Source Daily

Today - “Imagination Park on 3rd Street" finally opened on Monday. The temporary park was designed by a local architect and aims to give residents an idea of what it would look like if the city was a little more green and a little more walkable.

'Imagination Park' opening has residents dancing in the streets:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/imagination-park-opening-has-residents-dancing-in-the-streets/article_e6680e32-1a2c-11ec-9a46-bb1e69de9355.html?block_id=1098581

Open Source: What's the story with the collapsed roof on the old Mansfield prison building?

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-whats-the-story-with-the-collapsed-roof-on-the-old-mansfield-prison-building/article_2474291a-1585-11ec-808d-d7734971d09f.html

Mount Vernon man arrested after search warrant executed in connection with drug trafficking:

https://www.knoxpages.com/news/mount-vernon-man-arrested-after-search-warrant-executed-in-connection-with-drug-trafficking/article_c32f5354-17c9-11ec-aed8-436ed70a198c.html

Ashley Finnerty Stafford:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/ashley-finnerty-stafford/article_9833db9e-1a25-11ec-bf83-ef7f059d81e7.html

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heartbeat of 'Great Mohican Pow-Wow' returns with hoop dancing, traditional acts:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/heartbeat-of-great-mohican-pow-wow-returns-with-hoop-dancing-traditional-acts/article_ca4a2141-7321-594e-8737-9e20b550453c.html

Then & Now: Ohio Seamless Tube in Shelby 1908:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/then-now-ohio-seamless-tube-in-shelby-1908/article_054abce2-908e-11e6-8ee6-a784fa75c85d.html

How a pink liquid could save Ashland money on maintaining streets:

https://www.knoxpages.com/solutions/how-a-pink-liquid-could-save-ashland-money-on-maintaining-streets/article_a88a8740-5da6-5a0c-ba47-0c2e80e946e4.html

Charles R. Iams

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/charles-r-iams-sr/article_d00ff56a-17ba-11ec-8318-8738fe525842.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 heartbeat of the Great Mohican Pow-Wow roared to life again on Friday after a year of silence. The 36th annual, three-day event featured traditional music of the Andes Mountains by Malkuri.

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.

The heartbeat of the Great Mohican Pow-Wow roared to life again on Friday after a year of silence. The 36th annual, three-day event held at the confluence of Ashland, Holmes and Knox counties kicked off with traditional music of the Andes Mountains by Malkuri.

Robbie Swift, the event’s organizer, planned activities for every half-hour — each led by Native American or First Nation people, who are indigenous to Canada. Activities included storytelling, tomahawk throwing, a flute act and fire starting demos.

Swift says he hasn't seen anyone in over a year, except family, so it was an emotional event. The Great Mohican Pow-Wow is traditionally held in July, but COVID-19 changed things. Moving forward, it will only be held in September. 

One of the acts this year included the Sinquah family, who traveled from Arizona to showcase spiritual hoop dancing. 56 year old Moontee Sinquah was one of them. In fact, Sinquah and his two sons are hoop dancing champions, with Sinquah earning three world championship titles.

Native American tribes employed hoop dances as a healing ceremony. Today, hoop dance is shared as an artistic expression to honor and celebrate indigenous traditions throughout the U.S. and Canada. Sinquah told us he grew up dancing. For him, it’s something about the drum, it draws you — it makes you want to dance.

Sinquah’s hoop dance on Friday stemmed from one created for a boy in New Mexico who was ill at the time. Each time the dancer’s body moved through the hoop represented one more day of life for the boy. Sinquah, donned in colorful fabrics, danced to the beat of a drum played by his two sons and another man who belongs to the Lakota tribe. After his dance, he invited people from the crowd to dance with him — and many did!

Friday’s performance was the first he had done with his two sons since the pandemic canceled all events. He performed at a festival in Long Island, New York and at another in California before coming to Ohio. Sinquah told us the pandemic wreaked havoc on him and others he knows. He’s lost a lot of relatives, and a lot of friends within the pow wow and dance arena.

