WNZR’s Eric Brown spoke with Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr for the August Spotlight on Mount Vernon, covering several major projects and issues shaping the city’s future.
Starr gave updates on water and wastewater improvements, including planned upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, a change in the city’s water disinfection system and continued replacement of water meters.
He also discussed several major city facilities. Construction on the new police station has been delayed by unexpectedly soft clay at the site, while design work continues for the new Municipal Court, probation and Clerk of Courts offices at 40 Public Square. Renovations at the Mount Vernon Municipal Center are also moving forward.
Transportation and development were another major focus. Starr updated the State Route 13 realignment, Burgess and Hamtramck Street projects, work at the Catle Dam and new private development along Coshocton Avenue.
He also discussed the future of the historic Taugher Block, saying the city is looking for the right developer and plan to preserve as much of the property’s historic character as possible.
Housing growth was also part of the conversation, including the proposed Arista Villas development and the city’s use of public-private financing tools to help support infrastructure and future city services.
Starr also shared results from the city’s e-bike survey, discussed the renaming of Shellmar Park as John Francis Park and gave updates on the police and fire departments, including plans for a future east-side fire station.
Looking ahead to September, Starr previewed the Back-to-School-themed First Friday and the Mount Vernon Association of Police Chaplains’ Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on September 16th at Foster Hall.
The August conversation also marked Eric Brown’s final Spotlight on Mount Vernon with Mayor Starr before Eric’s move to Florida.
Click HERE to register for the Mayor’s Mayor Breakfast!
Click HERE to learn more about the city of Mount Vernon!
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart is joined by Sarah Mowery, MVNU’s Director of Residence Life, she is here to talk about New Student Move In Day.
Sarah’s role is to oversee resident directors and student staff as they oversee all the residential areas on campus, this is her third year in the role, but the seventh year in residence life. Her job today is to oversee the team, hand out keys, and help out where needed. This is a fantastic year for enrollment and new move in year, they are near maximum capacity this year. The schedule begins at 9am with the first wave of move-in, there’s food trucks, Happy Bean is open, families get time to eat and enjoy together before the ribbon cutting service.
Sarah is looking forward to campus returning, the life of students coming in, and the return of campus feeling alive and active again. Her office is to help make students feel belonged and connected, they do this by having different games, activities, and having conversations with students.
This year is exciting as student dorms are very near capacity, they’ve had upgrades to different buildings on campus, they replaced the roof on pioneer hall, and they’re nearly finished. Sarah wants students to feel welcomed, and don’t forget that she’s been there before, everyone is nervous and that’s okay; residence life is here to support them. She want’s thank families for trusting their kids with them, she’s very excited to have them here on campus. She ask that you pray for them to be focused on pointing people to Christ, a lot of students are coming in with different stories and they want to be involved in the future of that story.
Marcy Rinehart also spoke with Jon Nicholas, MVNU’s Executive Director of Enrollment, he is here to talk about New Student Move In Day. Jon’s roll at MVNU is to help lead the enrollment efforts for the university. He oversees admissions, councilors, CCP enrollment, and all the efforts to bring students to MVNU. This is his second year at this roll, he’s starting to see the fruits of his labor and he’s very excited.
Jon’s responsibilities during the day are to help welcome students, bring them into campus events, KC Cougar will be there, and his job is to help make sure that they have a great day from the moment they drive onto campus, until the moment they finish the ribbon cutting. The plan is to just help students check in, help them move in, and there will be food trucks, a dinner, and the ribbon cutting ceremony. In the chapel is the commissioning service and they go to the flame to hold the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Jon is looking forward to seeing students and families who they’ve been working with all year and he knows the sacrifices they’ve made and the challenges they’ve faced to come to MVNU. They have one of the largest incoming freshman classes in MVNU history. After move in day, they have a pivot into the students that are graduating next year and getting ready to bring them in and trying to bring in more students in the future.
Jon talks about new things coming in with move in day, they have food trucks coming, they are bringing everyone in the chapel entrance and they’re having a service there, they have people moving students in and it culminates in the ribbon cutting ceremony. He strongly suggests you get involved in and seek the Lord during this part of your journey. He wants to help support students and help them learn intellectually and spiritually. He wants to share a word of encouragement to parents as he’s there right now with his kids, he says to trust the Lord, and trust MVNU as they’re excited to be with them on this journey. He asks for protection as they travel on the road and he wants enrollment fruit and a lot of spiritual growth for students.
