Source Daily

NECIC leader raises concerns about Ocie Hill building, Johns Park pavilion:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/necic-leader-raises-concerns-about-ocie-hill-building-johns-park-pavilion/article_aa4e9174-00f9-11ec-b790-ef57e1f68f06.html

Sherman Heineman Park in the 1800s:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/sherman-heineman-park-in-the-1800s/article_eb81f6d8-4cee-11e5-8a2e-779b4ea12d57.html

Ashland couple retires after 40 years, son gifts them with endowment fund:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/life/ashland-couple-retires-after-40-years-son-gifts-them-with-endowment-fund/article_8232ab20-01fe-11ec-8700-2bde29fde212.html

Ashley Nichole Wynn:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/ashley-nichole-wynn/article_3699a006-040b-11ec-a618-2be0974277f4.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 - Recent problems at the former Ocie Hill Community Center and the Johns Park pavilion have gone public. Between the broken windows. Unsecured buildings. Trash. Gang graffiti. And even a dead rat - the executive director of the North End Community Improvement Collaborative had enough.

Deanna West-Torrence said she has always preferred to work behind the scenes, trying to get things done without creating public issues.

But these recent problems had gone too far. That’s why, after several attempts to resolve issues at the two north-end facilities, West-Torrence decided to take the issues public. 

It all began when she heard concerns from residents. The former Mansfield City Council member then started making calls to elected officials. She also sent some of her staff to check out reports and to take photos themselves.

Her biggest concerns? The lack of concern and care at both locations. She said it was no coincidence both sites are in the north end.

It’s been more than a year since the Ocie Hill Community Center was closed by the city, and still nothing’s been done.

Vandals have recently hit the structure, breaking out windows and entering the facility. There have also been reports people have been sleeping inside the building.

Mayor Tim Theaker said he called Parks & Recreation Superintendent Mark Abrams when he heard the back door was unlocked. But Abrams said it's been difficult to keep the building secured.

And beyond the current issues, the future of the building is of even bigger concern to West-Torrence. Throughout the years the structure has been known as the Creveling School, the Mansfield Opportunities Industrial Center, the Human Resource Bureau and the Neighborhood Youth Corps.

Then, in 1996, it was renamed for Ocie Hill. Hill was the first Black resident to be elected to Mansfield City Council and the longest serving individual on council in the history of Mansfield. He served from 1961 to 1991. Hill’s photo still hangs in council chambers.

The city purchased the building in 1988 and it was home to more than a dozen non-profit and government agencies before it closed in 2020. 

At that point North end residents packed a City Council to raise their voices in displeasure.

But Theaker estimated at the time that work to replace the boiler, windows, doors and other required upgrades could cost several million dollars.

And when the COVID-19 pandemic reached the area, city buildings were closed to the public, including Ocie Hill. Finally, Theaker announced in June the building would not re-open.

West-Torrence, who once served as director of the center, said Mansfield needs to make a decision on the building. She calls it a cornerstone in the north end. She suggested demolition is in order -- and then something new for the neighborhood built in its place.

She said Theaker had the right to close the building, but also has a responsibility to north end residents.

Still, the mayor said he is unsure about the future of the site. 

Make sure to stay updated on future developments 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 By the 1880s, Mansfield had become a promising powerhouse in Ohio, so the town figured it would be a good idea to establish a green space at the edge of town that would serve the community?

Today we know the results of this dream as the recreational sequence of South Park, Middle Park and North Lake Park—but in 1887 when they were laid out, planted and dedicated, this entire continuum of public green land was called by one name: Sherman-Heineman Park.

You can read more about Sherman-Heineman Park and see pictures at richlandsource.com.

Next, From Ashland Source… The founders of a company that sells and services heating, venting and air conditioning products will cheer on the community from retirement…. and from their checkbook. 

Jeff and Joy Reep recently retired from Comfort Control. And they were gifted with a donor-advised fund from the Ashland County Community Foundation during their retirement party. 

A donor-advised fund is a type of endowment fund. It’s similar to a private foundation. It allows the trustees to make grants to support organizations, programs and projects. It also allows you to add money to your fund on one schedule and distribute dollars from your fund to another. That means you can maximize tax benefits and have money available when you’re ready to give.

Joe Reep, the couple’s son, has taken over as the company’s owner. He had joined the team seven years ago.

The couple had come to their Comfort Control’s facility along Main Street on Friday expecting a retirement celebration. The parking lot was filled with guests, two food trucks, a beer tent, games and cake. 

Then, about an hour into the celebration, Joe grabbed a microphone to announce that his parents would now have their own donor-advised fund. 

Jeff explained that Joe pulled a good one on him. It was the most awesome gift they could imagine. Joy said she was overwhelmed by the gift.

Jeff and Joy also serve on a number of boards in the Ashland area, including the Ashland Lank Bank, Ashland YMCA, the Ashland County Historical Society and others. And Comfort Control started in 1980, shortly after Jeff and Joy married. 

The couple will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary on Aug. 30.

They hope they get to travel and spend time with grandchildren — who all live locally — during their retirement. 

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember the life of 33 year old Ashley Nichole Wynn of Mansfield. Ashley passed away from complications of Huntington's disease. 

Ashley enjoyed watching game shows, especially The Steve Harvey Show and Family Feud. She loved animals and caring for her cats and pot belly pig. She always looked forward to spending time with family and friends for the holidays. Ashley also had a special relationship with her physical therapist, Mark, who helped her maintain her independence throughout life.

She is survived by her father, her brother, her sister, a son and her special nieces and nephews; aunts and uncles, and many friends.

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

Extra audio from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIiil0SlsAY

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ohio Bird Sanctuary soars with Treehouse Classroom, Wings campaign:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/ohio-bird-sanctuary-soars-with-treehouse-classroom-wings-campaign/article_b0918fd6-008c-11ec-8ed4-5ba1c303b40d.html

The Ritter House c 1909:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/the-ritter-house-c-1909/article_14b41448-46c1-11e5-b767-2b7ad2db0b41.html

Open Source: Where do my extra tax dollars go?:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-where-do-my-extra-tax-dollars-go/article_727d3984-7d15-11eb-b340-b7a377f3ebdc.html

GALLERY: Fun and games at the Lexington Blueberry Festival:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/gallery-fun-and-games-at-the-lexington-blueberry-festival/collection_8248cb18-02c0-11ec-93f3-178b422e0526.html

Lyme disease cases on the rise in Knox County due to black-legged tick:

https://www.knoxpages.com/news/lyme-disease-cases-on-the-rise-in-knox-county-due-to-black-legged-tick/article_59c384f0-0160-11ec-9843-1bc47828c767.html

Richard Phillip Schafrath:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/richard-phillip-schafrath/article_f4c5ac28-00e1-11ec-a4e7-03bd9dac1219.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 - Over 160 community donors and officials celebrated the completion of the unique Treehouse Classroom of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary.

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.

On Friday, donors and officials celebrated the completion of the Treehouse Classroom of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary is the major resource of avian, nature, and conservation expertise and education in Ohio.

Gail Laux, founder and executive director, said that the Treehouse Classroom is the Sanctuary’s first step in the development of capital projects that will advance their role in outdoor education.

A $3 million project was developed to renovate buildings, create additions on the Visitor Center, upgrade systems, and expand the trail system to improve accessibility. And the Sanctuary’s first-ever capital campaign is called Spreading Our Wings. It’s officially begun.

And they’re hopeful that they'll raise $3 million during the 'Wings' campaign to be able to initiate a permanent savings fund to help cover future maintenance expenses. This campaign has already raised more than $700,000 of its goal.

Laux’s late daughter, Samantha, was stricken young by a rare disease that took her life at age 23. Samantha had spent her early years climbing trees and her last years in a wheelchair. Laux says this is for her.

