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.

MOUNT VERNON -- The independent investigating firm HR on Call Inc. has completed its investigation into various allegations against Mount Vernon Middle School science teacher John Freshwater. The resulting report describes the scope of the investigation and outlines the investigative process. In addition to reviewing various documents and Freshwater's personnel file, the investigators talked with a number of parents, other staff members, students and Freshwater himself.

MOUNT VERNON -- In a recent letter to the Mount Vernon News, M. Russell Erwin Sr., of the Knox County Chapter of Minutemen United, said the group had started preparations to recall the Mount Vernon school board due to its members'refusal to publicly answer whether a teacher in the Mount Vernon school system is permitted to have a Bible on his or her desk.

MOUNT VERNON -- The Knox County Board of Commissioners took part in a series of discussions on Thursday, including meeting with Ron Simpson, superintendent of the water and wastewater department, and Roger Reed, dog warden for the county.

MOUNT VERNON -- The demand for concealed handgun carry permits is up 28 percent compared to last year, according to statistics recently released by the Ohio Attorney General's Office.