MOUNT VERNON -- Every six years, the state of Ohio mandates the counties re-examine and reassess all properties in the county. The Knox County Auditor’s Office is now in the process of conducting that reappraisal.

MOUNT VERNON -- Knox County is home to some of the most beautiful and serene gardens in Ohio, from spacious acres filled with garden after garden to the small lot delightfully decorated by Mother Nature’s paintbrush.

MOUNT VERNON -- Knox County horticulture has another pest to worry about. Bagworm infestation has been encroaching into Knox County over the last couple of years and now seems to be firmly entrenched. Bagworm generally attacks arborvitae, juniper, pine, spruce and several other evergreen species. It has also been known to attack certain deciduous trees such as black locust, honeylocust and sycamore.

MOUNT VERNON -- A total of 60 million cans and pouches of Menu Foods’ pet food was recalled last week due to the confirmed deaths of 17 cats and dogs. The mystery is over as to the cause of the multiple deaths and illnesses -- rat poison, suspected on a wheat shipment from China, is to blame. But that is not much consolation to pet owners.

MOUNT VERNON -- Barbara Barry received the Heritage Centre Association’s Walter Rudin Award Tuesday. She was among several winners at the HCA annual awards dinner, an event in which the association celebrates the contributions of its members.

MOUNT VERNON -- The nationwide scare of dog and cat food that has contributed to the death of pets apparently has not filtered down to Knox County. Veterinarians in Mount Vernon say they don’t know what the problems are, and none have had pets in their offices with the symptoms.

MOUNT VERNON -- Fredericktown’s Shawn Johnson and Mount Vernon Academy’s Ryan McFadden led the Senior-Stars to a 75-71 win over the All-Stars in Tuesday night’s Mount Vernon News All-Star Senior Showcase game. The duo’s performance was more than enough to pick up Co-Most Valuable Player Honors. They combined to score 45 percent of the Senior-Stars’ points.

MOUNT VERNON -- Citing illness, local attorney Scott Pullins did not attend a hearing Monday in Knox County Common Pleas Court.

MOUNT VERNON -- Tornadoes are powerful and dangerous storms which can strike swiftly and leave death and destruction in their paths. As with other types of natural disasters, survival can depend on preparedness. Knowing what to look for, being familiar with terms used to describe tornadoes, and having a plan should a tornado strike, will increase chances of survival.

MOUNT VERNON -- Tornado season is fast approaching and Knox County Emergency Management officials are urging residents to prepare for potentially harsh weather this spring.

MOUNT VERNON -- The Mount Vernon High School football team got to meet its new leader for the first time on Monday. Newly hired coach Gary Keller met after school with his squad and liked what he saw.

Newspapers are information. They tell us whats going on locally and in the world, what’s on TV and who won the big game among, many other things. Newspapers In Education is a program to familiarize school children with what a newspaper is and what it can do for their lives. For the most part, NIE distributes papers to school children in preschool to 12th grade along with age-based activities.

Spruce Street and Roosevelt Avenue provide the only way in or out for the residents of the Buckeye Addition, a neighborhood in Clinton Township located just west of the railroad tracks that run along South Main Street.

A registered sexual predator living in Mount Vernon was indicted Monday for allegedly raping an adult male victim.

Crews from Miller Logging were hard at work Tuesday clearing trees, brush, limbs and stumps from the Heart of Ohio Trail.

Tori Carpenter has been participating in the Swim for Diabetes for four years. The swim began Sunday at 1 p.m. and ran until 4 p.m. By about 2 p.m., Tori had done 51 laps. There were 21 swimmers overall and they raised $7,200.

The body found in the Kokosing river on Wednesday morning has been identified as 51-year-old James L. Newton of Mount Vernon, according to Mount Vernon police.

Quiet Love is not the average Christian ministry. Before a concert, the performers wander around wearing glow-in-the-dark face paint, black clothes and white gloves. They pray together in preparation.