The Treehouse Classroom will hold nature education classes for thousands of children and adults, including those in wheelchairs or pushing strollers.

Adjacent to the Sanctuary’s Education Center, a second unit of enclosures with a small presentation area will be used for the care of native birds that are used for nature programming and outreach.

The Ohio Bird Sanctuary offers professional care for injured, orphaned, and displaced native birds like eagles, hawks, and owls.

Many of those birds can’t be released to the wild, and the Sanctuary provides a “living museum” of birds in enclosures with natural habitat. 

In the past few years alone the organization has doubled the number of visitors. And half of the Sanctuary’s visitors are from outside of north central Ohio. 

Originally called the Richland County Raptor Rehabilitation Center, the organization was established as a nonprofit in 1988 by biologist Gail Laux and her husband, Chris, on their family farm.  Within a decade, the Sanctuary had become known as THE place to bring injured and orphaned birds in Ohio.  

The Sanctuary was opened to the public in 1999. Now, more than 30,000 people visit the Sanctuary annually.

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 Ritter House was built on South Main Street hill in 1891, and fashioned in the Queen Anne style of Victorian brick architecture? As a distinctive and prominently visible landmark, the old house has been loved by generations of Mansfielders, so when the proposal was made to tear it down in the 1970s, to make way for a Route 13 project, the outrage was firm and decisive.

It has taken a number of years for appropriate dignity to catch up with the regal old house, but she is once again in her glory as the newly restored and augmented home for the Richland County Foundation.

You can read more about The Ritter House and see pictures at richlandsource.com.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question comes from Linda Walls of Washington Township. She wants to know where revenue from property tax hikes will be used.

The short answer: Lot’s of places but maybe not where you think. And like questions involving taxes, the answers to "how much?" and "why?" are complicated.

A shifting tax base, a 1970s tax reform bill and the difference between inside and outside millage all impact how much of your extra tax dollars actually translate into extra revenue for your local government or school.

Richland County Auditor Pat Dropsey explained that When property values go up, property owners will typically see a slight increase in their taxes -- but it’s not necessarily proportionate with an increase in tax revenues. That’s because a bump in property values will only impact revenues collected from inside millage.

The Ohio Constitution permits local taxing entities to jointly collect tax up to one percent of a property’s value without voter approval. This is known as inside millage.

In Richland County, tax revenue generated by inside millage is divided up between the county and other entities where a taxpayer resides, including cities, villages, townships and school districts. 

Inside millage rates are fixed; so when a property’s value goes up, the amount generated by inside millage rates goes up too.

The remaining tax paid by a property owner comes from outside millage -- levies and bond issues that were approved by voters at the polls.

If you want an explanation it’s best to call the auditor's office at 419-774-5501.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers. 

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight everyone who helped make the Lexington Blueberry Festival a success! Kids and adults had a blast and enjoyed the food, music, rides, games, and entertainment.

Head over to richlandsource.com to see lots of pictures of the festivities.

Next, From Knox Pages… The blacklegged deer tick continues to make its presence known in Knox County, and that’s a concern for residents and their pets.

The tick is the main carrier of Lyme disease, which has infected 28 Knox County residents so far this year. That’s 10 more than last year.

The ticks themselves can be hard to spot and the symptoms vary but can include fever, flu-like illness or a rash within a few weeks

Nate Overholt at Knox Public Health said that: “Prompt removal of an attached tick will significantly reduce the risk of infection. Not all ticks are infected with disease, but those that are, must bite and remain attached for hours in order to transmit diseases.”

Ticks live in grassy areas and attach themselves to you or your clothing when you walk by. 

It’s also important that you protect your furry friends. Dogs can be protected from Lyme disease through vaccination that is boosted yearly.

Make sure to visit knoxpages.com for more information about how to protect yourselves.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Richard Phillip Schafrath of Mansfield.

Richard was born in 1937 and his life of 84 years encompassed a lot and he truly lived a story of accomplishment. A short obit could never do his life justice.

Richard leaves behind his wife of thirteen years, his nine children, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his brothers and sisters, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother.

The family has celebrated Richard with private services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make memorial contributions in honor of Richard to Richland Pregnancy Services.

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Richard’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.

Ritter's Run Apartments developer seeks additional $140,000 in federal funds:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/ritters-run-apartments-developer-seeks-additional-140-000-in-federal-funds/article_32590f22-0028-11ec-a629-df6db1926099.html

Open Source: Where did the fountain on Mulberry and Springmill come from?:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-where-did-the-fountain-on-mulberry-and-springmill-come-from/article_826cafe6-2f3b-11eb-98b8-57461c0bda61.html

Lexington Blueberry Festival starts Thursday:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/lexington-blueberry-festival-starts-thursday/article_cae5a6d8-ff6a-11eb-8c58-fbf08f9a788c.html

Knox Public Health to offer 3rd dose of COVID-19 vaccine:

https://www.knoxpages.com/news/knox-public-health-to-offer-3rd-dose-of-covid-19-vaccine/article_662cd376-002b-11ec-aa3a-f7c2ccff8db3.html

Anna May Crosby:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/anna-may-crosby/article_7c60e262-0054-11ec-a436-f72b0dce044f.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 Ritter's Run Apartments is a project to provide affordable housing for 55-and-older residents. And they hope to receive an additional $140,000 in federal money.

On Tuesday, the Mansfield City Council heard a request for the funds from the city's pool of Home Investment Partnership dollars. The funding is available through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency.

The project is being built by a partnership led by the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging.

So what’s the timeline? There was a "virtual" groundbreaking for the project in March, but actual construction has not yet begun.

Duana Patton, Agency CEO, said the property will have 12 units, consisting of six one-bedroom and six two-bedroom units.

The apartments will be handicapped-accessible and pet-friendly. And each unit will also have a covered front porch.

The Richland County Land Bank, City of Mansfield, Mechanics Bank and PRAXIA-Partners are also working on the project. 

And Joe Recchie, founder of Praxia Partners, told City Council that the "scope" of the project has expanded to include an adjoining house that was damaged in a fire and needs to be demolished.

He explained that they plan to change the grade of the hill, thus improving the drainage, and accommodating the storm-water detention that’s required. 

In addition, Recchie noted that construction costs have increased because of shortages. And that’s also led the group to expand its loan from Mechanics, raising the total price tag of the expanded project by a total of $300,000.  

This is the first project in the Area Agency on Aging’s nine-county service area where the owner is also the developer.

Patton has said the agency has had a vision for many years to build homes and create a place where individuals can have programs and support.

City Council is expected to vote on the request on Sept. 21. And if it's approved, it would be sent to HUD for review.

To learn more about this story, and find out what else you may have missed at this week’s City Council meeting visit us at richlandsource.com

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 Richland County Museum had a former life? In 1850, it first started as a schoolhouse, and then fifty years later became Grange Hall. In 1965, it became the Richland County Museum, and walking through the exhibits there is like traveling through time to visit the different eras of local history since the old schoolhouse was built.

The museum, at 51 West Church Street in Lexington is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the history of Richland County. Check out their website at richlandcountymuseum.org for hours and times you can visit.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question was wondering about how the new waterfall across the street from Friendly House came to be. 

On the corner of Mulberry and Springmill Streets sits a miniature waterfall and a grassy patch that would be a perfect spot for a picnic.

According to Friendly House Assistant Director, Greg Mead, The charming water feature is part of a beautification process that has been in the works for years and began with the installation of a new, 42-spot parking lot.

The funds for the project came from an anonymous donor. While Mead could not be sure about the exact cost of the project, he estimated that it was in the “hundreds of thousands” of dollars.

The Friendly House was established in 1913 and has operated at its present site since 1949. The non-profit organization provides affordable afterschool and summer programs, summer camps, a tutoring program, preschool and daycare and a youth basketball league.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers. 

