Cemetery Walks brings history back to life in Bellville:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/cemetery-walks-brings-history-back-to-life-in-bellville/article_8c1b73f0-133e-11ec-94f1-f72c4dc975ac.html

Face masks or vaccine card required to enter Mansfield City Building starting Sept. 13:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/face-masks-or-vaccine-card-required-to-enter-mansfield-city-building-starting-sept-13/article_a622c66a-126a-11ec-9989-3729face7506.html

Mount Vernon Farmers Market ranks #1 in Ohio in national contest:

https://www.knoxpages.com/life_and_culture/mount-vernon-farmers-market-ranks-1-in-ohio-in-national-contest/article_0af773da-11b5-11ec-9c3d-a7bf882d2322.html

Debby Lynn Eutsay:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/debra-debby-lynn-eutsay/article_7bdfd61e-1278-11ec-9381-b722af12d52e.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 - It’s not every day those buried in a cemetery can stroll through the rows of headstones and converse with their visitors. But that’s exactly what happened over the weekend during the Cemetery Walk in Bellville. Deceased residents of the village returned to life in the form of actors who shared their story.

Before we begin, we’d like to take a moment to thank our Sponsors at First Federal Community Bank. Today, First Federal Community Bank wants you to meet Travis Smith, Assistant Vice President in Commercial Banking, as he continues to help Mansfield area business owners and investors expand their business or start a new one.  

Travis thrives on being a resource for the community to explore all of their business banking needs through a collaborative approach. Together you’ll talk about the resources available to meet your goals. First Federal Community Bank looks forward to collaborating with more local business, owners and investors soon. Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC.

It’s not every day those buried in a cemetery can stroll through the rows of headstones and converse with their visitors. But that’s exactly what happened on Saturday during the Cemetery Walk in Bellville. Deceased residents of the village returned to life in the form of actors who shared their story.

Event organizer Lynn Fox said every year it becomes more and more professional. The Bellville-Jefferson Historical Society has hosted the Cemetery Walk for four years. Fox founded the event after attending a cemetery walk in Johnsville. She even contacted the organizers there for advice. This year featured residents with birth years ranging from 1752 through 1886. Fox researched the residents and provided information to the actors, who developed their own monologue scripts. Rinda Sansom, Bellville resident and secretary of the Bellville Jefferson Township Historical Society, played Nell Gatton Wade. Wade's family arrived in Bellville in 1811. She was born in 1886 and worked as an art teacher and lance designer for Wade and Gatton Nursery. 

And one couple, David Smith and Sue Ann Snyder Smith, came all the way from Chicago to play the husband and wife duo Benjamin and Abigail Mitchel Jackson. The Jacksons are Snyder Smith’s fourth-generation great grandparents.

Abigail Mitchel was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1755 to a family of British Empire Loyalists. She later married rebel soldier Benjamin Jackson. The two travelled west in a wagon caravan in the 1810s and settled in Bellville in 1815. Mitchel Jackson was portrayed by her fourth great-granddaughter Sue Ann Snyder Smith of Chicago.

The Jacksons hailed from New Jersey and migrated to the wilds of Ohio in 1812. Benjamin was a Revolutionary War veteran who fought on the side of the rebels. Abigail came from a family of Loyalists, but lost touch with them after marrying Benjamin at age 19. And despite the fact that most women in the early days of Bellville were homemakers - with the details of their lives largely undocumented - four Bellville women were featured. Including Abigail Mitchel Jackson.

Emeline A Charles was another. Charles was born in 1834 in Washington Township. She owned her own business, a millinery and ladies’ fashion shop. She never married. Charles travelled to Cleveland and New York regularly to keep up on the latest fashions and bring them back to Bellville. She was portrayed by Rhonda Bletner during Saturday's Cemetery Walk. Not far from where Charles is buried alongside her parents and sister, Frederick M. Fitting stood with his wife Ruth. The Fittings were portrayed by Bellville residents Norris and Jan Tangeman.

Frederick Fitting was born in Knox County but later became one of Bellville’s most prominent landowners and entrepreneurs. His parents, Jasper and Fanny, migrated to Knox County from Pennsylvania in 1802. They moved to Richland County in 1819.

After graduating from the eighth grade, Fitting loaded up a wagon with produce to haul to Wooster and Sandusky. On the return trip, he brought back big bags of groceries and dry goods from the big city. He later bought into a dry goods store and married Ruth Markey, the daughter of John and Mary. The couple had two daughters, one of whom died just shy of her 10th birthday.

Fitting went on to work as a miller, a real estate investor, a banker and eventually the vice president of Mansfield Savings Bank. He donated 12 acres of land for the Bellville Cemetery on the condition that he and his wife would get their first pick for the family plot.  In fact, Fitting knew a rail line would be key to Bellville’s economic future. So he invested $25,000 of his own money in order to bring the B&O Railroad to town.

Finally, Josh Andra, manager of the Bellville Branch Library, played Theodore Dean. Dean shared the chilling, mysterious tale of his parents’ demise. By the late 1880s, John and Sarah Dean had retired from farming and were battling serious, painful illness. Sarah eventually lost the strength to get out of bed, while John required two canes to walk.

Theodore Dean lived with his wife and children in a house on Renie Road, but he frequently stopped in town to visit his parents. What he discovered on March 16, 1888 was nothing short of horrifying. For reasons that will never be fully known, John had bludgeoned his ailing wife with a hatchet and then committed suicide. To stay up to date on this story visit us at richlandsource.com

Next... The City of Mansfield has issued a mask mandate or proof of vaccination to enter the municipal building starting today. The mandate comes given the increase in COVID-19 cases and concerns from Mansfield Municipal Courts. Along with this announcement, Richland Public Health provided a COVID-19 update on Friday. Since the first case on March 19, 2020, Richland County has 11,298 confirmed positive cases.

There have been 747 hospitalizations so far, and right now there are 50 COVID positive patients hospitalized. There have also been 240 confirmed pandemic deaths. Richland County has not had this many active cases since early December of 2020.

Next, From Knox Pages… The Mount Vernon, Ohio Farmers Market is encouraging supporters to participate in America’s 13th annual Farmers Market Celebration, which runs through the 19th. Shoppers are encouraged to come to the market and visit markets.farmland.org, where they can endorse the market, putting it in the running for national recognition and cash prizes. As of Monday, September 6th the local market is in first place in Ohio and 35th in the Midwest.

American Farmland Trust has run the Celebration for 13 consecutive years, elevating the increasingly essential role farmers markets play in providing communities with access to fresh, locally grown food and connecting farmers directly with their customers.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Debra Lynn Eutsay of Mansfield.

Debby was born in 1958 in Pennsylvania. A devout Christian, Debby loved the Lord with all her heart and took great time to intensely study her Bible. She loved singing in the choir at church and worshipping. Debby was a beloved daughter, mother, sister, aunt, dear friend, and a second mother figure to many of her nieces and nephews. She loved her family and cherished the time she spent with them. Debby was very artistic and was very talented with crafts including ceramics, painting, and scrapbooking. She was always ready to attend any craft show. Debby enjoyed spending time in nature and many fond memories were made fishing with her husband. They enjoyed fishing at the Clearfork Reservoir and night fishing in Upper Sandusky. Debby was also an avid video gamer.

Deby is survived by her children, her siblings, her close friends, her nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, "Nate".

