."

When Mandy picked him up the next day, he told her that he was no longer going to live the same lifestyle they had been living. Mandy was "unchurched," but felt that God had saved her.

"Eight minutes ago [before the crash], I was a crackhead, and I was a terrible person. Eight minutes later, I was a believer, and I had worth. I knew that God had a purpose for my life," Mandy said.

Jarrod and Mandy's story of substance abuse and recovery is not the only one in Muncie. The two are now over eight years sober, and they serve as leaders at the RU Recovery Program, a faith-based recovery organization, at Grace Baptist Church in Muncie.

Jarrod was first introduced to the program when Grace Baptist Church brought members to a jail, part of RU's program to help those incarcerated. Jarrod and Mandy attended RU's meetings a few times before the car accident, but they began going faithfully after.

One of the biggest challenges Mandy faced was how she was going to make a life for her kids that glorified God while making sure that they "don't go down the same path [of drugs and addiction]." Mandy struggled with the shame and guilt of the things she had done during her addiction.

For Jarrod, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups felt "self-defeating." He hated returning after he would relapse and admitting it to everyone, so he quit going out of shame. As Jarrod grew in his faith, he began to understand that he did not "have to remember the last time he made a mistake," instead, "remembering the day that he was saved."

One of the first things that people from Grace Baptist Church did was bring Jarrod and Mandy to church and ask if they had food.

He recalled a member of the church telling him, "You help people meet their basic necessities. Because if they're not going to have their basic necessities met, they're not going to focus on getting recovered."

RU Recovery Program meets every Friday night, and is open to "anyone who needs support." The group's meetings include prayer requests, testimonials, weekly challenges and workbook exercises. Challenges can include memorizing Bible verses, service work, writing essays, attending church and more. In the middle of the evening, the group splits off into men's and women's challenge groups, where they have character development challenges. Mandy is the women's beginner's leader, meeting with new members to explain the program and challenges.

"We bring people along with us," Mandy said. "If you're having the worst day... you're bummed out and you're sad, but you still have real joy and peace, and can share that with another human. That's what this program is."

As substance abuse remains prevalent in Delaware County, efforts for awareness, prevention and recovery are being made by those in the Muncie community.

Recovery Cafe, a peer support community in Muncie, welcomes "anyone who is recovering from anything." Open four days a week, Executive Director Abby Carpenter said that their main focus is on long-term recovery and stability.

Recovery Cafe models itself in various ways to support long-term recovery, including recovery circles where members meet weekly together. Recovery circles are attendance-based, and members have access to the cafe and resources offered. There is always consistent peer support and accountability, Abby said.

"They're in this intimate setting where they can be seen and be heard and be loved through all their challenges, while also finding these commonalities that every human goes through," Abby said.

Recovery Cafe offers various resources, including a food pantry, clothing closet, school for recovery and workshops, for no cost. These resources help remove barriers such as food and clothing necessities, so members are able to focus on recovery.

Whether a person wants to use medication-assisted treatment, is focused on NA or AA groups or is just looking for a safe community that's striving for sobriety or harm reduction; Abby said that Recovery Cafe is open to any type of recovery pathway an individual may need.

Similar to Recovery Cafe, Kingdom Recovery House, a non-profit sober-living community for men, provides a resource for those seeking recovery.

Brian Blevins and Devin Case opened Kingdom Recovery House in January 2026. In December 2025, Brian and Devin bought and began to renovate an old church. A sign that says "Recovery is possible" welcomes people as they walk in.

Brian was addicted to drugs from the time he was a teenager until he was 42-years-old. His recovery journey began a little over 10 years ago, and he started working various jobs and building his relationship with God.

At the beginning of his journey, he would take those who needed help to 28-day rehabilitation centers and began to ask, "Where do they go once they get out, and what do they do?"

Brian currently works in Grant County at a free healthcare clinic and has been a sober living house supervisor for five years.

"So then I'm like, 'What resources does Muncie have?' and when they say there's nothing … well, there's only one way to fix it. We['ve] got to start it," Brian said.

People reach out to Brian, and based on house availability, Brian and his wife, Jamie, conduct background checks on potential residents. Residents are required to pay rent, attend two meetings weekly and attend church service on Sundays. Kingdom Recovery is a year-long commitment, but residents have the option to leave earlier.

Brian said he tries to go "above and beyond" and meet residents "where they're at." He helps with building resumes and finding jobs, obtaining food stamps, expungements and more.

According to the American Bar Association, expungement is the legal process of destroying or sealing a state or federal record, and it removes certain criminal convictions from a person's record. This helps individuals pass background checks and build new careers.

Awareness and volunteer efforts are being made on Ball State University's campus as well.

Assistant lecturer of English, Mary Lowry, currently teaches Writing for Change, an immersive learning course where students partner with Muncie community to meet the specific needs of their community partner, while teaching students English 103 and 104 basics.

Mary's class is paired with theMuncie Mission Ministries, a clinic that offers faith-based homeless shelter, family services and addiction recovery. Students help with volunteer work, and this year, have been focusing on helping with Muncie Mission's social media.

In the spring semester, the class focus shifts to fundraising and Walk a Mile in My Shoes, Muncie Mission's biggest event of the year. Walk a Mile raises money and builds hope for those battling poverty, homelessness and addiction. This year, Mary's class of 11 students was the team that raised the most money at Ball State, amassing over $2,200.

"It has been so great to see so many people who genuinely care about the community," Mary said. "When you get into the community, you realize there are so many people here who are working so hard to take care of other people and genuinely care."

Assistant teaching professor of English, Kathryn Ludwig, is working with her students on their third year of partnering with the Recovery Cafe. Students build connections with those at the Cafe, and have done "facing projects" for the last two years.

This year, students sat one-on-one with members who were willing to tell their story, and those stories were crafted into a book. The book, "Facing Recovery," explores individuals' experiences with substance abuse and recovery.

"The more we normalize the issue, the more that we talk about how substance use is a reality in our community, it's a significant problem in our community, and that we have the power to change it," Professor of Health Science at Ball State University, Jean Marie Place, said.

Jean Marie is also Director of Community Research and Administration of the Addictions Coalition of Delaware County (ACDC), a partnership that serves as a resource for grant funding to initiate evidence-based programs for prevention, treatment, harm reduction and recovery in Delaware County. The ACDC collaborates with various Muncie organizations, such as Meridian Health Services, IU Addiction Treatment and Recovery Center and Centerstone Health Services.

"I think it's a misconception that people just wake up one day and they have their first hit [of a drug], and are hopelessly gone," Jean Marie said.

Today, Mandy and Jarrod let their "lived experiences" guide them through life. The two do work with DCS, child welfare organizations and family advocacy.

Jarrod does not say he is an addict or alcoholic. Now, he views his life as an example of recovery and what recovery can look like. Mandy views her life as being in recovery "from the world."

Jarrod encourages people not to give up on others and to be there for them.

"To me, it doesn't mean that it's an ongoing struggle against drugs and alcohol, but it's a life where I live by my morals and values. I live by the truth," he said.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Spring 2026 magazine: Waves. Read more stories online at ballbearingsmag.com and pick up the print edition of the magazine across Ball State's campus now.

In their 2025 season, the Cardinals finished with an overall record of 33-18 and a conference record of 16-9, which helped them reach the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament in head coach Helen Peña's second year.

So far through the 2026 season, Ball State sits at an overall record of 15-23 and a conference record of 3-15.

