Glass Alliance Egg Sale and Hunt

Grab your family and friends to help you search for eggs hidden in Oakhurst Gardens, and be on the lookout for a special visit from the Easter Bunny! Candy-filled eggs will be available for children to find-please limit to five per child so everyone can enjoy. Not in the mood for a hunt? Purchase beautifully hand-crafted glass eggs and other themed pieces made by Ball State University students from the Marilyn K. Glick Center for Glass. Each unique piece makes a perfect keepsake or gift.

• Price: Prices vary
• Location: Minnetrista Museum and Gardens Education Center in Oakhurst Gardens
• Date and Time: Saturday, March 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The West Wind

Come see a new play by local playwrights John and Jenni Marsh! Ride the rails across turn-of-the-century America in this heart-warming comedy about finding friendship, purpose and inner strength.

• Price: $20 for adults, $15 for students
• Location: Casazza Family Studio Theatre
• Date and Time: March 20-29. 2026, Friday and Saturday Shows at 7:00 p.m., Sunday Matinees at 3:00 p.m.

Learn about 3D Printing

Curious about 3D printing? Join Fabrication Lab Manager Andrew Arthur for 3D Printing, a two-part introductory series that teaches you the basics of 3D printing. In the first session, you'll learn how FDM 3D printing works, what materials used in the Fab Lab, where to find 3D models, the basics of slicer software, and more!

• Price: Free
• Location: Fab Lab, AT 141
• Date and Time: March 25, 2026 and April 1, 2026, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Live at RoHo's: Andrew T

Come listen to local musician Andrew T and enjoy some delicious martinis at RoHo's!

• Price: Free entry
• Location: RoHo's Martini Bar
• Date and Time: Saturday, March 28, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Hull Property Group, a real estate company based in Augusta, Georgia, that focuses on improving enclosed and run-down malls, has previously purchased 37 other malls across 17 states for redevelopment.

RE/MAX Real Estate Group's broker-owner Ryan Kramer said the original plan for the Muncie Mall, established in 1970, was to tear down the old movie theater, JCPenney and the Sears building to make way for four storefronts and major retailers.

But he said that as anchor spots and mall tenants continued to decline, the mall became less and less viable.

"Anchor spots are very important because they drive a lot of traffic," Kramer said. Losing those anchor spots can take a toll on a business.

"So, once they started to lose Sears and JCPenney's and Carsons, then it became kind of a tumbling effect to, you know, losing a lot of that momentum with the mall," Kramer said.

John Mulherin, the senior vice president for government relations at Hull Property Group, said, "Once all your anchor stores leave, it puts a lot of pressure on the interior shop stores because those stores don't have the foot traffic to make them successful."

Mulherin said the lack of foot traffic in secondary-market malls, such as Muncie, is leading to many of them being shut down.

"In these secondary markets, they're being shut down," Mulherin said. "And once they're gone, they're gone, right? And they're not coming back.

However, the lack of foot traffic and interest in the space from major retailers is not the only reason Hull Property Group has decided to proceed with the demolition; rather, it is because of the building itself.

"The building is the misimprovement," Mulherin said. "The building keeps people away, both mentally and physically."

Hull Property Group discovered that the 130,000-square-foot mall has only one air-conditioning system throughout the building, along with one fire riser, one fire suppression system and one electrical system. The cost to split up the infrastructure would have totaled "a million five," Mulherin said.

"You're better off tearing it down and creating the offering and then build[ing] something new," Mulherin said. "It's actually cheaper to tear it down and build something new."

But that was not the only turning point that convinced Hull Property Group that demolition was the best decision for the Muncie Mall.

Because of the leases the current tenants of the mall have, Mulherin said Hull Property Group did not want to interrupt them so close to the holiday season. But in November 2025, Hull Property Group began receiving notices from tenants stating they would be out of the mall space after Christmas.

It got to the point that Hull Property Group realized the mall itself might no longer be viable.

"Between the tenants who had already notified us and the tenants who were month by month, who could leave any time they wanted, I was going to be down to about a 7 percent occupancy in June of this year," Mulherin said.

Mulherin said that as the mall continues to deteriorate, it will negatively affect the target, the goals and everything around it.

"Blight begets blight," he said. "Nobody is going to make a multimillion-dollar investment on the curb out parcel unless the behemoth behind it is a viable going concern."

Ever since the mall opened in 1970, its value has continued to decline. In the last 30 years, the mall's value has gone from approximately over $2 million to less than $70,000, Mulherin explained.

"The value of the mall is based on the rental income coming in on the mall. And when it's full, that mall is worth a lot of money because of the occupancy of the unit. But now the occupancy has went down. The value of the mall goes down with that," Kramer said.

All of these components led Hull Property Group to one conclusion: that the mall was no longer viable and their original redevelopment plan would not be cost-effective. The cost of the original plan, Mulherin said, was approximately $9.8 million, whereas the cost to demolish the building is roughly $5.3 million

"I've got a much better opportunity of attracting someone to the property with a clean slate than I ever would have with our original phase one because the mall behind it was not proper[ly] viable," Mulherin said.

With an open, viable plot of land, various tenants have the potential to move into the space. Mulherin said there are multiple interested buyers with their eyes set on the site.

"So, we develop, and we'll build, you know, we'll build for whatever tenant that comes along," he said. "But we've had interest already since the word's gone out that we're going to have eventually a blank slate now."

With phase one of the plan set to begin in April with the demolition of the JCPenney and the Sears, Hull Property Group cannot begin the second phase of the demolition, which consists of the rest of the mall, until within 90 days of the last tenant vacating the property. This can take anywhere from six months to two years, Mulherin said.

Despite that, Hull Property Group aims to move forward with its plans as soon as possible because it knows the Muncie market is strong, especially along McGalliard Road.

The main challenge will be scheduling, as there are still tenants in the mall. It would be easier to tear the building down all at once, but because Hull Property Group is working around tenants, Muherin said that cannot happen.

Hull Property Group has made it known that there are two main things being focused on when it comes to the mall's redevelopment: developing the site to meet market demand, and being more disciplined about who gets let back onto the lot.

"It's not necessarily the tenant you have, it's the tenant you don't have that counts," Mulherin said. "You can put the absolute wrong tenant in there. It's going to keep a lot of other tenants out."

The current tenants of the mall are all looking to relocate, but there is no word on whether or not all of the current businesses will remain in Muncie.

"I did hear that Books-a-Million definitely wants to stay in our market and is actively looking for replacement space in the Muncie market. So, the hope is that others will also do the same thing," Kramer said.

However, the challenge many tenants will face is the moving and tenant improvement expenses they are likely to incur, Kramer explained.

As of March 2026, there are plenty of ideas for what could replace the Muncie Mall, but Kramer said everything remains speculative until contracts are signed.

"It's a concept. So, that back 25 acres could be apartments. It could be a national wholesale club, it could be a car dealership, it could be anything," Mulherin said.