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight a few events this weekend:

In addition to the Blueberry festival in Lexington we mentioned yesterday, there’s a free kids carnival at Black Fork Commons in Shelby starting at 11am on Saturday.  There will be games, ice cream, crafts, food, and much more.

Also on Saturday, the Mansfield Motorcycle Club is hosting their annual Poker Run and Corn Roast. Held at 3593 Cookton Grange Road in Mansfield, Gates open at 3:30pm and proceeds will go to benefit the Richland County Humane Society. Have fun and be safe!

Next, From Knox Pages…

In accordance with guidelines from the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health, Knox Public Health is already beginning to schedule appointments for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

A third dose of vaccine is now available for people who meet certain medical criteria and have already received two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. And this third dose must be from the same manufacturer as the first and second doses.

Right now, Knox Public Health only has Pfizer vaccine on hand. To schedule an appointment for the third dose, call 740-399-8008. KPH expects to have the Moderna vaccine available late next week.

So who’s eligible? 

Individuals undergoing active treatment for cancer. 

Those who have received a solid-organ transplant and are taking immunosuppressive therapy.

People with moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency.

Individuals with advanced or untreated HIV infection. 

You can get the full list of eligibility requirements by reading our story on knoxpages.com. If you do know you’re eligible you can schedule an appointment by calling 740-399-8008. They also expect to have the Moderna vaccine available late next week.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Anna May Crosby of Galion.

Anna was born in Springfield in 1932 and attended North Central Technical College graduating with an associates degree in engineering. Anna was employed at the United Telephone Company for thirty two years. After retirement, Anna worked for Meijer and H & R Block. She was a people person and never met a stranger. Anna loved music, enjoyed square dancing, loved to skate and judged competitions. You could often find Anna curled up with a good book and loved the challenge of puzzle books.

Anna leaves behind her 5 children, twenty three grandchildren, thirty three great-grandchildren, and seven great-great-grandchildren.

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Anna’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.

Mansfield City Council may postpone dry dam engineering vote until 2022

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/mansfield-city-council-may-postpone-dry-dam-engineering-vote-until-2022/article_ac8ef868-ffbc-11eb-80d2-4704b715aea2.htm

A Picnic at OSR in 1900

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/a-picnic-at-osr-in-1900/article_719b4ffc-3ba2-11e5-9b24-0b5b912c5775.html

What pandemic habit do you think will stay with you the rest of your life?

https://www.richlandsource.com/what-pandemic-habit-do-you-think-will-stay-with-you-the-rest-of-your-life/poll_264a4246-ff7e-11eb-81bb-7f946e246423.html

Lexington Blueberry Festival starts Thursday

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/lexington-blueberry-festival-starts-thursday/article_cae5a6d8-ff6a-11eb-8c58-fbf08f9a788c.html

Gregory Scott Jones

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/scott-jones/article_d422509e-ff6e-11eb-a3c7-efd21a6f837f.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 possible that the next Mansfield City Council will have the final say on a $1.5 million design and engineering study for a proposed dry dam in North Lake Park...

A final vote on the proposed study for a dry dam in North Lake Park may be postponed until early 2022. At that time city finances and perhaps the rules around the American Rescue Plan funds will all be better known.

And with four council seats up for election on November 2nd, it's possible new local lawmakers will join the debate on a project that was first discussed six years ago.

Given the fact the engineering and design work is projected to take two years, Mansfield would then also have an entirely new administration by the time a decision is made on the actual construction

So what exactly is this project aiming to accomplish? The goal of the dry dam is to alleviating flooding in Mansfield's north end. City engineer Bob Bianchi says the project would also remove 106 acres from the flood plain.

The Council also gave a first reading on Tuesday evening on the study for the $15 million “Touby's Run Flood Mitigation” project. They’re scheduled for a final vote on the project on Sept. 21.

However, Bianchi said some council member concerns about the city's sewer fund could be allayed by postponing the vote.

Bianchi suggested a better alternative could be waiting until the cost of current storm sewer projects are known and what the budget looks like in 2022.

Third Ward council member Jon Van Harlingen, the council finance committee chair who has expressed the most concerns about the city's water and sewer funds, quickly expressed possible support for the delay.

And During the discussion, 4th Ward Council member Alomar Davenport asked Mayor Tim Theaker if the city's $20-plus million in American Rescue Plan funds could be used for water and sewer projects.

Davenport asked if it’s possible to set aside $3 or $4 million in Rescue Plan money for the express purpose of future water and sewer issues that may arise.

Theaker said dry dam construction will likely not be an allowable ARP expense, but other water and sewer projects could be approved.

Council is scheduled to give the proposal a second read at its next meeting on September 7th. We’ll keep you updated.

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 when the Ohio State Reformatory opened in Mansfield in 1896, people around here had never seen anything like it? Built in a Romanesque Revival style...like a European castle... the place would become something of a tourist attraction over the next thirty years

The grounds of the institution were kept by inmates and had gardens, walking paths, and a scenic dockside gazebo overlooking the lake. For many years this was one of the most popular picnic grounds in the area and people came out to be inspired by the Old-World aura transplanted into the heart of the American Midwest.

By today’s standards, it’s hard to imagine a time when folks were encouraged to loiter around the outside of a working prison, but back in its day the Reformatory was a splendid display of tax dollars at work, so tourists were not only welcome but accommodated… They were even given box lunches prepared in the Reformatory kitchens.

You can read more about the Ohio State Reformatory at richlandsource.com.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question focuses on our online poll…

We asked what pandemic habit do you think will stay with you for the rest of your life?

The poll is ongoing at richlandsource.com but so far….

- 14% say they won’t shake hands anymore

- 21% say they’ll avoid large crowds

- 36% say that they’re always going to be stocked up on toilet paper

- And 29% say they’re never going to wear pants again.

Head over and vote for yourself.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers. 

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight the beginning of the Blueberry Festival in 

Lexington starting today and going through the weekend..

There will be food, music, parades, contests, rides and attractions, pageant crownings, and tons more.

Read about the Blueberry Festival and get a full schedule at Richlandsource.com

Next, From Knox Pages…

Knox Public Health is beginning to schedule appointments for a third “booster” shot of Covid-19 vaccines. 

Right now, appointments are for individuals with pre-existing conditions and are going through certain treatments or are on particular medications. Conditions include cancer, organ transplant, immunodeficiencies, and HIV.

Make sure to visit knoxpages.com/ to see a list of eligibility requirements and if you haven’t gotten the vaccine yet, go get one and help prevent further death and serious illness.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Gregory Scott Jones.

He grew up in Euclid and graduated from Euclid High School with the Class of 1958. Scott served in the Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps as a bugler at Parris Island, Camp Lejeune, and the San Juan Naval Base in Puerto Rico. Scott attended OSU and graduated with a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education in 1968 and a Masters in 1974. He taught in Mansfield City Schools for 33 years at Springmill Elementary, John Sherman Elementary, Hedges Elementary, Brinkerhoff Elementary and Carpenter Elementary. Scott coached golf for Mansfield Senior High School for 11 years and middle school sports including: football, basketball, wrestling, and assistant coaching in track and field. He also coached his children's soccer and summer baseball teams. His passions were golf and football-especially rooting for the Buckeyes and the Browns as a season ticket holder.

Scott began attending Cook Road Baptist Church (now Mission Point) in 1984, where he came to know the Lord. He loved singing in the choir, served as the game time leader at Awana and, for a short time, as a Trustee. Scott loved family vacations, including trips to Colorado, Myrtle Beach and annual trips to Florida.

He is survived by his three children, seven grandchildren, his recent companion, Barb… and many dear friends.

Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate Scott’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.