One key reason for the team's struggles so far could be the loss of key players from Peña's previous squads, such as McKenna Mulholland and McKayla Timmons.

But coming into the season with 11 new members on the roster, coach Peña knew this team would have a different makeup than the others.

"It's a really different team than last year. I especially think the years that we've had before, when it comes to makeup, our strengths offensively, we're going to bring different things. We're going to be able to score in a lot of different ways, and we've got some speed when it comes to our newcomers, freshmen and even returners," Peña said. "We've got experience when it comes to returners, and then for the newcomers and freshmen, you know, we've got some people who are hungry just to get out there and contribute to the team."

Right out of the gate in preseason and early season tournaments, the Cardinals showed some promise as they held a neutral site record of 9-4, the only category in which they have a winning record. But once they reached conference play, the early success they found fizzled out.

With the spot the team is currently in, the main goal is to keep its head down and finish off the last month of games as well as the team can.

"We had a really, really good preseason, and I know that we're struggling right now. Some of our mentals are maybe down in the dumps, but just being able to end the season on a high note, like, we don't know what's going to happen right now, but being able to go out there and play for our seniors, especially," redshirt sophomore Allee Noble said. "That's our big team message right now is playing for the seniors, doing everything that we can, showing up to practice and just leaving everything that we can out on our home field."

Even though the team is primarily made up of new faces, the players have expressed their commitment to being there for their teammates no matter what, and it feels as if the Cardinal Faithful has the same commitment to their team.

"Regardless of our record right now, I love our home crowd - the families, recruits and supporters who show up for these young ladies. Our team and staff have been through a lot this year and when we look at the big picture, and I see families in the stands, it's much more than a game. It's what brings us all together and it's a beautiful thing. I'm grateful for them," Peña said.

While Peña said she feels the energy and love from the dugout, the players out on the field see it the exact same way.

"Our home crowd has actually been remarkable. I mean, even in years past, this is something like I've never seen before. Against Western Michigan, I looked into the crowd, and I saw countless parents. I saw so many alumni, which was so heartwarming, [and] girls that I used to play with and getting to talk to them after the games was just like a giant hug," Noble said. "So our crowd has been awesome and the support that we've endured even through the ups and downs of our season. It's been awesome. Our home crowd, I couldn't ask for better. Every single seat is packed."

The fans' attendance is definitely a positive for the team, but it is not the only one, - as the team's pitching group has been relentless all season, with zero quit in them, even in the tough games.

"[The] pitchers have been battling all season long. There's been games where we've kept our offense close and have minimized damage against talented hitters, and other games that have been difficult to piece together. A consistent force and approach is needed out there for the team to get behind, I know we have it, we just need to have a short term memory on what we're capable of, not what has happened," Peña said.

As the season begins to slowly wrap up, the Cardinals still have goals for how they want their season to end: on a high note. But it is not just wins and losses; it is also sending the seniors off the way they deserve.

"[The] goals for the rest of the season are how can we continue to find growth and be proud of the way we play the game. Regardless of outcome, how can we compete as our best selves and versus our process, not the scoreboard or record. I want the seniors to leave their mark, and everyone else to be better tomorrow than what they were today. Growth and the process is never ending, and how we show up everyday is what I'm most focused on," Peña said.

As one of Peña's goals is constant growth in her players, and them being greater tomorrow than they are today, her current roster is perfect for that. Ball State currently has 12 underclassmen on its roster, a perfect group for growth. While this season winds down, these underclassmen have a chance to really look around and dial in on what they want their goals to be next year. Whether they have played much at Ball State or not, the players want to improve not only for themselves, but also for their teammates.

"This is my [redshirt sophomore] year and it's my first time truly ever seeing the field. I am just filled with so much gratitude this season. I've had many high moments. I've had many low moments, but every single day that I see my first and last name and my number on that lineup card. It's like, I think back to the girl, freshman year, that would kill just to see the field. So every single time I get an opportunity, I make it a point to take full advantage of that. Being able to play for my teammates, my family and for my coaches, they've gotten me to this and just being able to show up for us and do my best," Noble said.

While the Cardinals have struggled so far this season, currently sitting in last place in the conference, the team still has the pieces and the culture to finish the season on the highest possible note.

Contact Rylan Crum at rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum

According to an April 16 press release from the City of Muncie, the investigation by the Indiana State Board of Accounts (SBOA) began in 2022 after city leadership identified concerns with financial processes. City officials reported those concerns and cooperated with both state auditors and the Indiana State Police throughout the investigation.

As a result of the findings, two employees have been terminated. One employee was dismissed in December 2024 following the city's internal review, and a second employee was terminated after the report was released.

The report highlights multiple years of problems with internal controls and financial procedures. While the city said the issues were tied to individual actions in the press release, officials acknowledged the need to address broader systemic concerns within the department.

Since the investigation began, the city has taken steps to improve oversight and accountability, according to the press release. These changes include strengthening financial tracking procedures and implementing better internal controls.

Mayor Dan Ridenour said in the press release that the city acted quickly once concerns were identified and emphasized a commitment to transparency.

"From the moment concerns were identified, we acted swiftly and responsibly," Ridenour said. "Protecting taxpayer dollars and maintaining public trust will always be a top priority for this administration."

The Indiana State Police investigation is still ongoing. According to the press release, any findings from that portion of the case will be sent to the Delaware County Prosecutor for review.

City officials said they will continue working to improve policies and procedures across departments and will cooperate with any additional recommendations from the state.

The full report from the Indiana State Board of Accounts is expected to be available on the SBOA website soon.

However, the investigation comes as Muncie has faced past issues with public corruption.

According to a November 2021 Associated Press article, former Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler was sentenced to one year in federal prison after pleading guilty to taking a $5,000 bribe in exchange for steering city contracts to a contractor in 2015. According to the article, the contractor "received more than $250,000 in improper city contracts for excavation and demolition work."

Tyler, who served as mayor from 2012 to 2019, admitted to accepting the bribe and told a judge his actions "left a stain" on his career, according to the article. His case was part of a broader federal investigation into corruption within the Muncie Sanitary District and city administration, which also led to charges against several other officials at the time.

Contact the Daily News at editor@bsudailynews.com.

The Freedom Bus was originally a Muncie transportation bus that was transformed into a black history museum on wheels. It was created in partnership with the non-profit Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Team, Ball State University's Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry, the City of Muncie, and the Muncie Human Rights Commission.

The bus gets help from Ball State Students in COMM 450, a class taught by Beth Massner, Associate Professor of Communication Studies and member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Team. One person in the class is Rosemary Papa.

"...going through all of the exhibits and actually diving into stories, like personal stories, you just really see the humanity behind it and put yourself in the shoes of, 'Those are real people.' 'These are real things that happened.' It isn't just something from our history that we gloss over."

This year, students in the class are focusing on trying to bring awareness to the exhibit. Her role for the project was outreach. Papa said that she felt like everyone fit into their roles well.

"So, I think we all really fit into our specific roles and were really good at communicating with each other, which I'm very grateful for." Papa said. "I would love for people to come out and see it."

One of her classmates is Lindsey Green. Green said her favorite part of the class is working with her group and learning as they go.

"We have gone through a lot of different obstacles with what we wanted to do and how we really wanted to get people here, and I think my group has done really well of working with these obstacles and turning those challenges into making the project better and not necessarily setting us backwards." Green said.