Mulherin believes the lot has potential as an apartment site, but is unsure whether apartments are needed in that area of Muncie.

From a real estate perspective, Kramer disagrees.

"I am not a big fan of considering apartments on a lot like that, because there's plenty of room to do it there, but I would much rather see all business there," he said. "But there may be some opportunity, because there's so much space that there could be some mixed use."

Owl Mayhall, a fifth-year landscape architecture student at Ball State University, whose thesis is about the redevelopment of the Muncie Mall with a focus on wetland filtration, spoke about their thoughts on the new redevelopment plans.

"I think it is a bad idea. I mean, that's an understatement, I guess. But I think they are very blinded by the monetary issues of it all," Mayhall said. "Like, right now, it's not making money, and that is the only thing they're seeing."

As a student and a resident of Muncie, Mayhall said they had expected the demolition for some time.

"I was very hopeful for some type of renovation, but I think Muncie specifically has been struggling in a lot of different ways."

The current Muncie Mall building adds no value to the tax roll and is considered a misimprovement, but Mulherin believes that the ad valorem valuation for this site can increase as potential major retailers gain more interest in the lot's clean slate.

"We're projecting right now that the ad valorem valuation can potentially go from $2 million, as it currently sits, to over $45 million," Mulherin said.

Mulherin said the demolition should be done by the end of 2026.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Contact Jayden Vaughn via email @jayden.vaughn@bsu.edu.

Hosted by: Chris Dawson, Ian Fraser, AshWeird, Jaxx Lomax

Edited by: Chris Dawson

Graphic by: Chris Dawson

After falling 2-1 in the opener Mar. 20, the Cardinals rallied in the second and third outings to take their third conference series win.

In the second game Mar. 21, Ball State had their backs against the wall down 6-3 in the top of the ninth inning. That was until junior first baseman Jack Bakus pinch hit a grand slam to take the lead, leading to an 8-6 road win.

"This is the theme of the [team], it's been amazing," Head Coach Rich Maloney said. "Different guys' numbers [have been] called and they answered the bell."

The head coach said that in the history of baseball, pinch hitters usually hit under .200, But all season, the Cardinals' pinch hitters have come in in big moments and have shown out

"We've been having so many guys get big pinch hits when the games on the line, that's been amazing," Maloney said.

Ball State found themselves in a similar position Mar. 22 in the rubber match of the series, as the team was down 4-3 to start the ninth inning. But the Cardinals scored four straight runs and were able to hold on in the bottom of the inning for a 7-5 victory.

"The guys are showing great resiliency," Maloney said. "They've been a great comeback team, we've had amazing victories, and they never quit."

The ability to come back in these games is a big reason why the Cardinals have a winning record again, and are 7-2 in the conference.

"We were on the brink of losing several times these first nine conference games," Maloney said. "We found ways to win most of them."

Coming into the season, the Cardinals had so many new faces, and there was some uncertainty about who would step into the bigger roles for the team. There has not been a shortage of talent so far, as Maloney said he has used the most players he has ever used before while coaching.

"It's just the way it's worked out," Maloney said. "To use the whole roster, it actually is a really good thing because everybody knows that they can get their number called."

After their third straight Mid-American Conference (MAC) series victory, the Cardinals will head to Evansville for a midweek matchup with Southern Indiana Mar. 24.

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

Fast fashion has dominated the clothing industry for the past couple of decades as it gets pieces from the garment factories to store shelves in little time and even saves retail companies money. Retailers don't want to increase their prices because their customers don't want to buy expensive clothing.

According to the NBC News article "New clothes feel cheap? They really don't make them like they used to" by Jing Feng, the demand for low-cost clothing has surged since 2020, helping fast-fashion brands like Shein and Temu thrive. This causes other retailers to have to compete with these cheap clothing brands, which forces them to cut costs in their clothing production. In this article, Feng included that approximately 60% of the total production costs for clothing come from the fabric. The remaining 40% accounts for labor costs and additional decorative details like buttons and zippers. So retailers will choose to use lower-quality fabric to cut costs and keep up with other fast-fashion brands. The less effort and time that goes into the clothes, the quicker it is to put these pieces out on the shelves.

Fast-fashion significantly reduces the quality of clothing to make it quicker and cheaper. Ball State University Professor of Fashion Industry Studies Diana Saiki says that customers tend to care more about keeping up with the latest fashion trends and buying from popular brands, and they ignore the lower quality.

"We've become so branding-focused that sometimes people don't pay attention to the quality versus the name," Saiki said. "Consumers would rather partake in the latest trends, and they don't care about the quality, really. They're not going to wear it that long."

Saiki said that fast fashion is fueled by trends, which circulate more rapidly with the help of the internet. In the past, the fashion industry had only a few seasons of clothes to produce. According to the article, "What Really Happens to Unwanted Clothes," by Beth Porter, the fast fashion industry has allowed for more than 50 microseasons to exist throughout the year. This then puts more clothes into circulation, which contributes to the reality of overconsumption.

"Before overconsumption, if you look at the homes, they have these small closets, and today, they have these giant ones to hold all these clothes," Saiki said. "I don't know if it's really that needed. And it's also American. Americans are culturally sensitized to buy stock. If you go to Europe or other countries, they are much more into quality. They'll slow the production down, and then they know good-quality clothes as well as good-quality handbags. Americans are just really into buying stuff."

Not only do Americans like to exercise their capitalistic right, but over-consuming and impulse buying have been made much easier over the past few decades. According to the journal article, "Click to Buy: The Impact of Retail Credit on Over-Consumption in the Online Environment," by Lauren Ah Fook and Lisa McNeill, online shopping has made buying products convenient as customers are able to do it from the comfort of their own home. However, online shopping has also made it more convenient to impulse-buy. Not only is it much easier to click a few buttons to have something shipped to the consumer, but customers can get free shipping if they put enough clothes into their cart to reach a minimum amount of money. They also allow customers to send back clothes for free if they don't want them, which allows consumers to put more in their carts. However, it's not always convenient to return and ship these items back, and Saiki admitted that she bought multiple of the same item in different sizes -and forgot to return the ones she didn't want.

Online shopping provides a convenience that increases the likelihood of impulse buying, but evolved methods of payment have also worsened overconsumption. According to the article, "Spendception: The Psychological Impact of Digital Payments on Consumer Purchase Behavior and Impulse Buying," by Naneem Faraz and Amna Anjum, the ability to pay for something without even having to pull out a wallet makes spending money almost thoughtless. When customers use their phones to pay or even just tap their card onto the reader, it weakens the mental link between spending money and its consequences. When customers use physical cash, they can watch their money supply decrease in a transaction. The increased use of digital and card payments has made overconsumption worse as they don't force customers to physically see their money decrease.

Not only have digital payments evolved but so has the attitude surrounding thrifting.

