Today on The Morning Thing we talked about the artists we play on our station! We shared some information about their music, about their lives, and some upcoming tours and albums!

Three of our lovely ladies are pregnant!!! Congratulations to Francesca Battistelli, Kari Jobe, and Jodi King from Love and the Outcome on their announcements and future additions to their families 🙂

We also have artists coming out with new albums! Rend Collective comes out with their new album “As Family We Go” TODAY! Sidewalk Prophets new album “Something Different” comes out on Friday the 28th of August, and Building 429 comes out with their new album “Unashamed” on September 25th! We are excited for lots more new music!

For our What’s Trending segment, we talked about how the Mars Rover has managed to take a ‘selfie’ of itself!

The Mars Rover uses a robotic arm as a ‘selfie stick’ to capture this dramatic image of its surroundings on the Red Planet. You can learn more about that here.

We also shared our Fav Five for the week!!

Back to school has been happening for most people and is an exciting time of year!
Here are our 5 favorite things about going back to school:
1. Getting to see old friends, and having the chance to make new ones! Friends are so important and it’s always a lot of fun to have the opportunity to include them in different aspects of our lives.

2. New stationary! I don’t know about you, but getting new stationary is always so exciting and makes us feel super organized and neat. Also, there are so many different types of stationary and different patterned notebooks to choose from that everybody can still be unique in their options.

3. The chance to learn new things and new classes! If you get to choose some of the classes you get to take, it’s very exciting to be learning something that you’re passionate about and will want to apply to every aspect of your life. Even if there are classes you don’t get to choose, they can still be applicable and actually help turn us into well rounded people.

4.  A fresh start! It’s the beginning of a new year so it’s the chance to start over. Whether you have goals and things you want to achieve with a new school year, or whether you just want to try something different, the new school year is the time to do it!

5. Extra-curricular activities. Not only does going back to school mean learning and furthering our education, it also means we have the opportunity to be a part of a sport, a music team, a band, a drama club, student mentor and leadership opportunities etc. It gives us the chance to participate in something that gives us character and enhances our personality, plus they’re always pretty fun!

And! Congratulations to our Birthday Winner of the week – Jean Whittington! She wins a 7-inch cake from the Ferrari Baking Company! And congrats to our Anniversary winner of the week – Paul and Alice Evans! They win an 8×10 color portrait courtesy of Seavolt’s Studios! Have a wonderful day!

It’s National Radio Day!! So to celebrate, we went back to the origins of WNZR and talked about how this radio station started.

After 4 years of applications and waiting, WNZR finally went on air in the fall semester of 1986, and transmitted 100 watts from a 300 ft tower. With 20 DJs in the original program, they really carved the pathway for what WNZR is today. Our very own Marcy Rinehart was a broadcasting student from 1987-1991, and she took on the position of Station Manager in 1996!

Not only did the original program focus on the music, the students were also able to get their feet wet in terms of sports! They had the opportunity to do play-by-play and commentaries of MVNC sporting events, which was a great foundation for what we are able to do now at WNZR.TV!

We thank each and every single person for their support, for their gifts, for their love and encouragement, for their prayers, and for enabling us to stay on the air after all these years. We couldn’t do it without you, so we really thank you for all that you do for us! Here’s to the future, and to the more possibilities and opportunities for our station!

This is 90.9FM WNZR, The more you listen, the more you hear.

It’s the start of school for many families, and with that comes a lot of nerves, fears, tension, and stress. It can be easy to be overwhelmed by it all, but as in every difficult situation in life we can always turn to Scripture for encouragement. Today on the show we shared several Bible verses that can particularly help when it comes to back to school. You can check out the entire list HERE, including ones that we didn’t share on the air.

Are you addicted to your smartphone? A recent survey from Time of 5,000 people from 8 countries around the world showed that 84% couldn’t live one day without their smartphones. Let’s face it, it can be incredibly easy to get caught up in the over-connectivity of our day and age. HERE is a six-step program from the Washington Post to help overcome smartphone addiction that we we shared this morning.

And once again, good luck to Mount Vernon City Schools as they get started today! We hope the school year goes great for you guys!

This morning on The Morning Thing, we talked about healthy back to school eating tips.

Breakfast is definitely the most important meal of the day, especially for waking children up and getting their brains active and engaged in class, and so eating a healthy and filling meal is very important for that brain activation.

Sugary breakfast cereals, white-flour pancakes and syrup will leave your child hungry and tired half way through the morning. Good examples are whole grain cereals topped with yogurt and sliced bananas, a breakfast smoothie made with milk, fruit and a teaspoon of bran, or an egg with a slice of whole grain toast with nut butter, a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat milk. Tofu and lean meat are also good choices at breakfast. Protein, and fiber from whole grains, will keep your child satisfied until lunch time.