Bellville, Richland County agree to split costs on new tornado siren:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/bellville-richland-county-agree-to-split-costs-on-new-tornado-siren/article_84df5130-ff7d-11eb-b812-638637bcc392.html?block_id=1098581

Loudonville's Century House was rumored to be a stop on the Underground Railroad:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/loudonvilles-century-house-was-rumored-to-be-a-stop-on-the-underground-railroad/article_94bd0f71-c9b6-561f-94b2-7a329f81c17e.html

North central Ohio residents tell us no masks by 2-1 ratio:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/north-central-ohio-residents-tell-us-no-masks-by-2-1-ratio/article_d0a2878e-ff8e-11eb-a3af-0fbabaaf4e90.html?block_id=1098581

2021 Shawshank Hustle in Mansfield:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/gallery-2021-shawshank-hustle-in-mansfield/collection_a05a6bb0-fd08-11eb-a64d-6f0f35e11e60.html

'Help Wanted' signs in Knox, Ashland counties reflect workforce changes as economy recovers:

https://www.knoxpages.com/solutions/part-1-help-wanted-signs-in-knox-ashland-counties-reflect-workforce-changes-as-economy-recovers/article_edbf3ad0-de71-11eb-9b24-5f508a493404.html

Martha Elizabeth Phillips:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/martha-marge-elizabeth-phillips/article_75d449e6-ff6b-11eb-ab22-8be58ae3683c.html

This is 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 - Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus said she hopes to have a new, $24,650 solar-powered tornado siren installed on the southern end of the village by the end of 2021.

And Richland County commissioners have agreed to split the costs of the siren with the village. That means each entity will pay $12,325.19.

Originally, commissioners and village officials hoped Jefferson Township trustees would agree to divide the cost with them as well. However, trustees unanimously decided they wouldn’t be willing to take on that cost.

Why? Jefferson Township Trustees chair Mark Gatton told Richland Source that the need for tornado sirens is not as prevalent given today's technology.

Gatton explained that there are different apps people can get on their phone to tell them what's going on weather-wise, good or bad. For that reason they didn't feel that the expenditure was worth it.

Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus met with Richland commissioners back in June and the decision was made to go forward with estimates for the work.

At that time commissioner Tony Vero said that any extra layer of safety we can provide to the residents is a good thing.

And earlier this week Brenkus and village administrator Larry Weirich presented commissioners with a proposal from VASU Communications Inc. for a high-powered directional rotating siren that can be heard over a one-mile radius.

This solar-powered siren has a constantly charging battery backup.

And as for the location, the mayor said a final location for the siren's tower had not yet been selected, but it would be set high enough to be effective.

At the moment, Richland County has 42 outdoor warning sirens in locations throughout the county. Each is owned, operated and maintained by the jurisdiction in which it is located. Belville's new siren would be part of that system.

The purpose of outdoor warning sirens is to notify people who are outside to seek shelter. It would be able to reach residents particularly in the Greenbriar Condos, Hamilton Hills and Urban Meadows neighborhoods in Bellville.

You can learn more about this story at richlandpress.com

Before we continue, ee’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… One of the oldest houses in the Loudonville area is the "Century House," located on State Route 3. It’s believed to have been built around 1840.

And it was a rumored one-time stop on the Underground Railroad while owned by Dr. Ephraim Fuller. Fuller’s family continued to own it until the mid-1900s.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you…

Today’s question is one we’ve answered before, but this time we have more insight… Yes - it’s the mask debate...

As you may already know, those who responded to our survey expressed that masks would not be welcomed back to north central Ohio. Overwhelmingly. In fact about 67% said they would not be wearing a mask, while only 33% said they would.

So what’s the reasoning behind these responses? Of the 1,373 people who responded, 764 offered an answer to why they would or wouldn't be wearing a mask again. Many noted they wouldn't because they were vaccinated, others are putting their faith in their own immune system. But ultimately, the majority of the survey respondents said they just don’t believe face masks are an effective tool in mitigating the spread.

On the other side, some residents will continue to mask for reasons like protecting vulnerable family members, and not wanting to contribute to the creation of more virus variants.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

The more than 1,100 runners and walkers in Saturday’s Shawshank Hustle 7k in Mansfield... many in full movie-themed regalia. The 7th running of the event began on the grounds of the former Ohio State Reformatory and wound through downtown before finishing back at the fabled state prison where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed. Jeremy Riehm from Mansfield and Emma McCarron were the top male and female finishers..

Check out our photos and more at richlandsource.com.

Over the course of the pandemic, manufacturers have faced a series of challenges but one of the most pressing is an unprecedented shortage of workforce.

Knox Pages Report for America reporter Emma Davis recently turned a four-part series on this very topic. In response to their search for talent, a coalition of Knox County manufacturers and the Knox County Workforce Development Alliance program are launching a pilot certification program called Knox ASPECT. It’s designed to prepare people for careers in manufacturing.

And any candidate who successfully completes the six classes will have a guaranteed job interview with participating Knox County based manufacturers, all of whom are looking to hire.

Stephanie Burson, Strategic Initiatives Manager for Ver-Mac Industries told us that the past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging. The local manufacturing workforce shortage is something that they’ve struggled with for years. So they’re excited to participate in this program.

The pilot program will meet at the Knox County Ohio Means Jobs Center on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in October.

For more on this story, head over to Knoxpages.com.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Martha Elizabeth Phillips of Mansfield. She was born in Carter County, Kentucky - one of twelve children.

Marge loved going to church and was a faithful member of New Beginnings Free Will Baptist Church. She loved gardening, canning, sewing and especially making beautiful quilts which she gifted to many people.

She is survived by three children, her ten grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She’s also survived by her brother and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends on Sunday at the Ontario Home of Wappner Funeral Directors.

Thankyou for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Martha’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.

Blankenship: 'I want people looking at us to see how to treat homelessness':

https://www.richlandsource.com/solutions/blankenship-i-want-people-looking-at-us-to-see-how-to-treat-homelessness/article_a18d0304-fdf2-11eb-8c47-6309bacd4526.html?block_id=1098581

Little Washington Congregational Church:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/little-washington-congregational-church/article_9c4a99bc-378b-11e5-a150-0b2622830047.html

Lorine's Little Learners celebrates five years on the North End:

https://www.richlandsource.com/business/lorines-little-learners-celebrates-five-years-on-the-north-end/article_dc597ce6-f61e-11eb-985a-4fd0281a03c4.html

Ashland High School announces Distinguished Alumnus Award Class of 2021:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/education/ashland-high-school-announces-distinguished-alumnus-award-class-of-2021/article_42643bdc-fe46-11eb-90a8-df4384a2c43b.html

Magdaline "Boots" T. Cline:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/magdaline-boots-t-cline/article_344e2566-fe8d-11eb-8859-bb9ca5c511ee.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 - Can we reimagine how we view homelessness and the way it's handled in our community?

A proposed new shelter-style homeless facility on the city's north side took a large step forward last week. The Richland County Land Bank granted Harmony House Homeless Services the first shot at developing Hamilton Park.

The former city park was one of 10 properties the Land Bank acquired from the city in late 2020.

And they voted unanimously to give Harmony House Executive Director Kelly Blankenship about 18 months to raise at least 50 percent of the required funding for the first phase of the project. That’s about $1.5 million.

Blankenship estimated the total cost for the entire project could cost between $16 and $22 million. It would replace the 72-year-old West Third Street homeless facility.

Carl Hunnell, City Editor at Richland Source met with Blankenship at Hamilton Park on Friday to discuss the project...

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 greater downtown district of Little Washington consists of a single crossroads: where Hanley Road and the Washington Road meet? During the greatest part of its history—since 1837—this intersection has had a Congregational Church on one of the four corners at the heart of town…but not always the same corner!

For about 90 years, the church was on the Northwest corner…. and for the last 50 years it has been located diagonally across the main drag on the Southeast corner.