Audrey Robbins, Ball State University assistant lecturer of fashion industry studies, said that when she was a kid, thrifting was looked down on and seen as a lower-income-class activity. Thrifting has since then increased in popularity, especially since it is a more sustainable option than buying clothes brand new.

"Thrifting has taken on a completely different meaning today," Robbins said. "You feel that sense of, 'I'm helping contribute to a more sustainable economy. I'm not contributing to as much waste.' I think that there's a little bit of luck too, like, 'I found this. I'm the lucky one who scored this awesome piece.' So there's a little bit of pride that comes with thrifting now that we didn't have in the '80s or '90s."

However, in the case of sustainability, thrifting ends up being a double-edged sword. Robbins teaches a class on fashion and sustainability and said that most of her students don't know how to recycle their old clothing.

"I've had this conversation with my students frequently," Robbins said. "If I say, 'How do you recycle your clothing?' everyone says, 'Well, I donate it.' Well, that's not recycling it. That's moving your junk from your home to somebody else's space. So that doesn't actually answer the issue of the overabundance of waste because we don't have a good way currently to easily recycle."

According to Robbins, states would have to invest in infrastructure that would be able to recycle old clothing to be turned into new clothing. However, even having this infrastructure wouldn't give people a perfect recycling solution as it is difficult to extract virgin fibers from modern clothing.

"What the problem is in fashion is if you look at a label, very few things are 100% polyester, 100% cotton, 100% nylon," Robbins said. "We add in 50% polyester, 50% cotton; we add in all these different combinations. And when you break them back down, you can't say, 'OK, I'm going to pull the polyester out of the cotton.' There's no way to break them back down to that virgin fiber to be able to make them into something that is going to be as good a quality as when it was originally made. So there's a bit of a gap right now on how we truly recycle because we're just moving things out of our space."

Thrifting also comes with another issue. Donation places like Goodwill are unable to sell all the donations they get due to damage or mildew that can spread quickly to other clothes. According to Porter, 5% of the clothing donations that Goodwill receives go straight to the landfill.

Blake Edwards, a Ball State University alumnus, owns Well Made Vintage, located in The Village. This vintage thrift store has been in Muncie for over three years and has been a huge success, according to Edwards. He said he sources all of the clothes sold in Well Made Vintage and says there are clothes he avoids when sourcing products.

"Lately, we've been repairing a lot more things, and we have a friend now who is repairing a bunch of stuff for us that has holes in them," Edwards said. "So we stay away from damaged clothes unless they're really cool pieces. We have a massive pile in the basement of stained stuff because it just doesn't meet the store expectations."

While Edwards approximated that around 10% to 15% of the clothes in the store don't sell, he said those clothes are not thrown away. He said they still can be used to help other clothes be sold.

"If we have a really ripped-up pair of pants, we can save that and use it for the belt loops for other pairs of pants when they're missing," Edwards said. "Other things will either end up in our fill-a-bag or we always try to donate to St. Vincent De Paul in town."

Using two different pieces of clothing make something new is known as upcycling.

Robbins is currently teaching Fashion 381, which involves an event at the Indianapolis Airport that takes place on Earth Day called "Recycled Runway." This event features sustainable pieces of clothing, and Robbins' students are preparing for it.

"Students are creating upcycled, re-imagined pieces where they are taking things that would have otherwise been discarded," Robbins said. "So maybe it's a shirt that had a hole, or maybe it's a pair of jeans that was shredded or even stained in some way. They're taking all of those and breaking them down into other new pieces."

Robbins said the only downside to upcycling clothing is that these pieces are difficult to clean. Though upcycling is a sustainable practice, clothes that are made from upcycling cannot be thrown into a laundry machine like traditional clothes can. They are more fragile and cannot able to be frequently cleaned like other clothes. However, Robbins said that people should reduce washing their clothes in general due to the amount of water it takes and the pollution laundry contributes to.

"A single load of laundry usually uses 15 to 30 gallons of water, so having larger loads of laundry and waiting until you truly need a full amount of water is ideal," Robbins said. "Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and spandex all shed those tiny microplastics during washing. Washing microfibers releases hundreds to thousands, even millions of microfibers as we wash them, and they are too small to effectively filter out. So they end up in our rivers and our drinking water."

There are sustainable actions people can take with their clothes such as buying them second-hand or getting more wear out of them before they are washed, as Robbins suggested. However, if a consumer wants to buy brand-new clothes sustainably, they can be fooled by greenwashing tactics retailers use to lure in customers with good intentions. Companies use greenwashing to appear as if they engage in sustainable practices, using terms like "eco-friendly" and "recycled materials" for their products.

Greenwashing is used more as a marketing technique than something that can be backed up by actual evidence from these companies.

"Greenwashing is tricky because there's not a whole lot of regulation globally, definitely not even on a local level," Robbins said. "You stick the recycle symbol on something; you stick the word 'eco-friendly;' you stick the word 'sustainable' on it, and there's no way to prove that they are not, as a company, meeting that goal. A lot of our fast fashion brands have eco-lines that aren't any more eco-friendly than their other lines."

Even if consumers want to take actions to be more sustainable and purchase vintage clothes that are higher quality, it is going to become increasingly harder. Edwards said that the supply of vintage clothes has significantly decreased over the past 10 years.

"From when I first started in 2016 to now, it's very hard to find vintage clothes," Edwards said. "I'm going a lot more to find the same amounts that I used to be able to find in two or three thrift stores. And that's a good and a bad thing because now it means potentially more people are going and getting these things from the thrift store. It also could mean that fast fashion is just dominating thrift stores, which is what I see on a daily basis."

Due to the double-edged sword that sustainable clothing and solutions to fast fashion seems to be, Robbins said that there likely won't be one solution that is 100% sustainable. However, she said there are still steps people can take to make a more environmentally conscious fashion industry.

"I don't know that we can perfectly recycle and upcycle our clothing, but what we can do is more consumer education," Robbins said. "We can reduce consumption. We can buy from brands that do have take-back programs, where they repair and resell and accept old clothing. But really just buying less, buying better quality, trying to wear things longer is the best thing. The best recycling is not needing to recycle because we are actually going to keep those things."

This article was written for Cardinal Media by a student in the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication in a classroom environment with a faculty advisor. It was not produced by independent student media.

Ball State opened up MAC play March 13 against the Akron Zips. The Cardinals went 0-3 in the weekend series, being outscored 14-9. Despite a tough opening to conference play, Head Coach Helen Peña kept the team's heads high.

"The message to the team was that we get to choose how we view those outcomes, and how we let it shape us as we move forward. They can either build us or break us. We can lean into our processes and culture more, or we can go the opposite direction, but only one way will help us grow and continue to build," Peña said.

After a rough opening series to conference play, Ball State went back out on the road and took on the Central Michigan Chippewas with a chance to get back into the win column.

Ball State was able to get back into the win column, despite only going 1-2 on the weekend series. The Cardinals won the final game 7-1 and dropped the first two 5-6 (10 innings) and 3-4.

