MOUNT VERNON -- East High Street parking on Sunday afternoon was at a premium, and people were everywhere. A large crowd of folks was headed for the final performance of Peter Pan at the Memorial Theater; most everyone else was headed for the High Street Home Tour.

MOUNT VERNON -- Corby Wise received the the Heritage Centre Association's Walter Rudin Award during the association's annual awards banquet Thursday evening at The Alcove Restaurant in Mount Vernon.

The Bruce Jacklin and Co. production of "Peter Pan" opened Thursday night at the Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon for the first of a four-performance run.

Pre-fair judging began Wednesday at Mount Vernon High School with food and nutrition and clothing projects. 4-H participants were given the opportunity to exhibit their projects creatively to the judges.

MOUNT VERNON -- After years of controversy and debate between officials across the county, the Knox County hazmat trailer, and the truck purchased to tow it, could soon be sold.

MOUNT VERNON -- Hidden deep in the countryside of Knox County, Ray Basham spent his weekend directing his first feature film, "Hillbilly Bob Zombie."

MOUNT VERNON -- On Friday, community members, school administrators, students, teachers and former teachers waited for more than three hours as the Mount Vernon Board of Education, in executive session, debated whether to continue the employment of eighth-grade science teacher John Freshwater.

John Chapman, commonly known as Johnny Appleseed, is just one of the important figures that helped shape the history of Knox County. Inspired by his faith, he journeyed the Ohio territory and the American frontier planting apple trees to nourish the pioneers during their travels.

MOUNT VERNON -- On an unusually cool and overcast summer evening in downtown Mount Vernon, three bike races -- comprising the Mount Vernon Classic sponsored by Ariel and powered by GOBA -- heated up the crowd and the riders as they cruised through a course packed with spectators.

MOUNT VERNON -- Anyone driving anywhere near Mount Vernon on Monday was sure to see bicyclists. Over 2,500 riders invaded town as part of the 2008 Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure.

The Schnormeier Gardens of Gambier held an open house this past weekend inviting guest to experience a peaceful walk through the Japanese style gardens. Inspired by their journeys to Asia, the Schnormeiers have captured the natural and cultural essence. The beautiful gardens encompass 10 lakes, several waterfalls, an arched bridge, a Japanese teahouse, garden house, and wide collection of sculptures

MOUNT VERNON -- When you hear the word karate, do you think about Bruce Lee? Or maybe you think about a movie like "The Karate Kid." Or do you just think about sports? When the majority of people think about karate, they view it only as a sport. But karate is really a way of life.

The Bridge of Dreams, the longest covered bridge in Ohio, is currently getting a face lift. Wooden sections of the structure are being stained and the steel portions have been primed and will receive a coat of paint.

DANVILLE -- The Danville-Howard Turkey Festival kicked off Thursday evening, and one of the events held was the Little Miss Turkey and Little Mister Turkey contest.

High gasoline prices have put a crimp in most people's budgets. Gas prices are not likely to come down soon but there are some thing that can be done to get the most out of a gallon of gas.

MOUNT VERNON -- "9-1-1, what is your emergency?" The voice on the line offers calmness in distress, and help in the worst of circumstances. The dispatcher who answers the phone when an emergency call is made will have only seconds to determine what kind of help is needed, and how to get that help to the caller the fastest.

MOUNT VERNON -- In a year when skyrocketing fuel costs are driving retail prices to new heights, home-grown goods are more competitive than ever.

GAMBIER -- Volunteer Firefighters from at least eight different stations gathered on the edge of Gambier on Saturday to train under the live conditions of a propane gas leak.

MOUNT VERNON -- 31 women from the United States, Australia, and Canada have traveled across the country along the Underground Railroad route. During their journey they stopped in Mount Vernon on Friday after riding 75 miles from Dublin, Ohio. The women will end their 2,000 miles tour in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Mike Petee's play, "With Pen in Hand" takes Dan Emmett where no historian has gone before. Most of us around here know Dan Emmett wrote the song usually known as "Dixie," and that Mount Vernon holds a festival each year in Emmett's honor. But that's about as far as it goes. More's the pity, because Emmett led a long and interesting life; a life many lads of his day only dreamed about.