Make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mansfield City Council plans to vote Sept. 21 on dry dam engineering measure:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/mansfield-city-council-plans-to-vote-sept-21-on-dry-dam-engineering-measure/article_da4d47b8-1057-11ec-aef7-2754594cd7e5.html

One of Mansfield's jewels; the Carnegie Library:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/one-of-mansfield-s-jewels-the-carnegie-library/article_e9835a8a-1c98-11e8-8b50-572283d8af7d.html

Toledo Beer & Bacon Fest unites 20 Northwest Ohio craft breweries on Sept. 11:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/toledo-beer-bacon-fest-unites-20-northwest-ohio-craft-breweries-on-sept-11/article_fbcc5cd2-0ccc-11ec-bfa8-0f40522703b4.html

Ashland Council to discuss plans for new dog shelter Sept. 21:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/news/ashland-council-to-discuss-plans-for-new-dog-shelter-sept-21/article_dc69cf9a-1187-11ec-92b8-3b79468be16e.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 - One of the most controversial proposals in Mansfield City Council’s recent history nearly came to an early vote Tuesday evening. Mansfield City Council had its second reading of a measure that would authorize the city to fund work for a dry dam along the city’s north side.

The city would specifically fund the engineering and design work for the dry dam at a cost of about $1.5 million. As you may already know if you listened to Tuesday’s episode, or have been keeping up at richlandsource.com, there was an interesting conversation at the last meeting.

Some council members indicated they wanted to wait until next year to vote on the issue. Among them was 3rd Ward representative Jon Van Harlingen, who has consistently voiced concerns about the cost of the overall project.

But Van Harlingen changed his tune … slightly… on Tuesday evening after council member Jason Lawrence suggested moving for an immediate vote. In fact, the most outspoken critic of Mansfield’s dry dam proposal said he won’t stand in the way of a vote to move forward. But still, he doesn’t want to rush things.

Van Harlingen explained that this has been going on for over 100 years and no administration would ever tackle it because of the cost. But here we are today. We’ve got two weeks, we’re going to have a vote.

Known as the Touby Run Flood Mitigation Hazard Project, the dry dam would alleviate flooding issues in the north end of Mansfield.

Fourth Ward councilman Alomar Davenport reignited the conversation after Tuesday night’s second reading, saying he was “vehemently opposed” to pushing the vote into 2022. He argued that delaying the vote prevents the city’s administration from addressing a public need.

He said it’s their job to vote on it, and he’s tired of people asking him what we're doing with the dry dam and having absolutely no clue.

At-large councilman Phillip Scott reiterated his support for tabling the bill until after the city budget is passed next spring. He said though he’s not opposed to the dry dam - he’s concerned about the money being able to pay for it.

But at-large councilwoman Stephanie Zader disagreed, saying that waiting to develop plans for the project could mean losing out on potential funding opportunities.

Zader said they’ve talked this thing to death. It's time to take some action. She noted that there's infrastructure money being passed down from the federal government right now. And if things are delayed, that infrastructure money will go out to others.

Mayor Tim Theaker said the city has already missed out on such opportunities.

In his eyes, the only way that they can apply for this money is to be shovel ready. And to be shovel-ready, you have to do the engineering up front. Theaker said there was federal money that they could have applied for and they even had the support of legislators in Washington - had they been ready.

Having the design work done would provide a plan, along with the opportunity to apply for federal funding for the project. It wouldn’t actually obligate the city to build the dam -- that would require an additional vote from council.

Davenport summed this up nicely saying that they’re not voting for the $15 million project. They’re voting on the $1.5 million to get the design done.

Fifth Ward councilman Jason Lawrence agreed. So he moved to put the motion on the floor for a final vote, but pulled it after Davenport and Zader expressed hesitance.

They wanted a full reading first. Davenport said he hoped and expected a vote on the matter on September 21st after three readings.

Next, some local history… Did you know that Mansfield’s Carnegie Library was built in 1908 for a cost of fifty thousand dollars?

When Mansfield was awarded a Carnegie grant for a new library building, the commission was given to local architect Vernon Redding. Mansfielders were proud of his creation. Built in the Classical Revival style, the library has corinthian columns, a broad stairway, an exterior made of white vitrified brick and white enamel terra cotta, and a roof made of red tile.

You can see pictures of how the Carnegie Library looked back when it opened at richlandsource.com

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight a few upcoming events...

If you’re up for a bit of a trek, the 2021 Toledo Beer & Bacon Fest is all local again this year celebrating locally made craft beer from more than 20 Northwest Ohio breweries — including many newer breweries like Buffalo Rock, 60cc and HEAVY Beer — and pairing it with great Hungarian-inspired bacon dishes.

Hosted by The Hungarian Club of Toledo and the Glass City Mashers, the event will be from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11 at The Hungarian Club of Toledo in the historic Birmingham Neighborhood of East Toledo. Check out the link in the description for tickets:

This Saturday, put on your athletic gear because there are two worthwhile causes to support. At 9am, the Mansfield United Lions Club is hosting a Diabetes awareness 5k and 1 mile walk at Malabar Intermediate School. And the Northwest Ohio Chapter of Walk to End Alzheimer's will raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's research and care and support in our area. The walk starts at 10am and leaves from the OSU at Mansfield Science Building.

Next, From Ashland Source… 

The Ashland City council is thinking about rezoning a slice of land to accommodate the construction of a new dog shelter... and potentially a grooming salon and veterinary clinic. 

The effort to build a new shelter has been going on for years.

But it recently got a boost when a group of fellow dog lovers donated $600,000 to the county commissioners to cover some of the construction costs... which have been estimated to be up to $1 million for a new facility. 

If all goes to plan, construction on the shelter could wrap by spring 2022. 

The city council will vote on the property's rezoning during its next scheduled meeting on September 21st.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember So many. Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Together, they were the deadliest terrorist attack in human history... 2,977 were killed, more than 25,000 were physically injured, and long-term health consequences followed for so many first-responders who dug through the rubble looking for survivors.

As we remember the horror of that day, we must also remember the horror of what followed. Invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, thousands of American soldiers killed and wounded, and families who can never be made whole again.

We will be thinking of those who have lost and sacrificed so much this weekend. We hope you do the same. Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. 

Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

 

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mansfield City Council approves new contract with AFSCME union:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/mansfield-city-council-approves-new-contract-with-afscme-union/article_a41c2048-10c9-11ec-82e0-2f19cfc93b3c.html

OSU Mansfield announces shows for in-person 2021-2022 season:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/osu-mansfield-announces-shows-for-in-person-2021-2022-season/article_05a3e84e-0b4f-11ec-b051-df47d18dcfaa.html

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

Peggy Ann Stewart:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/peggy-ann-stewart/article_914f30de-10cb-11ec-af57-673e94cd0b4e.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 - Ron Wise has worked for the city for 23 years. But he's never seen a better union contract than the one approved by Mansfield City Council this week.

Wise is the president of the AFSCME Local #3088. He said he’s very proud of this contract, and being a part of the team. In fact, it's one of the best contracts they’ve ever had. 

After months of negotiations, the city council voted in favor of the union-approved agreement. The three-year pact begins with a retroactive start date of May 1, 2021.

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local #3088 include many of the “general laborers” that keep the city running behind the scenes.

They include motor equipment operators at the water and wastewater treatment plants, community development workers, snow plow operators, utility collectors, police records clerks, court clerks, water meter installers, Mansfield Lahm airport employees, maintenance workers, Clear Fork reservoir workers and employees at the parks department -- just to name a few.

