Category: Inspirational

October 2024 Spotlight on Mount Vernon with Mayor Matt Starr

Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr shared updates on the City with The Morning Thing on Friday, 10/25/24.
We also talked with special guest Jeff Gottke, President of the Area Development Foundation.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

Topics included:

  • A discussion about current construction and maintenance projects for the city. He shares the progress of these projects:
    • Mansfield Road
    • Moving Lime, making it available for farmers
  • Mayor Starr gives updates on other projects for the City:
    • Demolition Work has begun on the Splash Pad for Riverside Park
    • Harmony Playground
    • Water Meter and Flood Plane Elevation Study on the West End
    • Water Line inventory for EPA compliance
    • Courthouse and Police Station Design Requests
    • Mayor Starr shares an update in the City Auditor’s in the City Auditor’s Position and the appointment of a permanent auditor. Paul Mayville has been sworn in and is working hard with his team to find the best systems for the city.
  • Mayor Starr shares updates from Mount Vernon City Council:
    • The dedication of “Liberty Plaza” at American Heritage Park, 10/28 at 10am
    • Collective Bargaining Agreement with Ohio Civil Service Employees Association
    • Training and certifications for city employees
    • Pay Grades for the workforce
    • Servitus Event
  • Mayor Starr shares an update from the Mount Vernon Police Department.
    • Recognition for Lieutenant Rex Young from the Ohio Attorney General’s office for scenario-based training
    • Service Call Stats for September
    • Community Advocate stats for September
  • Mayor Starr shares an update from the Mount Vernon Fire Department.
    • Swearing In Ceremony
    • Fire Prevention Week Annual Open House
    • Daylight Savings Time ends 11/3. It is a good time to check the batteries in your smoke detectors.
  • Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr is joined by Jeff Gottke, President of the Area Development Foundation for our Spotlight. Jeff talks about several businesses that have recently closed in Mount Vernon – Big Lots and Ride Aid Pharmacy. These are corporate chain stores.
  • Jeff Gottke, President of the Area Development Foundation talks about a projected decline in Ohio’s population. He shares the trends that we are seeing in the city of Mount Vernon. He shares stats on our aging population and birth rates.

    He shares that we should focus on 3 things:
    1. keep building housing that is a mix of types and price points
    2. quality of life issues (parks, restaurants, retails, downtown attractions, outdoor activities)
    3. attracting and retaining young people and young families
  • Jeff Gottke, President of the Area Development Foundation talks about his trip with Knox Pages to Sherwood, Oregon to gather information about how an Intel plant impacted an area that is similar to Mount Vernon. The project is called “Intel – Beyond the Chip”.
    • He talks about the main goals of this trip.
    • He shares what the group has discovered so far and who they have been talking to in this community.
    • He also shares the information that the group wants to share with our city administration and also with the residents of our community.
  • Mayor Starr and Jeff Gottke, President of the Area Development Foundation talk about the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update on 10/29 at 5:30pm at The Woodward Opera House.
    • The public was asked to provide feedback on things they treasure about Knox County and identify specific spots around the county that need to be replicated or improved.
    • 1,200 participants
    • 10,000 different pieces of data
    • They have a robust data set.
    • This data will be presented to the public with 10 principles with goals under each principle.
    • A panel discussion with experts on rural growth will happen at 6pm.
    • After the panel, stations will be setup around the Woodward Theater in the hallway where the public can view the data and provide their feedback.
    • The next step will be to put all feedback into a draft plan that will then be presented to the public.
    • There will be 4 different opportunities for residents to public input. 
  • Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr shares a list of events on the November Calendar:
    – Leaf Pickup for the City (and instructions)
    – Trick or Treating is October 31, 5:30pm – 7pm
  • Mayor Starr shares his immediate goals for November:
    – Comprehensive Plan Engagement – go to togetherknox.org and participate in sharing feedback
    – City Budget Process
    – Ironing out issues in the Auditor’s Office, updating software and simplifying the bill paying and payroll procedures
    – Election Day is Tuesday, 11/5 – Mayor Starr encourages everyone to vote

To stay in touch with the City, go to:

  • Website – http://www.mountvernonohio.org
  • Facebook – The City of Mount Vernon
  • X – CityMV1805
  • YouTube – The City of Mount Vernon
  • LinkedIn – City of Mount Vernon, Ohio
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Cheryl Splain shares an update on the Knox Pages Project “Intel, Beyond the Chip”

Cheryl Splain, reporter for Knox Pages shared an important update on her trip to Sherwood, Oregon. Cheryl is there along with several other reporters and leaders from the Knox County area.
She shares the goals and an update on their project called “Intel, Beyond the Chip”.
She shares about the conversations and research that they are gathering and the timeline of the project.
You can follow the stories at KnoxPages.com
Click HERE to hear the full conversation with Cheryl.

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The United Way of Knox County launches their new All Kids Bike Program

On Wednesday, 10/23/24, the United Way of Knox County hosted an exciting community event. They launched their All Kids Bike Initiative – a program that aims to teach every child in Knox County how to ride a bike. This is the pilot year. They are introducing the program across all the Mount Vernon City Elementary schools as well as Centerburg Elementary. They hope to extend the program to every school in Knox County by the 2025-2026 school year.

Click HERE to hear from Halle Krajenski, Program Director about this exciting initiative. We also talked with Patrolmen Benjamin Fike from the Mount Vernon Police Department about bike safety.

To connect with the United Way of Knox County and to donate for the 2024 Campaign – click HERE.
Your gift makes a difference!
Be sure to scroll down and check out the videos!

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Would you like to save money at the grocery store?

Did you know that in Ohio the average cost for groceries is over $392 per month per person?

The average grocery budget for a family of 3 can vary depending on factors like location and dietary preferences. A moderate-cost plan can range from $387 to $1,031 per month, while a thrifty plan can range from $287 to $764 per month. WOW!

The Morning Thing shares some cost saving secrets to save money at the grocery store.

These tips are from CNBC. Click HERE to read the full article.

11 tips for saving money at the grocery store:

1. Pay with a grocery rewards card

2. Sign up for the loyalty program

3. Clip coupons

4. Join a wholesale club

5. Go in with a list and stick to it

6. Buy items on sale

7. Avoid pre-packaged items

8. Compare prices between stores

9. Buy generic brands

10. Bring your own bag

11. Use a rebate app

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Parental Stress has been declared a significant public health issue. How will you fight it?

The US Surgeon General has declared Parental stress as a significant public health issue. Dr. Vivek Murthy recently released a 36 page advisory on this important issue.
Click HERE to read more.

Dr. Murthy says that we need a culture shift. The advisory says: “It’s time to value and respect time spent parenting on par with time spent working at a paying job, recognizing the critical importance to society of raising children.” Parents and caregivers need societal support and to be able to talk openly about the stress of parenting. Like an earlier surgeon general’s advisory, it says more connection is needed to combat loneliness and isolation among parents.

“The bottom line is that we’ve got to start seeing mental health as health. It is no less important than our physical health,” Murthy said Wednesday. “If we can attend to both our mental and physical health, then we have a good chance, you know, of being happy, healthy and fulfilled, and that’s what we all want for ourselves and especially for our kids.”

The Morning Thing shared some ways for Moms and Dads to fight stress.

For Moms, we shared 5 shifts in focus that can help alleviate Mom Stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from imom.com
1. Focus on your breathing.

2. Focus on your inner critic.

3. Focus on what brings you comfort.

4. Focus on forgiving yourself.

5. Focus on what you can control.

For Dads, we shared 5 ways to address fatherhood stress.
Click HERE to read the full article from allprodad.com
1. Start the day early.

2. Write daily goals and journal.

3. Get active.

4. Find moments to read.

5. Connect with other dads.

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The Church at Chapel Hill invites you and your family to Fall Fest 2024

The Church at Chapel Hill is bringing back their Fall Festival for this weekend. You are invited to this fun and FREE family event.
Pastor Jon Whisner and Connie Jackson stopped by The Morning Thing to share details of ALL the activities.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation.