LOUDONVILLE -- A record number of riders turned out for the sixth annual Mohican Mountain Bike 100 on Saturday. In the end, however, it was a two-man race to the finish.

UTICA -- Though temperatures were a touch cool, plenty of sunshine graced the Ice Cream Festival parade in Utica on Saturday morning, showing off all the participants in the hour-long procession.

As consumers try to deal with the continual increase in food and gas prices, being a smart shopper is more important than ever when trying to stay within the family's budget. Shopping at local neighborhood grocery stores is one way to save gas while promoting the hometown economy.

Camp Ohio took the opportunity Saturday to celebrate its 80th birthday as well as the bicentennial for both Knox and Licking counties. An open house of the facilities explored the campgrounds and included living history presentations.

A community, a brotherhood of firefighters, first responders and law enforcement, said goodbye on Thursday to Don Wilson.

Spectators watched as the Kelly Miller Circus set up today at the Knox County Fairgrounds

Keeping to a goal can be one of the hardest things to do, but the results are well worth it. After several months of exercising and dieting, Duane Hurlbert has lost 50 lbs. "I think it's a combination of being here [gym] and having someone watch over me that helps me keep to it," Hurlbert said. He hopes to lose another 50 lbs. by the end of the year.

FREDERICKTOWN -- Firefighters rally around each other in times of need, and the members of the Fredericktown and Mount Vernon fire departments banded together Friday night to support a fireman who is battling aggressive, terminal colon cancer.

Explosions, apparently more than one, followed by fire, heavily damages a Grange Avenue house on Saturday afternoon. Mount Vernon, Fredericktown and College Township firefighters fought the fire.

Team Ten is a group of 45 Mount Vernon High School sophomores which designed and painted signs and playground games on the asphalt at Pleasant Street School.

Two new dog runs in Mount Vernon and Gambier offer dog owners a chance to allow their dogs to run free off the leash, stretch their legs and socialize and play with other dogs. The Wolf Run area extends into the woods and provides a varied environment for dogs and owners. The Gambier run is located behind the Gambier Community Center on Meadow Lane near the softball fields and offers ample room to both dog and master.

Fire broke out early Sunday morning at Legend's At the Castle Restaurant on the grounds of Landohl's Mohican Castle, just north of the Knox County line.

Rocky the boxing kangaroo was the star performer at the Star Family Circus on Friday. Held at the Knox County Fairgrounds, the circus will perform two more shows today, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

UTICA -- Youngsters Caleb and Micah Lumsden gazed through the large windows of new viewing gallery at Ye Olde Mill and watched workers making ice cream during a special event Thursday.

This weekend will serve as a free fishing weekend across the state of Ohio. On May 3 and 4, adults can fish without a fishing license. There are ample fishing spots across Knox County for an angler of any expertise including the Kokosing River, Foundation Park and Wolf Run Regional Park.

Turkey season here in Ohio has been underway since April 21 and will continue until May 18. More than 200 turkeys have been tagged in Knox County so far this season.

MOUNT VERNON -- Little information regarding allegations against Mount Vernon Middle School science teacher John Freshwater is being divulged by school officials or Freshwater. In an effort to further understand how a student of Freshwater's could be burned during a science experiment, the News met with Dr. Terry Klopcic, director of laboratories at Kenyon College, to discuss Tesla coils and their educational value in the classroom.

GAMBIER -- Anthony Devore has plenty of room and trees on his Caves Road farm that he could build a tree house anywhere he wanted for his son to play in. Instead, he purchased a 1926 caboose used on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad to serve as Anthony II's playhouse.

MOUNT VERNON -- In a brief ceremony on Public Square on Friday, city and county officials congratulated the winners of the first ever Heritage Bicentennial Tree awards. The awards were given to the owners of the largest and oldest trees in Knox County.

