Mayor Matt Starr Challenges Mount Vernon to Become a Stronger, More Grateful Community

Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr used this year’s Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast to challenge the community to think about gratitude in a deeper way.

Held Wednesday at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, the annual breakfast brought together community members for a message centered on remembering what God has given, noticing the people around us and turning gratitude into service.

Click HERE to hear the full address!

Starr opened by asking a simple question: what are we in danger of forgetting because something louder has captured our attention?

Throughout the message, he drew from Scripture and the stories of people including Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Viktor Frankl to show how gratitude can remain even during difficult circumstances. He also reflected on public service, noting that criticism is often louder than appreciation and that leaders have to be careful not to let the loudest voices define the whole community.

Starr said gratitude is not about ignoring problems. Instead, it is about remembering what is good while still working to improve what is broken.

He shared several local examples of what that can look like, including people who offer encouragement, pray for others, create second chances and quietly serve without recognition. Starr also pointed to WNZR’s Joe Rinehart as an example of someone who took time during an interview to ask a guest how he could pray for her.

Another theme was the idea that gratitude should lead to action. Starr said receiving grace, encouragement or another opportunity should eventually move people to extend those same things to someone else.

He also reflected personally on being given another chance with his health and how that experience changed the way he viewed gratitude and responsibility.

Near the end of the message, Starr returned to the idea of attention—encouraging those in attendance to notice the people they may be overlooking, remember those who have helped them and take the time to say thank you.

He closed by reminding the audience that Christian gratitude is ultimately rooted in God’s grace, and that a strong community is one that notices, remembers, serves and gives thanks.

Click HERE to learn more about the City of Mount Vernon!

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Glenn Goodwin Talks with WNZR About the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival!

WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talks with Glenn Goodwin, President of the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival Board.

Click HERE to listen to the entire conversation, or click the image below!

Glenn shares that he has been involved with the Old Time Farming Festival for more than 20 years. He first volunteered by helping with electrical work and through his family’s longtime food stand before eventually joining the board and serving as president.

As president, Glenn helps oversee the festival’s committees, coordinates preparations, and works to ensure that every volunteer group has the support needed to make the event successful. He emphasizes that while the president may lead the organization, the festival depends on the teamwork and dedication of many volunteers.

Glenn says one of his goals is to make sure every committee member feels valued as preparations come together for another successful festival weekend. The event takes place at Memorial Park in Centerburg, located near State Routes 3, 36, and 314. Activities begin Saturday morning with the annual parade at 10 a.m., followed by the opening ceremony and the official start of the festival.

Parking is available along State Route 314, where signs and banners will direct visitors to designated lots. Shuttle service will be available throughout the weekend, and handicap parking is offered inside the park.

The festival runs until 8pm on Saturday and they’re wrapping up at 5pm on Sunday. They have entertainment on the stage, and so much more. One of the biggest updates is moving the tractor parade from Sunday to Saturday at 4 p.m., allowing visitors to enjoy the parade before exhibitors begin loading equipment for the trip home.

Saturday’s activities also include live entertainment, a performance by the local band Hard Knocks, a children’s baking competition, and the annual pie auction, which serves as the festival’s primary fundraiser. Sunday features a community church service, choir performances, antique tractor pulls, square dancing, live entertainment and the festival concludes Sunday afternoon at 5pm with awards presentations and closing activities.

Glenn discusses the wide variety of food available during the festival, featuring many local Knox County vendors. You can enjoy barbecue, Mexican food, fish, breakfast options, blooming onions, sandwiches, ice cream, and other festival favorites. Local organizations, including the Boy Scouts, will also operate food booths throughout the weekend.

Glenn wants to see younger generations connect with older generations through the shared history of farming. Conversations between children, families, and longtime farmers help preserve agricultural traditions while encouraging appreciation for the area’s rural heritage.

This year’s theme is “America’s 250: Keep Plowing Forward.” Glenn says the theme celebrates America’s 250th birthday while encouraging people to continue building a stronger future for the next generation. He believes the festival serves as a reminder of the importance of community, hard work, and preserving local agricultural history.