Technically, the tiny hamlet was named Washington…. but sometime early in the last century modesty apparently dictated that the place be designated ‘Little’ to keep people from accidentally getting it confused with the seat of our national government.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question … What happened to the Richland Source reporter who was hit by a car?

An 82-year-old Mansfield man was charged with improper passing after his vehicle collided with a bicycle July 21 on Marion Avenue.

The accident injured Dillon Carr, a reporter for Source Media. Carr was near the end of an 18-mile bicycle ride and was headed to his home. According to the accident report completed by Trooper Andrew Nelson, Burnell said he was eastbound on

Marion Road and there was another vehicle headed west.

That driver said he misjudged the distance between himself and the bike and he struck it… but when he turned around he couldn’t locate the bike and got confused.

His daughter read the article on the Source website and talked to her father. When he heard there was injury to the bicyclist, he turned himself in right away.

Carr was treated at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital for a rare posterior shoulder dislocation, a compressed fracture of his T-11 vertebra near the base of his spine and "some really gnarly road rash"

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight Christole Page. Page’s daycare center, Lorine’s Little Learners, will celebrate its fifth year in operation this month.

As a licensed childcare provider, Page and her staff work to support the continued development of the kids they serve. The main playroom is divided into age groups.

The goal for the preschool room is to become kindergarten ready. Students in the preschool class also work on honing fine motor skills by cutting with scissors, learning to correctly hold pencils and coloring within the lines. Workers also focus on teaching good social emotional skills.

Page said the center is in the process of recruiting more paid workers and volunteers so that her staff can take time to participate in professional development sessions.

The training would help Lorine’s Little Learners qualify for additional state funding by increasing its Step Up To Quality rating.

Next, From Ashland Press…

The Ashland City Schools Foundation and members of the Distinguished Alumnus Award Committee have selected seven inductees to be honored as members of the Ashland High School Distinguished Alumnus Award Class of 2021.

The inductees will be honored at Homecoming Weekend. Today we’re highlighting one of the new recipients - Jason Brown who graduated in 2002.

Lieutenant Colonel Jason Brown now serves as the Commander, 51st Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB, GA. And when on leave, he volunteers with Dale Roy School.

Brown was raised in Ashland, Brown is a graduate of Mount Union College. Additionally, he earned a Master Degree in Military Studies from American Military University, and a Master Degree in Military Operational Art and Science from Air Command and Staff College. To read more of his incredible achievements check out our full article by using the link in our show notes.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Magdaline "Boots" Cline of Mansfield. She was born in Washington, D.C. and later moved to Ohio as a child.

Boots attended Mansfield Senior High School and at 16, began working at North American Knitting Mill. She retired in 1991 after almost 50 years. Boots was a prayer warrior at heart and was known as the ultimate caregiver. She was a faithful member of First Church of Open Bible, helped with hospice care, and enjoyed preparing meals for funerals and shut-ins. Boots loved sewing, quilting and making baby blankets. She was a wonderful cook and made legendary cakes.

Boots is survived by her son, two daughters, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, 6 great-great-grandchildren, two sisters and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Thank you for taking a moment to remember and celebrate “Boots”’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.

Richland County population grew by 0.4 percent in the last decade:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/richland-county-population-grew-by-0-4-percent-in-the-last-decade/article_a873d856-fc39-11eb-91d2-9f5237c7b657.html

Then & Now: Big Jacque on Lexington Avenue 1970:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/then-now-big-jacque-on-lexington-avenue-1970/article_fc1ff92e-2a69-11e5-85a4-1b279de7f6ec.html

Where can I donate clothes, toys and household goods?:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-where-can-i-donate-clothes-toys-and-household-goods/article_fc2fa0ec-4adc-11eb-8330-3f973c61068a.html

Third Street gives back with community block party:

https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/third-street-gives-back-with-community-block-party/article_2d9fe74c-fc5b-11eb-9f5f-1fad8e7091c7.html

Former Wiggin St. Elementary teacher returns to lead school as principal:

https://www.knoxpages.com/education/former-wiggin-st-elementary-teacher-returns-to-lead-school-as-principal/article_9acf6580-fab8-11eb-95ca-e7192d14b04d.html

David James Tuttle "Tut":

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/david-james-tuttle-tut/article_6fbb2bfe-fc61-11eb-a404-2fc68c0e041f.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 - Richland County has apparently stopped the bleeding in terms of population loss. In fact, there was an increase of nearly 500 residents.

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.

Now, our feature story…

Richland County has apparently stopped the bleeding in terms of population loss, according to the new U.S. Census data.

The county had 124,936 residents in 2020. It was an increase of 0.4 percent over 2010 in the nationwide count. That's an increase of 461 residents.

While it's not huge growth, it's a dramatic change over 2010. At that time the Census found Richland County's population had declined 3.4 percent.

Richland County Commissioner Cliff Mears said he was delighted to see the growth. Mears, was a long-time Mansfield City Council member who moved into the county commissioner's role in January.

He also noted that previous declines came as large industries like General Motors, Westinghouse and others closed their doors.

But he thinks that we’re past that point. Now, the smaller businesses that are here today are more stable and are able to recruit and retain workers. And people are beginning to see all the potential this place has.

State Representative Marilyn John, who represents Richland County in Columbus, said after the 2010 results, they had goals. The first goal was to stop the decline within five years. The next goal was to grow the population in the five to 10 years after that.

And now, we know they are meeting those goals.

But the local growth in the last 10 years came from increased adult population in a county that saw a decline in those under age 18.

In fact, the number of adults in Richland County grew 1.5 percent in the past decade.

Meanwhile, the number of residents younger than 18 declined by 3.4 percent between 2010 and 2020.

Why? Mears said he thinks local younger people graduating from school will often look for opportunities outside the area.

But the low cost of living, safe communities and readily available health care through OhioHealth and Avita help keep the county's appeal to adults.

And at the state level Ohio's population also increased - by 2.3 percent, making it the country's seventh largest. You can learn more about the census results by reading our full story at richlandsource.com

Before we continue… I’d like to take a moment to highlight the Ashland Source. With more than 40,000 monthly users, it’s an ideal platform to promote your product, service or event. The new dynamic ad formats help your message reach an engaged, local audience. So make sure to visit ashlandsource.com/advertise to learn more.

Now, some local history… Did you know that in the early 1970s, there was a giant statue of a man carrying 4 foot long trays loaded with sandwiches on Lexington Avenue? Advertising Jacque’s Ham, Corned Beef, and Roast Beef, the leaning nearly 3 story tall big man wasn’t to last. Though he certainly made an impression, neighbors were upset by the eyesore, and by 1972, “The Big Man with the Big Sandwich” would close up shop. Today, the statue has migrated up to Lake Erie and Marblehead where you can visit him…. Though it’s sad to say his hands and tray of sandwiches must have been lost along the way.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question - where can you donate clothes, toys and household goods?

Whether you're clearing out room in your closet for your new holiday gifts or getting a jumpstart on your spring cleaning, donation is a great option. But before we give you our suggestions, it’s important to note that you should always call ahead to make sure they’re able to accept your particular donation.

First up - The Domestic Violence Shelter. They’ll accept new and gently-used clothing, socks and shoes for men, women and children. They’ll also usually take personal care items.

Next - the What Goes 'Round Thrift Shoppe in downtown Mansfield accepts gently-used clothing, furniture and household items. Items should be clean and in good working condition, without tears, stains or smoke smells.

And finally - The Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a good option. Proceeds support the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, which works to build more simple, decent, affordable homes for qualified families in our area.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

Now, the neighborhood clinic isn’t a typical site for block parties, but the workers at Third Street Family Health Services decided to think outside the box. And on friday - a block party with live music, food trucks and an abundance of information about local resources took place.

