LEXINGTON — Taylor Gerhardt looked into the north end zone Thursday night just before kickoff, seconds before his first game in three years as Lexington’s football coach. “I will be honest with you. I looked down there and my dad is sitting in a golf cart with my daughter. I was just thankful to be […]
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 inElections
Decision ’21: Richland County voters to see contested races on 6 school boards
MANSFIELD — Richland County voters in six school districts will see contested board of education races on the Nov. 2 ballot, including Shelby, Lexington, Madison, Crestview, Loudonville-Perrysville and Ashland City Schools. Here is an overview of those contested races: Lexington Local School District Voters have four candidates to fill three seats: — Danielle Bussell, 29 […]
Posted inNews
Ritter’s Run Apartments developer seeks additional $140,000 in federal funds
MANSFIELD — The Ritter’s Run Apartments, a project to provide affordable housing for 55-and-older residents, hopes to receive an additional $140,000 in federal money. Mansfield City Council on Tuesday evening heard a request for the funds from the city’s pool of Home Investment Partnership dollars available through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency. The […]
Posted inNews
Mansfield City Council may postpone dry dam engineering vote until 2022
MANSFIELD — It’s possible the next Mansfield City Council will have the final say on a $1.5 million design/engineering study for a proposed dry dam in North Lake Park. That’s because a final vote on the proposed study may be postponed until early 2022 — when city finances are better known and perhaps more is […]
Posted inNews
Bellville, Richland County agree to split costs on new tornado siren
BELLVILLE — Bellville Mayor Teri Brenkus said Tuesday 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. Richland County commissioners agreed to split the costs of the siren with the village, with each entity paying $12,325.19. Originally, commissioners and village officials […]
Posted inElections
Richland County poll workers to receive $15 pay increases
MANSFIELD — Richland County polling place workers will see their first pay increase in eight years, beginning in 2022. County commissioners unanimously approved a request Tuesday from Richland County Board of Elections Director Matt Finfgeld and Deputy Director Jane Zimmerman that will pay workers each an additional $15 per election. Beginning in 2022, voting location managers […]
Posted inNews
Richland County Children Services employees rejoining county health plan
MANSFIELD — Richland County Children Services employees are returning to the county’s health plan, effective Jan. 1, 2022. County commissioners approved the request on Tuesday from agency Executive Director Nikki Harless, who said the agency “has been experiencing double-digit increases year after year” since going out on its own in 2017. The unanimous vote came […]
Posted inElections
Decision ’21: Shelby voters will determine trio of renewal property tax levies
SHELBY — Shelby voters will be asked to renew two property tax levies on the Nov. 2 ballot, among 12 such issues on the Richland County general election ballot. The City of Shelby is seeking renewals of a pair of five-year levies: a 0.9 issue for the Shelby City Health Department and a 0.5 mill […]
Posted inNews
Former OSU, Browns great Dick Schafrath dies at age 84
COLUMBUS — Dick Schafrath packed a lot of life in 84 years. He was a national champion during the 1957 season at Ohio State, where he was also captain of the football Buckeyes. He was an All-Pro lineman for the Cleveland Browns, where he won an NFL title. After that he was an Ashland County […]
Posted inSolutions
Blankenship: ‘I want people looking at us to see how to treat homelessness’
MANSFIELD — 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 when the Richland County Land Bank granted Harmony House Homeless Services the first shot at developing Hamilton Park. The former […]