Game one was the definition of a heartbreaker for Ball State, as they worked their way back from a four-run deficit and tied it up in the top of the seventh inning.

The Cardinals got up one in the top of the tenth, but the Chippewas were able to walk it off in the bottom half of the inning.

One positive from coach Peña was the pitching and the excitement she has for their pitching in the future, and a big bright spot is senior Ella Whitney.

"We are putting ourselves in very good positions to win. Our last three games that we've lost have been one run games. I'm looking forward to the pitching staff to build on some good performances this weekend and keep attacking batters and minimizing the free bases. Offensively, continuing to challenge them and working out mental tools to not make any one moment bigger than another," Peña said. "Big innings are just about passing the bat and not trying to do too much. Staying committed to our approach and processes will be the focus there."

Whitney was the starter in the team's lone win this weekend, allowing only seven hits to the Cardinals 12, and is currently 5-2 on the mound this season.

Ball State now has a quick turnaround as they play in-state school Butler, on March 24. in Muncie.

"Butler is always competitive and they've got a talented team and offense this year," Peña said.

The two teams are not strangers to each other as they matched up last season, with the Cardinals getting the upper hand, winning 7-0.

"I'm excited for us to have the opportunity to compete at home and continue to grow and build on what we did [this weekend] before facing Toledo next weekend," Peña said.

Looking ahead, Ball State will travel to Toledo on March. 27 with a chance to increase their conference record against a team they went 2-1 against last season.

Contact Rylan Crum with any questions @rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum.

The first movie I vividly remember seeing in theaters was Disney Pixar's "Tangled." I was 6 years old at the time, and while I did not understand the concept of 3D glasses, the movie's plot stuck with me long after I left the theater. I hummed the melodies of the soundtrack; scenes replayed in my head as I closed my eyes to sleep.

I could not fathom how life was supposed to return to "normal" when mine felt so transformed within an hour and 40 minutes.

I experienced similar feelings of captivation - or borderline obsession - watching "Matilda" in school, or "Mary Poppins" while ill at home.

By my first-year of high school, I guarantee I was the only 15-year-old in America who ran home to watch "The Sound of Music" every night for a week straight during the holiday season.

Even then, I knew the concept of watching movies was something much deeper to me than just a way to pass time or unwind - it was an escape from reality.

In my prime, I can never dance the way that Julie Andrews could in hers, but for two hours and 52 minutes, I can be in her company and pretend.

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Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, in November 2019, I was flicking through channels on the DVR and landed on Nora Ephron's "Julie and Julia" - the movie that made me want to make movies. The parallel storytelling fascinated me, a testament to the interconnectedness of mankind.

The movie, which tells the autobiographical stories of culinary pioneer Julia Child and blogger Julie Powell as she embarks on her "year of cooking dangerously" with Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" decades after its publication, seamlessly melds the two multigenerational stories.

Ephron indirectly taught me, through "Julie and Julia" and other semi-autobiographical films centered on female leads like "Heartburn" and "When Harry Met Sally…," that movies were not just an escape from reality - they could be reality, stories of everyday life - and I wanted to make them my reality.

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The COVID-19 pandemic was undeniably disastrous.

Data collected in a 2024 article from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) using MRI scans to evaluate structural changes in adolescent brains post-COVID suggests, "Social isolation due to lockdowns that were imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic had a detrimental impact on adolescent mental health."

I suppose this is true to some extent - but ultimately, the pandemic taught me to be comfortable with being alone and to relish moments of isolation as opportunities for creative exploration. As a teenager trying to find her way in the world at the time, I will always be grateful for the pandemic as a period of introspection.

Looking back, perhaps having the pandemic at my disposal for introspection is less a reflection of my response to boredom, and more so a reflection of how fortunate I was because of my parents.

At 15, I was old enough to comprehend the state of the world, but just young enough to avoid working in it. Thus, with no grueling schooldays to attend or work experience under my belt, the pandemic allowed me to pursue creative aspirations I might not otherwise have had, including watching every single Meryl Streep movie and reviewing them in a blog.

The pandemic also heightened the use and accessibility of streaming services.

The Motion Picture Association (MPA)'s annual theme report for 2021 reported a 14 percent increase in the global home/mobile entertainment market.

"Over the last two years, the pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our daily lives, generating new and unexpected challenges. The film, television and streaming industry has not been immune, and in many ways, we are still navigating this new reality," Charles Rivkin, MPA'S chairman and CEO wrote in the report's introduction.

No doubt, I was among that 14 percent while in lockdown - but the problem is that percentage rate has only increased nationwide post-COVID. What was once an adaptation - a quick fix while in lockdown - has now become the standard, the new normal across the movie industry - slowly but surely eradicating movie theaters entirely and turning filmmaking into less of a craft and more of a hobby.

The solution has become the problem.

Just because an art form is made accessible to everyone does not mean that everyone should try their hand at it. My minor while in college is film and screenwriting, so I feel entitled to make the prior statement, but it is not just my opinion. Nationally famed director Steven Spielberg has repeatedly advocated for the traditional moviegoing experience that streaming services have undermined.

In a November 2022 Q+A, Spielberg told The New York Times, "The pandemic created an opportunity for streaming platforms to raise their subscriptions to record-breaking levels and also throw some of my best filmmaker friends under the bus as their movies were unceremoniously not given theatrical releases."

His sentiments are shared by other famous directors across the U.S., such as Martin Scorsese.

In a February 2021 essay for Harper's Magazine, Scorsese wrote, "...The art of cinema is being systematically devalued, sidelined, demeaned and reduced to its lowest common denominator, 'content.'"

Within the past year, I have taken various screenwriting and film analysis classes. The curriculum has exposed me to script structure, key elements and motifs that categorize a movie within a specific genre(s) and to the cultural significance woven into the themes of the craft that reflect, allude to or depend upon the social climate of the time period in which they are produced.

The film and television industry is a beautifully double-edged sword: movie runtimes remind us that time is fleeting, but the ability to watch them over and over again pushes against the mortal constraints of human existence.

As the decades pass, I am lucky enough to be in my early 20s without having lost a grandparent or any person close to me, for that matter.

However, Robert Redford's - my sexual awakening's - death hit me pretty hard, followed shortly thereafter by Diane Keaton, Rob Reiner, and most recently, Catherine O'Hara.

I am a firm believer that when "the greats" of any industry die, something great dies with them that cannot be replicated, no matter how hard future generations, like mine, may try.

But I am also a staunch proponent of legacies, with my own greatest fear being to die without a trace - to be forgotten.

Within the past few years, the film and television industry has proven not to be immune to the digitized effects of modern media, but the great thing about the industry is that it, by nature, is a profession that continues to evolve, or build off the legacies of "the greats" from years prior.

Thus, the film and television industry is no stranger to evolution - and it is still, somehow, continuously proven the ability to honor the sanctity of its "golden age," for no one ever dies in vain if on the silver screen they remain.

Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine.hill@bsu.edu.

"Roller derby is largely a queer community; there are outliers, sure, but it's such an accepting community. You can be whoever you want to be, on and off the track, and you will be accepted here," said Cornfed Roller Derby athlete Faith Jones-Smith.

Roller derby also offers an outlet for many people to express themselves, not just physically, but emotionally as well.

According to roller derby athlete August Hazzard, "It has helped boost my self-esteem, because everyone is here to do the same thing and everyone is supportive of you no matter what."

LGBTQ+ representation in roller derby dates back to the sport's inception, as roller derby athlete C.S. Hendershot said,

"Roller derby was founded on the premise that a lot of the folks that join it are challenging society's norms. We include everyone, and you don't often see that in professional sports these days."

Cornfed Roller Derby's gender representation is not the only thing that makes it diverse, as most athletes come from very different backgrounds in sports. As Jones-Smith said,

"I played a lot of different sports growing up, from basketball to cross country, to tennis and softball. Nothing that has as much physical contact as this one, but it helped me gain a level of sportsmanship."

However, in the case of Hendershot, they have a different story.

"I was not very competitive in sports growing up… I really struggled in my teen years, but roller derby has helped me find a sport where I feel included."

In a sport based on inclusiveness and gender representation, this helps some athletes find people like themselves that they can connect with.

"I started off in an all gender league, and we didn't have a lot of guys on our team. With me being trans, I connected with some more of the trans and queer people on my team. Even if they aren't queer, or if they weren't any sort of the LGBTQ, nobody would judge you for anything," said Hazzard.

Contact Stephen Grata with comments at stephen.grata@bsu.edu.

Capko, who has been an assistant at SMU for the past two seasons, brings a load of experience to Muncie. Capko began his coaching career at Marshall as a graduate assistant before moving onto Stetson and then Georgia Southern.

Most of Capko's experience comes under head coach Andy Enfield, who he coached under at both USC and SMU.

Capko spent eight seasons at USC between 2016-2024, where he served as an assistant and associate head coach. In 2024 he followed Enfield to SMU where he spent two seasons.

In his time with the Mustangs, he was named one of the top "power 5 assistants" in the country by the Athletic, along with being one of the 50 Most Impactful high major assistant coaches by Silver Waves Media.

In his playing career, Capko started at the University of Florida, playing under legendary head coach Billy Donovan, but transferred after one semester there. He then transferred to the University of South Florida where he was a nominee for Big East Player of the Year during his senior campaign.

"Chris Capko is an exceptional basketball coach," Ball State Athletic Director Jeff Mitchell said in a press releasefrom the university."His breadth of experience at the NCAA Division I level, combined with his elite recruiting acumen and expertise in player development, set him apart from an incredibly strong pool of candidates and made him the best coach to lead our program."

Contact the Daily News via email at editor@bsudailynews.com.

For Braiden Robinson, owner of Wook's Workshop, a 9-5 lifestyle was never his end goal.

"I've always wanted to do something for myself, work for myself, so that's what kinda gave me the motivation to like look for things I'm into and to turn into a career," Robinson said.

After suffering from a life-changing car accident, Robinson gathered his creative talents together and brought his lapidary business to life. During the day, he spends time in his studio carving pieces of stone down to perfection.

"Being able to turn what Mother Nature made already into something more beautiful is pretty spectacular," Robinson explained.

Those "somethings" are pieces of polished jewelry and gemstones. He sells these pieces at vendor events like First Thursdays at Muncie Makers Market year-round.

When he's not in the studio, Robinson is up to something more heated. During the day, he's a lapidarist, but at night, he's a fire performer.

"I've always been kind of a pyro when I was a kid, I like to look at the campfire and stuff like that," Robinson said.

That kid grew up to be a professional fire tosser, performing at different events all around Muncie. To some, fire is harmful, but it brings him peace.

"I kind of get into a meditative state when I'm doing it and zone out and just really focus on just me and the fire. And it really brings me to this calm, serene place and I look cool doing it," Robinson said.

Robinson's been on the fire tossing route for over six years, bringing entertainment to local events during warmer seasons. Fire tossing was not easy at first, but after attending Kinetic Fire at Flow Fest in 2024, Robinson knew immediately what he wanted to do.

"The first day I lit them on fire and was like 'that's intense,' but after practice and drilling, I'm really not afraid of the fire anymore," Robinson said.

Robinson is not hard to catch; he practices often at parks and open spaces, all while staying safe.

"I decided to pull the trigger on getting insurance for it so I can do it professionally, and it's been a growing thing since then," Robinson said.

Robinson is just getting started before the summer. For any information on how to book a session with Robinson, reach out through his personal Facebook account at Braiden Robinson

Contact Kahmara Munn with comments at kahmara.munn@bsu.edu.

But Head Coach Brady Sallee said he "wasn't going to hear it" following a loss to Toledo in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) tournament semifinals. Despite falling short in the conference tournament, the Cardinals exceeded expectations.

Ball State finished with a 26-7 overall record and a 16-2 MAC record, which tied Miami (OH) for the regular season title.

Sallee only had four returners on the team and only two of those returners in the starting lineup. The head coach had to work from scratch, and try to put together a team that could fill the shoes that last season's conference champions left.

In a season full of conference dominance, come from behind wins and win streaks, the Cardinals rounded up a positive 2-25-26 campaign.

Here are beat reporters Kyle Stout and Rylan Crum's thoughts on the team's season, and what needs to happen moving forward for the Cardinals to stay competitive.

Kyle:

Ball State saw a lot of player development this season. I think that is something that really contributed to their success, as the team had little returners entering the season. The two returning players that provided the biggest contributions for the Cardinals were senior center Tessa Towers and sophomore guard Grace Kingery.

Starting with Towers, the jump from her junior to her senior season is one that Sallee described as "unbelievable." Towers went from a player averaging under five minutes per game to being selected to the All-MAC first team.

She averaged a near double-double this season, with 14.7 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game on 54.8 percent shooting from the field.

Kingery took a massive leap in year two after limited playing time in her freshman season. The guard went from only about 14 minutes per game to leading the team in minutes per game with 31.1.

Kingery averaged 13.4 points per game and shot nearly 41 percent from behind the arc, which led to her being selected to the All-MAC honorable mention team.

Those two players will be key next season for the Cardinals, assuming they return to the school. If each of those players had this big of a jump from last season, a full season in the starting lineup should only lead to more development next season.

An obvious reason for the Cardinals success this season came from Bree Salenbien. The senior forward transferred from Gonzaga for her last year of college eligibility, and helped the Cardinals reach new heights.

Salenbien averaged 15.8 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game and was second on the team in assists per game with 3.8.

The Cardinals played through Salenbien throughout the season, and Sallee said it felt like the team had another point guard playing the power forward position.