MOUNT VERNON -- On Jan. 21, Marcie Cantu's 15-year-old son was beaten unconscious by a 19-year-old man at a house party on West Pleasant Street, according to police reports. The assault was captured on video from a cell phone and shows Justyn Harris punching and kicking Robert Cantu, as other teenagers cheer him on. In the video, no one present did anything to stop the attack.

MOUNT VERNON -- Earlier this week, the Mount Vernon Board of Education announced it was hiring an independent investigator to determine if allegations against middle school science teacher John Freshwater were true. Those allegations include the accusation that Freshwater burned a cross on the forearm of a student while conducting an experiment using an electrostatic device.

DANVILLE -- Knox County Catholics say they were pleased with Pope Benedict XVI's recent visit to the United States.

On Friday, Mount Vernon middle and high school student showed their support for middle school teacher John Freshwater and his quest to keep his bible visible in the classroom.

MOUNT VERNON -- Nearly 100 people gathered on Mount Vernon's Public Square on Wednesday afternoon, in a show of support for middle school science teacher John Freshwater. The Mount Vernon City School administration has demanded Freshwater remove a Bible from his desk at school, even though a Bible has been a fixture in his classroom for many years.

MOUNT VERNON -- A ventilation fan overheated and set fire to the roof at The Laurels nursing center about 8:10 this morning. None of the 25 residents in the northwest wing of the facility were in danger, although all were removed to another part of the building. Staff member Alice Cree said the residents even had their breakfasts.

Sweet Revenge's 33rd reunion concert Saturday night started mellow with the '50s hit "Teen Angel." It was the mark of a band that didn't feel hurried to prove itself, for it knew just what it'd be able to deliver by evening's end, when the group virtually blew the roof off the Memorial Theater with a hard-rocking version of "Freebird."

NEWCASTLE -- Herb Miller's broiler chicken farm stands on a rolling hill less than a mile south of the hamlet of Newcastle in Coshocton County. The farm was the site of a tour held Thursday by Case Farms to give a glimpse of a broiler-raising facility to Knox County officials and concerned neighbors of a similar operation planned for Monroe Township.

Mount Vernon firefighters responded this afternoon to a house fire near Pleasant Street School.

LUCERNE -- Guy Denny looked up into the sky, then bent over and picked up a leaf, letting it fall to the ground.

On Monday, Flappers Bar and Grille held a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition.

After nearly 70 years in business, Mazza's Restaurant closed on Saturday night.

Auto enthusiasts descended on Jack Cunningham's Garage on Sharp Road on Saturday

HOWARD -- For various reasons -- whether to save money for college, to pay for gas and car insurance, or help with the family budget -- more and more teenagers are joining the work force before they graduate from high school. In order to do so, there are certain steps they, and their employers, have to take to comply with Ohio's minor labor laws.

The Knox County Career Center is building a new addition to its main building. The addition will house the Chef and Catering program and related facilities. This will free up room in the main building for other Career Center programs

A blowing wind with snow flurries greeted scores of youngsters at the Mount Vernon Parks Department annual Easter egg hunt at Memorial Park on Saturday morning.

The Interchurch food pantry received a generous boost recently with food donations from members of Curves of Mount Vernon.

Fredericktown students left their mark on school history this week as they signed their names on the concrete before the new gym floor is installed.

Construction of the new East Knox Middle School is moving ahead of schedule and on budget. Superintedent John Marschhausen recently gave Mount Vernon News Videographer George Breithaupt a tour of the new facility.

Sixty people danced to music from the 1860s at the annual ball sponsored by the Gen. Henry Banning Camp, Ohio Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

Peebles ready for business

MOUNT VERNON -- Allen Stockberger, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Hill Church, recently returned from a mission trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was his ninth mission trip; and his first to the islands.

Potholes continue to be a problem

Videographers from the Mount Vernon News, criss-crossed Knox County to talk with voters.

FREDERICKTOWN -- In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras, a country already suffering from poverty and lack of medical care.

A powerful winter storm strikes Knox County, crippling travel.

