MANSFIELD – Habitat for Humanity of Ohio has named Si Carmean the Volunteer of the Year for 2020. Carmean, a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity of Richland and Crawford Counties (HFHRCC), was nominated by the local chapter.

Loudonville's Jeanne Griffin, who serves as an experienced historical tour guide at the Cleo Redd Fisher Museum, won the Ohio Museums Association's Betty Bryan Volunteer of the Year award on Sunday, April 11th.  

One of my favorite things about humanity is how we need each other. Not one single person is completely self-sufficient. We each have strengths and weaknesses, skills and deficits, clear vision and blind spots. Each of us is in a constant state of development, always unfinished.

It’s 5:10 a.m. on a brisk Thursday morning. Ashland native Alex Sharick quickly walks through the gate to the Ashland High School football field where he is greeted by 11 other men beside the home bleachers. 

Last year, like many people, we had a couple of trips planned that we canceled due to the pandemic. Traveling is one of my favorite pastimes, and I’ve been eager for the restrictions to begin to lift so that we could begin to travel once again. Thanks to vaccines and updated guidelines from …

MANSFIELD – Refreshing summertime fun is coming to a pair of Mansfield parks after the Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $474,670 in grants during its April board meeting.

LOUDONVILLE -- A new swinging bridge will open up for public use next month at Mohican State Park.

MANSFIELD – In 2019, Alesia Litteral came close to losing her life after a violent assault from her late husband. Today, she’s grateful to the people who worked around the clock to save her life. 

MANSFIELD -- The Human Rights Campaign's most recent LGBTQ youth report surveyed over 12,000 teenagers in the U.S. In their responses, 70% reported feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness in the last week. Only 5% said all of their teachers and school staff support LGBTQ people.

Spring rolls originated in China sometime between the Jin Dynasty (265-420 BC) and the Tang Dynasty (618-906BC). The literal Chinese translation is chūn juǎn.  Spring rolls, originally called spring cakes, consisted of a thin flour pancake served with fresh fruit and vegetables. They were cr…

Sam Looney developed long-standing eye issues over the years. Due to having dry eyes, at night time she would notice big streaks in the headlights of cars she’d pass while driving.

When veterinarian Susan Burkhart first laid eyes on the stray pup four months ago, he was sick, tired and nearly dead.

Paradise Church had to cancel its community Easter egg hunt last year due to COVID-19. So this year, the church pulled out all the stops.

Saturday's Easter egg hunt in Butler was a mad dash for sweets and prizes.

MANSFIELD – Around 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening, about 30 people gathered by the gazebo in Central Park for the Mansfield Gay Pride Association’s second annual Transgender Day of Visibility event. The first event was in 2019, but it was cancelled in 2020 due to the coronavirus.

Like most millennials, I watched the entire catalog of Disney movies while growing up. I was well-versed in all things Disney, memorizing each song and earmarking useless bits of trivia for some indeterminate moment in life when knowing where to find all of the hidden Mickeys would be helpful.

LEXINGTON  – From a young age, Kristine Lindeman, vice president of Alumni Roofing, always looked for ways to be involved. Whether it be the secretary of the student council, a member of the PTO or eventually a board member of the Richland County Chamber.

Sarah Madden of the Shelby Lions Club plans to make the hunt an annual event.

MANSFIELD -- Delaney Beitel hopped up and down, surveying the brightly colored Easter eggs through her sparkly-rimmed sunglasses.

Grab your camera and head to Malabar Farm State Park and find Hope during these troubled pandemic times.

MANSFIELD – Donna and Jeff Heck, founders of local nonprofit 33 Forever, were both recently appointed to statewide boards of directors addressing suicide and mental health issues in Ohio.

Cleaning supplies can be dropped off at Mansfield Baptist Temple weekdays from 9 to 4 p.m. through April 5.

As we all breathe a sigh of relief now that the sun is shining and the spring weather is beginning to welcome us out of the long winter, Ohioans are prone to being a bit overzealous in our initial forays outside.

