Dear reader, it’s time for the long-awaited third installment of “Anonymous Assembly,” a column where I answer a handful of questions submitted anonymously to our newsroom.
We receive hundreds of submissions on our Open Source platform, where readers can submit questions to our newsroom that we answer in article form.
Other submissions aren’t always fit for a story. Sometimes it’s because they’re easily answered in one or two sentences. But other times … well, you can read for yourself.
Please keep scrolling to find our most random assortment of anonymously-asked Open Source questions, and their answers. And if you’d like to be featured in our next installment, click here to submit your question.
• When is the next Mansfield City Council meeting?
At the time of this article’s publishing, the next city council meeting is on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 — they typically meet on the first and third Tuesdays of every month.
Did you know that all city council meetings are scheduled out through the end of the year? You can click here to see council’s full meeting schedule. And click here to read the minutes of all meetings that have occurred since 2019.
• Are they going to open the tunnels under downtown Mansfield to the public?
I am going to assume that you are referring to the infamous underground caverns that were once a longstanding urban legend, and have since been uncovered.
The last time we wrote about these caverns was in February 2020, when there were big hopes to open them for private dining with Hudson & Essex the following April. Obviously, those plans changed.
On June 30, Hudson & Essex announced on Facebook that the caverns would be opening “soon.”
Then, just yesterday, an email from Hudson & Essex appeared in my inbox with the headline “THE CAVERNS ARE OPEN!!”
“Join us for a fine dining experience in the historic Caverns discovered under Hudson and Essex,” the email reads. “You can now book your reservation for our new restaurant, Prohibition at the Caverns.”
Reservations are limited and this unique experience includes an eight-course meal handcrafted and created by the Hudson & Essex culinary team. Seating is available for dinner Friday and Saturday evenings only.
All reservations must be prepaid. Prices are $190 with wine, $165 without. Gratuity and taxes included.
• I want to get rid of negativity in my life and evil
We wish you well on your worthy and noble quest, dear reader.
• details about Luna Park
You might not guess that North Lake Park was once a lively and thriving amusement complex called Luna Park. Former history columnist Timothy McKee produced a 12-minute video about this very topic:
• This is a quick comment on the splash pad at Johns Park. I think it is a wonderful thing for the children and their families in the area to cool off during the hot days of summer. I am very glad for them. I think more of the story needs told. Are lifeguards on duty, the cost to participate, and how the project was funded? I’m sorry if this info was released earlier and I overlooked. Usually I keep up on the developments of my old neighborhood.
A quick search through our archives reveals multiple stories that we’ve published about the development of the splash pads at both Johns Park and North Lake Park, but the latest one comes from our own Carl Hunnell on June 22:
Mansfield City Council accepted a $168,000 grant more than a year ago from the Richland County Foundation to install new splash pads at two city parks on the north side.
There is no cost for the public to enjoy the splash pads. As far as we know, no lifeguards are on duty, but there is also no standing water — the splash pads are simply fountains on concrete.
• What is the name of the purple leaved tree saplings along the tree line on the west side of South Park’s main entrance?
I texted this exact question to Mark Abrams, manager of Mansfield’s Parks & Recreation department. He drove to the location described, and sent me the picture on the right for reference.
“It’s a redbud forest pansy,” he said.
I turned to the internet for a little more information — the “Forest Pansy Redbud” produces a wine-colored purple leaf in the spring. Clusters of tiny, rose-purple flowers bloom for two to three weeks in March and April.
Their heart-shaped leaves open bright reddish-purple and then gradually mature to a more subdued purple in the summer, eventually turning green with only spurts of purple. Then in the fall, you’ll see the typical display of yellow and orange leaves.
It sounds like these little trees will brighten up South Park will a myriad of colors year-round!
• Wooster. Free on-street parking downtown. Ashland. Free on-street parking downtown. Mount Vernon. Free on-street parking downtown. Mansfield. Why can’t we get people to come downtown?
The question of bringing people downtown naturally falls to Jennifer Kime, CEO of Downtown Mansfield, Inc. She noted that people come to downtown Mansfield for a plethora of reasons, including unique dining, shopping, attractions and events. And when they get here, they have plenty of options for free parking.
There are three city lots that offer free parking downtown, located at: Fourth and Main Street; Third and Diamond Street; and most recently, 29 new spaces at the southwest corner of Park Avenue West and Mulberry Street.
There is also free street parking along Fourth Street, Diamond Street, and sections of Mulberry and Walnut streets.
“Long-term, we continue to reevaluate the need for public, street and off-street parking downtown, and it’s ever-evolving,” Kime said. “The relationship between downtown, pedestrians and businesses is always improving.”
• Why is it OK for musicians to pose for pictures doing hand gang signs? That promotes violence. In my opinion These young children and teenagers look up to them . If Christian’s started holding up small crosses we would be sued for pushing our beliefs. Why is everyone excepting all wrong doings? For votes, money, and power. Is that why? Seems like every bad thing is becoming OK. Regular cable TV is suppose to be PG but there is cursing and showing same-sex couples on Hallmark. What is going on? You can’t go into the theater if there’s cursing in a movie if you ain’t 18, but you can watch it on regular cable. Enough is enough. Christians shouldn’t have to get rid of cable. It needs to stop. Enough is enough.
Whew, lots to unpack here.
First, since this was a question asked to us here at Richland Source, I looked for examples of musicians posing with “hand gang signs” on our site, assuming you were referring to something you saw in our content. I reviewed our latest music content, the galleries of local musicians performing at this year’s Newsroom After Hours shows on April 16, May 13 and June 17.
I’m no expert on “hand gang signs,” but all I saw were pictures of talented young people enjoying each other’s company. (By the way, feel free to join us at our next Newsroom After Hours concert on Friday, Aug. 19.)
So I’m not sure how this comment relates back to our content at the Source. But moving on.
Thanks to the Constitution, Christians would actually not be “sued for pushing our beliefs.” The First Amendment says that everyone in the United States has the right to practice his or her own religion — or no religion at all. Furthermore, the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment gives you the right to worship — or not — as you choose. The government can’t penalize you because of your religious beliefs.
In fact, that same amendment applies to cursing on television, too. According to the Federal Communications Commission, obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment, so it IS prohibited on “cable, satellite and broadcast TV and radio.” However, the same rules for indecency and profanity do not apply to “cable, satellite TV and satellite radio” because they are subscription services.
Now, I can appreciate that everyone’s threshold for that kind of content is different, so if you’re feeling particularly bristled the FCC recommends that any complaints be made directly to the stations and networks involved.
Finally, let’s go back to the First Amendment one more time. You’ll notice the same amendment that protects your right to practice Christianity, also protects others’ right to not practice Christianity, or any religion at all if they don’t want to. Which means you cannot expect or demand that everyone hold your same beliefs and standards in all music, television shows, or even Hallmark movies. Our Constitution protects the freedom to express all kinds of beliefs, in all types of content. Diversity is a beautiful thing.
I’ll leave you with one last thought from Brandon Wolf, a survivor of the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016 that killed 49 people and wounded 53 more: “Being told you can’t force your belief system on everyone else is not oppression.”
