MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Council in June opened the way for potential recreational cannabis dispensaries. It’s expected Tuesday to consider repealing a ban against medical marijuana, as well. Local lawmakers are scheduled to vote on two pieces of legislation that would undo what City Council approved seven years ago — a ban on medical marijuana […]
Carl Hunnell
City editor. 30-year plus journalist. Husband. Father of 3 grown sons and also a proud grandpa. Prior military journalist in U.S. Navy, Ohio Air National Guard. -- Favorite quote: "Where were you when the page was blank?"
Posted inNews
Former Mansfield police chief reflects on security challenges when U.S. president visits
MANSFIELD — Phil Messer knows what it’s like to try to protect the life of a U.S. president, helping to do just that when President George W. Bush came to Mansfield in 2004. Like millions of Americans, the retired Mansfield police chief watched television news on Saturday evening after a would-be assassin tried to kill […]
Posted inLife and Culture
‘Monster Truck Throwdown’ on Saturday at Richland County Fairgrounds
MANSFIELD — There is just something appealing about big, loud (and sometimes) flying Monster Trucks. Monster Truck Throwdown returned to the Richland County Fairgrounds for two shows on Saturday, one at 1 p.m. in the afternoon and a second at 7 p.m. in the evening. Five trucks competed in various competitions, each trying to outrace, […]
Posted inCommunity Development
Public-private partnerships shine as Mansfield celebrates Liberty Park rebirth
MANSFIELD — Obie Stillwell is still looking out for his hometown in Mansfield. The former Madison High School football star, who later walked on and lettered at Ohio State University, lives in Columbus. But the desire to help people back home still burns as bright as it did when he was an All-Ohio linebacker for […]
Posted inNews
Mansfield police seek public help catching a sports-car driving thief
MANSFIELD — Mansfield police are asking the public to help them catch a thief — who may be tooling around town in an expensive car. On June 6, the suspect walked into the Mansfield YMCA and gained access to a secured locker, where he allegedly stole two credit cards, according to police Capt. Randy Carver. […]
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Back to the start: Richland County Jail food services provider opts out of deal
MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners are back to cooking from scratch when it comes to a food services contract for county jail inmates. On Thursday, commissioners announced Trinity Services Group, a Florida-based company, was opting out of a deal signed less than three months ago. The company, which has supplied meal services to the 234-bed jail […]
Posted inCommunity Development
Liberty Park re-dedication: A community celebration of parks and progress
MANSFIELD — It was clear when Louis Andres took over as public works director in Mansfield in January that improving city parks would be a focus for new Mayor Jodie Perry. After all, Andres began his 40-year career parks and recreation career in 1978 with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources as a park naturalist, including 22 […]
Posted inLife and Culture
Mansfield Shakespeare Co. brings ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ to life
MANSFIELD — Alex Trolian sat in her high school English class and found a way to connect across more than four centuries with a character created by William Shakespeare. “I’ve always loved acting,” said Trolian, who will be a junior at Lexington High School this fall. “We read ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in class this […]
Posted inCommunity Development
Richland County Land Bank OKs $10K for 3-D capacity study at former Mansfield YMCA site
MANSFIELD — The Richland County Land Bank board on Wednesday approved spending up to $10,000 with a Columbus architecture firm to develop 3-D designs showing potential future development at the former Mansfield YMCA site. The “white box massing” work by archall architects will help show what sorts of buildings could best occupy the space at […]
Posted inNews
Return to Shawshank: Clancy Brown to participate in 30th anniversary at OSR
MANSFIELD — Clancy Brown will have a chance to see three decades of improvement when he returns to Shawshank State Prison. The 65-year-old Ohio native, who portrayed Capt. Byron Hadley in the “Shawshank Redemption,” will return to the Ohio State Reformatory in August for the first time since the iconic movie was filmed here in […]