The reservations where he and others live is also much more secluded because of pandemic-related shutdowns. But he also said the pandemic forced him and his family to slow down a bit. And he’s now a proud grandfather.

Next, some local history. The seamless steel tube industry originated in Shelby in 1891 as The Shelby Steel Tube Company. Their product was created principally for use in bicycles, though it was perfect for early airplanes as well. And the city was proud to say that Shelby Tube was used exclusively in the Spirit of St Louis when Lindburgh crossed the Atlantic in 1927. Today the plant is just as vital as it ever was, in the steel industry and in the Shelby econom. It’s called ArcelorMittal.

Next, From Ashland Source - Maintaining streets is a costly endeavor. But Ashland's city officials hope to at least postpone some of those steep costs with a pink liquid promised to “rejuvenate” asphalt pavement. City council voted in early September to spend around $69,000 on the product. That price would buy nearly 3,000 gallons of a liquid, known as Reclamite. This should help extend the life of 15 newly paved streets in Ashland by up to five years.

Shane Kremser, the city’s engineer, has eyed the liquid for around six years. But pulling the trigger never made sense until recently because the product works best on newly paved streets. But now that the streets have been repaved, maintaining those new streets — and simultaneously repaving other deteriorating streets — reflects a new challenge that officials hope Reclamite will solve. 

So what is Reclamite? Put simply, the product keeps water out of asphalt. The City of Wooster has been using Reclamite for a few years and really started noticing a difference. In Ashland, the hope is that Reclamite will eliminate the need for filling pot holes and filling cracks, which are symptoms of asphalt oxidation.

Mayor Matt Miller said the product will be applied to the following streets starting today. It takes about 30 minutes for the pink liquid to dry. And if Ashland sees a difference in the quality of its treated roads, then the city will consider applying it to more streets. 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Charles Iams of Mansfield. He was born in Upper Sandusky in 1937. Charles graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in 1955. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and reported to the USS Fred T. Berry DE858 for 4 years. He also served 2 years on the J.D. Blackwood DE219 and later on the USS Moinester. Upon returning back to Mansfield, he began working at the Mansfield U.S. Postal Office and then at Mansfield Tire and Rubber until it closed. After moving to Florida, he joined the naval reserve. He retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1995 after serving 26 years. He was a member of the Venus Lodge #152 F&AM.

Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Deborah, his three children, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, sister-in-law, niece, and special friends, John and Robert. Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate his 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.

Mansfield mayor unveils plan for $10.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act spending:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/mansfield-mayor-unveils-plan-for-10-5-million-in-american-rescue-plan-act-spending/article_a621bfd2-16f1-11ec-8e98-e7bcfb54ec31.html?block_id=1098581

Newsroom After Hours moves metal show to the basement Sept. 17:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/newsroom-after-hours-moves-metal-show-to-the-basement-sept-17/article_75234e42-158d-11ec-8159-7768f5d8ce78.html

Oldtime Farming Festival set to return to Centerburg this weekend:

https://www.knoxpages.com/life_and_culture/oldtime-farming-festival-set-to-return-to-centerburg-this-weekend/article_bdd63142-167b-11ec-92da-4bf251bd99ee.html

Margaret J. “Meg” Bovinett:

https://www.knoxpages.com/obituaries/margaret-j-meg-bovinett/article_b2d63f08-1572-11ec-9524-3f351cfe0e4f.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 - There may be future joint cooperation between the City of Mansfield and Richland County leaders on how to use their $44.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker said he’ll present plans to City Council next week detailing how his administration wants to spend almost all of the $10.5 million the city received this year. He wants about $3 million to go to water and sewer infrastructure, largely to cover a collapsed 19th century storm sewer from West Third Street to Touby's Run. That work will cost about $750,000 this year in the first phase and another $1 million during a second phase in 2022. And under the latest COVID-19 relief plan approved by Congress earlier this year, the city will receive about $21 million and the county $23.4 million, getting half of the allocations this year and half next year.