The loss of Salenbien will leave a big void for the Cardinals on next season's team. I expect the team to go after a similar prototype player this offseason, as this year's squad deeply benefited from Salenbien's ability to consistently get to the rim and distribute.

Another player that will be important for the Cardinals to keep going into next year is junior guard Karsyn Norman.

The lead guard for the Cardinals averaged 9.4 points per game and led the team with 4.9 assists per game. On last year's team, former guard Ally Becki led the way for the Cardinals, and entering this season, there was a question mark at the point guard position.

But Norman filled in very nicely with the Cardinals, and the team did not lose a step offensively, as they led the MAC in assists per game and points per game. A key to any team's success is their point guard, and as long as Norman is in command for the Cardinals, the team will be in good hands.

Along with the development of Towers, Kingery and Norman, the Cardinals will also rely heavily on some of the freshman from this season.

Rylan:

One positive for the Cardinals heading into next year in the talent of the underclassmen. This season Ball State had eight underclassmen, six of those being freshmen, and five of those freshmen being from overseas.

One of those freshmen from overseas, Aniss Tagayi from France, led the team in steals this year with 1.6 per game along with being 16th in the MAC for steals per game. Tagayi was also named to the MAC All-Freshman Team and MAC All-Defensive Team.

After her defensive performances this year, Tagayi will be looked at as one of the defensive leaders last year. Although she averaged 8 points and 53% from the field per game, defense is her specialty. Her final stats on the defensive side after her first year are 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.

Tagayi isn't close to being the only underclassmen to be excited about next season, as Alba Cabellero also showed a lot of promise this year.

As the freshmen from Spain only started two games this year, that number will rise next season following the departure of Tessa Towers.

Towers started at the post in the 31 other games Cabellero didn't, with Alba coming in for her off the bench most of the season.

While Cabellero only started two games, she saw action in 32 of the Cardinals contests, averaging 4.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 50% from the field. As she will most likely be starting down low next season for Ball State, we'll only see these numbers rise as her career goes on.

Both Cabellero and Tagayi aren't new to playing on a big stage, as they've both won Fiba championships with their respective countries. Caballero won the Fiba U20 Euro Basket championship with Spain in 2025, and Tagayi was a part of France's 2024 Women's European Championship squad.

As of now the Cardinals have one commit for the class of 2026 and 2027 respectively. Lillian Barnes (class of 2026) from Valparaiso, Indiana, signed with Ball State in November. She is currently ranked 93rd nationally and 7th in the stage amongst the class of 2026.

Class of 2027 player Kenzie Koch committed to the Cardinals in October, and this is a recruit to be excited about. From Charlottesville, Indiana, Koch is a four star recruit ranked third in the state and 53rd nationally.

If no one transfers out this offseason, Ball State will have 11 total returners as they only had two seniors this previous season. The most important returner could be current sophomore Grace Kingery, who had a breakout year, tying her career high in scoring once (23 points), and breaking it twice (24 points and now 25 points).

In 2024-25, Kingery played in 31 games averaging 14 minutes per game. This past season she started in as many games as she played last year, averaging 13.4 points and 2.7 rebounds a game while shooting 45% from the field. With her 13.4 points a game, Kingery was third on the team in scoring this past season. An improvement from eight on the team last season with 4.8 points per game.

When it comes to Kingery, improvement has been the name of the game in her first two seasons in Muncie, something we hope rolls over into her junior year.

The 2025-26 Cardinals roster only has two players graduating this year, meaning next year will be proving grounds for some of the players who didn't see much action this season.

One of those players being current freshman Brooke Winchester. Winchester played in 14 games this season, averaging 6.5 minutes per game along with 2.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

With the departure of Towers, the 6 foot underclassmen could be put in the position to take on the role Cabellero had this season.

Contact Kyle Stout and Rylan Crum with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn and at Rylan.crum@bsu.edu or on X @RylanCrum.

Norris died Thursday morning in Kauai, Hawaii, his family confirmed Friday morningon social media.

"It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning," the statement said. "While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.

"To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family. He lived his life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives."

The family said it was thankful to Norris's fans, who to him "were not just fans, you were his friends."

Last week, the star posted a martial arts video on Instagram in which he hit a sparring partner with a combo before saying to the camera, "I don't age, I level up."

"I'm 86 today!" Norris wrote in the caption. "Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I'm grateful for another year, good health and the chance to keep doing what I love. Thank you all for being the best fans in the world. Your support through the years has meant more to me than you'll ever know."

One of America's most famous martial artists, and certainly the most frequently memed, Norris leveraged his black belt skills to build a successful television and film career. Although his action star status ultimately made Norris a household name, he told Sharyl Attkisson on a 2017 episode of the news magazine show "Full Measure" that he was a true martial artist "who dabbles in acting" rather than the other way around.

The world champion held black belts in karate, taekwondo, tang soo do, Brazilian jiu jitsu, judo and the martial arts discipline he founded himself, chun kuk do.

He acted in more than 30 action films and numerous television projects, but it was the 1972 film "The Way of the Dragon," in which he starred alongsideBruce Lee, that put Norris on the map. Norris went on to star in action films including "Missing in Action" in 1984 and its sequels, "Firewalker" in 1986 and "Sidekicks" in 1992, as well as the 1986 film "The Delta Force," the 1990 sequel "Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection," and 1991's "The Hitman."

Perhaps his best-known project, the television series "Walker, Texas Ranger," which he starred in and executive produced, was inspired by the 1983 American neo-western "Lone Wolf McQuade," also starring Norris. The series ran from 1993 to 2001 and followed Cordell Walker, a Texas lawman who battles crime with a black belt and strong moral compass.

"While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him," the family said in its statement. "The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it."

©2026 Los Angeles Times. Visit atlatimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Lavender Closet aims to provide a safe space for the queer community, but the resources they provide are open to everyone. They help aid those in need by providing clothes and other necessities. They offer soap, shampoo, and self-hygiene products. In the future, they hope to expand their operations and offer bigger things, like furniture. But those who volunteer their time to help keep the doors open say it's about more than just the resources.

"I love the space. I love being in here. It feels cozy. Also, when we had our grand opening, it just truly felt like community. There was so many people hanging out, having fun," Izzy Thompson said.

Thompson is the director/founder of Lavender Closet and a graduate student at Ball State. They're proud of the progress the group has made so far. All of Lavender Closet's resources are given by donation, and it's the members of the community that help keep the mission alive.

Community is important to Lavender Closet, and they hope to build a strong connection with other queer organizations nearby. A few weeks ago, to help decorate their space, they hosted an event. Those who showed up could help paint Lavender Closet's mural.

While the mural is still in progress, it's easy to notice the support Lavender Closet has received so far. The nonprofit hopes to host more events like that one, drawing in more members of the queer community and creating a space of inclusion for all.