We also spoke with Matt Spraker, MVNU’s VP of student development, he is here to talk about New Student Move In Day. Matt’s role is to work in a lot of areas outside and inside the classroom, he’s been in this role for five years. His job for today is to make sure people get here and have a safe place to stay. Students move in this morning, they have family dinner, and then they have the ribbon cutting ceremony and service.
In development, they see this as Christmas and New Years day for school, there’s a sense of newness and getting everyone back together. He just enjoys seeing families after the move in is done and now they can have a moment to reflect and be with each other. The office of Student Development’s goals are to make sure students feel connected and belonging here at MVNU.
There are a few new programs to be excited about, they’re beginning the CCP Experience this year, it’s a program to give them an insight into college life. They’re introducing life skills lab, general life skills to teach how to buy a house and so on; this is available this year in a four year program.
Matt’s message for new students is to take ownership of your education, both inside and outside the classroom, they need to know that they’re not doing this alone and they want you to be successful. Matt wants to thank parents for trusting them with their kids, he wants to partner with parents, he wants to pray for them and communicate with them via newsletters and building upon foundations with parents. He asks you pray for them, they don’t always make the right decisions, he wants them to be wise and discern the right decisions for MVNU.
WNZR’s Josiah Styer is joined by David Mills, MVNU’s VP of Spiritual life and church relations, he is here to talk about New Student Move In Day.
David’s goals for this year are to have a good tone spiritually on campus, he wants to provide a place for the campus community to love and support each other. This year’s theme for this year is John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
They are focusing on the seven ‘I Am’ statements in the New Testament and the ‘you are’ statements Jesus gives in the Bible.
David’s office provide resources to acclimate to campus life, they talk a lot about opening weekend, they hold a church fair on campus to encourage student to find local churches. They also have opportunities for new and old students to support the community. The chapel schedule coming in during fall revival is Dr. Sam Barber, he’s the global director for the Church of the Nazarene for discipleship ministries.
David’s office has been preparing for the semester with the theme verse and the work they have to do what God wants instead of doing what we want and inviting God. He wants to share a message to parents that you can trust MVNU as they care about them both academically and spiritually. He asks that you pray for them to stay focused during the semester and find what God wants and to practice what they preach.
WNZR’s Ethan Hershberger is joined by Ben Slater, MVNU’s Assistant Director of enrollment, he is here to talk about New Student Move In Day. Ben’s roll at MVNU involves overseeing all enrollment events like move in day, SonFest, visit days and so much more, he’s had this roll for a year and a half, but he’s been in admissions for two years so far. During new student move in day, he helps plan and organize the event and help move the students in. They’ll have students moving in from 9am till 3:30pm, they have food trucks at the library, they have a dinner after the event and celebrating with the families.
The admission office kind of sees move in day as Christmas, they’re super excited to see students on campus and get students ready for college. He wants as many students as possible to come to MVNU, they want to find students, create leaders, and build relationships with local churches. This year is similar to last year, they’ve got food trucks coming, and he’s also excited about the new events coming in, they have “Preview Day” a chance for students to get a quick look at what college is like and decide if they want to come to campus early.
Moving in can be scary, but Ben wants students to find their people and make friends. Sometimes it’s easy, other times its hard, build relationships with your roommates and create community. It can be a transition period, but to parents, Ben wants to encourage the fact that MVNU is going to do it’s best to mentor students and give them the best college experience they can provide. He asks that you pray for the admissions office to have endurance and for them to have a great year.
We can’t let Tuesday end without sharing the GOOD NEWS about our State Fair Award Winners! Thanks to Knox Count 4H for sharing the news with us.
We would like to give a huge congratulations to the following still project exhibitors who received Outstanding of the Day recognition at the 2026 Ohio State Fair:
And an extra special shoutout to Lainey Dunham for earning a Clock Trophy award for her Seeing Through Graphic Design project!! Clock trophies are awarded each year to the best project in each category, and we are so excited for Lainey to receive this honor!
Today on The Morning Thing, our theme was Monday Motivation!
We shared some ideas we had to make sure you start your morning off strong! Here were some of our ideas:
Spend time with God each morning with prayer and Scripture reading
Encourage one person each day by sending a text, or letting someone know you appreciate them
Be more intentional about the time you spend with your family by putting your phone down and be in the moment
Choose gratitude every day and write down three things you’re thankful for each day
Do something you’ve been afraid to do, and start that project you’ve been wanting to do
Take better care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and taking the time to just sit and breathe
Pray for one specific person each day
Replace complaining with encouragement and positivity
Take one step toward a God-given dream– just take 30 minutes out of your day
Get caught up on one thing you’ve been putting off
We also talked about kindness! What is one kind thing you can say or do for someone this week? It doesn’t have to be complicated! Ask God to give you an opportunity to share some kindness this week! Here are some ideas:
Text someone.