The event is from 4pm – 7:30pm. The church is located at 7530 Johnstown Road in Mount Vernon.
Click HERE to see a complete list of activities.

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Hey, Empty Nest Parents, here are 5 things that your adult children still need from you.

Parenting is tough at any stage, but navigating through the path of having an adult child can be challenging.

Crosswalk.com shared an article listing 5 things that your adult children still need from you. Author Stephanie Thompson shares practical insight on how to approach this time in your parenting journey.

Click HERE to read the full article.

  1. Empathy
  2. Empowerment
  3. Encouragement
  4. Refuge
  5. Mercy

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Hey Mom, we found some powerful prayers for your kids in school

Prayer is powerful! It should be our first response to any situation.
Moms, we know that your life is hard. You are trying to balance crazy schedules while you work hard to raise your children.
We want to help!
imom.com shares 7 Powerful Prayers for Moms to pray during this school year. We hope that these prayers can encourage and strengthen you.
Keep up the good work Mom!

Click HERE to read the full article from author Lisa Rowell.

1. A Prayer for Friendship and Kindness

Father, I ask that You surround my child with other kids who see the best and bring out the best in him. Peer influence plays such a big part in my child’s character development. Since I can’t pick my child’s friends during the school day, I ask that You steer him toward friends who practice kindness and show love and respect toward everyone. And, God, help my child be a positive influence over his friends and classmates. Amen.

2. A Prayer for Safety and Security

Hey, God. I admit I’m more than a little nervous sometimes sending my child to school. I feel scared that something will happen when I’m not there to protect her. It just seems like every time I scroll through the news, I see one more reason why I should feel scared. Father, please calm my worries. I don’t want to carry them around. Keep my child safe today. I’m asking not just for physical protection but to please guard her heart and mind from harm, too. Keep her safe from hurtful words or actions of others. I know You love my child even more than I do and are always with her, even when I am not. Amen.

3. A Prayer for Purpose

God, I know You have a purpose and a plan for my child’s life. During this school year, I ask that you give him opportunities to begin to discover his unique purpose and the courage to hone his talents with passion and perseverance. Guide my child’s steps this year so he can confidently walk through the doors you open.  And, Father, I want to parent with purpose. Help me parent my child from the perspective that Your purpose and plan for Him is not just about what he does today but also about who he is becoming. Amen.

4. A Prayer for the Love of Learning

Father, I want my child never to lose her love of learning. Give her the confidence to remain curious, not just this school year but throughout her life. Equip her with resilience so she doesn’t see failing as a reason to stop but only as a place to pause, assess, and try a new way. Of course, You already know that prayers for children’s success in school often include requests for good grades. And, yes, I want those good marks for my child; however, I want her to find joy in the process of learning, too. Amen.

5. A Prayer for Respect and Responsibility

Hey, God. I need your help. Please instill in my child a deep understanding of respect for himself and others. Give him opportunities to practice honoring the feelings, thoughts, and boundaries of kids in his class and on the bus. And, Father, show me ways I can step back a little so my child can step up in responsibility by taking the lead in places where he is ready, whether it’s in managing his homework or asking for help from the teacher when he needs it. Amen.

6. A Prayer for Peace for the Momma Heart

Father, I need some peace this school year. Not the peace and quiet of naptime, but peace for my heart. Sometimes I find myself caught up in the “what if” cycle of thinking. What if my child gets bullied? What if my child doesn’t make any friends? What if my child can’t do the work? What if something bad happens at school? I don’t want to think this way, so please guide my thoughts with Your gentle hand. Lead me away from fear and anxiety toward a place of trust and confidence in your unfailing love. I know in that space with You, I will experience peace and rest this school year. Amen.

7. A Prayer for Wisdom for the Momma Mind

God, You can read my mind, so you already know all the thoughts swirling around in there. It’s a lot—I know. Being a mom is heavy and light all at once. I’m winging it more than half the time, especially during these school years. My child is exposed to so much more than I encountered at that age. I need your help to make the right choices. Give me the wisdom to make the right choices for my family, even if they go against what everyone else seems to be doing. Amen.

What prayers for children’s success do you find yourself praying?

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