News Man Weekly: Rusty Cates & Luke Wash preview Ashland BalloonFest 2026

This week on The News Man Weekly, Carl dives into a packed local agenda, addressing the "nothing to do in Mansfield" crowd by highlighting a weekend full of community events, from Juneteenth celebrations to the Miss Ohio parade. Carl shares his take on the History Channel's Washington docudrama, plus the latest on Richland County tax relief, state funding for the new Mansfield Playhouse and vehicle upgrades for the local police department. Later, Rusty Cates and hot air balloon pilot-in-training Luke Wash join the show to preview the upcoming Ashland BalloonFest and the history behind the "balloon town" tradition. This episode is powered by the great folks at Relax, It's Just Coffee. Relevant links: Ashland BalloonFest Facebook page Ashland BalloonFest website Some photos from BalloonFest 2025. Be a Source Member for unlimited access to local, independent journalism.Support the show: https://richlandsource.com/membersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.