Special to 1812Blockhouse
The nasally bugles of a flock of sandhill cranes passing overhead is a sound and experience not soon forgotten. Thanks to monitoring and conservation work by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and partnering organizations, cranes can be sighted at Ohio’s wetlands and are once again breeding in the state – including in Richland County.
In 1987, the first pair of sandhill cranes returned to breed in Ohio after they were extirpated from the Buckeye State. In 2020, biologists estimated 58 breeding pairs and confirmed 25, producing upwards of 28 offspring. The slowly expanding breeding population indicates the success of ongoing conservation work, but sandhills are still listed as a threatened species in Ohio. Much work remains until their awe-inducing calls are heard with regularity. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
There is still an opportunity to catch the first Mansfield Art Center exhibition in its 2021 Calendar, a calendar which begins with an exhibition showcasing local artists and ends with the 52nd Annual Holiday Fair this November.
On view through this weekend, the initial exhibition, In Between Everywhere, sets out to highlight the work of 42 central Ohio artists in multiple mediums and styles. Each was chosen for consistency of vision and quality of work.
Curator for the exhibition is Adam Brouillette of Blockfort Gallery. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Bob Weaver, Deputy Director of the ODOT District Three office in Ashland, is featured in the newest Community Pulse! Podcast on Spotify.
Community Pulse is presented by the engineering and design firm Environmental Design Group. Each week the host is joined by an expert in these fields to, in the words of the podcast home page, “uncover the hard-hitting insights that drive our economy, organizations, and communities forward. If you want to hear about visions for the future, resilient leadership and lessons learned, you’ve come to the right place.”
In his position, Weaver provides oversight duties for a team of 374 employees. During the last major snowfall, some 110 crews were out plowing the snow and treating the roads. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
The Ohio Department of Transporation (ODOT) has been talking what it calls “active modes of transportation” as of late — walking and biking in particular.
To that end, the Department has taken research into these areas and input from meetings with stakeholders and created a plan of action. You are now invited to join in that process.
ODOT has released Walk.Bike.Ohio, Ohio’s first statewide plan for active modes of transportation. The themes, strategies and action steps contained in Walk.Bike.Ohio will address the plan’s goals of safety, equity, network connectivity, network utilization, preservation and quality of life. So many of our residents depend on walking or bicycling to remain mobile and connected; and so many also are choosing and prioritizing healthy, sustainable lifestyles. More…
Coming off of the momentum of the 2019 United Way of Richland County campaign, Mansfield City Schools was excited to engage with staff again on behalf of students and families. The district raised over $14,000 through January. This is an increase from the 2019 amount of $9,754, far surpassing the 2020 goal of $10,000.
“I can’t thank the staff and the leadership enough for their support of our organization,” said Dan Varn, Executive Director of United Way of Richland County. “The strength of the United Way is when we come together,” he added, noting that over 100 MCS staff members participated.
Each year, the staff at MCS are asked to contribute to the campaign to support programs and services that directly enhance life for MCS students and families. Staff can choose from various areas of giving including health services, youth development and family engagement. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
Snow Trails has one ongoing and two upcoming events over the next two weeks that include races and a special slalom course.
Click on any of the following for additional information:
By 1812Blockhouse
The Renaissance Performing Arts Association has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
According to a press release, “The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to announce the first round of recommended awards for fiscal year 2021 totaling $27,562,040. Supported projects span 14 artistic disciplines in communities throughout the United States. Also included in this announcement are the recipients of NEA Literature Fellowships in creative writing and translation and support for arts research projects.
“The creativity and resilience of artists and arts organizations across the country have inspired Americans during this challenging year,” said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
You’ve undoubtedly read about or heard news that the rates of COVID-19 infections have been going down nationally and across Ohio.
To see where things lie in that regard, we’re taking another snapshot using figures from Richland Public Health and the Ohio Department of Health, comparing numbers released on Monday with those shared three weeks earlier, on February 1.
According to the latest figures today from the Ohio Department of Health, the state is reporting 821,016 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, to date — 977 more than reported Sunday, including 84 new cases in the Mahoning Valley.
Of the state’s total cases, about 48,545 are presumed to be active infections.
The weekly volume of virus testing statewide has steadily decreased since late November. The average percent of positive tests continues a downward trend that began in early January.
So far this month, agencies statewide have administered an average 9,004 fewer tests per day than in January.
