Episode 027 – 7/1/20

Welcome to another episode of About Mansfield, I’m Steve Cosio with Coleen Daniell, she is broadcasting from home today, along with the entire About Mansfield news team. Thank you for being here. This is Episode 27 and coming up on this episode, news and local weather for the upcoming week. And, as always, we will conclude this episode with the trivia question of the week for a $25 gift card to 360 Brunch House.

Let’s take a look at this week’s headlines:
• Early voting has begun in Mansfield
• COVID-19 virus continues to spread in Mansfield
Mansfield Farmers Market opens to a better than expected crowd
• North Texas cities offer ways for you to watch fireworks in comfort
• Possessing fireworks could add to the cost of the retail price

Alexa is here with the weather and we have an in-studio interview with Mansfield Heritage Foundation president Dr. Christopher Ohan. We are Mansfield’s only source for news, talk and information. This is About Mansfield.

NEWS

Welcome back to About Mansfield.

Early voting has begun in Mansfield, which should be a very easy task this time around since this election is a run-off from a previous one. The Democratic ballot has two races; one for U.S. Senate and the other for Railroad Commissioner, while the Republican ballot has just one race; a Justice, 2nd Court of Appeals District, Place 7. If coronavirus is a concern, it is recommended that you bring your writing pen, wear a mask and use hand sanitizer that is provided at the polls before and after casting your ballot. Early voting takes place at the Mansfield Sub‐Courthouse located at 1100 E Broad Street and runs through July 10 with the exception of being closed July 3 and 4 for the Independence Day holiday. Election Day is Saturday July 14.

—0—

COVID-19 epidemic is not getting any better in Mansfield and why can’t science make up its mind about masks? Filing from home, About Mansfield’s roving science reporter Dennis Webb has the story.

[WEBB]

—0—

The Mansfield Farmers Market opened their 2020 season on Saturday. Manager Pam Comeau said the turnout was awesome. [PAM 1] Comeau told me that the market is taking precautions during the coronavirus pandemic. [PAM 2] This year’s market not only has many of the same vendors as years past but several new vendors as well. [PAM 3] And, of course, there’s the big pink ten. [PAM 4] And will the market be open on Independence Day? [PAM 5] You can find the Mansfield Farmers Market at the corner of Broad and Walnut Creek in the Mansfield Mission Center Thrift Store parking lot.

—0—

Fourth of July is this weekend and that usually means packing up the family and making the short trek to Big League Dreams to watch fireworks at the annual Rockin’ Fourth event. Due to the coronavirus, the city council voted back in May to cancel the event but you still have options. Addison’s Kaboom Town fireworks will be streamed live on their YouTube channel on Friday July Third, while Fort Worth’s Fourth fireworks will be streamed on their website, FortWorthsFourth.com, with a choreographed soundtrack on 95.9 FM The Ranch. Go forth… and enjoy!

—0—

Speaking of fireworks, possessing purchased pyrotechnics within city limits could be costly. About Mansfield’s Robby Terry has the story.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states that fireworks were involved with an estimated 10,000 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2019. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for 36 percent of those injuries. Mansfield Fire-Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Smith said that, simply put, fireworks are illegal within Mansfield city limits. [SMITH 1] If caught with fireworks, they can be confiscated if you are setting them off within city limits but it’s the fine that’ll set you back a pretty penny. [SMITH 2] That’s a hefty penalty for something as simple as a sparkler. [SMITH 3] Chief Smith added the use and misuse of fireworks can also lead to damages to personal property and grass fires that can spread out of control, and that spreads their crews pretty thin.  [SMITH 4] If you encounter illegal fireworks within city limits you can call the Mansfield Police non-emergency number at 817-473-0211. Reporting for About Mansfield, I’m Robby Terry.

