MANSFIELD — More than a year ago Richland Source launched a project titled Healing Hope, geared toward addressing the region’s dismal infant mortality rate. That Solutions Journalism project earned us national attention, but more importantly offered a light for the community pointing out the local services available to combat a life-or-death issue. Today we begin […]
Larry Phillips
Posted inAshland University, Sports
Forget leaving town, follow the AU Eagles’ quest right here
ASHLAND — The Ashland University women’s basketball team is riding a 71-game winning streak and gunning for a second straight national championship. Unfortunately, while last year’s final leg of that journey played out in nearby Columbus (where AU fans could easily travel), this year’s tournament finishes in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. No worries. Ashland Source […]
Posted inCrawford Source
Buckeye Central falls to Ottoville in Final Four
COLUMBUS — The Buckeye Central girls basketball season ended at the Final Four on Thursday afternoon, to the same team that stopped last year’s tournament run in the Elite Eight. The Buckettes lost to second-ranked Ottoville 44-25 at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus during a Division IV state semifinal game. A year ago the Big […]
Posted inSports
LeBron is one of Ohio’s greatest treasures
CLEVELAND — Folks frequently ask sportswriters the most memorable thing they’ve covered. For me, the answer depends on the day. It could be an Ohio State football national championship, a Final Four, World Series clashes, NBA playoff games, world championship boxing, Jack Nicklaus in a PGA event, or 1-on-1 interviews with Bill Belichick, Urban Meyer, […]
Posted inCrawford Source, Sports
St. Peter’s claims 3rd straight district crown
WILLARD — A packed house, a tight game, pressure oozing from every corner, the St. Peter’s boys basketball team knows this scenario well. Just as it has the past two seasons, the No. 1-ranked Spartans came through Friday night to earn a 54-49 Division IV district championship win, this time over a spirited Colonel Crawford […]
Posted inSports
Buckeye Central bounces Lucas for district crown
WILLARD — Buckeye Central might be the best-kept secret in Ohio girls basketball. If so, their undercover season is about to be blown. Somehow, the Buckettes have compiled a 24-1 record without cracking the state rankings. But coach Greg Moore’s team is in the Division IV Sweet 16 after a convincing 66-43 district championship victory […]
Posted inSports
Cobb hits 1,000th point in Spartans’ sectional title win
LEXINGTON — Virtually the entire St. Peter’s cheering section worked in concert Friday night at Lexington High School. So when senior Elijah Cobb drained a trey from the right wing in the second quarter of a 70-30 sectional title win over Monroeville, the Spartans’ faithful was prepared. Coach Joe Jakubick signaled for a timeout as […]
Posted inRising from Rust
Richland Source launches Rising from Rust project
MANSFIELD — Simply hearing the term Rust Belt is enough to anger folks in this part of the country — like me. I’m tired of hearing it. The reference is not subtle. Some have described north central Ohio as the belt buckle of the Rust Belt, old, worn-out, useless, forgotten. At one time this region […]
Posted inArea History
How important is Richland County history to its residents?
MANSFIELD — A little more than a year ago Dick Baker asked me to sit in on a committee seeking to organize a Richland County Hall of Fame. Baker is a U.S. Navy veteran, a Lexington resident and a historian at heart. He found about 10 like-minded people from the community to share his vision […]
Posted inOpinion
The Post serves as worthy prequel to All the President’s Men
Last week our newsroom took a field trip to see The Post, a motion picture about the Washington Post and its work surrounding the Pentagon Papers in 1971. As we left, reporter Noah Jones ribbed me: “Better get ready, Larry. Here comes another Meryl Streep political commentary.” Noah knows full well I detest such foolishness […]