Mayor Tim Theaker said he was also happy with the deal. In his eyes it’s mutually beneficial to the city, administration and the union.

Wise estimated union membership is between 140 and 145 people, noting there are currently a few jobs posted. Membership dropped from about 230 people after the citywide layoffs in 2009.

The city employs approximately 461 full-time and part-time workers. Police officers and firefighters each have their own union; management employees are non-union.

The agreement includes a pay increase of 3 percent for AFSCME workers this year, followed by a 2.75 percent raise in the second and third year of the contract.

Council also voted to adopt personnel positions, pay grades and salaries for certain city employees, many of whom Wise says have not seen a pay grade increase in years.

Wise also said the city has seen a lot of employee turnover because of low wages.

He said wages "across the board" are below average for cities with the same size and economic situation as Mansfield.

Wise said Mansfield has also begun requiring more licenses and certifications, but wasn’t offering extra compensation to employees with those qualifications under the old bargaining agreement.

Under the new agreement, employees will qualify for higher pay after receiving certain trainings and certifications.

Wise said it was rewarding to see the contract come to fruition. He hopes it will boost the morale of the city's workforce.

Check out our full story at richlandsource.com, or use the link in our show notes. 

Before we continue… I’d like to take a moment to highlight The Source Member Program. Memberships support daily reporting and research-driven solutions stories. Real world impact happens regularly in the form of community discussions and events. 

We believe you deserve to be confident in your community’s news. So Visit SourceMembers.com to join.

Now, some local history… September 10th marks the 208th anniversary of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s victory over the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. Before this great triumph, the Americans had been on the defensive in the Ohio region during the War of 1812.

After the battle, American control of Lake Erie meant they could use the waterway to supply American forces with food and supplies and deny the British any hope of resupply or reinforcement. Although the War of 1812 ended up as a draw, victories like the Battle of Lake Erie were a source of national pride and identity. Citizens found inspiration in the courage and determination of military victors like Perry and created monuments and commemorative objects to keep their exploits fresh in popular memory.

The collections of the Ohio History Connection contain many of these commemorative objects and images.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight an upcoming event that you should know about...

Live theatre is returning to the Ohio State University’s Mansfield campus for the first time since the shutdowns of March 2020. The campus recently announced its 2021-2022 lineup, which includes three ticketed shows and two free performances.

This month they’ll be showing “The Guys” by Anne Nelson. The theatre will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks with this season opener.

“The Guys” tells the story of Joan, an editor, and Nick, a fire captain who lost most of his men in the attack. Less than two weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks, Joan receives an unexpected call from Nick, who is looking for a writer to help him with the eulogies for his men. The play is based on a true story. Weather permitting, the performance will be held outside so actors and audience members can go mask-free.

Head over to richlandsource.com to read more about these events and discover more fun things to do.

Next, From Knox Pages… Just one school building — Danville Middle/High School — out of all buildings in Knox County's six school districts has stuck with the mask-optional policy.

All of the county's districts began the school year approximately a month ago with mask-optional policies. Now, four school districts require face masks indoors: Centerburg, East Knox, Mount Vernon and Fredericktown.

But not everyone agrees. In fact several Fredericktown students walked out of school Wednesday morning in protest of the district-wide indoor mask mandate.

Fredericktown schools began mandating masks indoors for both students and staff the last few days of August but announced Tuesday it would be creating a “District Mask Committee,” which will be made up of parents and school staff. It’ll be tasked with thinking of ways to create options for students to learn without wearing masks at certain times of the day. 

Parents and staff who are interested in being on the committee should get in touch with Fredericktown superintendent Susan Hayward.

The mask mandates in Knox County districts have come after rises in COVID-19 cases and people having to be quarantined after being identified as close contacts. More than 200 people were quarantined in Knox County schools within the first two weeks of the school year.

And this week, Knox County recorded the highest number of active COVID-19 cases it has had throughout the pandemic. 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of… 

Peggy Ann Stewart of Mansfield. Peggy was born in California on May 16, 1948.

Peggy was a bookkeeper at Coldwell Banker and worked as an operator for Sprint. She also previously worked for the Census Bureau. Peggy liked crocheting, knitting and gardening, especially her roses. She loved to cook and her favorite drink was Pepsi. She enjoyed shopping and watching the QVC channel.

Peggy is survived by her husband of over 20 years, Charles, her children, her 11 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren; brother, sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She’ll be greatly missed. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Peggy’s life.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. 

Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OhioHealth Mansfield nurse shares her experience receiving the third dose of Moderna vaccine:

https://www.richlandsource.com/thrive/ohiohealth-mansfield-nurse-shares-her-experience-receiving-the-third-dose-of-moderna-vaccine/article_cd6ec570-0fdb-11ec-bf71-53bb960bf1ab.html?block_id=1098581

Fourth and Diamond c 1934:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/fourth-and-diamond-c-1934/article_cac20504-84cb-11e5-a721-733359b704e8.html

Richland Source 'Talk the Vote' listening tour begins Sept. 13:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/elections/richland-source-talk-the-vote-listening-tour-begins-sept-13/article_b41df8c6-0cba-11ec-9a68-bff205b62a31.html

OhioMeansJobs Knox County to contract an employment assessment:

https://www.knoxpages.com/business/ohiomeansjobs-knox-county-to-contract-an-employment-assessment/article_a1bb5402-1008-11ec-a999-27e4d34919dc.html

Michelle Rene Navratil Anderson:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/michelle-rene-navratil-anderson/article_c1cf08ca-0fdf-11ec-8410-33c55d10191e.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 - Melody Parton, a nurse at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, shares her experience receiving the third shot of the Moderna vaccine. Parton, who has an autoimmune disease, is one of the first people eligible to get this so-called booster shot. Since the beginning of the pandemic, new information continues to roll out each week about COVID, its variants and the vaccines to help defend against it. But sometimes, the sharing of misinformation can spread faster than the truth.

And Melody Parton has certainly been disheartened seeing the copious amount of misinformation spreading across her Facebook timeline. At times, it seemed like the misinformation could be seen by more people than the information provided by healthcare professionals. That’s why when Parton became eligible to receive the third dose of the Moderna vaccine, she decided to document her experience. Parton, who has Lupus, is one of the first people able to receive the third dose. 

Joseph Gastaldo, the medical director of infectious diseases at OhioHealth, encourages anyone who has a weakened immune system like her to get the third dose. Gastaldo explained that some people with autoimmune diseases are on medication that weakens the immune system - and that puts them at more risk for more infection and having bad outcomes. Parton has now received three shots of the Moderna vaccine. Gastaldo says this third dose will help her defend against both the original virus and the new delta variant. It essentially tops off antibody levels. He says that when you get vaccinated, two parts of your immune system are stimulated. The first part is your antibody levels. After you get vaccinated, your antibody levels go very, very high. Naturally, over time, those antibody levels come down lower. But having higher antibody levels protects you from getting an infection.

Parton went into getting her third dose already expecting to feel some after-effects. A day later, she said she experienced a sore arm and low-grade fever, but it went away 24 hours after it began. And now, Parton wants to continue to help educate others and steer them toward the right information rather than falsely reported information on social media. 

Before we continue, we’d like to thank our sponsors at Richland Public Health… When we stopped wearing masks to prevent covid 19… that was a big change. What hasn’t changed is that the virus is still with us and coronavirus variants are easily spread among unvaccinated people. Richland Public Health urges you to find a no cost local covid 19 vaccination provider at richland health dot org. 