The event was part of National Health Center Week. Third Street has celebrated National Health Center Week in the past, but never with a block party. The organization wants to get folks to be educated about healthcare in general. They want everyone to be able to ask questions and participate in their care. And they certainly want folks to get vaccinated for COVID.

Next, From Knox Pages… For as long as Wiggin Street Elementary School’s new principal Christy Grandstaff can remember, she wanted to be an educator.

But she originally had no desire to be an administrator. But eventually Grandstaff served on the district’s leadership team, working to establish goals to meet the various needs of the district’s students. She also served as assistant principal at Mount Vernon Middle School.

Until the first of this month when she assumed her first head principal position at Wiggin Street.

She says that having already worked as an administrator during the COVID-19 pandemic, she’s learned communication is key. Grandstaff foresees addressing learning loss after remote learning as the school’s largest challenge in the coming years.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember David James Tuttle, also known as "Tut", of Mansfield. Dave was born in Ashland in 1949. He graduated from Crestview in 1967. He was employed at Ohio Brass until he was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving from 1969-1971. He later went on to work for Gorman Rupp for 40 years. Dave loved nature, farming and was an avid gardener. He adored his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and cherished every moment spent together. Dave was loved by many, never knowing a stranger, and had numerous friends. So thank you for taking a moment with us 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.

Third generation of Bammanns joins Mansfield Police Dept.:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/third-generation-of-bammanns-joins-mansfield-police-dept/article_52847f1a-fab1-11eb-88ba-9b1d7f2a52ae.html

Mowing the Graveyard: John Peter Altgeld:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/mowing-the-graveyard-john-peter-altgeld/article_67643326-2402-11e5-a179-3b0823545683.html

Pavement repair project on Ohio 13 complete in Mansfield:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/odot-pavement-repair-project-on-ohio-13-complete-in-mansfield/article_889aff24-bfe3-11eb-a1d3-4b465f72e182.html

Ashland County Community Foundation to create new childcare center:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/news/ashland-county-community-foundation-to-create-new-childcare-center/article_b2b94e92-f9f3-11eb-9d1d-afab5dba1723.html

Helen Hriesik:

https://www.richlandsource.com/search/?l=25&s=start_time&sd=desc&f=html&t=article%2Cvideo%2Cyoutube%2Ccollection&app=editorial&nsa=eedition&q=helen

You're listening to Source Daily: A new daily news podcast for Richland County. 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 - Blake Bammann has plenty of nearby advice if he needs it as he begins a career in law enforcement.

The 22-year-old was sworn in Wednesday as a Mansfield police officer, becoming the third generation in his family to join the local force.

2018 Lexington High School graduate, Blake Bammann said that it seems this is what everybody in the family does now.

His dad is current MPD Assistant Chief Jason Bammann and his grandfather is retired Sgt. Mike Bammann, who is still president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 32.

And the youngest Bammann, who recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati, was one of six new officers sworn in Wednesday.

Five more took the oath on Thursday, joining a department badly in need of manpower. The MPD is budgeted for 87 sworn officers and had just 72 at the end of last week.

Nine of the new 11 officers, including Bammann, will soon begin peace officer training at North Central State College, a 20-week program, which will then be followed by the MPD's own 14-week field training program.

The ceremony in City Council chambers was attended by family and friends of the new officers, as well as MPD leaders, Richland County Commissioner Cliff Mears and City Council President David Falquette.

During the ceremony Chief Keith Porch explained that being a police officer in today's environment is absolutely the toughest job in America.

Porch said the process to become a patrol officer is long, but necessary.

Bammann, who also earned a certificate in substance abuse counseling while in college, said he understands new officers are beginning law enforcement careers at a difficult time.

He said he’s confident the academy will teach the new officers all kinds of things to help keep them safe.

He also said that he doesn’t expect any special treatment, saying his dad will likely hold him to a higher standard.

Jason Bammann, who joined the department in 1999, was sworn in as assistant chief two months ago in the same City Council chambers in which his son took the oath on Wednesday.

Mike Bammann's voice was full of pride Wednesday when asked about his son and grandson.

Also taking the oath on Wednesday were Stanley Evans, Zachary Winters, Ashton Bell, Noah Waterer and Garrett Whitney. Of those, Bell is the only officer already certified and will immediately begin the department's field training program.

And on Thursday Desmond Ragland, John Lafferty, Dylan Stephenson, Austin Hall and Valerie Grayer were sworn in.

Before we continue… I’d like to take a moment to highlight Source Brand Solutions. Many leaders struggle to figure out what marketing strategies will deliver results for their company. They waste time and money on marketing that simply doesn’t work. But the good news is, marketing doesn’t have to be this complicated. Sign up for our 3-hour course on Sept. 15 in Ashland to learn a practical framework that will teach you how to talk about your business so more people pay attention and, of course, spend money with you!

Visit sourcebrandsolutions.com/mini-marketing-course/ to learn more.

Now, some local history…

Did you know that one of Illinois’s most notorious governors was raised in Mansfield?

Originally born in Germany, he grew up here and would go on to become one of the most powerful politicians in the United States.

A leading figure of the Progressive movement, Altgeld signed workplace safety and child labor laws, pardoned three of the men convicted in the Haymarket Affair, and rejected calls in 1894 to break up the Pullman strike by force. In 1896 he was a leader of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, opposing President Grover Cleveland and the conservative Bourbon Democrats. He was defeated for reelection in 1896.

He passed away at the young age of 54 while working in the law office of legendary attorney, Clarence Darrow.

You can read more about him and learn more about his time in Mansfield at richlandsource.com.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question? What’s the story with the pavement repair on Ohio 13?

Good news! A pavement repair project on Ohio 13, from Chilton Avenue to Hanley Road, is complete.

According to the Ohio Department of Transportation District 3 spokeswoman Crystal Neelon clarified that, "This was a pavement repair project, not a repaving. This project is complete."

The road is in the City of Mansfield limits, but it's an ODOT project. No city money was involved in the work.

Work began in May on the divided, four-lane highway, which serves as the southern entrance to the City of Mansfield from I-71. Lane closures north and south bound were frequent as the work was done.

Re-striping of the road was completed in June.

Motorists had reached out to Richland Source that the road surface is now more uneven in places than it was before the project was done. Motorcyclists expressed concerns about long seams of new pavement not matching up with existing pavement.

Neelon said during pavement repair projects that contractors put down paving only where needed. She said the paving will settle over time and become smooth with the remaining road surface.

The spokeswoman said the repair project was designed to maintain the several miles of highway until it's "completely removed and rebuilt in the next few years."

"It wouldn't be fiscally responsible to repave the road now and then replace it in a few years."

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight two events this weekend

The Pickwick Place in Bucyrus (pronounced byoo-sai-ruhs) is holding its annual Sunflower festival this weekend. Head over for fun, games, mason jar lemonade and peach milkshakes, a flower patch by the Ohio Flower Girls, plenty of chances to take photos, and, you guessed it, sunflowers.

And at night, get ready for the Richland County Fair demolition derby. From 5 to 10 pm watch your fellow citizens ram, run into and wreck cars in six different classes. Prizes start at $800. And yes… you can test your skills by entering and you can also learn more at fairderby.com.

Next, from Knox Pages…

The Ashland County Community Foundation Women's Fund is in the planning stage of creating a new childcare option for the county.

The timeline of the project is not yet set, as it will depend on site acquisition, construction bids, licensing requirements and other factors that go into creating a licensed facility.

As previously reported, ACCF did an assessment measuring childcare needs to businesses located at or near Ashland Business Park/Industrial Park. Results revealed a desire for more accessible and affordable childcare, especially for parents working late shifts.

Funds will come from an endowment and also from customer payments. However, ACCF hopes to discount those rates through subsidies and grants available to nonprofits.  

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Helen Hriesik.

Helen Hriesik was born in Mansfield in 1926 to Carl and Barbara.

