More than half of Knox County's school districts switch to mask mandates:

https://www.knoxpages.com/education/more-than-half-of-knox-countys-school-districts-switch-to-mask-mandates/article_9622c1f0-0ec5-11ec-a9c0-030aa82c4ad7.html

Roseland School 1933:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/roseland-school-1933/article_7728ca0a-bfa3-11e5-b09a-530d9b542dce.html

Mansfield Art Festival:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/arts-festival-returns-to-downtown-mansfield-sept-18/article_8ed671da-10cd-11ec-a602-17ca0590124c.html

Ashland County Fair:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/life/ashland-county-fair-returns-sept-19-with-a-full-lineup/article_aad211fa-0cc2-11ec-8d68-c74e6c4ce4b5.html

Roger E. Sqrow:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/roger-e-sqrow/article_87449042-161c-11ec-bdf8-5740e1d287a2.html

You're listening to Source Daily. Join us Monday through Friday to stay up to date with what's happening in North Central Ohio. We’ll be sharing a closer look at one of our top stories, along with other news, local history, memorials, answers to your questions, and more. 

Today - Nearly two weeks after implementing a mask mandate for students and staff, Superintendent Lisa Carmichael reported that things are going well at Ontario Local Schools.

Earlier this week Carmichael told the school board that they’ve seen a huge decrease in the number of cases and their attendance has greatly improved. Ontario began classes on Aug. 18. During the first three weeks of school, 72 students tested positive for COVID-19. The district began requiring masks again on Sept. 1 -- midway through the third week of school. Eighteen students tested positive the following week. And two more students have tested positive this week. Rates of absence have gone down by almost two-thirds. Carmichael recommended the board leave the mask requirement in place, at least for now. She said it’s her biggest hope that she can come forward sometime in the near future and recommend that the masks go away, but at this time, she’s just not comfortable doing that. The main goal is to keep schools open. And for the most part masking seems to be going well. Carmichael said about 97 percent of students are complying with the masking requirements. However, they do have a couple students that submitted a religious exemption and a couple that do not want to wear them. Alejandro Carrizal Ramos, a senior at Ontario High School, addressed the board in favor of the mask requirement. He told board members he is vaccinated and doesn’t mind wearing a mask all day at school. He explained that there are about 15 kids that are hospitalized with COVID-19 per day in Ohio - and at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, there are about 26 kids that are hospitalized, nine in the ICU and five on ventilators. And Carrizal Ramos also asked the board to consider requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for eligible staff and students now that the Pfizer vaccine is FDA-approved. The student said he addressed the board because he is concerned about the health of his peers and teachers, especially after seeing a family member hospitalized due to COVID-19. And Matt Mackey, a parent in the district, also addressed the board. He thanked them for not enforcing the mask requirement for his children. He said they use the philosophy of faith over fear. Mackey shared his personal opinion that masks are not effective. He noted that they aren't effective at filtering out smells. Mackey also shared numbers from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, on the number of adverse reactions, hospitalizations and deaths reported after a person received the COVID-19 vaccine.

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Now, some local history… Did you know that the old one-room Roseland School stood at the intersection of Springmill Street and Trimble Road? It was there until the mid-1930s when the district was consolidated with the Mansfield City Schools. Students moved to a city school for about a decade until the new Roseland School opened farther south on Trimble Road at Wyandotte.

At the time when students abandoned the building, it was taken over by the Roseland Grange, who leased the place for $1 a year. The building stood as long as it was in use, but when the Grange moved out in 1966 it wasn’t long until the corner of Trimble and 39 became an empty lot again.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight upcoming events that you should know about. On Saturday, Sept. 18th, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., an array of artists celebrating all forms of art will gather in Central Park in downtown Mansfield... and throughout the city to entertain and dazzle the public. There will be art, music, food, and more. 

Then, on Sunday, The All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church is hosting a lecture by local writer, Mark Jordan, who will be giving a talk called “From Nobility to Nightmare: the Redemption of the Ohio State Reformatory” at 10:30am.

Next, From The Ashland Source…

The Ashland County Fair will return on Sunday, the 19th and will go until September 25th. The activities begin with a tractor pull at 6:30pm and will be punctuated with a concert by Sara Evans at 6pm on Wednesday and end with a demolition derby on Saturday. Ashland County Fair Board Secretary Cathy Rice said everyone is excited for the return of a full fair, which typically brings more than 90,000 people together throughout the week. "We're happy to have a full fair again. From the vendors to the exhibitors and fair board. We look forward to having everyone come out and enjoy the sights and sounds of the fair.” Grab your tickets and plan to spend some time enjoying everything they have to offer. Check out the full schedule at ashlandcountyfair.com.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of Roger E. Sqrow of Mansfield who passed away at his home on Saturday. Born in Mansfield in 1949, Roger worked for many years at Mansfield Tire, twenty years at The Crane Center, and he retired in 2017 from All American Transportation. He was always tinkering on cars when he wasn't working or watching sports. He loved sports; softball, golf and bowling. Roger was ornery and had a great sense of humor and you never knew what he was up to.

Roger leaves to cherish many fond memories made together with his wife, Patty, his daughter and sons, his grandchildren, a great-grandson, his siblings, his sisters-in-law, and many nieces, nephews, friends, and neighbors. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Roger’s life.

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