Each day, 1812Blockhouse collects and shares the best writing and most important stories from local and other media covering Richland County. For tweets from over 100 local sources, visit Richland Tweets (left sidebar on desktop, scroll down on mobile).
Daily updated lifestyle news from Ashland and Crawford Counties – Access here
By 1812Blockhouse
The bend in the Springfield Square shopping center in Ontario is a busy place these days.
Formerly the home of Staples, the storefront at 542 Lexington-Springmill Road is sporting a bit of a different look these days.
A sign on the facade heralds the imminent arrival of Ross Dress for Less, a discount department store chain from California. As of 2018, it was America’s largest off-price retailer with 1,483 stores in 37 states.
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By 1812Blockhouse
Did you know that on April 8, 2024, Richland County will be on the path for a total solar eclipse?
In our area, the full eclipse will last about 3 minutes and 18 seconds, starting at 3:12:15 PM.
A solar eclipse occurs when a portion of the Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the Moon which fully or partially blocks sunlight. This occurs when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned.
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By 1812Blockhouse
There’s about to be a change on Park Avenue West in the general vicinity of the Renaissance Theatre.
The city’s largest hotel operation is about ready to receive a new name. When it does so, it will end 60 years of the Holiday Inn chain having a presence in Mansfield.
The original Holiday Inn was located at 880 Laver Road, just off of US 30. That motel opened in 1962.
A bit over 20 years later, the large Holiday Inn Mansfield, later Holiday Inn & Suites, opened on Park Avenue West in downtown Mansfield, on August 5, 1984. A $7 million investment resulted in 160 rooms and the new Leland Ballroom, named after the short-lived hotel.
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By 1812Blockhouse
Fans of straight theatrical productions will have at least two opportunities this spring to catch a play at The Ohio State University at Mansfield.
Both productions will have auditions in the coming days (details below). They include:
February 25-28 – The Healing Project by Tiger Bradley
Mansfield playwright Tiger Bradley workshops his material in partnership with our campus theatre program. Bradley, a first administrator of New Community Temple and youth pastor for 20 years, has written several plays, including The Hurt and The Healed, to help people discover the root cause of their problems.
Performances a performance of will take place on Friday, February 25; Saturday, February 26; and Monday, February 28 at 7:30 PM and Sunday, February 27 at 2:30 PM. Auditions take place this Tuesday and Wednesday at Founders Auditorium.
March 31 to April 3 — Antigone by Sophocles
Meanwhile, in an act of defiance to honor her dead brother, one woman stands against the state. Antigone is a timeless play about recognizing the dignity owed to every person – whether we agree with them or not. This crisp abridgement and adaptation of the original Greek tragedy, based on a translation by R. C. Jebb, continues our theatre program’s recent effort to make rights-free, accessible versions of classical texts available to students and teachers everywhere.
Performances will take place on Thursday March 31; Friday, April 1; and Saturday, April all at 7:30 PM; and also Sunday, May 1 7:30 PM.
By 1812Blockhouse
In the 1980s, the name of David L. Cockley and tales of his heroism on the battlefield of the American Civil War, were largely forgotten. Efforts to organize records and sprucing up of Shelby’s Oakwood Cemetery in that period resulted in the recognition of just who he was.
Cockley was born in 1843 and entered the Union Army on October 20, 1862 as a private, quickly advancing to the rank of Full Lieutenant.
It was at the Battle of Waynesboro on December 4, 1864 that Lieutenant Cockley did something truly admirable and for which he was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
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Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Mansfield Symphony continues its season Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 pm with “The Titan,” a Side by Side concert with members of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra (MSYO) that will be performed onstage at the Renaissance Theatre.
The Mansfield Symphony presents a concert side by side with members of the Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra, performing Mahler’s “Titan” Symphony No. 1, a lush piece of well-known classical repertoire featuring innovative themes, including the use of the string bass on an iconic “Frère Jacques” solo.
More…Concert, Featured, Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra
By 1812Blockhouse
As anyone knows who is involved in construction these days – from house repair projects to large scale building erection – the costs of materials and the availability of labor are anything but certain.
