On Wednesday’s edition of the Morning Thing, the Big Blue Crew took a trip down memory lane and shared some of those memorable first days of school — from that very first day of kindergarten, to starting at a new school, to the emotions that come with sending your own child off for their first day.
What was your craziest memory?
Today on The Morning Thing, the Big Blue Crew shared how they are keeping their Monday Mindset positive and focused on Christ.
Listen to what they said HERE!
Starting Monday off with a Christ-centered mindset can be difficult a lot of the time, but it can make the biggest impact for your week. Today, the Big Blue Crew chose one word they want to represent their week. Here are some examples of words you can think of:
Remember Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT): “5Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.“
Hear what words the Big Blue Crew chose for their Monday Mindset here:
An exciting live auction was held on Saturday 8/15 at the Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival.
There were 15 pies up for bid in the 3rd Annual Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon Pie Auction. All proceeds from the auction will be given to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through the United Way of Knox County.
Childhood Literacy is one of the main initiatives for the Kiwanis Club.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book gifting program. The program is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five. Knox County children received 27,039 books in 2024!
The Pie Auction Total was $4,910!
Thanks to auctioneer David McDowell for his support.
Thanks to the pie donors, bakers, bidders and buyers.
• Pie #1 was a Cherry Pie donated by CES Credit Union. This Cherry Pie was sold along with wood cake display stand and charcuterie board.
Buyer – ACS Title and Closing Services, Cindy McDowell – $250
• Pie #2 was a Blueberry Pie donated by Park National Bank. This Blueberry Pie was sold with a pie plate.
Buyer – Ruckman Group Auctions & Appraisals – $300
• Pie #3 was a Triple Berry Pie donated by Crystal Snell-Tomes, Realtor e-Merge Real Estate Champions. This Pie was sold along with a beautiful serving tray and the Book of Pie Cookbook.
Buyer – Greg Galiete – $460
• Pie #4 was a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie donated by Kenyon College.
Buyer – Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue – $550
• Pie #5 was a Strawberry Pie donated by the Mount Vernon School District.
Buyer – Alice Hutzel and Knox Community Hospital – $200
• Pie #6 was a Gluten-Free Pecan Pie donated by Happy Bean Coffee Shop.
Buyer – Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue – $200
• Pie #7 was an Apple Cranberry Crisp Pie donated by Nancy Jo Todd, Kiwanis Member.
Buyer – Diane Henwood – $200
• Pie #8 was a Dutch Apple Caramel Pie donated by ACS Title Company. This pie was sold with a fruit stand and some fresh apples.
Buyer – Mike Copley and CES Credit Union – $450
• Pie #9 was a Black Raspberry Pie donated by Ohio Easter Star Home. The raspberries were home-grown and it was sold with a wall decoration.
Buyer – Cliff Ruggles and Cliff’s High Performance – $200
• Pie #10 was a Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie made by 92-year-old Britta Bridges representing Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Buyer – Wendi Fowler – $500
• Pie #11 was a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie made by Sandy Cable representing Mount Vernon Nazarene University.
Buyer – Ruckman Group Auctions & Appraisals – $200
• Pie #12 was an Americana Apple Pie donated by COTC.
Buyer – Kathy White – $200
• Pie #13 was Crystal Browning’s Famous Pecan Pie donated by the Knox County Career Center.
Buyer – Wendi Fowler – $500
• Pie #14 was a Peachy Peach Pie donation by the United Way of Knox County.
Buyer – Miller Electrical Solutions – $250
• #15 in the auction was two pies donated by CenterWell Home Health – a Strawberry Cream Pie and a Reese’s Cream Pie.
Buyer – David McDowell Auctioneer – $300
Then David resold the Strawberry Cream Pie for $150 to Buyer Jackie K’s Vintage & Venue
This week for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts celebrated the 2026 Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. They each shared their favorite event on this year’s schedule. We hope to see you in downtown Mount Vernon this weekend!
Click HERE to hear from Marcy, Olivia, Eric, Ethan and Daniel.