The Freedom Bus talks about African American history, from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to the Civil Rights Movement, with a focus on the local perspective. You can hear the voices of Civil Rights leaders in East-Central Indiana and first-hand accounts from locals.

"I think there's a lot of information that people can learn about from coming onto the bus. And I think it's information that is not necessarily shared with a large group of people, and a lot of people don't necessarily know…" Green said, "And I think with how much you know and the amount of knowledge that you have only creates us to be stronger, better people that understand our community."

Development for the Freedom Bus started in 2004. The original concept was created by Beatrice "Bea" Moten-Foster, a civil rights activist and journalist in Muncie. Due to a lack of resources, the project was in storage until 2014. The bus was finished and opened to the public in 2016, where "Miss Bea" was put on the front license plate in honor of Moten-Foster.

Beth Messner has worked closely on the Freedom Bus project and has seen it evolve over the years. A more recent development with the bus is its partnership with Minnetrista Museum & Gardens in June of last year.

"As a member of the Martin Luther King Drain team, just so thankful that Minnetrista sees value in the work that we have done as an organization, that the dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of students have done in contributing to the project, and that they have kind of welcomed that into the fold… in terms of the educational programming that they're providing to the community." Messner said.

Messner says her students understand the power of storytelling.

"They are students who understand that how we tell stories shapes the way we understand ourselves and understand our world. They understand the importance of using their voices to advocate for themselves and for others. and I think this group of students is very passionate about finding ways to use their skill sets." Messner said.

Minnetrista Ceo, Brian Statz, says this bus needs to be seen.

"To me, it's important because so many people who were involved in the initial civil rights struggle, you know, in the 1950s and 60s are starting to go away. I mean, Jesse Jackson died just earlier this year. A lot of other voices are, you know, just they're growing old and eventually they'll disappear as well, unfortunately." Statz said.

"So it's up to us today to carry on those stories. Honor what they've done in the past and the struggle that they had, but also realize that civil rights is very much a present day issue as well. And so how can we learn from them to make things better for us today, for everybody?"

The Freedom Bus is available by request during regular museum hours until June 30.

Contact Daniel Huber with comments at daniel.huber@bsu.edu.

Dog Days of Finals at Bracken Library

Take a study "paws" and connect with a librarian to get help with your final projects and unwind with some dogs!
Date: Wednesday, April 22
Time: 7-9 p.m.
Location: Bracken Library, Room 104

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/dog-days-of-finals-at-bracken-library

Save the Date for Art in Bloom

Join the David Owsley Museum of Art on May 15-17 for Art in Bloom, an annual celebration featuring floral creations inspired by works of art in the galleries. A Friday evening reception will include jazz, hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar, and Saturday and Sunday's public exhibition will feature live music, tours led by DOMA gallery guides and activities for all ages.

• Friday, May 15: Public "Preview Party" reception from 5-7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 16: Public exhibition and activities from 1-5 p.m.
• Sunday, May 17: Public exhibition and activities from 1-5 p.m.

Help spread the word about this community event by sharing or marking attendance on the Facebook event, and bring friends and family! The Art in Bloom calendar listings will be updated with a detailed schedule of activities closer to the weekend.

The weekend also provides an opportunity to see the special exhibition Nora Krug: Belonging before it closes on June 13.

There is no admission fee or RSVP required for this event, and weekend parking at nonmetered spots on the Quad Circle is also free. Visit bsu.edu/doma for more information about the event and the museum, and contact Rachel Buckmaster with any questions.

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/save-the-date-for-art-in-bloom-3

Spring Semester Course Evaluations Now Available

Course evaluations for the spring semester are now available. Students are strongly urged to take advantage of this opportunity to provide feedback on classes before the evaluation period closes at midnight Monday, April 27. Visitwww.bsu.edu/teachingevaluations.

Timely completion of course evaluations makes a difference. Feedback helps faculty make decisions about how to improve courses and the learning experiences of future students. Written comments are especially informative as each faculty member strives to improve the quality of instruction.

Although users must log in to access the system, IDs are not linked to responses; evaluations are anonymous. Thank you for taking the time to help improve the educational experience by assisting faculty in the design and delivery of more effective courses.

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/spring-semester-course-evaluations-now-available-1

For more information, go toBall State's Communication Center.

Tonight: It will be a nice night tonight with temperatures only getting down to 54 degrees as our low. The clouds will start to move back in overnight and bring us partly cloudy skies. Adding on to such a calm night, the winds will slow down and come out of the south at 5 mph.

Tomorrow: Tomorrow will be a great day for the Late Nite Carnival here on the Ball State Campus. The morning starts out at 55 degrees but, as the day moves on, we will see those temperatures getting into the low-80s for our high. When the carnival gates open at 6 p.m., it will be 82 degrees with mostly sunny skies. At midnight, when the rides close down for the night, the temperature will drop down to 70 degrees, making for a wonderful night. The winds will stay consistent throughout the day at 10-15 mph.

Seven-Day Forecast: Tomorrow will have the highest temperature of the week at 83 degrees. There will be an 80% chance of storms moving through early Saturday morning as a cold front will drop the high for the day to 69 degrees. The temperatures will stay low on Sunday and Monday at 55 degrees but will pick up to 74 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday. We will finally get back into the 80s on Thursday when the high reaches 81 degrees. The lows on Saturday night will get close to freezing at 37 degrees but Sunday's low will drop below freezing to 31 degrees.

Hosted by the Ball State Republican and Democratic organizations alongside the Econ club. Allowing students to connect on a deeper level not only to political and community issues but get a better understanding of the values he holds for himself and reflects into the community.

Highlighting his past career in banking has made extreme impacts on how he handles his current position. Those connections, understanding of investments and the overall attitude has helped him navigate and be a part of the population growth within the city of Muncie. Mentioning the future subdivision plans as others in the past have gone much smoother than imagined in which all 34 homes were sold within five months of building.

Discussing the finances of what it takes to run Muncie, Mayor Ridenour mentioned how they pay 400k each year to keep the street lights on. Mentioning they have recently invested in equipment for the Muncie Public Works department to more locally address paving issues around the city.

While the positives may out way the negatives, Ridenour didn't fail to mention issues he wished had been handled differently or the issues that he regularly faces while in office. Ridenour's ability to be transparent with students allows them to feel more comfortable within the community.

Making appearances such as this students are better understanding of how Ridenour plans to grow Muncie. He encourages students to stay engaged, noting he even offers internships to help shape the future of students in Muncie.

Contact Rayanna Goble with comments at rayanna.goble@bsu.edu.

Olivia Rodrigo is by far my favorite music artist I've ever listened to. Her combination of heartbreaking ballads and energetic 2000s pop-rock leads to her being an artist I always want to hear in any mood or situation. Her music has been a cornerstone in my life these last five years. Through the good and the bad, there has always been an Olivia Rodrigo song there to express how I feel perfectly. With the GUTS era officially coming to a close, a new album just around the corner, and finally seeing her live during her record-breaking show at Lollapalooza, now feels like the time to reflect back on her whole discography and rank them to determine my favorites. This includes her two studio albums, SOUR and GUTS (and GUTS Spilled), along with "Can't Catch Me Now" from the Hunger Games soundtrack and "All I Want" from High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. A clean 30-song discography that will bring my emotions on a roller coaster ride.

