Taking it to the Streets

MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon News office will be open Friday on New Year's Eve.

MOUNT VERNON — The 66-year-old Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County is adding a youthful twist to philanthropy with the rollout of a grant-making organization for high school students.

CENTERBURG — The Centerburg Trojans girls basketball team has averaged over 70 points per game this season.

COLUMBUS — A spokesperson for Grent Medical Center in Columbus has confirmed that Phillip Mascari, 43, Columbus, died on Tuesday at 4:40 p.m.

Mascari was the prime suspect in Monday’s murder of Katherine Russ of St. Louisville.

Authorities found Russ dead in her home Monday evening and put out a description looking for the vehicle Mascari was driving.

He was found early Tuesday morning and shot himself in the head when approached by Licking County Sheriff deputies. No gunfire was exchanged between Mascari and deputies.

According the a news release from the Licking County Sheriff’s Office, Russ died of blunt-force trauma to the head. A gunshot wound was also found but not believed to have been life threatening.

In regards to the release of inacurate information that said Mascari was still alive this morning, Mark Hopkins, director of communications for Ohio Health, said it was a glitch in the flow of information.

“The way information flows is usually dependable,” Hopkins said. “The nurses input their data but all we see is patient condition. At some point, the time of death was not sent down.”

When a patient dies, the hospital must follow procedures to make sure families have been notified before updates are made as to a patient’s condition report.

MOUNT VERNON — Many projects on the city's "to do" list have been crossed off since the city hired a full-time engineer in 2009.

UTICA — The Utica Redskins boys basketball team was outsized and outmuscled. But it certainly wasn't outhustled.

MOUNT VERNON — There will be a new head football coach at Mount Vernon High School in 2011.

MOUNT VERNON — After four seasons as head football coach at Mount Vernon High School, Gary Keller says he will not return in 2011.

A waterline to a city fire hydrant broke overnight Sunday in the faculty parking lot at the west end of Pleasant Street Elementary School.

The Children's Resource Center reported that one of the juveniles housed there left the facility without permission after dinner Monday.

MOUNT VERNON — During a budget meeting with the Knox County Commissioners on Monday, representatives from the Knox County Veterans Service Office and commission demanded $58,291 which the commissioners left out of the VSO's 2011 budget.

MOUNT VERNON — Terry Scott, auditor for the city of Mount Vernon, received the Making Your Tax Dollars Count Award from the Auditor of State's Office during Monday's Mount Vernon City Council meeting.

DANVILLE — The Danville Blue Devils went up against an undefeated team last night — but don't tell them. Their coach is keeping that a secret.

CENTERBURG — Described as a civic-minded person, Centerburg Mayor George Shaw's ambition was to serve his community, and that is what he did until his death on Thursday, Dec. 23.

Kevin Mishey, 56, Mount Vernon, driving the Jeep at right, was charged with failure to yield the right of way after this crash Sunday at 12:10 p.m. on Bishop Road, a half mile west of Johnstown Road.