Local News

36 year old Gary Thomas Keesee Jr., faces five additional rape and sex-related charges, according to a superseding indictment from Monday. Keesee was previously indicted on 27 sexual-abuse counts, including 11 counts of first-degree rape.The additional charges are from a fourth victim coming forward in the case.Detective Jay Cook with the Licking County Sheriff’s Office confirmed with us that a …

Knox County is home to a thriving arts scene. We boast a symphony, choirs, theater groups, a concert series, and many other cultural organizations, offering great opportunities for local performers as well as entertainment for audiences. Now jazz joins the mix. Founded in the summer of 2017, the Knox Community Jazz Orchestra has been filling the air with the sounds of …

MOUNT VERNON — Volunteers from the four Nazarene Churches in Mount Vernon joined together for Big Serve on April 26 and May 17. Big Serve is a Church of the Nazarene community service event with churches participating across Ohio. Because Mount Vernon has a unique number of Nazarene churches, the four churches – First Naz, Lakeholm, New Life, and Shepherd’s …

36 year old Gary Thomas Keesee Jr., faces five additional rape and sex-related charges, according to a superseding indictment from Monday. Keesee was previously indicted on 27 sexual-abuse counts, including 11 counts of first-degree rape. He now faces 32 sexual-abuse counts, including 13 first-degree felonies, 14 third-degree felonies and five fourth-degree allegations. The five additional charges include two rape and three gross sexual …

MOUNT VERNON, May 20, 2025 – The City of Mount Vernon’s annual Memorial Day Parade andCeremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, May 26, 2025, with U.S. Army Veteran Jim Breault,accompanied by his granddaughter Elise, serving as parade grand marshal. About 55 participants have signed up to be part of the parade, Mayor Matt Starr said. “Memorial Day is …

Join The Woodward Opera House as we welcome back to our stage the amazingSTEFANO!Stefano May is an internationally acclaimed Italian singer, songwriter, and piano virtuosoknown for his fusion of soul, pop, and classical music. He began classical piano training atage seven and quickly rose to prominence, performing on major Italian TV shows andcollaborating with renowned director Franco Zeffirelli and filmmaker …

MOUNT VERNON, OH – The Knox County Fair has been selected to grace the cover of the Ohio Department of Development’s official 2025 Summer Guide, https://ohio.org/home/seasons/summer/summer-events . This prestigious placement highlights the fair’s significance as a premier Ohio summer event and its appeal to visitors from across the state and beyond. The Ohio Department of Development’s Summer Guide is a comprehensive resource showcasing …

31 year old Aaron Bolton of Mount Vernon was given a recognizance bond in court on Wednesday in Knox County. Bolton is facing two counts of OVI, a count of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and a county of Aggravated Vehicular Assault. In court his attorney, Brandon Crunkilton, asked for a jury trial and recognizance bond which the state did not have …

(COLUMBUS) – State Representatives Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) recently introduced House Bill 262 – legislation that designates the weeks between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day as “Natural Family Month.” “At a time when marriage is trending downward and young couples are often choosing to remain childless, it’s important for the State of Ohio to make a …

MOUNT VERNON, May 13, 2025 – The City of Mount Vernon’s outdoor warning sirens are scheduled to betested between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Bender Communications plansto test the sirens’ panels, and while it does not anticipate the sirens being activated during the work, that is apossibility.The maintenance will be postponed if …