30 - "hope ur ok"

No artist is perfect; there will always be at least one song that isn't very good. And unfortunately, Olivia Rodrigo is no different. "hope ur ok" is not only Olivia's worst song, but it is the only song of hers I consider bad. Olivia's strongest aspect of her music is her amazing writing. Her lyrics are always very good and portray such powerful emotions in an outwardly teenage way on SOUR and a more introspective way on GUTS. However, "hope ur ok" is the only time she sounds like she's talking about something she knows nothing about. SOUR is an album all about teenage angst and the pain of your first breakup. It's a record that features some immature lyrics but it works with the record's subject matter. "hope ur ok" features many lyrics like "his parents cared more about the Bible than being good to their own child" and "she was tired 'cause she was brought into a world where family was merely blood" that to me give off the vibe of knowing everything about the world in middle school when that simple isn't true. It is the only time where Olivia sounds her age in a bad way, with her being 17 when she wrote this song. The instrumental also sounds off, with an off-sounding guitar that overpowers the song. However, the song isn't entirely bad. Olivia Rodrigo has consistently done one part of a song perfectly every single time: a bridge. The bridge in this song is very good; it uses some vocal layering that sounds elegant and makes up for more lackluster lyrics. It adds intensity that the song desperately needed. However, one good, albeit short, section does not make up for the rest of the song. It is easily Olivia's worst song, and no song even comes close.

29 - "girl i've always been"

The second bonus track off of GUTS (Spilled), "girl i've always been" has two very simple issues: it's too short and it's unmemorable. The song is exactly two minutes long and is a simple country tune about how Olivia is the girl that she is, and that won't change. It's not a bad song, it's catchy and fun, but it's a song I never go out of my way to listen to.

28 - "enough for you"

"enough for you" is the start of SOUR's Achilles heel of generic ballads. While Olivia Rodrigo is a fantastic balladeer, her debut album features a handful of ballads that blend together. "enough for you" is a simple song about nothing she did being enough for her ex. It's okay, but generic.

It is the song I forget the most off SOUR.

27 - "favorite crime"

For being her 7th most popular song according to music metrics vaultby streaming numbers, I find "favorite crime" to be one of Olivia's weakest songs. This is the second song in the generic ballads trilogy. "favorite crime" uses the metaphor of their relationship being like partners in crime and doesn't really go any further than that. It has some good lines, I really liked "One heart broke, four hands bloody" in particular, but it just has good moments that don't fully come together to make a good, complete package.

26 - "teenage dream"

"teenage dream" was a great end to my favorite album. A reflection of her life and how she got to this point is a fantastic way to end her sophomore album. However, as a song on its own and no longer being the final track on GUTS (Spilled), its long outro and just alright melody don't have me coming back too often. A song that works significantly better with the context of the album.

25 - "All I Want"

"All I Want" is an interesting song in Olivia Rodrigo's discography. It's a song written and performed by her, but it isn't a song about her. The song is from the perspective of the character she plays in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series. However, you could be convinced that this is a track off SOUR as it sounds nearly identical to many of the ballads from that record. It is a great ballad, but being from a point of view not her own and having that Disney cleanliness to it, it does lose a lot of points with me.

24 - "stranger"

"stranger" is a fantastic song lyrically. It's a song topic not often discussed. A song about the healing process post-breakup and how someone you were in love with eventually becomes a distant memory. It was a song that helped me a lot during my own heartbreak. However, the song doesn't sound that great. The intro guitar sounds weirdly mixed. It sounds much better when Olivia's vocals kick in, but that harsh intro does bring it down a bit. With a discography this strong, a few seconds of something rough does bring it down towards the bottom of the list.

23 - "1 step forward 3 steps back"

The third of the generic ballad trilogy, "1 step forward 3 steps back," is an alright song. Nothing too crazy and nothing too noteworthy. A good song, but one I never seek out.

22 - "vampire"

The lead-off single for GUTS,and it was okay. "vampire" was a back-to-basics single that is very similar to "drivers license" but not nearly as good. The vampire metaphor isn't the greatest, which causes the chorus to be one of her weakest, but the verses and especially the bridge are fantastic. A song to get fans excited for the new era, but one of the weakest off the album.

21 - "Can't Catch Me Now"

A song from the fifth Hunger Games movie, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, "Can't Catch Me Now" is a beautiful-sounding song that doesn't really have much substance to it. The rare instance where the instrumental is significantly better than the lyrics. The lyrics are fine. Since the song is made for a movie, the lyrics aren't about Olivia and are instead about the characters. As someone who hasn't seen the movie, lyrics about the characters or story don't matter as much to me. However, the music of this track is fantastic. I love how this song sounds, especially the vocal layering. Personally, lyrics are more important than sound, which is why it ranks so low, but the song has an undeniably amazing sound.

20 - "lacy"

When GUTS originally dropped, I referred to "lacy" as the "hope ur ok" of the album. Two years later, the song has grown on me a lot, but it is still not my favorite. Well-made song, but Olivia reflecting on her own perception is done much better later in the album and done better with a track on SOUR.

19 - "making the bed"

Similar to "lacy", "making the bed" was a track that I put pretty low on my initial ranking of the album, but came around on. It's a track I find to be more relatable than "lacy" which causes me to enjoy it more, but I feel similar to "making the bed" as I do about "lacy."

18 - "ballad of a homeschool girl"

The first of Olivia's rock songs. Rock is the genre Olivia Rodrigo excels at, with the majority of her rock songs being found at the top of the list. "ballad of a homeschool girl" is her weakest, but still a great song. The killer on this one is the lyrics. While intentional, the lyrics are a little sloppy. Parts of the song, like the outro, tend to rub me the wrong way, mainly with a line like "can't think of a third line". This song is much better live, however, one of the few songs that I listen to the live version more than the studio version.

17 - "logical"

"logical" is a fairly standard ballad with a fantastic bridge. "logical" also features a fantastic chorus. The main issue with the track is the verses. The verses are generic and not memorable at all. A song that I enjoy, but need to be in the right mood for.

16 - "scared of my guitar"

Similar to "logical," "scared of my guitar" is a ballad I don't come back to often, but it hits hard when I am in the right mood. The idea of repressing emotions about a relationship so much that music becomes scary is a great premise. The idea of being scared of your guitar because you have to be honest while making music is a great idea for a song, and the song executes that idea well. It isn't an all-the-time listen, but it is one I do enjoy when the mood is right.

15 - "all american bitch"

The album opener to GUTS is pretty good, but another one of her weaker rock songs. The chorus is a lot of fun. The kick in of the drums, along with the explosive lyrics, makes for a great chorus. The verses are where the track lacks slightly, but they're not bad. "all american bitch" is a lesser version of SOUR's opening track.

14 - "so american"

The most unique song in her catalog, "so american" is the only love song Olivia Rodrigo has ever made. A song for her, at the time, partner Louis Partridge, Olivia details all the cross-cultural differences that cause them to fall in love with each other. The song works great in the context of the album, beginning with "all american bitch," an album full of heartbreak, and ending with "so american" creates a full circle album experience.

13 - "bad idea right?"

The second single off of GUTS, "bad idea right?" is a fun song about getting back with someone you know you shouldn't. The early 2000s pop-rock sound and the lighthearted lyrics make "bad idea right?" a good idea to listen to.

12 - "get him back!"

When GUTS originally dropped "get him back!" was by far my favorite song on the album. But as time has gone on, I find myself returning to the track less and less. Still a great song, a fun idea with great lyrics, but I'm not finding myself queuing this song up nearly as much. However "get him back!" is a fantastic concert closer, one of my favorite songs to see live.