Click HERE for more information about the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival!

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Lynn Brady Talks with WNZR About the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival Art Contest!

WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger talks with Lynn Brady, Art Committee Chair for the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival, about this year’s Youth Art Contest.

Click HERE to listen to the entire conversation, or click the image below!

WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger talks with Lynn Brady, Art Committee Chair for the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival.

Lynn Brady shares that she has served on the festival board for about five years, although her family has been attending and helping with the festival for nearly two decades. This year, Lynn and her daughter oversee the festival’s Youth Art Contest.

The contest invites students in grades one through twelve to create artwork that is displayed throughout the festival. Entries come primarily from Centerburg-area schools, but local homeschool students also participate. Lynn says the contest is a great opportunity for young artists to showcase their creativity while becoming part of a long-standing community tradition.

Lynn Brady explains that the artwork is displayed in the shelter house nearest the intersection of Routes 3, 36, and 314 inside Memorial Park. The exhibit remains open throughout the festival weekend, giving visitors plenty of opportunities to view the students’ work.

Students typically register through Centerburg schools, local art teachers, or homeschooling groups, with artwork being submitted through the Centerburg Library. Lynn says awards include first, second, and third-place ribbons, honorable mentions, and Best of Show honors for elementary, middle school, and high school students. New for this year are special patriotic awards tied to the festival theme, “America’s 250: Keep Plowing Forward,” along with a President’s Choice Award and a Grand Marshal’s Choice Award.

Lynn Brady says one of her favorite parts of the festival is watching families enjoy activities together and seeing students proudly show their artwork to parents and grandparents. She says the excitement on the children’s faces makes the art contest especially rewarding.

As someone who enjoys history, Lynn appreciates this year’s theme, “America’s 250: Keep Plowing Forward.” She says the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary is a meaningful milestone and is glad the celebration has been incorporated into the festival and the youth art contest. Lynn encourages families to visit the art exhibit during the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival and enjoy the creativity, talent, and community spirit that students bring to the annual event.

Click HERE for more information about the Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival!

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Rock City Worship Returns To The SonFest Stage!

WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger talks with Nathan Montgomery, worship leader for Rock City Worship, one of the headlining artists of Sonfest 2026.

Listen to the entire conversation HERE or click the image below!

Nathan serves as the Central Worship Pastor at Rock City and oversees the worship teams across all of the church’s campuses. He is married, has two children, with another one on the way!

Rock City Church was founded in 2011 by Lead Pastor Chad Fisher and his wife. The church’s primary broadcast location is in Polaris, with additional campuses in Hilliard, Columbus’ Short North district, and Saint Mary’s, Ohio.

While Rock City Worship does not frequently tour outside of the church, the group enjoys taking opportunities to serve its mission of “making Heaven full.” Touring is part of that mission, but their primary focus is equipping and serving their local church. When writing and recording music, the group is intentional about considering what the Lord wants to communicate to their congregation. Their songs are designed to teach people about God through lyrics rooted in Scripture and help listeners develop a deeper understanding of who He is.

Rock City Worship is excited to lead worship at Sonfest this year. The group began writing and recording music with the goal of equipping their congregation with a greater understanding of God through His Word. Their desire is to help people see God more clearly so they can worship Him more completely.

Rock City Worship recently completed recording their new live album, “Rehearsing For Heaven”. The project is inspired by Romans 12:1, which calls believers to offer themselves as “a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”. The album reflects the idea that, as children of God, believers are already living in eternity and we can live with that perspective every moment of our lives—not just on Sundays.

Many of the songs on the new album are centered on what the group describes as “straight vertical” worship, focusing entirely on giving God undivided praise. Songs include themes of declaring God’s holiness, such as singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” The first single from the project is scheduled to be released January 8, with the full album expected to arrive around March.