WATERFORD -- As the pale, watery sun of late winter begins to warm a few days above freezing, while the nights remain crisply cold, the sap begins to rise in sugar maple trees, bringing maple syrup season to life.

MOUNT VERNON -- Allen Stockberger, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Hill Church, recently returned from a mission trip to the Galapagos Islands. It was his ninth mission trip; and his first to the islands.

Potholes continue to be a problem

Videographers from the Mount Vernon News, criss-crossed Knox County to talk with voters.

FREDERICKTOWN -- In 1998, Hurricane Mitch devastated Honduras, a country already suffering from poverty and lack of medical care.

GAMBIER -- Three people are dead after a Gambier man shot and killed his parents before turning the gun on himself.

MOUNT VERNON -- Dr. Lorle Porter led 160 Knox County residents on a trip into the dark forest on Saturday. Porter was the featured speaker at Knox County's 200th Birthday Party at The Dan Emmett Conference Center, and her speech focused on the first settlers into Knox County.

MOUNT VERNON -- The road from Brazil to Mount Vernon is a long one, but three Brazilian jiu jitsu black belts managed to find their way on Thursday. Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight contender Gabriel Gonzaga and Team Link fighters Marco Alvan and Gabriel Santos were at Body Basics Health and Fitness Club as a guest of David Lashley and Lashley's Jiu Jitsu Academy.

MOUNT VERNON -- On Thursday, Mount Vernon superintendent Steve Short showed school board members Ian Watson and Margie Bennett -- and the Mount Vernon News -- some of the energy-efficient upgrades being completed at the middle school.

Black history month is a time to reflect on our nation's, as well as our community's diverse history.

MOUNT VERNON -- The final evening of the 2008 Ohio's Junior Miss scholarship program unfolded for the 35th time at the Memorial Theater on Saturday night, before a crowd of enthusiastic and vocal supporters. This is the 50th year for America's Junior Miss.

DANVILLE -- Danville dentists Thomas Glibert and Lisa Moster opened their practice on Friday to those without dental insurance during their 18th annual Free Day of Dentistry.

MOUNT VERNON -- For the 35th year, the Ohio's Junior Miss scholarship program kicked off at the Memorial Theater on Friday evening, emceed by Dana Ullom-Vucelich.

The historic bowstring truss bridge on Mill Road near Bladensburg will be getting a new home this year. The bridge was purchased by Mount Vernon and will be dismantled, moved to Foundation Park in Mount Vernon and rehabilitated with the help of volunteers. Work is expected to begin late February, weather permitting.

Margaret Ann Ruhl and Tom Whiston, both candidates for state representative for the 90th district, squared off on Monday during a debate hosted by Country Club Retirement Campus.

MOUNT VERNON -- Heather and Jeff Delawder of Cardington, and their sons Griffin, 5, and Parker, 2, drove to Mount Vernon on Saturday after they learned the Knox County Humane Society was hosting an open house. They were in search of a kitten to adopt, and learned about the KCHS event on the Internet.

MOUNT VERNON -- It all started as a joke. Hundreds of shows and a number of jumpsuits later, Mike Mazza's portrayal of the late, great American entertainer Elvis Presley has become a major, time-consuming hobby and part-time second career.

Duane Hurlbert, 53, of Apple Valley has struggled with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis. Medications also caused him to gain weight that further complicated his condition. Working with a personal trainer has helped him keep his focus, lose weight and work toward making his condition bearable.

MOUNT VERNON -- For two decades Mount Vernon High School has fielded "In The Know" teams, giving students the chance to demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of subjects -- from history and music to sports and games to math, science and entertainment.

LORAIN -- While most Knox Countians were on their way to work Thursday morning, Operation Overkill was being executed by the Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife some 98 miles away. While it may not sound of much interest to area residents, Knox County has just gotten safer.

Bodi-N-Balance offers a program aimed at children that combines education and exercise. Working with a personal trainer, these youth learn the right and wrong way to eat and work out.

The home of Matt and Carol Skinner, and their three children, was destroyed by fire this morning. The Eastern Knox County Joint Fire District immediately called for mutual aid upon arriving at the blaze at 22000 Ireland Road.