11 - "pretty isn't pretty"

"pretty isn't pretty" is "hope ur ok" done properly. Like "hope ur ok," the focus is significantly less on herself and more on society. While the song is still from her perspective, "pretty isn't pretty" is primarily about societal views on what is "pretty." How people, especially women, are criticized, ridiculed, and constantly compared to impossible-to-achieve beauty standards. The chorus is a beautiful cry of pain, and the bridge is an explosion of frustration. This song is made even better because Olivia Rodrigo is the one performing it. Her vocal delivery and her background in acting allow her to deliver these lines with the emotions they needed. "pretty isn't pretty" is a fantastic song, and the track not making the top 10 shows how good her discography is.

10 - "happier"

SOUR is an album filled with high highs and low lows. SOUR has so many generic ballads, but when a ballad is good, it is fantastic. "happier" is a great ballad. A song about acknowledging your ex has a new partner while also being possessive of them is a great idea for a song. The main line "I hope you're happy, but don't be happier" is a perfect description of describing an ex's new relationship. The cooing in the instrumentals is heartbreakingly sweet. "happier" is a fantastic ballad.

9 - "good 4 u"

Olivia Rodrigo's third single is the song that sold me on Olivia. "good 4 u" takes blatant inspiration from Paramore's "Misery Business", being an outwardly bratty and stubborn track that feels so good to listen to. Sometimes you don't need a poetic ballad, sometimes you need a song fueled by rage. Olivia Rodrigo takes clear inspiration from artists like Paramore and Alanis Morissette, and "good 4 u" stands as tall as their biggest hits. It took listening to "good 4 u" for me to fully be on board with Olivia and realize her music was something special.

8 - "traitor"

Another great and unique track off of SOUR, "traitor" is a song about feeling cheated on while not actually being cheated on. When an ex starts a new relationship quickly after the old one ended, it's hard not to feel cheated on, a feeling Olivia explores in great, painful detail.

7 - "deja vu"

The second single off of SOUR, "deja vu" is another beautiful ballad. The main standout is the bridge. Like stated earlier, Olivia Rodrigo is fantastic at writing bridges. All of the songs in the top 10 that have bridges are the best parts of their respective songs. The bridge on "deja vu" is her best bridge in her discography. Having the song start with "do you get deja vu" and ending with "I know you get deja vu" is amazing songwriting. Reusing all the imagery the song used earlier, but with more venom behind the words, feels so cathartic. "deja vu" is building up to the bridge, and it is worth it every single time

6 - "love is embarrassing"

In 2024, my most streamed song of that year was "love is embarrassing", a short two and a half minute album track off of GUTS. For the longest time, "love is embarrassing" was my favorite song of all time. While I still love this song, it is a song I did unfortunately burnt myself out on. However, "love is embarrassing" is still one of the greatest pop-rock songs I've ever heard. The track is a ton of fun. It doesn't take itself too seriously, the lyrics are more self-critical than most of her other songs, and the sound is more upbeat than the rest of her discography. A fun track that is a perfect middle point of the album

5 - "the grudge"

From one of the most fun to one of the most heartbreaking, "the grudge" is brutally sad. Olivia Rodrigo's monologue-esk writing is perfected with this track. "the grudge" is her best writing. The song encapsulates the heartbreak of wanting to be mad at someone, wanting to hate someone with your whole heart, but not being able to do so because of the happy past. It is a heartbreaking and devastating feeling. "the grudge" is by far Olivia Rodrigo's best-written and performed song. The only issue is that it is too heavy sometimes. It is a track that needs to be played at the right time, given how soul-crushing it is. But when it hits, it hits hard.

4 - "obsessed"

GUTS (Spilled), while being a great deluxe of a great album, has one major benefit to it: it finally made the best song on the album available to stream. "obsessed" is by far my favorite track off GUTS and GUTS (Spilled). The cutting lyrics, the perfect chorus, the amazing instrumental, it's got it all. It is a song I can listen to forever and never once be tired of it.

3 - "drivers license"

Olivia Rodrigo's first-ever single is a ballad she wrote when she was 16 about getting her driver's license. It not only rocketed her to stardom, but it is the best ballad she has written. Whereas "the grudge" is better written, "drivers license" hits the teenage heartbreak and angst that SOUR does best. It is a song written by a 16-year-old, sounds like it was written by a 16-year-old, and succeeds because it hits that feeling of being 16 years old perfectly. "drivers license" is the best cry in the car song. It is a song that I didn't get at first, but is now a song I don't know how I didn't understand. For being her first single, "drivers license" is still one of her best.

2 - "jealousy jealousy"

While her ballads might be what Olivia Rodrigo is known for, her pop-rock songs are by far her best. "jealousy jealousy" is fantastic. There isn't too much to discuss; the lyrics are good, the sound is good, the bridge is good, everything on this track is perfect. It's like "pretty isn't pretty" but smaller in scope, which causes me to like it more. It also turns the track into her more rock sound than her ballad sound, which is always a plus. A great end to SOUR if you don't count "hope ur ok".

1 - "brutal"

This was the easiest decision on the whole list. The album opener of SOUR, "brutal" is a flawless song. A slow violin to ease you in, into a hard crash of guitars and drums, and somehow an even harder-hitting chorus, just to end back at the violin's, the sound alone sets up the whole album perfectly. The lyrics are also fantastic. Going back to "drivers license" best quality, this song complements "drivers license" by having more fun with the idea of being a teenager. Every small thing feels like the end of the world, even when it's something as minor as not being able to drive yet. "brutal" and "love is embarrassing" are tracks where Olivia seems to be having much more fun, and that fun bleeds into the listening experience. Ever since I listened to SOUR for the first time, "brutal" has been one of my favorite songs. It is a track I listen to nearly daily and have yet to grow tired of it. It is the best song Olivia Rodrigo has released.

Conclusion

Olivia Rodrigo is my favorite artist of all time. With the release of her third album just around the corner, I am very excited to see how her new music stacks up with the rest of her discography.

Sources: Music Metrics Vault

In his first year as head coach at Ball State, Mike Iandolo was awarded the 2026 MIVA coach of the year award after leading the team to a 22-4 regular season record.

Senior outside hitter Patrick Rodgers received the MIVA player of the year award, along with being named to first team All-MIVA alongside junior setter Lucas Machado.

Sophomore opposite Ryan Louis and junior middle blocker Braydon Savitski-Lynde round out he awards for the Cardinals, as they were both named second team All-MIVA.

Washington- USPresidentDonald Trumpsaid thatIsraelandLebanonhave agreed to implement a 10-day ceasefire starting on Thursday at2100 GMT.

He said the agreement came after he "just had excellent conversations" with Lebanese PresidentJoseph Aounand Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu.

"These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at5 P.M. EST,"the US president posted on his Truth Social platform.

He said he has directedVice President JD Vance, Secretary of StateMarco Rubioand "Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff,Dan Razin' Caine, to work withIsraelandLebanonto achieve a Lasting PEACE."

It comes after the ambassadors ofIsraelandLebanonmet with Rubio inWashingtonon Tuesday, in what marked the first direct talks between the countries in decades.

Fighting betweenIsraeland theIran-backedHezbollahmilitia escalated again in the wake of theIranwar. The Lebanese government is not an active party to the war and is seeking de-escalation.Hezbollahhas so far rejected talks between the government andIsrael.

