Local News

The village of Loudonville is receiving $1.78 million for improvements along its Main Street corridor, with the project focused on making the roadway safer and more accessible for people walking and biking. The funding will support the addition of five-foot-wide bike lanes with a two-foot buffer along Main Street between Spring Street and Brentwood Drive. The project also includes pedestrian …

Madison Primary is beginning the 2026-27 school year with new leadership and a new role within the Madison Local School District. Jessica Shaffner has been named principal and Regan Pore assistant principal at Madison Primary, the district’s newly consolidated Pre-K through second-grade building housed in the former Madison South Elementary School. Both administrators are Madison graduates returning to the district …

A 27-year-old Mansfield man was killed Tuesday night after the motorcycle he was riding crashed in Madison Township. The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the victim as Wesley Perdue, 27, of Mansfield. The crash happened at approximately 11:27 p.m. Tuesday, August 25, on South Trimble Road near West Cook Road. According to the Patrol’s preliminary investigation, Perdue was riding a …

The death of country music legend Dolly Parton at age 80 is being felt far beyond the music industry, including through a literacy program that has reached children throughout Ohio. Parton died August 25 following what her family described as a brief battle with cancer. Her legacy includes Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides children with a free, age-appropriate book …

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against an Ohio landlord, alleging he sexually harassed female tenants and retaliated against women who refused his advances. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against 72-year-old Alfred Falgiani Jr. of Girard, who owns and manages rental properties in and around the community. …

The Dawes Arboretum has officially begun construction on a new $17 million Welcome Center, marking the start of an 18-to-24-month project designed to significantly expand the visitor experience. The approximately 29,000-square-foot facility will serve as a central entry point for visitors, members and donors. Planned amenities include a café, expanded indoor and outdoor seating, a larger gift shop, exhibit space …

A longtime Mansfield manufacturer is moving forward with a $74.5 million expansion that is expected to create approximately 70 new jobs and add millions of dollars in annual payroll to the local economy. The Richland County Port Authority approved up to $21 million in revenue bonds Monday for Newman Technology, allowing the company to take advantage of state and local …

Mount Vernon City Council is considering several changes affecting city operations, public safety and transportation, including adding firefighters, restructuring how the city maintains its vehicle fleet and developing potential regulations for electric bicycles. City Could Add Three Firefighters Council discussed Ordinance 2026-29, which would increase staffing in the Mount Vernon Fire Department as the city prepares for the eventual opening …

The Freedom Center and community partners will gather at Ariel Foundation Park on Monday, August 31, to remember those who have lost their lives or suffered permanent injury because of drug overdose. The local event will begin at 5 p.m. and is being held in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day, an annual observance focused on remembering those affected by …

Knox County’s emergency communications system has entered a new era with the implementation of Next Generation 911, a major technology upgrade designed to improve how emergency calls are received, located and handled. Knox County 911 Operations Director Rick Lanuzza told the Knox County Board of Commissioners during its August 13 meeting that the county went live with the new system …