Nathan and Rock City Worship are looking forward to returning to the Sonfest stage this year. They enjoyed being part of last year’s event, which Nathan described as a time when people could encounter the tangible presence of God. He remembers the Sonfest audience being ready and prepared to worship the Lord and is excited to return, reconnect with familiar faces, and meet new friends.

This year, Nathan hopes the group’s time at Sonfest will help people see God more clearly and, as a result, worship Him more completely. He hopes that each person who sings along with the songs will walk away having learned something new or gain a deeper understanding of who God is.

Nathan also encourages listeners not to miss this year’s Sonfest. Last year marked his first experience at the festival, and he was amazed by the way he saw the Lord move throughout the event. He also appreciated the wide variety of musical genres represented by the many artists who participated.

If Nathan had to choose his favorite Rock City Worship song, he would select “Renew My Mind,” which will be featured on the new live album. The song focuses on the daily decision to choose praise over worry and to intentionally renew our minds each day. Rock City Worship will bring “Renew My Mind” with them to the Sonfest stage this year.

You can purchase tickets to SonFest 2026 HERE and find more information about this year’s schedule and lineup!

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Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival Returns September 19 & 20

The Centerburg Old Time Farming Festival returns to Memorial Park September 19 and 20, bringing a weekend of family-friendly activities, demonstrations, exhibits, food, crafts, and plenty of opportunities to celebrate the area’s agricultural heritage. WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart recently talked with Donna Strosnider, Board Secretary for the festival, about what visitors can expect this year.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture link below.

The festival is completely free to attend and begins Saturday morning with a parade through downtown Centerburg. Throughout the weekend, visitors can enjoy pony rides, historical exhibits, agricultural demonstrations, craft booths, food vendors, church services, and the popular horticultural exhibit. This year’s theme, “America’s 250: Keep Plowing Forward,” celebrates America’s 250th birthday while recognizing the history and progress of farming and rural communities.

Several longtime traditions will return, including the annual pie auction on Saturday evening, which serves as the festival’s primary fundraiser. The auction features creative pie and specialty packages from local bakers, artisans, and community members, with proceeds helping sustain the festival.

The horticultural exhibit will feature 40 categories, special ribbons for record-setting entries, new competitions, and the “Little Sprouts” category designed for young children. Visitors can also learn about history from Valerie Hamel, the “Civil War Herb Lady,” and see the return of the tractor parade at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Volunteers are an important part of keeping this free community festival running, and help is especially needed with setup, cleanup, and selling commemorative T-shirts, including a special edition shirt celebrating America’s 250th birthday. For the complete schedule, volunteer information, and festival details, visit oldtimefarmingfestival.com or find the Old Time Farming Festival on Facebook.

WNZR will be in the parade at 10am on Saturday and then at the Park for a live broadcast on Sunday from Noon to 4pm.

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One Shoebox, A Life Changed Forever

WNZR talks with Jennifer Paxtle, whose life was changed by an Operation Christmas Child shoebox she received as a 10-year-old growing up in a small village in Hidalgo, Mexico.

Click HERE or on the picture link below to listen to the full conversation!

Jennifer remembers the excitement of opening her first Christmas gift and discovering special items, including a baby doll, school supplies, a Dora playset and a T-shirt that said “Kentucky.” But the shoebox contained something even more meaningful—the Gospel message and an introduction to the story of Jesus Christ.

Jennifer’s journey eventually brought her and her family to Kentucky, where she gave her life to Christ and was baptized alongside her mother. With the encouragement of people she met through church, Jennifer went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees and now teaches high school Spanish in Richmond, Kentucky. Today, as a spokesperson for Operation Christmas Child, she shares her story to encourage others to pack shoeboxes, reminding them that even the smallest gift can create lasting memories and, more importantly, provide an opportunity to share the love of Jesus. Jennifer’s own story is a powerful example of how one simple shoebox can make a lasting and eternal difference.

Click HERE for more info on Operation Christmas Child!