©2026 dpa GmbH. Distributed byTribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Cardinals swept Loyola Chicago at home to capture the MIVA regular season title and secured home court for the entirety of the conference tournament.

"We played one of our best games of the season on Saturday," Iandolo said. "I think that was a nice little reminder for our guys what level they can play at."

The dominant win over Loyola Chicago came after the Cardinals' home loss to Lewis April 10. Sophomore outside hitter Wil Basilio said that although the team suffered a loss to Lewis, it was encouraging how they performed against the Ramblers.

The outside hitter said that while he knows the MIVA tournament is a single-elimination tournament, the team's ability to turn things around fast gives them confidence moving forward.

"We can have our off days, maybe we have a tough practice before a match," Basilio said. "But just understanding that one bad day doesn't mean the next day is gonna be bad too."

While the MIVA tournament holds weight for the Cardinals, Iandolo does not want much to change with preparation moving forward. The winner of the conference tournament earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, but the head coach said he wants his team to focus on what they can control.

"If we allow ourselves to get distracted and try to hype up or do anything different, then we're making it something bigger than it needs to be," Iandolo said.

Iandolo said the team is taking advantage of the week of practice before the quarterfinals matchup, because it is the last week of the season that the team will have more than two days in a row of practice.

"We've got some time here to get some work in and still get better and try to find ways to get better," Iandolo said.

Senior outside hitter Patrick Rogers has been in this position before, as he will be playing in his third MIVA tournament. The outside hitter said the biggest thing the team is focusing on in the days leading up to the tournament is "maintaining the standard."

"If we play our standard in any of these games, it'll turn out to be a success for us," Rogers said.

He was part of last year's Ball State team that fell in the MIVA quarterfinals to Lewis, and he said the returners on this year's squad have learned from last year's woes. He said the team looked too far ahead last year, which was a big reason for the early exit.

"Maybe we were looking a little too far ahead and looked past that game," Rogers said. "It's good we all experienced that, and we're looking forward to this next quarterfinal."

The Cardinals have a favorable matchup in their quarterfinal this weekend. Ball State will take on Northern Kentucky, a team they swept in both of their matchups. Iandolo said it was good that the team avoided the "chaos" of the rest of the bracket, as the Cardinals have split matchups with a couple of other conference squads.

"I believe wholeheartedly [that] we are the better team and we'll show that again," Iandolo said.

Iandolo said he believes the team is in a good headspace ahead of the tournament, but that a key factor will be Rogers' play. The outside hitter is a nominee for MIVA player of the year, which Iandolo expects him to be awarded with soon.

"He has been the best guy front to back of this entire season on the number one team," Iandolo said.

The head coach said that when Rogers plays at the top of his game, he sees it be infectious for the rest of the team.

"As long as he's playing at that level and bringing that level of training, it's easier for the other guys to step in and do what they're supposed to do," Iandolo said.

Rogers said he is confident in where the team's mentality is entering the tournament. The outside hitter said that it can be easy to take things too seriously at times, but he said as long as the team is enjoying each other and having fun, things will go well.

"I don't think I've been a part of a team better at that mental part; they're all very locked in," Rogers said.

One of the biggest things for Basilio is bringing hardware back to Ball State. The Cardinals have not won the MIVA tournament since 2022, and the team's last couple of postseasons have been disappointing.

"We're fully capable of taking it all the way," Basilio said. "[To] try and put them back on the pedestal where we know that the program belongs."

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Jacob and Mackenzie Sutton

Jacob Sutton knew he wanted to "serve people in some way" with his career. This desire led him to teaching, where he taught middle and high school math for two and a half years before he decided to switch career paths. Jacob felt that firefighting would allow him to "serve others in a higher capacity." His grandfather was a firefighter, but retired before Jacob was born, so he went into the fire service with little expectation.

Growing up and throughout college, Jacob was always part of a sports team. The fire service gave him a similar sense of "brotherhood" to that of being on a sports team. His shifts are 24 hours for three consecutive days, and the firefighters treat the station "like home" and each other "like family."

Jacob has been a firefighter for four years and currently works for the South Madison Fire Territory. The station covers in-town, rural and interstate fire suppression, emergency medical services, car accidents, hazmat incidents and more.

"Our training at South Madison is incredibly important to us, so we highly prioritize that," Jacob said. "We know that when we're called, we're certainly needed."

Jacob knows that what he completes while on shifts dictates when or if he can go home to his wife, Mackenzie, and daughter, Georgia. Fatherhood has impacted Jacob at work and motivates him to always do his job well.

"I've been the first one inside of a burning building multiple times and I think about 'What if that was my daughter in there?' Jacob said.

Mackenzie Sutton works as a dental hygienist in Pendleton, Indiana. The couple met on social media in 2020, when Jacob was still teaching and living in Kentucky. When he told Mackenzie he wanted to be a firefighter, she was at first "reluctant" about the idea.

"Looking back, now that we're all used to it, I couldn't see him doing anything else," Mackenzie said. "He's perfectly fit for this."

One of the biggest challenges for them was navigating their schedules, especially when it came to raising their 17-month-old daughter. They explored child care options, and Mackenzie reduced her work schedule to three days a week at her office. Mackenzie's parents are also "there to step in and help out whenever needed."

She said that everyone in their circle "adapted well" and the adjustments went "a lot more smoothly than anticipated." Jacob commends Mackenzie for "stepping up" for them when raising Georgia, and has watched her grow as a person.

"Not to say it's not hard at times. There [are] days where I'm like, 'Man, I just can't wait for him to walk through the door in 30 minutes," Mackenzie said.

Over the years, the two have learned how to navigate their relationship and understand one another better, especially as Mackenzie was "getting to know him better through this new stage of life."

For Jacob, it can be hard to "flip the switch" between work and family at times. He internalizes some experiences on the job and sometimes doesn't want to talk about certain things he's seen or done, nor does he want Mackenzie to know about them. Mackenzie has learned to extend grace, as she is someone who wants to talk things out. If Jacob says he had a bad shift, she understands immediately that he does not want to talk in detail about his day.

Licensed mental health counselor Brooke Aker works with first responders to provide mental health care to those in the field. She helps first responders navigate different ways to communicate with their spouses and families, as Aker said it's very popular for those in this profession to keep everything to themselves and not share things with their families.

"A lot of the time, first responders need to decompress … and they need some time alone to transition," Aker said. "It can cause a lot of conflict in marriages, so trying to educate both sides about that and give the first responder what they need so that they can re-engage [with their family]."

Aker teaches clients coping strategies, as most first responders struggle with coming out of a "fight or flight" state of mind. For example, Aker may focus on an individual therapy session in which the first responder debriefs on a particular critical incident they responded to.

Jacob relies on talking with his colleagues and on mediation and prayer, to cope with the mental toll of the job. For both him and Mackenzie, their faith in God helps guide them, as they believe that "the Lord has a reason for everything."

When Jacob gets a call, he usually has enough time to let Mackenzie know he's responding to a fire. Even if Jacob is on a shift, the family still finds ways to be connected. Mackenzie and Georgia will Facetime Jacob and occasionally visit the station so he can spend more time with their daughter.

Rob and Krista Swoboda

Married for almost 27 years, Rob and Krista Swoboda are both first responders in the medical field.