WNZR shines the spotlight on the 2026 Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival this week. WNZR’s Josiah Styer talked with Board Member, Jacob Francis about event logistics.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the photo below.
Jacob serves as the Site and Logistics Director for the Festival. He shared details about this year’s map and festival layout, along with news about when streets will close.
He also shared the good news that 3 favorite events will return. Listen in for details about the 6th annual Car & Motorcycle Cruise-in, the Wood Challenge Auction and the 3rd annual Chalk Competition.
Click HERE for more information on the festival and to see the full schedule.
Did you know the “Biggest Little Fair in the World” is close to home and going on this week? YES! The 2026 Hartford Fair is this week!
Eric Brown from The Morning Thing talked with Fair Manager, Roger Smith about this year’s event.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the photo below.
Roger shared schedule highlights, the history of the fair, new events and how to get tickets.
This is the 168th Hartford Fair! You can see the Big Blue Crew tonight along with Monster Trucks and a Fantasy Drone show!
Click HERE to see the complete schedule and all details about this year’s Fair.
A full year of planning goes into one weekend in downtown Mount Vernon.
WNZR’s Daniel Russell spoke with Joe Rinehart, Board Chair for the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival, about what it takes to organize the event and what visitors can expect this year.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Rinehart said planning begins almost immediately after the previous festival ends. The board is made up entirely of volunteers, so much of the work comes down to finding time throughout the year to coordinate music, vendors, artists, sponsors, activities and all of the other pieces that make the event possible.
One of the biggest changes this year is the return to a three-day festival. Thursday will no longer be part of the event, which Rinehart said helps reduce the amount of time downtown streets are closed.
Music remains a major part of the weekend. Saturday night will feature Preston Cooper as the headliner, with 615 Collective opening the show. Friday night will have more of a classic rock feel, beginning with Phil Dirt and the Dozers at 6:30 p.m., followed by Forever Seger, a Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band tribute act.
The festival also continues to bring thousands of visitors into downtown Mount Vernon. Rinehart said about 9,300 people came through the downtown area during the event, creating opportunities for local businesses while giving visitors a chance to experience the community.
Several family-friendly attractions are returning. Kidsfest will run from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday.
A new addition this year is BrickFest, giving visitors a chance to build and create with LEGO. It will be held on the second floor of the Woodward Opera House from 3 until 8 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday.
Other returning favorites include the Car and Motorcycle Cruise-In on Saturday, the Kiwanis Pie Auction, the Wood Challenge, the flower show and the chalk competition.
Rinehart said much of the work happens behind the scenes, from coordinating with artists and vendors to arranging food trucks, local media, promotions, websites and business partnerships. He said the effort is worth it when people come downtown, enjoy themselves and support local businesses.
For anyone who has never attended, Rinehart emphasized that the festival is free. Visitors can come downtown, find something to eat, listen to live music and enjoy the community atmosphere without needing a ticket.
The festival is also still looking for volunteers, especially on Thursday and Sunday, to help welcome visitors, answer questions and support the event.
Rinehart thanked the board of directors and volunteers who have worked throughout the year, along with the City of Mount Vernon, the Woodward Opera House, the Mount Vernon Grand Hotel, Joann and Audry for organizing the flower show, and Sweet Street Candy Shop for hosting the chalk competition.
He also thanked presenting sponsor Ariel Corporation, along with Park National Bank and the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
Three longtime community volunteers were honored during August First Friday as Mount Vernon’s 2026 Volunteers of the Year.
WNZR Station Manager Marcy Rinehart, Randy Cronk and Jerry Scott were recognized Friday night for the many ways they have given their time and talents to Mount Vernon and Knox County.
Click HERE to hear all the conversations!
WNZR’s Eric Brown spoke with Mayor Matt Starr about the history of the award and how the recognition has changed over the years. Starr explained that what once focused primarily on volunteers serving city boards and commissions has expanded to recognize people making a difference throughout the community.
This year’s recipients represent three very different areas of service.