DANVILLE -- Over 800 people crammed into the St. Luke Community Center on Monday for a chance to do two rare things -- eat raccoon and meet Craig Krenzel. The dinner, a fundraiser for the Danville Lions Club, draws attention all across the country.

MOUNT VERNON -- Walking into Jack Cunningham's garage on Sharp Road south of Mount Vernon is like a time warp. Here it is 2008 outside, but inside his immaculate 8,000-square-foot shop are cars dating from the 1930s through the '60s. Hot rods of all descriptions fill out the scene. All of the cars are in various states of being rebuilt into show quality level restoration vehicles.

MOUNT VERNON -- An early morning fire today destroyed Rivers Edge Hunting and Fishing at 306 W. Gambier St.

Stain glass isn't reserved for church windows anymore. In fact, some beautiful and exciting pieces are made right here in Mount Vernon.

The art of glass blowing, in any form, is an art that requires proper training and practice to develop technique and style. Mount Vernon artist, Robert Coleman, opened his studio to Mount Vernon News videographer George Breithaupt to demonstrate glass blowing using compressed air.

MOUNT VERNON -- Seven children and a handicapped person escaped, apparently without injury, from a burning house Monday afternoon. The alarm came in at 2:55 p.m. for the house at 118 Cassil St., just east of North Sandusky Street in northwest Mount Vernon.

The YMCA of Mount Vernon hosted a Dance Dance Revolution competition on Saturday to give local youth the opportunity to show off their dance skills.

MOUNT VERNON -- Number 701056 is one lucky dog. The friendly male boxer-mix, about 4 years old, came to the Knox County Animal Shelter as a stray. But soon, he'll be leaving Ohio for a new home in an eastern state, where strays are rare and dog shelters don't have enough dogs.

FREDERICKTOWN -- Firefighter Jason Bostic of the Fredericktown Community Fire District will participate for the second time in the Scott Firefighting Stairclimb benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Over 1,300 firefighters are expected to compete in this year's 17th annual timed climb, which takes firefighters in full gear up 69 floors to the top of Columbia Center in Seattle.

Pothole season is upon us and crews from the Mount Vernon Street Department are working to keep ahead of the problem. Crews were at work yesterday on Riley Street filling several potholes. To report a pothole call the Mount Vernon Street Department at 393-9501

MOUNT VERNON -- The sheriff's office auctions off foreclosed properties on the county courthouse steps on Friday mornings. In recent years, the number of such properties has skyrocketed.

MOUNT VERNON -- Some of the buildings may look rough and run down at the moment, but a major rehab project at the Hillside Apartment Community should change the look of the complex for the better and provide attractive rental housing to low- and moderate-income individuals and families in the county. The $1,965,000 rehab project got under way in December, after state and federal funding was obtained, according to Donna Denning, human resource director for the agency. The buildings had long since fallen into disrepair.

On Jan. 1, the YMCA of Mount Vernon launched a free three-month program designed to curb obesity and encourage activity in Knox County children.

MOUNT VERNON -- Following Tuesday night's storm, with high winds, trees and limbs were down along Murray Road. For at least a mile and half, trees were down on the roadway, in yards and on houses.

FREDERICKTOWN -- Bitter winds, cold rain and a hot training fire made for an eventful day for the Fredericktown Community Fire District on Saturday.

Around 40 people attended the New Year's in the Forest at Wolf Run Regional Park on Sunday, January 6.

In Ohio, you never know what to expect with the weather. In any case, being well prepared will get you through any situation throughout the winter months.

The Knox County Chapter of the American Red Cross held it's first blood drive of 2008 in Martinsburg for National Blood Donor Month.

MOUNT VERNON -- Today's the day. For the last month you've been planning a New Year's resolution. Maybe it's to do a better job of managing money. Perhaps it's not lighting up another cigarette. If the resolution is to start eating smarter and exercising more to drop that unwanted weight -- you are not alone. More than any other resolution made today, Americans will vow to lose weight.