Local News

The City of Mount Vernon is asking residents in the East Chestnut neighborhood to weigh in on the future of a pedestrian footbridge that has been closed after part of its railing failed. The city closed the bridge after the railing failure and placed large boulders around the entrance to discourage people from crossing. City officials say simply repairing the …

Mount Vernon Nazarene University Assistant Athletic Director Paul McNeal has been recognized for his work strengthening relationships between local law enforcement and the community. McNeal received the Victoria Allen Civilian Leadership Award on September 14 during the 2026 Law Enforcement Training Symposium in Dayton. The annual symposium is hosted by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, a division of the …

The Knox County Community Health Center has received two new recognition badges from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration. The health center was recognized for Advancing Health Information Technology for Quality and as a National Quality Leader in Behavioral Health. According to Knox Public Health, the recognitions reflect the health center’s work to provide coordinated, accessible and patient-centered care …

A 19-year-old Mansfield man has been indicted on attempted murder and felonious assault charges following an altercation at a commercial establishment on Springmill Street. The Richland County Prosecutor’s Office released more than 80 indictments this week. Prosecutors say the cases include a large number of drug-related charges involving cocaine and fentanyl, along with cases involving assault, offenses involving minors and …

Six new single-family homes are planned for Shelby as part of an effort to expand attainable homeownership opportunities in northern Richland County. The Richland County Land Bank is partnering with Community Building Partners and Unibilt to construct the homes using funding from the Ohio Department of Development’s Welcome Home Ohio program. Each home will be sold for $200,000 to buyers …

Fredericktown High School is preparing to offer students new opportunities in skilled trades through a new welding program. The school has secured a combined $51,500 for the purchase of three new welders, along with safety equipment, personal protective equipment, welding booths and additional accessories. Funding includes a $23,000 grant from the Knox County Foundation, along with $15,000 from Marsha Rinehart …

Mount Vernon Police Chief Robert Morgan has been recognized with the Ohio Blue Line Award for his work modernizing the city’s police department and expanding community engagement. Morgan received the award during the 2026 Law Enforcement Training Symposium hosted by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in Dayton. The annual award recognizes law enforcement officers who demonstrate innovation and develop …

A portion of Park Avenue East in downtown Mansfield is scheduled to be widened near the Richland County Courthouse as part of an upcoming city project. The work is expected to be completed within approximately one month, according to Mansfield City Engineer Bob Bianchi. The project will be funded through the city’s permissive sales tax, which provides revenue for transportation …

Several Licking County school districts are showing improvement or maintaining strong performances in the latest Ohio School Report Cards. The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce recently released report cards for the 2025-26 school year, evaluating districts across six areas: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation, early literacy, and readiness for college, career, workforce and military service. Granville Exempted Village Schools …

The City of Mount Vernon is moving away from its current agreement with Flock Safety and plans to impose a 12-month moratorium on the installation of automated license plate reader cameras on city property. City Council gave a first reading Monday to Resolution 2026-96, which would allow the city’s current contract with Flock Safety to expire on October 25. The …