Do your part so we can all enjoy Richland County TOGETHER.

Now, some local history… Did you know that 4th and Diamond used to be home to a treasure trove of a store called Zitzer’s? At first, they were a music store that sold player pianos, phonographs, and piano rolls (so the player pianos had music to play)... they even had the very first Victrola in Mansfield. Though few people could afford to buy one themselves, listeners and customers would stop into the store to listen.

Mister Zitzer was quoted in 1925 saying the radio would never catch on and player pianos were here to stay. Then, as radio began to take over and the country slid into a depression, Zitzer’s expanded into all kinds of appliances, lighting fixtures… and yes, radios too.

Next - The next Mansfield City Council will face a lot of important decisions. Races for four of those council seats, roughly half the legislative body, will be decided in November. Voters in wards 1, 3 and 5 will pick a council member. And citywide, an at-large member will also be elected. That's why it's crucial residents educate themselves about the issues, learn about the candidates -- and share their views with those who seek to represent them.

So we’re launching our "Talk The Vote" election listening tour, visiting all six wards in the city over the next several weeks. After all, elections should always be about voters, not candidates. It's crucial that your voice be heard during the campaign -- and again at the ballot box. The effort this year is being funded through a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network. Over the next five Mondays, from 6 to 7 p.m., you’re invited to join us and share your questions and concerns about the future of the city. Use the link in our show notes to learn more.

Next, From Knox Pages… OhioMeansJobs Knox County is in the process of entering a contract to conduct a community employment needs assessment which is slated to be completed by March 2022. Employers in Knox County, and areas across the country, have had difficulty finding workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 

As previously reported by Knox Pages, the workforce has reassessed work. People have voluntarily quit their jobs, and not all people who lost jobs are seeking new ones — or they are seeking jobs in different fields with better pay and benefits. There have also been recent spikes in retirements and increased turnover. There is no clear single explanation for the difficulty that some employers are having in hiring.

OhioMeans Jobs Knox County is hoping to learn more and address the gaps in local and seasonal data missing from regional assessments and unemployment information sources. Read more about the assessment by heading over to knoxpages.com

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Michelle Rene Navratil Anderson of Mansfield. Michelle was born in Mansfield and graduated from Ohio State in 1978 with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and she practiced pharmacy for 42 years in Ohio and Texas. She was a brave, determined woman and the devoted mother of two sons. For them, she was a Den Mother and Scout leader, a constant presence at youth sports and band performances, and even a partner in deep sea diving. She was a mother to the friends of both her sons; her home was the hangout spot before and after events and on nearly all nights and weekends. Michelle enjoyed baking, crafting, and quilting, talents she shared lovingly with her six grandchildren. Her chocolate chip cookies are the stuff of family legend.

Michelle leaves behind her sons, her grandchildren, her brother, her sister, her nephews and nieces. She will be deeply missed. Thank you for taking a moment to remember and celebrate the life of Michelle.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow! Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dry dam engineering proposal set for more Mansfield City Council discussion:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/dry-dam-engineering-proposal-set-for-more-mansfield-city-council-discussion/article_904fe564-0cdb-11ec-8c51-cf09319d2b4b.html

Ashland City Schools parent circulates petition urging district to require mask wearing:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/education/ashland-city-schools-parent-circulates-petition-urging-district-to-require-mask-wearing/article_8b402498-0ce1-11ec-b37c-6bc6f25fc782.html

Dr. JH Craig Home 1890:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/dr-jh-craig-home-1890/article_8710c684-6dfa-11e5-b2ee-e73f8f865d3d.html

Obituary of Deb Keener:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/deb-keener/article_957100b0-0cda-11ec-b594-4fb2daf029fd.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 - The Mansfield City Council will have a second reading tonight on legislation that would fund engineering and design work on a dry dam along the city's north side.

As of now, the immediate future remains as murky as the water it would prevent from flowing into more than 100 acres of the city's flood plain. On August 17th, the council gave a first reading on the $1.5 million design work for the Touby's Run Flood Mitigation project. And the proposal is scheduled for a final vote later this month on the 21st. But council members have made it clear that the funding decision could be punted into early 2022 for the dam in North Lake Park. Some council members, especially 3rd Ward representative Jon Van Harlingen, even favor a delay until after the first of the year.

Why? Well, that's when overall city finances will be clearer. We may also know more about the rules around the American Rescue Plan funds by then -- specifically the availability of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill currently being debated in Congress.

So if that's the case, with four council seats up for election in November, it's possible that new local lawmakers will join the debate on a project that was first brought to the table 6 years ago.

The delay was actually originally proposed in August by city engineer Bob Bianchi, who likely feared the possibility council may reject the design effort, putting the project on the shelf for an undetermined period of time. Bianchi asked the City Council - if it does fail, obviously we wouldn't be bringing it back for who knows when, right? In his mind it may be safer to push the decision. And as I mentioned, Van Harlingen, the council finance committee chair who has expressed the most concerns about the city's water and sewer funds, was quick to support a possible delay.

He explained that the concerns and comments about the finances and the water and sewer funds are real and postponing until after the first of the year would be smart. The dry dam is just one of almost 30 pieces of legislation the council will tackle tonight. In fact there are five committee meetings. Also on the schedule is a public hearing at 6:45 p.m.

Make sure to check in with us for updates at richlandsource.com

Before we continue, a quick message from our sponsors at Black Belt Pro Fitness...

It’s back to school season! Did you know that regular practice in the martial arts has been shown to improve focus, goal-setting and academic performance? 

The team at Black Belt Pro Fitness, Mansfield’s premier martial arts studio, is all about helping kids and teens become healthier and more confident in all areas of life. They teach self-control and self-respect above any physical technique... and of course, they make it fun too! Right now they have classes for kids ages 4 and up. They also have membership options for the whole family. Visit them blackbeltprofitness.com to learn more.

Now, some local history… Did you know that the home of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce was once the family property of one Dr. Craig? The building, at the corner of Third and Mulberry, was built in 1890 with handmade bricks in a style that combined qualities from both Victorian and Queen Anne architecture.

When Dr. Craig passed away in 1918, his house remained with a single family until the 1940s when it began a professional career accommodating a number of businesses, including a prominent insurance agency. Finally, in 1978, the chamber of commerce took up residence in the stately landmark which is as we know it today.

Next, From Ashland Source… A parent whose children attend Ashland City Schools launched an online petition earlier this week that urges the school district to “require universal indoor masking for students” and other measures to fight the spread of COVID-19 in schools. 

Ashland City Schools had decided back in August that it would not require students and staff to wear masks in school buildings or buses. Instead, the practice of wearing a facial covering is simply “highly recommended.”

But Ashland City Schools isn't alone. No school districts in Ashland County have required the wearing of masks, with the exception of Crestview and Mapleton — which require mask wearing on school transportation.

The Change.org petition had garnered 14 signatures as of Friday. The goal was set at 100. Tiffany DeFrancisco, the petition’s creator, said the school district should also require the wearing of facial coverings outside and offer students the option of remote learning.

Her daughter, who wears a mask to school, says that she and others who choose to wear a mask get picked on. Students at Ashland City Schools returned to class Aug. 31. Since then, there have been four cases recorded among students and no cases among staff.  Meanwhile, other schools in our area are beginning to react to a surge in COVID-19 cases. 

