What's New With You?

A friend, a former Ashland resident, recently returned to town for a brief yet precious visit. As we met for lunch, she talked about seeing a number of changes in town, some I hadn’t even noticed. Her comments nudged me to pay a bit more attention to the new happenings in my environment.

So what’s new with you, Ashland?

As of Tuesday, there’s a new sheriff in town. Well, not exactly a sheriff, as Sheriff Risner still wears that hat, but we do have a new mayor-elect. Thanks, Mayor Fishpaw, for stepping in to provide the interim leadership needed to keep our city running this past year.

Congratulations to Mayor Matt Miller. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Move over, “Triple H,” the WWE wrestling celebrity: Ashland now has our own “Triple M,” just like the Triple M Ranch down the road in Loudonville.  I’m not sure if any of our other mayors have had nicknames, but there’s always a first, Matt, if you like it. If “Triple M” doesn’t suit you, we could have a contest to pick the best nickname for you if you want.

It was a hard-fought campaign from two qualified, passionate Ashland residents. I haven’t seen the numbers on voter turnout compared to past local elections, but the energy surrounding this election encourages me for the future of Ashland. Thank you, Sandra Tunnell, for taking the plunge into the mayoral race, and to my fellow Ashlanders for showing up for the debates and taking time to listen to the candidates. Thank you, too, for voting, the process so essential for the health of our democracy.

When I walked into the Eagles to cast my ballot, I did a double take. Paper ballots? What happened to the touch screen machines? Were we going back in time? At first, I thought the election workers were going to have to count those ballots by hand, but the new system scans our votes and tallies the results. Who knew?

We also have some new council members charged with representing our neighborhoods on city council. We’re grateful for those who have served and for those who are stepping up to govern into the future.

So what else is new in Ashland? After many weeks of singing “An-ti-ci-pa-tion . . . is keepin’ me waitin’,” or at least “making me hungry,” we’ve finally got our Chipotle. A new Burger King is underway, and who knows what the next few months will bring our way.

I’m excited to see the newbies in downtown Ashland as well: an escape room with a library of board games, the  Uniontown Brewing Company which is getting ready to open in the former Gilbert’s building, and the ongoing restoration work on the old Ashland Schines Theater – check it out the next time you’re downtown. And now Home Hardware is changing hands. Staff is already rearranging merchandise, and new items are on order. Perhaps they’ll have an open house or ribbon-cutting.

Have you seen the sweet little spot on 2^nd Street downtown, where children can have fun with art?  On Franklin, east of  Claremont, there’s the wonderful Tin Can Chandelier, a gathering place where even the least artistic among us can channel the spirit of Michaelangelo or Rembrandt – or even Grandma Moses. They’ve created a functional space for seasoned artists or rookies.

In the world of art, the Strength Through Connection Exhibit is now open through November 17 at the Coburn Gallery at Ashland University. Animation artist Tracy Miller-Robbins and graphic designer Jonathan Clyde Frey use art to help us build a better understanding of our diverse community populations. And nestled kitty-corner from the gallery, at the corner of Claremont and College Ave., lights were on in the former coffeeshop space as we walked to the AU football game last week. What’s going on there?

I’m grateful for the artists, entrepreneurs, and political leaders who heed the counsel of Meister Eckhart: “And suddenly you know. It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” As a community, we are enriched when our neighbors seek the magic of beginnings.

So what’s new with you?