2026 Knox County Fair Royalty were announced on Sunday. WNZR’s Joe Rinehart had the chance to talk with the 2026 Little Miss Knox County – Hallie Johnson and Little Mr. Knox County – Karsten Tedrow. They shared about their experience in the Pageant.
Today for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts shared their favorite songs from for King & Country. We are so excited for their concert on Monday, 8/3 at the Ohio State Fair. Listen 7/27 – 7/31 for your chance to win tickets to the show!
Click HERE for more information on the concert and how to win.
WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger recently sat down with Ryleigh Scarpitti, a member of the 2026 Knox County Junior Fair Board, to talk about her involvement in 4-H, her projects for this year’s fair, and the lessons she has learned through the program.
Ryleigh is from Centerburg and is homeschooled. She also shared how her brother plays football for Centerburg.
She is a member of Liberty Livestock and is in her third year with the club. Ryleigh has been involved in 4-H for eight years and is serving her second year on the Knox County Junior Fair Board.
During the interview, she talked about the responsibilities that come with serving on the Junior Fair Board while also preparing her own projects for fair week.
This year, Ryleigh is looking forward to taking both quilting and turkey projects to the Ohio State Fair. She is also exhibiting turkeys at the Knox County Fair and explained some of the work that goes into preparing them for the show ring, including flipping the birds for judging.
She said she is especially excited about her quilting project because she has invested a great deal of time and effort into it. This will be her second year exhibiting quilting at the Ohio State Fair.
Once the Knox County Fair wraps up, Ryleigh plans to exhibit at the Hartford Fair before spending time with friends.
Looking back on her years in 4-H, Ryleigh said one of the biggest lessons she has learned is responsibility. She also said the program has taught her how to stay calm while working with animals, be reliable, make new friends, and become more confident by stepping outside of her comfort zone.
Click HERE to learn more about the Knox County Fair!
(Photo Credit: Jenelle Doup, Saved by Grace Photography)
Kristin and Coach Jared Ronai recently joined WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart to talk about Kaci’s Camp, a free sports camp created in memory of their daughter, Kaci Ronai. The camp is designed for children with Down syndrome and reflects the Ronais’ desire to honor Kaci’s life while encouraging other families.
Jared shared that more than a year ago, he and Kristin learned they were expecting their fourth child. Later in the pregnancy, they found out Kaci would be born with Down syndrome.
Kaci was born on November 29th, 2025, and spent her first month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Jared said the family was able to bring her home on New Year’s Eve, which became a very special day for their family. He also reflected on the memories they were able to make together during Kaci’s time at home.
Kaci became sick, and because of medical complications, she passed away on March 22nd, 2026.
Following her passing, the Ronais wanted to create something that would continue Kaci’s legacy. That vision became Kaci’s Camp.
The camp will be held on Saturday, August 8th, at Ariel Arena on the campus of Mount Vernon Nazarene University. It is open to children ages 6 through 18 with Down syndrome and will feature basketball, volleyball, soccer, and wiffle ball.
Kristin said their family was always focused on helping Kaci thrive, and they hope the camp will provide that same encouragement for other children. Jared said the goal is to give participants an opportunity to feel celebrated, build confidence around others like them, and enjoy a day where they can thrive through sports and activities.
The event is completely free for participating families. While donations are accepted, the Ronais said those gifts will help provide educational resources for parents of children with Down syndrome. They also shared that approximately one in every 700 babies is born with Down syndrome, and they hope the camp helps raise awareness within the community.
Kaci’s Camp is designed as a full-day event. Registration will take place from 9:30 until 10 a.m., with activities running from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Campers will participate in two sports during the morning, followed by lunch and breaks before taking part in two additional sports during the afternoon.
Kristin said they want every child who attends to feel like they are part of something and know they are welcomed. She also said that while the camp is centered on the children, she hopes volunteers and everyone involved will leave with a greater appreciation for the Down syndrome community.
