Today – Richland County leaders say years of behind-the-scenes economic development work are now paying off in a wave of manufacturing expansions, downtown redevelopment and new opportunities across the county.

Today &ndash; Richland County leaders say years of behind-the-scenes economic development work are now paying off in a wave of manufacturing expansions, downtown redevelopment and new opportunities across the county.

Richland Source presents your daily dose of journalism. Listen to the top stories, breaking news and need-to-know information from your award-winning local news team.

Our music is by THE AFRXNTS

Richland&nbsp;Source presents your daily dose of journalism. Listen to the top stories, breaking news and need-to-know information from your award-winning local news team.
Our music is by <a href="https://linktr.ee/theafrxnts">THE AFRXNTS</a>

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Richland County Sees a Wave of New Development

This week on News Man Weekly, it's Richland County Fair week and Carl gives his top 5 fair foods. The crew also digs into the latest Richland County headlines, including the investigation into the May killing of 18-year-old Le’Ondra Messner, new economic development projects taking shape across the county and a debate at Mansfield City Council over whether more resources should be directed toward proactive youth violence prevention.

Later, we sit down with Mansfield native Tom Joudrey, creator of Passenger Seat, a three-part podcast revisiting the harrowing 2012 kidnapping of Jennifer Hurst. Joudrey explains what drew him back to a story from his hometown, how he reconstructed Hurst’s 12-hour ordeal and why the series ultimately became about much more than the crime itself. 

The conversation explores Hurst’s remarkable composure during the kidnapping, the collateral damage of addiction, Joudrey’s trip to Grafton Correctional Institution to interview Nathan Taylor and the ethical challenges of telling a true-crime story involving real people and lasting trauma. Joudrey also discusses why, more than a decade later, Hurst still feels compelled to tell her story — and what creating Passenger Seat taught him about storytelling, journalism and his hometown.

This episode is powered by the great folks at Relax, It's Just Coffee.
Relevant links:
Listen to Passenger Seat on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Mansfield police seek public help in finding 4 'persons of interest' from May homicide
Prevention vs. OT: Mansfield lawmaker pushes city to target root causes of youth violence
Manufacturing expansions and historic revivals anchor Richland County growth, officials say
Find all of our 2026 Fair coverage

Be a Source Member for unlimited access to local, independent journalism. GET 10% OFF when you sign up through Aug. 16. 

This week on News Man Weekly, it's Richland County Fair week and Carl gives his top 5 fair foods. The crew also digs into the latest Richland County headlines, including the investigation into the May killing of 18-year-old Le&rsquo;Ondra Messner, new economic development projects taking shape across the county and a debate at Mansfield City Council over whether more resources should be directed toward proactive youth violence prevention.
Later, we sit down with Mansfield native Tom Joudrey, creator of&nbsp;Passenger Seat, a three-part podcast revisiting the harrowing 2012 kidnapping of Jennifer Hurst. Joudrey explains what drew him back to a story from his hometown, how he reconstructed Hurst&rsquo;s 12-hour ordeal and why the series ultimately became about much more than the crime itself.&nbsp;
The conversation explores Hurst&rsquo;s remarkable composure during the kidnapping, the collateral damage of addiction, Joudrey&rsquo;s trip to Grafton Correctional Institution to interview Nathan Taylor and the ethical challenges of telling a true-crime story involving real people and lasting trauma. Joudrey also discusses why, more than a decade later, Hurst still feels compelled to tell her story &mdash; and what creating&nbsp;Passenger Seat&nbsp;taught him about storytelling, journalism and his hometown.
This episode is powered by the great folks at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.relaxitsjustcoffee.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.relaxitsjustcoffee.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1xA_FjsPEHNbV013dhtZFZ">Relax, It's Just Coffee.</a> Relevant links:
<ul>
<li>Listen to Passenger Seat on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/passenger-seat/id1887543199" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/passenger-seat/id1887543199&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0TxTYcw2SN6wUYieswmuNZ">Apple Podcasts</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6BcKPrVTOvmOPCPYbRWMco?si=q_3mqBLLSL-6ukietL3JcA&amp;utm_source=copy-link" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://open.spotify.com/show/6BcKPrVTOvmOPCPYbRWMco?si%3Dq_3mqBLLSL-6ukietL3JcA%26utm_source%3Dcopy-link&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0zzOpAZy-2odVYUfpCUlk1">Spotify</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/07/mansfield-police-ask-public-help-in-finding-4-persons-of-interest-from-may-homicide/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/07/mansfield-police-ask-public-help-in-finding-4-persons-of-interest-from-may-homicide/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2FkmyzjGy0-jJWjiSq0gyO">Mansfield police seek public help in finding 4 'persons of interest' from May homicide</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/05/prevention-vs-ot-mansfield-lawmaker-pushes-city-to-target-root-causes-of-youth-violence/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/05/prevention-vs-ot-mansfield-lawmaker-pushes-city-to-target-root-causes-of-youth-violence/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1J0O9dRNYN_c7PrBmQ-v6i">Prevention vs. OT: Mansfield lawmaker pushes city to target root causes of youth violence</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/06/manufacturing-expansions-and-historic-revivals-anchor-richland-county-growth-say-officials/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.richlandsource.com/2026/08/06/manufacturing-expansions-and-historic-revivals-anchor-richland-county-growth-say-officials/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3kvEGfW-MJC9LnYxLx7i91">Manufacturing expansions and historic revivals anchor Richland County growth, officials say</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.richlandsource.com/tag/richland-county-fair/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.richlandsource.com/tag/richland-county-fair/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1wX5jyh2CkJaXwseRwZR3R">Find all of our 2026 Fair coverage</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.richlandsource.com/members/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.richlandsource.com/members/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1786461190447000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1teCOIBNh9CAJ6dxbYQWQh">Be a Source Member</a>&nbsp;for unlimited access to local, independent journalism. GET 10% OFF when you sign up through Aug. 16.&nbsp;

News Man Weekly: Tom Joudrey discusses his podcast 'Passenger Seat' about the 2012 kidnapping of Jennifer Hurst in Mansfield

Today – Two Columbus men are in custody after authorities recovered 27 firearms and a taser stolen during an early-morning break-in at Fin Feather Fur Outfitters in Ashland.

Today &ndash; Two Columbus men are in custody after authorities recovered 27 firearms and a taser stolen during an early-morning break-in at Fin Feather Fur Outfitters in Ashland.

Two Arrested in Ashland Gun Store Break-In

Today – A Mansfield councilwoman is urging city leaders to invest more directly in preventing youth violence, rather than relying primarily on police overtime and crime analysis after violence occurs.

Today &ndash; A Mansfield councilwoman is urging city leaders to invest more directly in preventing youth violence, rather than relying primarily on police overtime and crime analysis after violence occurs.

Richland County Sees a Wave of New Development

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