The two met at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, when Krista was working in the hospital's triage area, a designated zone in the Emergency Department for quickly assessing patients by severity.

Rob had brought a patient to the hospital, and as he and his partner were finishing, he saw Krista and was "blown away."

Rob, an advanced emergency medical technician (EMT) and lieutenant with Delaware County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), has been in the field for nearly 34 years. He started in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) at a volunteer department in Albany, Indiana at 15-years-old, after his family had moved to the town from Detroit, Michigan. He was riding his bike past the ambulance station when he saw a sign saying they were accepting applications for a cadet program. After learning about what the job includes, he knew he wanted to "make a difference."

At 16 years old, Rob became a trained first responder and knew he wanted to work with Delaware County EMS.

His job has always been about "being there for people in their time of need," and "making a difference", explaining that [the job] doesn't stop when he's off duty. For example, if he's driving down the road and someone has a flat tire or their car is broken down, he pulls over to check if they are okay.

"We care about the community. We care about the people. We're there for them during their time of need," Rob said.

Rob and Krista's drive to help people continues to motivate them both in their careers and family life.

After starting at Ball Memorial as a registration clerk in the Emergency Department, just two years out of high school, Krista decided she "wanted more out of her career" as she watched the nurses and EMS work.

"I always admired all the nurses," Krista said. "Watching them help people, watching them jump into action … I was just so intrigued by it."

She decided to enroll in nursing school to become a registered nurse (RN). Krista works in the Ball Memorial Emergency Room (ER), working three 12-hour shifts a week.

With Rob and Krista both working in the medical field, they can support each other in times of need and celebration. They understand one another's schedules, knowing that sometimes one of them may have to work on a birthday or their anniversary. Rob and Krista frequently interact at the hospital together, and value the importance of teamwork both in their profession and at home.

"[Krista] is really good with taking care of the bills and finances, so that's one role she takes … and I like to cook," Rob said. "Teamwork has definitely helped us in our relationship."

When the two get home for the day, they usually "leave work at work." Rob shuts off radios and scanners while still staying alert [for calls], and when at home, Krista's time is spent enjoying her family and winding down.

The two have a 19-year-old son, Kamden, who is currently studying psychology at Ivy Tech Community College, so that "he can do his part [in] helping people," like his parents.

When their son was younger, if either parent were at work on Christmas, they would "send a letter to Santa," asking if Santa could come early since his parents had to work.

The parents said Kamden took pride in the fact that "Santa comes to my house before he comes to somebody else's." Kamden grew up knowing what his parents' jobs entailed, and that sometimes holidays would have to be sacrificed or celebrated on a different day.

Rob and Krista's shifts can be flexible, as Krista is self-scheduled and Rob can take certain days off. When they were first raising their son, they would schedule opposite shifts so that one parent could be home and present with him. They have always made Kamden's birthday a priority, and Krista said they make that day special.

Rob, Krista and Kamden always try to do activities that they all want to do. If Rob and Krista are together and going out to eat, they will intentionally choose a place Kamden doesn't like. As Kamden has grown up, the two have always told him that after retirement, "wherever he ends up, is where we're going to move to."

"It's always the three of us, no matter what," Krista said. "We always try to spend time together. Everything we do, we do together."

Brodrick and McKenna Hendrickson

Being there for people who can not be there for themselves is what motivates first responders Brodrick and McKenna Hendrickson.

Brodrick Hendrickson is a fifth-generation firefighter and began working in the fire service in 2017, starting as a volunteer firefighter. He began working at the Muncie Fire Department three years ago, and two months ago, became a paramedic. Being a firefighter is all Brodrick ever wanted in life, and he said he is living his younger self's dream.

His wife, McKenna, became an EMT firefighter three years ago and worked for two years with pediatric patients at Riley Children's Hospital, but she is no longer working full-time.

The two have been married for almost three years, and they met when McKenna was in her first year of college. When Brodrick told her he was a firefighter, she replied, "You're joking." When she saw him for the first time after he returned from a fire call, she stood in shock at the sight of Brodrick coughing, covered in soot.

To Brodrick and the other firefighters, it was normal, but it was "terrifying" to McKenna. As the years went on and McKenna learned more about the fire service, it's now "not as scary watching him leave," and she knows he is with people who will fight to protect him. However, they still "take it day by day."

"When he texts me that he's on his way home, it's a breath of fresh air," McKenna said.

McKenna recalled one day that Brodrick came home with a minor burn on his ear, and seeing the physical injury made "every fear" and "what if" flood her mind. She thought about every conversation she had with their son, Rhett, about the potential of his father not coming home. McKenna explained to Rhett that Brodrick "puts his life in danger to help other people." When Rhett was younger, and Brodrick would come home from work, he'd ask, "Did you save somebody today?"

"To [Rhett], his daddy is his hero," McKenna said.

Being in the same field, the two understand each other, especially when it comes to how they deal with the emotional toll of the job. McKenna said that sometimes she closes her eyes and flashes back to things she's witnessed while in service. They have learned to understand what the other needs after a difficult day.

"We have looked at each other and said, 'Listen, I know it was an awful day, but you are not okay, and you need to talk, whether it is now or later today, you need to get it off your chest,'" McKenna said.

Andy and Heather Payne

In college, Andy Payne was a member of a fraternity at Ball State University. After dropping his photojournalism major and moving to England for two years to play rugby, Andy returned to Ball State when he was almost 21. Not wanting to hang out with 18 and 19-year-olds, he would stand by the police officer stationed at the back door of fraternity parties, conversing with him and asking questions. One day, he offered for Andy to come on a ride-along.

His response was, "I don't want to be a cop."

The first night he was in the police car, he witnessed a foot chase and the officer fought someone. Andy recalled thinking it was exciting and interesting, ultimately leading him to become a road officer for 16 years.

"I didn't think when I got into this job that I would see the best part of people, as well as the worst part," Andy said.

When he was a road officer, he worked the midnight shifts, which were eight hours long. He described the most rewarding calls as those in which he got to help someone.

Today, Andy has transitioned to the office side of the Delaware County Sheriff's Office and is a lieutenant and the director of their training division, as he has always enjoyed the training aspect of the police force. He still responds to calls at times, but his day-to-day "wouldn't look that much different than an office job."

Originally on the path to becoming a history professor, Andy had no idea he wanted to be in the police force until he "saw the value in the community of facilitating and supporting the law."

Similar to his wife, Heather, he has a goal of "driving the community forward."

Heather has been working in the Office of Community Engagement at Ball State as the associate director and program manager for Building Better Neighborhoods, Ball State's effort to engage and support Muncie neighborhoods.

Despite both studying history and playing rugby at Ball State, Andy and Heather never crossed paths during college. In 2021, Andy had just finished helping Delaware County's statewide SWAT challenge, where SWAT teams from around the country gather for a week-long training and competition, and went to Guardian Brewery in Muncie to grab dinner and go home. Heather's best friend grew up with Andy, and the two were at the brewery together that night. Andy and Heather sat next to each other, and "just clicked."

Andy credits meeting Heather and her kids, and becoming a stepdad, for helping him "find more beauty in life."

However, Andy and Heather's family extends beyond them and their three children. Heather describes the Sheriff's Department as a "second support system."

The Sheriff's Office used to be a middle school, and in December, Andy and Heather organized a night where they invited the officers and their families to watch Christmas movies together in the old auditorium.