Leave a positive review.
Pay for someone’s coffee.
Compliment a coworker.
Pray with someone.
Thank you for listening to The Morning Thing from 6am – 9am!
Praisestock returns to Mount Vernon this Sunday with a full day of worship, fellowship and opportunities to connect with local ministries.
WNZR’s Eric Brown spoke with Dave Ewart and Ben Staats about Praisestock 2026, which will be held Sunday, August 23rd, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the Schnormeier Event Center in Ariel-Foundation Park.
The event began 21 years ago as a church project at Owl Creek Baptist Church. Ewart and Staats said the original goal was to bring churches together for worship while also supporting ministries serving the community. Praisestock later moved to Mount Vernon and has grown to attract hundreds of people throughout the day.
That focus on unity remains an important part of the event. Praisestock is designed to bring Christians from different denominations, cultures and generations together for worship and fellowship.
The event also continues its partnership with Food For The Hungry. A love offering collected during Praisestock helps kick off Food For The Hungry’s fall fundraising season.
Sunday begins with a community worship service featuring Ekklesia and a message from Greg Zelinski. The afternoon schedule includes Set Free Worship, Chestnut Ridge, Lakeholm, Footprints of Jesus, Faith Outpost, Covenant and Trinity.
The day will conclude with a unity song bringing the participating groups together.
Praisestock also gives local ministries and organizations an opportunity to share more about their work. Throughout the day, visitors can learn about services available in the community and ways they can become involved.
Activities are also planned for children, making the event an opportunity for families to spend the day together while enjoying worship and learning more about local ministries.
Dave and Ben said they hope people leave Praisestock encouraged by the worship, strengthened through fellowship and connected with new opportunities to serve.
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
There are so many fun and unique events at this year’s Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival. The 3rd annual Kiwanis Club Pie Auction is back for 2026!
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talks with Alice Hutzel, Vice President of the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon about all the details for this year’s event. Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.
You are invited to join in this Americana traditions and bid on your favorite pie. There are 15 pies up for bid including cherry, blueberry, strawberry rhubarb, dutch apple caramel, peachy peach and many more flavors! All proceeds from the auction will support Children’s Literacy in Knox County. The Auction is Saturday, 8/15 at 3:30pm on the Public Square in downtown Mount Vernon. Thanks to Auctioneer David McDowell for his service.
Click HERE for more information about this event and the overall festival.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with JoAnne Graham, Co-Chair of the Flower Show at this year’s Mount Vernon Music & Arts Festival.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation or click on the picture below.
JoAnne shares the excitement of this year’s theme – “Celebrating America’s 250 through Artistic Designs”. She gives highlights of the different classes and what judges look for in a “Best of Show” entry. The Flower Show will be at The Living Center, 201 N Main Street in downtown Mount Vernon.
Stop by and see the displays: Friday 8/14 – 6pm – 8pm Saturday 8/15 – 10am – 8pm Sunday 8/16 – Noon – 4pm
Click HERE for more information about the Flower Show and this year’s festival.
KidsFest is returning to the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival with a wide variety of activities designed to give children a place to create, move, learn and have fun.
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart talked with festival board member Noella Nzishura about this year’s KidsFest and what families can expect throughout the weekend.
Nzishura has been involved with the festival for three years. She began as a volunteer before joining the board and is now helping lead KidsFest after learning from the person who previously oversaw the area.
This year’s activities include fruit kebabs, cookie decorating, fitness activities, African drumming and opportunities for kids to dress up and take part in different experiences. Returning favorites include succulents, princesses and bounce houses.
Kids can also pick up a passport and work through different activities, with an opportunity to earn a T-shirt.
KidsFest will be located on Vine Street behind Park National Bank. Nzishura said the area will include tents and bounce houses while creating a welcoming environment for children and their families. Bouquet making will also be offered through one of the businesses on Vine Street.
KidsFest opens at 11 a.m. each day. Activities continue into the evening Friday and Saturday, while KidsFest wraps up at 2 p.m. Sunday.
There is no cost to participate and no advance registration is required.
Nzishura said one of the things she is most looking forward to is seeing children try activities they may not have experienced before and discover skills they did not know they had.
Volunteers are still needed to help with KidsFest. Anyone interested can visit MVMAF.org and complete the festival’s volunteer form.
Nzishura encouraged families to simply come downtown, take part in the activities and enjoy the experience together.
Click HERE to learn more about the Mount Vernon Music and Arts Festival!
Rise and Shine 