Jared shared that he hopes Kaci’s Camp continues to grow in the years ahead, helping raise awareness about Down syndrome while honoring Kaci’s life and the impact she had on their family. Kristin also offered encouragement to parents who may receive a Down syndrome diagnosis for their child, saying that children with Down syndrome are a gift from God and sharing that Kaci was a tremendous blessing to their family.
As they prepare for the first Kaci’s Camp, the Ronais are asking the community to pray for the event, for enough volunteers to serve, and that every child who attends will have a positive experience and feel loved.
Registration is open through August 1st.
The Ronais are also seeking volunteers, and anyone interested in serving can use the same email address to learn more about available opportunities.
Today on The Morning Thing, WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart is joined by DeeDee Burger the Assistant Administrator with Kno-Ho-Co Ashland Community Action Commission.
DeeDee talks about her role in Kno-Ho-Co, she highlights different programs they do, she is with the health division who is planning this golf outing. They were inspired to help raise funds for uninsured and under insured and provide funds for medical expenses and they want to raise awareness and give back to the community. They help by providing funds to help see a mammogram specialist if someone is uninsured or underinsured; they will also provide mammograms for underinsured and uninsured.
The golf outing is at little apple golf course in Bellville on august first, with august second as a rain date, shotgun start at 9am. They will have skins where you can win money, mulligans where you can buy a better shot, they also have a 50/50 drawing with 50% going to the winner, and the other 50% going to the fundraising total. They’re providing lunch with hotdogs, chips, and a proper sit down after golfing is over. The asked donations are $300 per team, they have $500 to be given towards the winner with all proceeds going to provide mammograms and support for breast cancer.
DeeDee talks about why access early detection and examination, they’ll help provide funds for those, and she talks about how early detection saves lives. It’s hard for people to want to come in, so they can help cover costs of treatment to make it easier for people to get diagnosed. You can find out more by calling at 740-397-0145, so they can get you scheduled in Knox County.
Registration deadline is July 25 so they can get teams put together and be ready for august 1; you can call or text 740-485-7446 to register. You can help sponsor a hole for $100, it will put a sign on one of the 18 holes, they’ll also post on social media and recognize sponsors. You can donate towards them by contacting 740-485-7446 or by visiting the QR code on social media where you can sign up.
DeeDee talks about what is coming on the outing, and the shotgun starts at 9 am and they want to rotate through the holes and build comradery; expect a ton of fun, drawing, and lunch. It’s a huge benefit for Kno-Ho-Co and it’s to help people struggling. She talks about how much of a blessing this event is because on average, one of four women are diagnosed. Again, to register you can call 740-485-7446, or go to their Facebook and Instagram.
We are around the halfway point of summer, so we wanted to check in and see how your summer bucket list is looking. The big blue crew shared what they checked off and what they are still itching to do. There are so many more opportunities to have fun this summer, so don’t worry if you still have a lot on your list.
Sometimes a to-do list can be daunting, so remember to rest this summer in the midst of all the fun. Here a few simple ideas to rest while still having fun this summer:
Watch a movie while cuddled up with some popcorn
Have a self-care night
Go for an evening walk and play I-Spy
Play a board game
Listen to music
Read your favorite book while watching the sunset
Click HERE to listen to the Big Blue Crew’s summer bucket list check-in
Do you dread and the Monday morning blues? We can all relate and we have some suggestions to help you have a better Monday. The Big Blue Crew shared their favorite Monday morning gratitudes on The Morning Thing! You can listen to them HERE!
Here are a few Monday Morning gratitudes to start your day off with. One simple way to kick the Monday blues is to finish this sentence:
From classic pairings like French fries dipped in a milkshake to more unexpected favorites like potato chips on a sandwich or peanut butter on a hamburger, everyone had a unique combination they enjoy.
The conversation also invited listeners to share their own unusual food favorites. Whether it’s something you’ve eaten since childhood or a combination you discovered by accident, everyone seems to have that one food pairing that makes other people raise an eyebrow.
As the week wrapped up, it was a fun reminder that when it comes to food, sometimes the strangest combinations become the tastiest traditions.
Click HERE to see some WEIRD food combos from Live Eat Learn!