—0—

WEATHER

Saturday is Independence Day, the Fourth of July, and is also National Sidewalk Egg Frying Day, which reminds me of my friends Edie and Eddie. Edie eagerly eats elegant Easter eggs while each Easter Eddie eats eighty Easter eggs. Let’s find out if Mother Nature is going to allow us to fry an edible delectable sunny-side up on the sidewalk this week. Alexa? [ALEXA]

IRRIGATION TIP

The Tarrant Regional Water District recommends that the majority of lawn owners in Mansfield can leave the sprinklers OFF this week due to heavy rainfall last week. You may want to check your soil moisture and add up to a quarter-inch of water later in the week, if needed. Infrequent and deep watering is what you want to build strong roots. For more watering and irrigation tips, log onto WaterIsAwesome.com.

That’s a look at news and weather. If you have a news tip that you would like us to follow up on, send us an email to news@aboutmansfield.com. Again, that’s news@aboutmansfield.com.

Just a reminder to follow this podcast so you will be automatically notified when a new episode is released. The easiest way is to log on to our website at AboutMansfield.com and enter your email address under the “Follow Podcast by Email” heading on the home page. And, if you own an Amazon device, listening is as easy as saying, “Alexa, play the About Mansfield podcast.”

You can also ask Siri to play the About Mansfield podcast on Apple devices. Coming up after the break, an in-studio interview with Texas Wesleyan University Professor of History Dr. Christopher Ohan. Stay with us. I’m Steve Cosio with Coleen Daniell, and the entire news team and this is About Mansfield.

———————————————

INTERVIEW

[OHAN] We’re talking with Dr. Christopher Ohan, president of the Mansfield Heritage Foundation. We’re going top pick up Part Two of this interview next week where we’ll get into the removal of Confederate statues and talk about school history text books. So, be sure to tune in next week on About Mansfield.

———————————————

LISTENER COMMENTS

We welcome all feedback about the program. Feel free to chime-in by sending an email to comments@aboutmansfield.com or by voicemail at 817-435-2938. That’s 817-435-2938. We’ll read or play back some of the comments in a future episode. Let’s hear about this week’s trivia winner in what was undoubtedly the most difficult question to date. Coleen?

TRIVIA WINNER

Congratulations to April Mendenhall who was the first person to email the correct answer to last week’s trivia question — How many ZIP Codes border Mansfield? And can you name them?

According to United States Postal Service website, 12 ZIP Codes border Mansfield: 75052, 75054, 75104, 76001, 76002, 76009, 76028, 76060, 76061, 76065, and 76084. April has won a $25 gift card to Fish City Grill. After the break, this week’s trivia question of the week. I’m Coleen Daniell and this is About Mansfield.

———————————————

TRIVIA

It’s time for the highly-coveted, wildly popular, Trivia Question of the Week. The first person to email the correct answer to trivia@aboutmansfield.com will receive a $25 gift card to 360 Brunch House, serving “breakfast for the neighborhood!” Located on Broad Street in the shadows of Newsom Stadium, you can find them on the Internet at 360BrunchHouse.com.

Let’s get to this week’s question. Coleen?

Well, Steve. Big League Dreams in Mansfield celebrated its twelfth birthday this spring. The California-based company has eleven locations through the United States on which baseball or softball players can “play ball” on fields that replicate present-day or former Major League baseball fields. Mansfield’s location has eight replica fields.

The question is: [YOU MUST LISTEN FOR THE QUESTION]

Email your answer to trivia@aboutmansfield.com.

Good luck and thanks to Nick and Al at 360 Brunch House for the gift card.

CLOSING

Coming up next week on About Mansfield: our usual array of news, talk and information including Part Two of our in-studio interview with Texas Wesleyan Professor of History Dr. Chris Ohan. The show will be released on Wednesday July 8th. Until then, don’t forget to follow to this podcast, if you haven’t already, so you never miss an episode. It’s free and easy. Just enter your email address on our website, About Mansfield.com. We will never send you any spam, we promise. Thanks for listening. For Coleen Daniell, and the entire news team, I’m Steve Cosio and this… is About Mansfield.

#