MANSFIELD — The internet and its social media culture are amazing things, especially to someone who grew up using manual typewriters for writing, slide rules for calculating and party lines for talking on the phone.
We now literally communicate globally at the speed of sound — or as fast as the high-speed internet will allow. Good news travels fast.
Sadly, bad news seems to travel even faster, as do negative comments and thoughts. We live in an age where we love to tear one another down, seemingly for sport.
Regardless of positive news developments in a community, someone will take issue with it. You see the comments every day on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more.
Negativity abounds on the World Wide Web. Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh fame would love the internet.
“Nothing will work. This will fail. There is nothing to do. This is a joke. Mansfield is a terrible place to live. Nothing good happens here. I can’t wait to move away from here …”
And so on, and so on and so on.
I usually bite my tongue when I see them. And then stop my fingers before I type a pithy online response.
But the simple fact is — the naysayers are short-sighted, out-of-touch and/or just plain wrong.
I have lived and worked in north central Ohio for almost 30 years, coming here after growing up in the south and then living/working in three other Ohio communities.
I don’t recall when there were so many good things going on at once in this area. Yep, you read that correctly.
So many good things.
So many that perhaps we are losing track of them all.
I am proud to work for a media company that understands the true value of covering the positive things that happens in a community. There is plenty of bad news to report. News, by its inherent nature, is often bad. We cover that at Richland Source, Ashland Source and KnoxPages.
But we also report the good. The positive. The things happening in a community that will have a true, long-lasting impact. We actively look for these stories. It’s good journalism.
Just to test my theory, I looked back over the past few weeks of stories we have published on our sites. Take a look for yourself:
Efforts underway to help revitalize the Miracle Mile in Mansfield
EPA awards $411K Brownfield grant to clean up former Swan Cleaners
Mansfield City Council approves spending $25,000 for a skatepark design
Hospice of North Central Ohio to break ground on new facility in Ashland this summer
The Knox County Foundation awarded more than $1 million for the second straight year
Richland County commissioners approve $100,000 CDBG request for new roof at Dayspring
Real estate market is booming with more than 200 property sales in last month
Richland County voters will have $2.5 million worth of new voting machines in November
Think there is nothing to do this summer? Try these 100 things!
Ontario officials visiting Washington, D.C. to actively market the former GM property
New manufacturer coming to Lexington and bringing 60 jobs with it
10 Richland County students honored for their courage
Mansfield YMCA just opened new splash pad
Mansfield Art Center recently broke ground on new educational wing
That is all in the last month, folks. Right here in OUR backyard. That’s just a taste. Dig in yourself and you will find even more.
So the next time you see someone post on social media there is nothing good happening in north central Ohio, feel free to tell them they are wrong.
And now you have the news to prove it.
Part of our mission here at Richland Source is to tell the whole story of where we live, and it’s truly a community-wide effort. If you agree with Carl that there’s a lot to look forward to here, consider becoming a member today.
Click here to learn more about membership.