Local governments have four years to make spending decisions. At this point they’re only operating on "interim, final rules" established by the U.S. Treasury Department on how the money can be spent.

Theaker's plan was announced during a meeting with county commissioners. The plan also includes spending on police radios, fire station upgrades, and grants for small businesses. City Council is also expected to vote Tuesday night on a $1.5 million engineering and design contract for a proposed dry dam in North Lake Park.

As we’ve talked about in a few recent episodes, some council members have expressed concerns about the contract, which would be paid for out of the city's sewer fund. And for the mayor's plan? The City Council will need to approve it in October. Earlier this year, several council members requested council and public involvement in the decision-making process.

At-large member Stephanie Zader was one of those making the request in April, saying she hoped there would be several council meetings and many public meetings to discuss how the money should be invested. She said the council should work with the city administration to facilitate such meetings.

Thursday's session with county commissioners was designed for a presentation on ARPA possibilities by Jodie Perry, president/CEO of Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development; Brady Groves, president/CEO of the Richland County Foundation; and Alison Goebel, executive director of the Greater Ohio Policy Council.

Goebel, Perry and Groves, along with Richland Source Publisher Jay Allred, had led an online public discussion in May to launch a discussion on the best ways to begin considering how to most effectively utilize the influx of what's been described as "generational" federal funds. Since that session, Goebel and her staff have examined existing 12 development plans from entities around the city and county.

Then, in late March, we published an editorial that urged government officials to "slow way down" when it came to American Rescue Plan funding. It asked for deep, thoughtful conversations about how these funds might be invested in the communities they serve. The editorial also urged government officials to think outside themselves and seek expert advice and counsel. We decided to offer some help.

The Richland County Foundation, the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, and Richland Source hosted a webinar on May 25th to chat about the best use of ARP funds. Going forward, commissioners and the mayor agreed to form a joint steering committee of 10 to 15 people, representing various sectors of the community, to consider ARPA uses.

Read more on this story at richlandpress.com

Next, some local history: Did you know that the building on Third and Walnut Streets was originally built in 1927? Built as a department store by Louis Freundlich on the eve of the Great Depression, the business struggled during hard times but survived until Mr. Freundlich suddenly died at the age of 38. Then it became the Montgomery Ward department store in 1937. When Wards moved out to Park Avenue West in 1963, this building on the corner of Third and Walnut turned into Reese Optical; and was subsequently remodeled to the office building we know today as the Walnut Building. You can see pictures of the Freundlich department store back when it opened at richlandsource.com

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

Tonight, there’s a free metal show as part of Newsroom After Hours in the Idea Works basement… which is actually a massive garage. Idea Works is located at 40 W 4th St in Mansfield. Just head there and go around back to get in.

Doors open at 6:30 PM. BONESAW will play first starting around 7 followed by DIVEBOMB around 8. Food comes courtesy of Doc's Deli and beer courtesy of Phoenix Brewing Company. This season of Newsroom After Hours is proudly powered by Mechanics Bank. We wouldn't be able to hold free shows without them!

Next, From KnoxPages: Centerburg will celebrate its agricultural heritage this weekend, when the Oldtime Farming Festival returns following a one-year pandemic hiatus.

The 29th annual festival will begin Saturday morning and conclude Sunday night. It will include a parade, an antique tractor and machinery show, an old-fashioned pie auction, a horticulture show, live music and more. Most events will take place at Centerburg Memorial Park, located at the intersection of U.S. 36 and S.R. 314.

Stanley and Bruce Williams will serve as co-marshals of this year's festival. The parade's theme will be "Horses Started the Farming Tradition." Parking, admission and entertainment at the festival are all free.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Margaret Virginia Hanlon of Mansfield.

She was born in 1930, in Mansfield and was a faithful member of Mansfield First Church of the Brethren where she played piano and sang in the choir. She was an exceptional cook and her pies were amazing. Margaret enjoyed watching Wheel of Fortune nightly, completing word searches, reading and playing cards with her card group.