Contact Addison Hampshire with comments at addison.hampshire@bsu.edu

Women's Week at Ball State University (March 23-27)
Women's Week will feature lectures, presentations, workshops, musical performances, a poster session, a film with discussion, panel discussions and a book discussion. All events are free.

March 23

• Keynote by Dr. Aria Halliday, Marie Rich Endowed Professor in Arts and Sciences and associate professor of gender and women's studies and African American and Africana studies at the University of Kentucky, at 2 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The talk, "Where Are Black Girls Safe?" will be followed by refreshments and a book signing.

March 24

• "A Brief History of the Muncie Post-Democrat," presented by Daisy Dale, at 12:30 p.m. in Student Center Cardinal Hall A.
• "Womanhood Workshop" crafting event at 3:30 p.m. in the Peace and Conflict Center.
• "Women of Song," featuring Vox Anima, Vola Voce and White River Sound, at 7:30 p.m. in Sursa Hall.

March 25

• WGS Capstone Poster Session at 5:30 p.m. in Burkhardt Building, Room 109.
• "Fair Play" film screening as part of the Reel Stories Film Series at 6:30 p.m. in Burkhardt Building, Room 109. Rachael Smith, assistant teaching professor of women's and gender studies at Ball State University, will lead a discussion following the film.

March 26

• Disability Awareness Month speaker Natalie Dickey at 3:30 p.m. in Student Center Cardinal Hall A.

March 27

• "Civic Education and the Modern Suffragette: Protecting Voting Rights at the Sequicentennial" at 1 p.m. in Student Center Cardinal Hall A. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters and AAUW.
• Disability Awareness Month Book Club featuring Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life by Alice Wong at 3 p.m. in the Student Center Pineshelf Room.

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/march-23-27-is-womens-week-at-ball-state-university

Time Tracking and Absence in Workday: What Employees Need to Know
Learn how to enter time, request absences and review balances in Workday. This session covers essential tasks and best practices for employees using Workday Time Tracking and Absence.

Multiple dates available:

• Thursday, April 2 | 10-11 a.m. | Online
• Monday, April 13 | 2-3 p.m. | Online
• Tuesday, April 21 | 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Online

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/time-tracking-and-absence-in-workday-what-employees-need-to-know

Fly Well: Travel the Universe Without Leaving Campus
The Charles W. Brown Planetarium at Ball State University offers an opportunity to experience the wonders of space. Located in the Cooper Science Complex, the planetarium hosts shows that take visitors through galaxies, planets and the night sky.

The planetarium is one of Indiana's largest science education spaces. Whether interested in astronomy, looking for an evening activity or trying something new on campus, the planetarium offers a unique experience. Upcoming programs are available online.

Build belonging, seek support, fly well.

For more information, visit:
https://commcenter.bsu.edu/message/fly-well-travel-the-universe-without-leaving-campus

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

Gov. Mike Braun revealed a new economic development initiative Tuesday aimed at creating 100,000 high-wage agriculture and life sciences jobs over the next decade.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will commit $1 billion in tax credits over 10 years toward jobs in agriculture and life sciences.

The commitment is the first of its kind targeting specific industries following an executive order from Braun last year directing Indiana's 15 economic regions to submit formal growth plans to boost economies, per capita income and educational attainment.

"Indiana is the leader in life sciences," Braun said. "We are the premier destination for human therapeutics, animal health, agri-tech, biotechnology and environmental innovation."

He designated the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority, or CIRDA, as the first regional steward to coordinate and execute the initiative.The region is already home to global companies like Eli Lilly, Elanco Animal Health and Corteva Agriscience.

"Indiana will be an epicenter for reshoring and expansion in this area," Braun said.

The regional initiative is an outgrowth of the earlier Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative, or READI, which focused on quality of place projects.

"The governor recognized that the state is not one economy, but a series of regional economies," Commerce Secretary David Adams said.

Adams toured the15 regionslast year to see how well the counties and cities were aligned economically.

"I asked each of the regions to identify your strategy, focus on the industries that are core strengths to your economy," he said.

Central region first up

CIRDA is the first region to come forward with a growth strategy, which ties together the region's human, animal and plant health sectors.

"Central Indiana is a unique ecosystem - we have the ability to discover it, we have the ability to make it, we have the ability to move it, and we also have the ability to apply it or heal it around health care," Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness said.

Conditional tax credits awarded through the initiative can only support jobs that pay at least 125% of the county median wage, Adams said.

The $1 billion commitment accounts for about one-third of the IEDC's available tax credits, Adams said.

Braun explained the initiative's focus on agriculture and life sciences, citing the industry's high wages.

"It's a growth industry. Other states are trying to corner that market," he said.

University presidents and industry executives attended Tuesday's event and praised the initiative.

"The life sciences sector in Indiana is an important driver of economic success, creating jobs and opportunities for Hoosiers while delivering innovative health solutions," Stephen Ferguson, chairperson of the Cook Group, said in a statement.

"This announcement by Gov. Braun will position the state to capitalize on our strengths and facilitate more growth for future years to come."

Vanessa Green Sinders, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said "Indiana's continued prosperity depends on creating an environment in which employers can grow and people can build careers.

"Gov. Braun recognizes this, and the state's new investment in agriculture and life sciences advances a clear signal that Indiana is serious about competing for-and winning-the race for talent attraction and the next generation of private-sector growth.

At its last meeting, SGA reviewed the requirements and senator choices for president pro tempore nominations. The two senators who had been nominated and accepted the nominations were Gracie Hamilton and Grace Recrucha.

RELATED: Ball State's Student Government Association elects new officers

Gracie Hamilton, a third-year political science and legal studies dual major, is a part of Ball State's Honors College and is a political science department student ambassador. Hamilton has been a part of SGA for two years, a part of the collegiate caucus whip for one year and served on all out-of-senate committees.

Hamilton said she wants to focus on three main points as president pro tempore:retention, recruitment and representation.

For retention, Hamilton said she wants to keep senators within the senate and maintain the current number of senators.

"I want to provide a list for potential organizational visits that you can use to make the process of staying here a little bit easier. A survey for current senators, what we don't like, what we want to see changed," Hamilton said. "Then same thing for exit interviews for leaving senators."

Hamilton wants to represent groups such as Ball State University Spectrum, Alliance for Disability Awareness and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

She also wants to help represent SGA senators by working more closely with them to track the progress of pending legislation and clearly communicate student concerns to the administration at Ball State.

"I've had to work with our current pro temp while navigating upper university administration, [and] while getting the election day off legislation passed," Hamilton said. "So, I think I'm in a really good position to help you all with that next year, and just like clearly communicat[e] student concerns to those upper levels."

Grace Rerucha, a second-year psychology major, is on SGA's finance and student engagement committees. Rerucha has been in SGA for two years and is a member of the Alpha Phi Omega sorority as the open-bidding chair.

Rerucha said she wants to focus on three main points as president pro tempore:retention, recruitment and personality.