Helen retired as a clerk from the post office and previously worked many years as an LPN at People's Hospital. She was a very good listener and her motto for everything was "hit it head on." Helen was a widow at a very young age. After the passing of her first husband, Charles, in 1960, Helen was known for her strength and strong will.

She was easy to get along with and enjoyed camping with her children and other family members at Charles Mill Lake. Later, she married her second husband, Mike in 1980, who passed away in 1988. They loved going to Las Vegas every year for shows and gambling and enjoyed fishing at Lake Erie together. Helen liked quilting, knitting and bowling.

She is survived by her three children, grandchildren, step-grandchildren; great-grandchildren, siblings, and special sister-in-law.

Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Helen’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.

Former Westinghouse site: 'I think it's time we start doing some things':

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/westinghouse/former-westinghouse-site-i-think-its-time-we-start-doing-some-things/article_c9c093d4-f912-11eb-bf90-2fee619a4fa7.html

Corner store on Chestnut & South Main: 1975:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/corner-store-on-chestnut-south-main-1975/article_275311a2-20c5-11e5-97b5-7fdcdc4191c6.html

Open Source: Medication-based addiction treatment available in Mansfield:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/open-source-medication-based-addiction-treatment-available-in-mansfield/article_83159006-c3bb-11eb-81e1-937827e11d97.html

Knox County Career Center will not require masks in classrooms, students/staff asked to conduct daily health assessments:

https://www.knoxpages.com/education/knox-county-career-center-will-not-require-masks-in-classrooms-students-staff-asked-to-conduct/article_1b828d84-fa18-11eb-b518-574a3eafb07d.html

Rodney "Rod" D. Eddleblute:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/rodney-rod-d-eddleblute/article_fae7e2b6-f933-11eb-8ccf-5fba34327860.html

You're listening to Source Daily: A new daily news podcast for Richland County. 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 'Westinghouse Team Force Group' is working to finally do something with the former Westinghouse site.

Richland County Commissioner Tony Vero was driving to a current industrial success three months ago when a failure from the past again rose into view.

His eyes set on a five-story, decaying failure that has sadly dominated the east end skyline at 200 Fifth Ave.

For the past three decades, since Westinghouse closed its doors locally in 1990, it’s been empty.

Vero was looking at the building known as "A", positioned snugly against the railroad tracks.

Nearby sits the “H” building, which still functions as the Mansfield Commerce Center. It’s one of 16 buildings over 42 acres that Westinghouse operated from 1918-1990.

But what did the factory mean to Mansfield? At its peak, Westinghouse employed over 8,00 workers. That was in 1955. That means about one-third of the city's wage-earning workers were employed there at the time.

Everyone in Mansfield knew someone who worked at Westinghouse, or worked there themselves.

And when Vero drove by, he said to himself, 'You know what? I think it's time we start looking at doing some things.' "

Thus began a rapid public and private effort that took a giant step forward on Wednesday.

The Richland County Land Bank agreed to a contract that could ultimately result in the cleanup of the property, or at least the demolition of a community eyesore.

In the agreement, the property owner, The Land Bank, isn’t required to accept the property when that testing is complete. But Vero said they will accept it. And that could result in the site being labeled as a "brownfield," eligible for clean-up funds.

There are apparently four sites in Richland County currently designated as "brownfields." right now

And the effort is not stopping with "A." They may also acquire other former Westinghouse properties.

Back in April, Vero said he knew "doing some things" would have to be a group effort, including Mansfield Mayor Tim Theaker. So he asked Mayor Theaker if he would give permission to form the 'Westinghouse Team Force Group' and he agreed.

Theaker says the focus now is on the "A" building.

The mayor said Vero approached him "and wanted to work on somehow getting funding from the federal government." But he’s more cautious than Vero in his approach.

Why? Well, if there is contamination, it's going to fall back on the property owner to clean it up.

And there is a big fear of contamination, especially considering the factory was built long before the EPA came into existence.

Jennifer Kime, CEO of Downtown Mansfield Inc. is also a part of the Westinghouse Team Force Group. Kime happens to have a relationship with the Coffman family who owns the property.

She explained that the family is very interested in preserving Mansfield history.

And when the group thinks about the bigger picture here they feel this could be the single largest project to date in terms of size and importance to the community.

But the first step is to do the environmental analysis and then begin discussing what comes next at the site.

Still, it's exciting to think what the next 10 years could be like.

Read our full story at richlandsource.com

Now, some local history… Mansfield used to be full of little "Mom & Pop" neighborhood stores. One of the ones we profiled a few years ago was on the corner of South Main and Chestnut Streets.

This one started in the 1920s and mom and pop were Mrs. and Mr. Woodard who had what was called a ‘medicine store,’ that sold sweets, cigars, newspapers and medicines.

In the 1950s new owners added the soda fountain counter and sold groceries. In the 60s it was called Premer’s, then the N&K Variety Store. The last few years the place carried groceries it was called Bob & Chick’s Corner Store.

In 1975 the corner store made its last stand as Silver Dollar Hobbies & The Old Curiosity Shop. The space made a brief encore appearance about 10 years ago as Baby Face Antiques, and now it rests quietly awaiting perhaps another chance.

You can read more about the store and see pictures at richlandsource.com.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Today’s question? What’s the story with substance abuse in Richland county?

Well… unfortunately substance abuse remains a pressing issue in Richland County. Fortunately, there are resources available.

According to the Richland County Opiate Board, 2,686 people received treatment in Richland County for substance use disorder during fiscal year 2020 --  and 1,673 of those people received treatment for an opiate use disorder.

Joe Trolian, the board’s executive director, confirmed that between 2,500 and 3,000 people seek addiction services each year through the publicly-funded Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. Those figures don't include individuals who seek help through privately-funded agencies... or those who seek no help at all.

Trolian told us that "The addiction problem as a whole is still pretty significant in Richland County" and noted the abuse of substances like heroin and over-the-counter medications has decreased, but use of fentanyl and fentanyl mixed with methamphetamines has increased.

Treatment facilities in the Mansfield area include the Mansfield Comprehensive Treatment Center, Mansfield UMADAOP, Healing Hearts Counseling Center, BrightView and Third Street Family Health Services. To learn more use the link in our show notes.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight two events this weekend

First, Friday is… you guessed it… Friday the 13th. And there’s a ghost walk and haunted history tour at Landoll’s Mohican Castle in Loudonville at 9pm. You’ll learn more about the spectral inhabitants of Heyd cemetery and try to make contact with the spirits that call the castle home.

And then on Saturday at 3pm, head over to the Gorman Nature Center for a community drum circle. Bring your own drums, rattles, lawn chairs, and of course your family and friends. Suggested donations are $5 and go towards the Nature Center itself.

Next, from Knox Pages…. Knox County Career Center Schools released its back-to-school plan to parents and students Tuesday evening, including COVID-19 health guidelines that follow the guidance set by other Knox County districts.

KCCCS will not be mandating mask-wearing in the classroom, but the district highly recommends staff and students wear masks. The district includes KCCC high school, KCCC preschool and Knox Technical Center.

Superintendent Kathrine Greenich told us: “We got opinions from our board, from our administration and then also because six schools feed to us, we looked at what all of our other schools were doing”.

While staff and students are not required to wear masks in KCCCS classrooms, Tuesday’s press release states students should still have a mask with them at all times and that they’re still required by federal law to wear masks on all buses.

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Rod Eddleblute.

Rod was born in Crestline to Clyde and Peggy and graduated from Ontario High School.

He knew what a hard days work was and had a tremendous work ethic. He was the owner of Rod Eddleblute's Garage for more than thirty five years. A good role model,

Rod lived his life as an example. He loved his wife, his children and his grandchildren. He made sure they were unfailingly taken care of. A generous man, he was willing to help anyone with a need. He had a quick wit, and was very direct and to the point. You always knew where you stood with Rod. He was very social and enjoyed sharing a beer with friends at The Finish Line Bar and Grill. He enjoyed dirt track racing while sponsoring many teams over the years.