Margaret is survived by a son, a daughter, three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, brother, a sister, and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, sister, and daughter-in-law.

The family wishes to express special thanks to the staffs at Crestwood Care Center and Hospice of North Central Ohio for the wonderful care and compassion given to her. Thank you for taking a moment to remember and celebrate Margaret’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. 

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

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… 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.

Thanks for listening, join us again tomorrow!

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

COVID-19: Rep. John labels federal vaccine mandate 'government overreach':

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/covid-19-rep-john-labels-federal-vaccine-mandate-government-overreach/article_a95d2fe6-158a-11ec-8275-9f88b1d93352.html?block_id=1098581

Ray Holifield was Akron’s Radio Sleuth:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/ray-holifield-was-akrons-radio-sleuth/article_43e06db8-8601-11eb-86cf-0b4346ff3059.html

Mansfield Board of Control OKs $100K loan to aid Cypress Hill Winery caverns project:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/mansfield-board-of-control-oks-100k-loan-to-aid-cypress-hill-winery-caverns-project/article_9457abfc-1563-11ec-b575-6b3f9fcd7128.html?block_id=1098581

Hospice of North Central Ohio announces staff additions:

https://www.knoxpages.com/news/hospice-of-north-central-ohio-announces-staff-additions/article_656133db-dd92-5b56-9619-6ef1a8fcc988.html

Brenda Leedy:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/brenda-e-leedy/article_7b9ca57e-1557-11ec-9114-4f14b0879850.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 - State Representative Marilyn John has labeled a planned presidential executive order that would mandate millions of Americans receive a COVID-19 vaccine a "government overreach".

Representative John and 60 other members of the Ohio House have signed onto a letter to state Attorney General Dave Yost. They’re urging him to immediately pursue every legal recourse available ... to do everything in his power to prevent the implementation and enforcement of this order within the borders of Ohio. The letter came one day after President Joe Biden announced he would issue orders requiring most federal employees to get vaccinations. Bidens also announced they’ll be pushing large employers to have their workers inoculated or tested weekly.

The orders would impact about two-thirds of all U.S. employees. And it would be enforced through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In Biden’s words, "we've been patient, but our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us." John is a Republican whose 2nd District covers all of Richland County. She said it's impossible to know what Yost or state lawmakers can do since the actual order has not been issued yet. Still, she thinks this mandate is government overreach. Something she feels we’ve seen a lot of in the last 18 months. The lawmaker said the government's role should be to provide the "full picture and the full truth."

She says that includes how many people have been injured or died because of the vaccine. John also explained that she thinks people should make their own decisions based on discussions with their own doctors. Some entities, like many health care facilities and universities, have already issued mandates for employees and students to get the vaccine. 

But John said she’s spoken to officials at The Ohio State University, for example, and found they offer exemptions for students. She also said they told her that they’ve turned down very few requests for exemptions. Finally, John said she is also concerned testing for natural immunity is not being done frequently enough. According to published reports, a new study from Israel found natural immunity may offer longer-lasting and stronger protection against COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant than that provided by vaccine.

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. 

Now, some local history… During the 1930s, radio was king, uniting the nation with exciting stories, characters, news broadcasts, and music. However, an exciting evening by the radio could easily be interrupted by interference, static, and poor reception.

And during the 1930s, when this happened, radio-owning Ohioans contacted their service provider and someone was sent to investigate. In Akron, Ohio, that investigator was a man named Ray Hollifield. Hollifield worked for the Ohio Edison Company during the 1930s and he was considered one of the masters of his craft. Hollifield could listen to a faulty radio signal and know exactly what was causing the problem. 

Hollifield would drive around the block in this truck, using his noise meter to pinpoint the exact location of the problem. After finding the pole that was creating static, he would begin by hitting it with his 12-pound hammer. Hollifield could test his success using the radio in his car. If the static continued, he would climb the pole and make the necessary fixes. Documents from Hollifield's career can now be found at the Ohio History Connection Archives & Library.

