MANSFIELD — Mansfield Christian School and its superintendent reached an undisclosed settlement agreement last month with a former student who accused the school of failing to protect her from abuse. The plaintiff, who attended Mansfield Christian as a high school student from 2010 to 2014, filed a civil suit against the school and Supt. Cy Smith […]
Katie Ellington Serrao
Staff reporter at Richland Source since 2019. I focus on education, housing and features. Clear Fork alumna. Always looking for a chance to practice my Spanish. Got a tip? Email me at katie@richlandsource.com.
Posted inLife and Culture
Young Leaders Institute pitches marketing ideas for Sterkel Park for All
MANSFIELD — Cole Eichorn delivered some tough news to the Sterkel Park for All committee Thursday morning. If they want to appeal to Gen Z, they need to log off of Facebook. “I don’t use Facebook,” said Eichorn, a sophomore at Lexington High School. “My mom’s a big Facebook person.” Eichorn presented his advice for raising […]
Posted inElections
Bellville-Jefferson Township fire levy back on the ballot
JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — Voters in Bellville and Jefferson Township may experience deja vu when they step into the voting booth in March. That’s because levy replacement and increase is back on the ballot for the Bellville-Jefferson Township Fire Department. Voters rejected a measure to replace a 2-mill operating levy with a 6-mill one in November. There […]
Posted inEducation
Mansfield BOE president: No new tax needed for PreK-3 building project
MANSFIELD — David Conley had good news for the Mansfield City school board Tuesday. “My perspective is that this district has been well-run financially for the last decade,” said Conley, the founder and owner of Rockmill Financial Consulting. “I think it’s safe to say that the Mansfield residents are receiving a lot of value for […]
Posted inLife and Culture
Ohio’s 1st Lady Fran DeWine visits Mansfield to promote free book initiative
MANSFIELD — Fran DeWine still remembers the moment she decided what her mission as First Lady would be. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a free book to more than 2 million children around the world each month. DeWine learned about the program years ago from two of its beneficiaries — her own grandchildren. “I was with […]
Posted inEducation
Malabar teacher earns award from Ohio Civil Rights Commission
MANSFIELD — Teresa McDowell has dedicated her career to helping struggling students learn to read. But when she found out she’d been selected for a teaching award, words escaped her. “I was very humbled, highly honored,” McDowell said, after a moment of reflection. “I felt appreciated. “I tell my students here, ‘If you work hard […]
Posted inSolutions
How an area agency on aging helped bridge the gap for in-home care
MANSFIELD — Kim McWilliams starts her workday at 8 a.m., but instead of clocking in at an office, she’s knocking on someone’s front door. McWilliams, a state tested nursing assistant (STNA), is a community care specialist with the Ohio District 5 Area Agency on Aging. Her job is giving senior citizens the support they need […]
Posted inElections
Lexington schools ask taxpayers to renew operating levy on March 19
LEXINGTON — Voters in the Lexington Local School District will see a renewal levy on this year’s March primary ballot. The fixed-sum emergency levy was originally passed in 1999, according to district treasurer Jason Whitesel. It generates $2.7 million in operating revenue each year. Whitesel said the levy revenue makes up about 10 percent of the […]
Posted inOpen Source
Mansfield couple leaps into forever with underground wedding ceremony
MANSFIELD — Leap Day will always have a special significance for Mike and Renea Zellner. The Mansfield couple tied the knot during an intimate wedding ceremony Thursday, making this Leap Day one they’ll always remember. The Zellners met while attending Mansfield Senior High School. “We dated for a short time, then kind of went our separate […]
Posted inNews
Housing authority: Marijuana use at home still illegal for tenants with vouchers
MANSFIELD — It’s now legal to use recreational marijuana in Ohio, but if you live in publicly-funded housing, things get a little more complicated. That’s because both recreational and medicinal marijuana use are illegal under federal law. Housing choice vouchers (Section 8) and other types of housing assistance are funded through the U.S. Department of Housing […]