Several in Richland County have either reinstated a mask mandate, closed schools or canceled extracurricular activities in response to the rash of cases. DeFrancisco said she will continue to advocate for mask wearing through the circulation of the petition. She hopes to present the petition to Ashland City Schools officials at an upcoming board meeting. Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Deb Keener of Mansfield.

Deb was born in 1962 in Trumbull County. She grew up in West Virginia before moving back to Ohio. Deb married the love of her life, Daniel and the two shared a blessed thirty four years of marriage together. She was a proud grandmother who loved and adored her precious grandchildren. They were the apple of her eye and brought her much joy. Deb also enjoyed spending time outdoors, walking in the woods and camping. She loved vacationing, shopping and playing her guitar. A social lady, Deb loved the company of others and enjoyed working with the public.

Deb is survived by her husband, her daughters, her grandchildren, and her beloved dog, Zeus. She was preceded in death by her parents. Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate her life.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1486th Transportation Co. activated in Mansfield to assist Louisiana with hurricane relief:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/1486th-transportation-co-activated-in-mansfield-to-assist-louisiana-with-hurricane-relief/article_bf1dc7ea-0ccb-11ec-8357-afcd5e04a24c.html

Labor Day Parade returns to Mansfield on Monday, Sept. 6:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/labor-day-parade-returns-to-mansfield-on-monday-sept-6/article_2d655e4e-0b3b-11ec-8093-2fbe32995945.html

'The first domino has fallen': Local leaders react as Cooper Progress Park lands first tenant:

https://www.knoxpages.com/business/the-first-domino-has-fallen-local-leaders-react-as-cooper-progress-park-lands-first-tenant/video_2bfccef8-0c34-11ec-9f86-f3a4ea1ac7cf.html

Harry Franklin Andrews:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/in_memoriam/harry-franklin-andrews/article_161dc5e0-0ce5-11ec-b51b-9366120c7080.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 - About 100 members of the Ohio Army National Guard's 1486th Transportation Co. from Mansfield are being activated to assist with Hurricane Ida relief efforts in Louisiana. 

Before we begin, we’d like to take a moment to thank our Sponsors at First Federal Community Bank. Today, First Federal Community Bank wants you to meet Travis Smith, Assistant Vice President in Commercial Banking, as he continues to help Mansfield area business owners and investors expand their business or start a new one.  

Travis thrives on being a resource for the community to explore all of their business banking needs through a collaborative approach. Together you’ll talk about the resources available to meet your goals. First Federal Community Bank looks forward to collaborating with more local business, owners and investors soon. Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC.

About 100 members of the Ohio Army National Guard's 1486th Transportation Co. from Mansfield have been activated to assist with Hurricane Ida relief efforts in Louisiana. 

On Friday, Governor Mike DeWine announced that 250 total soldiers with the 1486th, the 112th Transportation Battalion from North Canton and the 1485th Transportation Co. from Coshocton will be ordered into state active duty on Wednesday.

DeWine's decision came after a request for assistance from Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana National Guard. 

Stephanie Beougher, public information officer with the Ohio Adjutant General, said that the Ohio units will head down to Louisiana with several dozen tractor-trailer rigs.

Beougher explained that mission-wise, they won't know exactly what they will be doing until they actually arrive in Louisiana and are tasked. Soldiers will report to duty stations on Wednesday and will spend a few days there before leaving for Louisiana. They’ll be there for about three weeks, and the soldiers will provide general-purpose support during the relief mission. 

To stay up to date on this story and learn more about ways Ohioans are helping with the relief efforts visit us at richlandsource.com

Now, some local history… The Labor Day Parade, an annual tradition for many years in Mansfield, returns today! The parade saluting American working men and women steps off at 10 a.m. - so hopefully you haven’t missed it.

The first Labor Day Parade was in New York City. And in 1887, Oregon was the first state to make it an official public holiday. By the time it became an official federal holiday in 1894, 30 states already celebrated it, including Ohio in 1890.

Our parade was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns and even for this year the recent surge in cases is on top of mind for organizers.

This year there were 25 groups registered to participate, which is down a little from previous years. The parade will go east on Park Avenue and then turn north on Main Street. It’ll end at Richland Carrousel Park. But the fun doesn't end there. Free hot dogs, drinks and sno-cones will be offered at the carousel, as well as free rides on the merry-go-round. As you may already know the carousel is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Next, we’d like to take a moment to highlight Friday’s beautiful ceremony to honor 2021 Lexington High School graduate Payton Jones. Jones, an 18-year-old, passed away on August 28th in a car accident in Morrow County. Jones recently began her freshman year at Southeastern University's Ohio Regional Campus in Columbus, a Christian college. She was active at Lexington High School, including as a cheerleader, athlete and photographer. Students and football players from Lexington and Clear Fork participated in a pre-game event, which included a moment of silence in Jones' memory. Students wore yellow in honor of her favorite flower -- the sunflower. We have a gallery of photos from the ceremony on our website. Just use the link in our show notes.

Next, From Knox Pages… We spoke to a handful of local leaders to get their reactions as Cooper Progress Park lands its first tenant. First, we hear from Jeff Gottke, the president of the Knox County Land Bank and Area Development Foundation. We also spoke with Matt Starr, the Mayor of Mount Vernon to get his take on the recent development. You can learn more about this story at knoxpages.com

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Harry Franklin Andrews of Waverly. Harry was born in 1932, in Belleville. He was united in marriage to Saundra Andrews, who survives him. Also surviving are a daughter, two sons, four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and a sister.

Harry was a member of the Grace United Methodist Church, DIVCO Club of America, and the RSVP in Richland County. He worked as a milkman for 44 years and was a church youth group leader. He enjoyed traveling, including visiting all 50 states and internationally.

Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Harry’s life.

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richland County maintenance, EMA directors retiring at the end of 2021:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/richland-county-maintenance-ema-directors-retiring-at-the-end-of-2021/article_67894fc0-0bf1-11ec-b7a9-6be4d80f5d4d.html

Mansfield Municipal Building courtroom mural 1948:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/mansfield-municipal-building-courtroom-mural-1948/article_1ad61932-6090-11e5-8714-e732909f2f35.html

Commissioner urges Ashland County residents to 'stay diligent' in fighting COVID-19:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/news/commissioner-urges-ashland-county-residents-to-stay-diligent-in-fighting-covid-19/article_b072382c-0c06-11ec-846f-1f593cb42cda.html

LaFern Ethel Fisher:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/lafern-ethel-fisher/article_a53b9832-0c28-11ec-bb61-1fdcebdf8d3e.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 - Two familiar faces will retire from Richland County government at the end of 2021.

Maintenance Superintendent Chuck Minnich and Emergency Management Agency Director Rick Evans have both informed county commissioners of their retirement plans. Commissioners accepted the retirements during a meeting on Thursday morning.

Minnich has worked in the maintenance department for 37 years, the last 18 as the superintendent. And Evans has worked in the EMA office since 2014. Minnich said he is thankful to current and past commissioners for their leadership and for giving him the opportunity to grow as a professional. He’s enjoyed working for Richland County and has had great satisfaction in the challenges. Minnich’s retirement takes effect on December 22nd. He said he especially enjoyed working on specialty projects, like building the new jail, building automation systems and the recent 9-1-1 project. But now, after 37 years working for Richland County, he’s looking forward to traveling with his wife and enjoying being a new grandpa. And Evans, whose last day will also be in December, told commissioners he had mixed feelings about the decision.