He leaves behind his wife of 16 years, Sue, his sons, his daughter, his step children, his grandchildren, his brothers and sisters, many nieces and nephews, and many other family and friends.

Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Rod’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.

Free, fun 'Finances 101' available to Richland County students:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/free-fun-finances-101-available-to-richland-county-students/article_a16ae1a0-f55c-11eb-bba6-a7be3bee7435.html

The Star Theatre 1919:

https://www.richlandsource.com/area_history/the-star-theatre-1919/article_cf20f372-1918-11e5-a805-174c677a10f1.html

Will you wear a mask again?:

https://www.richlandsource.com/open_source/poll-will-you-wear-a-mask-again/article_7830ca54-efd3-11eb-aa3c-2702e4a6508a.html

Mansfield firefighters battle South Main Street house blaze:

https://www.richlandsource.com/news/gallery-mansfield-firefighters-battle-south-main-street-house-blaze/collection_c238c652-f955-11eb-b711-678af58a69fc.html

The Salvation Army Ashland Kroc Center distributes most food in 2020:

https://www.ashlandsource.com/life/the-salvation-army-ashland-kroc-center-distributes-most-food-in-2020/article_2a097354-f6bc-11eb-b809-0364b52a9b3e.html

Shawn Michael Todd:

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/shawn-michael-todd/article_3ba67f3c-f93f-11eb-96f4-eb6b32162a2e.htm

You're listening to Source Daily: A new daily news podcast for Richland County. 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 - An area mom and Directions Credit Union are bringing a real-world personal finance lesson to Mansfield later this month.

It’s often said experience is the best teacher -- but when it comes to finances, foreknowledge pays off.

That’s why an area mom and Directions Credit Union are bringing a real-world personal finance lesson to Mansfield later this month.

Finances 101 will have two sessions on Aug. 28 at Mansfield Senior High School. It’s designed to immerse high school students in the types of financial decisions that may come their way after graduation.

Mansfield mother of four, Teana Skyes, says this isn’t really a class. It’s not a workshop. Rather it’s a life-sized simulation of the game of life.

During the game, participants are assigned a job and salary based upon their interest. Then they’re challenged to pay the bills with money to spare.

The program was originally created by members of the northwest chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League. It’s designed to be entertaining, but also as realistic as possible.

The game includes 12 stations that cover expenses like housing, health care, transportation, insurance, utilities and groceries. Every student is required to pay their taxes and set aside some savings money before beginning the game. And depending on their career choice, they may also have student debt.

Jenni Paramore of Directions Credit Union said students are often shocked by the price of necessities.

Some stations involve an element of choice -- like choosing whether to buy or rent a home or which car to purchase. Others offer a peak into the unexpected costs the real world might throw at them.

Dice rolls determine if each player has a spouse, whether that spouse works and how many children they have. And students pick a card to see if they have self-pay, employer-funded or no health insurance.

One of the questions they’re asked at the end of the day is -  'Do you have money left because you made good choices or because you got lucky?'

The first session will be open to any junior, senior or recent high school graduate in Richland County. And the second session will be reserved primarily for Tyger athletes.

Having a separate session for athletes was an intentional choice by Sykes, who is married to Tyger basketball coach Marquis Sykes.

She explained that oftentimes, athletes need to be encouraged that they're more than athletes and to think beyond high school, think beyond even their collegiate experience.

While not currently working in the finance world, Sykes has always been interested in personal finance and graduated with a degree in actuarial science from the Ohio State University.

During the pandemic, she even started a video series on Facebook called Tea Time to educate others on financial literacy.

Her live videos covered topics like SMART goals, budgeting, debt consolidation, credit, investing and student loans. One of her videos garnered 700 views.

Learn more about how you can participate by reading our full story at richlandsource.com

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…

If you wanted to take in a movie in the summer of 1919, all you had to do was stroll down North Main, not far from Fourth Street, and fork over a nickel at the Star Theatre. That year you could have seen a terrific Gloria Swanson silent film called "Don’t Change Your Husband."

It was such a hit she did a sequel the next year called "Why Change Your Wife?"

The Star Theatre opened in 1910 with an appropriate large star-shaped sign with 5 cents in the middle and prospered for 15 years until 1925, lowering its curtain gracefully before talking movies forced all the old nickelodeon theaters out of business.

Today, you can visit the building that housed the theatre and the business that occupies its place: the What Goes Round thrift shop.

Next, we’re answering a question from our readers and listeners like you...

Two weeks ago, we asked our readers a question... Will you wear a mask again?

What a difference two weeks makes. When we asked that question, the CDC had just  announced that it was recommending vaccinated and unvaccinated Americans wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of "substantial" or "high" community transmission.

At that time, Ohio had a “moderate level” of transmission. Not anymore. Today, viral transmission is very high and the pace of Delta Covid infections is increasing. 36% of Richland and Ashland county residents and 35% of Knox County residents have received one dose of the free covid vaccine. Those are some of the lowest rates in the state. And today Richland County is at a “high” vulnerability level, Ashland and Knox counties are “Medium”.

So, back to two weeks ago... we asked our readers who will put on a mask again. The results mirrored our vaccination rates. 34% of readers said they’d put masks on again and 66% said they wouldn’t.

But with the Delta variant spreading more easily and quickly now, it’s unclear what’s in store in terms of mask mandates. And CDC director Rochelle Walensky has repeatedly said there is a "pandemic of the unvaccinated" because unvaccinated people make up the vast majority of patients hospitalized with the disease.

Our poll is still open, so make sure to participate and see the most recent results by using the link in our show notes.

Also, to schedule a vaccine appointment near you, go to coronavirus.ohio.gov.

Is there something you’ve always wondered about Richland County that you’d like us to investigate? Check out richlandsource.com and click “Talk to Us”. Here, you can ask us anything and we’ll go out and find the answers.

Now, we’d like to take a moment to highlight the fire fighters who battled the blaze on South Main Street on Monday.

Crews from around the city responded Monday afternoon to a house fire that sent smoke billowing through the area, into the downtown, and shut down the street to traffic. No injuries were reported and firefighters worked to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby structures. More than a dozen off-duty firefighters were called in while Springfield and Madison township fire departments handled a few EMS runs.

Next, The Salvation Army Ashland Kroc Center distributed more food in 2020 than it has in any year since its inception.

In all, 479,000 pounds of food went to Ashland County residents in 2020 through the Kroc Center’s food pantry, commodity supplemental food program, and hot meal programs, according to data collected by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

To learn more, volunteer, or support the Ashland Kroc Center, please visit www.ashlandkroc.org

Finally, we’d like to take a moment to remember Shawn Todd.

Shawn Michael Todd is able to hear for the first time in his life. He passed into joyous freedom with his Savior.

Shawn was born to John and Betty and lived in Mansfield most of his life, graduating from Mansfield Senior High in 1971. He was employed at the former Geyer’s and E&B Market on 4th street for 20+ years and also worked at Eldridge Plastics.

Shawn was born completely deaf which was a very difficult disability in the 1950’s and 60’s. Sign language wasn’t taught to deaf children or their families at that time so communication was challenging to say the least. Still, he overcame this challenge with a naturally happy disposition and a great sense of humor. In his youth he was athletic and enjoyed cycling, running, racquetball, weightlifting and walking, a habit he carried into his later years, walking thousands of miles in all weather.

Shawn is survived by his wife, Serah Mutalemwa, his father, his brothers, sisters, numerous nieces and nephews, and his lifelong friends.

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

https://www.richlandsource.com/obituaries/shawn-michael-todd/article_3ba67f3c-f93f-11eb-96f4-eb6b32162a2e.html

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.