Next - The Mansfield Board of Control has approved $100,000 from the city's revolving loan fund to assist Cypress Hill Winery with its underground caverns project. The funds will assist with an overall $350,000 project that will help the business construct an emergency exit onto Temple Court, along with other modifications needed to convert the space into a dining and special events center. The projected costs include $225,000 for construction and renovation and $100,000 for equipment and furnishings. The caverns are below the Hudson & Essex fine dining restaurant, owned by Mansfield businessman Rick Taylor.

Next, From Knox Pages… Hospice of North Central Ohio has announced some new additions to its organization. Executive director William Kahl said they’re welcoming Tori Frech, Noah Gangi, and Leti Lesseuer. He noted that they bring great experience and expertise to the organization. Tori arrives with five years of experience in finance. Her most recent role was as an Accountant at Avita. Prior accounting roles include working with Mid-Ohio Pipeline, Banks and Associates, and Whitcomb and Hess.

Noah has over 15 years of experience in healthcare marketing from working at University Hospital Samaritan Medical Center. And finally, Leti currently works full-time as an RN Case Manager with Ohioans. Her experience includes acute care, long term acute care, ICU, and cardiac.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Brenda Leedy of Ashland. Brenda was born in London, England in 1938. She was an independent woman who was always on the go and stayed busy. She loved traveling and visiting casinos. Brenda was also an avid reader of mystery novels and enjoyed quilting, needlepoint, gardening and her English tea. She was a member of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ashland. Brenda is survived by her son, her grandchildren, and her step-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Allan E. Leedy; daughter, Carolyn, and brother, Anthony. Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Brenda’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.

Some kids are affected by COVID-19 Delta variant in a different fashion:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/some-kids-are-affected-by-covid-19-delta-variant-in-a-different-fashion/article_8386feb0-11bf-11ec-99c7-a332dbb7f25e.html?block_id=1098581

The Bookmobile:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/the-bookmobile/article_897e96cc-a503-11e5-8feb-8ff36373b39b.html

Ashland hires company for $200K to fix 'overflow' problem at water treatment plant:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/news/ashland-hires-company-for-200k-to-fix-overflow-problem-at-water-treatment-plant/article_fcc4c656-119a-11ec-80d4-ff7f6d7797ef.html

David McFadden:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/david-l-mcfadden/article_5fe65824-1170-11ec-b482-6fc8c8035b83.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 - COVID-19 is already wreaking havoc on the 2021-2022 school year. Cases are spreading rapidly among Richland County students, many of whom are too young to be vaccinated. Multiple school districts have been affected as COVID-19 cases rise across the country. Some have had to cancel school for the day, while others have had entire buildings go to a temporary period of remote learning as a result. As of Sept. 9, there have been 1,728 cases of COVID-19 among Richland County children. The case rate for children under 18 has risen sharply over the last month. With the rise of the highly contagious Delta variant, public health officials are looking with renewed interest on the impact of the virus on children. While the variant and its effects are still being studied, most public health officials believe the variant is less dangerous to children than other strains of COVID-19. It is, however, more contagious.

Dr. Joseph Gastaldo, the medical director of infectious diseases at OhioHealth, said it's also crucial to understand that children can get and spread COVID-19. As case rates rise in the community, case rates will rise among children too. He says it’s still true that if kids get COVID, they don't get as sick; however they’re seeing more pediatric hospitalizations and more deaths. 

Sherry Smith, the nursing supervisor at Richland Public Health, confirmed that public health officials are beginning to see cases of “long COVID” in both children and adults. Long COVID happens when formerly infected people continue to experience complications or health problems months after infection.

Nevertheless, most children infected with COVID-19 are experiencing more mild symptoms. Gastaldo says in his own practice, he’s seeing children infected with the delta variant show symptoms similar to those of the common cold or an upper respiratory infection -- like a headache, runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat. Less common symptoms include diarrhea and a change in taste and smell. And Smith said she’s also seeing cold-like symptoms among pediatric COVID-19 cases. 