"It sounds cliché, but we're just people too," Andy said. "The vast majority of the guys I work with are good-hearted, kind, caring people that just want to make the community a better place."

Cory Kissick

Growing up, Cory Kissick's grandfather was the fire department's chief. Kissick would always listen to the scanner that his grandfather would leave on, even after he retired. Being fifth-generation in the fire service, Kissick was always drawn to the first-responder field and had a desire to serve the public.

He began his career at the Albany Fire Department in Indiana as a volunteer firefighter, and in 2014, decided he also wanted to be a police officer. Until 2020, he worked as a volunteer fireman, a reserve officer and full-time for Delaware County's 911 service, and at 21, he was promoted to a supervisor at 911.

Being on both sides of law enforcement and the fire service, Kissick was able to apply his fire service knowledge to the 911 side and, vice versa, his law enforcement knowledge to the fire service, thereby better understanding his jobs. He understood what was happening on the other side of the call and provided service to the best of his abilities.

"The 911 dispatcher, they hear the horrible things and are witnessing it in the third person, but they don't always know the outcome," Kissick said.

Kissick said there is a lot of negativity [within the services], but you have to find the 10% that is good, and "chase that feeling."

Over the years, Kissick developed defenses and coping mechanisms to handle the mental toll the jobs can take. He explained the job as a "jacket." When first responders walk into work, they are wearing a "personal life jacket," and they have to "take that jacket off, and hang it outside."

"Once you clock into your job, you put on your work jacket.' That 'work jacket' makes you a tool for the general public, you're there to serve and help people," Kissick said. "When you're done at the end of the day, you take that jacket off, hang it up outside the closet, and put your personal life jacket on."

Kissick has always lived by the ideal that "you don't take work issues back home with you," which helps him cope with the high stress of his jobs.

However, Kissick did struggle with burnout over the years, specifically within law enforcement and 911. He began looking for fire department jobs during COVID-19, and found that Delaware County's emergency management position was open, a job Kissick had always wanted to pursue. He decided to resign from the police department in 2020, after getting married and having a child.

Kissick met his wife while working in the 911 service and they shared a common interest in public service.

"We've been able to lean off of each other and manage those stressors [of the job]," Kissick said. "We just support each other."

The two have a 4-year-old son, and he knows that his mom and dad "work to help people." Kissick makes sure that every chance he has to be home, he's spending time with his son. He understands that when he is at home, he is still "on duty," but he is also spending time with his family. He and his wife make time for each other, sometimes going on dates or just staying in together. The family also has family days at least once a month, where the three of them do an activity together.

Kissick currently serves as Delaware County's Emergency Management Deputy Director and the Assistant Fire Chief.

His job consists of disaster response, recovery and mitigation, as well as emergency and disaster planning and pre-planning. Kissck is also a supervisor at Delaware County's hazardous materials team, a district hazmat team that provides aid for 13 counties.

"In reality, we are people too," Kissick said. "We signed up to do this and we serve, but we [first responders] have issues too."

Jena Ashby

Jena Ashby began working at Nye's Wrecker Service, a 24 hour, seven days a week, towing and recovery service when she was 16-years-old. Her grandfather began the business in the 70s, and it has continued since.

Ashby spent a majority of her time with her grandparents, and grew up around them working in the towing and recovery service. She was the only grandchild for eight years and recalled reading books with the workers at Nye's, and they would "always entertain it."

When she was a teenager, her grandfather said she was not allowed to work for him unless she had prior work experience, so she worked at McDonalds, eventually transferring to Nye's.

Ashby worked with dispatching and bookkeeping. They had a map of the state of Indiana that she would analog and create strategies for possible routes.

Jena's husband, Shannon, worked at Nye's for 20 years. When Shannon would take calls, Jena would check Life360, tracking if Shannon was still moving on the road. Concern for safety would cross her mind if he was on call, no matter the day.

Shannon now works as a commercial driving instructor.

Their kids have always said "dad is going to run to danger." Her children knew that their father may have to leave during holidays or birthdays.

"It's sleepless nights and leaving in the middle of family gatherings, but also being there to help in people's hardest moments," Jena said.

These stories represent just a few of the many families and lives in Delaware County that are impacted daily by the duties and responsibilities of being a first responder.
Contact Jessica Bergfors with questions at jessica.bergfors@bsu.edu.

It was a warm, humid summer night. Fireflies zipped past my head, and I could see the moon's reflection glimmering on the water. The kitchen light from inside lit the dark backyard through a window. Giggles erupted from Vanessa and me as my dad chased us around the pool.

"She's a Sox fan!" we would take turns yelling, my dad switching who he'd chase after.

My dad was a massive Cubs fan. In my home sits a framed photo of my brother and me wearing Cubs jerseys in our backyard, with my tiny hands holding a baseball. Vanessa and her family are White Sox fans. Living near Chicago, the historical Cubs vs. White Sox rivalry was major and something I knew about from a young age.

The sound of our tiny feet hitting the ground and screams echoed throughout the neighborhood, as we attempted not to get caught by my dad. The pool reflected the image of my dad catching me as he swung my small body around, and I couldn't help a toothy smile from stretching across my face.

The word 'wave' has many definitions. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it can mean "a moving ridge or swell on the surface of a liquid." It can also mean "a surge of sensation or emotion."

When the idea of the Waves Edition was originally pitched, my mind went in several different directions. I thought about physical waves in water, but also conceptual waves. I thought about emotional waves, specifically the range of emotions an individual can feel. The wave of falling in love with someone and the way it feels like a wave suddenly crashing onto a shore, the moment you realize it. The wave of dealing with grief and how it sometimes feels like ripples, and other times it's a tsunami. The wave of your own life, continuously changing patterns as you change with them.

I wanted the spring edition of the magazine to have more conceptual story ideas, and the Waves Edition gave us that opportunity. This issue holds all kinds of stories. Alongside articles about scuba diving and the Indiana Dunes are features that discuss grief, recovery and addiction. Wherever you may be reading this magazine, whoever you may be reading it with, I hope these stories resonate with you in some way or that you learn something new. The Ball Bearings team has put immense work into these stories, and they have never failed to amaze me.

I am constantly inspired by those whom I have worked with in student media.

I have worked with Ball Bearings since my first year at Ball State, and it's been a privilege I don't take for granted. From working past midnight in the Unified Media Lab (UML) on a design to editing articles until my eyes blurred, Ball Bearings has been one of the best parts of my college experience.

I'm not sure how to say goodbye to waking up early on a Saturday and driving to Starbucks with Brenden, Ball Bearings Artistic Director, before heading into the office for print night. Or how to say goodbye to adding songs in a Spotify queue with Trinity, Ball Bearings Executive Director, and blaring music in the Unified Media Lab from their speaker.

What I do know is that my experiences with Ball Bearings have shaped me into who I am today. A better writer, a better designer, a better leader, and most importantly, a better person. Meeting people who change your perspective will always be one of the greatest gifts of life, and I'm lucky to have experienced that gift during my time at Ball State. At times, I felt the same way I did when my dad chased me around the pool.

In Phoebe Bridgers' song "I Know The End," the chorus reads, "But you had to go, I know, I know, I know. Like a wave that crashed and melted on the shore."

Similar to what waves do, this chapter of my life is drawing back and making space for what's next. This chaotic, beautiful wave has melted on the shore.

This article is a part of Ball Bearings Spring 2026 magazine: Waves. Read more stories online at Cardinalmediabsu.com.