More than once in north central Ohio over the last few months, those types of considerations have delayed or, in some cases, stopped worthwhile projects from starting.
It is not known at this point why it was the case, but when bids were opened today for the large Black Fork Commons project in downtown Shelby, the two bids received exceeded the estimate to such a degree that they must be rejected. Such was the news coming on social media Friday from veteran Shelby Council member Garland Gates.
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Special to 1812Blockhouse
Ohio State University President Kristina M. Johnson has shared her first safety update of the new semester, in which she urges students to look at all available resources, on and off campus and for the main and regional campuses, including OSU Mansfield. She also encouraged students to obtain COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.
“We’ve communicated quite a bit in the recent weeks about our efforts to remain vigilant in protecting ourselves and others from COVID-19. With the Omicron variant surging in Ohio, we are encouraging all eligible students, faculty and staff to get their booster and sign up immediately,” Johnson said in a new video (see below).
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By 1812Blockhouse
The beautiful, colorful creations of glass which comprise the Trail of Tears exhibit opening next week at the Mansfield Art Center are designed to represent the connection between mankind and nature.
What is clear is that visitors are in for a feast for the eyes.
After a decade of sharing Darren Goodman’s Glass Experience with audiences around the world, the “Trail of Tears” exhibition is composed of exhibitions throughout Paris and from Corning, New York to the Museum of Glass in Washington State. This will be Darren’s largest and most comprehensive exhibition in the United States.”
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By 1812Blockhouse
‘Tis the season for winter fun at Ohio’s premier ski resort, located right here in Richland County.
This weekend, there’s even more time to enjoy it.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday brings with it extended hours at Snow Trails. The Slopes and Tubing Park will offer extended hours beginning at 9AM Friday through Monday for Peak Days on the Slopes and in Vertical Descent.
Click here for slopes hours and rates, and here for tubing hours and rates.
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Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is announcing plans to prioritize the state’s supply of COVID-19 tests to first support testing for K-12 schools and colleges/universities. This comes as the state is experiencing a delay in shipment of more than 800,000 testing kits amid a nationwide shortage in COVID-19 testing supplies.
ODH has been making available both the proctored rapid Abbott BinaxNow at-home antigen tests and over-the-counter self-administered tests free to Ohioans at local health departments, public libraries, schools, and other locations. Ohio was one of the first states to prioritize widespread distribution of free rapid testing kits and has distributed about 5.6 million free testing kits – 1.4 million in December alone.
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Special to 1812Blockhouse
The Renaissance presents the Broadway hit musical “Spring Awakening”. Winner of 8 Tony Awards, the musical is based on a 1891 play by Frank Wedekind with a rock score by Duncan Sheik and Book & Lyrics by Steven Slater.
The musical tells the story of teenagers dealing with emerging sexuality under the harsh rule of their parents and teachers. “It’s a story that explores the trauma and wounds of childhood, intentional or not,” says Director Ryan Shealy. “It’s a very honest show about sexuality and how when someone is shamed for those feelings; it can have tragic consequences. It’s a message that unfortunately remains very timely and why we felt it was important to present.”
Caroline Grace Williams, who stars as Wendla says “This isn’t a show you will always agree with or watch to feel happy; but, theatre is supposed to be challenging.”
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By 1812Blockhouse
Yesterday and today we’re featuring a marriage of sorts between a unique and historic building and an exciting and vibrant new tenant to call it home.
Yesterday we shared a post from 2017 about efforts to bring a downtown building back to life. Today we’re looking at a business which is relocating into that very space.
Downtown Mansfield’s newest retailer claiming their own unique space along the street is Bloom Boutique.
Currently located in the Roots Salon, Bloom Boutique is opening later this month in their own space at 48 Park Avenue West in the historic Finley Block.
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By 1812Blockhouse
In our Richland Roots series, we briefly present the lives of men and women from Richland County — either by birth, or residence — that have made important contributions to American history but who may not be household names.
Other posts in our series can be viewed and read here.
Today’s subject may be one of the the wealthiest people that Richland County has ever produced. While that is a difficult concept to measure, in terms of accmuluated wealth for the time in which he or she lived, it would be difficult to beat the financial success of Verner Zevola Reed. More…