He explained that while he looks forward to enjoying his retirement, he’ll miss being in partnerships with the many county and state partners. Evans also said he was grateful to the county commissioners, past and present.

He continued to say that he’s learned a great deal and believes his skills grew considerably during his time as deputy director and then director of the agency. For him, it’s been an honor to be a part of Richland County government and working alongside so many talented people.

Also on Thursday, commissioners and department heads heard a presentation from Matt Hill in the county auditor's IT department on the new countywide alert messaging system, scheduled to launch the week of Sept. 13. And several other area counties use the system, including Ashland, Crawford and Knox.

Hill has said the outbound messaging system could be used for any number of messages, including snow and weather advisories, as well as alerts on missing persons and "most wanted" individuals.

Before we continue… Do you know about our Newsroom After Hours shows? The next one will take place on Sept 17, it’s heavy metal night! Following that on October 15th - we’ll host Hip Hop Halloween. Both shows will take place in Idea Works at 40 West 4th St in Mansfield. All are welcome - and the show is free! Join us to enjoy free food, courtesy of Doc's Deli, free beer, courtesy of Phoenix Brewing Company, and of course, great music. This 2021 season is powered by Mechanics Bank.

And for those of you who missed our Newsroom After Hours show on the 20th, here’s a peak…That was Winter by Mr Matthew... stay tuned for the rest of the song - we’ll play it at the end of the episode.

Now, some local history. The former Mansfield Municipal Building, located at the corner of Second & Walnut Streets, was about twenty years old when the upper floor was remodeled to accommodate larger courtrooms. At that time, the city commissioned local artist HR McBride to paint a mural over the bench in Judge Lutz’s courtroom.

McBride wisely chose to paint his historic scene on canvas, rather than directly on the wall, in case the plastered surface should ever be remodeled again or damaged in some way. He was worried about water leaks and probably didn’t envision that just 27 years later the building would be torn down.

Fortunately for us, McBride’s foresight made it possible for the mural to be relocated in 1975 where it presently ennobles the hallway outside of courtrooms today. Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight a few upcoming events...

Today at 7pm head over to the Kingwood Center Gardens for Mozart at Kingwood. Bring a chair and blanket, relax, and enjoy orchestra, community chorus, and professional soloists on the mansion’s south lawn! 

And tomorrow, head to Pleasant Hill Lake Park for the Summer Concerts Series. Tomorrow’s they’ll be featuring the Gypsy Stew Band. The concert series ends in October, so make sure to check it out while you still can!

Next, From Ashland Source… An Ashland County commissioner took time to remind residents to stay "diligent" in the fight against COVID-19. 

Earlier this week Commissioner Denny Bittle explained that the delta variant is getting a little more difficult to deal with in our county.

His reminder came while his colleague, Commissioner Jim Justice, took time off after being exposed to COVID-19.

Bittle's reminder also comes amidst rising cases around the nation, state and county. In Ashland, there were 54 hospitalizations and six deaths reported in the month of August -- following 17 hospitalizations and one death in July. 

That puts Ashland County in the high COVID-19 transmission category. 

But despite the recommendation, most people in Ashland County appear to not be wearing masks.

Vickie Taylor, the Ashland County Health Department commissioner, said that although masks are highly suggested, there is no 'requirement' or order mandating masks. And she doesn’t not think most people are wearing masks if the location does not require it. 

One group that is masking - employees at the health department.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember LaFern Ethel Fisher of Ontario. LaFern was born in 1934 in Ashland.

She was a graduate of Ashland High School. Later, LaFern worked many office jobs and retired from the Bellaire, Ohio School System following 30 years of service.

She is survived by her sister, her brother, and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, two daughters, and a brother.

Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate LaFern’s life. Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. 

Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

And as promised, more of Winter by Mr Matthew

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richland County coalition shares facts on youth alcohol use:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/richland-county-coalition-shares-facts-on-youth-alcohol-use/article_33ceae4e-0b2b-11ec-8ee7-4b16a64764e2.html

Native Son: Nabisco crackers made in Mansfield

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/native-son-nabisco-crackers-made-in-mansfield/article_4386e0d6-b6c3-11e4-875c-87d069902490.html

Mount Vernon City Schools mandates masks for students starting Sept. 2

https://www.knoxpages.com/education/mount-vernon-city-schools-mandates-masks-for-students-starting-sept-2/article_bff0c79a-0b62-11ec-b3fe-eb6429ff1e53.html

Andra Joy Webb

https://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/obituaries/mnj220552

 

 

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 - The Richland County Youth Substance Use Coalition has three different committees working together to reduce youth substance use in Mansfield. 

One of the committees that ‘s involved is the Alcohol Misuse Prevention Committee.

This committee educates on the risks of underage alcohol use and reduces misperceptions around it. They want to let people know that not everyone drinks alcohol and this is especially true for youth.

Recently, the committee has collaborated with local businesses and organizations to hang up educational posters. The posters say “Parents Who Host Lose The Most”.

Why? The posters stress that underage drinking is harmful to a developing brain and increases the chance of becoming addicted to alcohol. And parents should be aware of the risks of underage drinking from both a health standpoint and a legal standpoint. Underage drinking is harmful not only to youth but to the community as well.

We spoke with Joseph Snyder, Assistant Richland County Prosecutor. Snyder explained that for adults to allow underage drinking - it’s sending the wrong message to those who are underage. It’s also lacking the good judgment of a more experienced adult. 

Snyder also said that the risk associated with underage drinking extends not just to the harm caused on an underage person’s own mental and physical health, but that of others who may be harmed as a result of the alcohol consumption.

And on top of that, an adult who provides alcohol to anyone underage is risking jail time and monetary fines... even on a first offense.

Check out our full story at richlandsource.com, or use the link in our show notes. There, we have a list of businesses and organizations that participated in hanging up educational posters.

Before we continue… I’d like to take a moment to highlight The Source Member Program. Memberships support daily reporting and research-driven solutions stories. Real world impact happens regularly in the form of community discussions and events. 

We believe you deserve to be confident in your community’s news. So Visit SourceMembers.com to join.

Now, some local history… 

It has long been a rumor of local lore, echoing out of the dim past, that the Nabisco Company started in Mansfield. This is sort of true.

It can also be said that Nabisco started in dozens of other cities as well because the National Biscuit Company was born as an amalgamation of 114 independent bakers all over the country.

Our city has a special claim, however, because the first president of the company was the baker from Mansfield. So in its newborn months and inaugural year the main office of the company was headquartered here.

There is no longer a big Nabisco presence in Mansfield, but it is still here, there and everywhere on the shelves of stores in town and around the world.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight a few upcoming events...

Next week The Mansfield Youth Theatre will present Disney’s The Little Mermaid on the stage of the Renaissance Theatre. Shows are on September 10, 11, and 12 as a part of the Mechanics Bank Education Series. Tickets are $15, general admission, and on sale now at the Renaissance Box Office, via phone, and online.

Also, North End Community Improvement Collab is hosting a free class on buying a home. If you’re thinking about buying a home and don't know where to start financially - this is the event for you. It’s available for in-person and online

Head over to richlandsource.com to read more about these events and discover more fun things to do.

Next, From Knox Pages… 

Starting today Mount Vernon City Schools will require all students and staff to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Mount Vernon is the third district in Knox County to reverse its initial mask-optional policy since the school year began. 