Rerucha's plan for recruitment is to hold more SGA Senate-sponsored events on campus and to increase the SGA senate's social media presence.

"I actually facilitated recruitment this past spring, so I was able to bring in new members, and I found out what worked, within it, and how to get the best people and how to get them," Rerucha said.

For retention, Rerucha said she wants to continue past ideas while introducing "business buddies" to keep people on SGA and ensure they are enjoying their time on it.

"I like to plan things for the group, and I like to make sure I can foster a group environment and personality. You want a welcoming and friendly person for recruitment and retention, to make sure people are happy and enjoying what they do," Rerucha said.

After both candidates presented their platform points, they retreated to the outside of Cardinal Hall B for the senate to hold its election to choose the next president pro tempore.

After a few minutes, the voting was complete, and with 16 of 30 votes, Hamilton was elected the president pro tempore for the next academic year.

Afterward, SGA welcomed special guests to address the senate on initiatives that different departments at Ball State are working on.

Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management Rodney Nasiri spoke about recycling rates and educated students on what can and cannot be recycled. Nasiri said that Ball State wants to reduce the amount of trash contamination.

"Right now, our recycling load is pretty contaminated, and so we have a lot of improvements to do, and it starts with us, kind of like a grassroots effort here," Nasiri said.

Nasiri said they are planning to have people stand at high-traffic areas on campus April 6 to speak with students about the issue, and are currently looking for volunteers for one-hour shifts of tabling.

"We're going to identify about three or four areas where there's a lot of activity…we're going to have individuals stand there and look at [it] with some guidelines in terms of … how to recycle, and what to put where," Nasiri said.

Director of Student Conduct Kaleigh Richardson also spoke to SGA about the university review board. He asked the senate to consider approving the faculty and staff members who would serve on it.

The university review board reviews serious conduct cases, such as protesting rights, and whether they involve academic or disciplinary issues, such as protesting conduct rules.

"The university review board is convened when we have conduct cases that result in proposed sanctions of suspension or expulsion. So those are fairly rare, and these cases would go to a hearing if the student requests that, or if the student has not participated in that process, to give them the full extent of due process available to them," Richardson said.

The members who were asked to be approved on the review board were:

• Nick Baumgartner, instructor of special education
• Angie Boyle, grant manager for the office of research
• Charity Coffman, assistant director of organizational development and learning
• Candy Dodd, associate program director for the entrepreneurial leadership institute
• Jason Dunham, senior lecturer of chemistry
• Erik Ippel, equal opportunity and employee relations specialist
• Kyla McKillip, assistant director of talent acquisition
• Jim Mills learning center assistant director
• Greg Rocheleau, associate professor of criminal justice and criminology
• Jim Shimkus, head of research and teaching services
• Evette Simmons-Reed, teaching professor of applied behavior analysis
• Laura Suman, head of access services and open education
• Wendy Watson, assistant teaching professor of criminal justice and criminology

SGA held a vote on whether or not to pass the new university review board while Richardson stayed outside the room. After the vote concluded with 29 yays, three nays and zero abstentions, the board was approved.

SGA then reviewed a budget request from the student safety committee for its "Coffee with a Cop" event. The event will be held at the Ball State University Green March 19, from 12-3 p.m., to provide students with a connection to the University Police Department and its officers.

The items requested include: 360 donuts for $575, eight 96-ounce jugs of coffee for $140 and another eight 96-ounce jugs of apple cider for $35, which, when rounded up, totaled $750.

SGA approved the budget request with 28 yays, one nay and two abstentions.

SGA will meet again next week, March 25, at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Hall B at 3:15 p.m.

Contact Landon Jones via email landon.jones2@bsu.edu

Tonight: Clouds and winds increasing as we go throughout the evening. Temperature getting down to 50 degrees.

Tomorrow: Temperature reaching the upper 60s. Overcast skies for most of the day with wind gusts up to 25 mph.

Seven-Day Forecast: Peak heating through the weekend, with the max temperature reaching the upper 70s on Sunday. Low pressure system coming in Sunday evening, bringing showers and a possible thunderstorm. Starting the work week with temperatures in the mid 40s. Back to the upper 60s by Friday.

- Weather Forecaster Elia Stowers

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

Tonight: Clear start to our night before clouds start to make their way in. We will still be experiencing around the same gusty winds that we have been experiencing in our region recently with the winds staying to the south around 10 mph, however gusts will be up to 20 mph. We will reach a low of 44 degrees so a heavy coat will still be needed if you do need to head out tonight.

Tomorrow: Warmer and above average temperatures can be expected for the next week including Friday. At the bus stop expect the temperature to be around 50 degrees, so a light jacket is suggested as temperatures will be very mild. Afternoon hours temperatures will be very comfortable, reaching 60 degrees. Eventually by your evening commute, you can lose the jacket as temperatures will reach 75 degrees. Time to pull your shorts and t-shirts back out!

Seven-Day Forecast: Expect warmer temperatures for the next week as spring weather is coming. Gusty winds will still continue to linger around, however on the bright side, we do not have a severe threat or storms for the next week ahead. Ice and snow from the system that moved out this past week will begin to melt, so expect spots on roads and sidewalks to be slick and wet. As for the next week temperatures will be on a increasing trend eventually by Sunday reaching our high of the week of 83 degrees. Monday we cool off slightly to 60 degrees but later warm back up to the 70's again by Wednesday, and 81 by Thursday.

- Weather Forecaster Kendra Heath

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X @NLIWeather for breaking weather updates.

NewsLink Indiana is a proud Ambassador for the NOAA Weather-Ready Nation program.

For more information about the Weather-Ready Nation program please click HERE

"I think this is very important, people know their local sheriff personally, because you know like I said working in the schools, I did that for eighteen years. Two jobs for eighteen years and I truly enjoyed it." David Williams, Sheriff Candidate said.

His experience in the Delaware County's school system and as a Sergeant pushed him into wanting to take a leadership role.

"I started and became a police officer, that's when I was like, hey I am the type of individual, I want to get every certification possible, I want to be the best possibly, and i want to do everything I possibly can, while I'm young enough, and I wanna make an impact." Williams said.

Williams and his supporters took part in the Muncie Saint Patrick's Day parade that is held downtown Muncie.

"It is so exciting, I mean, first of all we love Saint Patrick's Day, and it's great to be here, Dave is just a great guy, so I do not think I would be any place else, even though its a little chilly out here, but I would not want to be anywhere else," Todd StJohn, a supporter, said.

"If people could see the sheriffs department, or the ball state police department, or the Muncie Police Department, really any police department in Delaware County and look at us as were here and we are not the bad guys, we are here to help you guys, we are here to protect and serve, and that's just the bottom line," Williams said.

William's is hoping to serve a new role as County Sheriff in this year's 2026 election.

For more information on Delaware County's election go to co.delaware.in.us

Contact Mira Bloomer with comments at mira.bloomer@bsu.edu.