Jerry Scott has spent decades involved with organizations across Knox County. WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger talked with Scott about his work with Scouting, local churches, Food For The Hungry and more than 40 years of service with The Salvation Army.
Scott also serves with the Mount Vernon Association of Police Chaplains. He explained how chaplains remain available around the clock to respond during some of the most difficult moments families face, including death notifications and other emergencies.
His 51 years in law enforcement helped prepare him for that work. Scott said prayer and his faith play an important role in helping him face difficult situations, including body recoveries and delivering devastating news to families.
He also encouraged others to find a way to become involved in the community. Outside of his chaplain work, Scott is also well known for his longtime role as emcee of the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival.
For Randy Cronk, much of his volunteer service can be found along the Kokosing Gap Trail.
Cronk told WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger that he first became involved with the trail in 1988 and eventually became president of the organization.
The 13-and-a-half-mile trail requires year-round work from volunteers who maintain the property, clear storm damage and respond when problems arise. Cronk said that teamwork has helped the trail grow into an important recreational resource and part of a larger transportation network.
A major project is also ahead. The entire trail is scheduled to be repaved for the first time in 35 years, an effort Cronk said has been made possible through several community partnerships.
He also pointed to the trail’s role in bringing visitors into Mount Vernon and encouraged people who enjoy outdoor work to consider volunteering. Trail users can also help by reporting problems through the Kokosing Gap Trail’s Facebook page.
WNZR Station Manager Marcy Rinehart was recognized for more than 30 years of service in Knox County.
Rinehart told WNZR’s Eric Brown that her parents taught her the importance of using her gifts to help others, something that became an important part of both her life and her faith.
Her volunteer work has included longtime involvement with Food For The Hungry, United Way, the Knox Network of Christian Ministries and the OSU Extension Advisory Committee.
Rinehart said volunteering has also led to lasting friendships and encouraged others not to underestimate what even a small amount of time can accomplish when people work together.
She also reflected on how community service has become part of WNZR’s mission, giving students opportunities to learn while serving organizations throughout Knox County.
Together, Rinehart, Cronk and Scott represent different forms of volunteerism, but each has spent years finding ways to serve where they are needed.
Click HERE to find out more about the City of Mount Vernon!
Several members of TAC of Knox County talked with WNZR about their annual Color for a Cause Race. This very colorful event is held every year to raise awareness of the Teen Advisory Council and their initiatives. Indra, Amaiyah, Madelyn and Truth shared their passion for reaching their peers throughout the year.
Click HERE to hear their conversations or click on the picture below.
TAC is a Knox County youth-led prevention team powered by passionate high school students committed to empowering their peers, engaging their schools and communities, and encouraging healthy choices, respectful relationships, and positive change. TAC members raise awareness, spark conversations, and lead initiatives to prevent dating violence, substance misuse, and suicide—before they begin. As ambassadors of healthy lifestyles, TAC youth use their voices, creativity, and leadership to influence their peers and promote safety, respect, and wellness. TAC is where teens build confidence, plan events, advocate for change, and prove that young people aren’t just the future—they are leaders right now.
Enjoy the conversations and see how these young leaders are living out these 3 goals – Empower. Engage. Encourage. TAC – Teens Leading Positive Change in Knox County.
Click HERE to find out more about TAC and stay connected to their activities.
Lacey Filkins, Executive Director for Experience Mount Vernon, stopped by The Morning Thing to talk about tonight’s exciting event – August First Friday.
She shared a highlight of all the fun activities and how the downtown business district will celebrate this theme – Paws On Parde!
Lacey shared details on parking, food, entertainment, the Experience Mount Vernon Passport and how your family can have fun tonight. We also shared all the details of WNZR’s Annual Costumed Paws on Parade.
WNZR will be there tonight! Look for Big Blue near the Dog Fountain on South Main Street.
Don’t miss your chance to register for some amazing prizes. We have prizes for humans and DOGS!
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.
Click HERE to find all the details about tonight’s event.
Rise and Shine 