Eating a healthy lunch will also help to keep your child’s mind sharp and ready for their afternoon classes. School cafeterias try to provide nutritious lunches along with offerings of fast foods. You can teach your kids the importance of eating right. With your help they could choose salads and vegetables instead of french fries, and water instead of soda. Another option is to send lunch with your kids. Hearty soups, salads, fruits, and sandwiches with whole grains can all be packed in insulated containers to stay hot or cold.

For more tips and for some healthy lunch ideas, click here.

We also talked about overcoming those back to school jitters. Prepare your child for the new routine, meet the teacher, talk to your child about what school will be like, and allow your child to be needy the first couple of days. Also, going through your child’s schedule and physically walking through their schedule by going class to class before school starts, can alleviate some of that nervousness of getting lost or confused at a new school. For the full article, click here

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The Morning Thing wrapped up Back to School week by talking about the STRESS that comes with this transition. 
Click HERE to read some tips on how to handle the Back to School blues.
Here is another great article on dealing with Back to School stress. Click HERE.

The Morning Thing  Fave 5 for the week of 8/10/15:

The Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival is this week in downtown Mount Vernon.
Here are our 5 favorite events at the festival this year:

1. The annual Dan Emmett Flower Show. This year’s theme is “The Trees of Knox County”. You can see these amazing artistic designs at The Living Center, 201 North Main St., Mount Vernon.
2. Local performers! Over the 4 days, the festival will have over 700 people performing. 75% of the performers are 18 years of age and younger. 93 – 95% are from Knox County! Knox County – we applaud your talent!
3. FOOD! We love getting another chance to enjoy festival food as summer winds down. Some of our favorites include: the Kiwanis Chicken Barbeque, the Exchange Club famous 2 inch pork chop and sno-cones from the Mental Health Association. YUMMY!!
4. History! This is the 28^th annual Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival. One of our favorite things to see in downtown Mount Vernon is the Woodward Opera House. Stop by the southwest corner of South Main and Vine Streets to see this 19^th century theater and find out the progress of the renovations. The Dan Emmett Bell this year celebrates the 160^th anniversary of the Knox County Courthouse. We also celebrate Dan Emmett’s 200^th birthday at this year’s festival.
5. The family atmosphere. The Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival brings family and friends together to make lifelong memories. Don’t forget to “see” some of these memories on the WNZR page on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You will see pictures from numerous activities from the festival, PLUS see pictures from our special WNZR Photo Booth.

We also shared some conversations with Dan Emmett Festival Committee members.
Click HERE to hear Joe Bell talk about the arts and crafts trade show and all that is happening on Main Street.
Click HERE to hear Jerry Scott share information about the Dan Emmett Bell Auction that will be held on the Main Stage at 8pm on Saturday.
Click HERE to hear Ben Staats talk about Sunday’s Antique and Classic Car Show.

Back to School week continues on The Morning Thing. Today, we talked about lunches!

Here are links to several articles that will be helpful as you navigate through the challenge of making healthy AND yummy lunches without breaking the family’s grocery budget.

Click HERE to find out how to make school lunches for less money.
Click HERE for recipe ideas for lunches that are good for kids and parents.
Click HERE to find out how to create new healthy habits for your kids and for the entire family.
Click HERE for more tips on healthy eating during the busy school year.

We also shared the 2015 GMA (Gospel Music Association) Dove Award Nominees. Click HERE to see the list. The 46th Annual GMA Dove Awards will be handed out on October 13, 2015 in Nashville, TN.

The Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival begins Today, 8/13/15! 
We shared conversations with several committee members about events happening tonight in downtown Mount Vernon.
Click HERE to hear our conversation with Jill Spearman Macklin about the annual Cheer Competition happening at 6pm tonight.
Click HERE to hear our conversation with Mike Petee about the Chautauquas happening tonight at the Place at the Woodward.
Click HERE to hear our conversation with Marty Bell about tonight’s semi-final round of Knox Idol.

We hope to see you and your family in downtown Mount Vernon this week. See the Big Blue crew near the fountain on the public square. Get registered HERE for our fabulous prizes!
On the Road with Big Blue – Prizes and Family Fun ALL year long!

It’s that time of year – school time! So this week on The Morning Thing we have been talking all about school and how to get ready for the upcoming school year. This morning we shared some tips and ideas to make it easier to get back into the school routine.

Some home organization tips include:

• Setting up a homework station
• Setting up a lunch packing station
• Creating an are to place sports equipment
• Establishing a family calendar

All these tips and ideas came from imom.com and you can see the complete list here.

What about getting back into the sleeping routine for the school schedule? Here are some tips!