Gastaldo thinks that despite the rise in COVID-19 cases among children, keeping kids in school should remain a public health priority. To do that, Gastaldo believes schools should use every mitigation strategy available, including masks, contact tracing and adequate ventilation systems. Smith agreed masks are one of the best prevention measures that we have right now, especially in individuals who are not vaccinated.

Both Ontario Local Schools and Mansfield City Schools have chosen to implement mask requirements for students and staff after an uptick of COVID-19 cases. Gastaldo believes vaccination also has a role to play in limiting pediatric COVID-19 cases.  In fact, studies done by the CDC argue that both individual vaccination and a high level of vaccination in the community can protect children from the virus.

They found that the rate of hospitalization for children was nearly four times higher in states with the lowest overall vaccination coverage when compared to states with high overall vaccination coverage. Ultimately, according to the data it’s clear that cases, emergency room visits and hospitalizations are much lower among children in communities with higher vaccination rates.

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… Richland County is fortunate to have nine locations of the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library. But this wasn’t always the case. The library branches really only came into existence in the last 30 or 40 years. Before that, the work of sharing Library materials was carried out by the Bookmobile.

Starting in the 1920s, the Bookmobile made regular stops at Plymouth, Bellville, Lucas, Little Washington, Newville and Shenandoah. The Bookmobile effectively was a surrogate Branch location all around Mansfield for decades — in fact they called the trailer facility the Branchmobile. It was a familiar sight in the parking lots of shopping centers around town until the end of the '80s when the traveling books finally had places to become rooted in permanent Branch locations. But just because the mobile branch concept declined doesn’t mean book delivery isn’t still important. Books are delivered regularly to folks who can’t make it out of their homes and are in senior living.

Next, From Ashland Source… An engineering firm will narrow down a solution to a potentially costly overflow problem at the Ashland Water Treatment Plant to the tune of $202,500. The city council unanimously approved officials to hire Columbus-based Burgess & Nigle on Tuesday. Although complex, the problem can be boiled down to two simple facts: when it rains hard in Ashland, the water treatment plant's holding basin overflows. And when that happens, the federal Environmental Protection Agency isn't happy. 

The city receives a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit from the EPA every five years. When Ashland received the last permit two years ago, there was a condition. The condition said the city must find a solution to the issue before the next NPDES permit is issued. 

"Depending on how long this event occurs, how long the impact is to the plant, we have a five million gallon separate holding tank. Once that five million gallon (tank) is eclipsed, there must be an overflow," Hunter said. He said there have been three such events this year, which is in line with the three to six events that have been happening per year lately. Hunter said the study should be completed by June 2022.

The comprehensive study will explore options to reduce overflow events or eliminate them altogether, he said. Hunter said the EPA will review the study next year, at which point the city will need to decide on a project that could cost up to $30 million. Mayor Matt Miller said addressing this issue is essentially the city's next phase in its effort to update infrastructure — the first being repaving old streets. 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember David McFadden of Mansfield.

David was born in 1951 in Mansfield. He graduated from Mansfield Senior High School in the Class of 1970 and was immediately drafted into the military serving in the United States Army in the Vietnam War. He continued to serve in the US Army for eight years, where he received The Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. He left active military service and started working for the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Outpatient medical center in Cleveland until he transferred and continued working for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Mansfield Center until he retired after 35 years of service.

David spent several years traveling to other countries and across the United States. He loved to snow ski, and spent lots of this time in Colorado on the slopes. He was a member of the Moose Lodge FOE Aerie #336. David also loved spending time with his family and friends. He loved sports, and he was a dedicated Cleveland Browns, Ohio State football, and Cleveland Cavaliers. He loved all animals and throughout his adult life had many cats and dogs and he left behind his beloved giant poodle, Mia. He’ll be greatly missed by his friends and family and all who knew him. Thank you for taking the time today to remember and celebrate David’s life.

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.

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!

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