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 -- Things appeared calm and quiet this morning at Mount Vernon Middle School as students and staff followed their normal routines.

MOUNT VERNON -- A 3 1/2-inch thick court file has been compiled in Knox County Common Pleas Court over the past two years, hours of depositions have been taken, dozens of legal briefs filed, and hundreds of hours of lawyers'work have been billed. But after more than two years of legal sparring on both sides, Michael Wagner of Fredericktown filed a motion for dismissal without prejudice regarding his lawsuit that was filed on Jan. 30, 2006, against several defendants in Knox County.

MOUNT VERNON -- "Th Republican Party is alive and well in Ohio."That's what Kevin DeWine, deputy chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, told about 50 members and guests at the Knox County Republican Women's Club luncheon Thursday at The Alcove.

GAMBIER -- Kenyon College hosted a debate on Thursday on the subject of legalized marijuana. Representatives of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws argued to legalize marijuana while Mary Samuell of the Knox County Drug and Alcohol Freedom Center and Noel Alden, a criminal defense attorney, argued against.

MOUNT VERNON -- Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, begins at sundown tomorrow.

MOUNT VERNON -- Strong pitching and solid defense carried the Mount Vernon High School baseball team past the visiting Mansfield Senior Tygers on Thursday afternoon, 7-1. Sophomore pitcher Robert Kane earned his first varsity win, scattering seven hits over seven innings.

FREDERICKTOWN -- After 10 innings, the Fredericktown and Utica High School baseball teams are still tied. The game was started in Fredericktown on Thursday night, but had to be postponed because of darkness with a tie of 11-all.

MOUNT VERNON -- When asked prior to the season about how he thought the conference might play out, Mount Vernon High school boys tennis coach Jeff Jarosz said he saw his team competing to be at the top, but was quick to note that Worthington Kilbourne was still a class above, with their history and tradition. The Wolves came into Mount Vernon on Thursday evening as good as advertised, sweeping the Yellow Jackets, 5-0, in their matchup.