1. Gradually adjust sleep and wake schedules 10 days to two weeks before the start of school. This will help setting their biological clocks to the new schedule.
2. Keep a regular bedtime even on weekends. This makes sure kids and teens are getting enough sleep. It also keeps their circadian rhythms  regulated.
3. Your kids should have a relaxing bedtime routine that is age appropriate. This helps kids wind down. The routine should be the same every night so they associate all steps with sleep.
4. Create a sleep environment that is cool, quiet, dimly lit, and comfortable.
5. Electronics should be kept out of the bedroom. This included video games, televisions, computers, and cell phones. Use of electronics before bed can lead to poor sleep. Eliminate exposure to electronic media within an hour before bed.
6. Limit caffeine, especially after lunch.
7. Make sure your kids eat well and exercise regularly. Both these things promote sleep.

And for all you high school seniors out there, it’s time to think about those senior photos! Don’t be afraid to think out of the box for your photo’s, Brittany Creech, a teen from Missouri, decided to take some of her photos at a place where she has spent a lot of time with her friends during high school – Taco Bell.

You can see more of here photos here.

We also continued our conversations with the members of the Dan Emmett Music and Arts Festival. You can hear our conversation with Festival Director Pat Crow about this year’s entertainment here and you can listen to our conversation with Susan Kahrl about this year’s youth showcase here.

It’s Back to School Week on The Morning Thing.
On Tuesday, we talked about back-to-school shopping. We shared some tips for smart shopping that will save you money.

These 2 articles have some GREAT tips for families.

http://www.parenting.com/article/10-back-to-school-shopping-tips-that-save-money

http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/10-tips-for-smart-shopping/

The Big Blue Crew is also getting ready for the Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival.

Today we shared conversations about some of the events coming up this week in downtown Mount Vernon.

Aubrey Brown from the Knox County Convention & Visitor’s Bureau talked about the plans to celebrate Dan Emmett’s 200th Birthday. Click HERE to hear the plans for some fun events!

Matt Starr from the Dan Emmett Festival Board talked about how video will be incorporated into this year’s big concerts. Click HERE to hear more about our video crew.

Kevin Mishey from the Dan Emmett Festival Committee talked about Sunday’s motorcycle show. Click HERE to hear more about this exciting event.

Make sure that you look for the Big Blue Crew at the Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival. We will be located in front of the fountain on the public square in downtown Mount Vernon.
Click HERE for details on all of our prizes and how you can register to win!

On Monday’s show, we kicked off Back to School Week on The Morning Thing!

We talked about those back-to-school and orientation events. What are they? When are they? Why are they important?

Click HERE to read a great article about middle school orientations.
Click HERE to read a great article about high school orientations.

We also shared some tips for meeting your child’s new teacher and developing a great relationship for the upcoming school year. Here are two articles with some incredible tips that you can put into practice this year.

Click HERE to read about ways that parents can build a good relationship with their child’s teacher.
Click HERE for some tips on developing a positive relationship between the teacher and the student.

Here is a list of orientations, open houses and the first day of school for our local schools.
Centerburg:
Elementary Open House, Monday 8/24, 6pm-8pm
6th Grade Open House, Tuesday 8/25, 2pm – 4pm
Middle and High School Open House, Tuesday 8/25, 6pm – 8pm
First Day of School – Thursday 8/27

Danville:
Open House for all grades, Monday 8/24, 5pm-6:30pm
First Day of School – Tuesday 8/25

Fredericktown:
Open House for all grades, Tuesday 8/18, 5:30pm-7pm
First Day of School – Thursday 8/20

Highland:
Open House for all buildings and all grades, Wednesday 8/12, 12:30pm – 7:00pm
First Day of School – Tuesday 8/18

East Knox:
Open House for grades 1-6, Monday 8/17, 6pm-7pm
7th Grade/New Student Orientation, Monday 8/17, 6:30pm
First Day of School (Grades 1 – 12) – Tuesday 8/18
First Day of School for Kindergarten – Thursday 8/20

Mount Vernon:
Freshman Orientation for students, Tuesday 8/11, 9am registration, 9:30am – 12pm program
Freshman Parent Orientation/Open House, Tuesday, 8/11, 7pm – 9:30pm
Middle School Open House, Thursday 8/13, 6pm – 7:30pm
Columbia Elementary School Welcome Back Event, Tuesday 8/18, 3pm
Dan Emmett Elementary School Back to School Night, Tuesday 8/18, 6:30pm -7:30pm
East Elementary School Back to School Night, Tuesday 8/18, 6pm – 7pm
Pleasant Street Elementary School Back to School Night, Tuesday 8/18, grades K – 2 meet from 6pm – 6:30pm, grades 3 – 5 meet from 6:30pm – 7pm
Twin Oak Elementary School Back to School Night,  Tuesday, 8/18, 6:30pm -7:30pm
Wiggin Street Elementary School – Kindergarten Meet and Greet, Monday, 8/17, 4:30pm – 6pm, Grades 1-5 Open House, Tuesday, 8/18, 6pm – 7pm
First Day of School – Wednesday 8/19

St. Vincent:
Open House for all students, Saturday 8/15, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
First Day of School – Tuesday 8/18