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Two Scarecrows Bring Double the Fun to MTVarts’ The Wizard of Oz

Will Pletcher and Carter Skillman are sharing the role of the Scarecrow in MTVarts’ production of The Wizard of Oz.

Click HERE to hear our full conversation with the two actors or click on the picture link below.

Will is a 16-year-old junior at Fredericktown High School, while Carter is a 14-year-old freshman at Centerburg High School. Both actors have enjoyed the opportunity to put their own spin on the beloved character, especially the Scarecrow’s physical comedy, awkward movements and signature poses. They say being double cast has been a rewarding experience, allowing them to support each other and learn from one another. When they aren’t playing the Scarecrow, they remain part of the production as members of the ensemble.

Both Will and Carter have plenty of theatre experience, with Will appearing in productions including Frozen Jr., The Little Mermaid Jr., Matilda Jr., SpongeBob Jr., Grease and A Christmas Story, while The Wizard of Oz marks approximately Carter’s 16th production. They say one of the best parts of this show has been building friendships, making memories and watching fellow cast members grow. Both encourage young people to give theatre a try. Will says theatre has become one of the most enjoyable experiences of his life, while Carter reminds aspiring performers that success isn’t everything—being yourself, giving your best effort and enjoying the experience are what matter most.

Click HERE for more information about the show and to purchase tickets.

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Meet the Wizard: Devyn Hall Takes the Stage in MTVarts’ The Wizard of Oz

Sixteen-year-old Devyn Hall is taking on the role of the Wizard in MTVarts’ production of The Wizard of Oz. WNZR had a chance to chat with him about this experience.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture link below.

A junior at the Knox County Career Center, Devyn was surprised to get the role after originally auditioning for the Cowardly Lion. He prepared by watching the classic Judy Garland film and talking with a previous Wizard. Devyn describes his character as fun and entertaining, and audiences will see his unique take on the Wizard, complete with green-themed costume and elderly-style makeup. He also says he loves the message of hope in “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

This is Devyn’s 12th MTVarts production, following roles in Beauty and the Beast, Matilda, and The Little Mermaid. He says theatre has helped him build confidence and communication skills, and he hopes to pursue acting in the future. Devyn especially enjoys watching the younger cast members grow and helping encourage them along the way. He encourages others to give theatre a try—you never know when you might discover a passion you didn’t know you had!

For more information about the show or to purchase tickets, click HERE.

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road to MTVarts’ The Wizard of Oz

MTVarts is bringing the beloved story of The Wizard of Oz to life at the Knox Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon, and WNZR recently caught up with 14-year-old Jules Garrett, who plays the Wicked Witch of the West.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture link below.

A freshman at Big Walnut High School, Jules says she was thrilled when she received the email letting her know she had been cast—and immediately ran to tell her dad. Taking on the role of a villain has been a new challenge for Jules, who says she typically plays characters more like Dorothy. She has also had to tackle the Wicked Witch’s long speeches, along with several flying scenes. While singing is her favorite part of performing, Jules says one of her favorite moments is the song “The Jitterbug”. She describes her costume as a glamorous take on the classic Wicked Witch look, complete with bright green makeup!

This is Jules’ first MTVarts production, and she says one of the highlights has been making new friends and getting to know the cast during rehearsals. Her journey to the Wicked Witch role also comes with an encouraging message: Jules was cut from her first MTVarts audition for Beauty and the Beast Jr., but she came back, kept trying and eventually earned this role. She encourages other young performers to take a chance, get involved and not let a setback stop them.

The Wizard of Oz runs September 11–20 at the Knox Memorial Theater, with performances Friday, September 11 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, September 13 at 2 p.m.; Friday, September 18 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 19 at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, September 20 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are available through www.MTVarts.com

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Our Favorite Way To Consume Tomatoes!

For this week’s Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts are celebrating the 49th Fredericktown Tomato Show! The hosts share their favorite ways to enjoy the tomato.

Listen to The Morning Thing hosts’ Friday Favorites HERE, or click the image below!

More information about the 49th Fredericktown Tomato Show can be found HERE!

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