MANSFIELD -- Richland Academy of the Arts student Breckelle Miller, a 6-year-old vocalist, actor, and ventriloquist was recently crowned the Ohio State American Amateur Talent Competition winner.

MANSFIELD – As Easter rolls around, children look forward to the joy of receiving a basket full of sugar and artificially colored eggs from their parents. Unfortunately, children with incarcerated parents do not have that same luxury. 

Jenna Halfhill broke the school's previous record of 201 digits.

MANSFIELD – For over 50 years, Bill Hoeflich has served the Butler community as one of the only barbers in that location. As a prominent participant in the village, he’s earned a day for himself. Literally. 

A few weeks ago, I read a post on Instagram posted by a pastor who used to speak at the church camp I grew up attending. She posted about how, for years, she had mislabeled “fear” as “stress.” When her shoulders were tense, when her jaw was clenched, she attributed that to the stress of her …

Editor's Note: This is a monthly educational series about racism. Contributors include Donna Hight, Beth Castle, Margaret Lin, Deanna West-Torrence, Renda Cline, Tiffany Mitchell, Crystal Davis Weese, Brigitte Coles and Amy Hiner.

Colcannon is an Irish dish that is rich in tradition and folklore. It was first referenced in 1735 by William Bulkely, a traveler from Wales, who ate the dish in Dublin on Halloween night.

Rev. Stanley Wertz received his call to ministry later in life. Now he serves as a district director for TFC Global, a truck stop ministry.

MANSFIELD – When McKenzie Opie became a mother in 2018, she immediately knew she wanted to stay home with her son. But her family was accustomed to the income she brought home from working in a restaurant, and first, she needed a stable way to supplement that.

Janet Mitchell started having problems with her eyes at 65 years old. She developed macular holes in her right eye and needed surgery, then two years later she needed the same surgery in her left eye. 

Chris Hershberger's recently published his first children's book, Jr. Black Belts: Tournament Time. The book is illustrated by Eric Spayde, a senior at Mansfield Senior High School.

We’ve all experienced grief from the things lost over the past year, though some have lost far more than others. Over the course of the year, it’s been a common experience to hear people minimize their grief, however, in light of the great losses of others.

MANSFIELD – Ja’Bre Jones is a newcomer to the choreography scene, but he’s building a name for himself. One of the first places he’s starting is here in Mansfield, teaching young children not to limit themselves and their self-expression.  

MANSFIELD -- Shannon Hatfield could hardly believe the good news when her name was drawn to win a brand new Chevy Trax last week.

As a person who struggled with fear and anxiety for over 20 years, the one thing I learned was that ignoring your mental health issues can be a very costly mistake in your life.

The 183-acre nature preserve is undergoing restoration and will be open to the public at a later date. Fleming Falls is home to wetlands, waterfalls and forests and is owned and managed by the Richland County Park District.

BELLVILLE – Savannah Gasser started her freshman year at Clear Fork High School in 2019. She and her mom saved their money to buy a homecoming dress for months. She could hardly wait to find the perfect dress for her first high school dance.

I spent the past week with my lifelong best friend. Jess and I first met as preschoolers at our church’s Sunday school. We attended each other’s childhood birthday parties, were permanent summer camp buddies, saw every Harry Potter movie together on opening night, and served as bridesmaids f…

ONTARIO – An “ultra-runner” is devoted. No matter how long the run, they are willing to go the distance whether they’ve passed out, felt their kidneys giving out or have to stop on the side of the road to vomit.  

MANSFIELD -- Richland County's March of Prayer will kick off its third year of nightly worship and prayer services on March 1. 

Gabe Karns, a professor at The Ohio State University, has learned to adjust and adapt in his life. Armed with a doctorate in wildlife sciences, he is leading a maple syrup production/research project at the university's Mansfield campus.

The Tributary Reader editorial staff is currently accepting submissions for its Summer 2021 issue.

MANSFIELD – Victoria Langer, CEO of Global Medical Foam, is always on her feet. Owning a successful company geared toward the medical community sends her all over the United States to learn, develop and create. 

MANSFIELD — Ella Sweval burst into tears when her mother told her the news: The judges had chosen her. She was going to space camp.