The district currently has 37 active student cases and four active staff cases.

The district plans to monitor COVID-19 cases and quarantines during September and adjust policies accordingly based on the number of cases within the student body and local community.

But for now it’s masks indoors for everyone. The district will encourage frequent mask breaks and the use of outdoor learning spaces.

Two other districts in Knox County also implemented indoor mask mandates this week.

Fredericktown began mandating masks for students Wednesday, and began mandating masks for staff earlier on Monday. East Knox began mandating masks on the fourth day of the school year following positive cases. And finally, Danville Elementary implemented a mask mandate Monday, but masks remain optional in their other building. 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of… Andra Joy Webb who passed away following a battle with Covid-19.

Andra was born in Mansfield in 1959. She was a graduate of Mansfield Senior High where she played trumpet. Andra worked for Ideal Electric as an overhead crane operator and later worked as a semi-truck driver travelling all over the country. She enjoyed a close relationship with her parents and moved in to help take care of them until her mother’s passing in 2015 and her father’s passing earlier this year.

Andra’s top three passions were her love for the Lord, art, and music. She regularly attended Honey Creek Baptist Church in Bellville where she sang and played guitar & keyboard. She was also a songwriter and recorded 6 albums. Andra was a lover of nature and especially enjoyed being in the woods and collecting objects for her art projects. She was a gifted painter and wood sculpturist. Her family and friends will cherish her songs and works of art and will miss her dearly. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Andra’s life.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. 

Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Local ODOT spokesperson has personal interest in work-zone safety:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/move-over-local-odot-spokesperson-has-personal-interest-in-work-zone-safety/article_75cc2bc2-0a73-11ec-ac24-b77017551ea1.html

These Ohio women dominated pro football:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/these-ohio-women-dominated-pro-football/article_7eeb456a-2376-11eb-b211-e330a298bbb9.html

Mansfield Music Fest sees 12 bands take the stage in closing show:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/mansfield-music-fest-sees-12-bands-take-the-stage-in-closing-show/article_5398deec-086b-11ec-9fd4-1fe34c11711e.html

DeWine calls for Ohio Dept. of Education to investigate Bishop Sycamore:

https://www.richlandsource.com/sports/football/dewine-calls-for-ohio-dept-of-education-to-investigate-bishop-sycamore/article_5ba35502-93d2-5301-a8e7-d4076420b11d.html

Richard R. “Dick” Cleckner:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/richard-r-dick-cleckner/article_b14bda02-0a7e-11ec-9e07-d7af9d836dac.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 - The Ohio Department of Transportation's spokesperson has a personal interest in work-zone safety. Local Crystal Neelon has a family investment in work zone safety. Her husband, and the father of her children works for ODOT every single day. 

On Tuesday morning Neelon spoke during a pre-Labor Day holiday weekend event. The event was aimed at raising public awareness of work zone safety. She was just one of several speakers at the event, which was hosted by ODOT and the Ohio Laborers Union at the United Steelworkers Local 169 Union Hall.

Neelon explained that with work zone crashes so high, she worries about her husband’s safety. She doesn't ever want to tell her children that their dad didn't come home from his day at work. Neelon, whose district includes Ashland, Crawford, Erie, Huron, Lorain, Medina, Richland and Wayne counties, said Ohio had more than 4,500 work zone crashes in 2020. She also said we’ve had more than 2,500 as of last month in 2021 alone.

And five workers were killed in work zone crashes last year. Neelon noted that these numbers mean 100 times this year crews had to call home or go home and tell their families that they had been involved in a work zone crash.

And the approaching holiday weekend means more drivers on the roads, posing greater dangers to the men and women working to improve them.

Sgt. Ray Santiago also spoke during the event. He’s the Ohio State Highway Patrol's public information officer for northeast Ohio. Santiago called work-zone safety a serious issue.

He explained that it's something we need to address and keep at the forefront, especially coming into a holiday weekend. He says work-zone safety is something that the patrol and troopers aggressively enforce throughout the state to protect those that are working on our roadways and truly are keeping Ohio moving.

The sergeant said there have been 29,507 work-zone crashes in Ohio since 2016, resulting in 116 deaths. It's a lot of folks and those are a lot of families that will never be the same because of it.

Eric Finger, the ODOT District 3 project engineer, also spoke during the event. He said he’s worked on I-71 projects before and it’s terrifying to have traffic whizzing by you at 65-plus miles per hour and you have nowhere else to go.

He said it's especially scary when you have vehicles not paying attention. Mostly, he sees people on their phones. He’s even seen people trying to read books and drive, or eat and drive. It’s all an unnecessary distraction. 

Finally, Tim Farley, ODOT District 3 highway management administrator, said safety is the agency's overriding goal. They want zero accidents, zero near misses, zero injuries and zero fatalities. 

Before we continue, we’d like to thank our sponsors at Richland Public Health… When we stopped wearing masks to prevent covid 19… that was a big change. What hasn’t changed is that the virus is still with us and coronavirus variants are easily spread among unvaccinated people. Richland Public Health urges you to find a no cost local covid 19 vaccination provider at richland health dot org. 

Do your part so we can all enjoy Richland County TOGETHER.

Now, some local history… In 1971 a group of women known as the Toledo Troopers began playing in the Women’s Professional Football League. And before the end of the decade, the Troopers amassed seven consecutive perfect seasons. They became what many consider the winningest team in professional football history.

In total, 82 women played for the Toledo Troopers from 1971 to 1979 under their coach, Bill Stout. They practiced five days a week for five months out of the year, but they were only paid $25 a week. Off the field, they were businesswomen, students and mothers. 

Within Toledo, the Troopers were met with skepticism due to their gender. But that attitude changed once they began to play. The Troopers broke down barriers in women’s athletics, and because of their success, Toledo went on to have several other professional women’s football teams.

Next - Evening two of Mansfield Music Fest saw performances from 12 different bands play before a crowd of around 300 people on Saturday evening. The two-day event at Snow Trails marked the 10th Mansfield Music Fest.

While Friday's performances all took place inside ski the lodge, Saturday's lineup alternated between an indoor and outdoor stage. All 12 bands were from the Mansfield or surrounding area. Even The Truckin Trav food truck made an appearance to sell meals and snacks.

Several of the event's bands were either Mansfield Music Fest veterans or will perform for Richland Source's Newsroom After Hours in the near future. Visit us at richlandsource.com to learn more.

Next, From Ashland Source… Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has jumped into the wild high school football story involving Bishop Sycamore. He’s called for an investigation into the school by the Ohio Department of Education.

On Sunday, Bishop Sycamore lost to the second-ranked team in the country, IMG Academy of Florida, 58-0 in a game broadcast nationally by ESPN.

USA Today reported Tuesday that head coach Roy Johnson was fired after the game. Sports Illustrated reported that Johnson was investigated for fraud and he has an active bench warrant for failing to appear in a domestic violence case.

The school is also not a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association, and is being accused of having players long past their high school eligibility. 

DeWine said while this weekend’s football game brought concerns about the health and safety of players, it also raised red flags about the school’s operations.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember 

Richard Cleckner. Dick was born in 1944 in Mansfield and graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1962.

A U.S. Army veteran, he served three years during Vietnam and was honorably discharged in May of 1968. Following the service, he began work at Westinghouse and saw the company through many changes, most notably the merger of the Tappan and Electrolux family of companies. During this time, he also pursued his higher education attending Ashland College while working full time and raising a family. 