As a result of a data error at ODH, up to 4,000 COVID-19 deaths were not counted since October. The department has been adding the deaths to the state toll since last week.
Richland Public Health shared the following statistics on Monday (number in parenthesis is the same figure from February 1).
Last Friday, we reported on a dramatic decrease in infection among Richland County school students and staff. That post can be read here.
Reposted in part with permission from MahoningMatters.com – original post can be read here. Local information added from Richland Public Health; Image by Jeyaratnam Caniceus from Pixabay
Coronavirus, Featured, Public Health, Richland Public Health
By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News
Last December, Mirande Gross graduated from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a bachelor’s degree in communications. But Gross has changed her mind and is heading back to school in May for a one-year accelerated nursing degree program. The pandemic that has sickened more than 27 million people in the United States and killed nearly 500,000 helped convince her she wanted to become a nurse.
“I was excited about working during the pandemic,” Gross, 22, said. “It didn’t scare me away.”
Enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs increased nearly 6% in 2020, to 250,856, according to preliminary results from an annual survey of 900 nursing schools by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. More…
By FARNOUSH AMIRI Report for America/Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Legislative testimony made Wednesday in support of a GOP-backed effort to limit public health orders made by Ohio’s governor was removed from YouTube after the service deemed it contained COVID-19 misinformation.
The Google-owned platform said it removed content that was uploaded this week to The Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom channel for violating the company’s terms of services.
The video showed Thomas Renz, an attorney for Ohio Stands Up, a citizen group, make the opening testimony during a House committee hearing on a bill that would allow lawmakers to vote down public health orders during the pandemic. More…
By 1812Blockhouse
1812Blockhouse’s weekday morning e-newsletter, Richland Roast, has been heading out to inboxes throughout Richland County for almost two months.
Each edition contains the latest headlines and links to stories from 1812Blockhouse and other local media (including WMFD, WMAN, Richland Source, the Mansfield News Journal, and the Shelby Daily Globe), as well as links to other news stories, videos, and information about Richland County.
In a nutshell, it is the ideal way to become informed on what is happening on your street, in your city, and across the county.
We’re planning some updates to Richland Roast which we hope you’ll enjoy.
You can subscribe for free below.
By 1812Blockhouse
On February 21, 1940, 80 years ago today, the Federal Communications Commission authorized radio station WMAN to expand its broadcasting from daylight hours to a 6 AM to Midnight schedule.
Eight decades later, the station is still going strong.
Today, we share “Everything You Always Wanted To Know” about Mansfield’s long-time news and sports source at 1400 AM: More…
Everything You Always Wanted To Know About, Featured, Local Media, Mansfield History
Special to 1812Blockhouse
The annual Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition recently took place at Mansfield 1st Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Performing in the competition were local musicians: Samuel Prinz, Viola; Joseph Litao, Violin; and Ella Schag, Violin. Josh Bowman, strings teacher from Avon Lake, and Mike Sieberg, a violinist of Ashland Symphony, served as adjudicators. Ella Schag was chosen as the winner.
The daughter of Joseph and Keely Schag, Ella is a senior at Willard High School where she is concertmaster of the orchestra, member of the Symphonic Choir and Chamber Choir. She is also the captain of the Academic Challenge team, and varsity singles player for the Lady Flashes tennis program. More…
Competitions, Mansfield Symphony Youth Orchestra, Renaissance Theatre
Avita Health System has announced their first successful placenta donation through Lifeline of Ohio’s Placenta Donation program. With the addition of this program, expectant mothers now have the option to heal others through the donation of their placenta.
“Our medical and nursing staff in the OB department at Avita are extremely excited to participate in this program,” said Kathy Durflinger. “For years, placentas were discarded after birth. The scientific breakthrough of using placenta tissue for wound healing, and so much more, allows us to be part of something greater. With the support from our new moms and Lifeline of Ohio, we have the potential to positively impact numerous lives.” More…
By 1812Blockhouse
We don’t know about you, but we here at 1812Blockhouse are fond of occasional window-shopping… of houses. One of the favorite ways to do so back in the day was the Haring Realty Home Show, on each Sunday on WMFD-TV.
Richland County is, of course, home to a rich variety of houses of all types, prices, and sizes. From time to time, almost all of them become available on the market for interested buyers.
We’re started a series here on 1812Blockhouse called “Richland Houses.” With each post, we share a sampling of what is now on the market that fit a particular description. More…