Dick’s calling was in task management and completion, heading up the area as director of quality control. He traveled the world implementing his philosophies and methods. Finally he retired in the late 1990’s but still continued to work as a consultant. Hard work was instilled in his DNA, his friends and family would attest that he simply loved to work.

He was a member of Berean Baptist Church and served in the nursery, as a greeter and In kid zone. He loved spending time helping kids grow in their education.

Quality control leaked into many aspects of his life, but most notably in planning trips. He loved spending time researching locations and all there was to see and do. Dick didn’t want to miss a thing, and served as the family “Trip Advisor” pointing out significant landmarks or sharing history on little adventures and vacations. He loved driving in general but mostly driving the grandkids around Mansfield to share stories passed down from his family.

He was also a talented photographer, a dedicated husband, dad, papa, and grandpa.

Donations in honor of Dick may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate his life.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. 

Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richland Carrousel Park success proves vision, cooperation can move mountains:

https://www.richlandsource.com/oped/editorial-richland-carrousel-park-success-proves-vision-cooperation-can-move-mountains/article_73da50a0-0997-11ec-8bf4-ab68d116f246.html?block_id=1098581

Then & Now: Richland Carrousel Park @ 25 Years:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/then-now-richland-carrousel-park-25-years/article_99dcff3e-648b-11e6-af5f-7fe6061a43ec.html

Oct. 4 is deadline to register for the general election:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/oct-4-is-deadline-to-register-for-the-general-election/article_fcc62900-09c1-11ec-9a8d-73c4d0f4082a.html

Ashland High School grad, AU product wins national water ski title:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/thrive/ashland-high-school-grad-au-product-wins-national-water-ski-title/article_f849e18e-17ca-5bf6-8fbf-3b06a2636dde.html

Donald Warren McNutt:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/donald-warren-mcnutt/article_d6082376-09cc-11ec-9e3f-238b01aa82cb.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 - Earlier this month, we told you about a local group's plan to finally do something with a decaying former Westinghouse factory property on Mansfield's east side.

And yesterday, we shared the successful efforts that began more than 30 years ago to redevelop the downtown through Richland Carrousel Park. So what do those projects, separated by three decades of time, have in common?

First - both of these projects involve local residents who care about this community and are willing to step up to do something about it -- regardless of those who cast doubts and wring their hands.

And second - both offer a look at the value of vision. In the late 1980s, leaders like John Fernyak, Ed Meehan, Rex Collins, Bill Hartnett and many others had the ability to look beyond a horribly decaying downtown and see what it COULD be.

They had a vision, while others did not. And as retired Mansfield police Chief Phil Messer told us… The mayor had a vision of what the city could be. In his opinion, John Fernyak was the spark that began to turn Mansfield around to make it what it is today.

Messer explained that sometimes it's hard to visualize what can be when you're drowning in things like street prostitution, street crimes and strong-armed robberies.

Fernyak’s vision is now reflected in a downtown that’s remarkably far different 30 years later. It’s also important to note that both efforts also involve a public-private partnership. A merger of local talents among elected officials and private residents. 

And only time will tell if the new effort to transfer the former Westinghouse property to the Richland County Land Bank will lead to the successful demolition and rehabilitation of an area that's been an eyesore for as long as the carousel has been a success.

The vision for that property and the surrounding area is still being developed. But that’s how it goes -  neither Rome, nor the Richland Carrousel District, were built in a day.

But we’re encouraged by local leaders who are helping all of us see something that COULD be. Right now there’s the West End Neighborhood Plan in the OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital area. There’s the new Imagination District on Park Avenue. And the planned improvements with the Main Street Corridor.

But there’s even more to do, especially on the north end of the community.

The former Ocie Hill Community Center, which we reported on recently, is decaying. But it’s in consideration for transfer to the Land Bank. That could lead to demolition and redevelopment of a key property in a section of the city that’s really in need.

And on top of that it's time for Mansfield City Council to end multiple years of discussion and deliberation to move ahead with a plan for the much-needed dry dam in North Lake Park. It would move more than 100 acres on the north end out of the flood plain, protecting homes and businesses. It's time. Past time, in fact.

Ultimately, we’re thrilled to report on some great things happening in the City of Mansfield. It's time for our leaders to seize on that momentum and keep pushing forward.

Before we continue, a quick message from our sponsors at Black Belt Pro Fitness...

It’s back to school season! Did you know that regular practice in the martial arts has been shown to improve focus, goal-setting and academic performance? 

The team at Black Belt Pro Fitness, Mansfield’s premier martial arts studio, is all about helping kids and teens become healthier and more confident in all areas of life. They teach self-control and self-respect above any physical technique... and of course, they make it fun too! Right now they have classes for kids ages 4 and up. They also have membership options for the whole family. Visit them blackbeltprofitness.com to learn more.

Now, some local history… 

When the news became public in the late 1980s that a merry-go-round was in the works for downtown Mansfield, it ignited a firestorm of scathing abuse. The project was five years in the making, and even after it was open and doing business in 1991 the criticism was still smoking.

Conceived originally as a way to change perceptions about downtown’s then-questionable future, Richland Carrousel Park was placed right into the epicenter of Main Street’s teetering neighborhoods.

One gauge of sentiment about how hopeless any attempt at downtown revitalization might be is a bumper sticker from 1990 that read: Last One Out of Mansfield Please Turn Off the Carrousel.

But just drive through the Carrousel District today. You’ll see people on the sidewalks, people crossing the streets, people going to shops, people dining, people working out, people working. And you’ll see kids on the Carrousel. 

During the carousel's 24th anniversary we spoke with director, Sharon Bishop, about what makes it so special. 

Also - The deadline to register to vote or change your address or name in the voter registration database for the Nov. 2, 2021 General Election is Monday Oct. 4. For details visit richlandsource.com

Next, From Ashland Source… Jim Hooker's list of life accomplishments received an unusual and significant bump earlier this month. The Ashland High School and Ashland University alumnus is a U.S. Navy Seabees veteran who served in Vietnam and retired as vice president after working 38 years at Gorman-Rupp. Those achievements would be interesting on their own.

But he's not watching life pass through his window. To the contrary, Hooker has grabbed a tow rope and is managing the waves as an elite national water skier…. at age 74. In fact, Hooker recently won the overall championship in his age division at the USA Water Ski Association competition.

Jim was introduced to competitive water skiing when he was 45 years old. Prior to that, with his wife Sallie and their daughter Stephanie, the Hookers were recreational water skiers who spent many hours on Pleasant Hill Lake.

Now, jumping is Hooker's favorite, but he trains in all areas at least two days a week. Read our full story on Hooker and his incredible accomplishments at ashlandsource.com

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Donald Warren McNutt of Mansfield.

Don was born in 1937 in Portsmouth, Ohio. He was a dedicated husband to his late wife, Irene whom he spent forty seven blessed years of marriage with. He loved his children and grandchildren. Some of his fondest memories were of the times he spent with his grandchildren. Known in the Mansfield area as the owner of Don's Sunoco. He was also dedicated to his business and the needs of his customers for over fifty years.

He is survived by his children, his adored grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren; a host of nieces and nephews; and his siblings. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Don’s life.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

Also, make sure to head over to richlandsource.com and click be a member button to help support independent local journalism that informs and inspires. 

Every contribution goes to helping us make Richland County a better place and to help keep our journalism free. Also, if you like this podcast and want to hear more, make sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts!

Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.